confirmed, the one by St. Peter, the other by St. Paul. So Papias Bishop of Hierapolis and Clemens Alexandrinus fay exprefly that the Gospel of St. Mark was written at the defire of the new converts, and ratified by St. Peter. So the learned.Origen affirms, that the second Gofpel is that of Mark, who wrote as Peter dictated to him; and the third Gospel is that of Luke, which is commended by Paul. So Tertullian

faith, that Mark's Gospel is affirmed to be Peter's, whofe interpreter Mark was; and Luke's Gofpel they are wont to afcribe to Paul. So Jerome faith, that the Gofpel according to Mark, who was the difciple and interpreter of Peter, is faid to be Peter's. These authorities are more than fufficient to weigh down the fingle teftimony of Irenæus to the contrary; but befides these Gregory Nazianzen, Athanafius, and other fathers might be alleged to prove, that the Gospels of Mark and Luke received the approbation, the one of St. Peter, the other of St. Paul:

ex Judæis in Palæftina, evangelium fuum fcripfiffe, et quidem, ut multi addunt, Hierofolymis, octavo poft afcenfionem Chrifti anno, qui Claudii imperatoris primus fuit. Wetstein.

(3) Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. Lib. 5. Cap. 10. Hieron. Catalog. Script. Ecclef. in Pantano. p. 112. Vol. 4. Par. 2. Edit. BeVOL. II.

nedict.

(4) Papias & Clemens Alex. apud Eufeb. Hift, Ecclef. Lib. z. Cap. 15. Origen apud Eufeb. Lib. 6. Cap. 25. Tertull. adverf. Marcion. Lib.4. Sect. 5. p. 416. Edit. Rigaltii Paris. 1675. Hieron. de Script. Ecclef. p. 101. Vol. 4. Edit. Benedict. &c, &c.

(5) Mortuus

Paul and it is very well known, that both these apostles fuffered martyrdom under Nero. The Gospel of St. Mark muft have been written at lateft in the reign of Nero ; for he died in that reign, in the (5) eighth year of Nero according to Jerome. The Gospel of St. Luke was written before the Acts of the apostles, as appears from the preface to the latter; and the Acts of the apostles concluding with St. Paul's dwelling at Rome two years, it is probable that this book was written foon after that time, and before the death of St. Paul. It may be concluded then as certain that three of the four Gofpels were written and published before the deftruction of Jerufalem; Dr. Lardner himself, who fixeth the time of writing the three first Gospels later than most other authors, yet (6) maintains that they were all published fome years before the destruction of Jerufalem ; and in all probability the writers themselves were dead before that period; St. Matthew and St. Mark were certainly fo: and confequently it cannot with any color of reafon be pretended, that the predictions were written after the events. St. John is the only evangelift, who lived and wrote after the deftruction of Jerufalem; and he purposely

(5) Mortuus eft autem octavo Neronis anno.De Script.Ecclef. p. 105. Vol. 4. Edit. Benedict.

omits

(6) See Vol. 1. of his Supplement to the Credibility of the Gospel History. (7) See

very

omits these prophecies, to prevent this
cavil, as we may suppose with reafon. Neither
can it be pretended, that these predictions were
(7) interpolations made afterwards, because they
are inserted in several places, and woven into the
very fubftance of the Gofpels; and because they
are cited and alluded to by ancient writers, as
well as other parts; and because they were not to
be accomplished all at once, but required several
ages to their perfect completion; and we see them,
in some instances, fulfilling to this very day.

In the conclufion of the twenty third chapter of St. Matthew, our Saviour had with the most merciful severity, with the most compaffionate justice, pronounced the fentence of defolation, upon Jerufalem; (ver. 37, 38.) O Jerufalem, Jerufalem, thou that killeft the prophets, and stonest them which are fent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a ben gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your boufe is left unto you defolate. In like manner, upon another occafion, when he was approaching to Jerufalem, (Luke XIX. 41, 42.) be bebeld the city, and wept over it, faying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but

now

(7) See this argument purfued Remarks on Ecclefiaftical Hif more at large in Dr. Jortin's tory. Vol. 1, p. 72-77. Q 2

(8) Shaft

now they are hid from thine eyes. So deeply was our Saviour affected, and fo tenderly did he lament over the calamities, which were coming upon. his nation! Such a generous and amiable pattern of a patriot spirit hath he left to his difciples; and fo contrary to truth is the infinuation of a (8) noble writer, that there is nothing in the Gospels to recommend and encourage the love of one's country.

When our Saviour uttered that pathetic lamentation recorded in the twenty third chapter of St. Matthew, he was in the temple, fpeaking to a mixt audience of his difciples and the multitude and as he was departing out of the temple, (ver. ft. of the twenty fourth chapter) his difciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple, intimating what a pitiable calamity they thought it, that fo magnificent a structure fhould be destroyed. In the other Gospels they are reprefented as faying, (Mark XIII. 1.) Mafter, Jee what manner of stones, and what buildings are here; and as fpeaking of the temple, (Luke XXI. 5.) bow it was adorned with goodly stones, and gifts. The gifts of ages were repofited there, the (9) prefents of kings and emperors

(8) Saftsbury's Characteriftics. Vol. I. p. 99.

(9) Vide Jofeph. de Bell. Jud. Lib. 5. Cap. 13. Sect. 6. Edit. Hudfon.

as

(1) πετραι δε τεσσαρακολασης χεις το μέγεθος ησαν το δομημα Tos. Saxis vero in exstructione ufi funt quadragenorum cubitorum magnitudinis.-Ην δε αξία των τοιείων θεμελίων και τα ὑπερ

αυτών

as well as the offerings of the Jews and as the whole temple was built with the greatest coft and magnificence, fo nothing was more ftupendous than the uncommon measure of the ftones. The difciples appear to have admired them particularly, and to have thought them very extraordinary; and indeed they and indeed they were of a fize almost incredible. Thofe (1) employed in the foundations were in magnitude forty cubits, that is above fixty feet, a cubit being fomewhat more than a foot and a half: and the fuperftructure was worthy of fuch foundations. There were some stones of the whiteft marble forty five cubits long, five cubits high, and fix cubits broad, as a priest of the temple hath defcribed them.

Such a ftructure as this, one would have expected, might have indured for many generations; and was indeed worthy of the highest admiration: but notwithstanding our Saviour affures his difciples, (ver. 2.) There shall not be left here one fione upon another, that shall not be thrown down. Our Saviour in his prophecies frequently alludes to phrafes and expreffions used by the ancient prophets; and as the pro

avtwy gya. Tantis autem fundamentis digna erant opera illis impofita. -TWY SE & AUT λιθων ενιοι μήκος πεντε και τεσσα ράκοντα πήχων ησαν, ύψος πέντε, sugos de . Saxorum autem,

Q3

phet

quibus exftru&tum erat templum, quædam erant XLV cubitos longa, alta V, et lata VI. Jofeph. de Bell. Jud. Lib. 5. Cap. 5. Sect. 1, 2, 6. Edit. Hudfon.

(2) κελευει