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 9.

THe New Covenant is described two kinde of wayes.

• 1. What it is not.
• 2. What it is. It is not like the Old Testament: where there is a threefold dissimilitude betweene them.

1. In respect of the Persons: that was made with their fathers in the time of the Law; this shall bee made with their posterity in the time of the Gospell.

2. In respect of the time: that was made at their delivery out of Aegypt, when the Law was given by Moses; this at their delive∣ry out of the spirituall Aegypt by Christ.

This was not the same day they came out of Aegypt: for the Law was not given till so many dayes after: but day is put for time.

That deliverance is amplified by the Author and the man∣ner how.

The Author was God: the manner was kinde, loving and care∣full: as a father taketh his Child by the hand, least he should fall, or, miscarry by the way.

3. By an effect, that ensued on the imbecillity of the covenant: it was broken because of the hardnesse of it.

In the Hebrew it is, which they brake. S^t. Paul followes the Sep∣tuagint: the sence is all one.

One condition of the covenant was, that they should continue in obedience to me; but they did not: therefore that covenant being broken, it was time for a new to come: let us pray to God for grace to continue in that, which we promised in baptisme.

And I regarded them not: whereupon he was even with them; they cast off Him, and he cast off them.

The Greeke here is much different from the Hebrew: but if the Hebrew words bee read with an interrogation, the sense of the Greeke agrees well with them. And should I bee still as an Hus∣band to them? they have played the Harlot and broken the cove∣nant on their part, and shall I stand to the covenant: shall I bee as an Husband to them, when as they are no Wife to me? Nay, I will set them as light as they doe me. I regard them not: I cast off the care of them. Though the words differ, the sense is all one: therefore that must be no stone for us to stumble at.

Hebrew. Et ego dominabar in eis. I shewed my selfe to be their Lord and master in punishing them; which is the right of Masters to doe.

Properly to speake, God hath no hand to take us by: but this is spoken metaphorically for our comfort. As if the child bee fallen into a ditch, the father in kindnesse takes him by the hand, and pulls him out: so deales our heavenly father with us, who is farre more mercifull than earthly parents can bee to their Children. The in∣comprehensible love of God towards us is set forth by diverse simi∣litudes in Scripture. Sometimes he is compared to an Eagle, that fluttereth over her birds, and preserveth them from all dangers: sometimes to an Henne, gathering us as Chickens under his wing. Sometimes to a father, as in this place, and many others. In all calamities he takes us by the hand and leads us out. Hee hath not only committed us to the Angels hands, as Psal. 91. and the Angell tooke Lot by the hand, and brought him out of Sodom: but hee gives us his owne hand. If the King should take us by the hand, when we are in any distresse; it would greatly cheere us. The King of Kings whose power none can resist, takes us by the hand in all our mise∣ries. Let that bee a staffe of comfort for us to leane upon. As hee tooke the Israelites by the hand, and lead them out of Aegypt: So,

though wee cannot see it with our bodily eyes, hee takes us by the hand in all miseries.

If men should be in prison for righteousnesse sake, as Ioseph was, till the iron entred into his soule; God at the length takes us by the hand and pulls us out. If we be in poverty ready to starve, as Elias was under the Iuniper tree, God takes us by the hand of his mercy, by some meanes or other and helpes us out. If we be in banishment, as the Israelites in Babylon, and as many of our Country men were in Queene Maries dayes; God takes us by the hand and brings us out. If we be in some terrible and dangerous sicknesse, as Hezekiah was, even at the point of death; God takes us by the hand, and pulls us out of it. If we bee on the Sea ready to be drowned, as the Disci∣ples were; God takes us by the hand and delivers us out of the ra∣ging tempest. O singular comfort, that we have such a friend as God Almighty is! Hee takes us by the hand in all calamities. Let him have our hand and heart too. Let us be carefull to please him all the dayes of our life.

He doth not say, they never begun to keep my Testament: but they continued not in my covenant. It is like they made many faire be∣ginnings, were very forward at the first: but they shrunk in the wet∣ting and continued not: Therefore God shooke them off. Yee are they that continued with mee in my temptations. Be faithfull to the end, &c. I will runne the way of thy Commandements to the end, said David. Let us not run apace for a while, but let us hold out running to the end, else we shall misse of the gold of eternall life. Remember Lots Wife: she went out of Sodom, but because she looked backe, she was turned into a pillar of Salt. Let us not turne out of the way of Gods Com∣mandements, but continue in his covenant: else hee will cast us off. Now of our selves, we have no power to continue, no more than we had to begin. Let us entreat him that hath begun a good worke in us, to finish it to the day of Christ.

Many flatter themselves in Gods mercies: ô God is mercifull; though we sin, he will not punish us: he will wink at our iniquities, therefore we need not be so shie of sin. Though we live in drunken∣nesse, uncleannesse, pride, covetousnesse, yet wee may bee in the fa∣vour of God. Indeed God is of wonderfull mercy: hee is called the father of mercies in the plurall number, not of Iustices. There is a whole Psalme of his mercie: and so not of his justice. Yet wee must not imagine, that his mercy can put his justice out of place. To penitent sinners as the Publican was, as Mary Magdalen was, that watered Christ's feete with her teares, he is mercifull: but to them that continue in their sins, hee will shew himselfe to bee just, and powre down the vials of his wrath on them: he cast off the Israelites his own chosen people for their abominable sins: and doe you think that we shall escape, which are but wild Olives, and adopted Children in comparison of them? There is no dallying with God; if we conti∣nue not in his covenant, he will reject us.