this booke to make them reade and take delight in it Now all of vs will say God loues me and hath pardoned my sins in Christ then we should shew our loue againe to him in taking delight in hearing and reading the word of God set downe in this or any other booke of Scripture And if we perswade our selues God hath loued vs we must then offer vp to him in signe of loue againe our selues soules and bodies to serue him to do him obedience Rom. 12. in regard of recompence to his mercies and loue shed out and shewed vnto vs. And made vs Kings and Priests to God and his Father euen his Father In these words is set downe the third action worke and benefite of Christ bestowed on his Church he hath made euery true member of it a King and a Priest Better to vnderstand these words we must consider in them foure points first the dignitie and excellency of all true beleeuers and members of Christ Kings and Priests Secondly when they be made namely hath made speaking in the time past noting that true beleeuers are Kings and Priests Thirdly the maner how we are not created such neither borne to be such but he hath made vs such Fourthly to whom to God euen the father First our dignitie and the excellencie of all true beleeuers and members of Christ hath two heads first Kings secondly Priests They are called kings not in regard of an earthly kingdome for the condition of most beleeuers on earth is base but in regard of a spirituall kingdome and in respect of the kingdome of heauen for the Lord he giues them this title and interest to be Kings to haue right to the kingdome of heauen in Christ. So our Sauiour Christ speakes to his Disciples Feare not litle flock it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome The members of Christ are said to haue interest and title to the kingdome of heauen in these respects first because by Christ they be Lords and conquerors of all these enemies sin Satan the world death hell and our owne flesh Secondly because in and by Christ they are partakers of the kingdome of heauen they haue interest into it and right to the kingdome of happinesse for they receiue of Christ grace for grace glory for glory felicitie and happinesse for glory happinesse and felicitie Thirdly because they be made Lords of all creatures except good Angels and the Church 1. Cor. 3. 21. God is all in all to them all things are theirs they Gods and we haue interest to all his creatures in heauen and earth by Christ. Ob. But if Christ be King and al his mēbers how do they differ Answ. In two points first Christ he is the sonne of God by nature therefore a King by nature and so his inheritance belongs to him by nature but the members of Christ are the sonnes of God by adoption in his Son so that our right to that kingdome is not by nature but by adoption Secondly Christ he is King ouer all creatures whatsoeuer ouer the Angels and the Church and he is absolute King ouer all and hath his regiment in the hearts and consciences of men and can by his word bind them but his members they be not vniuersall kings for they haue not superioritie aboue good Angels and the Church neither are they absolute kings as he is neither by themselues but by Christ Iesus and as they participate with Christ in his kingdome The second part of our dignitie stands in this that we be Priests in that we be consecrated and set apart by Christ to the worship and seruice of God here in this life to serue him in spirit and truth and in the life to come eternally to serue and praise him Christ he is Priest so are we but yet there is difference First Christ he is an externall and reall Priest of the new Testament which offers vp a true reall and externall sacrifice to God the Father for vs we are not reall and externall Priests but spirituall offering vp spirituall sacrifice And Christ hath this priuiledge to offer vp a reall corporall and substantial sacrifice in the new testament we do not so When any member of Christ giues an almes he offers a sacrifice to God not a corporall sacrifice but spirituall euery way Againe note this that our Sauiour Christ he is a perfect Priest and offers vp a perfect sacrifice but we being imperfect do offer vp an imperfect sacrifice tainted and blemished with sinne but accepted as perfect for the worthinesse of Christs sacrifice Secondly we be Kings and Prists in this life for as in the entrance into an earthly kingdome there be degrees as first to giue one title to it secondly to giue him possession of it which is more then to giue one title onely so Gods children they haue the right giuen them of the kingdome of heauen in this life and as in the giuing of possession of a kingdome there be two degrees first the beginning of the possession secondly the full enioying and perfect possessiō so we haue the beginning of the possession of the kingdome of heauen in this life which stands in righteousnesse ioy and peace and they which haue these haue the kingdome of God begun in them The second part and degree is after this life which is the full fruition and possession of the kingdome of heauen but in all the true members of Christ it is begunne here and accomplished there And as we be kings in this world so we must be Priestes too in offering spirituall sacrifice to God and dedicating and consecrating our selues to his seruice Hath made vs. True beleeuers be Kings and Priests not by nature neither borne such nor by creation or birth or bloud are they such or by any other priuiledge they haue frō mā How then As earthly Kings and Priests were made in the old Testament so are spirituall Kings and Priests in the new the King was elected and ordained by a solemne calling so the Priest by a solemne election so are the Kings and Priests which be spirituall by a diuine calling In which calling note two things First Christ giueth his members right to his owne kingdome to be Kings and Priests yet not so that they can execute the regiment sustained by Christ and do the office of a King and Priest as it is done by Christ but because they belong to them in part and they haue the benefite of them both redounding to them wholly And this right they haue is brought to passe in the couenant of grace For the Lord in it promiseth that he for his part will giue to the true beleeuers in Christ Iesus his Sonne with all his benefits as he giues them this to be kings and priests For euery thing which belōgs to Christ as he is head of the Church belongs to his seruants as members and he imparts it to them in some sort Secondly in the appointing of kings
