Clavis mystica a key opening divers difficult and mysterious texts of Holy Scripture; handled in seventy sermons, preached at solemn and most celebrious assemblies, upon speciall occasions, in England and France. By Daniel Featley, D.D.

* 1.1APOC. 1.18.

I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keyes of hell and of death.

THese words are a parcell of that booke, the reading whereof the ancient Church esteemed so profitable and needfull, that they en∣joyned all upon paine of excommunication to reade it once a yeere, between Easter and Whitsontide: Qui eam à Paschate ad Pentecosten non legerit, excommunicationis sententiam habeat. The words of my Text in speciall are verba pronuntiata verbi annuntiati, the words spoken of the word fore-spoken, the Sonne of God, who is so carefull not to breake the bruised reed, that hee seeketh to expectorate all feare out of the mindes of all true beleevers by the force of many arguments.

The first is drawne à potentiâ Dei, I am the Creatour and Judge of your persecuters; therefore feare them not.

The second à praerogativâ Christi, I am the first and the last, and will take notice of every one that hath been unjustly put to death, and make inquisition of bloud, from the bloud of the righteous Abel, to the bloud of the last Martyr that shall bee shed upon the earth, and will require it of them that have spilt it. I am the first: for, in principio erat Verbum; and I am the last, novissimus Adam, manifested in novissimis diebus, to come in novissimâ tubâ, and take account of novissimus quadrans; I am hee that liveth, &c.

Here omitting the vaine glosses and collections of some, who turne an history into a mystery, and apply ridiculously S. Johns falling before Christs feet, men∣tioned Ver. 17. to the kissing of the Popes Pantofle; and the description Pri∣mus & novissimus, the first and the last, to a Prelate or Pastour, who ought to be primus ad laborem, novissimus ad requiem, first at his labour, and last at his ease; I take these words with Saint Austine to bee Symbolum abbrevia∣tum, wherein wee are to observe,

• 1. The death:
• 2. The resurrection of Christ,
  • 1. Prefaced with a note of attention, Behold.
  • 2. Sealed with a note of certainty, Amen.
• 3. The fruits and issue of both,

• ...
  • 1. In us,
    • 1. Freedome from death.
    • 2. Assurance of life.
  • 2. In him, the power of the keyes,
    • ...1. Authoritativè.
    • ...2. Possessivè, I have.

I am alive, and I was dead. Et quando vixisti, bone Jesu? when didst thou live, sweet Jesu? from the time thou leftest thy Fathers bosome, and satest on thy mothers knee, jam extunc dura pati coepisti, saith Saint Bernard. Many a time have they fought against mee from my youth up may Israel, nay, the God of Israel say. And this some will have to be signified in the phrase, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I was made dead, not strucke downe at one blow; that might have beene a favour: Quid dabis ut uno ictu mortem afferam filio? but hee was put to a tedious and lingring death: [Doctr. 1] Nay, Saint Gregory saith, Tota vita Christi crux fuit. The Sonne of God humbled himselfe; that is not enough, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hee emptied himselfe, made himselfe of no reputation, and became Homo, & in homine infra hominem: nam flagellari ingenui non est, to bee scourged is no in∣genuous punishment. But it may bee the shame was lessened, because of his Crowne: What Crowne, I pray you? thornes platted upon his tem∣ples? O Regem, O Diadema, O King, O Crowne, saith Bernard: See, O yee daughters of Jerusalem, behold King Solomon with the Crowne wherewith his mother the Synagogue crowned him. But the worst is behinde, hee is condemned to dye: Why, what hath hee done? Is hee a disturber of the peace, who being scarce borne gave peace to all the world, who himselfe is the Prince of peace, and his word the Gospel of peace, and his messengers the Angels of peace, and his man∣date the same with that of Theodosius to Demophilus: Si tu pacem fu∣gis, ego te ab Ecclesiâ meâ fugere mando, If thou flyest peace, I com∣mand thee to get thee packing out of my Kingdome? Did hee bla∣spheme, because hee said, I am the Sonne of God? Si opera Dei facit, quid prohibet Filium Dei appellari? Was hee against the tradition of the Elders? onely against such as annihilated the Law of God, against such upon whom the name of blasphemy is written: such as are those of the Church of Rome. Traditio multis partibus superat Scripturas, saith Costerus: and Salvâ Ecclesiae traditione, non multùm refert etiamsi Scripturae aboleantur. Was hee a malefactour, of whom all the people witnessed, Rectè omnia fecit? All this notwithstanding hee is condem∣ned to dye, and to that death which the Holy Ghost speakes not of with∣out a gradation; Mortem autem crucis: nor the Heathen Oratour with∣out a Quid dicam in crucem tollere? Yet all this is but Joseph his coate torne with the teeth of wilde beasts: Vasculum Anaxarchi, non Anaxarchus. Wee heare of the outward man in agone, not the in∣ward man in agoniâ. I dare not set the paines of the damned, Gods

