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 5.

BVt what was the motive of his thanksgiving? The excellent graces wherewith GOD had adorned him: where there is 1. Fama bonorum, the report of them. 2. enumeratio bono∣rum, an enumeration of them. 3. Objecta eorum, the objects of them.

For the fame or report, Saint Paul heard of them: an admi∣rable hearing, from Phrygia to Rome, sayes Chrysostome and Oecu∣menius.

There are two things that are wont to be carried in the Wagon of fame; bad and good: the one swiftly, the other slowly: the one lamely, the other lustily: of the one we shall heare all, and more than all: and scant halfe of the other; as it fell out in the Wisedome of Salomon.

What did he heare? His love and faith: where is hope then? tanquam media in ijs intelligitur, sayes Aquin. as a midle vertue be∣tweene both, it is comprehended in both.* 1.1 These three in a golden chaine are linked together: faith sayes, parata sunt mihi magna; great things are prepared for me: hope sayes, mihi servantur mag∣na, great things are reserved for me: love sayes, curro ad illa magna; I make hast to those great things.

But why hath' love the precedencie? Love is the daughter; faith the mother: and must the daughter bee placed above the Mother? It is so: 1. Because it is Saint Pauls drift in this whole Epistle, to procure PHILEMONS love to Onesimus. 2. Because love is Notior Nobis, better knowne to us then faith, which is more hid and secret.

These are illustrated by their objects; CHRIST and the Saints. The Papists refer both to both objects: whereupon they in∣ferre. As we love God and the Saints too: So we must believe in God and in the Saints too: yet diversely; in God principaliter, prin∣cipally; in the Saints consequenter, consequently.

There is no consequence in this argument: for God hath com∣manded us to love all; but he hath not commanded us to believe in all: that hee hath reserved as a regall prerogative to himselfe; and his glory he will not give to another. He sayes, owe nothing to any man, save love: but he doth not say, owe nothing to any man, save to believe in him.

2. Here the Apostle speakes of living Saints, to whom Phile∣mon extended his liberalitie: now the Papists will not have us to believe in living Saints, but in dead Saints: therefore this place makes not for them.

* 1.23. It is said, to him that worketh not, but belieueth in him, that justifieth the ungodly,* 1.3 his faith is counted for righteousnesse. Aug. makes a worthie collection upon it: whosoever dares say, justifico te, I justifie thee, may consequently say, crede in me, believe in mee: which none of the Saints can truly say; save only he which is San∣ctus Sanctorum,* 1.4 the Saint of Saints. Ye believe in God, believe also in mee. Credimus Paulo, sed non credimus in Paulum: wee believe Paul, but not in Paul: we believe Peter, but not in Peter: As we be∣lieve the Catholike Church, but not in the Catholike Church: be∣cause the Creed sayes, I believe in the Holy Ghost, Nazian. con∣cludes from thence,* 1.5 that the Holy Ghost is God: for we must be∣lieve in none but God.

4. Quid est credere in cum, nisi credendo in cum ire, & ejus mem∣bris incorporari? What is it to believe in him .i. In CHRIST? but by believing to goe into him, and to be incorporated as mem∣bers into his body? Now we are not incorporated into the Saints: therefore, we are not to believe in them.

5. They can erect no such building out of this place: for the praepositions in the Greeke distinguish the objects. Hearing of thy love and faith, there hee pauseth a while; which thou hast towards the Lord Iesus, there he restraines faith; and towards all Saints .i. Thy love towards all Saints, regulating 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 before mentioned.

6. Paul is a good expositour of himselfe.

Since we heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus, and of your love to∣wards all Saints.* 1.6 Here he reduces them to their proper objects; so that no question can be made of it.

7 If we must believe in the Saints; we must hope in the Saints: It is S^t. Basil's reason.* 1.7 But we must hope in God alone: Maledictus qui sperat in homine, cursed be he that hopes in man.

As Saint Paul heard of PHILEMONS faith and love: So it were to be wished, that all the world might ring of our faith and love: these be necessary for all Christians: faith in the first place; love in the second: nec palmes sine vite, nec virtus sine fide: there can be no branch without the Vine;* 1.8 no vertue, no not love without faith. Faith makes a Christian, love makes and showes a Christi∣an. No CHRIST, no heaven; no faith, no CHRIST. Faith is the hand that layes hold on CHRIST. The high Priests and Pharisees gave a strait charge,* 1.9 that if any knew where CHRIST

was, he should shew it, that they might take him. Would yee faine take him, sayes Augustine? I will tell you where he is,* 1.10 and how yee may take him. He is in heaven, there ye may take him. Sed quomodo mittam manum in Coelum, ut ibi sedentem capiam? How shall I send my hand into heaven, to take him? mitte fidem, & tenui∣sti. Send thy faith thither, and thou hast taken him. By faith we apprehend him and all his benefits: by faith we put on CHRIST as a garment, wherewith our sinnes are covered from the sight of God: and as Iacob got the blessing in the clothes of his elder bro∣ther; so doe we get heaven, clothed with Christ;* 1.11 like the Woman clothed with the Sun.

CHRIST dwelleth in our hearts by faith. O happie house,* 1.12 where the Sonne of God dwelleth! Faith is the victory,* 1.13 whereby we overcome the world: we are more than Conquerours through him, that hath loved us. Insomuch that we may take up that trium∣phant song; O death where is thy sting? Hell, where is thy victory? the strength of death is sinne: the strength of sin is the Law: but thankes be to God through Iesus Christ, that hath delivered us from you all. By Faith Moses saw him which is invisible!* 1.14 by faith wee see the joyes of heaven, and Christ standing at the right hand of GOD, ready to receive us into them: he that believeth, hath eternall life;* 1.15 he is as it were in heaven already: therefore let us be suiters to God, because faith is the gift of GOD, to bestow it where it is not, and to encrease it, where it is: yea let us all pray for the faith of Iob; though thou kill me, I will believe in thee.