should moue vs to embrace it to loue and like it seeing it brings vs such an excellent benefit and not to misname it as we do by reprochfull termes Yea verily the consideration of this should make the Ministers of the word to take all paines to preach the word seeing by it they make men to become of vassalles of Satan the true members of Christ and heires of the kingdome of heauen In this world for a man to consecrate and establish one in a kingdome it is a thing of great honour is it not of greater honour to consecrate one to become king of heauen and earth to be heire of the kingdome of heauen Now that this is done in the ministery of the Gospel when by the word preached we are conuerted made to beleeue in Christ and to repent of our sinnes this I say should stirre and pricke forward the Ministers of the word to labour to win men to Christ and to make them kings and priests to God his father There also is matter of comfort to the godly for seeing they be Kings and Priestes in the kingdome of Christ if a man be in the crosse and affliction which is a great griefe yet let him know to his comfort that though he be so handled it appeareth not what he shal be yet he is a king and that he shall be and is heire to the kingdome of heauen If a man be in sicknesse he must consider it is but Gods messenger to call him out of this world to the possession of a kingdome If a man be in the trouble and vexation of mind and of his owne conscience if he be tormented fearefully with his sins yet he must be content the Lord wil giue him a happy issue he must know he is a king and therefore shall one day haue conquest ouer sin Satan and his owne corruption yea ouer all his enemies whatsoeuer If a man be in the heat of persecution so that he is turmoiled and tossed from post to pillar then flesh and blood cannot brooke it yet he is a king though he in persecution be killed and put to death euen then let him consider he is a most valiant conquerour Rom. 8. 37. In the pang of death when nature must needs be dissolued and soule and body separated then we must remember that we be kings in Christ and so we shall not feare death but know it is but a way and easie passage to the ful possession of our kingdom Thus much in that we are kings In that all the members of Christ be priests not earthly but spiritual and offer to God spirituall sacrifices first we are hence bound by this our calling to teach and instruct one another for the office of the Priest in the old Testament was to instruct the people The Priests lips must keepe knowledge Mal. 2. 7. So must we be teachers of others Col. 3. 18. We all ought to be able to teach the will of God that so the Gospell of Christ may be spread abroad And as this belongs to al men so especially to gouernors they must especially shew themselues priests to their charges Abraham did it Gen. 18. Dauid did it Pro. 4. and Bathshebath did it Prouer. 31. and all must do it that desire an holy generation to succeed after them We teach other things why not Religion 2 Seeing we be priests we must pray for others not onely for our selues but for all men especially the members of Christ The Priest in the old Testament must pray and make request not onely for himselfe alone but for the people also Moses is commended for prayer especially when he prayed for the Israelites and stood before the Lord in the gap Exod. 32. Eliah is called the horseman and chariots of Israel and Hezechiah beseecheth the Lord to be good to his people And so when any man in the word is cōmended for prayer it is for that he prayed for the people So did Dauid in the Psalmes So did Christ make this his speciall duty Iohn 17. We must offer spirituall sacrifice to God that is dedicate our selues our soules and bodies and all that is in vs our wit learning knowledge or any gift of body or mind we must consecrate it to Gods seruice That we may do all this to his glory we must look that all we take in hand be begun in faith do proceed from a good heart and be directed to a good end to Gods glory principally and if we do it in faith and obedience then it will please him We must be ful of blessings we may haue nothing to do with cursed speaking As the Priests in the old Testament their duty was to blesse the people so we must speake nothing but blessed and gracious speeches take heed of all cursed speaking of swearing and forswearing we must be blessed and gracious speakers to all men friend fo or any We must haue God our portion for the Leuites had no portion in the land of Canaan but dwelt in tents and the Lord was their portion So we being Priests to God we must be content with any estate in this world for God is our portion we must not seeke too much to haue any inheritance on earth for Gods fauour in Christ that is our portion and this wil suffice To him be glory In these words is a praising and thanksgiuing to God for the three former benefits of Christ bestowed on the Church In that S. Iohn before he come to the end of his description of Christ should interrtupt himselfe to giue God thankes for his benefits we see that the consideration of Gods benefits bestowed on vs should be a meanes to stirre vs vp to praise the Lord we should be caried away with this affection of thanksgiuing as S. Iohn was And in these words of this holy man we do see what is the true forme of giuing thankes to God namely to giue him and ascribe to him all glory power and absolute dominion for euermore But alas it is too too manifest that mans corrupt nature will not do this but denieth it and taking this from God bestoweth it on creatures yea on our own selues And it is a matter of grace to know this and to confesse that all glory and dominion belongs to God and to giue him his due So Christ he teacheth vs to ascribe all power glory might and dominion to God when we say in the Lords prayer For thine is the kingdome power and glory that is it is due to thee O Lord not to any creature whatsoeuer Amen So be it let it be so that thou mayst haue all glory and dominion he addes this to shew his feruent desire of Gods glorie and therefore he doubles and repeates it for he had said that before but not content with it he sheweth his feruencie and repeates the same againe so should we not freeze or be cold in our desire of Gods
