mited by any compact among themfelves. Our Lord's commiffion given to his twelve Apoftles, is, in Matthew, to this purpofe: 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 witnefes unto me in Jerufalem, 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 vifion 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 disobedient 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 himfelf to Jews, in all the places where he came, if there were any, and if they had there a fynagogue.

It fhould 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 himself 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 Apoftle of the Gentils, and the gofpel of the uncircumcifion is faid to have been committed unto him, becaufe he got the start of all the reft in preaching to Gentils, and had laboured among them for a good while in divers countreys, with great fuccefle, and had formed many churches in divers places whilft they were ftill 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 epiftle to the Galatians, that (b) feveral of the first twelve Apoftles intended to ftay Rill fomewhat longer in Judea. This they were the more willing to do, being 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 dicctlum 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 introducte. Lamp. Proleg. in Jo. l. 1. cap. 3. §. vii.

concerning Jefus had been preached in divers parts, and many converts had been made, to whom they would be useful, 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 Apostles 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 ministrie. Very probably, therefore, there was no written gofpel, 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 gofpel by this means much retarded? I'anfwer: No. And this objection, methinks, should be of little moment now, after all that has been faid 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 themfelves, they encouraged those who did, who preached the gofpel 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 Apoftles were very ufeful by their stay in Judea, as has been already fhewn. They made many converts among the Jews. During their ftay in that countrey, if there was any measure of public liberty for the believers, the Apostles would all, or. moft 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 gofpel into the places of their ufual refidence, and propagate it there.

Obj. 2. But, if the Apostles had attempted to make a long ftay in Judea, it feems, that they must have been all deftroyed. I anfwer, that doubtless 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 just now. After that for feveral 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 Jewith 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 jara longo admodum tempore fuiffe afflictam... Ne jam dicam, non conftare ex hiftoria Ecclefiæ, quinam illi fint Martyres, quorum fanguis, præter eum Stephani, et utriufque Jacobi, de quorum altero ex Luca, altero ex Jofepho liquet et Hegefippo, a Judæis fufus fuerit. Judæi enim, excepto brevi intervallo regni Agrippæ, rerum fuarum non erant domini: et licet in Chriftianos peffime affecti fuerint, a Præfidibus tamen Romanis prohibebantur, pro lubitu in innocuos Jefu Chrifti difcipulos favire. Quæ enim junior Ananus tentavit in Jacobum fratrem Domini, et rà; iripes, quofdam alios, Chriftianæ profeffionis homines, ut conftat ex Jofepho Fefto mortuo, et Albino adhuc in itinere agente, peracta funt. Campeg. Vuring. in Apoc. cap. vi. ver. 12. § xxx. P. 303,

curators were not difpofed to give any men difturbance upon account of difference of opinion in religious matters. Finally, the Apoftles of Jefus Chrift, we have reafon to think, had an efpecial direction, and an especial 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 should be upheld, and enabled to fulfill their miniftrie, and bear fuch a teftimonie to Jefus, as fhould be fufficient to lay a good foundation for the establishment of his Church in the world, and leave all thofe of the Jewish People, who did not receive him as the Meffiah, abfolutely inexcufable.

1. That the Evangelift is the fame as John Mark, and nephew to Barnabas. II. His Hiftorie from the New Testament. 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 these ancient Writers, and the Sentiments of learned Moderns. VII. Characters of Time in the Gospel itself. VIII. Obfervations upon this Gospel.

The Evangelift the fame as John Mark.

I.

I

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, Apofile of Egypt, and Martyr: the other, St. John Mark, difciple and cousin 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 accerfiverat Paulus-Id. ib.

(e) Gr. Pr. in Marc.

(e) Mem. E. Tom. 2.

(d) Diff. Prelim, l. 2, ch. ii. § iv.

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

I shall now without delay confider the reasons of those, who think there are two Marks mentioned in the New Testament.

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 suppose this of John Mark.

