Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A42520
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Exochē tou Christou, Christ's preeminence in a question propounded, discussed, & resolved, that Christ was the first, that with flesh and blood entred into the kingdome of heaven / by Nicholas Gawen.
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Gawen, Nicholas.
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1668
(1668)
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Wing G395; ESTC R23944
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29,971
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56
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but why and wherefore which is the second thing whereof I am to render an account No other cause scope end or fetch have I but your innate vertue goodnesse kindnesse courtesie polished and embelished by grace celebrated in the months of All in general and experienc'd by my self in particular drawing mee with a kind of magnetical vertue inviting and citing mee It is observed by a learned and grave Divine of our Church that God hath depictured and characterized those refulgent and eminent vertues and graces wherewith he endued some men in their names The golden eloquence of Chrisostome the milkie vein of Lactantius the immortall fame of Athanasius that grand Arianomastix the golden wit most great profound judgment of Aurelius Augustinus the peaceable disposition of Irenaeus the Divine fruitfulness of Policarpus are intimated in the names the same lot hath befaln you Phoebei Lampadis instar for what is Lamplough but as if it should be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as having your name deriv'd from a Lamp thereby to intimate that like the Baptist you are a burning light in your life and conversation Sir I flatter you not flattery is a bribe that I am as unable to give as you to receive I give you no more then your due and all that know you will most willingly afford you so much The bare and naked consideration of this your goodnesse both by nature and grace hath strongly and irresistibly importun'd mee and prevail'd over mee and kindled and enflamed my affection and desire and made it to burne like those ancient Olibian fires which Antiquitie as I remember dedicated to the remembrance of their deceased Hero's and Benefactors with zeal to serve you constantly perpetually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Homer till death us do part and in expression thereof to dedicate to you this poor Pamphlet which I intreat you to accept this is both the profession and protestation together with the subscription of him who is Sir Your Worships most hamble servant to serve you in what he may in the Lord NICOLAS GAVVEN Christ's Preeminence Arg. 1 THe first Argument that I take to confirm my Position I draw and take à Correlatis ab utriusque contrariis effectibus operationibus that is to say from an Analogie and comparison taken from the first and second Adam and their contrary effects workings and operations Rom. 5.12 The Apostle saith By one man sin entred into the world and death by by sin not only death temporal but also death eternal And in this death eternal you must observe that there is a twofold formality and denomination For it is not only as the Schoolmen speak a punishment positive of sense and of sensible Anguish Smart and Torment but likewise a punishment privative and of the losse of infinite and eternal joy comfort and content It is not only inclusiâ—â— an incarceration inclusion and shutting into Hell but it is likewise exclusio an exclusion shutting and bolting out of Heaven So that when Adam sin'd against his Maker and by sin fell from his original integritie and perfection he by his fall became not only the heir of Hell but also the Bandido and exile of Heaven and that not only in his own behalfe but likewise in the behalfe of all his children and posterity who were to stand or fall in Him and that for evermore And this very thing was Typified immediately after the fall of the first Adam by the Lord 's chasing driving and excluding of him for his sin out of terrestrial Paradise Gen. 4.24 The Lord drave out the man and placed at the East of the garden of Eden Cherubins and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the tree of life In this narration there is no doubt to be made but that the Terrestrial Paradise did Typifie and shadow out unto us the Coelestial the beauty of the place the multiplicity variety and excellency of the fruits thereof the incomparable and unconceivable refreshments joyes delights and pleasures of the Kingdome of God In whose presence is the fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 God's friendly and familiar walking and talking with Adam during his continuance in his perfect estate in earthly Paradise That immediate and Soul-gladding communion and fellowship that God vouchsafeth his Saints and the spirits of just men made perfect in the Kingdome of Heaven Heb. 12.23 The tree of life doubtless signified our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as Saint John intimates Apoc. 22.2 the driving of Adam out of Paradise the exclusion and shutting of himselfe and all his posterity out of Heaven God placing at the East-end of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life the stepping and coming in of God's fiery law given as the Apostle saith by the Angels on mount Sinai which is sharper then a two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart And so like the flaming sword at Edens gate turning every way this way and that way meeting with every the least perceptible thought and contrivance of the heart either as a right rule to measure it or as a just Judge to condemne it thereby to stop and bar man out from entring into the Kingdome of Heaven and eternal life by reason of an utter impotencie and impossibilitie that immediately upon his fall befell Adam and all his posteritie for ever to performe and fulfill it The summe of this first Argument may be given in these few words The effects workings and operations of the first Adam though directly contrary yet are correspondent and answerable to the working operations and effects of the second as the Apostle shewes by divers branches and members of comparison Rom. 5. For which cause he calls the first Adam the figure of Christ which was to come Rom. 5.14 I adde secondly But the first Adam being the first that sinned was first personally himselfe secondly representatively in respect of all his posterity thrust literally out of earthly mystically and symbolically out of the Heavenly Paradise therefore I conclude that the Lord Jesus Christ the second Adam being the first man and only man that fulfille all righteousness in the behalf of his elect was likewise the first man that opened the gate of Heaven entred into that within the vail Heb. 6.19 And took possession of the Kingdome of Heaven in the behalfe of all his elect according to that golden expression of the Church in that Hymne or Song whether compiled by Ambrose or Austin or both it matters not When thou hadst overcome the sharpnesse of death thou diast open the Kingdome of Heaven to all believers And this is the reason that the Apostle calls Christ our fore-runner which for us is entred into that within the vail Heb. 6.20
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