The Holy Arbor, Chapter 4 · Section 6
§. 6. The third day he roſe again from the Dead; He aſcended into Heaven, and there he ſitteth at the right hand of God.
TO believe in Chriſt riſen from the dead, is to believe that he ſhook off death from himſelf, quickned his dead body, reunited his body unto his ſoul, reſtored unto himſelf a bleſſed, celeſtial and glorious life, and that by his own proper power. And I alſo believe, That he therefore roſe again from the dead, that he might make us partakers of his Righteouſneſs, Sanctification and Glorification, which he hath purchaſed for us by his merit. This is that Holy One, of whom David propheſied, that He ſhould not ſee corruption, Pſal. 16.10. who but a little before his death told his Diſciples himſelf, that The third day he would riſe again, Mark 9.31. & 10.34. The accompliſhment of which Truth, ſtands on ſacred Record, both by his appearing (after that he was riſen from death to life) to Mary Magdalen, Joh. 20.14. to divers women, Mat. 28.9. to two, Luke 24.13, 15. to ten, Joh. 20.19. to all the Diſciples, to more then five hundred at once, 1 Cor. 15.6. to ſundry perſons by the ſpace of forty days together, Acts 1.3. and by the teſtimony alſo of the Apoſtles, Peter, Acts 1.22. and Paul, Acts 17.2, 3. So that whoever is a perverſe Sadduce to this Truth, ſtrikes at the very Root of the Chriſtian Religion.
He aſcended into Heaven] that is, he being revived from the dead (his ſoul coming again into his body) walking here a while upon the Earth for the ſpace of forty days, eating and drinking ſometimes with his Diſciples, not for any need of ſuſtenance, but for the more aſſurance of his Reſurrection, and offering his body to be felt and handled, comforting and inſtructing them, and then in the open ſight of them all, he went up body and ſoul into the Heavens, they looking and marvelling at it. This was foretold by David, Pſal. 68.18. and by Chriſt himſelf, John 14.2. & 20.17. was prefigured in Enoch, Gen. 5.24. and in Elias, 2 Kings 2. and witneſſed, Acts 1.22. Eph. 4.10. ſo that Chriſts Aſcenſion is a local, true, real, and viſible Aſcenſion, Tranſlation, or removing of Chriſts body from Earth into Heaven, which is above all viſible Heavens, to Gods right hand, where he now is, and whence he ſhall come to Judgement, Acts 1.11. This his Aſcenſion muſt be underſtood of his Humanity onelyonly, for his Divinity was always in Heaven.
And there he ſitteth at Gods right hand] that is, he is a perſon equal to God in Power and Glory, by whom the Father worketh immediately; or to ſit at Gods right hand, is to raign in equal Power and Glory with the Father: for Chriſt doth all things likewiſe as doth the Father, and is endued with the ſame Power with the Father, which alſo he exerciſeth: He is that perſon Omnipotent, by which the Father governeth all things immediately; but eſpecially by which he defendeth the Church againſt her Enemies; and this indeed is the proper meaning of Chriſts ſeſſion at the right hand of the Father.
How Chriſt roſe again:
1. He roſe by his own power, even by his Godhead, John 2.19.
2. He being truly God and Man, roſe according to that Nature, according to which he ſuffered, Luke 24.39.
3. He did riſe truly and indeed, ſo that his ſoul did truly and indeed return into his body.
4. He roſe the third day, as it was foreſhadowed in Jonas.
Why Chriſt roſe again:
1. In reſpect of the Propheſies which were uttered of him, Pſal. 16.10. Mat. 17.23.
2. He roſe for his Fathers and his own Glory, Rom. 1.4.
3. For the worthineſs and power of the perſon that roſe, being Author of life it ſelf.
4. In reſpect of the Office of the perſon which roſe, his Meadiatorſhip.
5. He roſe for us, and that in three reſpects:
1. For our Juſtification, Rom. 4.25.
2. For our Regeneration.
3. For our Salvation and Glorification.
In the Reſurrection of Chriſt, obſerve theſe 2 things; viz.
