After which follows an account of Peter's paffing throughout all quarters, his going to Lydda, and there healing Eneas, then to Joppa, where he raised Tabitha: and from thence to Cefarea, and there preaching to Cornelius, and his companie: and of fome other matters, reaching to ch. xi. 26. How long that reft, or peace and tranquillity continued, in all its fulneffe, we cannot fay exactly. Perhaps it lafted a year, or more. And it is not unlikely, that in that space of time other Apoftles, befide Peter, travelled in Judea, and the feveral parts of it, preaching the gofpel, and confirming the difciples. But upon Herod Agrippa being made King of all Judea by Claudius in the year 41. that peace would be abated, if not interrupted. From the begining of his reign, especially from his arrival in Judea, and during the remainder of it, the difciples must have been under many difficulties and difcouragements, Prince and People being of one mind. And toward the end of his reign he became an open and violent perfecutor, till Divine Providence fmote him, that he died. After his death Judea came to be in the hands of Roman Procurators, Cufpius Fadus, Tiberius Alexander, Cumanus, Felix, Feftus: When probably, the difciples of Jesus had for several years together more liber ty, than they had at any time, fince the refurrection of Jefus, excepting the interval of reft and tranquillity, before taken notice of. For those Governours, or Procurators, had no orders from the Roman Emperour to perfecute or disturb any Jews. And that thofe Governours were not disposed to disturb the Chriftians, may be argued from the treatment given to Paul by Felix, and Feftus, and the officers under them. Now therefore from the year 44. to the time of the Council in 49. or 50. and afterwards, the Apoítles went on fulfilling their miniftrie. All of them, as I apprehend, ftaid in Judea till the time of the Council. Soon after which fome did, probably, go abroad. However, feveral of them might stay there a good while longer, and not remove, till a little before the commencement of the Jewith war in 66.

6. We may now perceive, the benefit of the early choice and call of Paul to be an Apostle. Who having been several years employed and exercifed in preaching to Jews in Judea, and out of it, was ready to preach to Gentils likewife, as foon as a door was opened for applying to them at Antioch, and other places: as there was, after Peter had received Cornelius at Cefarea: whilft it was not as yet fit for any of the twelve Apostles to leave the land of Ifrael.

7. We now obtain fome affiftance for interpreting thofe expreffions of Paul: Gal. ii. 7. 8. 9. When they faw that the gospel off the uncircumcifion was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcifion was committed unto Peter. For be that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcifion, the fame was mighty in me toward the Gentils. And they gave unto me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Heathen, and they unto the circumcifion. And Rom. xi. 13. inasmuch as I am the Apostle of the Gentils, I magnify my office. Thofe expreffions cannot be intended to fignify, that Paul was Apoftle of the Gentils only, and exclufive of the Jews: or that Peter and the other of the twelve, were Apoftles of the circumcifion only, exclufive of the Gentils. For an Apoftle is a teacher or master of the whole world. They were ap.. pointed to be fo by Christ himself. Nor could their commiffion be li

D 4

mited

mited by any compact among themfelves. Our Lord's commiffion given to his twelve Apostles, is, in Matthew, to this purpose: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations. xxviii. 19. and in Luke: xxiv. 46. 47. he faid to them, that repentance and forgiveneffe of fins fhould be preached in his name among all nations, begining at Jerufalem. And Acts i. 8. And Ye shall be witneffes unto me in Ferufalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And Mark xvi. 15. And he faid unto them: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. And ver. 20. And they went forth and preached every where. Of Paul the Lord fays in a vision to Ananias at Damafcus: He is a chofen veffel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentils, and Kings, and the children of Ifrael. Acts ix. 5. And Paul fays to King Agrippa: I was not difobedient to the heavenly vifion: but fhewed first unto them of Damafcus, and at Jerufalem, and throughout all the coast of Judea, and then to the Gentils, that they should repent, and turn to God. ch, xxvi. 19. 20. Moreover we know from the hiftorie of Paul's preaching recorded in the Acts, that he always first addreffed himself to Jews, in all the places where he came, if there were any, and if they had there a fynagogue,

It should be obferved likewife, that Peter had actually preached to Gentils, in Judea, and was the firft difciple of Jefus, that did fo. There is a particular account of it in the book of the Acts ch. x. and xi. And himfelf takes notice of it in his fpeech at the Council of Jerufalem. ch.

XV. 7.

The reafon therefore, why the gofpel of circumcifion is faid to have been committed unto Peter, and the other Apoftles with him, is, that for a good while, their miniftry was foly, or however very much, and chiefly, employed among Jews in Judea: though afterwards they preached very freely to Gentils, in feveral parts of the world. And Paul is called the Apostle of the Gentils, and the gofpel of the uncircumcifion is faid to have been committed unto him, because he got the start of all the rest in preaching to Gentils, and had laboured among them for a good while in divers countreys, with great fucceffe, and had formed many churches in divers places whilft they were still in Judea, teaching Jews, and had made no addreffes to Gentils abroad in other countreys.

