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 15.

THe foundation whereupon the consolation is built, is the wonderfull love and compassionate kindnesse of this our High Priest.

It dependeth on the former, by preventing an objection that might bee made. Thou willest us to hold fast our profession; but alasse how shall wee doe it? Wee are compassed about with many weaknesses and infirmities, by reason wherof we shall not be able to keep it fast. Be not discouraged with the sight of your infirmities; your High Priest is well enough acquainted with them: who as he is high, and mighty, so he is wonderfull, kinde and loving.

Hee is not stately, as some great personages be, Kings, Priests and others, that looke aloft, and disdaine them, that be under them: his magnificence doth not make him proude: he descendeth to the lowest of his brethren.

1. Misericordia vera. 2. Assumpta miseria. 3. Servata inno∣centia.

His love and kindnesse is set forth. 1. Negatively. 2. Affirma∣tively: which cannot compati. He is not made of steele and yron, but of the same flesh that we be.

He is acquainted with our infirmities. Simplici notitia, ut Deus: experientia, ut homo: he hath a feeling of all our miseries in soule and body.

But such a one as suffereth with us in all calamities, being temp∣ted as we are; passing through the furnace of all afflictions, as we have done: temptations are put for afflictions, Iac. 1.2.

In all points as we are: according to the same similitude that we are: not in shew, as a painted man is like a man; but in deed, in truth, Phil. 2.7. Christ did really and truly sustaine the like calamities that we doe.

The only difference is in the manner, not in the matter: he was tempted as we are; but not after the same sort: our temptations are mixed with sinne; his not: wee sinne in our afflictions; hee not, 2 Cor. 5. ult.

1. They that be in high places, must have a feeling of the mi∣series of others: Whereas many have not; what is that to us? Great personages in high places have little feeling of the miseries of their brethren in low and inferiour places: many a Peere that fares delicately every day hath little feeling of the calamities of sundry of his poore brethren: but our High Priest, the great Shep∣heard of our soules, hath a feeling of the griefes, not onely of the Shepheards that be under him, but of every Sheepe, nay of every Lamb that is in his flocke: being man he is acquainted with all the infirmities of men: he doth not only know them notitia speculativa, but experimentali: Saepius ipse miser miseris succurrere disco: he that ••s in misery himselfe, can the better pitty them that bee in misery: hee that never tasted of poverty, can hardly pitty a poore man: a Physitian may pitty a sicke man; but unlesse he have beene mole∣sted with sicknesse himselfe, he cannot have so great compassion on ••hem that be sicke. Countrie fellowes that never knew the labour of a student and painefull Preacher, thinke it is no labour to preach.

Nothing can move commiseration, so much, as a fellow-feeling of the same misery. This is in our High Priest, our Lord and Saviour: being clothed with our nature, he is touched with our infirmities.

2. When wee are afflicted, Christ is afflicted. If the meanest Christian suffer, he suffers. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? non meos. We doe not only suffer for CHRIST, but with CHRIST: hee is not only the master for whom we suffer, but the companion with whom we suffer. If we be sick, he is sick. Art thou tempted of the devill, sometimes to presumption, to desperation? so Christ: art thou hungry, thirsty, weary, or heavy of sleepe? Art thou grie∣ved for the departure of thy friends? So was hee for Lazarus. Is thy soule heavy and pensive? So was Christs: my soule is heavy to the death: doe thine own familiar friends betray thee? So was it with Christ: art thou molested with rayling, scoffing and back∣biting tongues? So was CHRIST: as he hung on the Crosse in all his paines, they derided him, and nodded their heads at him: art thou tormented with the paines of Death, and at the last givest up

the ghost? So was it with our blessed Saviour. No temptation hath fallen to us, but the same befell to Christ before us. We drink of his cup, and are baptized with his baptisme.

When the Wife is grieved, the Husband (if he be as he ought to be) is grieved. We are the Spouse; Christ is our husband: there∣fore our griefe is his griefe. When any member of the body suf∣fers, though it bee the foote that treadeth on the ground, the head suffers. Wee are the members, Christ the head: therefore our cros∣ses are his crosses. Many are the troubles of the righteous: through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God. But let this bee a pillar for us to leane upon in all afflictions: our sufferings are Christs sufferings, and he will one day make a comfortable end of them all.