A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

The passage to grace and mercy is open, and ready to entertain all entering feet. From the first fall, sin had shut it up, but now CHRIST hath opened it, Revel. 3.7. He that hath the key of David openeth, and no man shutteth. The Pope presumes he hath that key, and lets in whom he pleaseth: Oh miserable man, why doth he not then let in himself? Idolaters, Sorcerers, Adulterers, Heretics, have had that imaginary key; yet could they get no entrance into heaven. Only CHRIST opens that gate, and gives entrance. Thrice was heaven opened to himself: at his Baptism, Matthew. 3.16. at his transfiguration, Matth. 17.5. at his ascension, Act. 1.9. I know that the apertion of heaven doth often mean a manifestation of Gods glorious power only: but in these places it signifies visibilis caeli scissuram, ut aliquid planetis & astris superiùs perspiciatur; a visible fissure of heaven, that something might be seen far transcendent to the stars and planets. Such an apertion was to Saint Stephen, Act. 7.56. Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Praevidebat Stephanus, quod Stephano providebat Dominus. The Lord afforded him a vision of that, whereof he was instantly to have the fruition. The like patefaction was to Peter, Act. 10.11. He saw heaven opened. Those visible scissures were figures of this invisible entrance. Into the Sanctum Sanctorum, the type of heaven, went only the high Priest once a year: but CHRIST at his death rent the veil of the Temple, to signify that he had made now a clear passage for all believers, Hebr. 9.8. The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the Holiest of all, was not yet made manifest, while as the first Tabernacle was standing. Indeed it is true, that from the beginning heaven was not shut to the faithful; for how then did Abraham enter into blessednesse? Non clausum fuit Judaeis, sed non apertum fuit omnibus. As it was not shut to the Jews, so it was not open to the Gentiles. For they were aliens from the common wealth of Israel, and so strangers from the covenants of promise,