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afcended into Heaven. Wherefore befide that grounded upon the Hypoftatical Union, befide that glorious Condition upon his Refurrection, there was yet another, and that more proper Afcenfion: for after he had both those ways afcended, it was ftill true that he had not yet afcended to his Father.

Now this kind of Afcenfion, by which Chrift had not yet afcended when he fpake to Mary after his Refurrection, was not after to be performed; for at the fame time he faid unto Mary, Go to my brethren, and fay unto them, I afcend unto my Father and your Father. And when this Afcenfion was performed, it appeared manifeftly to be a true local Tranflation of the Son of Man, as Man, from thefe Parts of the World below into the Heavens above, by which that Body which was before locally prefent here on Earth, and was not fo then prefent in Heaven, became fubftantially prefent in Heaven, and no longer locally prefent in Earth. For when he had spoken unto the Difciples, and blessed them, laying his Hands upon them, and fo was corporally prefent with them, even while he blessed them he parted from them, Luke 24. 50, and while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of 51. their fight, and fo he was carried up into heaven, while they looked fted. Acts 1.9, 10. faftly towards heaven as he went up. This was a vifible Departure, as it is defcribed, a real removing of that Body of Christ which was before present with the Apostles; and that Body living after the Refurrection, by Virtue of that Soul which was united to it; and therefore the Son of God according to his Humanity was really and truly translated from these Parts below unto the Heavens above, which is a proper local Afcenfion.

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Thus was Chrift's Afcenfion vifibly performed in the Prefence and Sight of the Apostles, for the Confirmation of the Reality and the Certainty thereof. They did not fee him when he rofe, but they faw him when he af- * Bó cended; because an Eye-witness was not neceffary unto the Act of his Re-vis, Basfurrection, but it was neceffary unto the Act of his Afcenfion. It was fuffi- 3 day cient that Chrift fhewed himself to the Apoftles alive after his Passion; a for being they knew him before to be dead, and now faw him alive, they were thereby affured that he rofe again: for whatsoever was a Proof of his Life after Death, was a Demonftration of his Refurrection. But being the Apostles were not to see our Saviour in Heaven, being the Seffion was, not to be visible to them on Earth, therefore it was neceffary they fhould be Eye-witnesses of the Act, who were not with the fame Eyes to behold the Effect.

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ἀρχὲ ἰδεῖν, αὐτῷ τὰ ταῦτα φθεγομώς παρόντα, καὶ τα μνήματα, δηλον ὅτι ἐκ ἔσιν ἐκεῖ· ἄλλα τὸ μὴ τότο λόγῳ ἔδει μav. S. Chryf. Hom. 2. in Act. Apoft.

Beside the Eye-witnefs of the Apostles, there was added the Teftimony of the Angels; thofe bleffed Spirits which miniftred before, and saw the Face of God in Heaven, and came down from thence, did know that Chrift afcended up from hence unto that Place from whence they came and be-* 'Ethday &* cause the Eyes of the Apoftles could not follow him fo far, the Inhabitants of agon of 60θαλμοὶ δεῖξαι that Place did come to teftifie of his Reception, For a behold two men flood by 4, them in white apparel, which also faid, Te men of Galilee, why ftand ye wardiovas gazing up into heaven? This fame Jefus which is taken up from you into wore egy is heaven Thall fo come in like manner as ye have feen him go into heaven. Der wis eis I We must therefore acknowledge and confess against the wild † Herefies of old, e, de that the Eternal Son of God who died and rofe again, did with the fame Body and Soul, with which he died and rofe, afcend up to Heaven; which was the fecond Particular confiderable in the Article.