It may be alfo implied in what St. Paul fays in the epiitle to the Galatians, that (h) feveral of the first twelve Apostles intended to stay still fomewhat longer in Judea. This they were the more willing to do, be, ing fully fatisfied with the preaching of Paul in foreign countreys: infomuch that they encouraged him to proceed, as he had begun.

8. Once more, we may now be reconciled to the fuppofition of the late date of the Gofpels. For they were not to be published, till the doctrine concerning

(b) Alterum, quod ex dicto Pauli ad Galatas colligimus, illud eft, Joannem etiam poft diceffum Pauli cum duobus collegis per aliquod temporis intervallum Hierofolymis, et in Judæa fubftitiffe. Gentium enim converfione Paulo et Barnabæ demandata, ipfi inter Judæos fe operam porro locaturos declarant. Quæ etiam cauffa eft, cur Joannis et fociorum in Actis Apoftolicis vix mentio occurrat, quia poftquam primordia Ecclefiæ Chriftianæ inter Judæos memorata erant, nihil amplius videbatur addendum, nifi ut narretur, quomodo primitia Gentium effent introductæ. Lamp. Proleg. in Jo. L. x. cap 3. §. qii.

concerning Jefus had been preached in divers parts, and many converts had been made, to whom they would be ufeful, for whom they would be needful, by whom they would be received with joy, be highly valued, frequently read, and often copied. Written hiftories of Jefus could be little wanted by the Jewish believers in Judea, whilft all the Apofties were still in that countrey, and there were alfo ftill living among them many fincere followers of Jefus, and eye-witneffes of his perfon and miniftrie. Very probably, therefore, there was no written gospel, till after the Council at Jerufalem.

Still there may be objections, which fhould be ftated and confidered. Obj. 1. It may be faid: Was not the progreffe of the gospel by this means much retarded? I answer: No. And this objection, methinks, should be of little moment now, after all that has been said of the many advantages of the Apoftles ftay in Judea.

However, fome confiderations fhall be here added to what has been already faid, Though the Apostles did not leave Judea themselves, they encouraged those who did, who preached the gospel abroad, whether to Jews or Gentils. Of this there is an inftance with regard to the church of Antioch, related Acts xi. 19... 22. And there may have been fome other like inftances, Moreover the Apostles were very useful by their ftay in Judea, as has been already fhewn. They made many converts among the Jews. During their stay in that countrey, if there was any meafure of public liberty for the believers, the Apoftles would all, or most of them, be at Jerufalem, at the great feafts, to which there was a general refort of Jews from all countreys. Here the inquifitive of that People would have an opportunity of converfing with the Apoftles. And if they were convinced, and perfuaded by them, they would carry the doctrine of the gospel into the places of their usual refidence, and propagate it there.

Obj. 2. But, if the Apostles had attempted to make a long stay in Judea, it feems, that they must have been all deftroyed. I answer, that doubtlefs they met with many and great difficulties. What they were from the time of our Lord's afcenfion to the year 44. was briefly rehearfed juft now. After that, for several years, as I apprehend, their difficulties would not be fo great, as they had been. Yea, during that space would be the best opportunity that ever they had, to promote the interefts of the gofpel, as I faid before. For (i) the Jewish people had not the power of life and death in their own hands. And the Roman Pro

curators

(i) Contra perfuafum habeo, hoc emblema fupponere, Ecclefiam jam longo admodum tempore fuiffe afflictam. . . Ne jam dicam, non conftare ex historia Ecclefiæ, quinam illi fint Martyres, quorum fanguis, præter eum Stephani, et utriufqe Jacobi, de quorum altero ex Luca, altero ex Jofepho liquet et Hegefippo, a Judæis fufus fuerit. Judæi enim, excepto brevi intervallo regni Agrippa, rerum fuarum non erant domini: et licet in Chriftianos peffime affecti fuerint, a Præfidibus tamen Romanis prohibebantur, pro lubitu in innocuos Jefu Chrifti difcipulos fævire. Quæ enim junior Ananus tentavit in Jacobum fratrem Domini, et Tiva's itípus, quofdam alios, Chriftianæ profeffionis homines, ut conftat ex Jofepho Fefto mortuo, et Albino adhuc in itinere agente, peracta funt. Campeg. Vitring. in Apo. cap. vi. ver. 12. §. xxx, P. 303.

curators were not disposed to give any men disturbance upon account of difference of opinion in religious matters. Finally, the Apostles of Jefus Chrift, we have reason to think, had an especial direction, and an efpecial protection. They, who were employed in teaching fo important a doctrine, and were enabled to work miracles upon others for confirming it, may be reasonably fuppofed to have been the fubjects of fome wonderful interpofitions of Providence. And it must be reckoned very probable, that affairs would be fo over-ruled and influenced, as that these chofen men fhould be upheld, and enabled to fulfill their miniftrie, and bear fuch a teftimonie to Jefus, as should be fufficient to lay a good foundation for the establishment of his Church in the world, and leave all those of the Jewish People, who did not receive him as the Meffiah, abfolutely inexcufable.

XX

СНАР. VII.

ST. MAR K, EVANGELIST.