To which I anfwer. That needs not to be reckoned the constant "meaning of the expreffion. It may denote only great affection and tenderneffe, and a refpect to faithful fervices: in like manner as Paul fays of Timothie, Philip. ii. 22. that as a fon with the father he had ferved with bim in the gospel. Grotius (i) and Du Pin (k) who mention this reason, 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 Apostle's converts at his firft preaching the gofpel at Jerufalem. Mark the Evangelift, upon that fuppofition, could not be one of the feventy: but he might be among the first 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 rigoroufly, 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 Paul's 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 epiftle 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 confulion, where there needeth not. It is eafily feen, how John Mark came into familiarity with Paul and Peter. And other Mark we can find none in the New Teftament, unless of our own invention. He it was, that wrote the Gospel. Lightfoot Harm. of the N. T. Vol. i. p. 336.

(4) Nihil vetat, quo minus fimpliciter cum Victore et Theophylacto hunc eundem Marcum intelligamus, quoties illius nomen in Actis et Epiftolis 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 fuos 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. I. 2. ch. 2. § iv.

(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.

was furnamed Mark. So Acts xii, 12. And when he had confidered the thing, he came to the houfe of Marie, the mother of John, whofe furname was Mark. And ver. 25. and took with them John, whofe furname was Mark. And he is feveral times mentioned by the furname, Mark, only. Acts xv. 39. 2 Tim. iv. 11. Col. iv. 10. Philem. ver. 24. Secondly, fuch of the ancients, as fuppofed Mark, the Evangelift, to have been the fame with him mentioned in the Acts, muft alfo have fuppofed, that he was called John, as well as Mark, though they have generally mentioned him by his furname.

3. It is faid, that (m) John Mark was much with Paul, Mark, the Evangelift, with Peter. So fay the ancients in general.

I aufwer: It is not at all impoffible, but that Mark might be sometimes with Paul, at other times with Peter. As may appear by and by..

As thefe reafons therefore do not appear to me conclusive, I rather think, that there is but one Mark in the New Teftament, John Mark, the Evangelift, and fellow-laborer of Paul and Barnabas, and Peter..

His hiftorie from the N.T.

II. I now proceed to write the hiftorie of John Mark, from the New Teftament, mentioning, as they offer, fome obfervations, fhewing his acquaintance with Peter, as well After which I fhall take notice of some other things said of him by the ancients.

as with Paul.

He was the fon of Marie, a pious woman at Jerufalem, and an early believer, at whofe house the difciples ufed to meet, and that in troublefome and difficult times, as well as at other seasons. Peter having been delivered out of prison by an angel, came to the house of Marie, mother of John, whofe furname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. Acts xii. 12. So that the very first mention of John Mark allures

us of Peter's intimacie in that familie.

That deliverance of St. Peter happened in the year 44. about the fame time that Paul and Barnabas came to Jerufalem from Antioch with contributions for the relief of the brethren in fudea in the time of a famine, or fcarcity. And it is faid at the end of that chapter. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerufalem, when they had fulfilled their minifrie, and took with them John, whofe furname was Mark. This, with fome other things to be hereafter mentioned, may difpofe us to think, that this John Mark is the fame, who in Col. iv. 10. is called fifter's fon to Barnabas.

Mark therefore went now from Jerufalem to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas. And, when fome fhort time afterwards, they went abroad to other countreys, Mark accompanied them, as their minifter. Acts xiii. 5. They went to Cyprus, and preached the word in that countrey. But when they returned to the continent, and came on fhore at Perga in Pamphylia, he departed from them, and returned to Jerufalem. ver. 13. He therefore did not attend them in their farther progreffe to Antioch in Pifidia, Iconium, and other places, but went to Jerufalem..

And

(m) Et ita Petro addunt [Veteres] comitem, ac difcipulum, ut non tantum de Barnaba, fed et de Paulo, quem Joannes Marcus poft illud frigufculum fectatus eft... nihil meminerint. Grot, ibid.

Il étoit difciple de S. Pierre, et attaché à lui, dans le tems que l'autre étoit avec S. Paul, et S. Barnabe. Du Pin. ibid.