Matth. 13. 17. Whereby as it was signified Matth. 13. 17. unto Paul in his conversion to the Gospel such a light shined from heaven farre surpassing the light of the Sunne Acts 26. 13. as that it makes the children Acts 26. 13. of God to shine in the sight of God as gloriously as the light of seven dayes or as if seven Sunnes did shine forth together in them and upon them But when is this performed In the day that the Lord shall binde up the breach of his people and heale the stroke of their wounds that is when Christ dying to abolish the sins of his people and rising again for their full Justification shall thus perfectly and gloriously heale the wounds of their sinnes for by his stripes onely we are healed Esay 53. 5. Dan. 9. 24. Esay 53. 5. Dan. 9. 24. The marginall note of the Bible upon the place Whereupon it is truly testified by the marginall note upon this place that when by the comming of Christ the Church shall be restored the glory thereof shall passe seven times the brightnesse of the Sun Which Calvin upon the same place expresseth yet more fully saying Calvin upon the same place Tanto Dei splendore illustrandos esse pios significat c. that is he signifieth that the godly shall be enlightened and shine with so great splendor and glory ut si coacerventur septem soles c. that is if seven Sunnes should meet together their brightnesse and glory The glory of Christian righteousnesse is unuâ—â—erable would be farre lesse than the glory of Gods children Which similitude although it confirmes the saying of Saint Paul that the righteousnesse of Christ administred unto us doth bring upon us exceeding glory 2 Cor. 3. 9. 2 Cor. 3. 9. and seemes unto the naturall eye uncredible yet the testimony of Luther is most true saying Thus we must magnifie the Article of the Christian righteousnesse against the righteousnesse of the Law and works albeit no eloquence is able sufficiently to set forth the inestimable greatness thereof Hence it is for this inestimable greatnesse of glory wrought though mystically yet truly and spiritually upon the children of God by Justification fully revealed and exhibited in the Gospel Rom. 3. 21. that Rom. 3. 21. the state and condition of Gods children under the time of the Gospel is every where in the New Testament called The Kingdome of heaven which when it The estate and condition of the beleevers is called the kingdome of heaven and why but began to be preached it suffered violence and the violent took it by force for who would not presse with all violence into such free-given glorious righteousnesse so certainly placing us in the kingdome of heaven in this life and in the kingdome of glory in the life to come For which cause Christ himselfe testified of Iohn Baptist saying Verily I say unto you Amongst them that are borne of women there hath not risen a greater Prophet than Iohn the Baptist Why Because he passed all the other Prophets by preaching and sealing by Baptisme a fuller exhibiting of the glory of Free Justification by pointing to Christ and saying Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinne of the world Iohn 1. 29. And was filled with joy inhearing the voice of the Iohn 1. 29. Bridegroome that was now come to the Bride to effect the same Iohn 3. 29. Whereby even in his dayes the Kingdome Iohn 3. 29. of heaven suffered violence and the violent took it by force And yet notwithstanding Hee that is least saith Christ in the kingdome of heaven is greater than he Matth. 11. 11. By which kingdome of heaven hee Matth. 11. 11. doth not meane the place of glory above but the time from which Christ groaning out his blood and life upon the Crosse cryed out that that which Iohn Baptist spake of was finished Ioh. 19. 30. namely that the Iohn 19. 30. seventy weeks of yeers whereof Daniel prophesied that Christ should die to finish transgression and to make an end of sinne and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse was now fully accomplished because with that one offering of himselfe upon the Crosse he hath made perfect forever all them that are sanctified Heb. 10. Heb. 10. 14. 14. whereby as Calvin truly saith for the inestimable flowing store of grace and the incomparable strength and glory that above the dayes of Iohn at length appeared in his resurrection it is now not without cause said that the heavenly Kingdome of God is erected in earth for the bringing in of such an everlasting and glorious righteousnesse as makes us in the sight of God perfect forever making also the true Beleever that by the eye of faith feeth and enjoyeth the same to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Is not this state and condition justly and worthily called the Kingdome of Heaven therefore Christ speaking of the time of the Gospel calls it every where the Kingdome of Heaven saying Mat. 22. The Kingdome of heaven is like a certaine King which makes a marriage for his Sonne the surpassing royalty of which marriage is such and so great that whosoever comes to the same in this glorious wedding-garment of the Bridegroomes righteousnesse freely offered is in this Vesture of the Gold of Ophir married to this Royall Bridegroome and is made his Bride and Queen in this glorious robe of his own righteousnesse for evermore Is not this state justly called the Kingdome of heaven And is expresly testified by S. Paul saying The Kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost And whosoever in these things namely in this Evangelicall righteousnesse and in the peace that comes thereof for being justified by faith that is made perfectly and thus gloriously holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in the sight of God freely and passively we have peace towards God Rom. 5. 