rather admire what he could not understand; that | ambassadors from several churches; in order he owned the author to have been a holy and di- whereunto he first caused them to proclaim a gevinely inspired person, but could not believe it to neral fast, to seek the blessing of heaven on so be St. John the apostle and evangelist, neither great and solemn an undertaking, which being style, matter, nor method agreeing with his other done, he set about it. And if we may believe the writings; that in this he frequently names him- report of Gregory, bishop of Tours, he tells us, self, which he never does in any other; that there that upon a hill, near Ephesus, there was a prowere several Johns at that time, and two buried seucha, or uncovered oratory, whither our apostle at Ephesus, the apostle, and another, one of the used often to retire for prayer and contemplation, disciples that dwelt in Asia, but which was the and where he obtained of God, that it might not author of this book, he leaves uncertain. But rain in that place till he had finished his gospel. though doubted of by some, it was entertained by Nay, he adds, that even in his time, no shower or the far greater part of the ancients as the genuine storm ever came upon it. Two causes especially work of our St. John. Nor could the setting down contributed to the writing of it; the one, that he his name be any reasonable exception; for what- might obviate the early heresies of those times, ever he might do in his other writings, especially especially of Ebion, Cerinthus, and the rest of that his gospel, where it was less necessary, historical crew, who began openly to deny Christ's divinity, matters depending not so much upon his authority, and that he had any existence before his incarna yet it was otherwise in prophetic revelations, tion; the reason why our evangelist is so express where the person of the revealer adds great weight and copious in that subject. The other was, that and moment; the reason why some of the pro- he might supply those passages of the evangelical phets under the Old Testament did so frequently history which the rest of the sacred writers had set down their own names. The diversity of the omitted. Collecting, therefore, the other three style is of no considerable value in this case, it evangelists, he first set to his seal, ratifying the being no wonder, if in arguments so vastly differ-truth of them with his approbation and consent: ent, the same person did not always observe the same tenor and way of writing; whereof there want not instances in some others of the apostolic order. The truth is, all circumstances concur to entitle our apostle to be the author of it, his name frequently expressed, its being written in the island of Patmos, (a circumstance not pertaining to any but St. John,) his styling himself "their brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ," his writing particular epistles to the "seven churches of Asia," all planted or at least cultivated by him; the doctrine in it suitable to the apostolic spirit and temper, evidently bearing witness in this case. That which seems to have given ground to doubt concerning both its author and authority, was its being a long time before it was universally joined with other books of the holy canon; for containing in it some passages directly levelled at Rome, the seat of the Roman empire, and others which might be thought to symbolize with some Jewish dreams and figments, it might possibly seem fit to the prudence of those times for a while to suppress it. Nor is the conjecture of a learned man to be despised, who thinks that it might be intrusted in the keeping of John the presbyter, scholar to our apostle; whence probably the report might arise, that he, who was only the keeper, was the author of it. I add no more, than that upon the account of this Apocalypse, containing a prophetic scheme of the future state of the Christian church, he is in a strict sense a prophet, and has thereby one considerable addition to his titles, being not only an apostle and evangelist, but a prophet, an honor peculiar to himself. Peter was an apostle, but properly no evangelist: Mark an evangelist, but no apostle St. Matthew an apostle and evangelist, but no prophet: but St. John was both an apostle, an evangelist, and a prophet.

15. His gospel succeeds, written (says some) in Patmos, and published at Ephesus; but as Irenæus and others more truly, written by him after his return to Ephesus; composed at the earnest entreaty and solicitation of the Asian bishops and

