Finally he addeth,1 and I have the keys of Hell and of death. By the which words again he comforteth exceedingly, and expresseth his power: and declareth how great he is, and what we have of him. Here must we speak by the way of the keep. The ordinary gloss sayeth very well: he that hath the keys of any house, sayeth he, letteth in whom he will, and keepeth back whom he will from entering in. Therefore Christ possesseth the keys of death & hell, for that whom he will, he delivereth from perpetual condemnation of death: And whom he will,2 he suffereth to remain justly in the same danger of damnation. And verily Isaiah in the 22. speaking of Eliachim, whom he sayeth should be made Judge in the court of Hezekiah: I will lay sayeth he the key of the house of David upon his shoulder: which shall open, and no man shall shut: shall shut, and no man shall open. Therefore are the keys put in the Scripture for the charge and government of the house. Eliachim shall govern all thing in the Court of Hezekiah uprightly. What soever he shall determine, no man shall infringe, that which he shall abrogate, no man shall restore. Christ therefore, a figure of whom Eliachim represented, shall him self have also the chief government in the house or kingdom of God: so that whom he will, he may quicken, and pluck back from hell and from damnation: And again whom he list to condemn, he may destroy by his just judgement. For he hath most full power over death and hell.3 For both two hath he overcome and made weak. And these things comfort the faithful most strongly, and retain them in all Godly duties. And that same is chiefly to be observed, that he sayeth not, he had the keys, or shall have, but I have, sayeth he, I have I say. He gave not his power to the Bishop of Rome, but hath i• him self, and will keep it still for ever. And he gave ⟨p. 44⟩not to the Apostles full power of life & death, of salvation and damnation,4 and so unarmed him self: but he gave the keys of opening and shutting heaven, as it were to his Ministers & servitors, by the preaching of the Gospel: by the which he promised life to all that believed, Christ him self should give that life for the truth of the promise: To whom so ever they should threaten damnation, Christ him self should condemn for the truth of his word.
Finally he addeth,1 and I haue the keyes of Hell and of death. By the whiche woordes againe he comforteth exceadingly, and expresseth his power: and declareth howe great he is, and what we haue of him. Here must we speake by the waie of the kepe. The ordinary glose saieth very wel: he that hath the keyes of any house, sayeth he, letteth in whome he wil, and kepeth backe whom he will from entring in. Therfore Christ possesseth the keyes of death & hel, for that whom he will, he deliuereth from perpetual cōdemnation of death: And whom he wil,2 he suffereth to remaine iustely in the same daunger of damnation. And verely Esaye in the 22. speaking of Eliachim, whome he sayeth shoulde be made Iudge in the courte of Ezechias: I wil laye sayeth he the keye of the house of Dauid vpon his shulder: whiche shal open, and no manne shall shutte: shall shutte, and no man shal open. Therfore are the keyes put in the Scripture for the charge and gouernement of the house. Eliachim shall gouerne all thinge in the Courte of Ezechias vprightly. What soeuer he shall determine, no manne shal infringe, that whiche he shall abrogate, no manne shall restore. Christe therfore, a figure of whome Eliachim represented, shal him selfe haue also the chiefe gouernment in the house or kingdome of God: so that whom he will, he may quickē, and plucke backe from hel and from damnation: And againe whom he liste to condemne, he may distroie by his iuste iudgement. For he hath most ful power ouer death and hell.3 For bothe two hath he ouercomen and made weake. And these thinges comforte the faithfull moste strongely, and reteyne them in all Godly duties. And that same is chiefly to be obserued, that he sayeth not, he had the keyes, or shall haue, but I haue, sayeth he, I haue I saye. He gaue not his power to the Bishoppe of Rome, but hath i• him selfe, and will kepe it still for euer. And he gaue ⟨p. 44⟩not to the Apostles ful power of life & death, of saluation and damnation,4 and so vnarmed him selfe: but he gaue the keyes of opening and shutting heauen, as it were to his Ministers & seruitours, by the preaching of the Gospell: by the whiche he promised life to all that beleued, Christ him selfe shoulde geue that life for the truth of the promise: To whom so euer they should threaten damnation, Christ him selfe shuld condemne for the truth of his woorde.
- 1Christ hath the keys of hell and of death.Christ hath the keyes of hell and of death.
- 2The keysThe keyes
- 3Ose. 13. 1. Cor. 15.
- 4The keys of heaven given to the Apostles.The keyes of heauen geuē to the Apostles.
