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 13.

HEE doth not speake it of Abraham alone, he dyed in the faith: then he should have made an iteration of it in all the rest: wherefore for the avoyding of it, he affirmes it gene∣rally of them all.

Viz. Abraham, Isack, Iacob, Sarah mentioned before, and all the godly too that sprung of them before the possession of the land of Canaan.

Hee doth not say, these lived in faith a great while, but dyed in faith: they carryed their faith with them to the grave.

According to faith, that is, that faith whereby they had commit∣ted themselves wholly to God, and by vertue wherof they depended on him: or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

This is amplified by certaine effects: negative; affirmative: in∣ternall, eternall.

1. They had not the promises, yet believed them.

They received with gladnesse the promises made to them: they had the pronuntiation, the delivery of the promises, but they had not received the accomplishment of them.

The promises, that is, res promissas. Not the earthly things pro∣mised to them: but they received the kingdome of heaven: hee useth the plurall number, because one and the same thing was often promised to them.

Gorrhan expounds it. They received them not plenè & perfectè; because though they had requiem in limbo; yet, as yet they had not gloriam in coelo: but that is a devise not easily to bee made good.

The land of Canaan was promised to them: yet they had not received it.

CHRIST the Saviour of the world was promised to them, that he should come of Abrahams seed: but as yet he was not come, the kingdome of heaven whereof the land of Canaan was a type, was promised to them: but as yet, they received it not: yet they believed certainely that they should have them, and dyed in that faith.

Faith is an evidence of things that are not seene. The victory o∣ver sinne, death and the Divell is promised to us; we shall bee more than conquerors; yet sinne gives us many a fall, the Divell assaults and tempts us, death seaseth on us and takes us away: yet let us be∣lieve Gods promise. As yet we have not received the resurrection, yet believe it; nor the kingdome of heaven, yet believe it, and dye in that beliefe: though thou kill me, I will believe in thee.

The affirmative.

2. Though they received them not, yet they saw them: not neere hand, but farre off: not with the eye of the body, but of the soule,

which is faith. Abraham in the birth of Isaac saw CHRIST. In thy seed, that is, in CHRIST, shall all nations be blessed. Isaac was borne of a woman, which by the course of nature was never like to have Children: so was CHRIST of a Virgin, that never knew man. In the oblation of Isaac he saw the oblation of Christ on the Crosse. When Isaac bore the wood wherewith he should be burnt, hee saw Christ bearing his owne Crosse: when he saw Isaac bound on the Altar, he saw Christ fastened to the Crosse.

So the Israelites afterwards saw CHRIST afarre off in the Paschall Lamb, and the rest of the sacrifices: but blessed are our eyes— wee as yet see the kingdome of heaven, but afarre off; but one day we shall see God face to face.

3. They were perswaded they should have them, and dyed in that perswasion, they saluted them: as Marrinors espying the shoare afarre off, skip for joy, hoping shortly to bee at it; so these seeing the celestiall Canaan afarre off, rejoyced at it, and embraced it with the armes of faith. So we must rejoyce at the sight of death, as Simeon and Paul.

4. They confessed themselves strangers here.* 1.1 Whereby it is ap∣parent they looked for a Country in heaven, and dyed in faith, ex∣pecting that Country.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is opposed to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Citizens, that have a r••ght and in∣terest in the City may goe up and downe boldly; strangers are feare∣full, standing at the curtesie of others. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that come as wanderers from another people.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 without house and home.

They confessed it.

1. By deeds: by their dwelling in tents.

2. In words, before all men.

It is not to be extended to the Patriarcks before the floud: for some of them, as Enoch, dyed not. It is to be restreyned to them af∣ter the floud. Hee doth not say, all these were rare and excellent men beautified with singular graces of GODS spirit, deepe in his bookes: therefore they were exempted from death: there is none that hath that priviledge. Death is a Cup whereof all must drinke▪ there is no man living, but shall see death. Wise Solomon, godly David that was a man after Gods owne heart, is dead: strong Samson, faire Absalom, wealthy Nabal is dead. Lazarus dyed, and the rich man also dyed, and was buryed. Beggars dye, and Kings dye. Have I not said, yee are Gods? yet yee shall dye as men. It is well observed by Saint Augustine that it fell out by the providence of GOD, that the verb morior should not be declined after the same manner, that other verbs of that kinde be: orior ortus est: morior mortuus est, to declare that death signified by it, cannot be declined.

