John saw his Lord expire on the cross; and still farther, "One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water. And be that saw it bare witness, and his record is true," ch. xix. 34, 35. And undoubtedly he also stayed afterwards, and saw the body of Jesus laid in the sepulchre, and the stone placed at the mouth of it; as related by himself, ch. xix. 38-42. Comp. Matt. xxvii. 53-60; Mark xv. 45-47; Luke xxiii. 50-56.

Early in the morning on which our Lord rose from the dead, Mary Magdalene and other women came to the sepulchre, and saw it was open, the stone having been taken away. Mary Magdalene knowing where she could find the two apostles Peter and John, went back to the city, and told them that " they had taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre: and," says she, "we know not where they have laid him. So they ran both together, to the sepulchre." And by what they saw there, they were led to the persuasion that Jesus was risen from the dead; as related, John xx. 1-10.

John was present with the other disciples when Jesus showed himself to them in the evening of the day on which he arose, and likewise eight days after, ch. xx. 19-29.

He has also particularly related the history of our Lord's showing himself to several disciples at the sea of Tiberias; when they had an extraordinary draught of fishes, in number one hundred and fifty-three. There were present at that time "Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples," cb. xxi. 1–23. Beside other things which I omit, our Lord having had discourse with Peter, and having foretold his martyrdom, Peter put to him a question concerning John, saying, "Lord, what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him: If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die. Yet Jesus said not unto him: He shall not die: but if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?" Thus checking, as I apprehend, Peter's curiosity. However, it has been supposed by judicious commentators, that here is an intimation that John should not die before the destruction of Jerusalem. Nor is there any doubt but he survived that event, which few or none of the other apostles did. Though our Lord's words may be

Ita obscure significat, Johannem non, ut Petrum, morte violentâ moriturum, sed tali, quâ, sine hominum vi solveretur, ubi Christus tempus idoneum judicâsset. Quod et contigit, ut veterum plures consentiunt. Grot. ad Joan. xxi. 22.

understood to contain only an obscure intimation, that whereas Peter's days would be shortened by martyrdom, this disciple should be preserved till he died in the ordinary course of nature.

From all which we perceive, that St. John was present at most of the things related by him in his gospel and that he was an eye and ear-witness of our Lord's labours, journeyings, discourses, miracles, his low abasement even to an ignominious death, and his being alive again, and then ascending to heaven.

Having been present with the rest of the apostles at the Lord's ascension, he returned with them from mount Olivet to Jerusalem, and continued with them, joining with them in their devotions, and in the choice of another, to supply the place of Judas: and partook in the plentiful effusion of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles and their company on the day of Pentecost next ensuing.

Peter and John, who often accompanied each other, healed the lame man at the temple, and upon that occasion preached to the people who assembled about them. For which they were brought before the Jewish council, and after some debates, were dismissed, with orders not to preach any more. in the name of Jesus, Acts iii. and iv. 1-22.

Some while after this, the number of believers still increasing in Jerusalem, John and the rest of the apostles were apprehended and put into the common prison. But they were the same night delivered by an angel, who commanded them to "go and speak in the temple to the people;" which they did early in the morning" whereupon they were again taken up and brought before the council, who consulted how they might put them to death. But by the

