countrey to countrey In most schooles of learning for many hundred yeares the diuell had his thrones For therein was nothing taught but errors heresies and most abhominable idolatries In these our dayes the diuell hath his thrones among vs where any wizard dwelleth or cuÌ„ning person as they are called for thither whole countries do flocke for helpe and for counsell and so yeeld homage to Sathan All dicing all brothel houses wherein abhominable wickednesse is freely committed are Sathans thrones Yea all those families are the diuels thrones where men liue without loue or practise of religion in blindnesse and ignorance in blasphemie drunkennesse whoredome iniustice or any such impieties And in reason it must needs bee thus for the diuell being a prince of this world will haue his throne in some parts thereof Hereby we see it is most needfull in euerie Christian kingdom there should be thrones of iustice in ciuill courts for the maintenance of equity the reward of vertue and for the repressing of iniustice and iniquitie And also thrones of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction for the reprehending and punishing of all those sinnes which the ciuill court reacheth not vnto And it is necessarie that in these thrones iustice should bee administred without partialitie that Gods throne may bee erected which is opposit to the throne of Sathan Againe the diuels cunning appeares notably in the choise of the place where he setteth vp his throne it was no petty towne or village but a chiefe and famous citie which had beene the seate of many kings This hath bene his practise in all ages to chuse the chiefest places for the seat of his throne Great Babylon in Scripture is called A citie of iniquitie that is a throne of the diuell And Rome that was once a famous church is now and hath beene long that spirituall Babylon the throne of the diuell Yea in Ierusalem the city of the great king had the diuell got vp his throne when Christ called the temple a den of theeues And in our dayes the people of great towns and cities are generally more backward in embracing the gospell than in little villages The cause hereof is the malice of the diuell who will haue his throne in chiefest places for the greater hinderance of religion there he much preuaileth by choaking the word with pride profit and pleasures causing them to content themselues with a forme of godlinesse when as they want the power thereof And thus he dealeth in greater townes that thence impietie may be deriued to the countrie round about as tradesmen do their wares from place to place And therefore the people of great townes especially must labour not onely to know the gospell but to beleeue and obey the same Euery man must reforme himselfe and euerie familie themselues that Gods throne may be established the diuels throne battered down among them Secondly whereas this church dwelleth where the diuels throne is wee may obserue whence the church of God is gathered namely out of Sathans kingdome Gods church is a company of men ordained to saluation taken from vnder the power of the diuell though after their calling they be Gods peculiar flocke yet they are by nature the children of wrath Thus Paul speaketh of all the Gentiles Act. 26.18 And particularly of the church of Colossa Colos. 1.13 that God deliuered them from the power of darknesse and translated them into the kingdome of his deare sonne Hence we learn I. That no man is to stand vpon his his gentilitie or glory in his parentage for nobilitie and great bloud but onely reioyce in this that hee is drawne out of the kingdome of darknesse and from vnder the power of Sathan and placed by Christ Iesus in the kingdom of grace For what will it profit a man to weare about his necke a chaine of gold if so be his heart will affections bee chained to the diuels seruice and what auaileth it princes to sit vpon their stately thrones if they themselues be in subiection vnto Sathan and do homage vnto his throne yea what will all the treasures honors and pleasures of the world auaile to him that is debarred from the riches of Gods loue in Christ and destitute of the treasures of his grace and so led captiue by Sathan at his will and pleasure Secondly some do thinke that a man may be saued by any religion the Iew by his religion the Turke by his and the Papist by his c. Yea it is the common receiued opinion of our ignorant people that euerie one shall bee saued by his good meaning But all these are meere dotages of mens braine for a man may hold his good meaning and yet serue the diuell at his throne It is not sufficient to hold this or that religion or to practise ciuill vertues as iustice temperance c. vnlesse a man be one of Gods church seuered froÌ„ the company of theÌ„ that serue Sathan Thirdly here all Gods seruants haue a notable meanes of stay and comfort in afflictions If they be persecuted and cast into most darke dungâ—ons for the name of Christ they must call to mind that they are taken out of the diuels prison in the kingdome of darknes and placed in the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ and made members of his church and shall be inheritors of his glory Fourthly hence wee learne that the preaching of the gospell hath in it a diuine power no creatures except the good Angels haue power comparable to the diuels and yet the preaching of the gospell is stronger than al the power of Sathan for it gathereth a church where the diuell hath his throne it deliuers men from