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 1.

THe ceremoniall Law, not the morall: that containeth sub∣stantiall dutyes: that sheweth sin to us, but is no shadow of any thing in Christ to come.

A dark, an obscure delineation

Of Iesus Christ, and all his benefits, of justification, sanctifica∣tion and redemption purchased by him: bonagratiae & gloriae.

A lively picture of them, as we have in the time of the Gos∣pell, wherein Christ is painted out and crucified before our eyes.

A shadow is a resemblance of a body: utrum{que} repraesentat: umbra in communi, imago in particulari. When yee see a shadow, yee may truly say, there is a body, yet it is but a generall resemblance of a body. 1. A shadow cannot fight. 2. Not eate. 3. Not speake. 4. Not walke, but accidentally. Yee cannot perceive in a shadow the distinct parts and members of a body, the eyes, the face, hands, armes, feete, &c. only the shadow tells you there is a body: but an image hath the whole lineaments and proportion of the body in it. In it ye may behold the severall parts and dimensions of the body: So in the Law they had a sight of Christ, yet it was darkely in a sha∣dow. Wee have the very expresse forme and image of Christ with all his benefits: they had Christ in an obscure picture drawne at the first in darke lines: wee have him as in a lively picture graced with most lightsome and excellent colours. Abraham saw the day of Christ, and was glad: yet hee saw him a farre off, and at a little cre∣vis: we see the sunne of righteousnesse cleerely shining before our eyes: they saw him as in a winter day: we see him in a bright sum∣mers day.* 1.1 Blessed are the eyes that see, that which we see: for Kings and Prophets have desired to see those things which wee see, and have not seene them.

The Law did shadow out Christ; by whom wee are justified and redeemed from our sins: it did not justifie and redeeme us.

The same specie, though not numero: the same in substance, as Goates, Sheep, Heifers, &c. and offered up alwayes with the same rites and ceremonies: they offered them up regulariter; the same ac∣cording to the Law, frequenter, indesinenter, yet inefficaciter.

Never: though they bee iterated ten thousand times, &c. no hope of salvation by the sacrifices of the Law.

They: the Priests immediately, and all the people mediately by the hands of the Priest.

Yeerely: hee seemes to allude especially to that sacrifice which the High-Priest offered yeerely for all Israel, when he went into the Sanctum Sanctorum: that of all others was most solemne, for him∣selfe, his household, and the whole land, Levit. 16.

Sanctifie: the heart or conscience. Though they might give them an outward kinde of sanctification. Or perfect, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: the Word, Sacraments, prayer, cannot perfect: no perfection till wee come to heaven.

That came to it. As Schollers to the Master, to be taught and di∣rected by it.

Whereas all that come to CHRIST by faith, obtaine true Sanctification, Hebrewes 7.25. salvation is not by the Law, but by Iesus Christ.

But herein is condemnation, sayes Christ, light is come into the world, but men love darkenesse more than light. Wee live in wonder∣full light: yet the workes of darkenesse are too rise among us: drunkennesse, envy, strife, emulations, &c. A great number of us are in the Pharisees case: are we also blind? Christ said to them: if ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, we see: therefore your sinne remaineth. We see much, yet we practise little: therefore our sins multiplyed by us in this great light, shall testifie against us at the latter day.

I feare me this sentence may be inverted: the godly in time of the Law had the substance, and we have the shadow: there is almost nothing but shadowes among us. A shadow of knowledge, of zeale, love, holinesse; wee have a forme of godlinesse, but deny the power thereof. Therefore as we live in greater light, so let our light shine before men, that they seeing our good workes— we and they may glorifie our Father in this life, and bee glorified of him in the life to come.

Our Sacraments may sanctifie us instrumentally: they may be as instruments whereby God conveyeth Sanctification to us. In re∣spect whereof Baptisme is called the washing of the new birth: they may sanctifie us significantly, as signes of our sanctification, nay as seales of it; but they cannot sanctifie us as principall efficient cau∣ses of our Sanctification. Now it is CHRIST alone, that thus sanctifieth us, and clenseth us from all our sinnes: for this cause san∣ctifie I my selfe.* 1.2 Hee is the onely fountaine of our sanctification: neither the sacrifices in the Law, nor our Sacraments in the time of the Gospell can (in this sense) procure to us the sanctification of our soules, that wee may be fit for the heavenly Hierusalem.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luk. 23.24.
• * 1.2

  Ioh. 17.19.