1. His victory and triumph over Death and Hell:
1. He declareth himſelf to be very God, riſing again by his Divine Power.
2. By his Reſurrection he ſubjecteth to himſelf all things, both in Heaven and Earth.
3. He manifeſted himſelf to be that bleſſed Seed, that had broken the Head of the Serpent; that is, had overcome the Kingdom of Satan.
2. The fruit and benefit which accrews unto us by it; viz.
1. Thereby we know him to be the Meſſias, in whom the Propheſies were fulfilled.
2. We are confirmed and warranted by Chriſts Reſurrection:
1. Of his Merit, that he hath fully and perfectly ſatisfied for our ſins.
2. Of the application of his Benefits, which could not have been beſtowed, if he had not riſen.
3. The Gift whereby we are juſtified; he vanquiſhed Death, that he might make us partakers of that Righteouſneſs which he had gotten us by his death, 1 Cor. 15.16. Rom. 4.25.
4. The Gift of the Holy Ghoſt, by whom Chriſt regenerateth us, and giveth us eternal life.
5. The Vertue which is conveyed into all Believers, enabling them to riſe from ſin.
6. A Preſident or Seal of newneſs of life; we are alſo ſtirred up by his power to a new life, Rom. 6.4.
7. Our continued Preſervation by his perpetual and applyed Righteouſneſs.
8. The Reſurrection of our Head, Chriſt, is a cauſe and pledge unto us of our glorious Reſurrection, 1 Cor. 15.12. Rom. 8.11.
9. The conſummation and perfecting of all his benefits, and the final glorifying of his Church.
For what cauſes the Reſurrection of our Bodies is the fruit of Chriſts Reſurrection:
1. Becauſe Chriſt is our Head, and we his Members.
2. Becauſe he hath aboliſhed our ſin, the cauſe of death.
3. Becauſe as the firſt Adam received bleſſings for all, and loſt them all; ſo the ſecond Adam received gifts for others, and communicates them with us.
4. Becauſe the ſame Spirit dwelleth in us, which is in Chriſt, Rom. 8.11.
5. Becauſe Chriſt is Man, for by Man came the Reſurrection, 1 Cor. 15.21. But here take notice, That there are other cauſes for which the wicked ſhall riſe again, even the juſt Judgement of God, whereby he hath appointed them to eternal pains: for the ſame thing may have more effects and diverſe cauſes, as it relates to ſeveral reſpects.
The Duties ariſing from our Faith in Chriſt, touching his Reſurrection:
1. To live as thoſe that be at peace with God; for as he dyed for our ſins, ſo he roſe again for our Juſtification, Rom. 5.25. and being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God, Rom. 5.1.
2. To riſe up to newneſs of life: The Signs of which ſpiritual life, are chiefly theſe four; viz.
1. An heavenly minde, Col. 3.1.
2. An holy and innocent life, Epheſ. 4.24.
3. Greater joy in the Grace of God through Jeſus Chriſt, then in any thing either of pleaſure or profit in this world, Phil. 3.8.
4. Growth and encreaſe in Sanctification, 1 Pet. 3.18.
In Chriſts Aſcenſion, and ſitting at the right hand of the Father, conſider theſe three things; viz.
1. His Command to his Apoſtles at his Aſcenſion, whereby the glad tidings of his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion was not to be confined within Judea.
2. The Conſequents thereof:
1. He opened for us a way to heaven, before ſhut up by our ſins.
2. Being now gone into Heaven, is yet preſent with us, even to the end of the world.
3. We have au advocate with the Father.
4. That now ſitting at the right hand of the Father, he hath ſo eſtabliſhed his Kingdom, as the Gates of Hell in vain oppoſe it.
3. The Uſe hereof, That we being converſant here upon Earth, ſhould have our converſation in Heaven, whence we expect the return of our Judge.
Why Chriſt aſcended; viz.
