/ Chap.r.Se&.z Looking unto fefm, Booi IV,Part.V _ 82.5 Sl CT. 2. Of the place whither he lljcended. 3. wHither he afcended, the Gofpel tells us ints heaven; only l'a.ut faith, that he afcended[ar above aft htavens. Butthemeaningis, he wentaboveall thefeviGblehea- Epb.f· 10 • vens into thofe heavenly manGons~ where the Angels, and the Spirits of the juft have thei~ a~o~de. Or. if the higheft heavens be included I fee no abfurd1ty m 1t; the h1gheft heaven, weufually call the Kingaome ofh.t.tven; which is either heaven material, or heaven fpiritual, and firft for the material heaven, in fome fenfe he may be {aid to afcend above that, both in refpcd: of his body, becaufe the body of Chrift i~ more glorious than any material heaven. And 1n refpect ofh1s foul, becallfe the foul of Chrift is more bleffed than all things elfe whatfoever. And 2. For the fpiritual heaven (i.) all angeli~al or heavenly perfe~ ctions, he is faid to afcend above them all, both in refpect of his humiliation, be~aufe he ?~th viJified himfelfe bcl?w all things, and therefore he 1s worth1ly exalted above all thtngs . and ia refpect of his perfed:ion, becaufe the humane nature ofChrift is more excellent than any creature, it being joyned to the Godhead by an hypoftatical union. Some there are that underftand this place of Chrifls afcending far above aft heavens not fo much by a local motion, as by a fpiritual mutation and ex<tltation of his perfon; as earth heigh ned unto a flame changech ·not its place only, but forme and F.gure,fo the perfon ofour Saviour was raifed to a greatneife and glory vaftly.ditfering from, and furmounting any image ofthings vi!lble or invifible in this creation: fo it is fitly expre!fed, he w.u m,1de higher than the heavens, he .was heightened to a fplendour, enlarged to a capacity and compaffe Heb.7.16. above the brighteft , and beyond the wideft: heavens: he tranfcended all in the fpiricuality of his afcenrton: but l lhall not mu'h infift on that. · - · Nnnnn SECT·
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