ἐρανὸν ἀνῆλ

γένει· ότι με αὐτός ἐσιν ̓Ιησ

so it

ὧν διελέγετο πρὸς αὐτὸς (πόρρωθεν το

ἐκ ἐν] ἰδόντας γνῶναι) ὅτι ἢ εἰς ὃ ἐρανὸν ἀναλαμβάνει, αὐτοὶ λοιπὸν ἐδίδασκον οἱ ἄγ[ελοι. S. Chryf. Hom. 2. in Alfa Apoft. The various Herefics in the Primitive Time concerning the Humanity of Chrift

a Acts 1. 10, II.

afcended

afcended into Heaven are briefly touched by Tertullian; Ut & illi erubefcant, qui adfirmant carnem in cœlis vacuam fenfu ut vaginam exempto Chrifto federe, aut qui carnem & animam tantundem, aut tantummodo animam, carnem verò non jam. De carne Chrifti, c. 24. Of which Gregory Nazianzen, Eris Droleteral vur + Cägna Xéyoi, » yopilud είναι τ' θεότητα σώματα, ἀλλὰ μὴ με τα προβλήμματα και είναι να ήξειν, μὴ ἴδοι τ' δόξαν ἢ παρεσίας. Epift. 1. ad Ciedonium. The Apellite taught that Chrift left his Body diffolved in the Air, and fo afcended into Heaven without it; Hunc Apellem dicunt quidam etiam de Chrifto tam falfa fenfiffe, ut diceret eum non quidem carnem duxiffe de cœlo, fed ex elementis mundi accepiffe, quæ mundo reddidit cùm fine carne refurgens in cœlum afcendit. S. Aug. Haref. 23. This Opinion of Apelles is thus delivered by Epiphanius in his own Words. En re exeat do I inveavian xθεν εἰς * γιώ καὶ αυή αγχο εσαυτῷ από 7 τεσσάρων ώκα-Έδωκεν ὁ Χρισὸς ἑαυτὸν παθεῖν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ σώματι, και εσαυρώθη εν ἀληθείᾳ, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ. * βάρκα τοῖς ἑαυτὸ μαθηταῖς, καὶ ἀναλύσας αὐτίω το ενανθρώπησιν ἑαυτῶ ἀπεμέρισε πάλιν ἑκάτῳ Ἡ τοιχείων τὸ ἴδιον Σποδός, το θερμόν τη θερμῷ, τὸ ψυχρὸν τῷ ψυχρῷ, τὸ ξηρὸν τῷ ξηρῷ, τὸ ὑδρὸν τῷ ὑ[ρῷ· καὶ ὅτως διαλύσας ÚT AUTZ Wádi Tò ivo agnov Câμa ávézin eis à segerov, öbere. Hæref. 44. Of whom Gregory Nazianzen is to be underfood in that pifle before cited, ἢ εἰς τ αέρα ἐχέθη καὶ διελύθη, ὡς φωνῆς φύσις, καὶ ὀδμῖς ῥύσις, καὶ αερας τῆς δρόμου όχι ἐς αμβρης.

Heb. 4. 14.

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Thirdly, Being the Name of Heaven admitteth divers Acceptions in the Sacred Scriptures, it will be neceffary to enquire what is the true Notion of it in this Article, and what is the proper Termination of Chrift's Afcenfion. In fome Senfe it might be truly faid Chrift was in Heaven before the Cloud took him out of the Apoftles Sight; for the Clouds themselves are called the Clouds of Heaven: but that Heaven is the firft; and our Saviour certainly ascended at least as far as S. Paul was caught up, that is, into the third Heaven; For we have a great High-priest that is * paffed through We read it the heavens. And needs muft he pafs through the Heavens, because he the heavens, was a made higher than the heavens; For he that defcended is the fame but the Origi- also that afcended up far above all heavens. When therefore Christ is said as much as to have afcended into Heaven, we must take that Word as fignifying as through; de- much as the Heaven of Heavens; and fo Christ is afcended through and aAnubóra, T's bove the Heavens, and yet is ftill in Heaven: for he is entred into that qui penetra- within the veil, there is his Paffage through the Heavens: & into the holy vit cœlos. place, even into heaven it felf to appear in the prefence of God, this is ■ Heb. 7. 26. b Eph. 4. 10. the Heaven of Heavens. For thus faid the Lord, the heaven is my throne, Heb. 6. 19. and the earth is my footftool; and as Chrift defcended unto the Footftool of d Heb. 9. 12, his Father in his Humiliation, fo he afcended unto the Throne of his Father in his Exaltation. This was the Place of which our Saviour fpake to his Difciples, What and if you fhall fee the Son of man afcend up where he was before? Had he been there before in Body, it had been no fuch Wonder that he should have afcended thither again but that his Body should af cend unto that Place where the Majefty of God was moft refplendent; that the Flesh of our Flesh, and Bone of our Bone fhould be feated far above all Angels and Archangels, all Principalities and Powers, even at the Right Hand of God; this was that which Chrift propounded as worthy of their greatest Admiration. Whatsoever Heaven then is higher than all the rest which are called Heavens; whatsoever Sanctuary is holier than all which are called Holies; whatsoever Place is of greatest Dignity in all thofe Courts above, into that Place did he afcend, where in the Splendour of his Deity he was before he took upon him our Humanity.