vnder the power of Sathan and placeth them in the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God although therefore it be preached by sinfull man yet it must be reuerenced as the power of God and his owne arme to saue his elect Fiftly hence wee gather that God will haue his people to dwell with wicked and vngodly men for the church of Pergamus dwelleth where Sathans throne is This hee doth with wicked and vngodly men for good causes I. That their faith obedience and repentance might be exercised and they preserued from many sins which otherwayes they should fall into Moses telleth the Israelits that the Cananits must not be all cast out at their first entrance but dwell among them lest wild beasts did grow vp which would deuour them so the wicked must dwell among the godly to exercise Gods graces in them lest they fall into sinne and securitie II. That they might shine foorth as lights vnto the wicked by their godly conuersation Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blamelesâ—e and pure the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middes of a naughtie and crooked nation and among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding foorth word of life And thus the godly must do that by their vnblameable life others might bee wonne to the faith for godly example is a
them signifying that this Church had speciall care of keeping Gods word in euerie Commaundement both legall and euangelicall Happie were our Church if the same might truely be said of vs that we had care of obedience vnto God and of the true profession of his name But generally we faile in practise though in outward profession we make some shew thereof Thus much of the praise of this Church Vers. 9. Behold I will make them of the Synagog of Satan which call themselues Iewes and are not but doe lye behold I will make them that they shall come and worship before thy feete and shall know that I haue loued thee Heere followes the second part of this Epistle namely the Promises of Christ which are two First concerning the conuersion of certaine Iewes vers 9. Secondly concerning the deliuerance of these Philadelphians in the time of temptation vers 10. For the first of these promises In all likelyhood there was in this Citie of Philadelphia a Synagog of the Iewes which bare an outward shewe that they were the true worshippers of God albeit they denyed the name of Christ and persecuted his Church Yet Christ here promiseth that he will conuert them and make them members of his Church and cause them to worship him in the congregation before this Church of Philadelphia In this promise note three points touching the conuersion of these Iewes The Author thereof The parties conuerted and the fruit of their conuersion For the first I saith Christ behold I will make them The wordes are verie significant being doubled and they make Christ the whole and sole author of their conuersion Hence we learne that in the conuersision of a sinner God hath the whole and sole worke true it is that a man willeth his conuersion in the act thereof but yet it is God that worketh that will in him it is not of himselfe This confuteth the erronious Doctrine of free-will in the Church of Rome whereby they teach that a man can dispose himselfe to worke out his saluation being onely helped by Gods grace Like vnto a sicke man who though he bee weake yet being holden vp by another can goe of himselfe Ans. But Saint Paul teacheth vs That a man by nature is not sick or weak with sinne but starke dead in sinne and can no more mooue himselfe in the worke of his conuersion thaÌ„ a dead man in the graue in the worke of his resurrection But they say by this wee make a man like vnto a blocke Answ. Not so for though hee cannot turne himselfe vnto God yet hee hath his will and vnderstanding free to vse in ciuile and outward actions and besides theâ—e is a possibilitie in his nature to bee conuerted by grace which is not in a blocke Again wheras Christ sayth I will make them come and they shall come Heere is plainly confuted the Doctrine and opinion of some which hold That a man being effectually called may come vnto Christ or not come at his pleasure when God hath giuen grace man may receiue it or refuse it if hee will This is flat against this text for God will make them come and mans will must bee plyable to Gods will in this matter But they alleage Mat. 23.37 Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem how oft would I haue gathered thee as a hen c. but thou woldest not Answ. Christ there speaketh not of the wil of his good pleasure for that cannot be resisted But of his signified will in the ministerie of his Prophets and by himselfe as hee was a Prophet and the Minister of circumcision vnto the Iewes for so he might will their conuersion and yet they will it not Obiect 2. Act. 7.51 Ye stiffe-necked Iewes ye haue alwayes resisted the holy Ghost Answ. That must be vnderstood of the ministerie of the Prophets and Apostles who spake by the spirit of God and not of the spirit himselfe II. point The parties conuerted namely Them of the Synagog of Satan Such as called themselues the onely true worshippers of God and yet indeed and in truth were no better than the slaues of Satan This is to be obserued for hereby we may see that not onely sinners which commit small sinnes are conuerted vnto God but euen grieuous and ancient sinners such as haue long concâ—â—ued the slaues of Satan Christ died not for painted sinners but for grieuous sinners