1. For his own and his Fathers glory:
1. For he was to have a celeſtial Kingdom, Eph. 4.10.
2. It was meet that the Head ſhould be glorified with excellency of gifts above all the bleſſed, as being Members of that Head.
2. In reſpect of us:
1. That he might gloriouſly make Interceſſion for us by his vertue, efficacy and will.
2. That we might alſo aſcend, and be aſſured of our Aſcenſion, John 14.2.
3. That he might ſend the Holy Ghoſt, and by him gather comfort, and defend his Church from the Devil and all her Enemies, unto the worlds end, John 16.7.
The benefit we receive by Chriſts Aſcenſion; viz.
1. He maketh Interceſſion to his Father in Heaven for us, 1 John 2.1, 2. And this his Interceſſion ſignifieth,
1. The perpetual vertue and ſtrength of Chriſts Sacrifice.
2. Both wills in Chriſt, both Humane and Divine, propitious and favorable to us, whereby he will that for his Sacrifice we be received of his Father.
3. The Aſſent of his Father, approving this his Sons will, and accepting the value of of his Sacrifice as our ſins Ranſom.
2. Our Glorification or Aſcenſion: for ſeeing Chriſt our Head is aſcended, we are certain that we alſo ſhall aſcend into Heaven, as being his Members, having a ſure pledge, that he who is our Head will lift up us his Members, John 14.2.
3. He ſendeth us his Spirit, in ſtead of a pledge between him and us, John 14.16.
4. It is a Teſtimony,
1. That our ſins are fully pardoned us who do believe.
2. That Chriſt is indeed Conqueror of Death, Sin and the Devil.
3. That we ſhall never be left deſtitute of comfort.
4. That Chriſt will for ever defend us.
What the right hand of God ſignifieth:
1. The Omnipotency or exceeding vertue of God.
2. Perfect Glory, perfect Dignity, and full Divine Majeſty.
What is meant by Chriſts ſeſſion at the right hand of the Father:
1. The perfection of Chriſts Divine Nature; that is, the equality of the Word with the Father, which he did not receive, but ever had.
2. The perfection of Chriſts Humane Nature, which compriſeth,
1. The perſonal union of the Humane Nature with the Word: For in him dwelleth all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily, Col. 2.9.
2. The Collation or beſtowing of gifts on him far greater and more in number then are beſtowed on all Men and Angels.
3. The perfection or excellency of the Office of the Mediator; that is, the Prophetical, Prieſtly and Royal Function, which Chriſt now, as the glorified Head of his Church, doth in his Humane Nature gloriouſly exerciſe in Heaven.
4. The perfection of Chriſts honor; that is, the Adoration, Worſhip and Reverence, which is yielded unto him both of Men and Angels, Heb. 1.6.
The benefits we receive by Chriſts ſitting at the Fathers right hand, are all the benefits of the Kingdom and Prieſthood of Chriſt glorified:
1. His Interceſſion for us.
2. The gathering, governing and guarding of his Church by the Word and Spirit.
3. His defending of the Church againſt her enemies.
4. The abjection and deſtruction of the Churches enemies.
5. The Glorification of the Church.
The difference of Chriſts Aſcenſion and ours ſtands thus: He aſcended by his own power and vertue; we ſhall not by our own, but by his, John 3.13. He aſcended to be Head; we to be his Members: He to glory agreeable for the Head; we to glory fit for Members: Chriſts Aſcenſion was the cauſe of ours, but it is not ſo of the contrary.
Whom ſeek'ſt thou, Mary? What, is Jeſus he?
He goes before thee into Galilee.
This was the Angels voyce: Nor was the news
Leſs ſtrange to his Diſciples then the Jews;
Though herein for himſelf he did no more,
Then what he did for Lazarus before.
He's now aſcended, and has verifi'd
What Enoch and Elias typifi'd:
He ſits at Gods right hand, and has thereby
In Earth all Power, in Heav'n all Majeſty.