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.

VPon the change, of the Priest-hood necessarily followeth the change of the law too. The Iewes were stubborne defen∣ders of the Ceremoniall law above all things: they could not abide to heare of any change of it. Some might reply and say; though the Priest-hood bee gone, yet the law may continue still. Nay, sayes the Apostle, these stand and fall together: they were instituted together, chickens of one hatching; therefore they live and dye together. The Leviticall Priest-hood and the Ceremo∣niall law are relatives, se mutuò ponunt & auferunt.

He doth not openly say; if the Priest hood be abolished, then the law is abolished: the Iewes being zealous of the law could not as yet indure that. Therefore he mollifies his speech, using a more soft and gentle terme: if the Priest-hood be changed. Yet in effect it is all one: they changed, as Festus and Felix did. Felix went out of the countrey, and Festus came in his roome: So the Leviticall Priest-hood went away, gave place to Christ's Priest-hood, which is come in the roome thereof, transposed, put out of place, altered.

Hee doth not say; then by all probability, there must bee a change of the law: but of necessity, it cannot be avoyded.

The morall law remaines still, but the ceremoniall law vani∣sheth away with the Priest-hood. As Christ is come into Aarons roome, so likewise into Moses roome: he is our Lawgiver, as well as our Priest.

The Pope in his Decretalls applies this to himselfe: but it is proper to our Saviour Christ. He may as well conclude from hence, that hee is a Priest after the order of Melchizedec, as that he hath power to make lawes as Moses had.

In this world there is nothing but changing. The world is like the Moone, that is ever changing: like the Sea, that is ebbing and flowing: sometimes calme, sometimes boisterous, it never stands at one stay. So the Priest-hood is changed: instead of the Leviti∣call Priest-hood is established the Ministery of the Gospell. King∣domes and nations change. The foure mighty Monarchies of the world are changed. The famous Churches of Assia, to the which Christ writeth, that once embraced the Gospell of Christ, are now changed, they now receive Mahomet for their God and Saviour. England which was once rude and barbarous, is now become civill and religious.

The time was, when Church-men were the greatest men in this kingdome; now the Lawyers carry all away: but that naile of the Cart wheele, which is now aloft may hereafter be in the dirt. Daily experience teacheth us, what changes there be in townes and citties. A towne that had many wise and grave governours in it, hath now scarce any that will looke to the government of the towne.

A towne which a whyle agoe was wealthy, a great number of rich men in it, in the turning of an hand becomes poore and beg∣garlie.

Men themselves change, sometimes they love, sometimes hate; sometimes they are whole, sometimes sicke: one while in their thousands as Iob was; shortly after scant worth a Groat. Here is nothing but changing. The Leviticall Priest-hood was changed, and there shall be a change of the Ministery of the Gospell too: the time shall come, when as there shall be no Churches to goe to, no Scrip∣tures to read over, no Ministers to preach to us, and shew us the way to heaven: for when wee be in the celestiall Ierusalem, what need shal we have of the Ships and Charrets that carry us thither? when we be in heaven, we shall not need the ladder of the Ministery, to climbe up into heaven. Nay, there shall be a change of the world it selfe: the earth whereon wee tread shall bee changed: this earth shall be burnt with all the workes thereof: the Sunne, the Moone, the Starres, the goodly firmament over our heads shall be changed: they all waxe old as doth a garment, and as a vesture shalt thou change them: yet here is nothing but labouring for these changeable things; these reeds, feathers, weather-cockes, these fading flowers, are the chiefest things wee seeke after; there is moyling and toyling for these, men are at daggers drawing for them; all our striving and contending is about them: as for the favour of God in CHRIST,

the blessed hope of our election and salvation in the kingdome of heaven, few strive for them. Peradventure wee wish to bee in hea∣ven, as Balaam did; but we strive not for it as we ought to doe: all that we hunt after is silver and gold, houses and lands, the trash of this transitory world; but we seeke not for that which is unchange∣able and lasteth for ever. In other things wee cannot away with change: we would not willingly take a piece of Cloth, which wee know will change the colour.

We all know that this miserable world will change colour, the glory thereof will fade away, yet we are most greedy of it. Who will buy an house that hee knowes will change and that speedily? that stands to day, and is ready to fall to morrow? Such an house is this world: yet there is nothing but beating our braines about it: all things in this world are changeable, therefore let us love them and use them, as if we loved and used them not. Let us especially long after that change, when Christ shall change our vile bodies, and make them like his glorious body, where wee shall remaine with him without change for ever and ever.