Philemon; and with the addition of a direction concerning him in the Epistle to the Colossians, indicative of St. Paul's kindliness of feeling towards him: "Aristarchus my fellow prisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas: touching whom ye received commandments if he come unto you receive him." And then, having mentioned a third person" of the circumcision," he adds, "These only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me." And in his second Epistle to Timothy, written probably after those just cited, and during the Apostle's second imprisonment at Rome, is a direction concerning Mark, accompanied by a testimony in his favour, which under the circumstances of the separation before recited ought not to escape our observation. "Take Mark, and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the ministry." This desire of the Apostle to have the attendance of Mark, together with the profit which he promised himself from his attendance and co-operation in the service of the Gospel, shews his opinion of the excellence of Mark's character, of his intelligence and integrity, of his zeal and activity, whatever temporary cause may have formerly occasioned a coolness towards him. These particulars concerning St. Mark are derived from the sacred writings, which supply no further information. From ancient writers of the Church we learn, that in the latter part of his life he became the companion of St. Peter, with whom we have seen him to be acquainted in an early period of it: Irenæus speaks of him as "the disciple and interpreter of Peter," being probably employed to unfold and expound more particularly to the people, what the Apostle had preached in a more compendious form. During a long course of attendance on that Apostle, he had continual opportunities of hearing and laying up in his mind his relations of our Saviour's life; which accordingly he is said by Clement of Alexandria to have committed to writing at the request of "Peter's hearers at Rome, who not content with a single hearing, nor with an unwritten instruction in the divine doctrine, intreated Mark, the follower of Peter, that he would leave with them in writing a memorial of the doctrine, which had been delivered to them by word of mouth: nor did they desist, until they had prevailed with him. Thus they were the means of writing the Gospel, which is called according to Mark. It is said, that, when the Apostle knew what had been done, • Mr. Jones on the Canon of the New Testament. he was pleased with the zeal of the men, and authorized that Scripture to be read in the churches P." 66 By different authors this event is described in different terms. Tertullian, about the year 200, speaks of Mark as an apostolical man, or companion of Apostles; and says, "that the Gospel, published by Mark, may be reckoned Peter's, whose interpreter he was." Origen, about 230, says, "The second Gospel is that according to Mark, who wrote it as Peter dictated it to him; who therefore calls him his son in his Catholick Epistle." Eusebius, about 315, says, Peter, out of abundance of modesty, thought not himself worthy to write a Gospel. But Mark, who was his friend and disciple, is said to have recorded Peter's relations of the acts of Jesus." And, he adds, "Peter testifies these things of himself; for all things in Mark are said to be memoirs of Peter's discourses." Thus much appears clear from the various testimonies upon the subject, that Mark was for a considerable portion of his life a companion and disciple of Peter: that he had continual opportunities of hearing Peter's narratives of our Lord's ministry and that he profited by those opportunities to give a faith P Dr. Lardner. ful history of it in the Gospel, which having been composed by him is known by his name; but which, from the circumstances of its composition, might be properly denominated, as indeed there do not want instances of its having been denominated, the Gospel according to St. Peter". The Gospel, thus written by St. Mark, was published by him at Rome or in Italy, probably about the year 64 or 65 of the Christian era'. By Eusebius and Jerome we are informed, that the Evangelist afterwards went into Egypt, and preached in that country the Gospel which he had written, and planted there many churches, especially one of great note at Alexandria, over which he exercised episcopal authority, and provided in it for a due succession of legitimate pastors. He died in the reign of Nero, probably towards the end of it; or about the 68th year of the Christian era; and was buried at Alexandria: but whether he died by a natural or a violent death, is not certainly known. By some writers the latter has been asserted, together with several particulars supposed to have attended his tragical end'. But the silence of Eusebius and other more ancient authors, as 9 Mr. Jones. Dr. Cave, Dr. Lardner. Dr. Cave, Mr. Jones, Dr. Lardner. R 'Mr. Nelson. well as of Jerome, who probably would have recorded that he received the crown of martyrdom, if such had been known to be the fact, has been judged an argument that he did not die a martyr, whilst the expressions of Jerome, in recording the death of St. Mark, seem to imply a natural death ". It has been a tradition in the Romish Church, that his body, at least the remains of it, were with great pomp removed from Alexandria to Venice, where they are religiously honoured: the account of this translation is fabulous; but it is true, that St. Mark is esteemed the tutelar saint and patron of the Venetian state, and that a very rich and gorgeous church is erected in that city to his memory*. REFLEXIONS. UPON the personal character of St. Mark the foregoing narrative, which contains all the information we possess concerning him, will not supply us with many reflexions. Generally that narrative sets him before us in the character of an estimable and amiable man, zealous and active in the propagation of the Gospel, of which he was an early believer. ledge of Christianity and his zeal in its behalf His know " Dr. Lardner. * Dr. Cave, Mr. Jones. |