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 12.

THe second Plea is ex parte Pauli. Who is singularly well af∣fected to Onesimus: he testifies his love to him. 1. By sen∣ding him. 2. By suing for him. 3. By unfolding the cause of his sending. Negativè, Verse 13. Affirmativè, Verse 14.

Not as if he had sent him before: but having runne away from PHILEMON hee sends him to him againe: though hee could hardly have spared him. It seemes it was not well done of him, for Deut. 23.15. Thou shalt not deliver the servant to his Master, which is escaped from his Master unto thee. We must not deliver him hero irato, to his Master, when he is angry, in a rage and fury: but wee may deliver him hero placato, to his Master pacified, as Saint Paul here doth: for hee had his wrath allayed with many sweete argu∣ments.

Religion doth not overthrow politie; evert the degrees of su∣perioritie and inferioritie, that be among men.

In CHRIST there is neither bond nor free, Male nor Female; we are all one in CHRIST IESUS.* 1.1 True indeed, we are all one in Christo, but not in mundo: in CHRIST, but not in the world. CHRIST hath dyed indifferently for all:* 1.2 for servants as well as for Masters: yet the degrees that be in the world must be retained and acknowledged to the end of the world.

Masters must have a Sovereignty over their servants, and ser∣vants must subject themselves to their Masters. The Angell said to Hagar being runne away from Sarah her Mistresse,* 1.3 returne to thy dame and humble thy selfe under her hands. Saint Paul here sends Onesimus to Philemon againe.

But how doth he send him? Not with a passeport from Con∣stable to Constable: but with a letter of commendation, and with a request to entertaine him. I have sent him something unwilling∣ly, because I had so good use of him: thou therefore receive him, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, receive him unto: to thy house, grace, fa∣vour and mercie: pardon all that is past, all the wrongs hee hath done to thee, raze them for ever out of the booke of thy remem∣brance: receive him into the lap of thy love.

There must be a reconciliation betweene Christians:* 1.4 all offen∣ces must be buried. As the elect of God put on tender mercies, forbea∣ring one another, forgiving one another, as GOD in CHRIST hath forgiven us.

1. GOD offers reconciliation to us. If a man put away his Wife, and she become another mans, shall he returne againe to her?* 1.5 thou hast played the harlot with many lovers: yet turne againe to me saith the LORD. And shall we be so hard hearted, as not to be recon∣ciled one to another? Let us be mercifull, as our heavenly Father is mercifull.

2. All we doe is abominable in the sight of GOD without it. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, and there remembrest that thy bro∣ther hath ought against thee, thou shouldest have done it before: yet better late than never: Lay downe thy offering: not upon the Altar, but before the Altar: First be reconciled to thy brother, then come and offer thy gift: first seeke the kingdome of God. GOD should bee first served, yet he will have his owne service to stay, till thou beest reconciled to thy brother.* 1.6 If I speake with the tongues of men and Angels, if I come to Church, heare never so many Sermons, re∣ceive never so many Communions, talke never so gloriously of Re∣ligion, and dwell in hatred, be not reconciled; I am as a sounding brasse and as a tinckling Cymbal.

3. Wee can have no assurance of our reconciliation to God without it, Matth. 18. ult. As the King dealt with his servant: So God will cast you into the prison of hell for ever. This should make us all to quake.

4. We have no certaintie of our lives. This night may our soules be taken from us. Iovinian the Emperour supped plentifully, went to bedde merrily: yet was taken up dead in the morning. And if death take us before we take one another by the hand, as a token of hearty reconciliation; what shall become of us?* 1.7 Wee should not suffer the Sunne to goe downe on our wrath.

Iohannes Eleemosynarius Arch-Bishop of Alexandria, being angrie in the day with Nicetus a Senator, towards night sends this message to him: Sol est in occasu, vir maximè honorande, My ho∣nourable

brother, the Sunne is a setting: let there be a setting of our anger too: if we do it not within the compasse of a day and a night, yet let us doe it within the compasse of our lives; let not our anger be like the fire of the Temple,* 1.8 that went not out day nor night. Let us not say with Ionah, I doe well to be angry to the death: let our an∣ger bee aculeus apis, not aculeus serpentis, the sting of a Bee that is soone gone, not the sting of a Serpent, that tarries long, and it may be proves lethall. Let us receive one another in all brotherly love and kindnesse, as Saint Paul entreateth PHILEMON to receive Onesimus.

But who is Onesimus, that PHILEMON should receive him?

Pauls owne bowels: he doth not say, my owne eyes: though they be precious to us: and we use to terme our deere friends Ocelli mei: not my own hands, which minister to my necessities: my own feete which carry mee from place to place: but my owne bowels, our internall and vitall parts: the longues, the liver, especially the heart the seat of love and affection. Whom I doe most tenderly af∣fect:* 1.9 teneritudinem rarissimi amoris declarat, he poynts out hereby the tendernesse of a most rare love.* 1.10 As Saint Paul sayes of the Phi∣lippians, I desire you all in the bowells of IESUS CHRIST. 1. In an heartie love in CHRIST IESUS. One Christian should be exceeding deere to another.

* 1.111. It is a token of election. As the elect of God, put on the bowels of mercie. Without these bowels, no assurance of salvation.

2. The affinitie betweene Christians require it. We have one Father, which is GOD: one Mother, the Church: we are of one house, the household of faith: one Elder brother, which is IESUS CHRIST: one inheritance, the kingdome of heaven.

3. We are all bought with one and the same deare price, the invaluable bloud of CHRIST: therefore wee should bee deare one to another.

3. Every one is tender over his bowels: our brethren are our bowels: he that toucheth them toucheth our owne bowells. Oh that we did so esteeme and commiserate one another! When the child was to be divided by Salomons sword,* 1.12 the bowels of the true mother yerned within her: So should our bowels doe, if we see any hurt towards our brethren.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gal. 3.28.
• * 1.2

  Aug.
• * 1.3

  Gen. 16.9.
• * 1.4

  Colos. 3.12.
• * 1.5

  Ier. 3.1.
• * 1.6

  1 Cor. 13.1.
• * 1.7

  Eph. 4.2••.
• * 1.8

  Ion. 4.7.
• * 1.9

  Cathar.
• * 1.10

  Phil. 1.8.
• * 1.11

  Col. 3.12.
• * 1.12

  1 Reg. 3.26.