1. and in the joy of the holy Ghost serves Christ for this is the true service wherein Christ will only bee served Phil. 3. 3. he is Phil. 3. 3. acceptable unto God and approved of men Rom. 14. 17 Rom. 14. 17 18. 18. This is the Kingdome of heaven which the Lord of wisedome it selfe commands us first and above all things to seek saying seek yee first the kingdome of God but if thou ask the way and gate how thou maystenter Quest thereinto he shewes thee also saying first and before all things seek Gods righteousnesse for this Gods righteousnesse the gate to heaven brings thee into his kingdome placeth thee in his perfect love and favour and causeth that all other necessary things for this life as food and rayment fit for thy place shall be even cast upon thee Matth. 6. 33. Matth. 6. 33. Whereupon it is truly said of the learned Expositors Est siquidem hoc regnum regnum Christi c.
time hitherto these witnesses Now when the rising Solis Iustitiae of the Sun of righteousnesse had dispelled the mist of this pedagogie Iohn Baptist being filled with joy in hearing the voyce of the Bridegroome began so to open the Kingdome of Heaven by preaching and sealing by Baptisme such a cleere manifestation of free justification that not only unperfect Apollos that knew but the Baptisme of Iohn only became servent and zealous in the way of the Lord Acts 18. 25. but also many others were so replenished Acts 18. 25. with joy and zeale that they even pressed with violence into the Kingdome of Heaven and the violent tooke it by force Mat. 11. 11 12. And such were the children of Mat. 11. 11 12. the middle time in the time of Iohn Baptist But now thirdly the third time from which Christ Thirdly the time from which Christ groaned out his blood and life Iohn 19. 30. groaned out his blood and life upon the Crosse crying out it is finished Iohn 19. 30. namely that both Culpa the sinne it selfe and reatus the guilt and poena the punishment and all by the full exhibiting of the wedding-garment by this infinite meanes of his owne death upon the crosse are so utterly and infinitly abolished and such an everlasting righteousnesse is so fully brought in upon Gods children and his glorious resurrection manifesting this righteousnesse to bee so fully wrought upon us that this time is most glorious of all yea as the Apostle saith Exceeding in glory 2 Cor. 3. 9. 10 11. For now is fulfilled and finished that 2 Cor. 3. 9 10 11. Zechat 13. 1. Prophecy of Zechary saying In that day there shall bee a fountaine opened to wash away sinne and uncleanesse Why were not the sins of Gods people washed away before that day that the Prophet speakes of Yes but whereas they had before vessels as the Brazen Sea and such like to wash in signifying their spirituallwashing then at that day of Christs death the full flowing fountaine of Christs blood should so abundantly wash them cleane from all their sins that they should from all their uncleanesse be made in the sight of God whiter than snow Now is fulfilled and finished that Prophecy of Daniel saying Seventy weekes are determined upon thy people to finish transgressions and to make an end of sins and to make a reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse Doth the Prophet promise here no more than the people of God had before those seventy weekes what a kinde of prophecy were that yes although all the children of God had as Calvin saith a little sip taste of all these graces by which they were saved yet the full fountaine and flowing streame of them were after those seventy weekes of yeares at the death of Christ poured out upon the holy City of Gods Church in a more excellent manner and in a more abundant measure And this the Prophet Ieremie also testifieth to be proper to the time of Christ saying thus in those daies and Ierem. 50. 1â—â— at that time saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for but there shall be None This None spoken as God speakes in truth is a glorious condition but when shall this be even in those dayes and at that time that Daniel before spake of namely at the death and resurrection of Christ wherein as Calvin speakes The flowing store of Christs riches are disbursed unto us Hence come those mighty voyces of the dispensers of Gods mysteries before set downe full of spirituall Majesty and glory passing the Ministery of Iohn Baptist Namely first of Luther saying And that there is no more sinne in the Church since Christ now reigneth marke here is the third time specified since Christ now reigneth wee daily confesse in the Apostles Creed when we say I believe that there is an holy Church which is indeed nothing else but as if we should say I believe that there is no sin in the Church of God for they which believe in Christ are no sinners but are holy and righteous Lords over sin and death and living forever But faith only sees this c. So likewise doth Calvin magnifie this third time saying Now therefore under the new Testament God doth not so much as remember our sins because there is now made one cleansing for them all once making us perfect for ever Otherwise the Prophet should say in vaine or to no purpose that this should be the benefit and glory of the new Testament that God will not so much as remember our sins any more Ierem. 31. 34. Hence from the glory Ierem. 31. 