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.

THe Protasis only is set downe: the Apodosis is to bee sup∣plyed.

1. For the Protasis: The earth, which is apparant to us all, none can be ignorant of it. As a thirsty man taketh in drink which is dispersed into his bowels: So doth the drie and thirsty earth the raine, she takes it and conveys it into her bowels.

It comes into the earth: but because it must come upon it, be∣fore it can come into it; therefore the HOLY GHOST useth that phrase not seldome, but often; God being bountifull to the earth to send it much raine.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 bringeth forth: as a mother her Children, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by a Synecdoche is put for all the fruits of the earth: because the herbe is one of the first fruits, that it bringeth forth.

Not onely herbes, but trees and all kinde of corne; for hee speakes of such an earth which is tilled: whereas herbes spring up without tillage.

What manner of fruit? Which doth benè reponere gratiam, requites the cost and charges, which the dressers have bestowed on it.

Receiveth blessing from God: without whose blessing the earth would be as brasse and yron for all the labour of the husbandman: As such an earth is blessed of God, God blesseth it with a rich and plentifull harvest to the joy and comfort of men; so is it with all those that profit by the Word of God.

For a more particular opening of every branch in the simili∣tude. The earth is every Christian man and woman in the lap of the Church. Man was taken out of the earth, and therefore may fitly bee resembled to the earth; bad hearers are called bad ground, and good hearers, good ground, Luke 8. verse 15. The raine that falls upon it, is the Word of GOD, Deuteronomie 32. ver. 2. Isaiah 55. ver. 10.

1. Raine comes downe from heaven: So the word.

2. Raine comes down to us by the clouds: So the Word by the Preachers.

3. Raine refresheth the earth: So the Word our soules.

4. Raine never returnes in vaine: So the Word accomplishes that which the Lord pleases, and prospers in the thing whereunto he sends it; it never returnes voyd: either we are the better or the wor∣ser by it, through our owne fault.

The fruits that they bring forth, is increase of knowledge and of all vertues.

The dressers of this ground, are God and the Ministers, Ioh. 15.1. 1 Cor. 3.9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

The blessing that good hearers receive is a further increase of all graces in this life: to him that hath shall be given, &c. Mat. 13.8. and eternall blessednesse in the life to come. Blessed are they that heare the Word of God, and keepe it.

1. All people are as the ground, that stand in need of the Raine of the Word of God: the earth must have Raine all the yeare long, more or lesse, else it dryeth and withereth away: So doe we if wee want the Raine of the Word. In what a miserable case were they in Israel, when there fell no raine by the space of three yeeres and sixe moneths? and in what a pittifull taking are those townes and coun∣tries, though they feele it not, which want the Raine of the Word of GOD?

You that have it, be thankfull to God for it, and learne to esteeme more highly of this blessing than ye doe. If it raine on your wheat and barly in the due time of the yeare, ye praise God for it: and will ye not blesse him for the heavenly raine, that falleth on your selves to make you fruitfull to eternall life? ô magnifie God for this raine, without the which ye should be as parched ground, pittifull to be∣hold.

2. As this raine by the goodnesse of God falls on you, so let it not passe by you, as water running from the rockes and stones, but drinke it in, that it may cause you to encrease in all vertue. The raine doth no good on rockes and stones, because they cannot re∣ceive it in. If your hearts be as stone, hardened in sinne; though ye have never such plentie of this raine, it will doe you no good: there∣fore drinke in the raine of the Word of God, that falls on you at every Sermon: let not the profitable instructions passe from you, ponder them and lay them up in your heart, as the Virgin Mary did: let them not slip from you so soone as you are out of the Church doores, but keepe the raine that God sendeth you: if it bee not a ground raine that goes into the bowels of the earth, it is to small purpose: and if the raine of the Word doe not sinke into the bottome of your hearts, if it goe no further then your eares, you shall reape small benefit by it: therefore drinke in this raine, that it may be fruitfull to you all.

3. None can well drinke, but they that thirst after drinke: if the ground be not thirsty, it will not drinke in the raine. If it be full already, the raine lieth aloft, and makes ponds that are noy some to men: So if ye be full already of the cares of the world, the plea∣sures of the flesh, or a windy conceit of your selves, saying we are rich, wee stand in neede of nothing; then the raine of the Word cannot enter into you. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse. Though yee have never so much preaching, yet hun∣ger after the Word of God: he that is full, despiseth an hony-combe: a full man regards not a feast, but an hungry man is content with meane fare: though ye have never so many sweet Sermons, yet if yee be full, though they be as pleasant as an hony combe, yee will not care for them: therfore bring thirsting soules to every Sermon, when this raine is powred downe on you, that yee may drinke it in to the salvation of you all.

4. The more raine the ground hath, the more fruit it ought to yeeld: the oftner that any people hath had the raine of the Word of God falling on them, the more plentifull should they bee in good workes: to whom much is given, of them much shall bee required: you in this towne have had much raine, therefore much is required of you.

5. As it hath the raine often, so it must bring forth fruit meete for them by whom it is dressed: the more dressing, the more fruit, as we looke from our trees and grounds: the dressers are to bee re∣spected: ye must love them by whom God dresseth and tilleth you: yee must have them in singular love for their worke sake: yee must not bring forth such fruit, as shall grieve the dressers, Hebrewes 13. Verse 17.

As yee have this heavenly raine in most plentifull measure, so bring forth fruits answerable to it: leaves will not serve the turne. CHRIST cursed the figtree that had nothing but leaves on it: good words, a glorious talking of Religion, is not sufficient, a shew

of godlinesse, is not enough, but we must have the power of it: as GOD hath sent us this raine in abundance, so let us bee abundant in the fruits of righteousnesse: let us be full of good workes; then will GOD blesse us with the increase of his graces in this life, and with eternall happinesse in the life to come. God make us all such blessed ground.