seeke to get one foot out of the graue of sinne and securitie And he had Here S. Iohn describeth him by his parts and the properties of euery part In his right hand seuen starres that is seuen Angels seuen Ministers of the seuen churches of Asia The Ministers are compared to starres first because as starres send out light to men on earth so the Ministers ought to giue light to men euen spirituall light by doctrine taught by them and by conuersatiō of life among them Secondly they be compared to stars because as the stars haue their continuall abode in heauen neuer descend downe so the Ministers of the word especially should haue their conuersation in heauen It is the dutie of all but more specially of the Ministers in regard of their callings first by seeking their owne saluation secondly by seeking the saluation of others by which two they must haue their conuersation in heauē though they haue their bodies in earth thirdly because they shall be honoured of God in heauen as the starres for Dan. 12. they which do their dutie they shall shine like starres in the firmament They be in Christs right hand that is all regiment and gouernement in matters of the Church belongs to Christ he alone hath the whole disposition and ordering of the ministery seeing he alone is head of the Church and the Ministers they be in his right hand he rules and raignes in his church he careth for it and looketh to it Seeing these starres be in Christs right hand this shewes that the choosing furnishing of the ministers of the word belongs to Christ Eph. 4. he giueth them their gifts and places then we ought in this last age to pray the Lord to send out laborers into his haruest that so his children might be gathered and an end made of these miserable dayes He holds these seuen starres in his right hand Whereby we see he giueth them defence and protection so long as they be faithful in their callings He carieth them in his right hand though they haue sundry discouragements yet seeing Christ he ordereth their ministery and disposeth of it if they be faithfull nothing should hinder their course nothing should cut them off from their duty neither the want of obediēce in them to whom they preach and labour not seeing that fruit they should nor the iniuries of the enemies of their profession nor any thing else Seeing they be in his right hand this sheweth the excellency of this calling of the ministery Idle men esteeme it most base accept of it as of a meane calling and so discourage many but in the sight of God it is an high and holy calling he carieth them in his right hand defends them and protects them Now what greater glory can there be then that they should be so honored to be borne and caried in the right hand of the King of heauen and earth though wicked men dishonour them esteeme so basely of thē This should stir those who haue good gifts to get this high and holy calling thus to be honoured of Christ. They must be vnblameable for seeing Christ carieth them in his right hand he will hold nothing but that which is holy and pure as he is but if it be defiled sinfull and wicked he will take it out of his right hand put it vnder his brazen foote and grind it to peeces and the more he had honoured them the more will he dishonour them By the same reason the hearers are bound to profit else they must drinke of the same cup for if the ministers be punished for not preaching then they for not hearing And out of his mouth c. In these words he describes him by the two last parts of his body his mouth and his face And in his mouth was a two edged sword c. By this two edged sword is meant the doctrine of the law and the Gospel vttered and propounded by the Prophets and Apostles and this two edged sword is described Heb. 4. 12. It is mightie in operation c. The doctrine of the law and the Gospell is compared to a two edged sword because as a sword with a double edge enters not onely into the flesh but to the bones yea euen to the marrow so the word preached it enters into the heart deepely to the diuiding of the spirits yea it enters to the very bottome of the heart it searcheth euery nooke and corner which is most secret The word hath a double operation one in the wicked another in the godly In the wicked this sharpe two edged sword of the word it wounds them at the heart with a deadly wound and so by the same wound brings them to eternall death Esa. 11. 4. He shall with his breath that is the sword of his word slay the wicked This is that sword that hath and will kill Antichrist Ob. But how cometh it that the word of God should wound or kill any how should it slay a wicked and vnrepentant sinner Answ. We must know there be three degrees of spirituall death The first is the separation of bodie and soule when the bodie is laid in the graue the soule conueyed to the place of torments The second is when a sinner in this life by the word is wounded and smitten and so receiueth in his heart a deadly wound The third degree is at the end of this life at the last iudgement whē soule and bodie shall go into hell fire for euen a sinner receiueth his deadly wound in this life which is the first steppe to hell and eternall death in the life to come In the inflicting and giuing of this wound there be three actions of Christ required which he worketh in the hearts of the wicked by the doctrine of the law and the Gospell The first is to reueale to them their sinnes all their pride rebellion hypocrisie the damnable corruptions of their hearts and all their sinnes against the first and second Table 1. Cor. 14. 24. 25. If in the Church all prophecie there come in one which beleeueth not he is rebuked of all because they iudge him an hypocrite and so the secrets and corruptions of his heart are laid open and discouered by the word preached The second action of Christ is this he after reuealeth to them the wrath and curse of God against sinne his indignation against the breakers of the law and for this cause the law is called the killing law because it sheweth iudgement without mercie for the transgressions of the law Thirdly Christ by the word preached sharpeneth the sting of conscience maketh it awake and terrifieth a man when he heareth or remembreth the word and the curse denounced against sinners So Felix when Paul preached to him of iustice and temperancie he fainted and trembled the word was a two edged sword of the spirit to wound his conscience with terrour and feare So Dan. 5. Beltashar seeing but an hand writing he