wrath, and Christs body in a ballance; Crux Christi statera est, saith Saint Bernard. I like in such points rather a Divine of the temper of the Lacedaemonians, In ea quibus fidit vix ingredientem, than an Athe∣nian, Supra vires audacem, liable to Archidamus his checke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Aut adde viribus, aut adime animo.

[Use 1] Is it so (Beloved?) was Christ dead indeed? here seemeth to be mat∣ter for them that are without, to scoffe at Christian Religion: Homi∣nem colitis, hominem Palaestinum & crucifixum adoratis pro Deo: and, Deus vester patibulo affixus est, say the Heathen, Yee worship a God who was put to death and crucified. Wee doe so, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, nay, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it was necessary and expedient that hee should so dye: If the wheat corne dye not in the earth, it abideth alone; but if it dye, it bringeth forth much fruit: Gratias ago tritico quòd sic mori voluit & multi∣plicari. Wee say with Tertullian, Quòd Deo indignum est, nobis ex∣pedit: with Saint Jerome, Injuria Domini nostra gloria: and conclude with Saint Ambrose, Quanto major injuria, tanto major ei debetur gratia.

[Use 2] Was Christ dead? then was our old man crucified in him, and wee are dead to sinne: how then shall wee live therein? I have put off my clothes, saith the Spouse, how should I put them on? I have washed my feet, how should I defile them? To lay downe our sinnes, or put them off is not sufficient, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they must bee mortified: and this is that death which Saint Leo saith is precious in the sight of God, cùm oc∣ciditur homo non terminatione sensuum, sed fine vitiorum.

Behold, I am alive for evermore. Of the divers significations of Ec∣ce two serve for our purpose; Ecce insultationis, and Ecce consolatio∣nis: Ecce insultationis, as behold hee commeth with the clouds, &c. Ecce consolationis, as behold the stone that the builders refused is be∣come the head of the corner. So here for the terrour of Infidels and Persecuters of Christs Church, and for the comfort of the faithfull an Ecce is prefixed: Behold, hee that was dead is alive. Behold the sweet flower of Jesse withered and defaced in his Passion, but re-flourishing a∣gaine in his resurrection, and in him is the blooming and springing of all that love his Name.

I am alive. Other doctrine, saith Tertullian, Christ preached per semet∣ipsum; but this of the resurrection in semetipso. Alive for ever. The Scripture speaketh of some that rose mortui, sed morituri. Christ so rose, ut nunquam cadere adjiciat, being risen from the dead hee dyeth no more, death hath no more power over him. Amen is a note of cer∣tainty, like Selah in the Psalmes, which (as a seale) is put by the finger of the Holy Ghost to the words of that God, who is Deus Amen, and whose promises are Yea and Amen.

[Doctr. 2] From this Amen and the former Ecce wee are taught, That the Holy Ghost laboureth to secure us and confirme us in the certainty of the do∣ctrine of the resurrection, knowing it to be the faith and patience of the Saints: Fiducia Christianorum resurrectio mortuorum, saith Tertul∣lian. If our hope were in this life onely, wee were of all men most miserable, saith Saint Paul. And the rather doth the Spirit ascertaine

