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 7.

MAclohim. Some interpret it, then God, as Hierome, Bucer. But the seventy Interpreters translate it, Angels: so doth the Chalde Paraphrase: and the word in Scripture is most commonly applied to them.

The Angels are glorious creatures: and when we speake of an excellent man, we call him an Angell, 1 Sam. 29.9. 2 Sam. 14.20. Acts 6.15.

There is not much ods betweene the Angels and us: they are immortall wholly; we immortall in part: they have no sin, because they never fell; we that are ingrafted into Christ have sin within us, yet it is covered with the garment of Christs righteousnesse, so that it is not imputed to us.

They have a rule and dominion under GOD in the world; whereupon they are called, principalities, powers, thrones, dominati∣ons: and wee have a rule in the world too, all things through CHRIST being subjected to us: they are in heaven, and behold the face of God: So wee one day shall be in heaven and like the Angels: they are endewed with wisedome, knowledge and under∣standing; So are we, though we come short of them by many a mile: they are our brethren and fellow servants: in sundry things, there is not much difference betweene them and us. We are but a little inferiour to them: we have massie, heavy, sinfull, corruptible bodies: So have not they. They tooke to them true bodies for a time, but those bodies were no essentiall parts of them, they were not personally united to them, as ours are. Otherwise there is no great difference, no not betweene the Angels and us. How are wee to magnifie God, that hath so highly exalted man? The conside∣ration hereof should cause us to lead a life in some acceptable mea∣sure worthy of that honour whereunto we be advanced. We are not much inferiour to the Angels: yet a number of our lives are as ill, nay, worse than bruit beasts. The Oxe knowes his owner, the Asse his masters crib: but wee will not know, love and feare that God which feedeth us.

A Dogge will love his Master that makes much of him; wee will not love, no not those, that deserve well at our hands. A Dove will keepe her selfe to her owne mate: many of us will not keepe

our selves to our owne Wives: bring an horse to the water, to the sweetest water in the world, he will drinke no more than will doe him good: we are excessive and more than brutish in drinking, all places ring of this sinne, this beastly sinne of drunkennesse: what a vile thing is this? How doe wee forget our selves? Hath GOD made us but a little inferiour to the Angels, and shall we live like bruit beasts, and give over our selves to all uncleannesse? How doe we disgrace that worthy estate whereunto God hath advanced us? As we draw neere to the Angels any kinde of wayes, so let us, so farre as is possible, lead an angelicall life with the Angels in this world, that we may remaine with them in the world to come.

Thou crownedst him. He shewes wherein our excellency doth consist: he hath made him a King and set a Crowne on his head.

With many glorious gifts, that are a wonderfull honour to man, both externall and internall, especially with the knowledge of CHRIST, wherein consists eternall life.

One part of that glory is, that he hath a Soveraigntie and do∣minion over all creatures, which was given him at the creation, Genesis 1. renewed and ratified by GODS seale after the floud, Genesis 9. enlarged (no doubt) to the faithfull by CHRIST 1 Cor. 3.21.