The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 56
THE LVI. LECTVRE, OF THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST.
MARKE, CHAP. XVI.
verse 20 And they went foorth, and preached euerie where. And the Lord wrought with them, and confirmed the word with ſignes that followed, Amen.
LVKE, CHAP. XXIIII.
verse 52 And they Worſhipped him, & returned to Hieruſalē with great ioye.
verse 53 And were continuallie in the Temple, praiſing and lauding GOD, Amen.
ACTS, CHAP. I.
verse 10 And while they looked ſtedfaſtly toward heauen, as hee went, beholde, two men ſtood by them in white apparell,
verse 11 Which alſo ſaid Yee men of Galile, why ſtand yee gazing into heauen? This Ieſus, which is taken vp from you into heauen, ſhall ſo come, as yee hauehave ſeene him goe into heauen.
verse 12 Then returned they vntounto Hieruſalem, from the mount that is called, the mount of Oliues, which is neare to Hieruſalem, beeing from it a Sabbath dayes journey.
verse 13 And when they were come in, they went vp into an vpper chamber, where abode both Peter, and Iames, and Iohn, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartlemew, and Matthew, James the ſonne of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Iudas Iames brother.
verse 14 Theſe all continued with one accord in prayer and ſupplications with the women, and Marie the mother of Ieſus, and with his brethren.
THE laſt day, welbeloued Brethrē in Chriſt, we entred into the hiſtory of Chriſts aſcenſion to heauen. We heard of the circūſtāces of it. The Lord led them out to Bethania, to the mount of Oliues, from the which place He aſcēded vntounto heauē: we heard of the cōmuning yt was betwixt Chriſt & his diſciples, who asked of him, Lord, wilt thou at this time reſtore the kingdome to Jſrael? The Lord reproues this their curioſity, It is not for you to know the times & the ſeaſons, which the Father has put in his owne power. And then he tels what they ought to doe: Firſt they ſhuld be mindfull of the promiſe of ye H. Spirit: Next, they ſhuld look to their own calling, to beare witneſſe of him to the world. Wee heard how before his Aſcenſion he bleſſed them: we heard of the manner of his Aſcenſion, it was very ſenſible and viſible, He went a little ſpace from them, and was taken vp, and receiued in a cloude, hee was taken out of their ſight, and carried vp to heauen: This was done, the …oth th'Apoſtle themſelues might be perſwaded, and alſo with greater boldneſſe & aſſurance perſwade others of His Aſcenſion. We heard, that whē He was taken out of their ſight, He was placed at the right hand of God, and exalted to that ſublimitie of glory, that all the creatures in heauen and earth are ſubdued to him. And laſt wee hearde what was the behauiour of th'Apoſtles, In the meane time they worſhipped him, and looked ſtedfastly to …he heauens. This day by Gods grace wee ſhall follow out & put an end to this hiſtory. In the words which wee hauehave read, we wil ſ…e what falles out, While the diſciples are looking vp to the heauens, two Angels are ſent to them by Chriſt, who partly reproues them, and partlie comforts them We will ſee likewiſe what the diſciples doe after this, They retu…ne to Hieruſalem with great joy: when they come there, they goe vp to an vpper chamber: but they ſtay not there, but they goe to the Temple, & remain there continually praiſing & lauding God: and laſt they went out & preached the Goſpel eueryevery where, and the Lord gaue them a good ſucceſſe, for He wrought with them, and confirmed the word with ſignes that followed. Luke, in th' Acts, telles vsus, that while they looked ſtedfaſtly toward heauen, as he went, behold, two men ſtood by them in white apparell. As they were worſhipping Him, the Lord ſent incontinent from His Heauenlie Throne Legates & Ambaſſadours: And who were they? euē Angels: two in number, and in forme & outward ſhape like to men, & therefore they are ſaid to be two men, and were clothed in white and glorious apparell. Marke the leſſon in a word. Chriſt ſits no ſoone… down at the right hand of the Father, but He makes His diſciples (whom Hee left in the earth behind Him) not only to know yt He had a kingly power, whereby He commands the very Angels themſelues; but alſo to know, that