The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · Christ's two natures · Question 46
Queſt. 46. How underſtand you that, He aſcended into heaven?
Anſw. That Chriſt, his Diſciples looking on, was taken up from the earth into heaven,aActs 1.9. Marke 16.19. Luke 24.…1. and yet ſtill is there for our ſakes,bHebr. 9.24. & 4.14. Rom. 8.34. Col. 3.1. and will be, untill he come againe to judge the quick and the dead.cActs 1.11. Mat. 24.30.
The Explication.
CHriſts aſcenſion into heaven, is a locall, true, and viſible tranſlation and removing of Chriſts body into that heaven, which is above all viſible heavens, to that light which is not to be come unto, to the right hand of God, where he now is and remaineth, and whence he ſhall returne to judgement. What Chriſt… alcenſion is.In this Article (as in the former touching the Reſurrection) two things are to be conſidered: the hiſtory, and the fruit. In the history theſe circumſtances are to be examined: 1. Who aſcended: The ſame Chriſt which ſuffered and died. 2. According to what part of him: According to his humane nature. 3. Whither: Up into heaven, above theſe viſible heavens. 4. By what meanes: By the power alone of his owne God-head. 5. To what end: Even to be our head and heavenly Biſhop. 6. In what manner: Viſibly, his Diſciples beholding him, by a true and locall elevation of his body out of earth into heaven. 7. When: The fortieth day after his Reſurrection. 8. Where: In Bethany, at the mount of Olives. Of the fruits we ſhall have fit occaſion to intreat in the forty and ninth Queſtion of the Catechiſme. But all theſe nine Queſtions even now propoſed, may be reduced unto theſe five immediatly following.
1. Whither, or to what place Chriſt aſcended.
2. How he aſcended.
3. Wherefore he aſcended.
4. What is the difference betweene Chriſts aſcenſion and ours.
5. What are the fruits of Chriſts aſcenſion.
1. Whither Christ aſcended.
JEſus Chriſt-man, when he was together with his Diſciples in Bethania forty dayes after his reſurrection; after he had often proved and confirmed his reſurrection, his true fleſh and humanity to his Apoſtles, aſcended, in their ſight, into heaven. Heaven in Scripture ſignifieth, 1. The aire: Behold the fowles of the heaven. 2. The skiey region, and celeſtiall Spheres; When I behold thine heavens, What heaven ſignifieth. Mat. 6.26. Pſal. 8.4. Epheſ. 4 10.the works of thy fingers. He aſcended farre above all heavens, namely, theſe viſible heavens. 3. The place of the bleſſed, which is that ſpace immenſe, moſt lightſome, glorious without, and above the whole world, and the viſible heavens: where God ſheweth himſelfe to the bleſſed Angels and men, where is prepared the ſeat of our bliſſe with Chriſt and the Angels. God is ſaid to dwell there, not that he is contained or circumſcribed in any place, but becauſe there doth his glory eſpecially appeare unto the bleſſed Angels and men. It is called in Scripture the new world, the new heaven, the heavenly Jerulem, Paradiſe, the boſome of Abraham. This heaven is not everywhere, but above, ſeparate from earth and hell Betweene you and us there is a great gulfe ſet, Luke 16.25.ſo that they which would go from hence to you cannot; neither can they come from thence to us. Heaven is my ſeat, and earth is my foot-ſtoole. In this third ſignification is heaven here taken.Eſay 66.1. Chriſt then aſcended into heaven, that is,Acts 2.21. was carried up into the place of the bleſſed. The holy Ghoſt came from heaven in the day of Pentecoſt.2 Kings 2.11. 2 Cor. 12. 2. Elias was taken up into heaven. Paul calleth it the third heaven. Into this heaven, namely, into the place of the bleſſed, Chriſt aſcended, and now is there, and ſhall thence come againe to judgement, as many moſt evident places of Scripture teſtifie unto us, which that Divell, the ſubtle Sophiſt and deceiver, ſhall never be able to wreſt or elude. While they beheld, he was taken up: for a cloud took him up out of their ſight. Acts 1.9, 10, 11.And while they looked ſtedfaſt towards heaven, as he went, behold two men ſtood by them in white apparell: Which alſo ſaid, Ye men of Galilee, why ſtand yee gazing into heaven? John 14.2.This Jeſus which is taken up from you into heaven, ſhall ſo come, as yee have ſeene him go into heaven. In my Fathers houſe are many dwelling places: that is, many houſes, in which we may dwell and remaine. I go to prepare a place for you. He was taken up into heaven. Luke 24.5…. Mark… 16.19. Acts 7.56.He was taken up. I ſee the heavens open, and the Sonne of man ſtanding at the right hand of God. He ſaw with his bodily eyes, indued from above with a new ſeeing force and ſharpneſſe, beyond, and through all the viſible heavens, Chriſt in the ſame humane nature,Coloſ. 