Henoch Deus à terrâ subduxerit God withdrew Henoch after an unusual manner from the earth And of him saith the Author of the book of Wisdome Chap 4.10 He pleased God and was beloved of him so that living amongst sinners he was translated The same saith the wise Syracides Ecclus 44.16 So doth Paul By faith Henoch was translated that he should not see death Heb 11.5 Answ I grant that Henoch was translated for so saith the Scripture but concerning the manner how and the place whither Adhuc sub Judice lis est there is the question for in the Scripture we read of a translation to grace as well as of a translation to glory 1 Coloss 13. The Apostle saith That God hath translated us into the Kingdome of his deer Son And yet notwithstanding all this he hath not as yet transported us both body and soule into the glorious Kingdome of Heaven That Henoch's translation should consist in the evection and exaltation of his Humane body into Heaven I can hardly grant for this as I conceive would quite evert and overthrow that assertion of the Apostle that Christ is the first fruits of those that slept 1 Cor 15. and that other of the same Apostle That Christ in all things hath the preeminence Coloss 1.18 Yea and that saying of Christ himselfe also Joh 3.13 No man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven And if I must needs erre concerning one I will rather chuse to detract something from the honour repute of Henoch then derogate the least jot or title from the glory honour preeminence of Christ Sure I am that St Chrysostome is so far from avouching the body of Henoch to be in Heaven that he condemneth it of curiositie to enquire what is become of him or to what end he was translated Hom Heb 22. Jer 21.6 Ob But of Henoch the Apostle saith that he was so translated that he should not see death Heb 11.5 Sol The same saith Christ of every true believer Joh 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shâ—ll never see death yet every one that believes in Christ and keeps his saying is not forthwith corporally translated to eternal life It is plain and manifest that these words of Christ cannot be understood of the exemption from corporal but of the evasion of eternal death as plainly appeares by the Jewes answer to our Saviour v. 52. Abraham is dead and the Prophets are dead yet those holy men of God believing in Christ are truly said by Christ not to see that is not to feele the sting of death because in the midst of death by true faith they have a sight of eternal life Job 8.5 6. saith Christ to the Jewes Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my daies and he saw it and was glad As in the former sentence not to see is not to feel so in the latter to see is by faith to enjoy Arg 2 A second Argument may be taken from the example of Elias of him the Scripture testifies That he went up by a whirle-wind into heaven 2 King 2.11 The wise Syracides likewise celebrates him with this Encomium That he was taken up in a whirle-wind of fire and in a chariot of fiery horses Ecclus 48.9 He was taken up in a whirlewind of fire saith the Apocriphal book by a whirlwind into heaven saith the Canonical and what though shall we hence infer that therefore he was transported body and soul into the emperial Heaven without dissolution it doth not follow we well know that whatsoever is lifted up from the earth that doth encircle and encompasse the earth in Scripture phrase is called by the name of heaven for from hence the name of heaven is deriv'd for that it is hoven up above or from the earth saith Mr Verstegan In the Scriptures we read of the fowles of heaven Job 35.11 By that can be meant nothing else but the air as plainly doth appear from Gen 6.7 and Math 6.26 compared together In the Scriptures likewise we read of the Stars of Heaven Gen 22.17 By Heaven there can nothing els be ment but the Celestial orbs for as the Emperial Heaven that hath no need of Sun Moon or Stars or any of those petty or inferiour lights as St John witnesseth in his Revelation Chap 21.23 The City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb was the light thereof In the Scripture likewise we read of a third Heaven whither Saint Paul was rapt which by Paul 2 Cor 12.4 Joh Apoc 2.7 And Christ himself Luk 23.43 is called Paradise And again by Christ himself Abraham's bosome Luk. 16. And his fathers house wherein are many mansions Joh 14.2 So that Elias according to this Trimembred distinction may be carried into Heaven and yet be elevated no higher and passe no further then the air yet if this Answer seems too poor hungry and starvling be it granted that Elias was transported into the highest and Emperial Heaven yet as Paul speakes of himself and of his own rapture into the same place so may I say of Elias whether it was in the body I cannot tell or whether it was out of the body I cannot tell God knowes Still I thinke the safest way will be that nothing may be derogated from the prerogative of Christ To conclude that his spirit returned unto God that gave it yeelding over his body into the hands and secret wisdome and councel of God to be disposed of and resolved as he thought good And why may we not say that the body of Elias upon his spirits returne into the hands of the father of Spirits was resolved into its mother earth by the power of God even by the same omnipotent power by which Humane bodies were prepared and accommodated for the holy and heavenly Angels that appeared to Abraham Lot and others certainly they had true bodies as appeares by their eating drinking the washing of their feet and the performance of other Humane Actions and this is the opinion of Michael Psellus the best Doemonist that ever wrote saith Joh Luaovicus vives both concerning Angels and Devils as he derives it from the great St Basil in his book of the operation of Devils which immediately after the execution dispatch and finishing of their embassage and dispensation were by the same Almighty power of God either annihilated or resolved into their first principles Arg 3 The third probabilitie is raised from the example of Moses and Elias who at Christ's Transfiguration on the holy mount are said to have appeared unto Jesus and to have spoken unto him of his discease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem Math 17.3 Marc 9.4 Luk. 9.30 31. The objection as I conceive may be thus formed and fashioned Moses and Elias appeared in glory to Jesus on the
