Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, ascension
THE ASCENSION OF IESVS CHRIST, out of the holie Euangeliſts.
IESVS lead his Diſciples out into Bethanie. And when he had brought them together, hee ſpake vntounto them of the kingdome of God, & commanded them that they ſhould not depart from Ieruſalem: but to waite for the promiſe of the father. For Iohn (ſaith he) baptized with water, but ye ſhall be baptized with the holy Ghost after theſe few dayes. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him▪ ſaying: Lorde, wilt thou at this time restore againe the kingdome to Iſrael? And he ſaid vntounto them: It is not for you to knowe the times and the ſeaſons, which the Father hath put in his owne power: But yee ſhall receiue power after that the holie Ghost is come vponupon you, and yee ſhall be witneſſes vntounto mee not onelyonly in Ieruſalem, but alſo in all Iurie, and in Samaria, and euen vntounto the worlds ende. Now when Ieſus had ſpoken theſe words vntounto them, he lifted vp his handes, and bleſſed them, and was taken vp, and a clowd receiued him out of their ſight: ſo that hee departed from them, and was carried vp in heauen, and ſitteth on the right hand of God. And whilest they looked ſtedfastly vp towards heauen, as he went behold two men ſtood by them in white apparrell: which alſo ſaid: Ye men of Galilee, why ſtand ye gazing vp into heauen? The ſame Ieſus which is taken vp from you into heauen, ſhal ſo come euen as you hauehave ſeene him go into heauen: So when they had worſhipped him, they returned with great ioy into Hieruſalem from Mount Oliuet: which is from Hieruſalem a Sabaoth daies iourney. And when they were come in, they went vp into a parlour where abode Peter and Iames, Iohn and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholmew and Mathew, Iames the ſonne of Alpheus and Simon Zelotes, and Iudas the brother of Iames. Theſe all continued ſtill with one accord in the temple, lauding & praiſing God, and making their praiers with the women, and Mary the mother of Ieſu, and with his brethren.
Doctrine and fruite.
Iohn. 13.CHriſt who loued his Diſciples, declareth vntounto them his louelove, euen vntounto the ende:Math 28. yea he neuer ceaſeth to louelove them For though hee leaue them as concerning his bodilie preſence: yet with his louelove, grace, and power, he is euer ſtill with them. Foraſmuch now as after ſufficient proofe of his reſurrection, he will depart from them, and goe to his Father that had ſent him: he taketh them forth with him vntounto the place, from whence he mindeth to depart from them. And manifeſtly before their eyes, hee aſcendeth into heauen into the glorie of his father: that they might be witneſſes, as well of his glorious aſcenſion, as of all other things which they had heard & ſeene before. O how feruent words ſpake hee then vntounto them? How deepely entred he into their hearts? How earneſtly printed hee thoſe his laſt wordes into them? The eternall wiſedome ſpeaketh nothing vainely, nothing ſlenderly, nothing without profite. Although the Diſciples (as men yet ſomewhat carnall) doe aske queſtions concerning the reſtitution of a bodily and temporall kingdome: yet maketh hee no aunſwere vntounto their demaund, but directeth them vntounto that which is for their profie, and belongeth to their office, drawing their hearts from the earthly kingdom, (from the which they ought to bee mortified) vntounto the kingdome of heauen, euen vntounto the kingdome of God: in the which he himſelfe is king, & into the which they now were receiued as citizens, that they ſhuld declare the ſame throughout the whole world and offer it vntounto all men.
This is the goſpell of the kingdom of God, which for a teſtimonie vntounto all nations, muſt bee preached in the whole world, to witneſſe the grace of GOD vntounto the elect. But to the damned and vnbeleeuers, a teſtimonie of their damnation: in that they are conuinced of their owne infidelitie, and ſhall hauehave no excuſe, if they contemne and deſpiſe the grace offered vntounto them. By this ought wee alſo to learne, to ſee ſuch thinges which are moſt profitable, and wholeſome vntounto vsus: and which bring vsus the neareſt way to put our truſt in God, and to louelove our neighbours, for that part of the play is ours. As for vnprofitable and contentious queſtions, if we meddle not with them▪ then the leſſe diuiſion, and the more louelove and edifieng in the Church of God ſhall follow. Manie times are wee too much carefull, for ſuch things as wee deſire our ſelues: as what ende this thing or that will come vntounto, when God will ſet vp our proſperitie, and what ſhall bee done hereafter, when and how God will puniſh thoſe that are againſt vsus. And this temptation, carnall zeale, and curioſitie, chaunceth oft euen in the hearts of the faythfull: as we ſee heere in the Diſciples of Chriſt. Sometimes there bee froward and wicked mindes, which pretending to bee Chriſtians, ſeeke out of the Goſpell nothing but honour, lucre, and profite. but ſuch bee both falſe and fained. Notwithſtanding (all theſe ſet apart) wee ought to commit and refer all things vntounto our mercifull creator and gracious father, who can right well order and diſpoſe them, how & when he will, as he thinketh beſt to further his glorie, and to edifie his elect children. Our care ought rather to bee, how we may lead a godly life, and beautifie the faith of Chriſt with good woorkes. Wee muſt looke, that wee bee neither vngodlie, nor hypocrites: but to liue vertuouſly and innocently in his ſight, and paciently at his hande to wayte for our deliuerance. The kingdome of Chriſt that is publiſhed and offered through the Goſpell, is not a corporall but a ſpirituall kingdome: neither conſiſteth it in outward things, but in a pure and faithfull beleeuing heart, and yet reacheth it throughout the whole worlde, and amongſt all nations. In the hearts of all faithfull beleeuers doth Chriſt raigne through his ſpirite, and there ouercommeth hee the deuill, ſinne, and death.