and therefore Paul chargeth Timothy and the Ministers with him To waite for the conuersion and repentance of them that were taken in the snare of the Diuell and that according to the Diuels owne will Rom. 1.28 Paul speaketh of some Gentils that were giuen vp to a reprobate sence which was a fearefull case and yet no doubt many of them were after turned to beleeue the Gospell for such are they that are taken in the snare of the Diuell and yet there is repentance to be wayted for of them This Doctrine must not bee abused to libertie in sinning for that is the right way to cast our soules into the pit of destruction But yet seeing Christ will bring home into his kingdome most greeuous sinners we must hereby take occasion not to be discouraged either by the greatnesse or multitude of our sins from comming vnto Christ. For marke Christ only raysed three that were dead to life Iayrus daughter that was newe dead the widowes Sonne that lay on the herste and Lazarus that lay stinking in the graue This is a notable figure of the conuersion of sinners hee will not onely call to repentance small and young sinners but euen great and old sinners that lye rotting and stinking in the graue of sinne as Lazarus did in the graue of death Hee came to call sinners to repentance and to saue the lost sheepe which are readie to bee deuoured by Woolues and wilde beasts Wee must all blesse the name of Christ for this his large mercie and in time lay hold vpon it and repent III. point The fruite of their conuersion in these wordes They shall come and worshippe before thy foote and shall knowe that I haue loued thee These wordes may bee fitly expounded by another place of scripture 1. Corinth 14.24.25 If all prophesie and there come in one that beleeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and iudged of all so as the secrets of his heart are disclosed and he will fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainly God is in you indeed so that the meaning of these words is this I will cause theÌ„ to come to the coÌ„gregation of Gods people at their feet to fall downe and worship the true God Heere are set downe twoo notable fruits of the conuersion of a sinner First concerning God The second concerning the Church The fruit of conuersion that respecteth God is The true worship of God noted in these words I will make them come and worship that is In spirite and truth with bodie and soule to adore the true
persuaded that as the members of a body being once dismembred they cannot possibly be ioyned againe so if naturall brethren be once vnnaturally disioyned no glue will conioyne them fast againe It were infinit to shew examples of brotherly loue and hatred and otheâ—s haue eased me of this paines Now that good God who hath brought you from one roote placed you in one countrey aduanced you to like credit and giuen you one heart giue you also one inheritance in the kingdome of heauen Thus right worshipfull I am bold to speake vnto you and the world knoweth I speake the truth and the Lord knoweth I desire not to flatter Go on therefore I beseech you continue in loue bee setled in the truth and labour to honour him who thus honoreth you Be not caried away with the shew of this world but thinke religion the best nobilitie and that as Prudentius sayd Generosa Christi secta nobilitat viros Cui quisquis seruit ille verè est nobilis He noble is that comes of Christ his race Who serues this Lord he surely is not base And this made Theodosius more to thanke God that he was a Christian than a king considering that hee must lose the one hee could not lose the other Now as to one of you I am bounden in parcicular and by him being a Minister the despised ministerie is not a little graced â—o for him I pray that hee may be an Abraham to our Abimelech a Nathan to our Dauid a Iehoida to our Ioash an Ebedmelech to Ieremiah an Elisha to the widow of this Prophet deceased a light in the Court a trumpet in the Church and that Ahashuerosh may long hold out his golden Scepter vnto him that by his meanes great men may not want such as will tell them the truth no earthly Alexander accounted a sonne of Iupiter and that no man may be more respected than a good Pastor and that he may euer remember that saying of wise Salomon He that loueth purenesse of heart for the grace of his lips the King shall be his friend His Cyrus will not be spoken to verbis bissinis in silken words to his Alexander he needeth not speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either sweet words or no words For if one Antiochus might bee surnamed holy and another good Prince called the Good King much more may he whose religious knowledge surpasseth all the Princes that haue beene of this nation and whose humilitie is such that hee will haue his sonne to remember that hee differeth not in stuffe but in vse from the rest of his people and that by Gods ordinance I am the bolder for that one to make choyce of all in the dedication of this booke no man knew loued conuersed with and respected this Author more than he He resorted to him in his health visited him in sicknesse and preached a learned Sermon for him at his death Concerning this author as he sayd of Carthage I had rather bee silent then say little and his worthie labours doe speake enough for him by name that his Posthume dedicated to his excellent Maiestie by an excellent Diuine In a word therefore whatsoeuer this man did he desired to profit others by it he thought as it is written of Bernard