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 25.

WHy did hee refuse to be called the Son of Pharaohs daugh∣ter? did she refuse him, or was he in hope of a better kingdome in the world? no verily: it was put to his owne choyse, hee was not compelled to it: neither the King nor his daughter gave him over, but he gave them over.

How did he choose it? not halfe against his will; but rather, he had rather a great deale have this than that.

Which is amplified by the thing elected and rejected.

What did hee chuse? to suffer adversity rather than to reigne in glory.

Electio ex duobus ad minimum: here two things were propoun∣ded to Moses choyce, pleasure and paine: the one is welcome to all by nature, the other abhorred of all by nature: yet Moses chuses paine, and refuses pleasure.

To Hercules appeared virtu•• and voluptas: the one horrid, pro∣mising labour and sorrow, yet hee chose it. A travellour sees two wayes, the one fayre, that leadeth him quite another way: the o∣ther fowle, that carries him to his journeys end: hee chuses rather the fowle way, because it is most commodious for him. Pharaohs Court was a fine and delicate way; the afflictions of the Israelites a foule way: yet because that lead to hell, this to heaven, Moses ra∣ther chose it: this was not the worke of nature, but of faith.

He chose to be afflicted, to be evilly intreated, malis premi. As if a man should refuse honey, and take worme-wood: before, he lived in honour and dignity, now hee chose to live in contempt and dis∣grace: before, hee was at a table every day furnished with all deli∣cates; now hee comes to his leekes and onyons with the Israelites: before, he was in all jollity, now in all affliction.

The affliction is illustrated by the companions, with whom hee was afflicted: and they were the people of God.

Affliction simply is not to bee chosen: but affliction with the people of GOD, that is the sugar that sweetens afflictions. To bee afflicted with thieves for theft, with Traytors for treason, with Ido∣laters for Idolatry, hath no comfort in it: but to bee afflicted with Gods people, is full of comfort, for Gods cause: he had rather be af∣flicted with Gods people, then to live with the Aegyptian Courtyers in Pharaohs Court, which were none of the people of God.

Then to have the temporary fruition of sinne. But the word im∣porting such a fruition, as is joyned with delight and pleasure, the English, may be well retained. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is put for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for deditus voluptati. The Papists following the vulgar translate it, then to have the fruition of a temporall sin: and Ribera is a greater pa∣tron of the Latine, then of the Greeke: hee sayes, the Greeke

might bee 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: and so the vulgar hath done well: but Cajetan is more ingenious, saying, that temporarii, is put for temporarium.

Of ease and quietnesse, safety and security, delicate fare, ho∣nour and dignity in Pharaohs Court.

These hee might have there enjoyed, yet hee rejected them all.