26.

As therefore when we fay Chrift afcended, we understand a literal and local Afcent, not of his Divinity, (which poffeffeth all Places, and therefore being every where is not fubject to the Imperfection of removing any whither) but of his Humanity, which was fo in one Place that it was not in another: fo when we fay the Place into which he afcended was Heaven, and †The Seleu- from the Expofitions of the Apostles must understand thereby the Heaven of Heavens or the highest Heaven, it followeth that we believe the Body with the Soul of Christ to have paffed far above all thofe Celeftial Bodies which the Body of we fee, and to look upon that Opinion as a low Conceit which left his BoChrift afcend- dy in the † Sun.

ciani and

Hermiani

taught that

ed no farther

than the Sun, in which it was depofited; of whom Philaftrius, and out of him S. Auftin thus, Negant Salvatorem in carne federe ad dexteram Patris, fed eâ fe exuiffe perhibent, eamque in Sole pofuiffe, accipientes occafionem de Pfalmo, In Sole pofuit Tabernaculum fuum. Haref. 59. The fame Opinion Gregory Nazianzen attributeth to the Manicheans,

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ΠΕ γδ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ εἰ μὴ μὲ τὸ προσλαβόντα; ε δ δὴ καὶ τὰς Μανιχαίων λήρες των ηλίῳ ἐαπολέθει ένα τιμηθῇ διὰ τ ατιmias. Epift. 1. ad Cledonium. And S. Auftin fays they taught the Sun to be Chrift, Manichæi Solem iftum oculis carneis vifibilem, expofitum & publicum, non tantùm hominibus, fed etiam pecoribus ad videndum, Chriftum Dominum effe putârunt. Tract. 34. in Joh. This Opinion is more clearly fet down, but without a Name, in the Catena Patrum on the 18th Pfalm, Οὐ γδ προσεκτέον τοῖς ἢ Αἱρετικῶν φλωροις οι φασιν ότι με 7 ανάςασιν ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐν τῇ ἡλιακή (φαίρᾳ ἀπέθετο ὃ ἐφόρησε (ῶμα, φυλάττεας μέχρι δευτέρας παρεσίας. This was the old Here lie of Hermogenes, as is related by Theodoret, Ούτω (ὁ Ἑρμοχης) το Κυρίω τὸ χῶμα ἐν τῷ ἡλίῳ εἶπεν απολιθώαι, το διάβολον καὶ τὰς δαίμονας eis 7 valu ávaxelhosa. Haref. Fab. lib. 1. cap. 19.

It was neceffary to profess this Article of Christ's Afcenfion. First, For the Confirmation and Augmentation of our Faith. Our Faith is thereby confirmed, in that we believe in him who is received unto the Father, and therefore certainly came from the Father; his Father fent him, and we have received the Meffage from him, and are affured that it is the fame Meffage which he was fent to deliver, because he is fo highly rewarded by him that fent him for delivering it. Our Faith is thereby exalted and augmented, as being the evidence of things not feer. The farther the Object is removed from us, Heb. 11. t. the more of* Faith hath that Act which embraceth it, Chrift faid unto Tho- * Magnalur mas, because thou haft feen me thou haft believed; blessed are they that hic vigor eit have not feen, and yet have believed: and that bleffednefs by this Afcenfion valdè fidelihe hath left to the whole Church. That Chrift afcended is the ground and um lumen eft glory of our Faith; and by virtue of his being in Heaven, our Belief is both incunctanter encouraged and commended; for his Afcent is the Caufe, and his Absence the credere quæ Crown of our Faith: Because he afcended, we the more believe; and becaufe corporeo non we believe in him who hath ascended, our Faith is the more accepted.