And to the intent they ſhoulde well vnderſtande this kingdome, he commaundeth them to waite for the holy ſpirite, whom he had promiſed them: as if he would ſay; Now goe I to my Father, now enter I into my kingdome, that I may mightily raigne vponupon the earth: this thing yee vnderſtand not, but when the ſpirite is giuen you, yee ſhall perceyue it well. All thinges in heauen and in earth, are giuen into my power: In thoſe that are mine ſhall I raigne, and make them righteous through fayth: yea inuincible ſhall I make them againſt all enemies: heereof ſhall yee beare witneſſe when yee are baptized through the holie Ghoſt.
This my kingdome ſhall ye publiſh in all nations, from one ende of the world to another. Thus ſhall I raigne from ſea to ſea, of the which my kingdome the Prophetes ſpake ſo much before. Of this kingdome dooth Chriſt take poſſeſſion through his aſcending vp to the Father, at whoſe right hande, and in this kingdome hee ſitteth: raigning much more mightily in his Church, and working more effectuouſly in thoſe that be his, than hee did before when he liued yet corporally with him.
Thus taking his leaue, hee giueth them louing wordes, comforteth them, and admoniſheth them of their office, that they all may be diligent therin, that they continually direct and lift vp their heartes into that kingdome. and that they take in hand to bring all men to the ſame into the obedience of Chriſt. His bleſſing hee giueth them, ſaluting them, wiſhing them good, and praying hartily vntounto his Father for them.
Thus was hee taken from them, and carryed into heauen. By the heuen we vnderſtand the incomprehenſible light in the which God dwelleth: & which no mortall man can attaine vntounto. From thence came Chriſt vntounto vsus, and thither is hee gone againe, euen into the inuiſible glorie and clearenes of God. For the eternall worde and power of GOD, dwelling in Gods incomprehenſible light from euerlaſting, became man: and had his conuerſation vponupon earth in all partes (ſinne excepte) as a verie true man. But when hee had fullie finiſhed and throughly ended the worke that was giuen him in commiſſion of his heauenly Father, and had obeyed him euen vntounto the death, for as much as in all thinges hee had honoured and glorified his Father vppon earth: it was conuenient that the Father alſo ſhoulde glorifie his Sonne. And therefore rayſed hee him from death, and tooke him vp into heauen: not after the Godhead (for ſo was hee alwaies in heauen) but after the manhoode. For his true humane nature which hee tooke vppon him for our ſakes, is carryed and taken vp out of this world into the inuiſible honour and glorie, into the higheſt incomprehenſible, and into the perfect fruition of the Godhead.
In this honour and glorie Chriſt dwelleth and raigneth, and yet amongſt thoſe that are his, doth he finiſh and performe all things by his ſpirite, hauing gouernance in the harts of the faithfull, through beliefe, through louelove, through patience, and innocencie of life.
To the intent now that this kingdome might be erected in the hearts of men, it was neceſſarie that he ſhould giuegive his diſciples commiſſion to publiſh the ſame, and to prepare mens minds thervnto through the preaching of the Goſpell. But firſt hee made the mindes of his diſciples readie and apt to receiue the holy ghoſt, whom he afterwards poured into others by them, and therefore he commaunded them (vntill the ſpirite appeare and open the worke) to waite ſtill at Hieruſalem: from the which place the kingdome of Chriſt was afterwardes planted in all the world. Of the promiſe of the ſpirite, reade Eſay. 44. Iere. 31. Ezech. 36. Ioel. 2. Iohn. 19.16.
Conſidering that the myſterie of Chriſts aſcention is great and excellent, and that there is notable power contained therein to thoſe that be faithful beleeuers: the Euangeliſts doe therefore deſcribe verie perfectly, the time, the place, the perſons, with all circumſtances and aſſured teſtimonies thereof. Hee aſcendeth vp before his diſciples, that they might openly and euidently ſee it with theyr eyes: there did appeare Angels, as meſſengers and witneſſes from heauen, euen two of them, that in the mouth of two all trueth might bee eſtabliſhed. The white apparrell ſignifieth the euident glorie, into the which Chriſt is taken vp, as a noble, royall, and mightie king and conquerour, entring into his heauenlie kingdome.
Thus the high and glorious king, cloathed with our nature, is entred into our royall pallace, as one that mindeth faithfully to diſpatch our matters. Hee is our owne mediatour and aduocate in the preſence of the Father: notwithſtanding our ſinnes committed, wee hauehave a free entraunce vntounto GOD by him. Our fleſh hath hee in himſelfe carryed vp, and exalted our nature vntounto the right hande of GOD the Father. Wherefore wee that are bones of his bones and fleſh of his fleſh, doe iuſtly conceyue a comfortable and aſſured hope, that our mortall bodyes alſo ſhall bee taken vp, and hauehave immortall and eternall ioye.
