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.

FAith is the evidence of things which are not seene.] The holy and celestiall Hierusalem where there is no Sunne, but is en∣lightned with the glory of the Lamb continually: where there is no night, crying or weeping, where all teares shal be wiped from our eyes for ever, cannot be seene with mortall eye: yet faith makes it evident to us, even in this life. The blessed and glorious Trinity, GOD the Father, Sonne and HOLY GHOST, cannot be seene: no man hath seene GOD at any time: yet faith makes GOD visible to us, standing by us in all afflictions. Our SAVIOUR CHRIST the King of the Church and mediatour of mankinde, clothed with our nature, sitting at the right hand of GOD in all glory and Ma∣jestie cannot now be seene of us: Stephen saw him, when hee was on

earth; but that was extraordinary: now we cannot see CHRIST in his glory, yet by faith we see him, and know that so soone as we are dissolved we shall be with him. The holy and celestiall Angels that are our gua••dians, that hold us in their hands, that sing prayses to God continually in heaven, cannot now bee seene of us: yet by faith, we see them, and are assured that they will take our soules at our dying day, and carry them into heaven. The spirits of just and perfect men, of Adam, Eve, Isaak, Moses, David, of the Patriarkes and Prophets, of the blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, of the Apostles and Martyrs cannot as yet be seene of us: but by faith we know they are in heaven, and we our selves one day shall be with them. Wee cannot now see or apprehend the joyes of heaven, no eare hath heard them, no eye hath seene them, they cannot enter into the heart of man: yet by faith they are evident to us. The resurrection of the body cannot now bee seene: wee see many carryed to the Church and Church-yard to be buryed; but we see none rise again; yet by faith it is evident to us: so that we can say with Iob, our Re∣deemer liveth, and with these eyes shall wee see him, and no other for us.

Faith is an excellent eye. The eye of the Eagle is very sharp and piercing: shee can see from heaven to earth, she can espie her prey a farre of: she and her birds can look on the Sun: but the eye of faith is farre more piercing, that sees Christ, the Sun of righteousnesse; and by it we looke into the Sanctuary of heaven, and behold what is there. Some write of one Lynceus, that he could see an hundred thirty thousand paces off: but wee by the eye of faith can see further: this one eye is better than all Argos his eyes. Howsoever the eyes of our bodyes waxe dimme, let us entreat the Lord to preserve this eye, to make it brighter and brighter every day.

Faith is the evidence of things not seene. Let us make much of this evidence. If wee have an evidence whereby we hold our lands, we will shew it to some Lawyer to see of what validity it is, we will keepe it safe under locke and key. Let us examine this our evidence of faith; if there bee a cracke in it, let us seeke to have it amended, and let us take up that prayer of the Apostles, Lord encrease our faith, Lord strengthen the eye of our faith, that even on earth we may see heaven.