11. Sect 4. Arg. 4 The fourth Argument may be drawne from the Incarnation of the Son of God and the Assumption of our Humane nature into the same personal union of the Son of God the Humane nature of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is onely that small bit lump portion of mans nature in general which God according to his eternal decree purpose before all time Eph 1.11 3.11 And promise and performance in time Gen 3.15 Esay 9.6 Joh 1.14 Galat 4.4 did vouchsafe and condescend in free grace and mercy to assume and take unto himself and so to become married thereunto in the unitie of the same person unto all eternitie Surely this is the summe and sense of these promises Gen 3.15 The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head And Hos 2.19 saith the Lord I will betroth thee unto mee for ever yea I will betroth thee unto mee in righteousness and in judgment and in loving kindness and in mercies which gracious and most precious promises though made by God to his elect in Christ and are in an inferior secondary and subordinate degree and measure â—â—lfilled and discharged in all and each and every one of them for not one of them but in due time by Christs grace shall tread down Satan under his feet Rom 16.20 not one of them but is betrothed and espoused to Christ in righteousness for ever yet howsoever primarily and in the first place are they principally and completely fulfilled in Christ himself in whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen For he is that in the primest sense according to the Apostles exposition Gal 3.16 the seed of the woman that doth bruise and batter the serpents head and thorough death destroy him that had the power of death that is to say the Devil His flesh his blood his humane nature it is in the first highest and sublimest sense that is betrothed and espoused unto the Lord in righteousness for ever and in him was this promise chiefly and principally fulfilled when God was manifested in the flesh when the word was made flesh and dwelt among us Joh 1.14 This is the sense and meaning of that soul-gladding expression and promise Esay 9 6. Unto us a child is borne unto us a Son is given c. In which words the holy Spirit joynes and marries God and man together in the unitie of the same person to all eternity for what is this child that is borne but the man Christ Jesus And what is this Son that is given but the eternall Son of God Who so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh 6.16 The same is the sense and meaning of that expression of wisdome it self Prov 9 1. Wisdome hath built her a house c Who or what is this wisdome But the eternal Son of God himself Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God 1 Cor 1.24 And what is this house that is built but his humane body even the same of which Christ by his eternal spirit speakes unto his Heavenly father Psal 40. according to the translation of the 70. A body hast thou prepared me The same of which he speaketh to the Jewes in another place Destroy this Temple and in three daies I will build it up Joh 2.19 This is that holy house that divine and Heavenly Temple So Christ and his Disciples call it Joh 2.19 25. In which dwelleth all the fulness of the Goahead bodily Colos 2.9 The sacred rendevous or meeting place wherein God and man meet together to hold an enterparle and treaty after a long and mortal enmity and hostilitie and to conclude both to the glory of God and joy of men and Angels an everlasting peace That holy and heavenly Herald St Paul thus trumpeteth out and proclaimeth to the world that agreement and reconciliation 2 Cor 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself In this personal union God shews himself to be reconciled to our Humane nature takes upon him to renew it by deriving his righteousness and holiness through the humane nature of Christ as through a channel or pipe of conveiance to as many of the sin-sick sons of Adam as he endues with true faith to receive it The Humane nature of Christ is that little leaven that leaveneth the whole masse and lump of all true believers by meanes of that is he made to us of God wisdome and righteousness and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor 1. ult To redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a pâ—â—uliar people zealous of good workes Tit 2.14 For if the râ—ot be holy so are the branches and he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are one saith the Apostle Heb 2.11 And the same Apostle saith Colos 1.19 That it pleased the Father that in Christ all fulness should dwell And another That of his fulness have we all received and grace for grace Job 1.16 Now then if the flesh and blood of our Dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was the first of all other that the eternal Son of God vouchsafed and condescended to betroth and espouse to himself in righteousness and true holiness for which cause that holy thing that was borne of the Virgin was called