in his life that hee was not his owne man but deputed to the seruice of others He was neuer idle but as Hierome reporteth of Ambrose and Bernard of himselfe he did either reade or meditate or pray or conferre or counsel or comfort or write or preach And thus as the Embleme is of a faithfull Teacher he like a waxe candle in giuing light to others in a short time extinguished himselfe Yet in this short time of his what art was he not maister of what vertue was hee not endued with He was a complet Diuine and hath his blessings in the Church that no mans writings are read of all sorts and in all countries with greater grace and profit than his Hee was peaceable in the Church patient of wrongs and free from ambition For as Ierome sayd of Nepotian Aurum calcans schedulâ—s consectabatur hee regarded not his purse but followed his booke and as Bernard sayd he liued in terra auri sine auro in a kingdome of gold without gold An excellent gift he had to define properly diuide exactly dispute subtilly answere directly speake pithily and write iudicially and how hee preached if these Sermons doe giue a testimonie what witnesse had they who often heard him themselues I haue published of his now two Discourses and I onely did it that these his labours might not perish I haue no benefit by them but exceeding great paines And since I vnderstand that his other labours are in the hands of his friends to make benefit for his children I will ease my selfe of the like labour and be a meanes that they may haue the benefit of the future impressions of this booke the which how faithfully I haue published I appeale to the godly and indifferent Reader and I hope no honest minded man will be hired to calumniate it Thus as one desirous to be seruiceable in my calling profitable to the Church not forgetfull of my friend and to testifie the happinesse of your house which was in your fathers time and is now as it is sayd of Aurelian the Emperours Refertapiâ—s Ecclesia Dei replenished with the godly and a Church of God and withall to leaue a monument of my duty to you all I haue as you see published this exposition of seuen Epistles vnder your eight names nothing doubting but it will bee as welcome to you as by your countenance it may bee profitable to the Church The God of heauen giue you all that blessing of blessings which if Ierome say true few men haue that you may transire à deliciis ad dilicias go on from grace to grace and be a long time happie in this life and euer for happie in the life to come London Saint Martins in the fields from my worshipfull friend Maister Oldisworths house by which familie as Paul was by the house of Onesiphorus in the time of this late and I wish I may say the last visitation I haue receiued no small refreshing March 12. 1604. Your Worships to command Robert Hill Fellow of S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge To the Godly and Christian Reader Grace and Peace I Am not ignorant good Reader how vngratefull a thing it is to deale by way of Censure or reformation in those things wherin others haue gone before and many times for the smart that followeth do men beshrow their owne fingers Yet the warrant of a good calling will breed peace in his conscience that herein shall endeuour the obseruance of these rules of Loue to wit Iudge the best of that which is done and referre his owne paines to the glorie
Yea hee is holy in regard of men in a further respect namely as the roote of all mans holinesse as he is Mediator For looke as from Adam is actually conueyed originall sinne to euery one of his posteritie that commeth by naturall generation so from Christ is righteousnesse and holinesse conueyed to all that beleeue in him and for this cause hee is called our righteousnesse and sanctification and in this sence especially is Christ said to be holy in this place Whereas Christ is said to bee holy not only in himselfe but for vs here we must marke what is the principall thing in Christian Religion namely to haue care to bee ingraffed into Christ that from him wee may receiue grace to become new creatures and feele in vs his power to kill our corruptions and dayly to renew his owne Image in vs in righteousnesse and true holinesse and that as truely as wee feele in vs Adams corruption It is not sufficient for vs to plead that Christ will bee our Sauiour and will free vs from all sinnes but wee must labour to haue Christ conuay holinesse into vs and that as sensibly as wee see the roote conuay sappe into the branches and this holinesse wee must make to appeare in our liues as the branches by their fruit and leaues doe shew they receiue sappe from the roote Secondly here note Christ propounds himselfe vnto vs and to all Churches as a notable patterne to be followed giuing vs to vnderstand that all that beleeue in him and looke to be saued by him must bee holy as hee is holy making conscience of euery euill way for Christ is holy to make vs holy Let vs therefore behold Christ and see wherein hee expresseth himselfe to be holy and therein let vs follow him So Iohn saith Hee that hath this hope purifyeth himselfe as hee is holy that is vseth all good meanes to conforme himselfe to Christs holinesse Thirdly hereby wee learne that the common title giuen to the Pope whereby hee is called Holinesse is a blasphemous title for to be holy is here made a propertie of Christ. And yet more is giuen to the Pope than to Christ in this place for he is called Holinesse which is a title of God alone The