ore us
distinctly declares.

71. This fact, then, makes the narrative under consideration so
memorable that God intended to use it for the purpose of setting
before the old, primeval world the hope of a better life. Likewise, to
the second world, which had the Law, God gave the example of Elijah,
who also was taken up into heaven and translated by the Lord before
the very eyes of his own servant Elisha. We are now in the New
Covenant, in a third world, as it were. We have Christ himself, our
great deliverer, as our glorious example, who ascended into the
heavens, taking with him many of his saints.

It was God's will to establish for every age a testimonial of the
resurrection of the dead, that he might thereby allure our minds by
all possible attractions from this corrupt and in many ways wretched
life, in which, however, we will gladly serve God as long as it shall
please him, by the faithful performance of all public and private
duties, and especially by instructing others in holiness and in the
knowledge of God. But, as the apostle says, we have here "no certain
dwelling-place," 1 Cor 4, 11. Christ, our forerunner, is gone before
us, that he might prepare for us, the eternal mansions, Jn 14, 2-3.

72. Just as we find many among us by whom such things are considered
absurd, and not sufficiently worthy of faith, so there is no doubt
that this account was deemed ridiculous by most people. The world is
ever the same. For that reason these things have by divine authority
been committed to writing and recorded for the saints and the
faithful, that these might read, understand, believe and heed them.
They present to our sight a manifest triumph over death and sin, and
afford us a sure comfort in Enoch's victory over the Law, and the
wrath and judgment of God. To the godly nothing can yield more grace
and joy than these antediluvian records.

73. But the New Testament truly overflows with the mercy of God. While
we do not discard records like these, we have others far superior. We
have the Son of God himself ascending to the skies, and sitting at the
right hand of God. In him we see the serpent's head completely
bruised, and the life lost in paradise restored. This is more than the
translation of Enoch and of Elijah; still, it was God's will in this
manner to administer comfort to the original world and also to the
succeeding one, which had the Law.

74. The paramount doctrine contained in these five chapters is,
acc