the Son of God Luk 1.35 Shall we think that the same flesh and blood being thus gloriously deck't and trim'd with the robes of most full and perfect righteousness and holiness as the bride fitted and prepared for the bridegroome after it had finished it's course here on earth was not first of all others led home by the bridegroom the eternal Son of God to his own Fathers house so to enter into the Kings pallace Ps 45.15 and to be made partakers of his glory even his own glory Luk 24.26 which he had with the Father before the world was Job 17.5 especially since Christ himself so plainly avoucheth and declareth That no man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came downe from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven Joh. 3.13 The summe of this Argument may be recollected and rendred in this Enthymeme Christ's humane body was the first that had the grace honour of Assumption and personal union into the Divine nature and therefore it alone had the first honour and dignity of evection and exaltâ—tion unto glory Arg. 5 A fifth Argument is afforded us from those places of Scripture wherein the Apostle calls Christ the head of the Church Eph 1.22 And hath given him to be the head over all things to the Church that we may grow up in him in all things which is the head even Christ Eph 4.15 Christ is the head of the body Coloss 1.18 Now I suppose there is no man so headless so sensless so sottish but that he very well knoweth and understandeth where the site the place the position of the head in the body naturall
end for which he came with all other circumstances belonging to his manifestation The last of all the Prophets and that by Christ's own witnesse Math 11.13 was John the Baptist who immediately before his coming going before the face of the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to prepare his way preacht unto the people the doctrine of repentance and remission of sins saying repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand After the voice of this Crier immediately followed the eternall word of the Father in his own person clothed with flesh and blood to preach redemption to his people And here was the full performance of God's long promise now then to sit down and rest and breath a little after a long ramble and chase peradventure some may say quest Quorsum isthaec tam longo repetita circuitu What meanes this long narration of God's most mercisul dispensation to his Church in putting it in minde some way or other in all ages and generations of the promised Messias sol Answ That the necessity might the better appeare why the Father sent the servants in the first place before his son personally appeared in the last to gather his Saints together and to raise his Kingdome of grace these he did for these Reasons Reason 1 First for the better calling to mind and keeping his promise in perpetual remembrance For since from the first going forth of the promise and the performance thereof in the fulnesse of time by the incarnation and nativitie of the Son of God so great a Chasme and interval of time did intercede as the space and length of almost 4000. yeares according to the computation and account of Beroaldus had not God some way or other as saith Paul Heb 1.1 either by visions and revelations tradition Types and Figures Prophesies and Predictions of his servants the Prophets successively sent in all ages continually call'd his promise to remembrance and preserved and kept it fresh in the minds of his people in all reason his promise in so long a tract and duration of time would have been forgotten and the whole world have fell into a general and universal atheisme and apostacie faith unfeigned in the Lord Jesus Christ and in him alone being the undoubted and infallible ground worke and foundation of true and sound religion towards God so saith Christ to his heavenly Father And this is life eternal to know thee the only true God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ Joh 17.3 Reason 2 Secondly he did it for the strengthning the faith of all true believers which else through the weaknesse and infirmitie of the flesh had been apt every moment to faile had not God in all ages from the creation downward by some means and messenger or other still renewed and refresht his promise to his Church I say from the issuing forth of the first promise concerning the Messias from God in Paradise to the performance thereof there being so long a tract and continuation of time as the space of almost 4000 years had not God continually seconded and backt his first promise with fresh and new promises to his Church in all ages the faith of God's children had bin apt yea very apt to faile and not without cause might they have cried out and complained with David Psal 69.3 Mine eies faile while I wait for my God and 119.82 Mine eies faile for thy word saying when wilt thou comfort mee and 119.123 Mine eies faile for thy salvation and for the word of thy righteousnesse And as he doth Psal 77.7 8. