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 23.

BEfore of the Patriarcks: now of the Lawgiver. Where wee have,

• 1. The commendation of his Parents faith.
• 2. The commendation of his owne faith.

The faith of his Parents is commended by a worthy act of theirs, the preservation of their Child: which is amplified,

1. By an attractive cause, that drew them to it, the beauty of the Child.

2. By a retractive or disswasive cause, that might have with∣drawne them from it. 1. The Kings commandement, which in an heroicall magnanimity they feared not.

Moses, Exod. 2.10.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is put for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Catachresticè: he useth this word, be∣cause his mother only is mentioned, Exod. 2.2. shee did it with the consent of her husband.

Not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: because his Grandfather was alive then, and had an hand in the businesse: their names we have, Exod. 6.20. Amram, and Iochabed.

Brought up in the Citty: who goe not much abroad to be scor∣ched of the Sun, Act. 7.20. divinitus venustus: by the disposition of God. Nineveh a City Gedolah laelohim, 2 Cor. 10.4.

But are they so highly to bee extolled for that? is it a worke of faith to respect beauty? A naturall man might have done that.

His beauty was one motive, but not all: faith was the greatest: He was by the gift of God of extraordinary beauty. In the which by faith they saw an expresse Image of God, that hee was like to prove some rare and notable instrument: Hyperius affirmeth, that as Simeon, Luk. 2. by the revelation of the spirit knew CHRIST to bee the Messiah: so his Parents by his beauty, that he should be the deliverer of the people: but there is no certainty of that: they did not sticke in the outward baauty: that was as Gods hand to lead

them to higher matters: they did it not in a naturall affection. O∣thers loved their Children, and had fayre Children: Simiae suum pulchrum: but by faith.

Decree, or ordinance. The King ordained on paine of death. The King had given a streight charge, that the Male Children should be drowned, but they looked to the King of Kings, that was able to preserve them from his fury.

Though it were the hazzard, not of their goods alone, but lives too, they looked to Gods promises: that they should multiply, that out of Israel should come a deliverer, and the Messiah too: therefore they will not drowne their Male-child.

They did not so feare it, as that it should hold them from the preservation of their Child.

Three moneths:] not three dayes, or three weekes: yet at three moneths end they commit him to the water: then their faith began to stagger.

Some thinke they did it in faith too, being assured that God would deliver him, Exod. 2.4. If he had beene in danger, they would have taken him home againe.

They were the first, and all that wee read of, that kept their Children against the Kings decree.

That they hid him three moneths was commendable. All that whyle they were in feare, and hazarded their lives: but that at the three moneths end they expose their Child to the wide world, that argues a weakenesse in them: yet this weake action, this weake faith of theirs is registred, to their commendation, God alloweth and commendeth a weake faith: he doth not quench the smoaking flaxe, nor bruise the broken reed: he chides Peter for his weake faith, ô thou of little faith! but he doth not cast him away for it.

Though a Child be weake, yet the Father loves it: so doth our heavenly Father us, though he find weakenesses in our best actions. There was a weakenesse in the Mid-Wives, when they preserved the Children with a lye: there was a weakenesse in Abraham, when hee thought he could not be safe unlesse he dissembled: there was weak∣nesse in the Parents of Moses, in thrusting their Child at length out of doores: there is weakenesse in our praying, hearing of Sermons, in our giving to the poore, and maintenance of the word preached, in our preserving of our Children in dangers and calamities: yet if these things bee done in sincerity, though there be weakenesses in them, they are accepted at the hands of God in Christ. Let that encourage us in all good actions, though they be stained with some imbecillities.

2. Beauty is a precious pearle, a picture of the heavenly Appel∣les, a singular ornament, wherewith God hath graced his Children. Ioseph was a fayre person and well favoured, Gen. 39.6. David, 1 Sam. 16.12. Daniel and his fellowes. The base fare they had could not impaire their beauty. This the LORD in wisedome hath used for the preservation and advancement of his Children. Moses beauty

was a load-stone to draw the favour of Pharaohs daughter to him. It was as a stirrope for Hester to mount up to a Kingdome: yet for all that, let us not dote too much upon externall beauty.

1. Though some of GODS Children have it, yet all have it not: it is not proprium quarto modo. Ebedmeleck, the blacke-more was no fayre man: neither be they all the Children of GOD that have it. Absalom was a beautifull man, not a blemish in his whole body, yet a wicked man, who by all probability never set a foote into the kingdome of heaven: and many a filthy strumpet is fayrer than an honest woman.

2. It is a transitory gift: here to day, gone to morrow: beauty is a goodly flower, yet there be many wormes to consume it: sick∣nesse, griefe, old age, &c. Let us chiefely desire that beauty that la∣steth for ever.

3. Let us consider, there is a double beauty; the one outward, the other inward: the one proper to Gods elect, the other common to the reprobate together with them. The Kings daughter is glorious within, Psal. 45.13.

It is the inward beauty of the heart, that is acceptable to God. Let us all pray to God for that, to bestow it on us: that is better then the beauty of all Ladies in the world: this is the true beauty, Prov. 31.30.

3. It is spoken comparatively, not simply: they did not so feare the Kings commandement, that they should banish the comman∣dement of the King of Kings, out of their minde. The King said, drowne the child: God said, save the child from drowning.

What, are not Kings to be feared? have I not said, yee are Gods? a King is a certaine God on the earth: therefore to be feared and re∣verenced: he carrieth not the sword in vaine, sayes the Apostle. Ba∣laams Asse feared, when he saw the Angels sword: and shall not we feare that glittering sword of authority in the hand of Kings and Princes? they are rather to be condemned, then commended for not fearing the Kings Commandement.

The answer is easy. Wee must distinguish betweene the au∣thority, and the commandement of a King. There is no power, but it is of God: but there may be a commandement which is not of God. Feare the power, the throne, the dignity, the authority of a King, the office of a King; but feare not every commandement of a King; if wee be sure they are against plaine Scripture. In doubtfull things, we must believe that our Governours are wiser than our selves.