verted by the ministry of Peter, who calls him his son, 1 Pet. v. 13. Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas in their missionary labors through several countries, but, declining to attend them through their whole progress, he returned to the apostles at Jerusalem, Acts xiii. 5-12. We find him afterwards at Antioch, Acts xv. 37. whence he went with Barnabas to Cyprus. He subsequently accompanied Timothy to Rome, 2 Tim. iv. 11. from which, it is believed, he went into Asia, where he found Peter, with whom, it is thought, he again returned to Rome, Col. iv. 10. and wrote the gospel which is called by his name.

LUKE.

Luke, the evangelist, was a native of Antioch, and by profession a physician. Some suppose he was one of the seventy disciples of Christ, but this appears incorrect from his own remarks at the beginning of his gospel. He was the faithful and constant companion of Paul in his various travels, labors, and sufferings. He wrote his gospel in Achaia, about a. D. 63, and the Acts of the Apostles about A. D. 64. Both these books were dedicated particularly to a Christian of distinction named Theophilus, as is supposed, an Egyptian. By some, Luke is said to have suffered martyrdom under the Roman emperor Nero; but others affirm that he was hanged upon an olive tree in Greece by a party of pagans.

JOHN.

John, the evangelist and apostle, was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman of Bethsaida, a town of Galilee. He and his brother James were called by Christ to be his apostles; and, on account of their powerful eloquence, they were surnamed by him, Boanerges, sons of thunder. John was preeminently beloved by his Lord; and to his affection

he committed the care of his mother when on the cross. Leaving Judea before the destruction of Jerusalem, he labored chiefly in Asia Minor, particularly at Ephesus. The churches in Pergamus, Thyatira, Philadelphia and Laodicea, are believed to have been founded by him.

In the persecution under Domitian, the Roman emperor, John is said to have been put into a cauldron of boiling oil, in which he stood four hours unhurt. Being taken out, he was banished to the isle of Patmos, where he was favored with the glorious visions of the exalted Saviour, and was inspired to write the book of the Revelation. From this island he returned the next year, and resided chiefly at Ephesus, until A. D. 100, when, beloved by all, and at the advanced age of about a hundred years, he died in peace among his fellow-christians. The three epistles, and the gospel, which bear the name of John, were written by this apostle.

PAUL.

Paul was an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, and both of his parents were Hebrews. He was a native of Tarsus, in Cilicia, and by birth a free citizen of imperial Rome. Before his call to the apostleship, he was known by his Hebrew name Saul; but he used Paul, his Roman name, among the Gentiles. His parents sent him early to Jerusalem to study the Jewish law under the direction of Gamaliel, the most celebrated doctor of his nation. The improvement of the pupil corresponded with the fame of his master, and all his influence and talents were devoted to preserve the Jewish traditionary corruptions, to destroy the church of Christ, and to extirpate even the name of Christian.

But in the very midst of his murderous career, while 66 breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the dis

ciples of the Lord," sovereign grace and mercy renewed his heart, and he consecrated all his powers to the service of Christ.

JAMES.

James was called the Less, to distinguish him from James the brother of John, who was put to death by Herod, Acts xii. He was the son of Alpheus Cleophas, and he is called the Lord's brother, because he was of the kindred of the virgin Mary. On account of the admirable holiness of his life, he was surnamed the Just. He is mentioned as having been the first bishop of the Christian church at Jerusalem, where he was venerated even by the Jews for his sanctity. However, Ananias the high priest, with the scribes and pharisees, called him, at the passover, to stand upon the porch of the temple, to satisfy the doubting minds of the people concerning the faith of Christ; but being enraged that his doctrine was received by many, they threw him down from the battlements: and, while he was praying for his barbarous murderers, some of them beat him on the head with a fuller's club, and killed him on the spot. Thus he was martyred by the lawless Jews, while the Roman governor was absent from Jerusalem, A. D. 62. This apostle wrote the epistle which bears the name of James.

PETER.

Peter, son of Jonas, and brother of Andrew the apostle, was a native of Bethsaida. His original name was Simon, but Jesus called him Cephas, or, as it is interpreted, Peter, both words having the like signification, denoting a stone or rock, and intimating the great necessity of stability in faith and duty. Peter was among the most faithful and zealous of the disciples of Christ: but his zeal, on some occasions, led him even to precipitancy and rashness, which occasioned his dreadful fall and criminal denial of his Lord,

and brought a foul blot upon his memory. His repentance, however, was equally remarkable, and his subsequent life and labors prove him to have been one of the most eminent of the disciples, and most useful of the apostles of Jesus Christ.

Very little is known for certain of this distinguished minister of the gospel, beside what is mentioned in the New Testament, until the admission of the Gentiles into the church of Christ, Acts xv. The Roman Catholics assert that he was bishop of Rome for twentyfive years; but we have no evidence beyond contradictory tradition, that he ever was at Rome, much less that he was bishop of the Christian church in that city. Tradition reports that he came to Rome during the persecution under Nero; and that he was apprehended and put to death about three miles from the city. It is also said, that being sentenced to be crucified, and remembering his shameful denial of his Saviour, he requested that he might be allowed to suffer with his head downwards, as unworthy to die in the same position as his Master, which was the manner of his punishment, A. D. 66. We possess two epistles written by this devoted apostle.

JUDE.

Jude, or Lebbeus, the apostle, surnamed Thaddeus, was the brother of James the Less, and the writer of the epistle which bears his name. At the commencement of his ministry, he preached the gospel in Judea, Samaria, Galilee and Idumea, and afterwards in Arabia, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Persia, confirming his doctrines with miracles. We have no certain information as to the place where he terminated his ministry, though it is related by some that the magii put him to death in Persia.

ANALYSIS OF THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

MATTHEW.-MARK.-LUKE. JOHN.

Matthew wrote his gospel for the use of the Hebrew believers, and, as is supposed by some, in their own language, about five years after the ascension of Christ. This book is the only part of the New Testament which is believed to have been written in Hebrew.

Mark. The gospel according to Mark is supposed to have been written about A. D. 61, under the direction of the apostle Peter, for the use of the Gentiles, to whose conversion the ministry of that apostle had been effectual. It records most of the things contained in Matthew, with some few additional particulars, but in a more concise form.

Luke. The gospel according to Luke, was written for the use of the Gentile Christians, and dedicated to Theophilus, a nobleman converted to the faith of Christ.

John. The precise year in which John wrote his gospel is not agreed upon among the learned. The reasons for the writing of this gospel were, to preserve several of the most important and edifying discourses of Christ, not recorded by the other evangelists.

ACTS.

The book of the Acts is a kind of history of the ministry and actions of the apostles, from which it derives its name. It forms a most desirable supplement to the four gospels, and a necessary introduction to the several Epistles.

ROMANS.

Paul had for a long time purposed to visit the Roman church, but being prevented, he was inspired to write this