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 12.

THat yee be not slothfull, like the sluggard: yet let mee lie a while in the bed of sinne— Let us shake off all slothfulnesse, and be not weary of well doing; like lazie travellers, that will goe no further. If we served a bad master, that either would not, or could not reward us for our service; then there were some cause why we should be slothfull: we serve a most loving, rich, and boun∣tifull master: therefore let us not be slothfull.

Diligent servants may be a spurre to them, that be negligent.

Marke such a one, be thou like him. So S^t. Paul, to whet this diligence propounds worthy examples to them.

He doth not simply say, be yee followers of the Saints: but hee points out the vertues wherein we must follow them.

Examples prevaile much. Though wee should rather live by lawes then by examples: yet examples have a mervailous attractive power. The Iewes especially were carryed away with examples: therefore the Apostle propoundeth some to them. We honour the Saints, non adoratione, sed imitatione: we doe not make gods of them, but we imitate the vertues that were in them: there is exemplar primarium & secundarium, 1 Cor. 11.1. CHRIST is certum & indubitatum exemplar, he knew no sinne: therefore we may be bold to follow him in all things, the which hee did as man. Wee must not follow him in his fasting forty dayes, in walking on the Sea, &c. but follow him in his humility, modesty, patience, &c. In these things wee may follow Christ without exception: but the holyest men of all, have sometimes beene exorbitant, therefore we must follow them with limitation.

They were laughed at that counterfeited a kinde of purblind∣nesse to follow Alexander, that imitated Plato in his crooked shoulders: when they goe straight, let us follow them; but when they goe crooked, let them goe alone. Wee must not follow Noah in his immoderate drinking, David in adultery and murther, Peter in denying CHRIST: we must tread in their good steps, not in their evill: wee must imitate them in faith and patience, &c.

Faith inlayed with charity is regina virtutum. Temperance, meekenesse, patience, &c. are the maidens of honour, that waite up∣on her. By faith wee live; the just man shall live by his faith, that is his life. By patience we possesse our soules, after wee begin to live in CHRIST. Patience is a pillar for the just to leane upon, while he liveth. By Faith we have an interest into the kingdome of hea∣ven: by patience we saile through the tempestuous Sea of this world till we come to the haven of rest. By Faith we apprehend the pro∣mises: which is a metonymie, whereby is meant the joyes of hea∣ven promised to us: patience is an yron pillar, to uphold us against all crosses and afflictions.

Patience is a most necessary vertue: yee have need of patience, Hebr. 10.36. A Souldier hath need of his armour: So have we in this warfare, of the armour of patience. Here is the patience of the Saints: Apoc. 14.12. if yee bee Saints, yee must have patience: many are the troubles of the righteous: these are they that came out of great tribulation, Apoc. 7.14. Wee cannot get to heaven without tribulations, therefore wee must have patience by the way. Innu∣merable are the crosses we meete withall: crosses in our soules, bo∣dies, many sicknesses and diseases: in our goods; they may be ta∣ken away by thieves, fire and other casualities: in our names; wee must passe through good report and evill report—What godly man lives without his crosse? therefore we have need of patience to beare them all.

I but what is patience? many talke of it that know it not.

In Christian patience there must be these foure things.

1. Not a Stoicall apathie, a sencelesnesse, a blockishnes, that it should be as pleasant a thing to us to be in equuleo, as in lecto. Christ Himselfe felt paine, his soule was heavy to death: and Christians feele paine in their afflictions, but they patiently endure it: they are not overcome with it.

2. If we suffer any misery, it must be in a good cause. Thieves by land, and Pyrats by Sea, suffer much hard-ship. Catiline did pa∣tiently abide cold and other extremities, yet hee was not patient. Baals Priests endured cutting and slashing: and covetous misers and earth-wormes will endure much to get money, yet that is no pati∣ence: miranda est duritia, sed neganda patientia. Patience must be in a good cause, in Christs quarrell, and in the suffering afflictions im∣posed on us by God: else it is no patience.

* 1.13. In our sufferings there must be a good affection, and a good end Saul was patient: when men despised him, he gave them not a word: but that was in policie, not in Christianity. Some have pati∣ence perforce, because they cannot be avenged, they have no power to doe it: that is dissimulation, not patience: and some suffer much for vaine glory, as Heretickes have done; but wee must suffer for Gods glory, for the magnifying of him and his Gospell: that is right patience, to keepe faith and a good Conscience.

4. Our patience must be continuall. As our crosses are perpe∣tuall, while wee are in this world: So our patience must bee perpe∣tuall.

Wee must dye with patience in our mouthes: patientia est, hone∣statis ac utilitatis causâ, voluntaria ac diuturna perpessio rerum ar∣duarum. Cicer.

* 1.2Take the Prophets, sayes Saint Iames, as an ensample of patience. But I will commend one example to you instead of many.* 1.3 Take our SAVIOUR CHRIST for an ensample of patience: that endured such contradiction of sinners.* 1.4 As his life was full of mise∣ries from his cradle to his grave: so was it full of patience. He was reviled, and reviled not againe: he was called Beelzebub, and a friend

of publicans and sinners; yet he gave never an ill word againe: Hee was buffeted, spit on, blindfolded, whipped, a crowne of thornes was set on his head, and was pittifully nay led to the Crosse: yet he tooke all patiently▪ Father, forgive them, they know not what they doe. Let us bee followers of him: hee knew no sinne, there was no cause in him, why he should be so handled, yet was patient. We de∣serve many calamities by our sinnes, and shall wee bee impati∣ent? Shall not wee take our afflictions patiently? patientia est pars fortitudinis: a Christian must be knowne by his sufferings; ferendo magis, quàm feriendo. Wee must overcome all our enemies. Sun∣dry there be that professe they will put up no wrong, they will suf∣fer no injuries at no mans hands. I, but if we be Christians, we must bee patients, not agents in evill. Ought not Christ to suffer, and so to enter into his glory? Wee must goe to glory by suffering,* 1.5 as Christ did. Let us therefore be followers of them that by faith and pati∣ence inherite the promises. Remember the patience of Iob, and what an end the Lord made: the end of patience is comfortable; there∣fore let us all bee patient, that we may inherit the promises by faith and patience in this life, and have the full fruition of them to our everlasting glory in the life to come.

The reverent opinion and charitable perswasion that the Apo∣stle hath of the Hebrewes, Verse 9. is grounded on two arguments.

1. From the consideration of the graces wherewith they were adorned.

2. From the contemplation of Gods promise; wherein, 1. A narration of the promise, which is as the text. 2. An exposition of it, or a commentary on the text: that consists of two parts.

1. An explanation of the oath, whereby the promise was con∣firmed.

2. An application of it to us. 1. In regard of the end, which is the comfort of the faithfull. 2. In regard of the effect, that ari∣seth from it, a certaine hope of eternall life. Where,

1. A description of hope. 2. A confirmation of it, by an ar∣gument from the relatives. It is described by the similitude of an ancre: where, 1. The qualities of the ancre. 2. The power of it. In the end, 1. What mooved GOD to it. 2. The force and efficacie of it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 Sam. 10. ult.
• * 1.2

  Iac. 5.
• * 1.3

  1 Pet. 2.21.
• * 1.4

  Hebr. 12.3.
• * 1.5

  Luk. 24.