34. of this third time is that saying of Luther That whosoever have not confidence in this one point that his sins are so perfectly taken away and utterly abolished out of Gods sight now by the blood of Christ that God doth see no sin in us without doubt they are damned viz. so long as they continue to rob this third time of her glory and Christ of this full revealed efficacy of his blood And what should I stand to recite any more of the witnesses of the glory of free justification before set down seeing as one saith of Luthers speeches so I may say of all their testimonies before expressed that they are sayings of high contemplation of Christ and mighty voyces of free justification full of spirituall Majesty describing the glory of this third time which Saint Paul saith doth exceed in glory and wherein as Calvin truely saith the least Minister doth now in his Ministery Calv. Institut lib. â— cap. 94 Sect. 5. excell and passe Iohn Baptist because he could not thus expresse this same incomparable strength and glory which after Iohns time appeared in his resurrection which glory Peter doth generally describe to consist 1 Pet. 1. The glory of the new Testament consists in three things mainely in three things First that the old Prophets did diligently search into this glory but found that the full streame thereof should not bee administred unto them but unto us Secondly that it should consist in the sufferings and most wonderfull actuall death of the very Son of God Thirdly in such glorious effects ensuing the same that the very Angels stand in admiration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the glories that follow upon those actuall sufferings of the Son of God For now the vaile of the Paedagogie before mentioned is rent into two pieces from the top to the bottome Mat. 27. 51. Now the way to the holy of Math. 27. 51. Heb. 9. 8. holyes before shut up is gloriously opened Heb. 9. 8. Now the Queen comes forth cloathed with the vesture of gold of Ophire being all glorious within Psal 45. 9. 13. Psal 45. 9 13. and enters with joy and gladnesse into the Kings palace verse 15. that is into the Kingdome of heaven here Verse 15. set up on earth by Christ which is
the joyfull glorious time and state now under the Gospel Mat. 11. Math. 11. 11 12. 11 12. which Kingdome of heaven is this glorious new-revealed righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost unspeakable and glorious Rom. 14. 17. 1 Pet. Rom. 14. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1. 8. Now this Queen makes her children Princes in all lands Psal 45. 16. Revel 1. 6. Now appeares the Psal 45. 16. Revel 1. 6. great wonder in heaven a woman cloathed with the Sun and having the Moon under her feet and a crowne of twelve starres upon her head as shall be further shewed in the second part of Justification Now we see the Bride that was before a child and under the rod must not now if she chance to tread her foot a little awry have the rod brought forth againe to whip her being a Bride and a Queen and in her marriage attire and wedding-garments Revel 19. Rev. 19. 7 8 9. 7 8 9. Now the heires that were before haeredes pupilli heires in their non-age are now become haeredes adulti emancipati that is come to their full age and freed from their former child-like condition because we have as the learned interpreters shew◠received Ius Adultorum consisting in a threefold prerogative The threefold prerogative of the new Testament contrary to the three former infirmities of heires in their non-age as First we are more capable to conceive by the death of Christ of ripe understanding to understand thereby the greatnesse of the rich treasures of the Gospel if preachers be faithfull to lay out the worth and glory of the same as S. Paul said To me is given this grace that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Because the saying of Calvin Institut lib. 2. cap. 11. sect 5. 6. is most true that it is meet that the presence of Christ should have this excellency of prerogative that from it should arise the cleere revealing of the glory of the heavenly mysteries whereby we attaine in a manner into the secret closets of heaven Whereupon Brentius also Brentius in Galat 4. 1. truly saith Tempus Evangelii facit statim ex auditoribus summos Doctores hoc est perfectè justos non quidem in carne sed in Christo that is the Gospel makes us of hearers presently great Doctors that is perfectly righteous not indeed in the feeling of the flesh but as we are translated into Christ And therefore for this first prerogative is the joyfull exclamation of Christ very patheticall worthy greater marking and better feeling and experience in our hearts saying Blessed are your eyes for that which you see and your eares for that which you heare for many Kings and Prophets have desired to heare those things which you heare and have not heard them Mat. 13. 16 17. Math. 13. 16 17. The second priviledge is That we are emancipati freed from that schoolmaster-like government and paedagogicall whippings that held the old people of God in bondage and feare like children and servants this saith Calvin being the summe of difference between Institut lib. 2. cap. 11. sect 9. the old Testament and the new that the old Testament did strike into mens consciences trembling and did drive to obedience with feare but the new carries us to the glorifying of God with fulnesse of joy The Apostle plainly testifying that the Law was a schoolmaster to drive to Christ that we might be made perfectly holy and righteous in the sight of God freely by faith and then flatly avoucheth that faith being once come wee are no more under the schoolmaster Galat. 