a

mentium, &

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videntur in

tuitu, & ibi

figere defiderium quò nequeas inferre confpectum. Hæc autem pietas undè in noftris cordibus nafceretur, aut quomodò quifquam juftificaretur per fidem, fi in iis tantùm falus noftra confifteret quæ obtutibus fubjacerent? Leo in Afcen. Serm. 2. Fides eorum qui Deum vifuri funt, quamdiu peregrinantur corda mundantur, quod non videt credit, nam fi vides non eft fides credenti colligitur meritum, videnti redditur præmium. Eat ergo Dominus & paret locum; eat ne videatur, lateat ut credatur: tunc enim locus paratur, fi ex fide vivatur: creditus defideretur ut defideratus habeatur, defiderium dilectionis præparatio eft manfionis. S. Auguft. Tract. 68. in Joh. a Joh. 20. 29.

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Serm. I.

Secondly, It is neceffary to believe the Afcenfion of Chrift for the corroboration of our Hope. We could never expect our Duft and Ashes fhould afcend the Heavens; but being our Nature hath gone before in him, we can now hope to follow after him. He is our* Head, and where that is, the *Chrifti af=" Members may expect admiffion: for in fo great and intimate an Union there cenfio noftra is no fear of feparation or exclufion. There are many manfions in his Fa- provectio eft, & quò præther's houfe. And when he spake of afcending thither, he faid expreffly to ceffit gloria his Disciples, I go to prepare a place for you, and will come again and re-capitis, co fpes vocatur ceive you unto my felf, that where I am, there ye may be alfo. The first- & corporis. t fruits of our Nature are afcended, and the reft is fanctified. C This is the new Leo de Afcen. and living way which he confecrated for us through the veil, that is to b Job. 14.3. fay, his flesh. And hence we have our hope as an anchor of the foul A/D TOTO 1I ↑ both fure and ftedfaft, which entreth into that within the veil, whither glace peithe fore-runner is for us entred. For if Chrift in his Afcenfion be the fore- CME egy Thes runner, then are there fome to follow after; and not only fo, but they which follow are to go on in the fame way, and to attain unto the fame place: and if this fore-runner be entred for us, then we are they which are Cexa, to follow and overtake him there; as being of the fame Nature, Members of the fame Body, Branches of the fame Vine, and therefore he went this. Chr. Orat. ther before us as the first-fruits before those that follow, and we hope to 1. de Afcens. follow him as coming late to the fame Perfection.

c Heb. 10. 20.

d Heb. 6. 19, 20.

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μαλα, τολές

Xer

τὸς ἀνήγαΓε.

Διὸ λοιπὸν χρησις ἔχομεν τὰς ἐλπίδας τοὺς ἢ ἡμετέραν ἀπαρχὼ ἀφορῶντες. Ibid. Orat. 2. + There is a double Notion of weidegu, to this purpose, one of a man fent before to make Preparations for others which follow; in which it is well obferved by S. Chryfoftom: 05 du Tivan isi wogdogμt, waveg Iwaving to Xersô, ox πεν ἁπλῶς εἰσῆλθεν· ἀλλ' ὅπως πρόδρομα ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν ὡς καὶ ἡμῶν ὀφειλόντων καταλαβεῖν. Οὐ πολὺ γδ το προδρόμο καὶ ' ἐπομβρων ὀφείλει εἶναι τὸ μέσον· ἐπεὶ εἰδ' ἂν εἴη πρόδρομο της πρόδρομον καὶ τὰς ἐποιθρες ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ χρὴ εἶναι ὁδῷ Nn