and then added his own gospel to the rest, principally insisting upon the acts of Christ from the first commencing of his ministry to the death of John the Baptist, wherein the others are most defective, giving scarce any account of the first year of our Saviour's ministry, which therefore he made up in very large and particular narrations. He largely records (as Nazianzen observes) our Saviour's discourses: but takes little notice of his miracles, probably because so fully and particularly related by the rest. The subject of his writing is very sublime and mysterious, mainly designing to prove Christ's divinity, eternal pre-existence, creating of the world, &c. Upon which account Theodoret styles his gospel cooyiav abaтov avdowrois kaι svuñspßatov, a theology which human understandings can never fully penetrate and find out. Thence, generally by the ancients, he is resembled to an eagle, soaring aloft within the clouds, whither the weak eye of man was unable to follow him; hence, peculiarly honored with the title of the Divine, as if due to none but him, at least to him in a more eminent and extraordinary manner. Nay, the very Gentile philosophers themselves could not but admire his writings: witness Amelius, the famous Platonist and regent of Porphyry's school at Alexandria; who, quoting a passage out of the beginning of St. John's gospel, swore by Jupiter, that this barbarian (so the proud Greeks counted and called all that differed from them,) "had hit upon the right notion, when he affirmed, that the Word that made all things was in the beginning, and in place of prime dignity and authority with God; and was that God that created all things, in whom every thing that was made had, according to its nature, its life and being; that he was incarnate, and clothed with a body wherein he manifested the glory and magnificence of his nature; that after his death he returned to the repossession of divinity, and became the same God which he was before his assuming a body, and taking the human nature and flesh upon him." I have no more to observe, but that his gospel was afterwards translated into Hebrew,

and kept by the Jews cv anокpupois, among their secret archives and records in their treasury at Tiberias; where a copy of it was found by one Joseph a Jew, afterwards converted, and whom Constantine the Great advanced to the honor of a count of the empire, who breaking open the treasury, though he missed of money, found books beyond all treasure, St. Matthew and St. John's gospels and the Acts of the Apostles in Hebrew; the reading whereof greatly contributed towards his conversion.

for being an Hebrew of the Hebrews, admirably skilled in the language of his country, it probably made him less exact in his Greek composures, wherein he had very little advantage, besides what was immediately communicated from above. But whatever was wanting in the politeness of his style, was abundantly made up in the zeal of his temper, and the excellency and sublimity of his matter; he truly answered his name, Boanerges, for he spake and wrote like a "son of thunder." Whence it is that his writings, but 16. Besides these, our apostle wrote three especially his gospel, have such great and honorepistles the first whereof is catholic, calculated able things spoken of them by the ancients. "The for all times and places, containing most excellent evangelical writings" (says St. Basil) "transcend rules for the conduct of the Christian life, press-the other parts of the holy volumes; in other parts ing to holines and purity of manners, and not to God speaks to us by servants, the prophets; but rest in a naked and empty profession of religion; in the gospels our Lord himself speaks to us, not to be led away with the crafty insinuations of but among all the evangelical preachers, none seducers; antidoting men against the poison of like St. John, the son of thunder, for the sublimethe Gnostic principles and practices, to whom it ness of his speech and the height of his discourses, is not to be doubted but that the apostle had a beyond any man's capacity duly to reach and commore particular respect in this epistle. Accord-prehend." "St. John, as a true son of thunder," ing to his wonted modesty he conceals his name, (says Epiphanius,) "by a certain greatness of it being of more concernment with wise men, speech peculiar to himself, does, as it were, out what it is that is said, than who it is that says it. of the clouds and the dark recesses of wisdom And this epistle Eusebius tells us was univer- acquaint us with divine doctrines concerning the sally received, and never questioned by any; an- Son of God." To which let me add what St. ciently, as appears by St. Augustine, inscribed to Cyril of Alexandria, among other things, says the Parthians, though for what reason I am to learn, concerning him, "that whoever looks to the su unless (as we hinted before) it was, because he blimity of his incomprehensible notions, the acumen himself had heretofore preached in those parts of and sharpness of his reason, and the quick inferthe world. The other two epistles are but short, ences of his discourses constantly succeeding and and directed to particular persons; the one a lady following upon one another, must needs confess of honorable quality, the other the charitable and that his gospel perfectly exceeds all admiration.”* hospitable Gaius, so kind a friend, so courteous an entertainer of all indigent Christians. These epistles, indeed, were not of old admitted into the canon, nor are owned by the church in Syria at this day; ascribed by many to the younger John, disciple to our apostle. But there is no just cause to question who was their father, seeing both the doctrine, phrase, and design of them do sufficiently challenge our apostle for their author. These are all the books wherein it pleased the Holy Spirit to make use of St. John for its penman and secretary; in the composure whereof, though his style and character be not florid and elegant, yet is it grave and simple, short and perspicuous. Dionysius of Alexandria tells us, that in his gospel and first epistle his phrase is more neat and The life and character of St. John can never elegant, there being an accuracy in the con- be contemplated without deep interest by the texture both of words and matter, that runs thoughtful, meditative Christian. No result of through all the reasonings of his discourses; but historical inquiry can be more valuable than the that in the Apocalypse, the style is nothing so development and representation of such a character pure and clear, being frequently mixed with more with his associates, under circumstances the most to the spiritual understanding. Placed, in common barbarous and improper phrases. Indeed his Greek remarkable, tried like them by temptations and sufgenerally abounds with Syriasms; his discourses ferings the most affecting, he bore like them in many times abrupt, set off with frequent anti-meekness and patience the yoke and the burden theses, connected with copulatives, passages often which his Divine Master had allotted for his porrepeated, things at first more obscurely propound-tion. But he is distinguished from among the rest ed, and which he is forced to enlighten with sub- by the sublime demonstrations of spiritual power sequent explications, words peculiar to himself, and phrases used in an uncommon sense. All which concur to render his way of writing less grateful, possibly, to the masters of eloquence, and an elaborate curiosity. St. Jerome observes, that in citing places out of the Old Testament, he more immediately translates from the Hebrew original, studying to render things word for word:

ST. PHILIP.

Of all parts of Palestine, Galilee seems to have passed under the greatest character of ignominy and reproach. The country itself, because bordering upon the idolatrous uncircumcised nations, called Galilee of the Gentiles, the people generally beheld as more rude and boisterous, more unpolished and barbarous than the rest, not remarkable either for civility or religion. "The Galileans received him, having seen all the things

acting on the mind. It was to him the Lord committed the charge of revealing the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, where it stretches out and nothing can be more calculated to delight the mind reaches unto the throne of the Father: and surely of a thinking man, than the examination of the circumstances under which one so highly favored, and so wonderfully acted upon and occupied, passed through the world.-ED.

that he did at Jerusalem at the feast, for they also went up unto the feast;"* as if it had been a wonder and a matter of very strange remark, to see so much devotion in them, as to attend the solemnity of the passover. Indeed both Jew and Gentile conspired in this, that they thought they could not fix a greater title of reproach upon our Saviour and his followers, than that of Galilean. "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" a city in this province, said Nathanael, concerning Christ. "Search and look, (say the Pharisees,) for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet ;"‡ as if nothing but briars and thorns could grow in that soil. But there needs no more to confute this ill-natured opinion, than that our Lord not only made choice of it as the seat of his ordinary residence and retreat, but that hence he chose those excellent persons, whom he made his apostles, the great instruments to convert the world. Some of these we have already given an account of, and more are yet behind.

he frequently read over Moses's books, and considered the prophecies that related to our Saviour; and was, no question, awakened with the general expectations that were then on foot among the Jews, (the date of the prophetic Scriptures concerning the time of Christ's coming being now run out,) that the Messiah would immediately appear. Add to this, that the divine grace did more immediately accompany the command of Christ, to incline and dispose him to believe that this person was that very Messiah that was to come.