ſingular care & affection that Hee caried to them, which He teſtifies, by ſending theſe Angels from heauen, for their cauſe & for their conſolation. This kingly power of Chriſt, & this care that He hath of His own, continues euē this day in the Kirk, & eueryevery of ye faithful find the proofe & experience of it to their great joy & comfort. Now, let vsus ſee, what theſe Angels ſay to ye Apoſtles: in their ſpeech to them: Firſt, they reprooue: then they comfort them: firſt, they ſaid, Ye men of Galile, why ſtand ye gazing vntounto Heauen: they reprooue them, becauſe they ſtood idly gazing & looking to the heauē, whereas the Lord had cōmanded them to returne to Jeruſalem, that there they might wait for the Spirit, that was promiſed them, that hauing gotten the Spirit, they might goe out to the world▪ & preach the Gosp…l to eueryevery creature, as the Lord had commanded them. This reproofe of th'Angels imports, that they contented themſelues too much wt idle looking & g…ing, & that they were too vnmindfull of that great & high calling whereunto the Lord had ordained them. Of this reproofe we learn this leſſō: it is not the Lords wil, that any mā ſhould be idle in the world, nor that he content himſelfe wt a bare & idle contemplatiō of ye creatures of God: No, not of ye beſt of them: it is not the Lords will, yt we ſtand idly gazing vponupon the very heauens whereunto the Lord hath aſcended, & now is in glory: No, it is His will, that all men all their dayes be painfully exerciſed in ſome calling, wherein they may both glorifie God, & doe good vntounto men. Indeed, it is true: it is the Lords wil, that men ſhould alwaies hauehave their affectiōs ſet aboue, & their hearts lifted vp to heauē, & that they hauehave their eyes ſet vponupon God, vponupon Chriſt, vponupon that glory which is to be reuealed: but in the meane time, while men are thus exerciſed, they ſhould be exerciſed likewiſe in ſome honeſt & lawful calling. Th'Apoſtle Paul by his practiſe lets vsus ſee, what ſhould be the behauiour of a Chriſtian: While hee looked not to the things that are ſeene, but to the things that are not ſeene, 2. Cor. 4.18. While he chooſed to remoue out of the body, & to go & dwell with Chriſt, 2. Cor. 5.8. While he minded not earthly things, but had his conuerſation in heauen, from whence he looked for his Sauiour, euen the Lord Ieſus, Philip. 3.20. contented hee himſelfe, thinke ye, with this ſpeculation? Was he in the meane time idle? had he not another calling? Yes, hee was very diligently exerciſed in the Miniſtry: For, ſayes he, we couet, that both dwelling at home, & remoouing from home, we may be acceptable to Him: for we muſt all appeare before the Iudgement ſeat of Christ, that eueryevery man may receiue the things which are done in his body, according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill: & therefore knowing that terrour of the Lord, we perſwade men, & bring them vntounto the faith, 2. Cor. 5.9, 10, 11. So Paul, whē he was looking to heauenly things, he was in the meane time diligētly exerciſed in his Apoſtleſhip, in bringing men to Chriſt: euē ſo it becomes eueryevery faithfull man, ſo to hauehave his heart & his affections ſet vpō heauen, & heauenly things, yt in ye ſame meane time, in ſome honeſt & lawful calling, he may be doing ſome good in y• earth: & on the other part, whē he is buſie labouring & exerciſed in his calling, he ſhuld hauehave his eyes lifted vp to God, & ſhould hauehave his heart, his affections & conuerſatiō in ye heauens: for except that in all things which we do, we hauehave ye Lord & His glory before our eyes, it is not poſsible, yt we can do any thing well & vprightly. Then in a word, ye ſee here ye Lord by theſe Angels, cōdemnes idle ſpeculatiō & cōtemplatiō, without any exerciſe in any lawfull calling. This ſerues to cōdemne theſe idle bellies, ye Monks of ye Romane Kirk, who cōtent thēſelues wt bare & idle ſpeculatiō, hauing no regard in ye meane time, yt they may be exerciſed in any lawful calling, wherin they may either glorify God, or do good to mē: yea, they are ſo far frō doing good, yt by ye cōtrary they hurt ye Kirk of God exceedingly by bringing in their dreames & fātaſies yt they hauehave deuiſed in their idle braines, to corrupt & peruert mens minds: ye Lord neuer allowed nor bleſſed ſuch a life: ye Lord abhors ſuch idlenes: & if ye Angels reproue ye Apoſtles for gazing to heauē, where they ſaw wt their eyes ye Lord Ieſus to aſcend, which by appearāce to mās judgment, was a very good exerciſe, to hauehave their hearts fixed on Chriſt, & their eyes vpō ye place whither He aſcended; what wold ye Angels ſay to theſe idle belly gods, who withdraw thēſelues frō all honeſt callings, & liue vpō ye ſweat of other mēs browes, vnderunder ye pretēce of ſpiritual exerciſe? now after ye Angels hauehave reprooued ye Apoſtles: next, in ye 2. part of their ſpeech, they raiſe thē vp, & cōforts thē, while they ſay, This Ieſus which is taken vp frō you into heauen, ſhall ſo come, as ye hauehave ſeene Him goe into heauen. They comfort them, by putting them in hope, that Hee ſhal returne: yea, returne in glorie: and ſuch a glorie, as they ſaw Him aſcend vvith: and ſo vponupon hope of His glorious returning in that great daye: they wil th'Apoſtles to comfort themſelues againſt all trouble & diſtreſſes, that they might be ſubject vntounto ye time of their remaining in ye earth: Whereupon we may perceiue what is the ground whereupon the ſolide conſolation of a Chriſtian ſoule ariſes. It ariſes euen from the hope of the glorious returning of the Lord Ieſus againe to Iudge the world. There is nothing that furniſhes ſuch joy to the faithfull ſoule, as this hope does. Indeed, it is true, the Lord giues vsus other grounds of conſolation while we are heere: & namely, He giues vsus His Spirit, to counſel & guide vsus through al the difficulties of our pilgrimage: & the joy that the faithfull finde in His preſence is very great: He giues vsus Faith alſo to cōfort vsus, whereby in ſome meaſure preſently we feele the preſence of Chriſt, & His ſpirituall graces in our ſoules: but except with ye Spirit & Faith, we had a hope, yt the Lord Ieſus ſhould returne againe in His own time in glory, we could not hauehave ſolide joy & conſolatiō: for if in this life only we hoped in Chriſt, & had no hope yt He would returne againe in glory, & raiſe our mortall bodies frō ye dead: thē, as ye Apoſtle ſaies, of all men we were moſt miſerable, 1. Cor. 15.19. & why ſhuld not ye hope of this returning cōfort our ſoules, & make them to rejoyce? for at His returning, we look & hope for ye glorifying of theſe our bodies, & for eternall life. Paul ſayes, That frō the heauens we look for the Sauiour, euen, the Lord Ieſus, who ſhall change our vile body, that it may be faſhioned like vntounto His glorious body, Philip. 3.20.21. And when it ſhalbe made manifeſt, we ſhalbe made like Him, for we ſhall ſee Him as He is, 1 Joh. 3.2 Yea, we hauehave greater cauſe of joy & comfort of the hope of His returning againe, thā all ye Apoſtles had of ye ſight of His aſcending to heauen in their preſēce: for ye aſcenſion of ye Lord, albeit it was very glorious & cōfortable to thē, yet it chāged not their bodies, nor made thē like His glorious body, but His glorious returning again frō the heauens, ſhall change both their bodies, & our vile & corruptible bodies, and make them conformable to His glorious body. Now happie is ye man, who earneſtly lookes & waits for the bleſſed & glorious cōming againe of the Lord to judgement: for yt hope ſhall comfort & vphold him in all his troubles & diſtreſſes. Now, come to yt diſciples part: we hauehave ſūdry things expreſſed what they doe: & ye firſt is, after ye Angels reproued them for their ſtanding & gazing to ye heauens, it is ſaid, They returned to Jeruſalem with great ioy. They take well with the reproofe they ſtay no longer gazing there, but according to ye Lords directiō they go to Jeruſalem, to waite for yt Spirit which He promiſed to them: they obey ye Lords cōmandemēt, & they obey with great joy. But what made them ſo to rejoyce? This joy proceeded partly from ye ſight of His glorious aſcenſiō into heauē, which they ſaw with their eyes: partly, frō yt which they heard by ye Angels of His glorious returning, & deſcending again out of ye heauens, yet all this which both they ſaw & heard, would not hauehave wroght ſo great a joy in thē, except ye Lord Ieſus who was ſitting in ye heauens, at ye right hand of ye Father, had bin effectuall