3. 24 25. Gal. 3. 24 25. The third prerogative of heires come to their full age that we are now in this third time entred into is a fuller enjoying and reall possession of the fuller revealed riches and treasures of the Gospel whereupon Calvin truly saith that whereas the old people had but Institut lib. 2. cap. 9. sect 1. 4. a sip of the treasures of the Gospel there is offered unto us now in the Gospel such a plentifull enjoying of the same that for the inestimable flowing store of those riches exhibited to us it is now not without cause said that at Christs coming the heavenly Kingdome of God called the Kingdome of heaven is here erected in earth because the children of God are hereby entred into a fuller fruition of all the unsearchable riches of the Gospel which the very Angels desire to look into whereby being mounted upon the chariot of the Gospel running upon these foure wheeles First Wisedome Secondly Righteousnesse Thirdly Sanctification And fourthly Redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. 1 Cor. 1. 30. they are swiftly carried to the glorifying of God in all joy and zealous conversation Tit. 2. 14. And these are the Tit. 2. 14. children of the new Testament these are the right children of the Gospel and these are the true and naturall children of faith And thus doth this third time viz. of the Gospel excell both the other times and exceed in glory for thus saith the Apostle If the ministration of death graven in the tables of stone was glorious so that the children of Israel could not abide to behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away how shall not the ministration of righteousnesse that is this third time fully exhibiting the righteousnesse of Christ making the children of God perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely much more exceed in glory changing us into the same image from glory to 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10. glory 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10. And thus the least minister in this kingdome of heaven here upon earth by laying out and administring these full treasures of the Gospel is greater than Iohn Baptist Mat. 11. 11. upon which Math. 11. 11. place the faithfull Expositors say faithfully thus Magnitudo haec ad docendi munus refertur c. that is this greatnesse of the least Minister above Iohn Baptist is to be referred to the office of teaching wherein Christ shewes that by how much Iohn excelled all the Prophets that were before him so much doe the Ministers of the Gospel excell Iohn Baptist for if Iohn were therefore greater than all the Prophets that were before him because he went immediately before Christ that presently followed him or because he pointed to him being present how shall not an Apostle or any other lesse Minister of Christ be greater who not only preacheth Christ to be come but also layeth forth the mysteries or as another saith Magnalia regni the great things of his Kingdome or as the expresse word of God saith magnifica Dei the magnificent and wonderfull things of God as the spirit gives them utterance Act. 2. 4. 11. Act. 2. 4. 11. But alas herein not only the Papists stumble as I
called him to his foot Is it not quiddam stupendum that the most perfectly righteous God should call a mortall man not only righteous but righteousnesse it selfe is it not a most dangerous thing to extenuate and darken this glorious benefit or can any mortall man extoll and dignifie this happy condition sufficiently no but because it is the immediate work of God it passeth the reach both of men and Angels But thus much shall serve pro meo modulo of this first point shewing the excellency of this second part of Free Iustification namely that this cloathing us with the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ doth make us fully completely sufficiently and perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sin in the sight of God freely CHAP. XII That the justified children of God are so perfectly and excellently righteous before God that they are made glorious in the sight of God THE second point shewing the exceeding excellency of Free Iustification is That they are thereby made so perfectly clean from all spot of sinne and so perfectly holy and righteous That before God they are made glorious and doe though mystically in respect of outward sense and contrary feeling yet inwardly and truly shine gloriously in the sight of God as it is evidently testified from Gods own mouth by many Scriptures and unanimous consent of all the best Dispensers of Gods Mysteries the principall and chiefe whereof I will briefly recite The first place of Scripture is that notable prophesie 1 The first place of Scripture proving that the justified children of God are made glorious in the sight of God is Psalm 45. Psal 45. Where under the Figure of Solomon marrying the King of Egypts daughter it is plainly prophesied That Christ Iesus comming to marry unto himselfe the Church of the Gentiles to make her his Queen and a fit Bride for his own selfe doth first cloath her with the wedding-garment of his own righteousnesse called in the ninth verse The Vesture of the Gold of Ophir saying thus On thy right hand doth stand the Queen in a Vesture of the Gold of Ophir and then presently adds thereupon That hereupon shee is all glorious within where we are to