A commentary vpon the Epistles of Saint Paul to Philemon, and to the Hebrewes together with a compendious explication of the second and third Epistles of Saint Iohn. By VVilliam Iones of East Bergholt in Suffolke, Dr. in Divinity, and sometimes one of the fellowes of the foundation of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge.

VERSE 9.

IN his resisting of Saint Iohn, is to be considered. 1. What he did resist. 2. Who resisted. 3. The manner of his resi∣stance.

That which he withstood was a letter written by Saint Iohn: I wrote to the Churches; that is to the company of the faithfull in thy city, which may well be Corinth, for it was a factious citie, full of Sects and Schismes. The vulgar translateth it, Scripsi for∣sitan; peradventure I had written. But Erasmus guesseth shrewdly, and truely. The word [Forsitan] was foisted by some unlearned Clarke into the text.

I wrote, saith Saint Iohn, to the Church: And he speakes it by the way of a Prolepsis. Gajus must reply: Why? Didst thou not write to us all this while about the entertaining of these men?

I wrote, saith Saint Iohn: but my writing was not regarded. This Epistle of Saint Iohns is not now extant,* 1.1 no more peradven∣ture are some which Saint Peter and Saint Paul wrote. But wee have so much Scripture by divine providence as is sufficient to salvation: we neede not flie to unwritten verities.

Now let us take a view of the partie resisting. He is described by his name, and by his peevish quality. His name was Diotre∣phes. Some read Dietrepe; Quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 overturning God; then it fits him well, for he was an overtwharter of God and all god∣linesse; but it is Diotrephes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, nourished by God. And Homer cals Kings 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Iupiters nurse children:

and indeede God hath a speciall care of Kings. This man had a glorious name. Conveniunt rebus nomina saep•• suis. Sometimes men have sutable names: The Name of Iesus agreed wonderfull well to our blessed Saviour, for he saves us from our sins, and there is no Saviour besides him. Timotheus and Philotimus were both an∣swerable to their names, both pure worshippers of God. But some times mens names are different from their doings. Iudah is a good name, of Iudah, a praiser of God, yet he that betrayed Christ, had that name. Simon is a good name; Shamaang, Obedience: yet Simon Magus was disobedient, the fountaine of all heresies. So this Diotrephes had a good name; but he himselfe was a bad man. Good names may be meanes to make men good, but they doe not make them good without the blessing of God Al∣mightie.

2. He is described by a vicious qualitie that was in him, hee loved to have the preeminence among them. Hee doth not say, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that hath the preeminence, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that loves preeminence. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, riches are good: but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the love of riches is naught. Wine is good, but the love of wine is naught. He that loveth wine shall not be rich.* 1.2 Love it we may moderately, but not immoderately. The world is good and all things that be in it, as they be the creatures of God: but the love of the world is evill. The upmost places in the Synagogues were good; but the Pharisees were evill to love them. Eminencie in the Church is good, but wee must not love it, desire it, affect it with a proud minde, and ambitious heart, as Diotrephes did.

* 1.3A paritie in the Ministery is dangerous. It is the mother of Sects and Schismes. Ex aequo super omnes Ecclesiae fortitudo solidatur: Sed Petrus caput constituitur ut Schismatis tollatur occa∣sio. The solliditie of the Church is equally founded upon the doctrine of all the Apostles: yet Saint Peter was made the head of the Church for the avoiding of Schisme. Neverthelesse there is not one Oecumenicall Bishop over the whole world, or over all Christendome. Major est authoritas orbis, quam urbis, saith the same learned Father.* 1.4 The authoritie of the world, is grea∣ter than the authority of one citie. Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus, Wheresoever a Bishop is, whether at Rome, at Eugubium, at Constantinople,* 1.5 at Rhegium, at Alexandria, or at Tais, ejusdem est meriti, ejusdem sacerdotij, he is of the same desert, and the Priesthood is the same: yet there must be Bishops to have au∣thority over others, to preserve the peace of the Church; to see that all doe their duties in their severall places, and to be as a wall of defence for them that be under them. If there were not some in high places, in favour with Kings and Princes, the rest of the Cler∣gie would soone be troden under foote; as the little rivers submit themselves to the greater, so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith S^t. Basil, it is necessary, it is profitable for the inferiour Ministers to subject

themselves to the superiour, as were Aaron and his sonnes, so sayes S. Hierom, are Bishops, Priests or Elders. Aaron was a∣bove his sonnes, and Bishops are above them,* 1.6 yet both under God and the King; let not them, that be above 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 contemne them beneath in the vallyes: let not them, that be below, carry themselves insolently towards them above. Bishops and Priests, saith Ignatius, sunt tanquam chordae in Cithara colligatae:* 1.7 as strings tyed together in an harpe; if they jarre, there will be unpleasant musicke. Preeminence is laudable: the affectation of it is damna∣ble, to be called a Bishop is commendable. Sed velle vocari, to will it, to have an irresistible will to it, is discommendable:* 1.8 they that will be rich fall into divers snares and temptations: so they that will be in high places, whether God will or no,* 1.9 ensnare themselves ere they be aware.

