( 26 )
John, Contemporary with the Apostle, at Ephe-Jus and buried there. He is spoken of as an A-postolical Man and one of good Note, but stillwas no more than a Presbyter under the Bishop ofEpheJ’us. Can it be supposed then, that the bles-sed Spirit having Messages to communicate,and Reprehensions to bestow upon these AsianChurches and their Bishops, would use any oneelse for that Purpose, and pass by their Founderand great Apostle? In short, the Honour of thisdivine Commission lies between these two Johns:But to imagine that a private Priest of one of theChurches concerned, would be preferred to himwho had the Care and Superintendency of thewhole Province, is highly incongruous. Forwhich Reason there is the highest Probability,that the Apocalyptick Writer was John the Apo-stle.
Fifthly , A Likeness of Sentiment and Expressionbetween the Revelations and the confessed Writingsof St. John the Apoftle , evinces that they had allone and the same Author.
Many such Co-incidences have been already ob-served by learned Men upon this Argument*.E. G.
i. The Author of the Revelations , ch. i. v. z.bears Record to what he saw of the Word andTestimony of Jesus Chris . Just as the Evange-list saw the Glory of the Word, J oh. i. 14. and inhis first Epistle , ch . i. v. 1, 2. he bears Witness towhat he had seen with his Eyes.
* Mills 's Prol. 177. T>u Pin’s Hist. Can. of Script. Vol. t. c. 2,My Lord of London's Third Pastoral Litter, p, 59, 60.
2 . R?V>
i