It is an axiome with the Papists, that faith may be without love:* 1.16 we grant it; fides Daemonum; but not fides Christianorum: an Histo∣ricall faith (which is the faith of the Church of Rome defined by a Catechisme authorized by the Councell of Trent) may be without Love, and a miraculous faith may be without love, 1 Cor. 13.2.

But a justifying faith cannot; he that is perswaded of the love of God towards him in Christ, God so loved the world, &c. can∣not but love the brethren, and members of Christ.* 1.17 Every one which loveth him that begate, loveth him also which is begotten of him. They that bragge of faith, and have no love, are like empty vessels; that give a lusty sound and have nothing in them.

Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels,* 1.18 and have not love; I am as sounding brasse, and as a tinkling Cymball: though I had the gift of Prophecie, and knew all secrets and all knowledge; If I had all faith, that I could remove mountaines, and had not love; I were nothing: Though I feede the poore with all my goods, and giue my body to be burned, and have not love; it profiteth me nothing. So though I talke of Religion with a silver, yea with an Angelicall tongue; though I goe (which is the glory of many) to never so many Le∣ctures, heare Sermons, receive Communions, and have not love; I am nothing.

Saint Augustine amplifies it further.* 1.19 Signent se omnes signo cru∣cis; Let them signe themselves with the signe of the Crosse; Let

them say Amen, that the Church rings of it; let them sing Halle∣lujah; let them fetch deepe sighes and groanes at Sermons: that may be added. Let them enter into Churches, let them build Chur∣ches; all this is to small purpose: non discernuntur filii Dei à filiis diaboli, nisi charitate; nothing distinguishes the children of GOD from the children of the Devill,* 1.20 but love. Hereby shall all men know yee be my Disciples, if yee love one another. Faith without love is as a lampe without oyle: vita corporis anima; vita fidei charitas. Bern. the life of the body is the soule:* 1.21 and the life of faith is love: faith that worketh by love.

* 1.22Not a verbal love, like them; warme your selves, fill your bel∣lies, and give them nothing; but a reall love: to feede the hungrie, to cloath the naked, to be an eye to the blind, a foote to the lame; to be a father and mother to the poore and fatherlesse; to be a co∣vering to them,* 1.23 that their loynes may blesse us, as they goe in the streets; to be bountifull in our almes to all the people, as Cornelius was;* 1.24 to prepare garments for poore widowes, as Dorcas did. Such was the love of PHILEMON, an actuall love; he refreshed the bowells of the Saints. Such must be the love of all true Christi∣ans,* 1.25 My little children, love not in word and tongue only, but in deede and in truth.

PHILEMONS love extended it selfe to the Saints, as is here avouched of him: yet it was not couped up within the penne of the Saints: the Saints must have the prime place in our love, but not the whole. Doe good to all men: chiefely to them of the house∣hold of faith:* 1.26 they chiefely, but not they wholly. Aristotle gave an almes to an unworthy man: one reproved him for it. Sayes he, I gave it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, non 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. To the nature of the man, not to the man; the nature is Gods, and must be sustained: the vice is his owne and the Devills, and must be reformed.

* 1.27Their flesh is as our flesh, and we must not hide our eyes from our owne flesh.

* 1.28Neverthelesse, the Saints must drinke most deepely and fre∣quently of the cup of our love. All my delight is in the Saints that be on the earth.* 1.29 Saint Paul ordaines a collection for the Saints every first day of the weeke. He himselfe was content to be a mes∣senger to carry a contribution to the poore Saints at Hierusalem, and requesteth the prayers of the Romans,* 1.30 that, that his service might be accepted of the Saints.

* 1.31Know yee not that the Saints shall judge the world? God ho∣nours them to bee the judges of the world: therefore the world ought especially to be relievers and lovers of them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bern. in Psal. 91. Ser. 10.
• * 1.2

  Rom. 4.5.
• * 1.3

  De peccat. mer. & remis. cap. 14.
• * 1.4

  Ioh. 14.1.
• * 1.5

  De theol. l. 5.
• * 1.6

  Col. 1.4.
• * 1.7

  In Psal. 7.
• * 1.8

  Bern. in Cant. Ser. 30.
• * 1.9

  Ioh. 11. ult.
• * 1.10

  In Ioh. tract. 50.
• * 1.11

  Apoc. 12.1.
• * 1.12

  Ephes. 3.17.
• * 1.13

  1 Ioh. 5.4. Rom. 8.37.
• * 1.14

  Hebr. 11.27.
• * 1.15

  Ioh. 3. ult.
• * 1.16

  Aug. In ep. Io tract. 10.
• * 1.17

  1 Ioh. 5.1.
• * 1.18

  1 Cor. 13.1.
• * 1.19

  In. 1. epist. Ioh. tract. 5.
• * 1.20

  De resur. dom. Ser. 2.
• * 1.21

  Gal. 5.6.
• * 1.22

  Iac. 2.16.
• * 1.23

  Iob 31.17.
• * 1.24

  Acts 10. Acts 9.
• * 1.25

  1 Ioh. 3.18.
• * 1.26

  Gal. 6.10.
• * 1.27

  Neh. 5.5. Isa. 58.7.
• * 1.28

  Psal. 16.3.
• * 1.29

  1 Cor. 16.1.
• * 1.30

  Rom. 15.26.31.
• * 1.31

  1 Cor. 6.2.