Ex ipsâ historiâ evangelicà Joannis probabile fit, omnibus eventibus, itineribus, miraculis, concionibus Servatoris nostri ipsum interfuisse-cum probabile sit, illum fuisse inter discipulos duos Joannis Baptistæ, a quibus collectionis discipulorum initium Jesus fecit, uti L. i. cap. 2. sect. ii. ostendimus, inde colligimus, evangelistam nostrum statim ab initio rebus, quas scribit, interfuisse, et hanc esse veram rationem, cur non altius filum historiæ suæ inciperet. Ex omnibus quoque sequentibus narrationibus nulla est, in quâ absentem evangelistam nostrum statuamus fuisse, nisi forte excipere velis illa, quæ in palatio Annæ et Caïaphæ acciderunt. Cap. xvii. 13-17. De quibus tamen res est dubia, quia definiri accurate nequit, annon discipulus, qui Petrum in palatium Caïaphæ introduxerit, ipse evangelista noster fuerit. Sed licet ille præsens non perceperit, a Petro tamen, socio intimo, statim proculdubio audivit. Et forte per ejus relationem excitatus est, ut ad prætorium Pilati summo mane advolaret, atque ita cum reliquis mulieribus Jesum ad crucem sequeretur.- Ex quo patet, quantâ cum emphasi præ cæteris apostolis et evangelistis dicere potuit: Quæ audivimus, quæ vidimus, 1 Jo. i. 1, 2. Lamp. Proleg. 1. 2. cap. Mark xvi. 19; Luke xxiv. 50-53; Acts i. 1-12. Acts ii. 1-13.

4. num. vi.

*Acts i. 12-26.

advice of Gamaliel that design was laid aside. "And when they had beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Whereupon the apostles departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing. And daily in the temple, and from house to house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."

Afterward, there being a violent persecution at Jerusalem, many were scattered abroad. Philip, one of the seven, went down to Samaria, and preached to them, and wrought many miracles, insomuch that great numbers believed. When the apostles, who were at Jerusalem, heard of this, they sent unto them Peter and John, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. Having performed that service, they returned to Jerusalem and in their way preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans, Acts viii. 5-25.

:

From what St. Paul says in the second chapter of the epistle to the Galatians we perceive, that John was present at the council of Jerusalem: of which an account is given, Acts xv. Which council was held in the year 49, or 50, or thereabout. And it may be reckoned probable, that till that time John had stayed in the land of Israel, and bad not been abroad in any Gentile countries.

I would add, that though no miracles are related to be done by St. John beside those which have been here taken notice of, I reckon it very probable, that many miracles, beside those particularly mentioned by the historian, were wrought by him and other apostles during their stay in Judea. This may be inferred from general expressions of St. Luke in several places." And many signs and wonders were done by the apostles," Acts ii. 43. "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus," ch. iv. 33. "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people," ch. v. 12. Comp. iv. 29, 30.

From the book of the Revelation, ch. i. 9, we learn, that St. John was for a while in the island called Patmos ; where he was favoured with visions and revelations.

Thus far we have endeavoured to collect the history of this apostle from the New Testament.

II. From ecclesiastical history we learn, that St. John lived to a great age, and that in the latter part of his life he resided in Asia, particularly at Ephesus, the chief city of that country.

m

Concerning his abode in Asia we have divers testimonies of good credit. Irenæus in two places of his work in Iren. adv. Hær. 1. 2. cap. 22. n. v. p. 148. ed Mass. et l. 3. cap. 3. p. 178.

6

against heresies, both cited by Eusebius, says, that John the apostle lived in Asia till the time of Trajan [who succeeded Nerva in the year of Christ 98]. Eusebius ° understands Clement of Alexandria to speak to the like purpose. Origen also says, that P John, having lived long in Asia, died at Ephesus. Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, about 196, is an unexceptionable witness, that John was buried in that city. Jerom in his book of Illustrious Men, and in his books against Jovinian, says, That the apostle John lived in Asia, to the time of Trajan; and dying at a great age, in the sixty-eighth year of our Lord's passion, was buried near the city of Ephesus.' Supposing our Lord to have been crucified in the year 32, of the vulgar era, which seems to have been Jerom's opinion, sixty-eight years will reach to the year 100, or the third of Trajan: at which year of that emperor the death of St. John is placed by Jerom in his Chronicle.