sends these iudgements as for other sins so for fornication Sodom was destroyed for this sin And euen in our time we haue plagues famin sword many sicknesses and that for this sin among the rest 1. Cor. 11. many were dead for this sin lest they shold come defiled to the Lords table Now followes the exception Except they repent Here we see all Gods iudgements and threatnings be with exception in the matter of saluation And seeing Christ ads this exception vnlesse they repent we see men of yeares condemned in the Church not so much for sin as liuing in sin without repentance Indeed the least sin makes a man subiect to condemnation but lying in sin that brings actual condemnation the wrath of God vpon vs so that if man commit sinne and lie in it he casts his soule away To commit sinne is not that which killeth vs but to lye in sinne for if a man sinne and after repent he shall haue mercie at Gods hands Secondly it is propounded in the midst of the threates for they go before this exception and come after Where we see God mingleth his mercie with iudgement he sheweth not all iudgement nor all mercie but tempereth them together Now in that the Lord will bring iudgement on them vnlesse they repent we see that repentance preuenteth temporall iudgement We haue had long peace and haue abused it to commit sinne now we must looke for Gods iudgements and we see the Spaniard as a weapon of God now the Lord may iustly bring him on vs. The best way to preuent this and al Gods iudgements is for high and low and all estates to repent and so the Lord will turne him away Of thy workes namely fornication idolatrie So we if we wil repent we must cease from our particular sins as the drunkard from his drunkennesse and to liue soberly c. For to say I am sorie and in generall to repent as many men do is but to make shew of repentance but men must leaue each sinne and do the contrarie vertue In the three and twentieth verse is the third part of this threatening I will kill her child with death that is such as be of her familie and her children in fornication not them which follow her doctrine but properly for they are reproued before I will kill It had bene sufficient to say so but he addeth I will kill with death for the certaintie largenesse and fulnesse of it not sparing them But the mother sinned shall the child be punished for her sake Ans. In temporall and bodily punishments it may be so not in eternall punishments Among men if the father be a traitor the Son is punished and beareth the shame then shall it not be equitie with God to punish the sonne for the fathers sinne in bodily punishment And though there were no reason to vs yet we should thinke it good with God But there is reason sufficient why the Lord should destroy cities and commonwealths and families which be linked together by the bond of societie and be members of the same familie Now if one member sinne the other may be punished as in the bodie if the stomacke be sicke the head feeleth it so when the father sinneth the sonne may be punished when the husband the wife when the Maister the seruant when the subiect the magistrate because of the mutuall relation and nigh bond of societie betweene members of the same familie citie or kingdome Is this so then parents had need to take heed how they sinne for they sinning may bring iudgments and death on their familie or their children Then are they cruell parents which liue in sinne not caring for their children but by their sinnes bring Gods iudgements on them and on their families Let then euery man in the societie where he liueth be carefull he sinne not for then he may bring Gods iudgement on the place especially if he be a speciall member as Ahab on himselfe and his children and Dauid on the whole people Then all such as will not looke to themselues but liue in sinne should be banished out of all societies vnlesse they will repent and be new men seeing they do what they can to bring Gods iudgements on that place where they liue Vers. 24. That all Churches may know that I am he which searcheth the heart and reines Christ hauing propounded his threatning here he goeth about to make it take place in them in Iesabell and her company by remouing of two carnall conceipts whereby they might thinke to illude and auoid Christs threatnings For first they might haue said Our practises and sinnes be secret not knowne to men therefore though God threaten we shall escape the iudgements of God but we are without the reach of them they cannot take hold of vs. But Christ in the first words cutteth off this first conception Thogh you may perswade your selues you shall escape iudgement seeing your sinnes be secret yet I search the heart and I will discouer them to all Churches they shall know that I search the heart that is I see and know the most hidden and secret thoughts and affections of the heart That all Churches Christ will discouer their sins not to all the world but to all Churches and this he speaketh to the end to terrifie Iesabel and her companie For as it is a great honour to be approued and esteemed of all Churches so it is a great disgrace and dishonor to be euill thought of by the Churches of God Mat. 18. That which is bound in earth by the church of God is bound in heauen by God himselfe so by proportion those which be euill thought of in Gods church and in disgrace of it they be in disgrace with God in heauen Seeing Christ speaketh this to terrifie Iesabel and her companie we must labour in all things to be approued and esteemed of the Church though we must approue our selues as much as we can to all yet especially to the Church of God and auoide all things which may bring any disgrace or dishonour to the Church for as it is a great honor to be well esteemed of the Church so it is a great dishonor to be il esteemed Ro. 16. 1. Cor. 1. the last verse Paule saith All the Churches salute you not that all Churches send commendations by word of mouth but to confirme and comfort them he saith all true Churches planted by him did approue of them Act. 16. Paul approued of Timothy and receiued him to him because he was commended and had the approbation of the Churches and brethren at Lyconium and Lystra So must we haue the approbation of Gods Church which is the approbation of God himselfe But what would Christ haue all Churches to know namely that I search the heart c. In which words by heart and reines is meant the same thing namely by reines is meant the thoughts and affections of men and by heart is meant so much as it