Mors non cogitur abesse, sed cogitur non obesse. Death cannot hurt the godly, it is rather a benefit to them: yet they dye. This we can all say, nothing so certaine as Death; yet we make no use of it: for all that, we bathe our selves in the pleasures of sin, we are set on

the merry pinne, we follow the world so earnestly, so greedily, as if we should live for ever.

We are like the fishes that are skipping and leaping in the wa∣ter, and yet by and by are taken in the Net. We know that the Net of Death is continually spread for us all: yet we are as jocund, as if no net were laid for us.

It is said Eccles. 7.4. That the living shall lay it to heart. Wee talke of Death, wee carry Death about with us, we see it daily in o∣ther men. Almost every weeke a buryall in many Townes: yet wee live as if we should never dye. Damocles the Parasite was set in Dionysius chayre, he had all the honour and pleasure that could be devised, but when hee considered the sword hanging by a slender horsehayre over his head, hee tooke delight in nothing. Death as Gods sword hangs over our head continually, it is senibus prae foribus, & adolescentibus in insidiis. The staffe of death stands before the doore of old folkes, and it may steale on young men ere they bee aware, yet we regard it not. It causeth us not to have our conver∣sation in heaven: but we are as great earth wormes, as if we should never dye.

All these dyed: but how did they dye? in the faith. All dye, but all dye not in the faith, 1 Thes. 4.16. some dye in CHRIST, and some live to the world, and dye in the world. Achitophel dyed, but it was not in faith: hee dyed a malecontent, in a proud conceit of his wit and wisedome, that his counsell should not bee fol∣lowed, which was wont to bee reputed, as an oracle from heaven. Iudas dyed, but it was in desperation, in infidelity, not in faith, he could not be perswaded that his sins were washed away in the bloud of CHRIST▪ and therefore tooke a rope and hanged himselfe. Cain dyed, but not in faith: for he cryed, my sin is greater than can be forgiven.

Happy are they that dye in faith. The Scripture doth not sim∣ply say, blessed are the dead: but, that dye in the Lord.

Iob dyed in the faith. I am sure my Redeemer liveth—Old Father Simeon dyed in the faith, with CHRIST in his armes. LORD, now lettest thou thy servant—Saint Paul dyed in the faith: the time of my departure is at hand. From henceforth—A sweet thing to dye in the faith. All that dye quietly to the eye of the world, dye not in the faith. The Psalmist sayes of the wicked, there are no bands in their death. Good men may have sore temptations, when they lye on their death beds,* 1.2 through the distemperature of the braine, and the vehement paine of the body, they may deliver some fearefull and impatient speeches, savouring of infidelity: as Iob did in his pangs, and yet for all that dye in the faith. Live in the faith, bee plentifull in the fruits of faith, and thou shalt bee sure to dye in the faith.

It is the greatest commendation that can be given of any, that they dyed in the faith. Whyle we live, we are in the field and battle, wee may receive many a wound from sin and the Devill: but being

dead we are conquerors, have Crownes on our heads and palmes in our hands, as it is in the Revelation. Doth such a man live in the faith, as Cornelius did: when his prayers and almes deeds procee∣ding from faith went up into remembrance before God? that is a thing to be rejoyced in: yet such a man may have many a fall, as David and Peter had. Is it reported truly of any, that he dyed in the faith, such a man made a godly end? that is the height of all com∣mendation. Wee cannot well praise a faire day before night, be∣cause many stormes may be in it: neither can wee give a man his full and perfect commendations till hee be dead. Therefore this is registred of these fathers, tanquam fastigium laudis, the very top and crest of their praise, that they dyed in the faith.

