Baronius (y) thought he might then be about 22 years of age. Having been with Chrift three years, he was about 25 years of age when our Lord was crucified. Tillemont (z) fuppofes St. John to have been about 25 or 26 years of age when called to be an Apoftle.__ Lampe (a) thinks, that he was about the fame age with our Saviour. For my part, I can not perfuade myself, that any of Chrift's Apoftles, when called to attend upon him, that they might be his witneffes to the world, were much under the age of thirty. If it hence 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 Afia in When he left Judea. the later part of his life; we may be reasonably defirous to know, when he fettled in that countrey. And for determin ing this, the books of the New Teftament may afford good hints. For (b) in all St. Luke's hiftorie of the preaching and travels of Paul, parti cularly in Afia, no mention is made of John. Which may induce us to think, that he was not there at that time. Nor are there any falutations fent to John in any of St. Paul's epiftles, writ at Rome: feveral of which were fent to Ephefus, or other places, not very remote from it: as the epiftle to the Ephefians, the fecond epiftle to Timothie, probably, at Ephefus, the epiftle to the Coloffians, and the epistle to Philemon, at Coloffe

I will now obferve the opinions of fome learned moderns. Baronius thought, that (c) this Apoftle did not come to refide in Afia, until after the death of St. Peter, and St. Paul. Du Pin fays: We (d) do not exactly know, when he came into Afia. Perhaps it was about the year 70. Tillemont was of opinion, that (e) St. John did not come to refide in Afia, till about the year 66. But he fuppofeth, that upon fome occafion, he had before that been in that countrey, without making a stay there. Which laft, as I apprehend, is faid without any good authority. Mr. Lampe was of opinion, that (f) John did not leave Judea, till after the death of fames, called the Lefs, and but a short time only, before the deftruction of Jerufalem.

To me it seems not unlikely, that St. John came into Afia, about the time that the war broke out in Judea, in the year 66. or a short time be

(y) Ann. 101. num. ix.

(z) S. Jean. l'Evangelifte. art. x. et note xv. Mem. Tom. i.

fore,

(a) Quare nihil impedit, quo minus ejufdem ferme ætatis cum fervatore noitro fuerit. Prolegom. in Jo. l. i. cap. 2. num. i. not. (a).

(6) "In the divifion of provinces, which the Apoftles made among themfelves, Afia fell to his fhare, 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 feveral journeys into, and refidence in those parts. Cave's Life of St. John. §. iv.

(c) A. d. 97. num. ii.

(d) Du Pin Diff. Prel. 1. 2. ch. 2. §. vi.

(e) St. Jean. art. iv.

(ƒ) Poft ejus (Jacobi Minoris) exceffum neminem ex Tv Sw dixa grege et conftantius et diutius Hierofolymis fubftitiffe noftro Apoftolo: ita ut vix exiguo ante exordium intervallo, inde fe avelli pateretur. Proleg. I. i. cap. 2. n. xv. p. 29.

fore, when, probably, St. Peter and Paul had been before crowned with martyrdom.

As St. John ftaid a good while in Palestine, it may be reasonably concluded, that the virgin Marie did not go with him to Ephefus, as (g) Baronius, and fome others have thought, but died, before he went thither. Which was the opinion of (h) Cave, and (i) Bafnage.

IV. St. John having had a long life, many things have His Hiftorie

been said of him, fome true, others falfe. Most of them have been already taken notice of in feveral chapters of this work. It may not be improper to recollect them here, with fome remarks.

from other

Writers

1. Apollonius, who wrote against the Montanifts, and flourished about the year 211. fays, in a fragment, preferved by Eufebe, "That (k) by the divine power John raised up a dead man to life at Ephefus." Which mi racle is also taken notice of by (1) Sozomen, and (m) Nicephorus, and may have been really done. But if we had had a more circumftantial histo rie of it, and if it had been mentioned by fome other early writers, befide Apollonius, it would have been more credible.

