A Model of Divinity, Chapter 24
CHAPTER XXIIII. Of Chriſts Exaltation.
Queſtion.
HItherto of his humiliation; What is his Exaltation?
Anſwere.
It is his victory and triumph over his and our enemies, the Devill, ſinne, and death, with the world, and whatſoever elſe might croſſe the felicitie of the Saints. Eph. 4.8.9.10. Phil. 2.9.10. It was the ſtrangeſt and ſtrongeſt receit of all the reſt, by dying to vanquiſh death. 1 Theſſ. 5.10. Wee need no more, wee can goe no further; there can bee no more Phyſicke of the former kinde: there are cordials after this purgation of death, of his reſurrection and aſcenſion; no more penall receits. By his bloud wee hauehave Redemption. Eph. 1.7. Iuſtification, Rom. 3.24. Reconciliation, Coloſ. 1.20. Sanctification, 1 Pet. 1.2. Entrance into glory, Heb. 10.19. Woe were to vsus if Chriſt had left but one mite of ſatisfaction vponupon our ſcore, to bee diſcharged by our ſelues: and woe be to them that derogate from him to arrogate to themſelues, and would faine botch vp his ſufferings, with their owne ſuperfluities: hee would not off the Croſſe till all was done, and then hauing finiſhed, he went on with a ſecond worke, to build vp a perfect way to heauen vponupon this foundation, and from the graue to his throne in heauen, he chalked out for vsus the everlaſting way.
Q. Wherein doth the glory of his victory and triumph conſiſt?
A. Firſt, in the depoſition and laying aſide of all infirmities. Secondly, in his aſſumption and taking vp of all perfections, both of body and ſoule. His body was now no more to die but to receiue celeſtiall perfection. His ſoule had nothing withheld from it, no truth from his vnderſtanding, no goodneſſe from his will: vponupon earth hee was ignorant of ſomething, which now is perfectly revealed vntounto him, he now knowes the day of judgement, and by his God-head hath eueryevery thing revealed vntounto his man-hood that is fit for the government of his Church, though he be abſent from vsus both in body and ſoule, that which neither Saint nor Angell can heare, he heares, and puts vp all petitions to his Father. His minde is ignorant of nothing for the manner and meaſure of a moſt perfect created vnderſtanding, and his will is perfected with the greateſt perfections of vertues that are incident to any creature; ſo that hee is both in ſoule and body far more glorious then any other creature is, or can be, and made Lord of all. Heb. 12.4. The manhood of Chriſt is not the ſonne of God by adoption, or creation, but perſonall vnion, and ſo hath no other relation to the Father of ſonne-ſhip, but the ſame with the God-head; this exalts him highly in glory, and there is as much difference betwixt the ſonne of God and other creatures, as betweene a King and his meaneſt ſubiect, and as one Starre differeth from another in glory, 1 Cor. 15.41. and the Sunne farre exceeds all the reſt: ſo in heauen ſhall Chriſt appeare more glorious then any other Saint or Angel. Rev. 21.23. Iſa. 60.19. and ſhall be as eaſily knowne from the reſt, as the Sunne is from all other Starres, &c.
Q. Hitherto of his glory in generall; what are the particular degrees thereof?
A. The firſt is his reſurrection the third day, when as his ſoule and body, by the power of his God-head (never ſeparated from either) were brought together againe, and ſo roſe againe, and appeared to his Diſciples for the ſpace of fortie dayes. And this is the earneſt of our Reſurrection, ſo that wee ſhall alſo riſe by the power and vertue of his Reſurrection, not vntounto judgement, but life everlaſting. This is firſt confirmed by the Angels to men, Math. 28.5.6.7. Mar. 16 6.7. Luk. 24.4.5.6. Secondly, by his owne apparitions vntounto them. Math. 28.9.17. Mar. 16.9 12.14. Luk. 24.15.36, Ioh. 20.14.19.26. and 21.1. Act. 1.2.3. 1 Cor. 15.4.5.6.7.8.9. Thirdly, by the keepers of the Sepulcher, Math. 28.11. Fourthly, by his Apoſtles, Act. 2.24.32. Laſtly, by the inward teſtimony of the Spirit, in the hearts of the elect, Ioh. 15.26. The power by which he roſe is expreſſed, 2 Cor. 13.4. 1 Pet. 3.18. His immortalitie, Rom. 6.9.10. dominion. Rom. 14.9. Godhead, Rom. 1.4. The fruit of it to vsus, firſt, in our iuſtification, Rom. 4.25. Secondly, our ſanctification, and glorification, Rom. 6.4.5.8.9.10.11.12.13. 2 Cor. 5.15. Eph. 2.4.5. Coloſ 2.12.13. and 3.1.2.3.4.5. 1 Pet. 1.3.4. 1 Theſſ. 4.14. &c.
