第58章

andHiskingdomwasthepeopleofIsrael，whomHeruledbytheprophets，hislieutenants；firstMoses，andafterhimEleazar，andthesovereignpriests，tillinthedaysofSamueltheyrebelled，andwouldhaveamortalmanfortheirkingafterthemannerofothernations。

AndwhenourSaviourChristbythepreachingofhisministersshallhavepersuadedtheJewstoreturn，andcalledtheGentilestohisobedience，thenshalltherebeanewkingofheaven；becauseourKingshallthenbeGod，whosethroneisheaven，withoutanynecessityevidentintheScripturethatmanshallascendtohishappinessanyhigherthanGod’sfootstooltheearth。Onthecontrary，wefindwrittenthat“nomanhathascendedintoheaven，buthethatcamedownfromheaven，eventheSonofMan，thatisinheaven。“WhereIobserve，bytheway，thatthesewordsarenot，asthosewhichgoimmediatelybefore，thewordsofourSaviour，butofSt。Johnhimself；forChristwasthennotinheaven，butupontheearth。ThelikeissaidofDavidwhereSt。Peter，toprovetheAscensionofChrist，usingthewordsofthePsalmist，“Thouwiltnotleavemysoulinhell，norsufferthineHolyOnetoseecorruption，“

saiththeywerespoken，notofDavid，butofChrist，andtoproveit，addeththisreason，“ForDavidisnotascendedintoheaven。“Buttothisamanmayeasilyanswerandsaythat，thoughtheirbodieswerenottoascendtillthegeneraldayofjudgement，yettheirsoulswereinheavenassoonastheyweredepartedfromtheirbodies；

whichalsoseemethtobeconfirmedbythewordsofourSaviour，who，provingtheresurrectionoutofthewordsofMoses，saiththus，“Thatthedeadareraised，evenMosesshewedatthebush，whenhecalleththeLord，theGodofAbraham，andtheGodofIsaac，andtheGodofJacob。ForheisnotaGodofthedead，butoftheliving；

fortheyalllivetohim。“*(3)Butifthesewordsbetobeunderstoodonlyoftheimmortalityofthesoul，theyprovenotatallthatwhichourSaviourintendedtoprove，whichwastheresurrectionofthebody，thatistosay，theimmortalityoftheman。ThereforeourSaviourmeaneththatthosepatriarcheswereimmortal，notbyapropertyconsequenttotheessenceandnatureofmankind，butbythewillofGod，thatwaspleasedofHismeregracetobestoweternallifeuponthefaithful。Andthoughatthattimethepatriarchsandmanyotherfaithfulmenweredead，yetasitisinthetext，they“livedtoGod“；thatis，theywerewrittenintheBookofLifewiththemthatwereabsolvedoftheirsins，andordainedtolifeeternalattheresurrection。Thatthesoulofmanisinitsownnatureeternal，andalivingcreatureindependentonthebody；orthatanymeremanisimmortal，otherwisethanbytheresurrectioninthelastday，exceptEnosandElias，isadoctrinenotapparentinScripture。ThewholefourteenthChapterofJob，whichisthespeechnotofhisfriends，butofhimself，isacomplaintofthismortalityofnature；andyetnocontradictionoftheimmortalityattheresurrection。“Thereishopeofatree，“saithhe，“ifitbecastdown。Thoughtherootthereofwaxold，andthestockthereofdieintheground，yetwhenitscenteththewateritwillbud，andbringforthboughslikeaplant。Butmandieth，andwastethaway，yea，mangivethuptheghost，andwhereishe？“*(4)And，verse12，“manliethdown，risethnot，tilltheheavensbenomore。“

Butwhenisitthattheheavensshallbenomore？St。Petertellsusthatitisatthegeneralresurrection。ForinhissecondEpistle，thirdChapter，verse7，hesaiththat“theheavensandtheearththatarenow，arereserveduntofireagainstthedayofjudgement，andperditionofungodlymen，“and，verse12，“lookingforandhastingtothecomingofGod，whereintheheavensshallbeonfire，andshallbedissolved，andtheelementsshallmeltwithferventheat。

Nevertheless，weaccordingtothepromiselookfornewheavens，andanewearth，whereindwellethrighteousness。“ThereforewhereJobsaith，“manrisethnottilltheheavensbenomore“；itisallone，asifhehadsaidtheimmortallife(andsoulandlifeintheScriptu