of all things, and the Authour of Salvation to all that obey him. Act. 2.34.David is said not to have ascended into Heaven, but that is spoken in respect only that he was not raised in body, and gone into Heaven body and soule, as the heire of all things, and person who was to sit at Gods right hand. It is also said, Heb. 11.39.The Fathers received not the Promise, scil. of Christs comming in the flesh to performe the worke of our Redemption: but as they received the promise of forgivenesse, and of the Spirit of Sanctification, so after their death they were taken into Heaven. They whose Pilgrimage and sojourning ceased with this life, they could not but be in their Countrey at home after this life. But Heaven is the Countrey of the Saints; for where their Father is there is their Countrey. Those who walked as strangers here on earthHeb. 11. 13,14,15,16., because they looked for an heavenly Jerusalem, a City whose Maker was God, they leaving this earth were translated thither. The Heb. 11. 5.
2 King. 2.11
Luke 9.31.translating of Enoch, Moses, and Elias seeme to figure out no other thing. Christ was the fore-runner of Enoch, not in act, in respect of the assumption of his humanity into Heaven, but in vertue and merit. From the beginning of the world, a place was prepared for all, whom God had chosen in Jesus Christ, Matth. 25. 31. and 20. 23. but a place was to be prepared of Christ, for us, in respect of the promised paiment, by the force and efficacy whereof the effect was before obtained, but with respect to future labours, which were both certaine and present with God. For a morall cause, though it be not present in act, if it be supposed as future, may have its effect. The faithfull before Christ, when they removed out of these earthly tabernacles, were received into everlasting habitations. Luke 16. 9. Now if the godly at the instant departed, were bestowed in any place but Heaven, they then did goe to mansions, which they were to leave in a short time, even then when Christ did ascend. Our Saviour promised to the penitent Theefe upon the Crosse, Luke 23.43.This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: which if it was not into Heaven, but into Limbus, it was but for a short time; for that was to be broken up within a few houres space.
But to returne to the matter in hand, The Covenant of Promise and the new Covenant are so one for substance, that what is in the first for weight and essentiall, is in all the degrees following, and to be understood, though not mentioned, and whatsoever in any after degree appeares as substantiall to the Covenant, that was includedin