Q. What is the ſecond degree thereof?
A. His aſcenſion into Heauen, by the vertue of his God-head from Mount Olivet, in the ſight of his Diſciples. Where he began his paſſion, there he beginnes his aſcenſion, to teach vsus how from deiection, wee ſhall be brought to our exaltation; as alſo to teach vsus, that becauſe hee is our head, and is already advanced into heauen, thither alſo muſt the body follow him. And therefore he is gone before to prepare a place for vsus. Mar. 16.19. Luk. 24.50. Act. 1.9.12. Heb. 10.9.20 Ioh. 14.2.
Q. What is the third degree?
A. His ſitting at the right hand of God the Father, where we hauehave his advocation, and interceſſion for vsus, and need to acknowledge no other Maſter of requeſts in heaven, but one, Ieſus Chriſt our Mediator. Here good prayers never come weeping home: In him I am ſure I ſhall receiue, eyther what I aske, or what I ſhould aske. I cannot be ſo happie, as not to need him, and I know I ſhall never be ſo miſerable, that he will contemne mee, if I come as a poore ſuter, with my petition vntounto him. Rom. 8.34. Heb. 9.24. 1 Ioh. 2.1. 1 Pet. 3.22. Rev. 3.7. Furthermore, by Chriſts ſitting at his Fathers right hand, wee are to vnderſtand two things: firſt, the returne of the divine nature, as it were (the worke of humiliation being finiſhed) to his former glory. Chriſt for a time obſcured the excellencie of his Godhead, Phil. 2.6.7.8.9. vnderunder the vaile of our fleſh, but now the Curtaine is drawne againe, & the divine nature, which ſeemed to ſleepe in the humane, is awaked, to worke wonders openly, for the good of the elect, and even breakes forth as the Sunne doth from vnderunder a cloud, hauing expelied all the miſts of his humiliation, Secondly, as there is but a reverſion of the divine nature, ſo this is an exaltation of the humane, to poſſeſſe that glory and excellency which before it had not, Pſal. 2.6. and 110.1. Dan. 7.13.14. Act. 5.30.31. Heb. 2.9. and 8.1.2. and 9.24. Thus might Steuen ſee Chriſt in a moſt glorious manner, aboue all other in heaven. Act. 7.55.56.
Q. What benefit redoundeth thereby to vsus?
A. Vnſpeakeable, for while our head is ſo highly magnified, and made Lord of all, wee know that he will rule all for the beſt, and that no good thing ſhall be wanting to them that are his, yea, that our ſinnes which wee cannot but commit, whiles the old man dwelleth in vsus, ſhall not preiudice our happineſſe, ſeeing he ſitteth at the right hand of our Father, to be our interceſſour and governour.
Q. What is the fourth and laſt degree?
A. His glorious returne from heaven to iudgement, both of the quicke and dead, which is his ſecond comming into the world with great glory and maieſtie, to the confuſion of them that would not hauehave him rule over them, and the vnſpeakeable good of his owne; for it is he that iudgeth, and who ſhall condemne them? and hereupon is the full worke of Redemption giuen to the Sonne. Math. 24.30. Ioh. 14.3. Act. 1.11. 1 Theſſ. 4.16. and 2. Epiſt: chap. 1. ver. 7.8. Iud. ver. 14.15. Phil. 3.20.