I. That the Evangelift is the fame as John Mark, and nephew to Barnabas. II. His Hiftorie from the New Teftament. III. From other Writers. IV. Teftimonies to his Gospel, in ancient Writers. V. Remarks upon them. VI. The Time of writing his Gospel, according to thefe ancient Writers, and the Sentiments of learned Moderns. VII. Characters of Time in the Gospel itself. VIII. Obfervations upon this Gospel.

The Evangelift I, the fame as John Mark..

I

T is generally, or even univerfally, allowed, that Mark, mentioned 1 Pet. v. 13. is the Evangelift. But it has been doubted, whether he be the fame as John Mark mentioned in the Acts, and fome of St. Paul's epiftles. And it appears from our collections out of ancient authors, that there were doubts about this in the minds of fome in former times.

Divers learned moderns are perfuaded, that they are different perfons, Of this number are (a) Cave, [who nevertheless thinks him (b) the fame Mark, that is mentioned by St. Paul in his fecond epiftle to Timothie,] (c) Grotius, (d) Du Pin, and (e) Tillemont. Which laft, in his Ecclefiaftical Memoirs, makes two different articles for this name: one entitled, St. Mark the Evangelift, Apoftle of Egypt, and Martyr: the other, St. John Mark, difciple and coufin of St. Barnabas. On the other hand

they

(a) S. Marcus Evangelifta, quem cum Joanne Marco, de quo Act. xii. 12. male nonnulli confundunt. H. L. T. i. p. 24.

(b) Cum enim illum epiftola fecunda ad Timotheum-Romam accerfive. rat Paulus-Id. ib.

(c) Gr. Pr. in Marc.

(e) Mem. ec. Tom. 2.

(d) Diff. Prelim. 1. z. ch. ii. §. iv.

they are reckoned one and the fame by (f) Fer. Jones, (g) Lightfoot, and (b) Wetstein.

I fhall now without delay confider the reafons of those, who think there are two Marks mentioned in the New Teftament.

1. They fay, that Mark the Evangelift was converted and baptifed by Peter, because he calls him his fon. 1 Pet. v. 13. But there is no reafon to fuppofe this of John Mark.

To which I anfwer. That needs not to be reckoned the conftant meaning of the expreffion. It may denote only great affection and tenderneffe, and a respect to faithful services: in like manner as Paul fays of Timothie. Philip. ii. 22. that as a fon with the father he had served with him in the gospel. Grotius (i) and Du Pin (k) who mention this reafon, feem not to have judged it conclufive, Moreover, if Mark was a convert of Peter, it does not follow, that he was not an early believer. For he might be one of that Apoftle's converts at his first preaching the gofpel at ferufalem, Mark the Evangelift, upon that fuppofition, could not be one of the feventy: but he might be among the firft believers, and the fon of Marie. However, I choose not to infift upon this, but chiefly upon what was before mentioned: that the appellation, my fon, needs not to be understood rigorously, as meaning a convert begotten to the faith of the gospel.

2. It is faid, that (1) Mark, the companion of Paul, was called John: but the Evangelift is never fo called by the ancients, who mention him. To which I answer. It is true, that Pauls companion is fometimes called John, as Acts xiii. 5. and 13. But we are alfo informed that he

(f) New and full Method. vol. 3. ch. vi. p. 65... 70.

was

(g) Lightfoot is making obfervations upon the firft epistle of St. Peter. "He fends this epiftle, fays he, by Sylvanus, Paul's old attendant, but now with Peter... His naming of Mark with him calls our thoughts back to what has been mentioned of Mark heretofore: his being with Paul at Rome, and his coming from him into the Eaft. To fuppofe two Marks, one with Peter, and another with Paul, is to breed confufion, where there needeth not., It is easily feen, how John Mark came into familiarity with Paul and' Peter. And other Mark we can find none in the New Testament, unless of our own invention. . . He it was, that wrote the Gofpel. Lightfoot Harm of the N. T. Vol. i. p. 336.

...

(b) Nihil vetat, quo minus fimpliciter cum Victore et Theophylacto hunc eundem Marcum intelligamus, quoties illius nomen in Actis et Épiftolis reperimus. Wetft. Pr. in Marc. Tom. i. p. 551.

(i) Adde, quod Joannes Marcus inter primos Chriftianos: Marcus hic, ut videtur, Petri opera converfus. 1 Pet. v. 13. Nam tales peculiariter filios Juos Apoftoli vocabant. 1 Cor. iv. 15. Gal. iv. 19. Gr. Pr. in Marc.

(k) Il y a plus d'apparence, qu'il a reçû l'evangile de S. Pierre, qui l'appelle fils, peutêtre parcequ'il l'avoit engendré en J. C. Diff. Prel. l. 2 ch. 2. §. iv.

(1) Joannes quoque ille Mariæ filius, Barnabæ confanguineus,.. Marcus vocabatur: quem multi hunc noftrum fcriptorem putant. Quibus quo minus affentiar, moveor veterum auctoritate, qui hunc fcriptorem Joannem nunquam, Marcum femper vocant... Grot. Pr. in Marc.

L'Evangelifte n'eft appellé nulle part du nom de Jean, qui étoit le nom propre de celuici. Du Pin, ubi fupra,