lib. 3. c.

of all the Apostles, tarried till our Lord came to the Destruction of Jerufalem, which he outlived many Years. To which we may adjoin the Teftimony of the Primitive Church, which afferts it as an unquestionable Truth. Irenæus fays, Lib.3.c.1. that John, the Difciple of our Lord, who leaned upon his Breast, writ his Gospel at Ephefus. Clemens of Alexandria, that St. John, inspired by the Holy Ghoft, compofed bis fpiritual Gospel. Origen reckons it among the Gospels received with- Eufeb. out Difpute by every Church under Heaven. Eufe- Hift. Eccl. bius places it among the Books not controverted lib. 6. c. among Chriftians, and as known to all the Churches 14 & 25. of the World. And the antient Hereticks, that 24. afcribed it to Cerinthus, were guilty of a great Abfurdity: For how could thofe Things be writ by Cerinthus, which do in direct Terms contradict his Doctrine? He afferted that Chrift was Epiphan. born as other Men, and but a mere Man himself; Hær. 15. whereas the Author of this Gofpel declares Chrift to be the Word, or Logos, which in the Beginning John 1. 1. was with God, and was God, and is exprefsly affirmed by Antiquity to be writ on Purpose to remove that Error which Cerinthus had difperfed in the World. All which Evidence taken together, makes it undeniable, that St. John was the Author of that Gofpel that goeth under his Name.

Q. When, and upon what Occafion, did be write his Gospel ?

§. 4.

A. Though fome have thought it was writ during his Banishment in the land of Patmos ; yet Irenæus and others, with great Appearance of Adv.Her. lib.3.c.1. Truth, affirm it to have been written by him after his Return to Ephefus; compofed at the earneft Hieron.de latreaty of the Afian Bifhops, and Ambaffadors Scr. Eecl

from

from feveral Churches; in order whereunto he first folemnizes a general Faft, to feek the Bleffing of Heaven upon fo great and momentous an Undertaking. Two Caufes especially contributed to engage him in this Work; the one, that he might obviate the early Herefies of thofe Times, particularly of Ebion, Cerinthus, and others, who began to deny Christ's Divinity, or that he had any Existence before the Incarnation; the Reason why this Evangelift is fo express and copious on that Subject. The other was, that he might fupply thofe Paffages of the Evangelical History, which the reft of the Sacred Writers had omitted; principally infifting upon the Acts of Chrift from the first commencing of his Ministry, to the Death of John the Baptift. The Subject he treats is fublime and myfterious; Cyr. Hier. upon which Account he is generally by the AnCatec. 12. tients refembled to an Eagle foaring aloft; and §. 1. peculiarly honoured with the Title of Divine as due to him in an eminent and extraordinary Manner.

Q. To whom did St. John addrefs his Epiftles? A. The firft is Catholick, calculated for all Times and Places, as well as Perfons; containing moft excellent Rules for the Conduct of the Chriftian Life; with a particular Regard to Christian Charity; the principal Vein that runs through all his Writings, and was the last Subject he recommended to his Hearers: For when Age and Weaknefs difabled him from preaching, yet at every publick Meeting in the Church, he exhorted them with thefe Hieron. Words, Little Children, love one another. His Tom. 9. Auditors, wearied with the conftant Repetition P. 83. of the fame Thing, enquiring the Reafon of it,

received

received from him this Anfwer: This is what our Lord hath commanded, and if we can do this, we need do nothing elfe. This Epiftle, which was univerfally received, and never queftioned, is moreover an excellent Antidote against the Poifon of Gnoftick Principles and Practices. The other two are directed to particular Perfons; and though it hath been doubted whether they were Canonical, yet by the most Part

of the Antients they are attributed to St. John; Euseb. and the Doctrine, Phrafe, and Design of them, Eccl. Hift. fufficiently challenge our Apoftle for their Au- 1. 3. c. 25.

thor.

Q. When did he write his Revelation?

A. While he was confined in the Island of Patmos. And though this Book was doubted of by fome, yet it was entertained by the far greater Part of the Antients, as the genuine Work of St. John the Evangelift. All Circumftances concur to make our Apostle the Author of it. His Name frequently expreffed; its being written in the Inland of Patmos; the particular Epiftles to the Seven Churches in Afia, all planted, or at least cultivated, by him; the Doctrine in it fuitable to the Apoftolical Spirit and Temper. All which being put together make the Evidence in this Cafe very confiderable.

Q. What may we learn from the Obfervation of this Festival?

A. That the true Love of Jefus ought to make us willing to accompany him to Mount Calvary, as well as to Mount Tabor; to bear his Crofs, as well as to partake of his Glories. To be conftant to all the Duties of Friendship, and not to fuffer Misfortunes and Adverfity to abate the Vigour of them. To endeavour to

adorn

adorn our Souls with fuch Difpofitions and Qualifications as may make us hope for a Share in the Love of our Redeemer. In all our Compofures upon religious Subjects, to have a particular Eye to the Good of others, and to beg God's Bleffing upon our Undertakings. To confirm ourselves in the Belief of our Saviour's Divinity, by frequently reading that Gofpel, which was writ on purpose to preferve us from thofe Herefies that denied it. To abound in the Practice of Chriftian Charity, the Love of our Neighbour, the diftinguishing Mark of a good Chriftian, which St. John urgeth as the great and peculiar Law of our Religion.

Q. Wherein doth Chriftian Charity, or the Love of our Neighbour, confift?

A. In doing him all good Offices, and fhewing Kindness towards him; if he be virtuous, it will make us esteem him; if he be honest, but weak in Judgment, it will create Pity and Succour ; if he be wicked, it will incline us to pious Admonition, in order to reclaim him; if he receives Good, it will make us rejoice; if he receives Evil, which we cannot redress, it will make us compaffionate him; if we can, it will make us relieve him, either by fupplying his Neceffities. according to our Power; or by hiding his Difgrace if it be deferved, which is concealing our Neighbour's Defects; and by wiping it off where it is not deferved, which is vindicating his Reputation. If he be our Inferior, it will make us affable and courteous; if our. Equal, it will make us candid, and ready to maintain a good Correfpondence; if our Superior, refpectful and fubmiffive; if we receive Good from him, it will make us thankful

and

and defirous to requite it; if we receive Evil, it will make us flow to Anger, easy to be entreated, ready to forgive, long fuffering when it is reasonable to exact Punishment, and merciful in taking it with fuch a Competency, as is no more than what he can bear.

Q. In what Senfe doth our Saviour and St. John call this a new Commandment, fince loving our Neighbour is a Branch of the Law of Nature, and a known Precept of the Jewish Religion?

A. This Commandment is by our Lord and Saviour fo much enlarged as to the Object of it, having extended it to all Mankind; fo greatly advanced, as to the Degree of it, even to the laying down our Lives for one another; fo effectually taught, fo mightily encouraged, fo very much urged and infifted upon, that it may very well be called a new Commandment; for though it was not altogether 'unknown to Mankind before, yet it was never taught in this Manner, nor fuch Strefs laid upon it by any other Inftitution.

Q. What Obligations have we to the Performance of this Duty?

A. The Frame of our Nature difpofeth us to it, and our Inclination to Society, in which there can be no Pleasure, no Advantage without mutual Love and Kindnefs. It is highly acceptable to God, and the beft Expreffion of our Love towards him, fince our Neighbour is God's Creature and his Image, and the Object of his Love and Kindness. It is the particular Command of our bleffed Saviour, John 13. urged upon his Difciples fo earneftly, as if he 34. required nothing elfe in Comparison of it. It