2. There was a book forged with the title of the Travels of Paul and Thecla by a Prefbyter, who was depofed for fo doing, as related by Tertullian. Jerome fays, that he was a Prefbyter in Afia, and that he was convicted before St. John of being the author of it, and for that reason was depofed. Of this matter we have already spoken distinctly already, and therefore refer to what was then (n) said.

3. It also related of our Apostle, that going to bathe at Ephesus, and perceiving, that Cerinthus, or, as others fay, Ebion, was already in the bath, he came out again haftily, and would not make use of the bath. The probability of which account was examined () formerly.

4. It is faid, that by order of the Emperour Domitian St. John was caft into a caldron of boyling oyl at Rome, and came out again, without being hurt. The (p) truth of which storie likewife has been confidered by us.

5. Polycrates, Bishop of Ephefus in the later part of the second centurie, fays, that John was Chrift's High-Prieft, wearing on his forehead a a golden plate. Which account (q) has been confidered, and the judgements of divers learned men upon it alleged.

6. Eufebe has a ftorie, from a work of Clement of Alexandria, of a young man in a city of Afia, not far from Ephefus, who after having been in

(g) A. d. 44. n. xxix.

ftructed

"Probable therefore it is, that he dwelt in his own house at Jerufalem, at least till the death of the blessed Virgin." Cave's Life of St. John, S. iv.

() Vid. Bafnag. Ann. 46. num. xxxviii. (k) See ch. 31. num. iv. Vol. iii. p. 16.

(1) Soz. 1.7. cap. 27. p. 750.

(m) Niceph. 1. 4. cap. 25. (n) See ch. 27. vol. ii. p. 641... 643. and ch. 29. p. 698. &c. (0) See ch. 6. vol. i. p. 190. 191. note (B) the fecond edition, and ch. 114. vol. x. p. 108.

(p) See ch. 27. vol. ii. p. 604. note (E) the fecond edition, and ch. 114. vely x. p. 108.

(9) See cb. 114. vol. x. p. 104. • . 107.

ftructed in the Chriftian Religion took to evil courfes, and became pro→ fligate but nevertheless was afterwards brought to repentance by our Apoftle. This account is inferted at large by Eufebe (r) in his Ecclefiaftical Historie. It has been repeated in like manner by Simeon Metaphraftes in his Life of St. John. Chryfoftom (s) has referred to it. It is alfo briefly told in the (t) Pafchal Chronicle. I have already taken fome notice of this (u) ftorie. S. Bafnage (x) thinks it to be a fable, or feigned apologue, compofed to convey ufeful inftruction. Mr. Lampe (y) is favorable to this hiftorie. And, perhaps, it may be true, abating fome circumftances. Which are not feldom added to fuch accounts, to render them the more entertaining.

7. Jerome has given an account of St. John's method of preaching, when he was of a great age, and was not able to make a long difcourfe. This (z) was taken notice of by us in a proper place. Nor is the truth of it, though related by Jerome only, difputed, either by (a) Lampe, or (b) Le Clerc.

8. It is generally supposed, that (c) John is one of those Apostles, who lived a fingle life. It is faid by (d) Tertullian, and Jerome. Which laft affirms, that (e) ecclefiaftical hiftorie affures us of it. And he makes it the ground of all the peculiar privileges of this Apoftle.

(r) L. 3. cap. 23.

9. Another

(s) Ad Theodor. Lapf. T. i. p. 31. ed. Bened.

(t) Chr. Pafch. p. 251. D.
(u) See ch. 114. vol. x. p. 107. 108.

(x) Apologo quam hiftoriæ videtur effe propior... Ac fane nefcimus, fi vera hiftoria eft, cur Clemens uile, fabulæ, nomen ipfi primum impofuerit. Fabula fuit ratione rei fignificantis, veritafque refpectu rei fignificatæ, quæ mentibus proponebatur, nempe eximii paftoris officium, ac vis pœnitentiæ. Non infolens erat antiquis, uti apologis ejufmodi ad informandos mores. . . . Si cui tamen placet de Joanne Clementis narrationem veram hiftoriam esse, quia fic Veteribus vifum, de hac re quidem contendere nolumus. Bafn, ann. 97. num. x.