in them, & had powerfully wroght this joy in their ſoules: for this joy that ye holy Spirit works in ye hearts of ye Lords Elect, is a ſure argumēt, & infallible demōſtratiō, yt ye Lord Ieſus is reigning in ye heauēs: for the Kingdome of God is righteouſnes, & ioy, & peace in the holy Gh…ſt, Rom. 14.17. Now, if ye will cōpare this joy, which at this time they had, with all the joy yt euer they had before: yea, euen when ye Lord Ieſus was walking with them in the fleſh, & they enjoyed His bodily preſence, ye ſhal find yt this joy ſurpaſſed, by many degrees all their preceeding joy: whereby we may learne this leſſon, that neither ye bodily preſence of ye Lord Ieſus augments or perfectes ye joy of ye ſoule, neither His bodily abſēce ſtayes or hinders any wiſe yt joy, but yt all this joy which ye faithfull find, proceedes from the effectual preſēce & powerful operatiō of ye holy Spirit in the ſoule. The groſſe & carnal Papiſts think, they cānot hauehave mater of rejoycing, except in ye Lords Supper they hauehave ye body of Chriſt bodily, & locally preſent: that is, except yt with ye mouth of the body they eat, deuoure & ſwallow vp the very body & fleſh of Ieſus Chriſt, & except that after that ſame manner they drinke His blood: but vaine Papiſt, thou deceiueſt thy ſelfe: for neither does the bodily preſence furniſh joy, neither does the bodily abſēce hinder joy, but all true joy that the ſoule finds, proceedes from the effectuall preſence & operatiō of the Spirit. Yet to ſpeak ſomething further of this purpoſe. It would be narrowly conſidered, what could be the cauſe & ground of this joy of the Diſciples: for if we looke to it by the outward appearance, they had litle matter or cauſe of rejoycing at this time when the Lord is gone frō them. Indeede, when the Lord Ieſus was with them, when He led them out into Bethania, any man might thinke they had matter of rejoycing, to follow ſuch a gracious guide: but now, when He hath left the earth, & aſcended to heauen, & left them behind Him, what matter could they hauehave of ſo great joy in their returning to Jeruſalem? I anſwere: notwithſtanding they wanted now the bodily preſence of Chriſt, yet they wanted not matter of great joy: for in ſtead of His bodily preſence, the Lord gaue them Faith & Hope, Faith apprehending & taking holde of the Lord Ieſus, ſitting in the heauens, in glorie at the right hand of the Father: Hope waiting conſtantly for His bleſſed & glorious returning againe in the appointed time to Iudgement. This Faith & Hope that the Lord giues vsus in this pilgrimage, recompenſes ſufficiently the bodily abſence of the Lord Ieſus from vsus: if wee hauehave Faith & Hope, we hauehave euermore matter of rejoycing: where Faith & Hope is, they bring euer with them patience & joy, euen in the mids of all afflictiōs. The Apoſtle Paul declares this by his own experience, For the Gospels ſake, ſayes he, I ſuffer theſe things, but I am not aſhamed: for I know whom I hauehave beleeued, and I am perſwaded, that hee is able to keepe that which I hauehave cōmitted to him againſt that day. 2. Tim. 1.12. There he lets vsus ſee what made him to bee ſo patient vnderunder afflictions, to wit, the ſenſe of the power of Chriſt, which hee founde in his ſoule by faith, by the which power hee was perſwaded, that Chriſt was able to keepe in the heauens that life which hee had committed vntounto him, and the hope that hee had of His glorious returning in that great day, wherin the Lord ſhould render him that which before he had committed vntounto him to be kept. The ſoule yt has this faith & hope, has no cauſe to complaine of His bodily abſence, for they recompenſe it abundātlie: but if thou wanteſt this faith, apprehending thy Sauiour wt all His graces, & this hope waiting patiētly for His returning, thou cāſt hauehave no true matter of rejoycing, albeit thou hadſt al y• outward benefits of ye world heaped abundantly vpō thee. Now come to ye next thing that the diſciples doe vvhen they are returned to Hieruſalem: it it ſaide, that they went vp into an vpper chamber (then is reckoned out particularly who they were) where abode both Peter, & Iames, & Iohn, & Andrew, Philip, & Thomas, Bartlemew, & Matthew, James the ſon of Alpheus, & Simon Zelotes, & Iudas