THE FIFTY-SIXTH LECTURE. OF THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST. MARK, CHAP. XVI. 20. And they went forth, and preached everywhere. And the Lord wrought with them, and confirmed the word with signs that followed. Amen. LUKE, CHAP. XXIV. 52. And they worshipped him, and returned to Hierusalem with great joy; 53. And were continually in the temple, praising and lauding God. Amen. ACTS, CHAP. I. 10. And, while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel ; 11. Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing into heaven? This Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as ye have seen him go into heaven. 12. Then returned they unto Hierusalem, from the mount that is called the mount of Olives, which is near to Hierusalem, being from it a Sabbath day's journey. 13. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper chamber, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James, the son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas, James' bro ther. 14. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplications, with the women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. THE last day, well-beloved brethren in Christ, we entered into the history of Christ's ascension to heaven. We heard of the circumstances of it. The Lord led them out to Bethany, to the mount of Olives, from the which place he ascended unto heaven; we heard of the communing that was betwixt Christ and his disciples, who asked of him, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" The Lord reproves this their curiosity, "It is not for you to know the times and the seasons, which the Father has put in his own power." And then he tells what they ought to do: First, They should be mindful of the promise of the Holy Spirit. Next, They should look to their own calling, to bear witness of him to the world. We 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 up, and received in a cloud, he was taken out of their sight, and carried up to heaven. This was done, that both the apostles themselves might be persuaded, and also with greater boldness and assurance persuade others of his ascension. We heard, that when he was taken out of their sight, he was placed at the right hand of God, and exalted to that sublimity of glory, that all the creatures in heaven and earth are subdued to him. And, last, we heard what was the behaviour of the apostles: in the meantime, they worshipped him, and looked steadfastly to the heavens. This day, by God's grace, we shall follow out and put an end to this history. In the words which we have read, we will see what falls out. While the disciples are looking up to the heavens, two angels are sent to them by Christ, who partly reprove them, and partly comfort them. We will see, likewise, what the disciples do after this "they return to Hierusalem with great joy;" when they come : there, they go up to an upper chamber; but they stay not there, but they go to the temple, and remain there, continually praising and lauding God. And, last, they went out and preached the gospel everywhere, and the Lord gave them a good success, for he wrought with them, and confirmed the word with signs that followed. Luke, in the Acts, tells us that, "while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel." As they were worshipping him, the Lord sent incontinent, from his heavenly throne, legates and ambassadors. And who were they? Even angels, two in number, and in form and outward shape like to men; and, therefore, they are said to be two men, and were clothed in white and glorious apparel. Mark the lesson in a word. Christ sits no sooner down at the right hand of the Father, but he makes his disciples, whom he left in the earth behind him, not only to know that he had a kingly power, whereby he commands the very angels themselves, but also to know that singular care and affection that he carried to them, which he testifies by sending these angels from heaven, for their cause and for their consolation. This kingly power of Christ, and this care that he hath of his own, continues even this day in the kirk, and every one of the faithful finds the proof and experience of it to their great joy and comfort. Now, let us see what these angels say to the apostles in their speech to them. First, they reprove, then they comfort them. First, they said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing unto heaven?" They reprove them, because they stood idly gazing and looking to the heaven, whereas the Lord had commanded them to return to Jerusalem, that there they might wait for the Spirit that was promised them, that having gotten the Spirit, they might " go out to the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," as the Lord had commanded them. This reproof of the angels imports, that they contented themselves too much with idle looking and gazing, and that they were too unmindful of that great and high calling whereunto the Lord had ordained them. Of this reproof we learn this lesson: it is not the Lord's will that any man should be idle in the world, nor that he content himself with a bare and idle contemplation of the creatures of God. No, not of the best of them. It is not the Lord's will that we stand idly gazing upon the very heavens, whereunto the Lord hath ascended, and now is in glory. No, it is his will that all men all their days be painfully exercised in some calling, wherein they may both glorify God and do good unto men. Indeed, it is true, it is the Lord's will that men should always have their affections set above, and their hearts lifted up to heaven, and that they have their eyes set upon God, upon Christ, upon that glory which is to be revealed; but, in the meantime, while men are thus exercised, they should be exercised likewise in some honest and lawful calling. The Apostle Paul, by his practice, lets us see what should be the behaviour of a Christian. While he "looked not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are not seen," 2 Cor. iv. 18, while he "choosed to remove out of the body, and to go and dwell with Christ," 2 Cor. v. 8,-while he minded not earthly things, but had "his conversation in heaven, from whence he looked for his Saviour, even the Lord Jesus," Philip. iii. 20,-contented he himself, think ye, with this speculation? Was he in the meantime idle? Had he not another calling? Yes, he was very diligently exercised in the ministry: for, says he, "We covet that, both dwelling at home, and removing from home, we may be acceptable to him. For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things which are done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil. And, therefore, knowing that terror of the Lord, we persuade men, and bring them unto the faith," 2 Cor. v. 9, 10, 11. So Paul, when he was looking to heavenly things, he was in the meantime diligently exercised in his apostleship, in bringing men to Christ. Even so, it becomes every faithful man so to have his heart and his affections set upon heaven and heavenly things, that in the same meantime, in some honest and lawful calling, he may be doing some good in the earth. And, on the other part, when he is busy labouring and exercised in his calling, he should have his eyes lifted up to God, and should have his heart, his affections, and conversation, in the heavens: for except that in all things which we do, we have the Lord and his glory before our eyes, it is not possible that we can do any thing well and uprightly. Then, in a word, ye see here, the Lord, by these angels, condemns idle speculation and contemplation, without any exercise in any lawful calling. This serves to condemn these idle-bellies,1 the monks of the Roman kirk, who content themselves with bare and idle speculation, having no regard, in the meantime, that they may be exercised in any lawful calling, wherein they may either glorify God or do good to men. Yea, they are so far from doing good, that, by the contrary, they hurt the kirk of God exceedingly, by bringing in their dreams and fantasies that they have devised in their idle brains, to corrupt and pervert men's minds: the Lord never allowed nor blessed such a life the Lord abhors such idleness. And, if the angels reprove the apostles for gazing to heaven, where they saw with their eyes the Lord Jesus to ascend, which, by appearance to man's judgment, was a very good exercise, to have their hearts fixed on Christ, and their eyes upon the place whither he ascended, what would the angels say to these idle-belly gods, who withdraw themselves from all honest callings, and live upon the sweat of other men's brows, under the pretence of spiritual exercise? Now, after the angels have reproved the apostles, next, in the second part of their speech, they raise them up, and comfort them, while they say, "This Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as ye have seen him go into heaven." They comfort them, by putting them in hope that he shall return, yea, return in glory, and such a glory as they saw him ascend with ; and so, upon hope of his glorious returning in that great day, they will the apostles to comfort themselves against all trouble and distresses, that they might be subject unto the time of their remaining in the earth. Whereupon we may perceive what is the ground whereupon the solid consolation of a Christian soul arises. It arises even from 1 Commentary: Otiosiorum ventrium. |