μ odolev, To's 5 ixxalaλaμbáve. Hom. 11. in Epift. ad Hebræos. Another Notion there is among the Greeks of the Fruit which is ripe and come to perfection before the reft, as Isaiah 28.4. Kai ison to aveC TO CATEGò & ianído & dóEng ix' ängu Tỡ öges as weg degu Cúx8,, tanquam primitiæ, or fructus primogeniti, ficus præcox. Hefychius. Πρόδροσμα, τὰ ἐν τῷ ἄξονι ξύλα, ἢ τὰ προακμάζοντα (ῦκα· lege Πρόδρομοι, for they indeed are properly τὰ προακμάζοντα Cuza, præcoces ficus: For fo Theophraftus, speaking particularly we Cuxns, hath these Words, Tours Jo Acions * τοιαύτης ὑδρότη], ὅταν ἀῆς ἐπιγένη) μαλακὸς καὶ ὑγρὸς καὶ θερμὸς, ἐξεκαλέσατο τ βλάσησιν· ὅτι ἢ τότο (υμβαίνει φανερόν, ὅτι ἐκ τότε το μέρος ὁ καρπὸς ἀνίες, όθεν και οι πρόδρομοι. De caufis Plant. lib. 5. cap. 1. & paulo poft, Πάλιν ἢ τὰς καὶ προδρόμος αν με φέρεσιν, οἷον, ὅτε Λακονικὴ καὶ Λεκομφάλιο καὶ ἕτεροι πλείας, αἱ δ' ο φέρεσιν. The Fire-fruits of the early Figs were called doguo, and the Tree which bare them weglex. Now as this early Fruit doth fore-run the latter Fruit of the fame Tree, and comes to Ripeness and Perfection in its kind before the reft; fo our Saviour goes before those men of the fame Nature with him, and they follow in their time to the Maturity of the fame Perfection.

*

Ephef. 2.6.

a

As therefore God hath quickned us together with Chrift, and hath raised us up together by virtue of his Refurrection; fo hath he alfo made us fit together in heavenly places in Chrift Jefus, by virtue of his AfcenTsas fion. We are already feated there* in him, and hereafter fhall be feated by καθεζομενες him; in him already as in our Head, which is the ground of our Hope; by τὸ χῶμα Cur xel him hereafter, as by the Caufe conferring, when Hope fhall be fwallowed τότε ἐπή Γαλο up in Fruition.

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ἐν Χρισῷ Ἰη

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c John 12.32.

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Thirdly, The Profeffion of Faith in Christ afcended, is neceffary for the foft. in locum. Exaltation of our Affections. For where our treasure is, there will our b Mat. 6.21. hearts be also. If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me, faith our Saviour; and if those words were true of his Crucifixion, d2 Kings 2. 2. how powerful ought they to be in reference to his Afcenfion? & When the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven, Elifba faid unto him; As the Lord liveth, and as thy foul liveth, I will not leave thee: When Chrift is afcended up on high, we must follow him with the Wings of our MeditaCol.3. 1,2,3. tions, and with the Chariots of our Affections. If we be rifen with Chrift, we must feek thofe things which are above, where Chrift fitteth on the right hand of God. If we be dead, and our life hid in Chrift with God, we must fet our affection on things above, not on things on earth. Christ is afcended into Heaven to teach us that we are Strangers and Pilgrims here, as all our Fathers were, and that another Countrey belongs unto us: From T1 Pet. 2. 11. Whence we fas ftrangers and pilgrims fhould learn to abstain from fleshly & Phil. 3. 19, lufts; and not mind earthly things; as knowing that we are 8 Citizens of Heaven, from whence we look for our Saviour, the Lord Jefus, yeah fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God. We fhould trample upon our Sins, and fubdue the Lufts of the Flesh, that our Converfation may be correfpondent to our Saviour's Condition; that where the Eyes of the Apostles were forced to leave him, thither our Thoughts may follow

I

20.

Ephef. 2. 19.

him.