propoundeth doctrine to mens consciences to be beleeued vpon paine of eternall death Christ sheweth in the bookes of the old and new Testament that no man can make one article of our beleefe nay he which teacheth any other doctrine then that is accursed Gal. 1. Secondly Christ hath absolute power to prescribe regiment to his Church how and in what maner and also the persons by whom it shall be gouerned So Moses made the tabernacle according to the patterne Christ shewed him Salomon built the Temple according to the forme he saw by reuelation 1. Chron. 28. 12. Thirdly Christ hath authority to prescribe times for his worship to appoint Sabbaths c. And Gen. 1. as he created the Sabbath so hath he power alone to alter it no creature can prescribe a time to Gods seruice to the end of the world but Christ alone Then it is not true that the Church hath power to appoint two Sabbaths in one weeke or one in many weekes for it is Christs honour to prescribe his worship and the time of the same The second part of Christs soueraigne power is to iudge to haue power to determine of his owne will without helpe of any man or Angell And in this regard it belongeth to him to giue sense of the Scriptures he alone gaue them he is the lawgiuer and must expound his owne law Secondly Christ alone must decide questions and controuersies concerning faith Then the Church hath not any such power but from Christ by helpe of the written word by which Christ expoundeth them to vs. The third part of this soueraigntie is that Christ can saue and destroy open and shut he alone hath the keys of heauen and hell he can open that is pardon sinne properly And he alone promiseth this pardon and can performe it being God and as he giueth the pardon for sinne so he giueth also eternall life sauing mens soules Secondly he hath power to shut to cast some into hell and to destroy when men liue in sinnes and dye in thē without repentance he hath power to hold men in sins after to cast them into hell and shut them vp for euer Seeing Christ prescribeth this doctrine to the soule and consciēce to the most secret part of mans soule such doctrine as can saue and destroy we see Christ he is Lord of the Church he is Lord of the most secret wils and affections of the chiefest part of the mind The Papists say that by vertue of this key of Dauid Christ can set vp and depose kings and princes at his pleasure but this they hold craftily to bring in the damned power of the Pope But it will do them no good for Christ as he is Mediator of the Church and gouernour thereof he deposeth none he maketh no king but as he is God so he maketh and pulleth downe at his pleasure being farre aboue all men And hence kings are called Gods because they represent Christ as he is God Christ as he is Mediatour maketh men spirituall kings but he maketh not temporall kings but onely as he is God For if he had such power why did he refuse to deuide the inheritance saying Who made me a Iudge and to punish the adulterous woman confessing he was not a Magistrate From this power is another deriued frō Christ namely the power of the keyes which proceedeth from the power of Christ and by which power the key of Dauid is put in execution Mat. 16. 19. I will giue thee the keyes of heauen Now this power of the keyes is a ministerie granted to the Church of God to open and shut the kingdome of heauen First it is a ministerie that is a seruice and dutie for that which the Ministers do is but a seruice done to the Church and they be but seruants and stewards of Christ in the Church of God in gouerning it So then it is no authoritie but a seruice When Adam fell we all fell in him and he thrust himselfe and all mankind out of Gods kingdome by his sinne closed vp heauen gates against vs. Now since that fall Christ became man and in his manhood dyed for our sinnes and made satisfaction to God for them and this satisfaction of Christ is the thing which properly openeth the kingdome of heauen and nothing else properly Christ alone can open and shut the Church can only reueale and pronounce the will of God then no otherwise she openeth or shutteth but by declaring the same to be open or shut To the Church of God That is to the companie of true beleeuers called to saluation by Christ to them onely is this key giuen Mat. 18. 18. the promise is made onely to the Church and Gods people not to all societies of men The end of it is to open and shut How Christ he knew best Ioh. 20. 23. where he sheweth what is the key and what to open and shut namely to pardon and remit sinnes and no way else can men open and shut Now we must distinguish betweene giuing sentēce pronouncing that sentence The first belongs to Christ alone the second to man who forgiueth sinne not by giuing sentence but pronouncing sentence giuen alreadie by Christ in heauen And to make the church to forgiue sinnes properly is to robbe Christ of a speciall honor due to his Godhead Then the right vse of the power of the keyes is when the church of God vseth them onely in the name of Christ to open and shut first as his seruants and stewards secondly according to his will and word not mans traditions and affections Thirdly to bring sinners to saluation to beget and continue them in repentance They being so vsed haue a promise namely What you bind on earth is bound in heauen c. and it is the means by which Christs power is put in execution Now this power of the keyes giuen to the Church hath two parts first the ministerie of the word secondly spirituall iurisdiction The first Mat. 16. 19. namely the ministerie of the word is set downe and authorised by Christ I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen that is the word of God and whose sinnes thou shalt bind by that word they shall be bound by the cords of their sinnes in heauen c. This ministerie of the word is a key to open and shut two wayes first by teaching expounding the word of God and doctrine of saluation and this is a key Luk. 11. 52. You haue taken away the key of knowledge The key of knowledge is the doctrine of the word of God Secondly the ministerie of the word is a key in men lawfully called in that they apply in the ministerie thereof the curses of the law to them which liue in sinnes and the promises of the Gospell to the repentant heart So it openeth and shutteth the kingdome of heauen for that which the Minister pronounceth by Gods word to be bound on earth is fast bound in heauen
