12evelattonofthe Apocalypse. CAP.;. Godly conftantly thefe holy ordinancesof God. The ChurchofFrance hath Philadel- been hitherto preferved no otherwife than the three children in the i hïa. burningfurnace, whowould have thought that the Hollander: could have fo long endured the fury of Philip, the cruell threats and af- faults of the Prince of' Alba, and of fo many bloodyTyrants ? But he is true and truayof his word, that hathpromifed to give thisho- nour to his Saints, that they_Mouldbind. Kings in chaines, and theirho- nourable men infetters of Iron, Pfal.149.8. And to run thoroweve- ry thing, it is thy proteFtion alone molt high and mighty God, who art conftant in thypromife, whereby they could be fafe, as who are perfecuted with deadly hatred by almoft infinite enemies, and to whommanyof their fained friends cannot with very well, for very envy they bearea ain't them. He that hath the Keyof David. Thethirdproperty of C x rt 1 s z belongeth alfo to the fame government 6f his. C H R I S openeth and fhutteth the way to the kingdome of heaven to whom it pleafeth him, ofhis owne kinglypower. Which power of his, hegranteth to all his fervants, that doe purely and fincerely preach the Word, but yet is molt clearely to bee feene in that part of his Government, whereby obflinate finners, which will not yeeld to admonitions, are given up to Satan by the Ecclefiafticall cenfure, and are cart out of the Church, yea, the very kingdome of heaven ; according to that, whatfoever yee'hall bindon earth, itfball be bound in heaven, andWhat things foever yee fliall loofe on earth, they ,ballbe lootedin heavenfor Where tWoor three aregathered together in my Name,th re amI in the midli of them, Matth. t 8. 18, ao. By thefe words there- fore it is declared, that there is a very effectuall power in thefe Chur- chesof' opening and Íhutting, of binding and looting, yea evenof the whole admini(tring of the cenfures. And what godly man doth not from his heart give thankes to God, and extolleth not with con- digne praifes the holy labourof this Church, by meanes whereof he hath reftored the decayed difciplinc, and that recalled it to the fquare of truth, and to the pradifeof :he primitive Church ? But we mutt obferve that this Key was calledabove, Chap. 1.18. the Key of Death and Hell; noting out by this one other part, the Whole powerof theKeyes. It is therefore a fcarefull Key to the wic- ked (howfoever they doe fècurely defpife it) which bolteth up the gateof heaven againft the wicked that are cart downe.into hell; and no ieffe joyful' it is ro the godly, which dock unlocke this doore to them , that fo thry may enter in by it to everlafling life. But why
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