this doctrine, because it hath many enemies, Atheists, Libertines, and sundry sorts of Heretickes besides. The Atheist thinketh there is no re∣surrection, because hee seeth no reason for it: to whom, though it were sufficient to answer with Gregory, Fides non habet meritum, ubi ratio humana praebet experimentum; and with Saint Ambrose, Credimus piscatoribus, non dialecticis: yet to reason a little with these unreasona∣ble men in the words of Saint Paul,* 1.2 Why seemeth it incredible unto you, that Christ should raise the dead? Is it not as easie to restore life, as to give it at the first? to raise man out of ashes, as to create him at first out of the dust? Considera autorem, & tolle dubitatio∣nem, saith Saint Austine. The Libertine would have no resurrection, that hee might still enjoy the pleasures of sinne, and sacrifice to his bel∣ly: but for him there is first a Text of counsell,* 1.3 Awake to live righte∣ously; and if that will not serve, a Text of judgement,* 1.4 Whose end is damnation, whose god is their belly. Of Heretickes that profes∣sedly oppugned the doctrine of the resurrection, some taught that there is no resurrection at all, as the Saduces; some that the resurrection was already past, as Hymineus and Philetus. Satan is a subtle Ser∣pent, and turneth divers wayes to get in his head. Before Christs death hee worked powerfully in the children of disobedience; in Judas to betray him, in the Pharisees to accuse him, in Pilate to condemne him: but after knowing that the time was come, that the Prince of the world was to bee cast out by the death of Christ, hee was much troubled, and la∣boured by all meanes to hinder Christs Passion: Utinam ne in nemore Pelio, hee wisheth there were no wood in all the world to make a Crosse of: hee workes remorse in Judas, giveth him a halter to hang himselfe: hee employes Pilates wife to send to her husband, to have no∣thing to doe with him. When hee was fast nailed to the Crosse, hee set∣teth the Jewes upon him, to see whether they could perswade him to de∣scend from thence. After this hee spreads abroad a rumour, that Si∣mon Cyreneus was crucified for him, or if hee were crucified, that it was but in appearance onely, and that hee was falsâ pendens in cruce Laureolus: and when his resurrection was so palpable, that it needed no other argument than the amazement of the watch, and Pilates letter to the Emperour, hee suborned a desperate rout to sweare, that his Disci∣ples stole him away by night. After all this hee stirred up certaine Heretickes, who taught, that albeit Christ were indeed risen, yet that wee were not to expect any future resurrection, because the resurrection was past already. But all these shall find, that there is a resurrection for them, to wit, Resurrectio ad condemnationem.* 1.5

[Use 1] Is it so, that Christ our head is risen? then shall wee his members rise also. For hee is primogenitus mortuorum, & primitiae dormien∣tium: the first fruits are carried already into the celestiall barne, and the whole crop shall follow. And this may bee a staffe of comfort to all drouping and fainting soules, ut tali exemplo animati, sub ictu passio∣nis, as Cyprian speaketh, non retrahant pedem, that they draw not backe, but courageously goe on forward to make a good profession, as being se∣cure, Christi milites, non perimi sed coronari, & bonam mortem esse

quae vitam non perimit, sed adimit ad tempus, restituendam in tem∣pore, duraturam sine tempore. This was Jobs comfort, I know my Redeemer liveth: and of other distressed ones, who would not bee deli∣vered that they might bee partakers of a better resurrection. An anci∣ent father giveth these words for a Christians Motto: Fero, taceo, spero; Fero meam crucem, ut ille suam: taceo, quia tu, Domine, fecisti: spero, quia utique fructus erit justo.

[Use 2] Is Christ risen from the dead? then wee that are his, are risen with him, at least in the first resurrection: if therefore yee are risen with Christ, seeke the things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of his Father.

This indeed ought to bee so, but wee finde it otherwise; never more preaching of the resurrection, and never lesse fruit. For all seeke their owne, and none the things that are Jesus Christs. So that Bernards observation fitteth our time: Vides omnem Ecclesiasticum zelum fer∣vere pro solâ dignitate tuendâ, honori totum datur, sanctitati nihil: and againe, all men learned and unlearned presse to Ecclesiasticall cures, Tanquam sine curis quique victuri sint, cùm ad curas pervenerint. The Apostle telleth us, Qui Episcopatum desiderat, bonum opus desi∣derat: non dignitatem, saith Saint Jerome, sed laborem: non delicias, sed solicitudinem: non crescere fastidiis, sed decrescere humilitate: Nay, not onely opus, but onus also in Saint Bernards judgement, though perhaps some Atlas's may thinke they never have load enough. But are the Laity more excusable, who buy and sell the poore for shooes and gay apparrell, and strong drinke? to whom (mee thinkes) I heare the poore cry, Et vos vanitate peritis, & nos spoliis perimitis. How many are there of them, who ingrosse the Lords portion, and bestow hallowed things upon worse than vanity? Wee have a saying against them also out of the same Saint Bernard: De patrimonio crucis Christi non facitis codices in Ecclesiâ, sed pascitis pellices in thalamis; adornatis equos, phale∣rantes pectora, capita deaurantes. Is this our resurrection from sinne? Saint Paul giveth this lesson with a memento, Remember, saith hee, O Timothy, that Christ is raised from the dead. It is a truth as stable as the poles of Heaven, that wee shall have no part of the second resur∣rection to the life of glory, if wee have not a good part in the first to the life of grace.