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise faile for evermore And for this cause God made the Saints of all ages as Saint Paul saith Heb 6.12 thorough faith and patience to inherit the promise both of the coming and incarnation of the Son of God that so both they and we might be made one Christ as saith Paul having broken down the middle wall of partition between us Ephes 2.14 And so as Saint Peter All of us be saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ Act 15.11 We by faith in Christ that is come they by the same faith in Christ that was to come Reason 3 Thirdly this he did to whet and sharpen the desires and heighten the hope and expectation of his servants The wise Solomon yeelds us a most excellent saying to this purpose Prov 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life In which golden Text hope is set for the thing hoped for as it is likewise Heb 6.18 And this hope defer'd and delai'd saith Solomon maketh the heart sick that is to sigh and groan earnestly with desire and love and longing after the thing hoped for Thus the Apostle Saint Paul by a most elegant prosopopoeia Rom 8.21 22. maketh the whole creature the whole creation to groan and travel in pain together to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the Sons of God Thus the Church grew sick with desire and longing she had after Christ Cantic 2.5 and 5.8 Thus Jacob waited for the Lords salvation Gen 49.18 And David longed for it Psal 119.174 And his soule panted and thirsted after God with as much vehemencie and ardencie of desire as the Hart panted after the water brooks Psal 42.1 2. Thus the Prophet Esay maketh the Church to sigh and groan after the company and fellowship of Christ Chap 26.8 9. In the way of thy Judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee with my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within mee will I seek thee early c Thus Simeon earnestly looked and longed for him and all the Saints likewise that looked for redemption in Jerusalem Luk 2.38 And after the same manner the Apostles both Saint Paul Saint John make the whole Church to long after the comeing of Christ and the restitution of all things 2 Con 5.2 Apoc 22.17 18 20. This I say is the third Reason why the great Lord both of Heaven and earth sent so many of his servants in the first place before he sent his only Son that so the world being continually informed by the servants and messengers that went before concerning the comeing of their Lord Master that was to follow after the hearts of all true believers might be enflamed with the desire of him and long to see that day wherein Christ Jesus the desire of all Nations as Haggai calls him Chap 2.7 should come as the sick patient thinks every hour two till the Physitian comes who he believes will recover him and at his coming receive him the more joyfully and glorifie the Lord the more thankfully for that long lookt for was at last come and their eies with Simeon had seen the
Lord's salvation even the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of life who is indeed as St John saith Apoc 22.2 A tree of life to every faithfull soul according to the former Aphorisme of the wise Solomon Hope deferred maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life Prov 13.12 Reas 4 Fourthly the servants went so long before before the Lord and Master himself came that so the disease might have time to come to it 's full height for the aggravation of Adam's sin that it might appear exceeding sinfull and the manifestation of the corruption of our Humane nature flowing from thence which by most certain and evident arguments of so many ages and generations was so far from being bettered and amended that aetas parentum pejor avis it still grew worse and worse The venime of Adam's sin was so strong and mortal the gulf and whirl-pool of his transgression so unsearchable as saith Musculus and thereupon to give us occasion the more dangerous and desperate the disease was the more to magnifie and admire the most profound skill of our Heavenly Physitian Reas 5 Fifty this was done for the declaration and manifestation of the most wonderfull goodnesse patience and long sufferance of the Lord who notwithstanding the whole earth was filled with violence and all flesh had corrupted its way for the space of almost 4000. yeares yet for bore all this while to destroy the world for it's iniquity and as the Apostle saith winked at the times of this ignorance And in this the Lord performed the part of a patient and long suffering creditor who suffers his debtors to run on long and far in his debt before he calls for payment and satisfaction and even then gives them mony of his own to pay the debt so God suffered the world to run on long in skore with him almost 4000 years and then sent Christ to pay the debt and make satisfaction whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation thorough faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remisston of sins that are past thorough the forbearance of God Rom 3.25 Reas 6 Sixthly and lastly The Father promised and sent his servants so long before before he sent at last his only begotten Son for the greater amplification illustration and magnification of the honour and dignitie of his Son For the greater and more noble the person the more the servants be to attend and guard him and likewise to run before him This appears plainly First from that Oracle of Solom Prov 14.28 In the multitude of people is the Kings honour This doubtlesse made David in pride and vain glory to number the people Secondly from Samuel instruction to the children of Israel concerning the order custome and manner of Kings 1 Sam 8.11 He will take your sons and appoint them for himself for his chariots and to be his horsmen and some shall run before his chariots And thirdly from Absolom's practice 2 Sam 15.1 who to declare unto the world his pomp power and Majesty prepared him chariots and horses and 50 men to run before him Now if Christ had had no messengers before his face to prepare his way before he came bodily and personally himself into his Kingdome of grace the royaltie state and Majestie of this great Lord and King both of Heaven and earth might have well seemed lesse then that of the Centurion who had souldiers under him and who could say to this mangoe and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to his servant do this and he doth it Math 8 9. This Royall State and Majestie of Christ himselfe typifies to the life under the Parable of a certain housholder that planted a vineyard and let it it out to husbandmen and sent his servants in the first place but last of all his only son and heir that they might receive the fruits thereof Math 21.33 34. Now there is no doubt to be made but by this housholder is meant God the Father whom Christ Joh 15.1 calls an husbandman by this vineyard the people of the Jewes representing the whole Church of Christ whom immediately after their deliverance out of the land of Egypt God nourished 40. yeares in the wildernesse and then planted as a Vineyard in a very fruitfull hill Esay 5.1 even the Land of Canaan flowing with milk and hony Of this David sings and tryumphs Psal 81.8 9. Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt thou hast cast out the Heathen and planted it thou prepared'st room for it and didst cause it to take deep root it filled the land By those husband men are meant the Scribes Pharises and Ecclesiasticall Rulers and Governours among the Jews who by their impietie and ill husbandry prov'd perfidious traitors and rebels against this great housholder in abusing his servants the Prophets who came first and then in murthering slaying his own Son Heir who came last to demand fruits of his vineyard and these are the Reasons why Christ had so many messengers and servants to goe before him before he came personally himselfe to erect and raise up his Kingdome of grace These are the reasons why as saith Saint Paul God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets but in these last daies hath spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things Heb 1.1 2. But though Christ had many servants still going before him before his bodily introduction into his Kingdome of grace yet still I say hence it follows not that any of his Saints members went before him and prevented him before his own bodily induction investure into his Kingdome of glory A necessity there was of the former for the reasons before alleaged but there was no necessity at all of the later what necessity could there be that Christ should have his forerunners in the flesh to goe before him before himself bodily ascended into the Kingdome of Heaven what to carry news to God the Father his holy Angels and Saints of Christs's tryumphant victory over death his resurrection and to inform them that Christ himself would shortly bodily appear in his own person in Heaven As Ahimaaz the son of Zadoch ran speedily to carry David good newes concerning his victory over his rebellious son Absolom 2 Sam 18. there was no necessity I say of all this God his holy Angels and the Saints themselves doubtlesse by revelation from God knew sufficiently that Christ after he had finished his passion should himself bodily enter into his glory Lu 24.26 For it became him for whom are all things by whō are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation and therefore their ringleader perfect thorough sufferings Heb 2.10 Nay there was a double necessity that no flesh and blood should enter into the Kingdome of Heaven before Christ himself First in respect of Christ himself Secondly in respect of his members First in respect of Christ himself for if any Saint had bodily entred into heaven before Christ himself then that Saint had bin the first fruits of them that slept and not Christ Secondly in respect of the members of Christ there was a necessity that some should not enter bodily into Heaven without others that so as the Apostle saith Some without others might not be made perfect Heb 11.40 But briefly to recapitulate what hath been spoken a necessity there was that Christ of all men should first enter bodily into the Kingdome of Heaven for those 6. causes or reasons before alleaged 1. Thereby to declare the Analogie and correspondence between the first and the second Adam Secondly Thereby to confirme that Christ is the first fruits Thirdly for that Christ is our High Priest and therefore ought first and before all other to enter into the holy place Fourthly for that his Humane nature was the first flesh that God assumed and therefore in all reason ought it first to be glorified Fifthly for that Christ is the head of the Church therefore to him belongeth the Preeminence of the first entrance Sixthly for that Christ is the Lord and heir of all things therefore to him appertaineth the first entrance and possession of the Kingdome of Heaven To these may be added vice coronidis in the seaventh and last place the confirmation and establishment of divers and sundry expresse testimonies of the Scriptures all avouching and confirming the same thing that Christ first of all bodily ascended and entred into Heaven Joh 3.13 saith Christ No man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven This one Text of Scripture quite strangles and cuts the very throat-strings nerves and finews of all those counter-Arguments drawn and taken from the examples of Henoch Moses and Elias Coloss 1.18 saith the Apostle Christ is the head of the body the Church the beginning the first borne from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence which could not possibly be if ever flesh and blood entred into Heaven before him and for this cause it is that the Apostle Saint Paul calls him our Captain or Leader Heb 2.10 And our fore-runner Heb 6.20 Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus that is made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech Deo Gloria In all this that I have here written I submit to the sounder and sincerer Judgement and censure of my Mother the Orthodox Church of England FINIS