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 FOr the manner, he gives them a caveat to take heede of it. See to it; it is a dangerous vice, therefore beware of it.

2 Hee drawes them to the embracing of this caveat, by a loving title given to them. One brother should be carefull of the good of an other: I count you as my brethren in the Lord Iesus, having all one Father, and one elder brother, Christ Iesus: therfore I could not but in love give you this watchword.

And what is the substance of it? whereof should they take heed? sooner, or later: at no time they must forsake Christ. There is no time for them that be on the Sea, to make shipwracke, especially when they bee neere the haven: you have begun long agoe to give up your names to CHRIST; continue with Him, and forsake Him at no time.

In any of you. For mine owne part I love you all, and would be loath that any of you should perish.

What? he doth not say, an evill eye, an evill tongue, an evill hand, but an evill heart: that is the fountaine of all.

And least they should be ignorant, what kinde of evill heart hee meaneth, hee addeth of infidelity, that is, according to the Hebrew phrase, an evill unfaithfull heart, that is possessed with infidelity, as the hearts of the Israelites were.

What to doe? what will infidelity cause us to doe? it will pro∣duce a lamentable effect, if we looke not to it: it will make us depart from the living God: to leave His campe and to goe to the enemies campe; that is the nature of the Word.

From whom? from God to men; from him that liveth for ever, to them that continue but a while: this is the horrible sin of infide∣lity; these fruites it hath, therefore let it be eschewed by us all.

The conjunction 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Verse 7. is to be referred hither, as if all the rest had beene included in a parenthesis. Wherefore as the HOLY GHOST sayd to them of old time: so say I to you now; beware that the same unfaithfull heart bee not in you that was in them.

1 Heere we are taught, that we of the new testament, must make use of the examples that bee in the old. Whatsoever things were written afore time, were written for our learning. Rom. 15.4. Hence it is that Noahs flood, wherein the whole world was drowned, that the destruction of the Sodomites, the overthrow of Tyre and Sydon, Lots Wife, and such like are mentioned in the writings of the Evan∣gelists and Apostles: and Saint Paul in this place will have them to beware of infidelity, which was the overthrow of their fathers. We reade the Scriptures cursorily, to be acquainted with the History, that we may be able to talke of it: but we make not that profitable use of them for the reformation of our lives, as we ought to doe.

If any in the time of the Law have beene punished for any sin, let us take heede of that sin.

2 Whereas the Apostle chargeth us especially to take heede of an evill and unfaithfull heart; it gives us to understand, that every Christian is to looke most carefully to his heart. It is good to set a watch over our eyes, hands, feete, tongues, but chiefely for to set a watch over our hearts: Keep thy heart with diligence, omni custodia.* 1.1 The heart carries all the body, as the great wheele in a clocke doth the whole clocke: therefore let us all have an eye to it, that it bee in good temper. Out of the heart come Murders, Adulterie, all kinde of mischiefes: therefore let us take heede to our hearts. It is a folly to goe about to stop the streame, if the fountaine remaine unstopped. A beautifull apple is not worth a straw, if it be rotten at the Core. The roote of the tree is especially regarded by every good husband, that there be no wormes in it: otherwise it is a folly to looke to the branches. Let us that be Christians, sift and examine our hearts, let us labour to purge and clense them: especially, let us take heede, that the worme of infidelity, which will cause us to depart from God, be not breeding in them.

That is the maine point that he aymeth at. Infidelity is a grie∣vous sin. As faith is the greatest vertue: so infidelity is the greatest vice. Christ could doe nothing among His owne brethren, for their unbeliefe sake: Matth. 13. ult. Infidelity is a barre to keepe out Gods blessings. Our Saviour after His Resurrection reproved the eleven Apostles, for their infidelity. Marke 16.14. The Holy Ghost shall rebuke the world of sin, because they did not believe in Christ: Iohn 16.9. The Iewes were cut off for their infidelity, and we that bee Christians stand by faith. Rom. 11.20. The noble man that would not believe Gods promise, was trodden under feet in the gate: 2 Reg. 7.17. The ancient Israelites whom God brought with a migh∣ty arme out of Aegypt, perished in the wildernesse for their infidelity, and never set a foote into the promised land. Therefore take heed, there be not in any of you an unfaithfull heart: shall we not believe God? shall we make him a lyer? hath he said it, and shall He not do it? Let us not upon the sight of every difficulty murmure against God, as the Israelites did, and cast away the hope wee have in His mercy and power; but let us at all times, and in all extremities trust in Him.

Let us never depart from Christ Iesus, which is the high and li∣ving God, as the Israelites did. Will ye also goe away, sayd Christ to his Apostles? no, sayes Saint Peter, in the name of the rest. Lord, whither shall we goe? thou hast the words of Eternall life. There is no name under heaven, whereby we can be saved, but the name and power of Christ. Therefore let us not depart from Christ to Moses, to circumcision and other Iewish ceremonies, to seeke salva∣tion by the observation of the law: but as wee have begun to fight as Souldiers under Christs banner; so let us continue fighting to the end. Let us never depart from this our Captaine. Let not the

assaults of Satan, the allurements of the world, honour, riches, pre∣ferment, let not the sweet pleasures of the flesh carry us away from Christ; but as faithfull souldiers let us continue with Him to the end: If we goe from Him, we depart from our owne life, and throw our selves into death and destruction. Therefore let us tarry with Him: Let us believe this our Prophet, and never depart from Him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prov. 4.23.