MarginaliaIohn the Euangelist.

In this persecution Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist was exiled by the sayd Domitianus into Pathmos. Of whō diuers and sundry memorable actes be reported in sundry Chronicles. As first how he was put in a vessell of boyling Oyle, by the Proconsull of Ephesus. The Legende and Perionius say, it was done at Rome. Isidorus also writyng of hym and comprehendyng many thynges in fewe wordes,MarginaliaIsodorus de patribus noui Testamenti. declareth that he turned certaine peeces of woode into gold and stones by the seaside into Margarites, to satisfie the desire of two, whō he had before perswaded to renounce their riches: And afterward they repentyng that for worldly treasure, they had lost heauen, for theyr sakes agayne chaunged the same into their former substaunce. Also, how he raysed vp a widow and a certaine young man from death to life. Howe he dronke poyson, and it hurt hym not, raysing also to life two which had dronke the same before. These and such other miracles, although they may be true, and are found in Isidorus and other writers mo, yet because they are no articles of our Christian belief, I let them passe, & onely cōtent my selfe w^t that which I read in Eusebius,MarginaliaEuseb. Lib. 3. cap. 10. Histor. Eccl. declaryng of him in this wise:MarginaliaAn. 97.
Iohn banished. That in the. 14. yeare after Nero, in the secōd persecutiō in the dayes of Domitian, Iohn was banished into Pathmos, for the testimony of the word, an. 97. MarginaliaIohn released out of banishment And after þ^e death of the foresayd Domitiaū beyng slayne, & his actes repealed by the Senate, Iohn was agayne released vnder Pertinax the Emperour, & came to Ephesus, an. 100. Where he continued vntill the tyme of Traianus, & there gouerned the churches in Asia, where also he wrote his Gospel, & so liued till the yeare after þ^e Passion of our Lord. 68. which was the yeare of his age. 99.

Moreouer in the foresayd Ecclesiasticall story of Eusebius,MarginaliaEuseb. Lib. 3. cap. 23. we read that Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist, whom the Lord did loue, was in Asia, where he beyng returned out of Pathmos, after the death of Domitian, gouerned the Churches and congregations. Irenæus in his second booke, thus writeth: And of him all the Elders do witnesse, which were with Iohn the Disciple of the Lorde in Asia, that he spake and wrote these thynges. &c. for there he continued with them vnto the time of Traianus. &c. Also the sayd Irenæus Lib. 3. Hypothes. in like wordes declareth, saying:MarginaliaIren. Lib. 3 The Church of the Ephesians beyng first founded by Paule, afterward beyng confirmed of Iohn, (who continued in the same Citie vnto the tyme of Traianus the Emperour) is a true witnesse of this Apostolicall tradition. &c.MarginaliaClemens Alexandrinus. Clemens Alexandrinus moreouer noteth both the tyme of this holy Apostle, and also addeth to the same a certaine hystory of hym, not vnworthy to be remembred of such which delite in thynges honest and profitable. Of the which historie Sozomenus also in his Commentaries maketh mētion. The wordes of the author settyng forth this history, be these:MarginaliaA notable history of Iohn the Euangelist. Heare a fable, and not a fable, but a true report which is told vs of Iohn the Apostle, deliuered and commended to our remembraunce. After the death of the tyraunt, when Iohn was returned to Ephesus from the Ile of Pathmos: he was desired, to resort to þ^e places bordering neare vnto hym, partly to constitute Byshops, partly to dispose the causes and matters of the Church, partly to ordaine and set such of the Clergy in office, whom the holy ghost should elect. Whereupon, when he was come to a certaine Citie not farre of, the name of which also many do yet remember, and had among other thynges comforted the brethren, he lookyng more earnestly vpon him, which was the chief Byshop among them, beheld a young man mighty in body, and of a beautifull countenaunce, and of a feruent mynde. I cō mende this man (sayth he) to thee with great diligence, in the witnesse here of Christ and of the Church.

When the Byshop had receaued of him this charge, and had promised his faithfull diligence, therein, agayne the second tyme, Iohn spake vnto him and desired him in like maner and contestation, as before. This done Iohn returneth agayne to Ephesus. The Bishop receauyng the yoūg man, commēded and committed to his charge, brought him home, kept him, and norished him, and at length also did illuminate, (that is) he baptised him. And in short tyme through his diligence, brought him into such order and towardnes, that he cōmitted vnto him the ouersight of a certaine cure in the Lordes behalfe. The young man thus hauyng more his libertie, it chaunced that certaine of his companiōs and familiars beyng idle, dissolute, and accustomed of old tyme to wickednes, did ioyne in company with him. Who first brought him to sumptuous and ryotous bākets. Then entised him forth with them in the night to robbe & steale. After that, he was allured by thē vnto greater mischief and wickednesse.MarginaliaWhat wicked company doth. Wherein by custome of tyme by litle and litle, he being more practised, and being of a good witte, and a stoute courage, like vnto a wilde or an vnbrokē horse, leauyng the right way & runnyng at large without bridle, was caryed headlong to the profunditie of all misorder & outrage. And thus beyng past all hope of grace, vtterly forgettyng & reiectyng the wholesome doctrine of saluation, which he had learned before, began to set his mynde vpon no small matters. And forasmuch as he was entred so farre in the way of perdition, he cared not how further he proceded in the same. And so associatyng vnto him the company of hys companions, and fellowe theeues, tooke vpon him to be as head and captaine among them, in committyng all kynde of murther and felony.

