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 28.

AT the which offering he dyed.

To take away; not existentiam peccati: but reatum, dominium, & paenam.

Of many, Matth. 26.28. he dyed for all sufficienter.

What is CHRIST dead and gone? then wee shall never see him againe?

Yes: he shall appeare in the heavens with his mighty Angels.

Without sinne. Why, the first time he appeared without sinne? for He knew no sinne.

I but then hee came with his fraile body to offer up for sinne, Verse 26.

Now he shall appeare with no more sacrifice for sinne. Then he came as a Lamb to be slaine for sin: now as a King and a Lion. Then he came as a Priest with a sacrifice to offer: now as a Iudge to sit on the Throne.

To the salvation of the godly, but to the damnation of wicked and reprobate men.

Here is another argument against the Masse. Men may as well dye often, ordinarily, as Christ be offered up often. As this is an un∣moveable truth, that a man ordinarily dies but once: So this is a firme position in Divinity, that CHRIST can be but once offered properly.

But to whom shall the day of Iudgement be comfortable? to them that are weary of the loade of sin, and looke for their delive∣rer,* 1.1 Phil. 3.20. Tit. 2.13. 2 Pet. 3.12. The mother of Sisera looked out at a window for the comming of her Sonne: So we, the spiritu∣all mother, brethren and sisters of Christ, must looke out at the win∣dow of our hearts for him.

A Woman lookes for her Husband: and we look to our mo∣ney, our Sheepe and Oxen, but we looke not for Christ. It is to be feared, if he were a comming, we would entreat him to tarry still and say with the devills, why art thou come to torment us before the time? hee is our deliverer, let us looke for him, as faithfull servants for their masters, and say; come LORD IESU, come quickly.

The second comming of CHRIST is here notably described.

• 1. He shall come potenter, because it is said, he shall appeare.
• 2. Innocenter, without sinne.
• 3. Finaliter, to them that looke for him.
• 4. Vtiliter, to salvation.

He shall appeare to all, yea even to them, that looke not for him: they that have pierced him, shall see him: he shall appeare to Iudas, that for thirty peeces betrayed him: to the Pharises that burned in hatred against him to the death, and would not be satisfied but with

his bloud, crying out with full mouth and would have no nay, cru∣cifie him: to the Souldier that thrust him through with a speare: he shall appeare to abhominable murderers, to beastly drunkards, to impure adulterers and adulteresses, that have grieved him with their sins, and dyed in them without repentance: but it shall be to dam∣nation, goe yee cursed into everlasting fire. So that as soone as they begin to peepe out of their graves, they shall howle and cry, ô yee hills and rockes fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.

But to them that looke for him, that love his appearing, that say in their hearts with them in the Revelation, Come Lord Iesu, come quick∣ly, he shall appeare to salvation: So that they shall lift up their heads, because their salvation is at hand: he that commeth is their friend, el∣der brother, Husband, Head, Saviour, therefore they neede not to feare his comming: they shall meete Christ in the ayre, be translated with him into the kingdome of glory, and remaine with him in un∣speakable happinesse for evermore. Wherefore let us all bee in the number of them that looke for his comming: be yee like to servants, sayes Christ, that wayte for their Master. As the daughter of Iepthe looked for her fathers comming, went forth with Timbrels and daunces to meete him: so let us joyfully look for Christ's comming, the father that hath created us, the SAVIOUR that hath redee∣med us. Shall not the Wife look for the comming of her Husband, if he be gone into Spaine or a farre Country? Shall not one bro∣ther looke for the comming of another? Iesus Christ is our Husband, our elder brother: therefore let us looke for him. The Saints in S^t. Pauls time looked for his comming: and shall not wee now? all the signes of his comming are past, which may be as warning pie∣ces to us: the Gospell hath beene preached over all the world, ru∣mours of wars, therefore why should we not look for his comming?

Especially his comming to our particular death may bee looked for every moment of an houre. I am now old, said Isaac, yet know I not the day of my death. So may every one of us say. Absalom was a young man: yet hanged by the haire of his head, and shot to death by Ioab. Nabal a rich man, over night merry with wine, in the morning as dead as a stone. Valentinian the Emperour, when sitting in his Consistory, he rayled on the Sarmatians, an issue of bloud burst out of his body, and he dyed immediately. We are now strong, healthfull, and lusty, God be praised for it; yet the axe of death may cut us off ere wee be aware. Wherefore let us looke for Christ's comming generall or particular, that whensoever hee shall come, wee may enter with him into the wedding chamber of the kingdome of heaven, there to remaine with him for evermore.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iud. 5.28.