Wesley Corpus

5. And even after the Holy Ghost was more largely given, after "life and immortality were brought to light by the gospel" we want not instances of the same melancholy kind, which were also doubtless written for our instruction. Thus he who (probably from his selling all that he had, and bringing the price for the relief of his poor brethren) was by the apostles themselves surnamed Barnabas, that is, the son of consolation; (Acts 4:36, 37;) who was so honoured at Antioch, as to be selected with Saul out of all the disciples, to carry their relief unto the brethren in Judea; (Acts 11:29, 30;) this Barnabas, who, at his return from Judea, was, by the peculiar direction of the Holy Ghost, solemnly "separated from the other Prophets and Teachers, for the work whereunto God had called him," (Acts 13:1-4,) even to accompany the great Apostle among the Gentiles, and to be his fellow-labourer in every place; -- nevertheless, was afterward so sharp, (Acts 15:35, 39,) in his contention with St. Paul, (because he "thought it not good to take with them John," in his visiting the brethren a second time, "who had departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work,") that he himself also departed from the work; that he "took John, and sailed unto Cyprus;" (Acts 15:39;) forsaking him to whom he had been in so immediate a manner joined by the Holy Ghost.