3.1. Epheſ. 4.10. in which he had been annihilated and humbled. Seek thoſe things which are above, where Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of God. He aſcended farre above all heavens. He is extred into heaven. Heb 4.14 & 7.26 & 9…4. Phil. 3.20.Made higher than the heavens. He is entered into very heaven, to appeare now in the ſight of God for us. Our converſation is in heaven, from whence alſo we look for the Saviour, even the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Object. But we converſe on earth: Therefore heaven is in the earth. Anſw. Our converſation is in heaven. 1. In reſpect of the hope and certainty we have thereof. 2. In reſpect of the inchoation, or beginning which we have here of that heavenly life, which is to be conſummated in the world to come. In this heaven, that is, in the houſe of God and all the bleſſed, Chriſt aſcended. God would therefore have us to know the place whereinto Chriſt aſcended: 1. That it might be apparent that Chriſt is true Man, and that he vaniſhed not away, but doth continue,Three cauſes why the place whither Chriſt aſcended is made known unto us. and ſhall continue for ever true Man. 2. That we might know whither our cogitations were to be converted, and where we ought to invocate and call upon him, that ſo Idolatry might be avoided. 3. That we might know our dwelling place into which Chriſt will bring us, and in which we ſhall converſe and dwell with Chriſt.
2. How Chriſt aſcended into heaven.
CHriſt aſcended into heaven, firſt, not ſimply, but in reſpect of his humane nature onelyonly: In reſpect of his humane nature only.and that the very ſame, which was borne of the Virgin, dead, buried, and which roſe againe. Object. 1. He that ever is in heauen, did not aſcend into heaven, for then he ſhould have beene ſometime out of heaven. But the Son of Man was ever in heaven: Therefore he is not aſcended. Anſw. He that ever was in heaven, as touching that whereby he was ever there, that is, his Divinity, did not aſcend; and ſo we grant Chriſt according to his Divinity not to have aſcended; for that was before in heaven: and as when Chriſt was on earth, the ſame did not therefore leave heaven: ſo when he is now in heaven, his Divinity doth not therefore depart from us. Cyprian ſaith; The Lord aſcended into heaven, not where the Word of God before was not (ſith he was alwayes in heaven abiding in the Father) but the Lord aſcended thither, where the Word, being made fleſh, ſate not before. Object. 2. That which deſcended, did alſo aſcend. His Divinity did deſcend: Therefore it did alſo aſcend. Anſ. The ſignification of deſcending is not here proper. His Divinity is ſaid to have deſcended, that is, to have opened and manifeſted it ſelfe in place where before it had not.
2. He aſcended locally or bodily, Locally.that is, truly going from one place to another. He tranſlated his humane nature from a lower place, by a reall and moſt proper tranſlation, or removing into an higher place, even into heaven: which could not have been done, if he had been in body every-where. That Chriſt did aſcend locally, theſe places of Scripture convince.Mat. 26.11. John. 16.7.28. & 12.8 & 6.62. Acts 1.9. Coloſ. 3.1. Ye ſhall not have me alwayes. If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. What then, if yee ſhould ſee the Sonne of Man aſcend up, where he was before? While they beheld, he was taken up. He was taken up into heaven. Seeke thoſe things which are above, where Christ ſits at the right hand of God.
3. Christ aſcended viſibly into heaven. Viſibly. Acts 1.9.For his aſſumption and taking away from his Apoſtles▪ was conſpicuous and apparent to the ſight; While they beheld, he was taken up. And they beheld him aſcending up ſo long, untill a cloud tooke him up out of their ſight.
