Part I. METAPHORS FROM Hl':AVEN. !Ol Alfo the airy Region which is above us, and this either in Conjunction· with the ethereal or flarry Heaven, Gen. i. 6, 7• 8, 9· (wh~re. b~ the MentiOn of theWaters bemg gathered together unto one Place under the Heavens, ts mumated, that alfo, to be a H~aven, which is next and Immediately above them, whtch ts the lower Regwn of the Atr) or feparatdy from it, and fo only the Air, Lev. xxiv:.!9· Deut. xx.viii. 23. I Kings viii. 35 . 2 Chron. vii. 1 3· Job I. I6. and u. I2. Pfal. vw. 8. Matt. vt. 26. Luke tx. 54· and xii. s6. Hut metaphorically Heaven IS taken: 1. For Divine Glory, and infinite 111ajejly, which is called ~w; neoT<Tav, (phos apri!/i– ton) light inaccef!ible, or which none can approach to,, I 'rim. vi. t6. by Reafon of St~ mtliwde, from the Greatnefs, Splendor, Beauty and Elegance of Heaven, to whtch we may refer the Words of Bonaven&ure->, Corpus quod ej/ furfum dicitur Celum, &c. The Body which is above is called Heaven, becaufe it is capacious, fecret, and quiet; and becaufe this threefold Propriety is found in the Celfirude of the Divinity, it is there– fore called Heaven; it is capacious in the lmmenfity of Power, fecret in the Depth of Knowledge, and quiet in the Tranquility of Delight. This is fuperior to all Heavens, not by Situation but Dignity, and greater than every Heaven, not by Extenfion, but from his own Immenfity, by which he is beyond all, but not excluded, &c. ~o it is taken when God is faid to dwell in Heaven, Pfal. ii. 4· 1 Kings viii. 39• 43, &c. So Deut. xxvi. 15. Look down from thy holy Habitation from Heaven, and bleft thy People, &c. So it is faid of Chrift that he came down from Heaven, John iii. I3· and vi. 3 ;. so, 5'· I Cor. xv. 47· that is, he went forth from that inacceflible Light of Divine Majtlty, and manifdied himfelf in the Fldh. And the fame Throne of Majefty is in the Heavens, Heb. viii. t. and i. 3· to which Chrift (as God-man) in his State of Ex– altation went. See John xvii. 5· Heb. vii. 26. Made higher than the Heavens, Eph. iv. 10. afcended up far above all Heavens, that he might fill all Things. See Pfal. viii. t, 2. and cviii. s, &c. By which Places, not fo much the Height of the Place, as the Sublimity of the Divine Majefty is exprelfed. 2. Heaven is metaphorically taken for the fpiriw•l Kingdom of God, and that State of H appinets wherein he mamfdts and communicates himfelf to Angels and Men– And that is, (1.) Of Grace, viz. The gathering and gracious Government of the Church Mili– tant in this Life, to which belongs the Appellation Of the Kingdom of Heaven often– times attributed to the Church, Matt. xiii. 1 r, 24, 31, 33· xx. r. and xxii. t. &c. So when it is faid to plailt a Heaven, Ifa.li. I6. and to create a new Heaven, !fa. lxv. r7. by which Phrafe the Reflauration of the Church by Chrift is noted, which is begun in this Life, and comFleared in Eternity, 2 Pet. iii. 13. The Reafon of the Comparifon is, becaufe as the natural Heaven is very far diftant from the Earrh,fo the Vvays of God in ruling his Church, and giving Blelfednefs to Believers, do exceedingly furpafs the Manner of earthly Adminiftrations, !fa. lv. 9· And as in the natural Heaven all Things are in the exaEteft Order, full of Light and Radiance: So God in his Church, is the God of Order and Peace, r Cor. xiv. 33· leading, teaching, and faving his People by a moll convenient Order of Mediums, and that by the Light of his faving Word. ·. (2.) Of Glory, viz. the eternal and unfpeakable Felicity of Angels and holy Men, in the beholding and perfect Fruition of the glorious God. To which belong thofe Phrafes, Matt. xviii. to. Their Angels in Heaven behold the Face of my Father, the Speech is of the Angels appointed as Keepers of the little ones; by which it appears that the Angels though aCting on Earth tor the Good of Chriflians are neverrhelefs really in Heaven, that is, in a cdefiial State of Blelfednefs. Matt. vi. 20. 'rreafures are Jaid to be laid up in Heaven, Luke viii 2 2. 'ro have 1reafures in Heaven, Phi!. iii. 20. 'ro have our Com:erfatioll .in Heaven, by which Phrafes Faith and Chriflian Hope afpiring and tending to eternal Blelfednefs is to be t~nderftood . From this Heaven Satan is faid to fall like Lightning, Lukex. t8. Satan (lays Illyricus) fell not from a Place, but from his Degrees of Dignity, to wit, from the Favor of God andfpiritual Blejjednifs, into thegretJtej/ WickednejS, Punijh– ments, and eternal and JPiritual Calamities. Of the Scope of thefe Words of Chriit, Erafmus by> thus, J tfm that he might fortify their Minds, againft that Dijeafe of vain Glory, whiCh evm the Saints are fometimes tainted with, propofes the Example of Lucifer to them, who for his Pride wasfuddenly caft dow11 from fo great Felicity. I Jau·, fays he, * Li!·.fr:ft'tt!. dijl. 2. r.. 33· Dd Satan
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