c. Here we must remember that Ministers are either certaine or vncertaine of mens repentance being certaine they must remit sinnes certainely and simply but being vncertaine they must do it with condition and so they must simply or with condition remit and retaine sinnes Then in the publike handling of the word men must pronounce with conditiō seeing they be vncertaine who are penitent who not Their auditors are a mixt companie some beleeue and some do not beleeue Lydiaes heart is opened Simon Magus is hardened The second power of the keyes is spirituall iurisdiction it is called spirituall to distinguish it from mens and ciuill iurisdiction of the Magistrate It is set downe and confirmed by Christ Mat. 18. 16 17 18. and after the promise is added vers 19. 20. This spirituall iurisdiction is a power wherby the Church pronounceth sentence vpon an obstinate sinner and putteth the same sentence in execution It hath two parts Excommunication and absolution Excommunication is an action of the church in the name of Christ excluding an obstinate offender frō the outward priuiledges of the church and the kingdome of heauen That so much is in true excommunication we see 1. Cor. 5. the incestuous person must be excluded from the church and be thrust out into the kingdome and regiment of Satan and his body some way afflicted Math. 18. 17. if the offender will not repent being excommunicate he must be as a prophane man euen one which hath no title to the kingdome of heauen But some may say Christ onely can thrust them out of the kingdome of heauen It is true indeed so he doth properly yet the church pronounceth who be receiued and who refused as that an obstinate sinner is shut out of the church and withall shut from the kingdome of heauen she can debarre him of the outward priuiledges of the church 1. Cor. 6. the drunkard which liueth in drunkennesse shall not come to heauen vpon which ground the church shuts him out by her sentence euē out of the kingdom of God Christ. Ob. If this be so thē the true child of God may be shut out seeing he may fall to such sins Ans. He may in part and for a time not wholly and for euer because he may be ouertaken often but yet as a free citizen is known to be a free-man though he be in prison for a time and so hath no vse of his freedome so the child of God though in part for a time he be shut out hauing no vse of the kingdome of heauen yet wholly and for euer he is not but so soone as he begins to repent he shal be receiued againe Excommunication being so weightie a matter it must be vsed with great aduice and due preparation as we would when we cut off a leg or an arme not rashly for then we sin against the third commaundement seeing it is one of Gods speciall ordinances which we abuse whē it is executed for each smal offence This excōmunication hath one especial degree as 1. Cor. 16. 22. he which loueth not Christ let him be anathema that is accursed and wholly shut from the kingdome of heauen And this is onely pronounced vpon one which sinneth against the holy Ghost and then the church vpon sufficient ground may pronounce it But it is very hard to discerne this sin being more in the heart then any where else for it is a set malice against the person of Christ and that vpon knowledge Now contrary to excommunication is absolution when an offender vpon his sufficient repentance is approoued to be a member of the church and of Christ first Christ must receiue him then the church vpon his repentance pronounceth and declareth him to be receiued Further to know the power of the keyes we must know foure abuses crept in the vse of the power of them the first abuse was in former ages in that they gaue them onely to Peters person barred al other Pastors from them wheras they belong to al Pastors in their places as well as Peter Ob. Mat. 16. 19. Christ saith I will giue to thee Peter Ans. But before he spake to all the Disciples and Peter he being more bold and indued with aptnes answered in steed of all not that the rest did not answer but to auoid confusion he spake for them all ergo Christ speakes to him in stead of them al. Secondly Iohn 20. 23. he giues it to them al not to Peter alone And Ministers haue that power conueyed from the Apostles by vertue of Christs promise Mat. 28. he will be with them not onely in their persons but in them which followed to the end of the world to them I say which should preach and baptise as they did The second abuse is that the church of Rome hath turned the power of the keyes into the supremacie of the church for they make it a supremacie ouer al Princes and churches whereby they put vp and pul downe Kings and make lawes to bind all mens consciences For it is a seruice and no supremacy The third abuse is that they will haue onely the Clergie and not the Prince to deale in matters of religion but we reade the contrary in Gods word Iosias 2. Chron. 35. 32. he intends to banish idolatrie and to set vp the true worship of God and therefore causeth the people of Beniamin and Iudah to stand to his couenant his subiects to obey his intent and this is commended in him But they say that Princes haue not the chiefest power to gouerne because Pastors haue the power of the keyes Answ. Spirituall power is giuen to the Pastors to rule the church spiritually yet Princes haue power to rule the church ciuilly to cause their subiects to embrace true religion and to forsake idolatrie but then say some they should be vnder the Pastors Answ. If we consider the Pastors person and goods they be vnder the Princes but as they beare the key of Christ and his word the King must honour them for they stand in the stead of Christ but to make the Pastor aboue the Prince is a ready way to get all into his hand and a great abuse in the church of God The fourth abuse is that the Romish church hath turned the power of the keys into the hands of their Priests in the sacramēt of penance for euery Popish priest sits as iudge and euery man cometh to him kneeleth to him confesseth all his sinnes he can remember against euery commandement he inioyneth him to bewaile them and after some signes of repentance he forgiueth the fault and that properly as God doth yet after pardon he must vndergo some temporall punishment for he forgiueth the fault only not the punishment In which abuse note these errors First there is confession of all sinnes which hath no warrant in the word secondly he giuing absolution properly as God doth robbeth Christ of his honor for euē the Pharises confessed that God alone forgiueth sinnes
