THE FIRST part of this Ghospel: of the preparation to Christs manifestation.
S. Markes Ghospel may be wel diuided into foure partes.
The first part, of the preparation that was made to the manifestation of Christ: Chap. 1.
in the beginning.
The second, of his manifesting himself by Preaching & Miracles, & that in Galilee: the
residue of the 1. chap. vnto the 10. chap.
The third, of his comming into Iurie, towards his Passion: chap. 10.
The fourth, of the Holy weeke of his Passion in Hierusalem: chap. 11. to the end of the
booke.
Of S. Marke and his conuersation with the two Apostles S. Paul and S. Barnabee, we haue
at large Act. 12. and 15. some what also Col. 4. and 2. Tim. 4. and to Philemon. Moreouer
of his familiaritie with the Prince of the Apostles S. Peter, we haue 1. Pet. 5. For so it
pleased our Lord, that only two of the Euangelists should be of his twelue Apostles, to wit,
S. Matthew and S. Iohn. The other two, S. Marke and S. Luke, he gaue vnto vs of the
Disciples of his most principal and most glorious Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul. Whose
Ghospels therfore were of Antiquitie counted as the Ghospels of S. Peter and S. Paul them
selues. Marke the Disciple, and interpreter of Peter (saith S. Hierom) according
to that which he heard of Peters mouth, wrote at Rome a briefe Ghospel at the request of the
Brethren (about 10. or 12. years after our Lordes Ascension.) which when Peter had
heard, he approued it, and with his authoritie did publish it to the Church to be read, as
Clemens Alexandrinus writeth li. 6. Hypotypos.
In the same place S. Hierom addeth, how he went into Ægypt to preach, and was the first
Bishop of the cheefe Citie there, named Alexandria: and how Philo Iudæus at the same time
seeing & admiring the life & conuersation of the Christians there vnder S. Marke, who were
Monkes, wrote a booke thereof, which his extant to this day. And not only S. Hierom (in
Marco, & Philone) but also Eusebius Hist. li. 2. ca. 15. 16. 17. Epiphanius Secta 29.
Nazaræorum, li. 1. to. 2. Cassianus de Instit. Cænobiorum li. 2. c. 5. Sozomenus li. 1.
c. 12. Nicephorus lib. 2. c. 15. and diuerse others doe make mention of the said Monkes
out of the same Authours. Finally, He died (saith S. Hierom ) the 8. yeare of
Nero, and was buried at Alexandria, Anianus succeeding in his place. But from
Alexandria he was translated to Venice, Anno Dom. 830.
It is also to be noted, that in respect of S. Peter, who sent S. Marke his scholer to
Alexandria, and made him the first Bishop there, this See was esteemed next in diginitie
to the See of Rome, and the Bishop thereof was accounted the cheefe Metropolitan or
Patriarch of the East, and that by the first Councel of Nyce. whereof see S. Leo ep. 53.
S. Gregorie li. 5. ep. 60. & li. 6. ep. 37.