mark That though he saith within that is mystically to us-ward and inwardly and spiritually to God-ward yet she is not only glorious but also all glorious within and to shew that the wedding-garment of his own righteousnesse is the cause of all this perfect gloriousnesse he presently addeth for her cloathing is of wrought gold verse 13. Verse 13. whereby she enters with joy into the Kings Palace that is into the Kingdome of heaven which is not meant the kingdome of glory above but the joyfull and glorious The happy estâ—re under the Gospel is called the Kingdome of Heaven state of the Church under the time of the Gospel which in the new Testament as Calvin well noteth for the full revealing of the Treasures of Christ by which we enter even as it were into the secret closets of heaven is called every where the Kingdome of Heaven The second place of Scripture not only confirming but also explaining and cleering all this to bee verified upon the Church of the Gentiles is that to the Eph. 5. 25 26 27. Where S. Paul being an elect vessell sent forth purposedly to deck the new Bride of the Ephes â— 25 26 2â— Gentiles with this wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse shewes that Christ giving himselfe for us hath made us so cleane that he makes us hereby to himself that is though mystically to us yet spiritually and truly to himselfe a glorious Church mark a glorious Church or Congregation but how or wherein glorious he shewes how saying not having now in this present time one spot or wrinkle of sin this is very glorious indeed but is there all no nor any such thing this is more glorious but is there all then no But makes her so holy that she is unblamably holy This is exceeding glorious indeed Thus hath Christ made us to himselfe a gloous Church Whereupon we may see the truth of that saying of Chrysostome upon the like place of Scripture Chrysost vpon Colos 1. 22. Colos 1. 22. saying non peccatis solum liberavit c. sed gloriosos illustres reddidit that is He hath not only freed us from our sinnes but also hath made us shining bright glorious Which to be truly wrought upon us in the sight of God by our Justification Master M. Downham in his Christian Warfare upon Iustification Downham in his Christian Warfare upon Justification cleerly testifies saying The bright shining Sun of righteousnesse hath made us freely so perfectly righteous that in him we also shine gloriously in the sight of God And Two Reasons why wee are glorious in Gods sight no marvell for these two evident reasons The first strongly pressed by Paul himselfe who comparing the glory of the Law with the glory of the Gospel sayth If the ministration of death written with letters and ingraven in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not stedfestly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away How shall not the ministration of the spirit be more glorious For if the ministration of condemnation was glorious much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory Where wee are to mark that if the administration of the riches of the Gospel be so glorious how glorious are the riches themselves and how glorious must they needs bee that possesse have and enjoy those riches As more particularly If the administration of this righteousnesse exceed in glory How doth this righteousnesse it selfe exceed in glory and then how unfallibly must they that are cloathed with the same needs exceed in glory yea the glory of the shining of Moses face and the glory of the Law it selfe the administration whereof made the face of Moses so to shine is as the Apostle saith no glory in comparison of this excellent glory The other reason is that which is before testified by 2 Calv. in Iob 15. 16. Serm. 59. Calvin and is grounded upon invincible divine reason That if the righteousnesse of the Angels be excellent makes them in truth gloriously righteous how glorious must wee needs bee in the sight of God that saith he have a more than Angelicall righteousnesse in us Because alâ—hough wee daily feele our selves filthy and loathsome by drinking up iniquitie like water yet God taking in hand to make us above our sense and feeling righteous from the same in his sight doth cloath us with the righteousnesse of his sonne Iesus Christ which farre surmounteth the righteousnesse of the Angels A lively figure of this our glorious state and condition by Christ in the sight of God was the Ark which had not only a cover called the mercy-seat made all of pure gold which was a Type of Christ who was
God But the gifts of God doe passe and excell the weak good deeds that we doe by our labour magna mensura in a great measure Secondly this Moon must be under our feet because our life is like a continuall walking in this world as it were in a darke night and therefore we must have the light of our sanctification flowing from our Justification as the light of the Moon doth come from the Sunne to direct our feet in this dark world and to give light as the Moon doth to other men walking in the dark night of this world that they may see our good works and glorifie our Father which is in heaven And this is the second mark shewing that we are mystically cloathed with the glorious Sunne of Christs righteousnesse because this sanctification flowes infallibly from our Justification as the light of the Moon comes from the Sun Again the Moon signifies also the riches honours dignities profits and pleasures of this world which being changeable and unconstant as the Moon the justified