properly Thirdly they absolue from the fault but not the punishment and this is to enrich themselues and to get whole countries yea all mens lands and liuings into their owne hands Fourthly they will haue them make satisfaction to God which is impossible and withall maketh Christs satisfaction imperfect Now by these foure abuses it appeareth that Christ vnto thē is no true Christ but though the Pope giue the keyes of Peter the crosse keyes in his Armes yet he hath not the true vse of them nay seeing he maketh new doores as beside that of heauen and hel those of Purgatorie and Lymbus Patrum he must make new keyes to open them flat contrarie to the keyes of Christ. In that Christ is said both to open and shut we learne that he openeth not to all men and euery person but shutteth heauen gates against some for Adam falling from Gods fauour by his sinne shut out himselfe and his posteritie both out of the heauenly and earthly Paradise so that our sinnes be now as a partition wall and a cloud to separate God and vs. And for this euen for our sinnes Christ shutteth some out of heauen Then by this we see our miserable case for by our sinnes we be all shut out of heauen and vnder the power of Satan Our sinnes haue bene as so many bars to shut vp heauen gates which is no small matter yet the diuell bewitcheth vs and maketh vs thinke sinne is no sinne great sinnes be small small none whereas the least sinne is sufficient to shut vs out of heauen for euer Againe seeing sinne shutteth vs out of heauen we must repent for euery sinne for we cannot come thither if we liue in any one sinne euery sinne is a barre and locke to shut vs from Gods kingdome and we must labour to haue these bolts taken of which is only by the passion of Christ for that alone can take them away Thirdly we see that Christ opened heauen to some as to Nathanael in the ministery of the word and he hath now opened heauen doores by his death and traced the way by his blood Now the doore being open we must labour to enter in yea thrust and croud to get in That we may come thither we must become members first of his church on earth else we cannot come to heauen That we may do this first we must come to the doore namely the church before we come to the house namely heauen Now the church is the doore and in it is the key to open heauen gates namely the word of God That thou maist come into the church first humble thy selfe for all thy sinnes secondly trust in Christ for the free pardon of all thy sins and purpose in thy heart to liue a new life and constantly in all things to please God to the end and then thou art in the church and hast the key to open heauen gates But if thou come not to open this doore in this life where the key is thou canst neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen in the life to come Verse 8. I know thy workes From this eighth verse to the eleuenth is contained the matter of the Epistle containing three heads first praise secondly promise thirdly commandement The praise is in the eigth verse the promise is two-fold in the ninth and tenth verses the commaundement in the eleuenth 1. The praise is propounded summarily I know thy workes Then the reason why he praiseth her where the former words be expounded I know thy workes This hath bin expounded in euery Epistle I know and approue thy course and conuersation of life These words are repeated in euery Epistle to stir vp euery church and member of the same to the feare of God for Christ by these words would haue vs be perswaded that God is present with vs seeth all we do is an eye-witnesse of all our actions Then we should do all our actions as in his presence as before his Maiestie and where this consideration is not in some measure there is no feare of God nor true religion The reason of this commendatiō is added Behold c. here note two points first a signe of his approbation I haue giuen thee an open doore c. secondly what be the workes he approoued Thou hast a litle strength Behold c. These words may be vnderstood either of the Angell of Philadelpha alone or of the whole church both Pastor and people If of the Angell this is the sense Behold I haue giuen thee that is behold and consider I haue giuen and vouchsafed thee libertie and oportunity to preach my Gospel and by preaching to win and conuert sinners to me So 1. Cor. 16. 9. there Paul vseth the same words signifying by the doore of vtterance libertie and oportunitie to preach the Gospell of Christ. For thou hast a litle strength That is though thou be endued but with a small measure of gifts yet thou hast maintained the doctrine of saluation and not denied my Gospel in persecution Now Christ saying thus to this Minister that he had giuen him libertie to preach shewes it is a great priuiledge to preach the Gospell and to win soules to Christ for so much the word Behold and the words themselues import That it is so it appeareth in that the most worthy Prophets haue not had this graunted as Esay Ezechiel c. they hardened the people and they say they spēt their strength in vain did no good For this ministers are called the instruments of saluation Dan. 12. they shall shine for the winning of soules as stars in heauen Then they which haue this priuiledge should esteeme of it highly aboue any thing in the world for it is a most excellent dignitie aboue all earthly preferments for which we ought especially to magnifie Gods mercie For thou hast a litle strength Though thou hast but small measure of grace and gifts yet thou hast maintained my word Here we see that Ministers though indued with small gifts may do much good to the Church as this Angell of Philadelphia did and we haue seene by experience when as in Queene Maries time in this place learning abounded yet not one of them would stand out for the Gospell yet one not farre off hauing but small gifts in comparison of their schoole-learning stood out and sealed the profession of it with his bloud And so now men of smaller gifts further the Church and Gospell more then they which haue farre greater knowledge in the arts and tongs for such as haue greater gifts be commonly flacke so that they which be behind them in gifts an hundred degrees do more good in the Church then they by a thousand degrees Yet for all this men must be brought vp in learning and labor to know Arts and Toungs though we see it cometh to passe that men which want such schoole-learning they haue zeale and do more good then they which excell in them that so men of greater