3. No sooner had religion taken possession of his mind, but like an active principle it began to ferment and diffuse itself. Away he goes, and finds Nathanael, a person of note and eminency, acquaints him with the tidings of the new-found Messiah, and conducts him to him. So forward is a good man to draw and direct others in the same way to happiness with himself. After his call to the apostleship much is not recorded of him in the holy story. It was to him that our 2. Of this number was St. Philip, born at Beth- Saviour propounded the question, what they should saida, a town near the sea of Tiberias, the city do for so much bread in the wilderness as would of Andrew and Peter. Of his parents and way feed so vast a multitude;* to which he answered, of life the history of the gospel takes no notice; that so much was not easily to be had; not conhough probably he was a fisherman, the trade sidering, that to feed two or twenty thousand are generally of that place. He had the honor of equally easy to Almighty power, when pleased to being first called to the discipleship, which thus exert itself. It was to him that the Gentile procame to pass. Our Lord, soon after his return selytes that came up to the passover addressed from the wilderness, having met with Andrew and themselves, when desirous to see our Saviour, a his brother Peter, after some short discourse person of whom they had heard so loud a fame.† parted from them: and the very next day, as he It was with him that our Lord had that discourse was passing through Galilee, he found Philip, concerning himself a little before the last paschal whom he presently commanded to follow him; the supper. The holy and compassionate Jesus had constant form which he used in making choice of been fortifying their minds with fit considerations his disciples, and those that did inseparably attend against his departure from them; had told them, upon him. So that the prerogative of being first that he was going to prepare room for them in the called, evidently belongs to Philip, he being the mansion of the blessed; that he himself was first-fruits of our Lord's disciples. For though "the way, the truth, and the life, and that no man Andrew and Peter were the first that came to, could come to the Father but by him," and that and conversed with Christ, yet did they immedi- knowing him "they both knew and had seen the ately return to their trade again, and were not Father." Philip, not duly understanding the called to the discipleship till above a whole year force of our Saviour's reasonings, begged of him after, when John was cast into prison. Clemens that he would "show them the Father, and then Alexandrinus tells us, that it was Philip, to whom this would abundantly convince and satisfy them. our Lord said, (when he would have excused him- We can hardly suppose he should have such gross self at present, that he must go bury his father,) conceptions of the deity, as to imagine the Father "Let the dead bury their dead, but follow thou vested with a corporeal and visible nature; but me." But besides that he gives no account Christ having told them that they had seen him, whence he derived this intelligence, it is plainly and he knowing that God of old was wont freinconsistent with the time of our apostle's call, quently to appear in a visible shape, he only dewho was called to be a disciple a long time before sired that he would manifest himself to them by that speech and passage of our Saviour. It may some such appearance. Our Lord gently reseem justly strange that Philip should at first sight proved his ignorance, that after so long attendso readily comply with our Lord's command, and ance upon his instructions, he should not know turn himself over into his service, having not yet that he was the image of his Father, the express seen any miracle that might evince his Messiah- characters of his infinite wisdom, power, and goodship, and divine commission, nor probably so much ness appearing in him; that he said and did noas heard any tidings of his appearance; and es- thing but by his Father's appointment, which it pecially being a Galilean, and so of a more rustic they did not believe, his miracles were a sufficient and unyielding temper. But it cannot be doubted evidence; that therefore such demands were unbut that he was admirably versed in the writings necessary and impertinent; and that it argued of Moses and the prophets. Metaphrastes as- great weakness, after more than three years' sures us (though how he came to know it other-education under his discipline and institution, to wise than by conjecture I cannot imagine) that from his childhood he had excellent education, that

* John iv. 45. + John i. 46. John vii. 52. Il John i. 44.

be so unskilful in those matters. God expects improvement according to men's opportunities; to be old and ignorant in the school of Christ, deJohn xiv. 8.

* John vi. 5. + John xii. 22.

serves both reproach and punishment; it is the character of very bad persons, that "they are ever learning, but never come to the knowledge of the truth."*

under them; which, when they apprehended and bewailed as an evident act of divine vengeance pursuing them for their sins, it as suddenly stopped, and went no further. The apostle being dead, 4. In the distribution of the several regions of his body was taken down by St. Bartholomew, the world made by the apostles, though no mention his fellow-sufferer, though not finally executed, be made by Origen or Eusebius what part fell to and Mariamne, St. Philip's sister, who is said to our apostle, yet we are told by others, that the have been the constant companion of his travels, Upper Asia was his province, (the reason doubt-and decently buried; after which having confirmless why he is said, by many, to have preached and ed the people in the faith of Christ, they departed planted Christianity in Scythia,) where he applied from them. himself, with an indefatigable diligence and indus- 6. That St. Philip was married is generally aftry, to recover men out of the snare of the devil, firmed by the ancients; Clemens of Alexandria to the embracing and acknowledging of the reckons him one of the married apostles, and that truth. By the constancy of his preaching and he had daughters whom he disposed in marriage: the efficacy of his miracles, he gained numerous Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, tells us, that Philip, converts, whom he baptized into the Christian one of the twelve apostles, died at Hierapolis, with faith, at once curing both souls and bodies; their two of his daughters who persevered in their virgisouls of error and idolatry, their bodies of infirmi-nity, and that he had a third which died at Epheties and distempers; healing diseases, dispossess-sus. The truth is, the not careful distinguishing ing demons, settling churches, and appointing between Philip the deacon (who lived at Cæsarea, them guides and ministers of religion.