The earneſt pennie of his ſpirite hath hee giuen and left behinde him vntounto vsus, and contrariwiſe hee hath of vsus taken an earneſt pennie and pledge: namely our ſinfull and wicked fleſh, which hee in himſelfe hath carryed vp into the kingdome of heauen. Nowe where the parcell is, there ſhall alſo bee the whole ſumme.
By this, wee that are fleſh and bloud, hauehave a comfortable and aſſured truſt, that in Chriſt wee ſhall hauehave the poſſeſſion and inheritaunce of heauen. Our ſinnes in him are recompenced, heauen in him is opened, in him is the hope of immortall life ſealed and made ſure vntounto vsus: Chriſt the victorious & glorious conquerour is able to defend his church. So that from henceforth no man ſhall hauehave power, to condemne his elect and faithfull beleeuers. Rom. 8. Heb. 5.7.8.10.
That his fleſh is with-drawne from vsus, and taken into heauen: it is our great profite, to the intent that all our deuotion and Gods ſeruice may bee directed vpwardes in the ſpirite: and that the mindes of faythfull beleeuers maye bee drawne from earthlie vntounto heauenly thinges, euen vntounto the place where Chriſt ſitteth on the right hande of GOD the Father.
When the Diſciples ſawe that theyr Schoolemaiſter was taken away from them into heauen: they perceiued and conſidered the thing that they knewe not before, although Chriſt had told it them. Iohn. 6. Namely, that by the Aſcenſion they ſhould receyue vnderſtanding. Therefore they worſhipped Ieſus Chriſt, and according vntounto his commaundement, they returned to Hieruſalem: where they kepte themſelues vntill the time that the ſpirite came: neyther were they idle, but continued in the holie fellowſhippe and godlie exerciſes, with praier and deuotion, preparing and making themſelues readie vntounto the comming of the ſpirite.
By occaſion heereof (all niceneſſe, curioſitie, and contentious queſtions, all pride, vaine-glorie, and fonde affections and deſires ſette aparte) wee ought with vpright mindes, and with the eyes of faith to be alway taken vp into heauen, and there to hauehave our dwelling, where Chriſt our head ſitteth at the right hand of God, king and Lord of all thinges, our faithfull aduocate and mediatour. Then ſhall true godlyneſſe increaſe, then ſhall vertue bleſſedlie grow and bring forth fruit in vsus, if wee with ſteadfaſt faith doe conſider, that our Lord Ieſus Chriſt dyed for our ſakes, roſe againe from death, and is exalted at the right hand of God, raigning mightily aboue all things in heauen, and finiſhing our ſaluation, if wee in ſpirite and in the truth worſhip and honour him, as the eternal God: confeſſing with a true faith, that all power is giuen vntounto him of God the father, that he careth for vsus, and that for our healths ſake hee ruleth and ſhall raigne, vntill all things be brought vnderunder his feet. In the meane time he dayly in his church purifieth al his members by his ſpirit, cleanſing them ſtill more and more from all their ſinnes. And when hee ſhall hauehave rooted out all ſinne in his elect, ouercomming death the laſt enemie, ſo that God ſhall be all in all, then ſhall Chriſt alſo giuegive vp his kingdome vntounto God the father, namely, the mediation for our ſinnes, the purging of the ſame, defence againſt the deuill, and deliueraunce from death. For then ſhall there be no more ſinne in the elect, ſo that he ſhal not need to be mediator for them, to purge from ſinne, to defend againſt the deuil, or to deliuer from death.
Oh mercifull father, graunt vsus perfectly to know thy bleſſed and glorious kingdome of Chriſt thy ſonne, drawe vp our hearts in ſuch ſort, that we with all obedience maye yeelde our ſelues into this kingdome, ſeeing and regarding onelyonly thoſe thinges that are aboue, and wholy applying our ſelues vntounto this ende, that the ſame heauenly kingdome may be farre ſpread abroad, and knowne vntounto all men. To the intent, that as for all worldly things, wherin many fooliſh people ſet all their ſaluation, but in vaine: men may vtterly refuſe them, and hartily with bodie and ſoule, and with their whole life, may giuegive ouer themſelues perfectly vntounto the onelyonly Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the true God. For thy good pleaſure it was (O God) that in him all perfectnes ſhould dwell, and that by him al things towards thee, ſhould be reconciled and pacified through his bloud, whether they be in heauen or in earth. Graunt vsus (O God) vnitie and brotherly louelove in thy holie Church, kindle our harts to feruent and deuout prayer: make vsus diligently to watch & circumſpectly to waite for the comming of thy beloued ſonne, that we neither be drunken in exceſſe and bodilie luſt, nor intangled with the ſnares of this world: but that we hauing alwayes the eyes of our heart open, and praying with vpright mindes, may chearefully meet our redeemer, & ioy with him for euer. To him be eternall praiſe and honor. Amen.