of Christ and by the other be moued to the hatred of that false Church of Antichrist Now this text of Scripture She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great citie for of the wine of the fury of her fornication she hath giuen all nations to drinke offereth me three speciall things to be considered first what Babylon is secondly what is become of her and thirdly what is the cause of her heauie decay In the first part by the assistance of God I shall plainely shew and proue that Babylon is Rome In the second that Babylon or Rome by the iust iudgement of God is fallen yea she is fallen In the last the reason of this so sharpe sentence of God against her because she hath deceiued all the world with drunkennesse and whoredome Within the compasse of these three propositions I will keep my selfe in all my discourse sauing that by your fauour forasmuch as this is the middle voice of three Angels that speake in this Chapter for a Preface I will vse the voice of the first Angell of whose preaching this my text is a cōsequent and in the stead of a conclusion I will touch the voyce of the third Angel which is a consequent of this the middle Angels voice Concerning the preface it shall be this in few words After that S. Iohn had described the preseruation and vnitie of the Church of God in Christ their head euen in the midst of the furie of Antichrist vnder the figure of the Lambe standing on mount Sion with 144000. of his chast worshippers next he declareth that God would bring the same againe into the sight of the world by preaching of the Gospell and the ouerthrow of the kingdome of Antichrist Wherefore he sendeth an Angell flying in the midst of heauen or betweene heauen and earth bringing with him an euerlasting Gospell and preaching that all men should feare God and giue glorie to his name for the time of his iudgement was at hand and that they should worship him that made heauen and earth and all things that are in them A very Angelicall sermon indeed an euerlasting Gospell is that howsoeuer the enemies charge it with noueltie that teacheth to feare God to giue glorie to his name and to worship him onely that is the Creator of heauen and earth And a consequent of that Gospell is this Sermon of the Angell She is fallen she is fallen euen Babylon that great Citie For wheresoeuer men are taught to feare God aright to giue all glorie to him alone and to worship none other but him that made heauen and earth and all things in them contained there must needes follow a great fal and ouerthrow of Babylon and Babylonicall religion which teacheth the contrarie Wherefore if we loue the peace of Ierusalem to the ouerthrow of this her great aduersarie let vs imbrace this euerlasting Gospell that we feare God glorifie God and worship God alone Againe if we hate Babylon with a perfect hatred as we ought to do and therefore would seeke her vtter ruine and decay let vs procure that this Gospell may be preached that men may learn to feare honour and serue God onely and then vndoubtedly Babylon shall fall she shall fall I say she can stand no longer Let this suffice therefore for a Preface Now haue we to cōsider what Babylon is I haue vndertaken to proue that Babylon here spoken of is Rome But first I must admonish you how I vnderstand Rome And that is not onely for a certaine place in Italy compassed about with walles and furnished with buildings as other cities are but for that authoritie gouernment and preheminence which is challenged by meanes of that citie or for the Romaine Empire which is claimed by prerogatiue of the same citie and so is Babylon taken in the Scripture and namely in this Prophecie For in the eleuenth Chapter of this Reuelation the same great citie is called also Sodoma and Aegyptus where our Lord was crucified Sodoma for the great abhomination and filthinesse therein maintained and Aegyptus because it keepeth the people of God in miserable bondage and slauerie as Aegypt vnder Pharao did of old Whereby it is manifest that the great citie is to be taken for that tyrannie gouernment and preheminence as I said which is challenged in the right of that great Citie and so is the regiment and gouernance of the Romaine Antichrist depending vpon the prerogatiue of his See which is Rome Now if any will contend that Babylon must be taken in the proper sense for a citie in Chaldea onely as though we should looke for the See of Antichrist out of the East as the Papists for thirty or fortie yeares ago deuised a fable that was renewed also in Queene Maries dayes of a monstrous child which should be borne at Babylon which they would haue men suppose to be Antichrist he may be flatly conuicted of great ignorance whē the Angell in the seuenteenth Chapter of this Prophecie testifieth that her name is Babylon in a mysterie as in the eleuenth Chapter that she is spiritually called Sodoma and Aegyptus not in respect of situation of the place but in similitude and likenesse of conditions Wherefore it remaineth that according to my promise I proue Babylon here mentioned to be Rome The greatest controuersie that this day troubleth the world is where the true Church of God should be the Papists making great bragges that it is on their side we affirming that it is on our side This controuersie will soone be cut off and brought to an end if it may be shewed that Babylon is Rome for then cannot Rome be the Church of Christ but the Church of Antichrist And therefore it standeth me vpon to bring very good and substantiall proofes to maintaine this my assertion that Babylon is Rome But what proofes may be counted sufficient Is not the authoritie of holy Scriptures and the testimonie of auncient Doctors of the Church good and substantiall proofes Therfore if authoritie of Scriptures be a good and substantiall proofe ye shall haue Scriptures if consent of auncient Writers in the same sentence be of any value you shall haue plentie And first beginning with Scriptures I will not alledge such places as be hard and darke to vnderstand but such as be plaine euident and manifest and can receiue no other interpretation to satisfie the iudgement of any reasonable man I omit therefore so many figures as in this Reuelation do not very obscurely signifie but euen directly point at and paint out that Antichristian Church For although they do so aptly and fitly agree therto as a man might easily iudge they were made euen for the same purpose yet because they might be wrested to some other meaning if manifest places did not withstand I will leaue all aduantage that I might take of them and hold me onely at this time to those plaine and euident demonstrations which with no equitie nor conscience can admit any