Meffias. And thus they are understood by St. Eph. 4. 2. Paul to the Ephefians.

Q. Whither did our Saviour afcend?

A. Into the Heaven of Heavens, the Pro fence of God; where his human Nature is feated far above all Angels and Archangels, all Principalities and Powers; even at the right Hand of God.

Q. What mean you by his fitting at the right Hand of God?

A. The Advancement of his human Nature to the Height of Dignity and Authority in the Prefence of God; the right Hand being esteemed the Place of greatest Honour and Favour. Or it may import his fitting in his human Shape on the right Hand of that bright Throne, or refplendent Glory, which visibly accompanies and manifefts fome extraordinary Prefence of God; the ufual Symbol of his Power and Majefty; which was probably what St. Stephen feems to have seen, when he beheld the Glory of God, and Ats 7.55. Jefus ftanding at the right Hand of God.

Q. What are we ebliged to believe concerning sur Saviour's Afcenfion?

A. That the only-begotten and eternal Son of God, after he rofe from the Dead, did, with the fame Soul and Body with which he rose, by a true and local Translation, convey himself from the Earth on which he lived, through all the Regions of the Air, through all the Celeftial Orbs, until he came unto the Heaven of Heavens, the most glorious Prefence of the Majesty of God.

Q. What Benefit do we particularly receive from Chrift's Exaltation in Heaven?

4. The great Advantage of his Interceffion

for

for us at the right Hand of God, where he is a perpetual Patron and Advocate in our Behalf, to plead our Caufe, to folicit our Concernments, to reprefent our Wants, and to offer up our Prayers and Requests to God, by virtue of his meritorious Sacrifice. So that the true Penitent may expect Forgiveness; the weak, but fincere Chriftian, Strength and Af fiftance, having fo powerful a Mediator with the Father. Those that suffer, and are perfecuted, may depend upon their High Priest for Comfort and Support, fince he is touched with Heb. 4 a Senfe of our Infirmities. And all may come 15, 16. boldly to the Throne of Grace, to obtain Mercy and Help in Time of Need, because our Prayers are offered to God by fo powerful and prevalent a Hand.

Q. What Reafon may there be given why our Saviour did not afcend in the Sight of the Jews for their Conviction?

A. It was only abfolutely neceffary that they who were to preach the Gospel should have the utmost Evidence of those Matters of Fact they attefted. God's Defign was to bring the World to Salvation by the Exercise of Faith, which is an Act of Affent upon the Testimony of another, with which Sight is inconfiftent. And it is to be doubted, whether they, who afcribed our Saviour's Miracles to the Power of Mat. 9. the Devil, and fuborned the Soldiers to fay, 34. upon his Resurrection, that his Difciples ftole him away, would not have called his Afcenfion, Ch. 28, if they had feen it, a Phantafm and vain Appa- 12, 13.

rition.

Q. What Influence ought the Afcenfion of our Saviour to have upon us?

A. It ought to confirm our Faith, to strengthen our Hope, and to rife our Affections to Things above.

Q. How doth the Afcenfion confirm our Faith?

A. Because it gives us a farther Proof of our Saviour's divine Million, and that he was a true Prophet fent from God; it being Evidence beyond Exception, that God would never have fo highly rewarded him, and visibly have taken him into Heaven, if he had not been fent into the World by him, and had not approved of the Meffage he delivered to us. Neither can we doubt of his Return to judge the World, our Acts 10. Saviour having declared himself appointed by God, Judge of Quick and Dead, and the Angels having confirmed the fame, nothing being more credible than the Saying of one whom God has fo vifibly taken to himself.

42.

Q. How doth the Afcenfion ftrengthen our Hope?

A. By feeing our own Nature thus advanced we are affured that Duft and Ashes may thither afcend; and the bleffed Jefus being our Head, as Members of his Body we may expect Admiffion into that heavenly Court, where he fits in Glory, fince we have his Word, that can never fail, that he is gone to prepare a Place for us. Befides, our Saviour's Exaltation difpels all thofe Fears the Weaknefs of our Nature may fuggeft to us, because he hath an abfolute Difpofal of all thofe Graces which are necffary to attain eternal Happiness.

Q. How doth the Afcenfion exalt our Affections?

A. By putting us in Mind that our Treasure is above, and that therefore we ought not to

fet

fet our Affections upon Things that are below. That Heaven is the true and only Happiness of a Chriftian, and that our great Design in this World ought to be, to fit and prepare ourfelves for the Enjoyment of it. That our conftant Endeavours ought to tend towards the qualifying ourfelves to be received into our Saviour's Prefence, to whom we have the greatest Obligations of Duty and Gratitude. That by trampling upon our Sins, and fubduing the Lufts of the Flefh, we may make our Converfation correfpond to our Saviour's Condition, that where the Eyes of the Apoftles were forced to leave him, thither our Thoughts may follow him.

G

The PRAYERS.

I..

nefs.

Rant, I befeech thee, Almighty God, that For Healike as I do believe thy only-begotten Son venlyour Lord Jefus Chrift to have afcended into the minded Heavens, fo may I alfo in Heart and Mind thither afcend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghoft, one God, World without End. Amen.

II.

of

exalt

ly Ghost.

God, the ed thy only Son Jefus Chrift with great Comfort Triumph unto thy Kingdom in Heaven, we be- of the Hofeech thee leave us not comfortless, but fend to us thy Holy Ghoft to comfort us and exalt us unto the fame Place whither our Saviour is

gone

fion.

gone before, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghoft, one God, World without End. Amen.

III. 1

Thankf T is very meet, right, and my bounden. giving for Duty, that I fhould at all Times, and in all the Afcen-Places, give Thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, Almighty and everlafting God; through thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who after his most glorious Resurrection, manifeftly appeared to his Apoftles; and in their Sight afcended up into Heaven to prepare a Place for us; that where he is thither we might also afcend, and reign with him in Glory. Therefore with Angels and Arch-angels, and all the Company of Heaven, I laud and magnify thy glorious Name, evermore praifing thee, and faying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hofts, Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord, most high. Amen.

Bp. Kenn.
Faith of

fion.

IV.

Believe, O victorious Love, that thou, after thy Conqueft over Death and Hell, didft the Afcen- afcend in Triumph to Heaven, that thou mighteft prepare Manfions for us; and from thence as Conqueror, beftow the Gifts of thy Conqueft on us; and above all, the Gift of thy Holy Spirit; that thou mightest enter into the Holy of Holies, as our great High Prieft, to prefent to thy Father the fweet-fmelling Sacri fice of his crucified Son, the fole Propitiation for Sinners; and therefore all Love, all Glory, be to thee. Glory be to thee, O Jefus, who