Iames brother: & after he ſubjoynes in a general word, The women, & particularly, Mary the mother of Ieſus, & his brethren. Theſe were they who moſt familiarly conuerſed wt Ieſus, & whom he kept together while he was in the world: & now when he is gone out of ye world, & aſcended to heauen, they abide together. And what was their exerciſe? They all continued with one accord in prayer & ſupplicatiō. This was an holy exerciſe: they ſeuered thēſelues frō ye reſt of ye world, & withdrue thēſelues from worldly impedimēts, & kept thēſelues alone together, to th'end they might entertain & nouriſh yt joy which they foūd of the beholding of yt glorious Aſcēſion of Chriſt, & through ye hope yt they had of his glorious returning again to judgemēt, whereof th'Angels had inſtructed thē. Then mark the leſſon, they yt rejoyce together in Ieſus, deſire to be ſeuered from the cōmon ſociety of mē, & frō outward diſtractions & impediments, & deſire to remain & liue together. The childrē of God delite & take pleaſure in the ſociety one of another: and good reaſon they ſo doe, for whē this life is ended, they ſhal remain & liue together in heauen without any ſeuering. Yea, further, al ſpiritual graces are acquired & entertained only in the ſociety of the Saints▪ & without this ſociety no faith, hope, joy, nor grace of Chriſt cā be gotten or intertained (al grace yt is giuē a mā, is giuen to him as a mēber of yt body, as to one of the Saints. Therfore whē Paul ſpeakes of any grace or benefite yt the Lord is to beſtow on any faithful mā, cōmonly he vſes to ſay, th…t that grace is withall the Saints: as when he wiſhes to th'Epheſians, the ſenſe of the breadth, the lēgth, the depth, & the height of that louelove of God in Chriſt, he wiſhes they might be able to cōprehend it with al the Saints, Eph. 3.18. Likewiſe whē he prayes yt ye Theſſalonians, might hauehave their hearts eſtabliſhed in holines before God, he craues that this establiſhmēt might be with all the Saints, 1 Theſſ. 3.13. & ſpeaking of ye riches of ye glory of ye inheritāce, he ſayes, yu ſhalt neuer get it but amōg ye Saints, Eph. 1.18. for as one member being cut off frō ye body, can receiue no ſappe nor life frō it: euen ſo if thou be cut off frō ye ſocitie of ye Saints, frō ye Kirk of God, yu ſhalt neuer get any grace of Chriſt: & to conclude, our joy & bleſſednes will be perfected in the kingdome of heauē in ye ſociety & fellowſhip of the Saints. Many mē deſpiſe & diſdaine ye ſociety of ye Lords Saints here on earth, they count them vile, contemptible & the offſcourings of the world: they ſcarcely will giuegive them a countenāce: yet in the meane time they flatter thēſelues fooliſhly, that they ſhalbe in heauen, as ſoone as they: but if thou hauehave no pleaſure in their ſocietie here in earth, thou ſhalt finde, thou ſhalt neuer get that priuiledge, to enjoy any grace or bleſſing with them in the heauen: I giuegive thee this doome, & the Lord ſhall ratify it one day. Now whē the diſciples are met together in the vpper chamber, they ſtay not there, but Luke, in the laſt words of his goſpel ſayes, that They were continually in the Temple praiſing, and lauding God. And this is the third thing that ye diſciples doe, after they hauehave ſtayed for a ſpace in ye vpper chamber, occupied in holy exerciſes, in prayer and ſupplication: they beginne to be more bold, and they take greater courage vntounto them, and they goe out into a publike place, to the Temple, to vſe theſe ſame ſpirituall exerciſes, which they vſed in the vpper chamber: for the Apoſtles, with the Lordes brethren, with Marie his mother, and other holy women aſſembled publikely in the Temple, and there praiſed and glorified God. We ſee heere, what are theſe meanes wherby ſpiritual graces are intertained & increaſed in ye ſocietie of ye Saints: to wit, the preaching of the Goſpel, prayers & ſupplications, praiſing & bleſsing of God in Pſalmes, Hymnes & ſpirituall ſongs, & holy communication: without theſe holy exerciſes, no faith, no hope, no joy, no grace of Chriſt, can either be obtained or entertained & increaſed: if thou contemneſt & deſpiſeſt theſe exerciſes, thou needeſt neuer to looke for grace. Againe, we ſee here, yt they aſſemble as frequētly, in as great number as they