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 event: which is amplified by the naughtinesse of the roote, and the innumerable branches that sprang from it.

In regard of her faith and her Husbands together.

Of one sprang many: of one Abraham; for it is of the mas∣culine gender,* 1.1 by his copulation with Sarah. Gorr. ab uno, that is, utero. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

And what was that one? a dead one too. Why, he was now but an hundred yeares old? Methusalem begat Lamech, when hee was one hundred eightie seven yeeres old. But they were of greater strength before the floud then after.

2. Abraham sundry yeeres after this begate Children: then why should this be counted a wonder? he was lively afterwards, and was he dead now? those he begate of Keturah which was a yong woman. 2. Even the power to beget them was of God too, not of nature: in himselfe he was a dead stocke.

The multitude of the branches is set forth by two similitudes. Abraham had two kindes of Children: the one after the flesh, the other after the spirit. By the starres, as some will have it, are meant the godly, whose conversation is in heaven, as the Starres bee in heaven; and they shine by their vertues like starres. Vnder the sand of the Sea is comprehended the carnall progeny of Abraham: propter instabilitatem, numerositatem, ponderositatem, infructuositatem: they are light and inconstant as the sand is. But that is too nise. Generally the similitude is to bee extended to the whole race of Abraham: his seed is compared to them both for number.

Some Mathematicians have taken on them to set downe the just number of the stars: they are but one thousand and twelve in all. They are beyond their bookes, too presumptuous to goe beyond their limits. God can number them all, and call them by their name,

but to us they are innumerable, as the sand of the Sea is: and so were they that came of Abraham. By the lippe of the Sea: the shoare is as the lippe of the Sea, the extremity of the Sea, as the lippe is of the mouth: and as the lippe keepes things within the mouth; so doth the shoare keepe in the Sea.

Multitude of Children, a populous posterity is the blessing of God.

2 Sam. 19.17. Iud. 12.9. Psal. 128.3. Children are compared to arrowes: blessed is the man, that hath his quiver full of them. A full quiver of these shafts is the gift of God. Let us not take too much thought for providing for them: he that feedeth the young Ravens, will feede our Children, if we trust in him. Philip asked, where shall we have meat for so great a multitude? Let not us say so: hee that sen∣deth mouthes will send meat, if by faith we depend on him.

2. We must not tye God to the course of nature. Of Abra∣ham and Sarah that were dead, came as many as the starres and the sand.* 1.2 Of a company of dead bones stood up an exceeding great ar∣mie. When GOD had foretold of a plenty, there was a Prince which tooke exception against it:* 1.3 if God would make windowes in heaven, could this come to passe? he was troden under mens feete for it. Let us not object against Gods power, Let us not call Gods power into question, pinion his armes, shut him into prison. Let us not say, God can doe this or that: hee doth whatsoever hee will, in heaven, &c. LORD if thou wilt, thou canst make mee cleane. Hee cannot doe those things that imply a weakenesse, a contrariety to himselfe; for that were to deny himselfe: but whatsoever imports a power, and is agreeable to his blessed will, that he can doe. Shall any thing bee impossible with GOD? it was not possible by the course of nature, that Abraham and Sarah at this age should have a Child; yet they had one, and of that one Child came a great people. There is no possibility in nature, that the dead should rise againe: yet God can effect it. Let us keepe no Sophismes or Problems against Gods pow¦er; but in all things, though it seeme impossible to the world, let us depend on him by a true and lively faith.

Now to the things recorded of Abraham after hee had a Childe.

The one is common to others together with him: the other proper to himselfe alone. That which was common, is his perseve∣rance in faith to the end.

That, which is proper to him, is the offering of his Sonne.

In the former, 1. A narration of their perseverance, Verse 13.

2. A confirmation of it.

The narration is first set downe; then amplified.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Isai. 51.3.
• * 1.2

  Ezek. 37.10.
• * 1.3

  2 Reg. 7.2.