second propertie whereby Christ is described is Truth Christ is sayd to bee true in three regards First because hee is without all error or ignorance knowing euery thing as it is Truth is in Christ properly and in the creatures onely by meanes of him Secondly because whatsoeuer hee willeth and decreeth he doth it seriously without fraude deceit change or contradiction as the whole tenure of Scriptures doe shewe wherein euery part is sutable and agreeable to another because hee maketh good euery promise made in his word for in him all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 Whereas Christ is sayd to bee true yea Truth it selfe First Wee learne a full difference betweene him and all false wicked spirites for they are spirites of error and falshood for the diuell is the father of lyes and the author thereof Againe whereas Christ is true in all his wayes we ought without all doubting to beleeue his word and all the promises made therein that concerne our saluation If Christ could erre or lye and men bee deceiued by him then they might iustly doubt of the truth of his word but seeing hee is true in all his promises wee must beleeue in him and in all our distresses either of bodie or mind depend vpon him for he hath made a promise to helpe and he will neuer faile them that rest on him Thirdly in this Propertie hee propounds himselfe an example to be followed of his Church and of vs that as Christ is serious in his decrees and constant in his promises so must wee purpose euery good thing seriously and also make good whatsoeuer good thing wee promise For Lyers must bee destroyed Psalm 5. Vers. 6. They that loue or make Lyes must neuer come into Heauen but â—e shut out thence and cast into the burning Lake of fire and brimstone Reuel 22.15 But it is a note of a man that is a good member of Gods Church in this world and that shall bee inheritour of Christs Kingdome in Heauen to speake the trueth from his heart Psal. 15. Verse 22. And Lying is a note of the childe of the diuell Ioh. 8.44 Secondly Christ is described by his kingly office Which hath the key of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth VVhere first let vs see the meaning of the words For which purpose wee must haue recourse to Esay 22. vers 22 whence these wordes are borrowed being there sayd of Eliachim The circumstances of that Text will easily shew the meaning of the wordes in this place Shebna who had been an ancient Steward to many of the Kings of Israel was Treasurer also vnto King Hezekias And because hee was an hinderer of Reformation intended by Hezekias the Lord threatned to cast him out of his office and further the Lord signifieth that Eliachim shall come in his roome and haue the same office now to expresse this thing the Lord sayth The Key of the house of Dauid shall bee layd vpon his shoulders That is Eliachim shall bee made a Steward of the house of Dauid euen of the Kingdome of Dauid whereof Hezekias was Gouernour for so the House of Iuda and the House of Israel are often put for the whole Kingdome of Iuda and Israel And the giuing of a Key was an ancient token of placing and inuesting men in chiefe rule and authoritie so that the meaning of this place is this that God hath giuen vnto Christ soueraigne power and authoritie of gouerning his Church Quest. But why is Christ sayd to haue the Key of Dauid for Dauids kingdom was a temporall kingdome but Christs Kingdome is not of this world Iohn 18.36 And yet it is said The Lord God shall giue vnto him the Throne of his father Dauid and hee shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob Luk. 1.32.33 Answ. Christ may bee sayd to haue the Keyes of Dauid two wayes First Properly for when hee was borne of the blessed Virgin Marie he was borne King of the Iewes by right descent from his father Dauid as his Genealogie plainely sheweth Luk. 3. And also the question of the wise men at Ierusalem saying Where is the king of the Iewes that is borne Mat. 2.2 And therefore when the Publicans asked tribute of him he pleaded the priuiledge of a Kings sonne albeit to auoyd offence he was content to yeeld of his right to pay tribute Thereby shâ—wing that he had right to the Kingdome of Israel though he would not take it vpon him therfore came in such a time when the Kingdome was taken of the Romane Emperour Secondly he may bee sayd to haue the key of Dauids kingdome Tipically for Dauids kingdome was a figure of Christs kingdome and
Dauid himselfe a type of Christ as it is most excellently dysciphered in the Prophets Ier. 23.5.6 Hosea 3.5 where Christ is plainly called Dauid by the name of him that was his type signe figure Quest. Why were not as well the Kingdomes of Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh types of Christs kingdome as Dauids Answ. Because Dauids kingdome was a kingdom of light and pietie but theirs were kingdomes of sinne and iniquitie And he is said to haue the key of Dauids kingdom because his kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof was figured by the pietie in Dauids kingdome And this kinde of speaking is iustifiable by Gods word So Mat. 2.23 Christ is called a Nazarite which place hath relation to that which is said properly of Sāpson who was a most excellent figure of Christ and did most notably represent him in his death wherein hee killed more than in his life Now Christ is called an Nazarite not because he obserued their rites and orders for that he did not he dranke wine so did not the Nazarites but