may or can in ye moſt publike & ſolemne place they could find: for they came together with one accord in ye Tēple: & this they do, to ye intent, yt both greater glory might redoūd to ye Lord, & greater joy & cōfort to thēſelues: the more frequent that ye aſſemblies of ye Saints be, the more publike & ſolemne the place of their meeting be, the greater & the more effectuall is the Lords preſence among them, the greater is their joy, the greater glory redounds to God: for if the Lord has promiſed, That where two or three are gathered together in his name, there he wil be in the middes of thē ▪ Mat. 18.20. Much more where the Saincts are frequently & in great number gathered together in a publicke & ſolemne place for ſpirituall exerciſes, will the Lord manifeſt His powerful preſence amōg them. The fourth and laſt thing that th'Apoſtles doe is ſet downe by Marke in the laſt verſe of his Goſpel, where we hauehave two things expreſſely mentioned: Firſt, the going out of the diſciples to preach to the worlde: Next, the ſucceſſe that the Lord gaue to their preaching: Theſe two points comprehend the ſumme and ſubſtance of al the hiſtory of th'Acts of th'Apoſtles. Then firſt he ſaies, They went foorth and preached eueryevery where. That grace yt they got thēſelues, they are careful to cōmunicate it to others. But when was this that they went out into the worlde? Was it immediatly after the Lords Aſcenſion? Was it before they receiued the holy Spirit, & were ſufficiently furniſhed with grace thēſelues? No, but they ſtayed ſtill in Hieruſalem, according to the Lords cōmandemēt, til they got that promiſed Spirit, with His graces: Then aſſoone a… they hauehave receiued the H. Spirit with His graces, and were ſufficienly furniſh…d thēſelues, they goe out to cōmunicate that gr…ce to the world, wherewith they themſelues were repleniſhed, beginning at Hieruſa…ē then going throughout all Judea, then to Samaria, & laſt, to the vtmoſt parts of th'earth. This doing of the diſciples ſerues to teach theſe who intende to ent…r into that holy calling of the miniſtery, how they ought to behaue thēſ…lues. They muſt not ſuddēly & raſhly goe out to preach the Goſpel, before they bee well furniſhed themſelues: but they ſhould keepe themſelues cloſe vſing holy meanes and exerciſes, till they find themſelues to be furniſhed with grace in ſome meaſure: but being once furniſhed with grace, it is the Lordes will that they keepe themſelues no more cloſe, but that they goe out and communicate that ſame grace vntounto others: for the Lord giues them no ſpirituall graces to keepe to themſelues: but to th'end that they may employ them to the weale & edification of others. Men ſhould beware of theſe two extremities: firſt, that they preſume not to goe out to preach to others, till they bee firſt well furniſhed themſelues: next, when they are furniſhed with grace, that they let not Gods graces reſt within themſelues, but that they vſe them chearfully for the benefite of the Kirke. But if we conſider more narrowly this going out of the diſciples, we wil find it to be extraordinarie and miraculous: it fell out altogether vnexſpected of the Iewes no, the Iewes neuer thought that thinges ſhould hauehave fallen out ſo, either concerning Chriſt Himſelfe, or His diſciples: for as cōcerning Chriſt, they thought they ſhould neuer hauehave heard any more of Him except curſed and deteſtable ſpeaches of Him: for they had nowe handeled Him ſhamefully, they had railed on Him, and crucified Him, putting Him to an ignominious death: and after Hee was buried and riſen, they perſwaded the guarde, yt watched the ſepulchre, to noiſe abroad, that his diſciple… had come by night, & ſtollen him away: ſo they thought there ſhould hauehave bene no more of Him: But beholde, vponupon a ſuddaine, the Lord (vnexſpected of them) by His powerfull prouidence, makes His glory to be ſounded throughout the whole world: and whereas they thought He ſhould hauehave bene buried for euer in ſhame, Hee is exalted to a wonderfull glory. And as concerning the diſciples, The Iewes thought they durſt neuer hauehave preſumed to hauehave opened their mouthes againe to ſpeake of the Name of Chriſt: for they thought they were all but ſillie baſed bodies, who ſled away when