Fourthly, The Afcenfion of Christ is a neceffary Article of the Creed in refpect of those great Effects which immediately were to follow it, and did abfolutely depend upon it. The bleffed Apoftles had never preached the Gofpel, had they not been indued with Power from above; but none of that Power had they received, if the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner had not defcended: And the Holy Ghoft had not come down, except our Saviour had afcended first. For he himself, when he was to depart from his Difciples, grounded the neceffity of his Departure upon the certainty of this John 16. 7. Truth, faying, If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you: but if I depart, I will fend him unto you. Now if all the Infallibility of thofe Truths, which we as Chriftians believe, depend upon the certain Information which the Apostles had, and those Apostles appear to be no way infallible till the Cloven Tongues had fat upon them, it was firft abfolutely neceffary that the Holy Ghost should fo defcend. Again, being it was impoffible that the Spirit of God in that manner should come down, until the Son of God had afcended into Heaven; being it was not fit that the second Advocate should officiate on Earth, till the firft Advocate had entred upon his Office

in Heaven; therefore in respect of this great work the Son of God must neceffarily ascend, and in reference to that Neceffity we may well be obliged to confels that Afcenfion.

every

Christian is

Upon thefe Confiderations we may eafily conclude what obliged to confefs in thofe Words of our Creed, He afcended into Heaven: for thereby he is understood to exprefs thus much, I am fully perfuaded, that the Only-begotten and Eternal Son of God, after he arofe from the Dead, did with the fame Soul and Body with which he rose, by a true and local Tranflation convey himself from the Earth on which he lived, through all the Regions of the Air, through all the Celestial Orbs, until he came unto the Heaven of Heavens, the most glorious Prefence of the Majesty of God. And thus I believe in Jefus Chrift who afcended into Heaven.

And litteth on the Right Hand of God the Father
Almighty.

T

THE Second part of the Article containeth two Particulars; the Seffion of the Son, and the Defcription of the Father: The Firft fheweth that Christ upon his Afcenfion is fet down at the right hand of God; the Second affureth us that the God, at whofe Right Hand Chrift is fet down, is the Father Almighty.

For the Explication of Chriff's Seffion, Three things will be neceffary : First, To prove that the promised Meffias was to fit at the Right Hand of God; Secondly, To fhew that our Jefus, whom we believe to be the true Meffias, is fet down at the Right Hand of God; Thirdly, To find what is the Importance of that Phrase, and in what Propriety of Expreffion it belongs to Chrift.

That the promised Meffias was to fit at the Right Hand of God, was both pre-typified and foretold. Jofeph who was betrayed and fold by his Brethren, was an exprefs Type of Chrift; and though in many things he reprefented the Meffias, yet in none more than in this, that being taken out of the Prifon he was exalted to the Supreme Power of Egypt. For thus Pharaoh pake to Jofeph, Thou shalt be over my house, and according to Gen. 41. 40% thy word jhall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater 42, 43. than thou. And Pharaoh took off the ring from his hand, and put it upon Jofeph's hand, and arrayed him in the vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the fecond chariot which he bad, and they cried before him, Bow the knee; and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. Thus Jofeph had the Execution of all the Regal Power committed unto him, all Edicts and Commands were given out by him, the managing of all Affairs was through his Hands, only the Authori ty by which he moved, remained in Pharaoh ftill. This was a clear Reprefentation of the Son of Man, who by his fitting on the Right Hand of God, obtained Power to rule and govern all Things both in Heaven and Earth, (especially as the ruler of his house, that is, the Church) with exprefs Command that all Things both in. Heaven and Earth, and under the Earth, thould bow down before him: but all this in the Name of the Father; to whom the Throne is still referved, in whom the original Authority still remains. And thus the Seffion of the Meffias was pre-typified.

The fame was alfo expreffly foretold, not only in the Senfe, but in the Phrafe. The Lord faid unto my Lord, faith the Prophet David, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Jews have endeavoured to avoid this Prophecy, but with no Succefs: fome make the

Nn 2

Perfon

Pfal. 110. 1.

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