holy mount in their Humane bodies from Heaven therefore Christ was not the first that entred into heaven with humane body because if the two former brought their bodies along with them from heaven it is likely they carried the same bodies along with them to heaven sol Answ That this Argument hath contain'd in it three Articles or petty questions First whether Moses and Elias appeared unto our Saviour with true real and substantial humane bodies 2ly whether they were the very self same Humane bodies and earthly tabernacles wherewith they were invested and cloathed during their peregrination and pilgrimage here on earth Thirdly whether brought these their bodies from Heaven Though I may easily grant that they appeared to our Saviour in true real and substantial Humane bodies as may easily be concluded and confirmed from those bodily and corporal actions that they performed on the mount speaking and discoursing with our Saviour face to face concerning his death and departure that he was to accomplish at Jerusalem And though I easily grant in a second place that those true and real bodies were the same bodies wherewith their soules were cloathed whiles they were on earth for had their bodies bin others they could not properly have been said to be Moses and Elias yet cannot I so easily grant in the third place that they brought their bodies along with them from Heaven Full well I know that it was an opinion embraced by many yea very many of the Ancient Fathers that the bodies of Henoch and Elias are reserved and kept alive in a third mansion house distinct and separate both from Heaven and earth which they call Paradise and that they shall returne and bodily appear on the earth before the day of Judgment yea and John the Divine and the Prophet Jeremie too whose death is not read of saith Hyppolitus If this opinion be true then doubtlesse Moses and Elias brought not their bodies from Heaven along with them to the holy mount But leaving that opinion as we found it concerning Moses the Scripture plainly concludeth concerning him that his body went not to Heaven together with his soul Deut 34.5 6. there we read So Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord and he that is either God himself or an Angel of God buried him in a valley in the land of Moab over against Beth Peor but no man knoweth of his Sepulcre unto this day And this as I conceive accasioned that grave and solemne dispute and controversie according to St Judes Ecclesiastical tradition and relation v. 9. of his Epistle betwixt Michael the Archangel the devil about the body of Moses The devil urging as I conceive the necessity of the revelation of the place of sepulture thereof that by that meanes he might yeeld the Jewes a copious and abundant occasion of committing Idolatry who he well knew were apt enough by nature to honour God's faithfull servant too much and to neglect his Lord. Contrariwise the Arch-Angel pressing home the expediencie and necessitie of the concealment of it's place of burial for the prevention and disappointing of the occasion and introduction of Superstition and Idolatry Wherefore if the body of Moses went not together with his soul to heaven but as the Scripture teacheth remained on earth then surely could he not bring it along with him from heaven when he appeared on the holy mount and why may not the same be said of Elias that his body by the hand of God's omnipotencie had as sudden a restitution at his soul's descent from Heaven the very case of the soules of God's elect at the resurrection as it had dissolution at it's evection and transportation thither Sure I am whatsoever other men thinke the conceipt and opinion of the sons of the Prophets was that his body was not carried up into heaven but rather that the spirit of the Lord had taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley which made them so earnestly to sue unto Elisha That fifty strong and able men might goe and make search and inquisition after him 2 King 2.16 And these sons of the Prophets as I conceive were no plain or simple men but even Prophets themselves as man and son of man are all one in Hebrew phrase belonging and appertaining to the Schole or Colledge of Elias and Elisha whom a great Antiquary and Chronologer from prophane writers calleth by the name of Elulaeus Armagh Chron One objection remaineth that may be made that seems somewhat weighty and ponderous it is this Arg 4 Christ had his messengers and fore-runners his servants the Prophets going before his face to prepare his way before himself bodily and personally oppeared in flesh and blood here on earth to gather his Church and enter upon his Kingdome of grace what hurt then if we suppose some Saints and holy men of God corporally went before him as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fore-runners and messengers before he himself personally and in his Humane body entred and actually took possession of his Kingdome of glory Answ Be it granted that Christ had his messengers and fore-runners before he came personally himself to plant his Church to gather his Saints together and to enter upon his Kingdome of grace yet hence it follows not that he had any that did fore-run him bodily before himself bodily and personally entred into his Kingdome of glory A necessity there was of the Antecedent but no necessity at all of the Consequent For the better and clearer Demonstration of my sense and meaning in this Answer we must observe and mark that the whole my stery of man's redemption is grounded and established on a threefold foundation First on God's eternal purpose before all time Secondy on his free promise at the beginning of time Thirdly on his mercifull performance in the fulness of time The first is God's eternal purpose before all time of this we must conceive thus that God to whose eternall knowledge all things are present and nothing past or to come foreseeing man's fall before all time purposed to send his Son Jesus Christ into the world to redeem him Ephes 1.9 Act 2.23 The second is God's free promise at the beginning of time when immediately upon the fall of Adam God promised Christ unto him saying unto the serpent I will put emnity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed He that is to say Christ the seed of the woman shall break thy head and thou shalt bruise is heel This promise of Christ the woman's seed was the Gospel and the only comfort of Adam Abel Henoch Methuselah Noah and the rest of the godly Fathers till the time of Abraham At the time of Abraham this promise was turned into a covenant with Abraham and his seed and oft times repeated That in his seed all Nations should be blessed Gen 12.3 and 18.18 and 22.18 which promise and
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
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