The fifth question is, Whither he ascended? and the answer to that is in the Creed, and the Scriptures before quoted, into Heaven; and Christ himself saith, He went to his Father in heaven, Joh. 14. 12. and 20. 16. Heb. 9. 20. Now this heaven doth not signify God himself, or a heavenly conversation, or heavenly glory, but by heaven is meant that place of eternal blessedness, which is without the corruptible world, which is above all these moveable & worldly heavens, and to us now living on earth is invisible. It is ⟨p. 482⟩that place that Christ calls, The house of his heavenly Father, in which are many Mansions, Joh. 14. 12. and Solomon calls the place of Gods habitation, the heavens, Chron. 6. •1. and the habitation of his holiness in heaven, 1 King. 8. 31. Christ therefore is now in that highest heaven, which must contain him till the times of the restoring of all things. It is objected, that Christ ascended above all heavens, Eph. 4. Answer. It is true, above all these visible heavens, above the Air and the celestial Orbs, in which are the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and so went into that heaven called the third heaven, which is the seat of the blessed. It is further objected, if Christ ascended above all those worldly heavens, then his body is in no place, because Aristotle proves in his first book of heaven, that above all heavens is no place. Answer. It is false that above all heavens is no place, for though there be not such a place as Aristotle describes Physically, yet there is a place: for where there is a body, there must needs be a space in which that body is contained, according to that known saying, Take away spaces from bodies & they will be no where, and if no where, then they are not. This space the Scripture calls a place. But against Aristotle we oppose the express authority of Christ himself, who affirmeth, there are places in heaven, Joh. 14. 2, 3. Now God would have us to know whither Christ ascended for three Reasons: First, that we might be certain he remained still a true man, even in his glory in heaven. Secondly, that we might know whither to convert our thoughts and desires, and where our hearts might find Christ: as Paul saith, If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God, Col. 3. 1. we cannot find Christ on earth, we must look him in heaven.
The fift question is, Whither he ascended? and the answer to that is in the Creed, and the Scriptures before quoted, into Heauen; and Christ himselfe saith, Hee went to his Father in heauen, Ioh. 14. 12. and 20. 16. Heb. 9. 20. Now this heauen doth not signifie God himselfe, or a heauenly conuersation, or heauenly glory, but by heauen is meant that place of eternall blessednesse, which is without the corruptible world, which is aboue all these moueable & worldly heauens, and to vs now liuing on earth is inuisible. It is ⟨p. 482⟩that place that Christ calls, The house of his heauenly Father, in which are many Mansions, Ioh. 14. 12. and Solomon calls the place of Gods habitation, the heauens, Chron. 6. •1. and the habitation of his holinesse in heauen, 1 King. 8. 31. Christ therefore is now in that highest heauen, which must contain him til the times of the restoring of all things. It is obiected, that Christ ascended aboue all heauens, Eph. 4. Answer. It is true, aboue all these visible heauens, aboue the Aire and the coelestiall Orbes, in which are the Sunne, Moone, and Starres, and so went into that heauen called the third heauen, which is the seat of the blessed. It is further obiected, if Christ ascended aboue all those worldly heauens, then his body is in no place, because Aristotle proues in his first booke of heauen, that aboue all heauens is no place. Answer. It is false that aboue all heauens is no place, for though there bee not such a place as Aristotle describes Physically, yet there is a place: for where there is a body, there must needs be a space in which that body is contained, according to that knowne saying, Take away spaces from bodies & they will be no where, and if no where, then they are not. This space the Scripture calls a place. But against Aristotle we oppose the expresse authority of Christ himselfe, who affirmeth, there are places in heauen, Ioh. 14. 2, 3. Now God would haue vs to know whither Christ ascended for three Reasons: First, that we might be certaine he remained still a true man, euen in his glory in heauen. Secondly, that wee might know whither to conuert our thoughts and desires, and where our hearts might finde Christ: as Paul saith, If yee be risen with Christ, seeke those things that are aboue, where Christ sits at the right hand of God,