4. He aſcended by his proper power, that is, by the vertue of his God-head: as alſo by the ſame he roſe from the dead.By the power of his God-head. This Jeſus by the right hand of God hath been exalted
5. He aſcended when he had converſed on the earth forty dayes after his reſurrection: and that therefore,Acts 2.33. The fortieth day after his reſurrection. 1. That he might aſſure men of his Reſurrection: and of the truth of this fleſh. To whom alſo he preſented himſelfe alive, after that he had ſuffered, by many infallible tokens. 2. That he might inſtruct his Diſciples concerning his Kingdome,Two cauſes why he aſcended not untill 40. dayes. and recall into their minds that which he had ſpoken before, and farther adde ſome other things: and ſo might aſcertaine not them only, but us alſo of his Reſurrection and of the truth of his fleſh, or humane nature.Acts 1.3. Forty dayes was he ſeene of them, ſpeaking of thoſe things which appertaine to the Kingdome.
6. He ſo aſcended, that he returnes not before the day of Judgement. He ſhall ſo come, as yee have ſeene him go into heaven. Whom the heavens muſt containe, till, &c. Acts 1.Object. 1. Beyond heaven there is no place: The Ubiquitaries objections.Therefore the aſcenſion into heaven is no locall tranſlation. Anſ. Beyond heaven there is no naturall place, ſuch as Aristotle defineth to be a ſuperficiall extremity of a body containing, and yeelding to a body contained: but there is a ſupernaturall or heavenly place: which, what manner of thing it is, cannot here be learned by diſcourſe of mans wit and reaſon, but onelyonly by a celeſtiall view and beholding, which the Angels already injoy, and we ſhall one day have in heaven. Sufficient it is for us, that we, leaving to ſearch curiouſly, what it is, now know and beleeve that ſuch a place there is, according to theſe teſtimonies of Scripture: I go to prepare a place for you. I will come againe, and receive you unto my ſelfe, that where I am, there may ye be alſo: And, Whither I go, ye know. Father, John 14.2, …, 4. John 17.24, Coloſ. 3.1.I will that where I am, they which thou haſt given me, be with me. Seeke thoſe things which are above, where Christ ſitteth at the right-hand of God. Theſe and the like teſtimonies doe teach us, that the heaven whereinto Chriſt aſcended, and which is above theſe viſible heavens, is truly a place. For the particles, Above, Whither, and Where, doe expreſſe a place: This kind of place Ariſtotle neither knew, nor beleeved, ſeeing he knew not the Scriptures. Repl. Yet at leaſt (ſay the Ubiquitaries) Chriſt was tranſlated out of a place into that which is not a place; whence we thus conclude: That which is not in any place, is every-where: Chriſt is not in any place, Non locum.becauſe he aſcended above and beyond the viſible heavens, beyond which there is not any place: Therefore Christ is every-where. Anſw. 1. We deny the Major, that the ſame is every-where which is not in any place. For the higheſt or fartheſt heaven is not in any place, neither yet is it every-where. 2. The Minor is true of a naturall place; which is defined to be the ſuperficiall extremity of a body ſo compaſſing and containing any thing within it, as it ſelfe alſo is compaſſed and contained within another. We grant, Chriſt is tranſlated thither where is no place, to wit, naturall; and Chriſt is now in no place, that is, no naturall place. But theſe aſſertions are falſe, if we ſpeak of a ſupernaturall place, which doth containe, but is not it ſelfe contained; and ſuch a ſupernaturall place is beyond the viſible heavens, and in it Chriſt now is according to the Scriptures.