(y) Prolegom. 1. i. cap. v. num. iii. . ix.

(z) Vol. x. p. 103.

...

(a) Licet enim Hieronymus folus hujus narrationis auctor fit, nihil tamen Occurrit, quod non cum more Joannis, ut cum ratione Ecclefiæ ejus temporis apprime convenit. Lamp. Proleg. l. i. cap. v. n. xi.

(b) H. E. ann. 99. num i.

(c) Vid. Lamp. Proleg. 1. i. cap. i. num. xiii.

(d) Joannes Chrifti fpado. De Monog. cap. 17. p. 688.

(e) Talem fuiffe eunuchum, quem Jefus amavit plurimum, Evangeliftam Joannem, ecclefiafticæ credunt hiftoriæ: qui recubuit fuper pectus Jefu: qui, Petro tardius ambulante, elatus virginitatis alis cucurrit ad Dominum: qui in fecreta divinæ fe nativitatis immergens, aufus eft dicere: In principio erat Verbum, &c. In lf. cap. LVI. Tom. 3. p. 410.

Joannes vero nofter, quafi aquila, ad fuperna volat, et ad ipfum Patrem pervenit, dicens: In principio erat Verbum, &c. Expofuit virginitas, quod nuptiæ fcire non poterant. Et ut brevi fermone multa comprehendam, doceamque, cujus privilegii fit Joannes, imo in Joanne virginitas: a Domino virgine, mater virgo virgini difcipulo commendatur. Adv. Jovin. l. i. T. 4a P. 2. p. 169. Vid. et ad. Princip, virg, ep. 96. al. 16. ib. p. 780. f.

9. Another thing, faid of John, is, that he was banished into Patmos, an ifland of the Mediterranean Sea, not far from the coaft of Afia. And, if he is the writer of the book of the Revelation, which we do not now difpute, the thing is unquestioned. But I have deferred the confideration of this particular, till now, because learned moderns are not agreed about the time of it.

V. I fhall therefore firft put down the accounts of ancient authors, and then oblerve the opinions of learned men of later times.

The Time, when be was banished

to Patmos.

Irenæus fays of the Revelation, " that (ƒ) it was seen no long time ago, but almoft in our age, at the end of the reign of Do mitian." And though Irenæus does not fay, that St. John was then in Patmos, yet fince he fuppofeth him to be the perfon, who had the revelation, he must have believed him to be then in Patmos, as the book itfelf fays. ch. i. 9,

Clement, of Alexandria, in his book, entitled, Who is the rich man that may be faved, as cited by Eufebe, fpeaks (g) of "John's returning from Patmos to Ephefus, after the death of the tyrant,' By whom, it is probable, he means Domitian.

Tertullian, in his Apologie, fpeaks of Domitian, as (h) having ba nifhed fome Chriftians, and afterwards giving them leave to return home probably intending St. John, and fome others. In another work he fays," that (i) John having been fent for to Rome, was caft into a veffel of boyling oyl, and then banished into an island;" in the time of Domitian, as is most probable.

Origen, explaining Matt. xx, 23. fays: "James (k) the brother of "John, was killed with a fword by Herod. And a Roman Emperour, as tradition teaches, banished John into the ifland Patmos for the tefti"monie, which he bore to the word of truth. And John himself bears "witnefle to his banifhment, omitting the name of the Empercur, by "whom he was banished, faying in the Revelation: I John, who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdam and patience of Jefus Chrift, was in the ifle of Patmos, for the word of God, and for the teftimonie of Jefus Chrift. And () it feems, that the Revelation was

"feen in that island."

Vittorin, Bishop of Pettaw about 290. again and again fays, that (m) John was banished by Domitian, and in his reign faw the revelation,

(f) See cap. 17. Vol. i. p. 379.

Eufebe,

(3) Επειδή γαρ τῇ τυράννω τελευτήσαντος, ἀπὸ τῆς πάτμο τῆς νήσει μετήλθεν εἰς τὴν ἔφεσον. κ. λ. Ap. Eufeb. Η. Ε. l. 3. c. 23. ρ. 92.