And I have the keyes of Death and of Hell. They are well called keyes of Hell, because there are Inferorum portae mentioned in the six∣teenth chapter of Saint Matthew:* 1.6 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. There are many opinions about these keyes; some will have them to bee two, Clavis cognitionis, and Clavis authoritatis: but Allensis and the Schoole∣men denie knowledge to bee a key, except in an improper speech, Quia requiritur ad usum clavis; and they doe well to denie it: for what key of knowledge had that Priest, of whom the Master of the Sentences ma∣keth mention, who baptized in nomine Patria, Filia, & Spiritua sancta? Bonaventure ingenuously confesseth, Quidam in Ecclesiâ habent clavem, quidam claviculam, quidam nullam. Neither doe they stand much upon it; for another of them saith, Dicit Doctor meus, & citat divum

Thomam, quòd quando Apostoli erant ordinati, Sacerdotes erant sine scientiâ. Yet Bernard in his Epistle ad Eugenium maketh knowledge one of the keyes, Claves vestras qui sanùm sapiunt, alteram in discreti∣one, alteram in potestate collocant. [Doctr. 3] The most received opinion of the re∣formed Churches is, That there is but one key in essence, and that is Ministerium Verbi. The Kingdome of God is compared to a house, the doore of this house is Christ,* 1.7 the key to open and shut this doore is the preaching of the Word: Wee are the savour of death unto death unto some, there is the power of binding; to others of life unto life, there is the power of loosing. Hee that refuseth mee, the word which I have spoken shall judge him, there is the power of binding; againe, The truth shall make you free, there is loosing. But how many soever the keyes bee, Christ hath them, Non solùm authoritativè, sed etiam pos∣sessivè. What meaneth then Bellarmine in his bookes de Romano Pon∣tifice to imply, that the keyes remaine in Christs hands onely at the va∣cancy of the Popedome? What a blasphemy is that of Cusanus, who saith, that potestas ligandi & solvendi non minor est in Ecclesiâ, quàm fuit in Christo? and that of Maldonatus, Christus Petro vices suas tradi∣dit, ipsamque clavem excellentiae, that key of David, which openeth, and no man shutteth? Or if hee have not this key so absolutely as Christ, yet beyond all comparison above other Bishops; they have the keyes of Heaven, sed quodam modo, and with an huc usque licet. Whereupon Petrus de palude observeth, that it was said of them, Quaecunque sol∣veritis in terrâ, erunt soluta in coelo: but of Saint Peter, Brunt solu∣ta in coelis. Pardon, I beseech you, the enlargement of this point; Blasphemiae dies haec est, Rabsakeh hath blasphemed the living God. The Pharisees and Scribes accounted it blasphemy to attribute forgive∣nesse of sinnes to any but God. I am hee that blotteth out thine ini∣quity, saith God by the Prophet Esay: Whereupon Saint Jerome com∣menting, saith, Solus peccata dimittit, qui pro peccatis mortuus est: and Saint Austine accordeth with him, Nemo tollit peccata, nisi so∣lus Deus; tollit autem dimittendo quae facta sunt, adjuvando ne fiant, & perducendo ad locum ubi fieri non possunt. What then doth the Minister upon confession and contrition? Hee pronounceth the penitent absolved; or to attribute the most unto him, hee absolveth the person in facie Ec∣clesiae, remitteth not the sinne absolutely before God. Saint Ambrose shall make up the reckoning: Verbum Dei dimittit peccata: Sacerdos est Judex, Sacerdos officium exhibet, sed nullius potestatis jura ex∣ercet.

[Use 1] 1. Hath Christ the keyes of death and hell? O then let us kisse the Sonne, lest hee bee angry, and so wee perish out of the right way.

[ 2] 2. Hath Christ the keyes of hell and death? if then wee belong to Christ, and follow his banner, let us not care what death or hell, man or divell can doe against us:

Transvectus vada Tartari, Pacatis redit inferis.

Jam nullus superest timor, Nil ultrà jacet inferos.

Jesus of Nazareth is returned from hell, not as Theseus and Hercu∣les, with a Crosse and a Flagge; but with principalities and powers chained before his triumphant chariot: he doth not now threaten death, as before, O mors, ero tua mors; but insulteth over it: O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thankes bee unto God, who hath given us victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Cui, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A Sermon preached on Easter Mon∣day by Master Dunster, fel∣low of Magda∣len Colledge, and Proctor of the University of Oxford.
• * 1.2

  Acts 26.8.
• * 1.3

  1 Cor. 15.34.
• * 1.4

  Phil. 3.19.
• * 1.5

  John 5.29.
• * 1.6

  Matth. 16.18.
• * 1.7

  John 10.7.