In the meane tyme it chaunced, that of necessity Iohn was sent for to those quarters agayne, and came. The causes beyng decised, and his busines ended, for the which he came, by the way meeting with the Bishop afore specified, requireth of him the pledge, which in the witnes of Christ, and of the congregation then present, he left in his handes to keepe. The Bishop somethyng amased at the wordes of Iohn, supposing he had meant of some money committed to his custody, which he had not receaued, and yet durst not mistrust Iohn, nor contrary his wordes, could not tell what to aunswere. Then Iohn perceauing his doubtyng, and vtteryng his mynde more playnely: The young man (sayth he) and the soule of our brother committed to your custody, I do require. Thē the Bishop with a loude voyce, sorrowyng and weepyng, sayd, he is dead: to whom Iohn sayd, how? And by what death? The other sayd, he is dead to God: for he is become an euill man, and pernicious, to be brief, a theefe: and now he doth frequent this mountayne with a company of villanes and theeues, like vnto him selfe agaynst the Churche.MarginaliaA notable lesson for all ministers to seeke againe their lost sheepe. But the Apostle rentyng his garmentes, and with great lamentation, sayd, I haue left a good keeper of my brothers soule. Get me a horse, and let me haue a guide with me, which beyng done, his horse and man procured, hasted frō the Church as much as he could, and commyng to the same place, was taken of the theeues that watched. But he neither flying, neither refusing, sayd: I came for this same cause hether, lead me (saith he) to your captaine. So he beyng brought, the captaine all armed, fiercely began to looke vpon him. And eftsones commying to the knowledge of hym, was stroken with confusion and shame, and began to flye. But the old man followed him, as much as he might, forgettyng his age, and crying: My sonne, why doest thou flie from thy father? an armed man, from one naked, a young man, from an old man. Haue pitie on me my sonne, and feare not,MarginaliaO vnspeakeable loue shewed out to a wicked sinner. for there is yet hope of saluation. I will make an anuswere for thee vnto Christ. I wil dye for thee, if neede be, as Christ hath died for vs. I will geue my life for thee, beleue me Christ hath sent me. He hearyng these thynges, first as in a mase stode still, & therewith his courage was abated. After that he cast downe his weapons, by and by he trembled, yea and wept bitterly: and commyng to the old man, embraced him, and spake vnto him with weepyng (as well as he could) beyng euen thē baptised afresh with teares, onely his right hand being hid and couered. Then the Apostle, after that he had promised and firmely acerteined him that he should obtaine remission of our Sauiour, and also prayed fallyng downe vpon hys knees, & kissed his murderyng right hand, which for shame he durst not shew before: as now purged through repentaunce, brought him to the congregation, and when he had prayed for him with continuall prayer and dayly fastinges, and had comforted and confirmed his mynde with many sentences, went not from him (as the author reporteth) before he had restored him to the congregation agayne, and made him a great example and triall of regeneration, and a token of the visible resurrection.

MarginaliaAn example of the godly to flye the company of the wicked. Moreouer, the foresayd Irenæus in Lib. 3. cap. 3. and Eusebius Lib. 3. cap. 28. and Lib. 4. cap. 14. prosecutyng the history of Iohn, declare in these wordes, saying, that there were certaine which heard Policarpus say, that Iohn the disciple of our Lord, goyng into Ephesus to be washed, seyng Cerinthus within, he leaped out of the bathe vnbathed, because he feared the bathe should haue fallē, seyng that Cerinthus, an enemy to the truth, was within. Such feare had the Apostles (sayth Irenæus) that they would not cōmunicate a word with them that adulterate the truth.

And forasmuch as we are here in hand with the story of Iohn the blessed Euangelist, commeth in matter and occasion, not geuē by him, but taken of other, of a great doubt and difficulty, such as hath occupied all the Catholicke, subtile, illuminate, and seraphical Doctours of the Popes Catholicke Church, these. 500 yeares. The difficultie is this: that forsomuch as auricular confession hath bene, and is yet receaued in the Popes Catholicke Church for an holy and necessary Sacrament, extendyng vniuersally to all and sin-