All good men have the like confession, 1 Chron. 29.15. 2 Cor. 5.6. Gen. 23.4. Abraham was a mighty rich man, Gen. 24. Yet but a stranger and pilgrim. David was a King: yet but a stranger. Hast thou faire houses, large lands, and ample possessions? art thou a rich Clothyer, a wealthy Merchant, a Gentleman, a Knight, a Lord? yet acknowledge thy selfe to be but a stranger: there is a time when thou must part with all, yea with a kingdome if thou hast it. The very heathen confessed this. The oratour could say, natura de∣dit nobis non habitandi locum, sed commorandi divorsorium: this world is but an Inne, it is no dwelling house.

Now if wee bee strangers on the earth, as we must all confesse our selves to be, then let us carry our selves as strangers.

1. A stranger is no medler in the Country wherein he is: he takes ••hat, which is requisite for him: hee lookes to his owne businesse; but he doth not interpose himselfe in the affaires of the common∣wealth, he leaves them to those that be of the Country. A stran∣ger must be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as the heathen said. Even so being strangers in the world, let us meddle no more with the world then needs must But wee are drowned in the world, our mindes are on the world all the weeke, all the yeere long: we meddle little with the Scrip∣ture, with prayer, heavenly meditations: we are altogether in and about the world.

2. Strangers must not thinke to beare sway in the Towne and Country where they dwell: the naturall inhabitants will not di∣gest that, Gen. 19.9. the Sodomites could not endure that Lot should bee a King among them. So we being strangers in the world must not make account to domineere in it, to have all men at our con∣troll: wee must be content to be underlings here, that wee may bee aloft hereafter, the faithfull are often put to the wall, and the wick∣ed are Lords over them. This we must take patiently, because wee are strangers.

3. Strangers and Pilgrims are wont to be abstemious, 1 Pet. 2.11. a stranger, a Travellour, if he be a wise man, doth not set his mind on feasting and banquetting, hee takes a morsell, and so away. So being strangers here, we must lead a sober life, take no more of the world then will serve us for our journey, wee must reserve our fea∣sting

till wee come to that place, where wee shall eate bread with Abraham, Isaac and Iacob.

4. Strangers must looke for no great love: for the most part they are hated in the Country where they bee, and they are wished to be out of it: even so the world loveth her owne: we are not of the world, we are men of another world; therefore mervaile not though wee find little friend-ship in the world. Dogges will faune on them that be of the house: but they will barke at strangers, flye in their faces, and be ready to pull them downe: so because we are strangers to the wicked, no marvell though they barke at us and bite us now and then.

5. Strangers have a longing desire to be at home. If an Eng∣lish man bee in Spaine, Turkie, India, hee thinks every day two till he be in England: oh that I were with my Wife and Children, with my friends and neighbours at home! So being strangers in this world, let us not make too great account of it: let us desire to be at home in our heavenly Hierusalem: let us say with Saint Paul, I desire to be dissolved, and to bee with CHRIST, which is best of all. But a number of us say in our hearts of the world, as S^t. Peter of the Mount: we are well here, I would to God I might never goe from hence.

6. Strangers do not hartily love that Country wherin they be, they may love it in some sort, but nothing to their owne Country; so being viatores wee may take viaticum, but let us not love the world; let us use it, as if we used it not. This world must be as worme∣wood to us in respect of the joyes of heaven: we may use silver and gold, houses and lands, but let us not love them. Let the heavenly Canaan our native Country have all our love.

7. If a stranger come to an Inne, he looks about him and sayes: this is a fayre Inne, here I have a goodly Chamber, I fare well for my mony; but this is no place for mee to tarry in: so wee should think and say of the world; I have a convenient dwelling, meat and drink enough; I thank God, I want nothing: but this is not my place of abode, I am but a stranger here, all these things I must forgoe.

I would to God that this were deepely engraven in the hearts of us all, that wee did effectually consider wee were strangers on the earth. We say we are strangers, but we live as Lords: We say with that rich man, Luk. 12. Soule, eate, drinke, and bee merry, thou hast goods laid up for many yeares. Our lives and deeds bewray that wee thinke nothing lesse, than that we be strangers. A strange thing that strangers should be so bewitched with a strange Country, as wee are with the earth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 23.4, 47, 9.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 7 3.4.