V

W

What was John's age when called by Christ we are not informed. Baronius thought he might then be about 22 years of age. Having been with Christ three years, he was about 25 years of age when our Lord was crucified. Tillemont supposes St. John to have been about 25 or 26 years of when called to be an apostle. Lampe thinks, age that he was about the same age with our Saviour. For my part, I cannot persuade myself that any of Christ's apostles, when called to attend upon him, that they might be his witnesses to the world, were much under the age of thirty. If it bence follows, that John was a hundred years of age, or thereabout, when he died, it is not at all incredible nor unlikely.

III. As it is an allowed point, that John dwelt in Asia in the latter part of his life; we may be reasonably desirous to know when he settled in that country; and for determining this, the books of the New Testament may afford good hints. For in all St. Luke's history of the preaching and travels of Paul, particularly in Asia, no mention is made of John : n Euseb. H. E. 1. 3. cap. 23. in.

P Ap. Euseb. 1. 3. cap. 1.

Vol. iv. ch. cxiv. num. viii. 4.

t P. 165. ex ed. Scalig.

• Vid. Euseb. Ibid.

Ap. Euseb. 1. v. cap. 24. in.

• Vid Basnag. ann. 101. num. ii.

" Ann. 101. num. ix.

▾ S. Jean l' evangeliste, art. x. et note xv. Mem. tom. I.

"Quare nihil impedit, quo minus ejusdem ferme ætatis cum Servatore nostro fuerit. Prolegom. in Jo. 1. i. cap. 2. num. i. note".

In the division of provinces, which the apostles made among them'selves, Asia fell to his share, though he did not presently enter into his charge. Otherwise, we must have heard of him in the account which St. ́ Luke gives of St. Paul's several journeys into, and residence in, those parts.' Cave's Life of St. John, sect. iv.

which may induce us to think, that he was not there at that time. Nor are there any salutations sent to John in any of St. Paul's epistles written at Rome: several of which were sent to Ephesus, or other places not very remote from it as the epistle to the Ephesians, the second epistle to Timothy, probably, at Ephesus, the epistle to the Colossians, and the epistle to Philemon, at Colosse.

I will now observe the opinions of some learned moderns. Baronius thought, that this apostle did not come to reside in Asia, until after the death of St. Peter and St. Paul. Du Pin says: We do not exactly know when he came into Asia: perhaps it was about the year 70.' Tillemont was of opinion, that St. John did not come to reside in Asia, till about the year 66. But he supposeth, that upon some occasion, he had before that been in that country, without making a stay there: which last, as I apprehend, is said without any good authority. Mr. Lampe was of opinion, that John did not leave Judea, till after the death of James, called the Less, and but a short time only before the destruction of Jerusalem.

To me it seems not unlikely, that St. John came into Asia about the time that the war broke out in Judea, in the year 66, or a short time before, when, probably, St. Peter and Paul had been before crowned with martyrdom.

As St. John stayed a good while in Palestine, it may be reasonably concluded, that the Virgin Mary did not go with him to Ephesus, as Baronius and some others have thought, but died before he went thither which was the opinion of Cave, and Basnage.

e

IV. St. John having had a long life, many things have been said of him, some true, others false. Most of them have been already taken notice of in several chapters of this work it may not be improper to recollect them here, with some remarks.

1. Apollonius, who wrote against the Montanists, and flourished about the year 211, says, in a fragment preserved by Eusebius, That by the divine power John raised up a

A. D. 97. num. ii.

a St. Jean, art. iv.

Du Pin, Diss. Prel. 1. 2. ch. 2. sect. vi. b Post ejus (Jacobi Minoris) excessum neminem ex Twv dwdɛka grege et constantius et diutius Hierosolymis substitisse nostro apostolo; ita ut vix exiguo ante exordium intervallo, inde se avelli pateretur. Proleg. 1. i. cap. 2. n. xv. p. 29.

A. D. 44. n. xxix.

a Probable therefore it is, that he

⚫ dwelt in his own house at Jerusalem, at least till the death of the blessed Virgin.' Cave's Life of St. John, sect. iv.