because he was the truth and substance of that order for in him was fully accomplished that holinesse which was figured by that order for he was perfectly seuered from all sinne and pollution And so here he is said to haue the key of Dauid because hee had the soueraigntie which was figured by Dauids Kingdome Which shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth Here Christs kingdome is compared to a house which can bee opened and shut by none but Christ whereby is signified that none hath power aboue Christ in his Kingdome and that his power therein is soueraigne and absolute So that hereby is meant that Christ Iesus sitting in heauen hath soueraigne power and authoritie ouer the whole Church of God to gouerne the same That we may the better vnderstand this soueraigne power of Christ we must know it hath three parts I. To prescribe II. To iudge III. To saue or destroy In Prescribing Christ hath absolute power and that in sundry things as first in prescribing doctrines of Faith and Religion vnto his Church to bee beleeued and obeyed and that on paine of damnation This power he puts in execution when in the bookes of the old and new Testament hee prescribeth the doctrine of the Law the Gospel to be obeyed and beleeued And none but he can make an Article of Faith or a law to binde the conscience and therefore Paul saith Whosoeuer shal teach any other Doctrine then that which ye haue receiued of vs let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 Secondly for regiment he hath absolute power to prescribe how he will haue his Church gouerned and by whom and therefore Moses when he was to make the Tabernacle did all things according to the patterne that the Lord gaue vnto him So Dauid gaue to Salomon patternes of all things that were in him by the spirit touching the building of the house of God 1. Chron. 28.12 Thirdly hee hath absolute power to appoint the time of keeping his Sabbath for as the ordaining of a Sabbath belongs to Christ so doeth the changing thereof hee that prescribeth worship must prescribe the ordinary set time thereunto which is to continue to the end And therfore it is but an opinion of men to hold that the church may make two or moe Sabbath dayes in a week if they wil. Fourthly In prescribing the Sacramēts and therefore Paul saith What I haue receiued of the Lord that deliuer I vnto you speaking of the Lords Supper For hee that giues grace must also appoint the signes and seales of grace The second part of Christs soueraigne power is power of Iudgement which is a soueraigne power to determine on his owne wil without the consent of others or submission to men or Angels And in determining Christ hath two priuiledges First to expound scripture the absolute power of expounding the Law belongeth to the Law-giuer and his exposition is Authenticall Secondly to determine of all Questions and Controuersies in Scripture And therefore it is a wicked opinion of the church of Rome which hold that the principall Iudge of interpreting Scripture and decyding controuersies is the Church The third part of Christs soueraigne power is to saue and destroy This is expressed in these words Hee openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth and for this cause he is sayd to haue the keyes of hell and of death Whereby is signified first that hee hath power to forgiue sins for that hee procureth at his Fathers hands Secondly that hee hath power to condemne for when men beleeue not his word hee hath power to hold them in their sins for which he can cast them into hell The ground of this three-fold power of Christ i◠this because hee is soueraigne Lorde ouer his Church and the members thereof The Church of Rome saith that this key of Dauid hath more in it then soueraigntie ouer his church to wit a power to make and depose Kings that bee in his Church This they teach that they might proue the Pope to haue title in ordayning and deposing of kings by vertue of the keyes But they erre grosly for though Christ as he is Mediatour bee aboue all kings yet in that regard hee neither maketh nor deposeth any kings and therefore he saith plainly My kingdō is not of this world This caused him to refuse to take vpon him the office of an earthly Iudge or prince to deuide an inheritance betweene two brethren Hence it was that he refused to giue sentence of the adulterous woman And yet as Christ is God hee maketh or deposeth earthly kings so the wise mail speaketh of him in the person of wisdō by me kings raign For the further cleering of this we must handle another point which is deriued hence concerning the power of the keyes which is a power whereby the power of the keyes of Dauid is put in execution This power of the Keyes is mentioned Mat. 16.19 when Christ saith vnto Peter I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen This power of the keyes is a ministery granted to Gods church to open and shut the kingdome of heauen First I call it a Ministerie that is a seruice because whatsoeuer the church doth in Christs name is nothing but the duetie of seruantes vnto their Lord from whence it is that the most worthy members and officers that euer were in the Church as the Prophets and Apostles were but the Ministers of Christ. That this is a seruice I shew more plainely thus When Adam fell in his sinne all mankinde fell with him and thereby were all barred from the kingdome of heauen Now since that fall Christ became man and in his manhood satisfied the iustice of God for mans sinnes And this