children of God have them under their feet The justified have the variable riches of this life under their feet signified by the Moon as it were because being cloathed with the glorious Sunne of Christs righteousnesse and thereby discerning the worth of the heavenly riches they set light of these earthly glories shining to the dark world like the Moon and doe tread them under feet using them as if they used them not being ready to leave all for the further advantage and advancing of the heavenly riches and for the glory of God Thus Moses being come to yeeres of discretion refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh ' s daughter and chose rather to suffer adversitie with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Why Because he had regard to the recompence of the great reward of the unsearchable riches as Saint Paul calls them of the Gospel So the Christians in the Primitive Church suffered with joy the spoiling of their goods knowing in themselves by being cloathed with the glorious Sunne and wedding-garment of Christs righteousnesse that they had in heaven a better and more enduring substance And this is the very Head of our sanctification and the third mark shewing that we are the woman in heaven cloathed with the Sun Sixthly and lastly this woman or Bride hath upon her head to signifie what an heavenly Queen she is a Crowne of twelve starres that is she hath for a fourth marke the doctrine of the Gospel delivered by the twelve Apostles and preached by Gods faithfull Ministers which are called starres in highest account as her Crowne counting them as her chiefest and highest ornament and saying with David It is more to be desired than gold yea than much fine gold and sweeter also than the honey and the honey-combe And in keeping the same she knowes that there is a great reward Ps 19. 10 11. Psal 19. 10. 11. And this is the fourth marke that we are the woman in heaven cloathed with the Sunne and he that is thus glorious to the eyes of men by having the Moon under his feet and is also thus glorious in the eyes of God by being cloathed in his sight with the glorious Sun of his Sons righteousnesse must needs be a great wonder to the world because he is a wonder and admiration for beauty and glory even in the eyes of God for which cause God crieth out doubling his word of admiration and wonder saying Behold thou art faire my love Behold thou art all faire and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. 1 7. Which admiration of Christ Cant. 4. 1 7. at the glory of his Church is by Doctor Hall pathetically Doctor Hall expressed after this manner saying O my Church behold in mine eyes thus cloathed as thou art in my righteousnesse oh how faire and glorious thou art how above all comparison faire and glorious But the Prophet Esay prophecying of the Kingdome and comming of Christ expresseth this glory of his Church more gloriously saying The Moone shall be abashed and the Sunne ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall raign The Marginal Note in the Bible upon Esay 24. 23. in Mount Zion and glory shall be upon his antient men Esay 24. 23. The meaning whereof the marginall note doth well expresse saying after this manner When God shall restore his Church which is chiefly verified in the full exhibiting of Christ to justifie the same Dan. 9. 24. and so Dan. 9. 24. shall restore it to righteousnesse the glory thereof shall so shine and his Ministers which are called his antient men that the Sunne and Moon shall be dark in comparison of the glory thereof Which excellent glory of the Church Calvin doth yet more fully expresse after this manner saying When God shall make cleane his Church of her foulnesse and drosse which he truly performes by Free Justification joyfully knowne and so shall set up the Kingdome of Christ so great shall be the magnificence and glory thereof in restoring the people to righteousnesse that those things which otherwise shine before men most gloriously as the Sunne and the Moon shall then bee darknesse Is not this excellent and magnificent beauty and glory indeed And yet the Prophet Esay not contenting himselfe herewith but prophecying of the comming of Christ to heale the people of God of their sinnes prophecyed yet further of more exceeding glory saying Moreover the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seven-fold as the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and healeth the stroke of their wound Esay 30. 26. The meaning whereof is this Esay 30. 26. explained That the light of the Moon which is the glory of sanctification forming us actively righteous to the eyes of men by which as it was said before the children of God doe shine in this dark night of the world as the Moon Cant. 6. 9. shall be as the light of the Sunne that Cant. 6. 9. is farre more rich and plentifull than it was under the handfull of the old Church of the Iewes and far more spaciously spreading to all nations But the light of the Sun that is the glory and bright-shining of free Iustification forming us passively righteous to the eyes of God by which the children of God shine in the sight of God most gloriously as the Sunne Cant. 6. 9. Ephes 5. 27. Cant. 6 9. Ephes 5. 27. shall bee sevensold that is most plentifully revealed and perfectly wrought and shine forth as seven sunnes upon the Church by the death of Christ Dan. 9. 24 25. Dan. 9. 2â— 25. by which many Prophets and Kings and righteous men have desired to heare the things that we heare and have not heard them