their Maſter was taken, and were offended at His ignominious death, and terrified and aſtoniſhed with that ſorrowfull ſpectacle that they ſaw, when He hung vponupon the croſſe, neither durſt they preſume to meete together againe openly for feare of their liues. But while the Iewes are thus thinking, and beleeue that there ſhall neuer be any mo…e worde of Chriſt, behold, vponupon a ſuddain, when they thinke nothing leſſe, His diſciples come out publickly in their preſence, and before the whole world, holding out, & bearing before them yt crucifi…d man, boldly charging the worlde to beleeue in Him. From whence comes this, that they vvho before vvere ſo d…ſhed and baſed, that ſledde away before, durſt nowe meet together ſo openly, and preach with ſuch boldneſſe and libertie Him of vvhome before they vvere aſhamed? Euen from that incomprehenſible & vvonderfull power of Chriſt their King, who was now ſitting in the Heauens in glory, & vvho according to His promiſe ſent vponupon them His holy Spirit, and indued them vvith power frō an hight. Now the laſt thing is the ſucceſſe that the Lord giues vntounto their preaching: He ſaies, The Lord wrought with them, and confirmed the worde with ſignes that followed. If ye reade th'Acts of th'Apoſtles, ye vvill ſee the ſucceſſe has bene marueilous: for within a ſhort ſpace, by their Miniſtery, they brought g…eat multitudes, not onelyonly of the Jewes, but alſo of the Gentiles, to th'obedience of Chriſt, and by them ſuddenly the face of the world was changed. The cauſe of this great ſucceſſe th'Euangeliſt marks to be the Lords vvorking vvith them, & confirming the vvord that they preached vvith ſignes and vvonders. When it is ſaid, that the Lord wrought with them, we may not thinke, that they vvere the chiefe workers, and the Lord but an helper to them: No, the Lord is euer the chiefe worker, and His faithfull ſeruantes but worke together with Him, in the building of that ſpirituall houſe vntounto the Lord, He being the chiefe builder, and His ſeruantes but worke with Him: So Paul calles them, workers together with God, 2. Cor. 6.1. All the ſucceſſe of the Goſpel is His, His ſeruantes are only inſtruments, vſing the meanes: Paul plants, Apollo waters, but God giues th'increaſe, 1. Cor. 3.6.9. Now as we ſaw in their going out to the worlde, & in their preaching with boldneſſe, that Chriſtes power was wonderfully manifeſted: euen ſo in this great and glorious ſucceſſe that they hauehave in their preaching, that ſame power of Chriſt is as wondefully manifeſted. If we compare this ſucceſſe which the Goſpel had in that firſt age of the Kirke of Chriſt, with that ſucceſſe which it hath now adayes, we will find a great difference: Many more were called then, than there are nowe, for then at one preaching thouſandes were conuerted: but nowe, at many preachings ſcarcely will one be conuerted. And what meanes this, ſeeing the Goſpel is taught nowe in that ſame ſinceritie that it was then? Euen this, that by all appearance the Lord hath gathered in alreadie the moſt part of them who are to bee ſaued, and the number of theſe that reſt to be called and ſaued, is few in theſe dayes, in reſpect of that great multitude of them who were called and ſaued in the dayes of th'Apoſtles: The great harueſt is gathered in already, onelyonly glaininges now remaine. And on the other part, it importes, that there is a great number ordained to wrath and deſtruction, and therfore they are not conuerted by the preaching of the Goſpel. If our Goſpel, ſaith Paul, bee hidden, it is hidden to them that periſh, 2. Cor. 4.3. Now to end here: Seeing all the ſucceſſe of the Goſpel proceedes from the powerfull preſence of Chriſt by His Spirit, the Lord grant, that ſo long as He giues vsus liberty to vſe theſe outward meanes, He would make vsus find the powerfull working of the Spirit, concurring with the meanes; that wee may turne to Chriſt, and ſo bee aſſured, that wee ſhall bee ſaued from that wrath which is to come in that great day of the appearing of the LORD IESVS: To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit bee all praiſe, Honour, and Glorie for euer and euer: AMEN.
FINIS.
End of the text · Robert Rollock, The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1616)