íZ ./fevelatiof ofthe Apocalyplle. C A r.1. after the manner of the Hebrews. Thefe words belong to the third. Fountains, which is Chrifí, whomwe call the third, according to thatplace he hath here, not in the order ofperfons. He was put offto this place,becaufe there was a longer thy tobe made in his defct4p tion; and the thankfgiving was tobe begun at him,as by whofe merit alone, we are madepartaker ofall good things. Now firft he men- tionethhis prophetical) office,calling him a faithfull witnelTe, that is, one that hath taught faithfully, truely and plainly the whole will of God, as far as was requifrte for mansfalvation. For the whole Do- ¿trineof the Gofpel is wont to be called a witnes,as it is in 7oh.3.I I: and 5. 3t, 32. and i8;7. r Tim.6.13. Now canthere be any vain or falfe matter within that tettimony which floweth from fofaithfull a )dinef[e ? Or Both it agree with his faithfulnelfe to conceale any thing from us, as the which is not tobe fetched fromany other place, but from out of the clofet ofthe Bifhop ofRamesbref13:" Chiefly feeing . he hath no where,no not in oneword intimated any fuchftorehoufe, whence to fetch it ? But thefe be the dotages ofwitneffes,as vain and as little to be milted, if it may be, as this heavenly and moft"true wit- nt.fbis true. Thefirfi bornfrom the dead: Thefe words belong to his Preifthood, wherein ,he overcame death by death,andmade a full fatisfa&ion for fins. For this is to befirft born from thedead; himfelfe firft ofall to rife againeafter he had vanquifhed death, whom death would never have let go, if he had had the leaft right to k'eepe him #till with him -. felf For which caufe the Apostle faith that he rafe againefor ear jts- ffification, Rom.4. 25 now he feemeth to becalled thefirft bornfrom the dead; after a concife manner offpeech, and by way ofdi tributi- on, which more fully fhould be fet down thus , thefirft born ofthem that rife againefrom thedead ; Inwhich words two things are iigni- fled ; Firiti that he is the Prince and headof Chafe that rife againe, as theApoftle explaineth it, Col. 1. 18. And`, he is the beginning and the ftrfi bornfrom the dead, that bemight bechiefamong them all ;, And ,Therefore alto is he called thefirsfruit's ofthem that f ept, i. Cor. 15. zo. The fecond,that he [hall at la raife upothers alto from the grave by his own power, even as he himfelfffeaketh; f wilt raife him upat the lat day, Iohn 6. 39, 4o. Which two things belong to the elect a- , tone. For neither is he the head of theReprobates , neither will he raife them up at the la(t day, that is, in glory as theelect, ,butonel'y, the force ofthat curfe ( at 1eáat day thoseAalt sate thereef, thoufhalc certainly dye,) Gen. 2.17. (hall reftorc their bodies unto them, in which.
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