3. Their ſuppoſition, or ground, whereon they build their argument, is in every part denied by us. That Christ was taken or tranſlated out of a place, wee have many maine proofes; whether he were tranſlated into a place, or that which is no place, it skilleth not: This followeth, Therefore he changed place. So then Chriſts humane nature is finite, and doth change place; and therefore is not every-where. For, To be every-where, and to change place, are contradictory. And therefore alſo his God-head, which alone is infinite, eternall, and every-where, is not ſaid to change place. But here the Ubiquitaries ſeek a ſhift, that they may not be hurt by this weapon; That which changeth place is not every-where. Chriſts body changeth place: Therefore that is not every-where. They grant the Major of this Syllogiſme to be true, taking the words after one manner; but here they contend, that the words are taken after a diverſe manner: As, that Chriſts body is every-where, that is, after a manner of majesty, or in manner as it is a majeſticall body; it changeth place, in manner of a naturall body, or as it is a naturall body. But they eſcape not a contradiction by this cavill. For the diverſe manner which taketh away a contradiction, muſt not fall into the ſame, and be all one with the words themſelves, for the clearing of which they are brought. For ſo it is made a meer Tautology, or ſpeaking of the ſame thing, and a begging of that which is in queſtion: as if I, imitating them, ſhould ſay, This aire is light, according to the manner of light; and it is dark, as touching the manner of darkneſſe. Againe, This man is poore, as touching the manner of poverty; and is rich, as touching the manner of riches. Thus is the ſame affirmed of the ſame. For, the manner of poverty, is nothing elſe but poverty: and the manner of riches, nothing but riches. So alſo theſe manners, which they feigne and imagine in the Major propoſition, are altogether the ſame with the things which are affirmed: that is, the ſame in them is affirmed of the ſame, and ſo theſe manners are that in which lyeth the contradiction: For they ſay, Chriſts body is every where, according to the manner of majeſty. Being demanded what they meane by majesty, they anſwer, omnipotency and immenſity. To ſay then, Christs body is every-where, as touching the manner of majeſty, not as touching the mannor of a naturall body, is nothing elſe even by their owne judgment, than Chriſts body to be every-where according to the manner of immenſity, or infinity; and not to be every-where according to the manner of finiteneſſe. Now verily they trimly take away the contradiction by thus diſtinguiſhing: For the manner of immenſity, is nothing elſe but immenſity: and immenſity, and, to be immenſe, are both affirmed of the ſame. Wherefore, as theſe are contradictory, To be every-where, and, To change place, or, Not to be every-where: ſo are theſe alſo contradictory, The ſame body to be immenſe, and, To be finite: Immenſity and finiteneſſe to agree unto the ſame; or, the ſame body to be every-where, or immenſe, according to the manner of immenſity or majesty, and not to be every-where, but to change place, and to be finite, according to the manner of finiteneſſe, or a naturall body. Wherefore it is manifeſt, which was before alſo confirmed, That Chriſt aſcended locally, and that therefore this Article is to be underſtood of Chriſts locall aſcenſion.
Object. 2. Contraries or oppoſites ought to be expounded after the ſame manner, that the contrariety and oppoſition may be kept; But theſe Articles, Hee aſcended into heaven; Hee deſcended into hell; are oppoſed one to the other: Therefore as the Article of Chriſts deſcenſion is taken in a figurative meaning, that is, of his great humiliation; ſo ought alſo the Article of his aſcenſion to be taken of his great majeſty, not of any locall motion. Anſw. We anſwer, firſt to the Major: Oppoſites are to be expounded after the ſame manner; except ſuch manner of explication be diſagreeing from the Articles of faith, and from other places of Scripture: But this Article the Scripture it ſelfe underſtandeth of a locall aſcenſion, Acts 1.11.Hee ſhall ſo come, as yee have ſeen him goe into heaven: howſoever it underſtand that other of a ſpirituall, as wee have heretofore proved. And that thus we underſtand both theſe Articles, the Analogy of faith requireth. 2. We deny the Minor. For theſe two Articles are not oppoſed: For his aſcenſion into heaven is not the furtheſt degree of his glory, as his deſcenſion into hell is the furtheſt degree of his humiliation. But the furtheſt and higheſt degree of his glory, is his ſitting at the right hand of the Father. Therefore as touching this Article, of his ſitting at the right hand of his Father, we grant the Major; For unto this Article is the deſcenſion into hell oppoſed: whereupon alſo the Scripture doth not interpret properly, but figuratively, theſe two Articles of Christs deſcenſion into hell, and of his ſitting at the right hand of his Father. 3. If Christs aſcenſion be construed of any equalling of his man-hood with his God-head, all the other Articles, concerning the true humanity of Chriſt, ſhall be utterly overthrown….