and of whose four virgin daughters we read in the Having for many years successfully managed history of the apostles' acts) and our apostle, has his apostolical office in all those parts, he came, bred some confusion among the ancients in this in the last periods of his life, to Hierapolis in matter; nay, has made some conclude them to Phrygia, a city rich and populous, but answering have been but one and the same person. But with its name in its idolatrous devotions. Amongst the how little reason, will appear to any one that shall many vain and trifling deities to whom they paid consider, that Philip, who was chosen to be one of religious adoration, was a serpent, or dragon, (in the seven deacons, could not be one of the aposmemory no doubt of that infamous act of Jupiter, tolical college, the apostles declaring upon that ocwho in the shape of a dragon insinuated himself casion, that they had affairs of a higher nature to into the embraces of Proserpina, his own daughter, attend upon: "then the twelve called the multitude begot of Ceres, and whom these Phrygians chiefly of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reaworshipped, as Clemens Alexandrinus tells us; so son that we should leave the word of God, and little reason had Baronius to say that they wor- serve tables; wherefore look ye out among you shipped no such God,) of a more prodigious big-seven men of honest report, &c., and they chose ness than the rest, which they worshipped with Stephen and Philip, &c. (among you) the body of great and solemn veneration. St. Philip was the people, not from among the apostles. So when, troubled to see the people so wretchedly enslaved upon the persecution that arose upon Stephen's to error, and therefore continually solicited heaven, death, the church was dispersed, "they were all till by prayer and calling upon the name of Christ, scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa he had procured the death, or at least vanishing and Samaria, (and Philip, the deacon, among the of this famed and beloved serpent: which done, rest, who went down to the city of Samaria,) exhe told them how unbecoming it was to give di- cept the apostles," who tarried behind at Jerusavine honors to such odious creatures; that God lem. And when Philip had converted and bapalone was to be worshipped, as the great parent tized considerable numbers in that place, he was of the world, who had made man at first after his forced to send for two of the apostles from Jeruown glorious image; and when fallen from that salem, that so by apostolic hands they might be innocent and happy state, had sent his own Son confirmed, and might "receive the Holy Ghost.” into the world to redeem him, who died and rose Which had been wholly needless had Philip himfrom the dead, and shall come again at the last self been of the twelve apostles. But it is needday, to raise men out of their graves, and to sen- less to argue in this matter, the accounts concern. tence and reward them according to their works. ing them being so widely different; for as they The success was, that the people were ashamed differed in their persons and offices, the one a of their fond idolatry, and many broke loose from deacon, the other an apostle, so also in the numtheir chains of darkness, and ran over to Christi- ber of their children, four daughters being ascribed anity. Whereupon the great enemy of mankind to the one, while three only are attributed to the betook himself to his old methods, cruelty and other. He was one of the apostles who left no persecution. The magistrates of the city seize sacred writings behind him; the greater part of the apostle, and having put him into prison, caused the apostles (as Eusebius observes) having little him to be severely whipped and scourged. This leisure to write books, being employed in ministries preparatory cruelty passed, he was led to execu- more immediately useful and subservient to the tion, and being bound, was hanged up by the neck happiness of mankind: though Epiphanius tells against a pillar; though others tell us that he us, that the Gnostics were wont to produce a goswas crucified. We are further told, that at his pel forged under St. Philip's name, which they execution the earth began suddenly to quake, and abused to the patronage of their horrible prin the ground whereon the people stood, to sink ciples, and more brutish practices.*

*2 Tim. iii. 7.

*This memoir of St. Philip very remarkably