There be many retinacula, pulbackes to hold us from that.

1. It is devill-like, he was high enough at the first, he would needes be higher, therefore he was cast low into the bottome∣lesse pit of hell: and all proud aspiring persons fall into the con∣demnation of the devill.* 1.10

2. It is not Christ-like, he was called to it, he intruded not himselfe; he invites us to humility by precept; Learne of me,* 1.11 I am humble and meeke, by practise, he washed his Disciples feete,* 1.12 though he were Lord of all, yet he became a servant to all, he respecteth it in his followers, when they stood upon greatnesse,* 1.13 hee sends them to a little child to learne to be little, he that is greatest among you, let him be your servant.* 1.14

3. It is the joy and glory of all good ministers that they have beene no intruders. I have not thrust in my selfe to be a Prophet to this people, Lord thou knowest: the Lord of the harvest must thrust labourers into the harvest, none must thrust in him∣selfe.

4. It is a weighty charge, an heavie burden, hee that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a worthy worke:* 1.15 Opus non digni∣tas: labor, non deliciae: opus, per quod humilitate decrescat, non fasti gio intumescat. It is a worke, not a dignitie: a labour, not a deli∣cacie: a worke, I say, that should make a man decrease by hu∣militie, not increase and swell in pride; a worke for the which a fearefull account is to be made, they watch over your soules, as they that must give an account: if God call us to that worke,* 1.16 let us en∣treate him to give us strength in some measure to discharge it: let us not inordinately love it, nor ambitiously affect it. ô ambitio, saith S. Bernard, O blind and execrable ambition, ambientium crux; the very crosse of ambitious persons,* 1.17 quomodo omnes tor∣quens omnibus places? how in displeasing and vexing of all doest thou please all? Nil acerbius cruceat, nil molestius inquietat; no∣thing doth more bitterly torment, more trouble and disquiet men: Nil tamen apud miseros mortales celebrius: yet for all that, nothing is in greater request with wretched men, than it: let there bee

Iohns among us in preeminence: but let there be no Diotrepheses among us, that love preeminence.

What did this Diotrephes? how did hee behave himselfe to∣wards Iohn? he received him not. Lorinus affirmeth, he received neither his Epistle, nor Gospel, but the direct meaning is, he re∣ceived not his councell, his authority, his admonition in enter∣taining strangers: contrariwise he rejected it, he set slight by it, he spurned it: intollerable insolency; Christ received him: Diotre∣phes repelled him, he was the Disciple whom Iesus loved: Dio∣trephes hated him: Christ tooke him into his bosome: he will not take him into his booke, he makes no reckoning of him. Christ commended his Mother to him: he will not receive Christs bre∣thren upon his commendation, had there beene nothing in him save his gray hayres without, hee should have reverenced him. The Galatians received Saint Paul as an Angel from heaven: S. Iohn was an Angel of the Church, a principall Angel, yet Dio∣trephes regards him not, this is the haughty spirit of ambitious persons, they contemne all in respect of themselves, they care for no body; and indeede no body cares for them. In not receiving of him, he received not Christ, and Christ will not receive him into his Kingdome at the latter day. As he resisted Iohn: so Saint Iohn will resist him, where. 1. there is a promise, or threatning to doe it. 2. the motives that urged him to it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ioh. 20.31.
• * 1.2

  Prov. 21.17.
• * 1.3

  Hier. advers. Helvid.
• * 1.4

  Hier. ad Evag.
• * 1.5

  Hieron.
• * 1.6

  ad Nepotian.
• * 1.7

  ad Ephes.
• * 1.8

  Origen. in Mat. 23.
• * 1.9

  1 Tim. 6.9.
• * 1.10

  1 Tim. 3.6.
• * 1.11

  Mat. 11.29.
• * 1.12

  Iohn 13.
• * 1.13

  Mat. 18.1.
• * 1.14

  Mat. 23.11.
• * 1.15

  Hieron.
• * 1.16

  Heb. 13.17.
• * 1.17

  Ad Eugen. Pap. lib. 3.