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 18.

HEE prosecuteth the former branch, touching mercy.

As CHRIST was like to us in nature, so hee was tempted as we are. Saepius ipse miser, miseris succurrere dis∣ce. Art thou tempted, whether thou art the child of GOD or not? A shrowd temptation, wherewith the best men and women are sha∣ken! So was CHRIST: If thou beest the Sonne of God: the De∣vill calls it into question, and would have had CHRIST to doubt of it. Art thou tempted with povertie, with want of things neces∣sarie for this life? So Was Christ; from his Cradle to his grave: he was borne in a stable, laid in a cratch, had not an hole to hide his head in; he had no money in his purse, but was faine to send to the Sea for some: he kept his Passeover in an other mans chamber, was buryed in an other mans grave. Art thou tempted with malevolent tongues, with some that are ever rayling on thee? So was Christ: hee was termed a Wine bibber, a glutton, &c. Art thou tempted with sicknesse, the toothach, the headach, the cholike, the gout, &c. We never read that Christ was sicke, because he had no sinne in him, yet being clothed with our nature, hee knowes what belongs to paine, and will succour us in all our distresses.

Art thou persecuted? Herod sought his life, as soone as he was borne. A rich man that hath a good fire continually in his house, a table furnished with all delicates, that lyes soft on a bed of dowlne, he cannot so well pitty a poore man, as one poore man may doe another.

CHRIST being rich would become poore: he would bee a man, that he might the better pittie us that be men: that he might be a mercifull high Priest to us all: and shall we be unmercifull one to another? As the elect of God, put on bowels of mercy, Col. 3.12. We have a mercifull high Priest; Let us be mercifull one to ano∣ther. It is a token of a wicked man, of a reprobate, to be unmerci∣full: as that rich glutton was, that saw Lazarus dayly at his gates, and would have no compassion on him. True Christians are mer∣cifull, as Christ is.

Iudas came howling to the high Priests and Pharises; Oh I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud: what is that to us, say they? See thou to that: So, such a neighbour is sicke in the Towne, such a one is mourning for the death of his Children, his Wife, &c. Such a poore man hath neither meat nor firing, nothing to relieve himselfe and his Children withall: what is that to us? A lamentable thing! There is a thorne in the foot that paines it, and makes it to swell: shall the head and hands say, what is that to us? We are members one of another, and we have an head that is pittifull to us. Let us be pittifull one to another, that Christ may have pittie and compas∣sion on us, both in this world, and in that which is to come.

This may be a singular comfort to us all. They say, he is hap∣py that hath a friend in the Court, especially if he be gracious with the King: wee have a friend in the Court of heaven that is deepe in Gods bookes; such a friend, as hath a feeling of all our infirmities. He and we are as Hippocrates twins, weeping and laughing together. Saul, why persecutest thou me? If we be sicke, or grieved—he is, &c. This was one speciall end why CHRIST assumed our nature, that hee might the better have compassion on us in our calamities. As the bowels of the true mother yerned, when her Child should have beene cut in pieces: so if wee bee in any affliction, the bowels of CHRIST yerne towards us: therefore let us sound forth the praises of CHRIST with a cheerefull heart, that tooke our na∣ture on him: let us glorifie this our elder brother, LORD and Sa∣viour in this life, that we may be glorified with himselfe in eter∣nall glory, in the life to come.