(b) Tentaverat et Domitianus, portio Neronis de crudelitate. Sed qua et homo facile ceptum repreffit, reftitutis etiam quos relegaverat. Apol. cap. 5. (i)... habes Romam,... ubi Apoftolus Joannes, pofteaquam in oleum igneum demerfus, nihil paffus eft, in infulam relegatur. De Pr. Haer. cap. 36. p. 245.

(k) Comm. in Matt. T. i. p. 417. Huet.

(1) Καὶ ἔοικε τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ τεθεωρηκέναι. Ibid. G. (m) See Vol. v. p. 223.

Eufebe, giving an account of Domitian's perfecution, fays: "In (n) this perfecution, as it is faid, John, the Apostle and Evangelift, being ftill living, was banished into the ifland Patmos for the teftimonie of the word of God."

Epiphanius, as formerly (p) fhewn, fays: "John prophefied in the isle of Patmos, in the reign of Claudius." And in another place, then only referred to, he says: "John wrote his Gofpel in his old age, when he "was more than ninety years old, after his return from Patmos, which "(9) was in the time of Claudius Cæfar."

Jerome, in his book of Illuftrious Men, as (r) formerly cited, fays: Domitian in the fourteenth year of his reign railing the second perfecution after Nero, John was banished into the island Patmos, where he wrote the Revelation." And in another work, alfo cited (s) formerly, he fays again: "John was a Prophet, as he faw the Revelation in the ifland Patmos, where he was banished by Domitian." And I fhall now transcribe below (t) in his own words, without tranflating them, his comment upon Matt. xx. 23. where he speaks of St. John's having been banished into Patmos but does not name the Emperour, by whom he was banished.

Sulpicius Severus fays, "that (u) John, the Apostle and Evangelift, was banished by Domitian into the inland Patmos: where he had vifions, and where he wrote the book of the Revelation,"

Arethas, in his Commentarie upon the Revelation, fuppofed to be writ in the fixth centurie, fays, upon the authority of Eufebius, that (x) John was banished into Patmos by Domitian.

Ifidore, of Seville, near the end of the fixth centurie, fays: "Domitian (y) raised a perfecution against the Chriftians. In his time the Apoftle John having been banished into the ifland Patmos faw the Revelation."

We may now make a remark or two.

1. All these teftimonies are of ufe, whether they name the ifland, where John was banished, or the Emperour, by whom he was banished, or not. They all agree, that St. John was fent thither by way of punishment, or restraint, for bearing witnefle to the truth. Which con

(n) H. E. l. 3. cap. 18.

....

(p) Vol. viii. p. 311,

(2) τὴν ἐπὶ κλαυδία γενομένην καισαρος. Haer. 51. num. xii. (r) See Vol. x. p. 100.

(s) P. 102.

futes

() Quæritur, quomodo calicem martyrii filii Zebedæi, Jacobus videlicet et Joannes, biberint: quum fcriptura narret Jacobum tantum Apoftolum ab Herode capite truncatum; Joannes autem propria morte vitam finierit. Sed fi legamus ecclefiafticas hiftorias, in quibus fertur, quod et ipfe propter mar. tyrium fit miffus in ferventis olei dolium, et inde ad fufcipiendam coronam Chrifti athleta procefferit, ftatimque relegatus in Patmon infulam fit, videbimus, martyrio animum non defuiffe, et bibiffe Joannem calicem confeffionis. Comm. in Matt. Tom. 4. P. i. p. 92.

(u) See Vol. xi. p. 11.

(*) Εξόρισον δὲ αὐτὸν γενέσθαι ἐν πάτμῳ τῇ νήσῳ ὑπὸ δομετιανᾶ, ἐνσίβιος ὁ παμε φίλε ἐν τῷ χρονικῷ αυτό βιβλίῳ παρατίθεται. Audr. in Apoc. ap. Oecum. Tom 2. p. 654. D.

(y) Vol. xi. p. 377: