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tween his resurrection and ascension. He gave them instructions concerning his church, which the scripture calls the kingdom of God: he gave them also the power of forgiving sins, and of working miracles; and lastly, gave them a commission and authority to go and preach his gospel to all nations; Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

We must believe not only that he is risen again, but that he raised himself to life by his own power; for his divine person, being united to his body, and to his soul, even when they were parted from each other by death, he therefore could when he pleased unite them again; I have pawer, said he, to lay down my life, and I have power to resume it again: as man, indeed God the Father raised him to life, and so holy scripture affirms ; but as God, he raised himself.

The end of his resurrection, was first to shew the power and glory of God, and his own power and divinity; and that he might be glorified and exalted by his resurrection, who had been humbled by his passion. It was also to confirm us in the faith of his doctrine, and in the hopes of our own resurrection; that as he, who was dead, is risen again; so we, the members of that body whereof he is head, shall one day also rise; and this by the same power whereby he raised himself. Blessed be God, through whose abundant mercy we have this lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter i. 3.

EXHOR.-In contemplating the resurrection of Christ, bow down, O christian, and adore the infinite power of God your Saviour: the Lamb that was slain, and now risen again, is worthy to receive all honour, glory, and benediction from all creatures. As he has confirmed his doctrine thereby, see you embrace and practise the truths it teaches; as of obedience, humility, patience, mortification, and penance; let not your faith rise up in judgment against you. As he, by rising from the dead, has confirmed you in the belief of your own resurrection, see you render it glorious, as it is now in your power, by seeking the things that are above, by having your conversation in heaven, by fixing your

heart, where your treasure is. Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, Saviour, Mediator, your God, and final Beatitude; beware of being entangled in the false and transitory joys of this world. As Christ rose to die no more, rise you from the death of sin, to a life of grace, to fall no more. Lead a penitential life for what is past, and let sin have no more power over you, as death now has now no more power over him.

ART. VI.

He ascended into Heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

Q. W HEN did our Saviour ascend into heaven ? A. After he had remained forty days with his disciples, and confirmed them in the faith of his resurrection. Q. From whence did he ascend? A. From the top of Mount Olivet. Q. How did he ascend? A. With hands lifted up, and blessing his disciples. Q. Was he carried up to heaven by Angels A. No; being God as well as man, he raised himself into heaven by his own power and divinity. Q. Why did he ascend up to heaven? A. To take possession of that state of bliss for himself and us; and to draw our hearts after him, by a firm faith of his doctrine; by a stedfast hope in his promises, and a true love of him above all things. Q. What is meant by these words, Sits at the right-hand of God? A. It is a figurative expression, which imports the possession of supreme power and glory he has received from the Father to sit imports the stable possession and enjoyment of it; and the right-hand of God, denotes the highest place of honour and glory in heaven; and signifies that Christ, as God, is equal to the Father; and as man, is in the highest glory and happiness that human nature, united to the divine Person, can be raised to.

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INSTRUC. Here, O christian, you are taught to believe the most glorious mystery of your religion, which is by St. Luke described after a wonderful man

per. All other mysteries have a relation to the ascension, as to their end; all are perfected and completed in this they begin from the incarnation, and conclude in the ascension. This then is the most complete and glorious. Other mysteries shew his humility and condescension; but this shews his supreme glory and divine majesty.

Our blessed Redeemer having consummated the work of our redemption by his death on the cross, and confirmed it to us by his resurrection, he then remained forty days on earth with his disciples; appearing to them at certain times, confirming them in their faith, and discoursing with them of the kingdom of God, and the government of the church. He had now accoinplished all, for which his Father sent him upon earth; nothing now remained but to ascend into heaven, to take possession of that blessed place of glory he had purchased for mankind. He then took his disciples unto Mount Olivet, to be witnesses of his ascension; where lifting up his hands, and blessing them, he was elevated in their sight into heaven, and they filled with an extasy of joy and consolation. Two Angels stood by them, (whom the Evangelist calls men) and said to them, Te men of Galilee, why stand you looking into heaven? This Jesus, who is taken from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen him going into heaven, Acts i. 11. which was spoken of his second coming to judgment.

He ascends from the top of Mount Olivet, that where began his suffering, there should his glory be completed. He ascends in the sight of all his disciples, that they should all bear witness, and preach his glory to an infidel world. He ascends triumphant over Satan and hell, leading in joy all those blessed souls into bliss, who had been deprived thereof, even from the sin of Adam; and thus he opens the gate of heaven again to exiled man. He ascends not as Elias, carried up by Angels, but by his own power and divinity, true God as well as true man. He ascends into heaven, as the fittest place for his glorified body and soul; as also to draw our hearts after him; confirming

us, by his ascension, in the faith of his doctrine; strengthening our hopes in his promises, attracting our love, and inflaming our desires of enjoying him; according to that of St. Paul: Relish the things that are above, not those on earth. You see the way to glory is to suffer for justice sake, like Christ himself, who was obedient and humble unto death, to the death of the cross, for which God hath exalted him, St. Phil.

ii. 8.

EXHOR.-As you, O christian, are taught to believe the glorious ascension of our Saviour into heaven, lift up your eyes often, and your heart thither, where your treasure is gone; for Jesus is the only treasure of a christian's soul. As this world is but a banishment, heaven is your only home; there, says St. Paul, Seek the things which are above. Jesus purchased it for you at a dear rate, and now has taken possession of it for himself, and for us his servants: for, as he is man, he is the head of mankind, and we the members; and as such, intitled to the same glory with him, though not to an equal degree of glory with him. Follow him thither by a living, not a dead faith: Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed. Follow him by hope, confiding wholly in his merits, promises, and grace. Follow him by charity, having your hearts strictly united to him by love, and your minds fixed on him in glory. O happy christian, who still attends his blessed Redeemer in this vale of tears.

Remember and learn three lessons, with relation to the three great mysteries of your redemption. 1. Your blessed Saviour dies on the cross, to teach you to die to all earthly things, so far as they may prejudice your salvation, and that you may not yield to the temptation of them. 2. Jesus rises again, to teach you to rise from the death of sin, by penance, to the life of grace, so as to sin no more. 3. Jesus ascends into heaven, to teach you, that while your mortal body lives on earth, you ought with your heart to despise what you trample upon with your feet, and not to be in love, with dirt, with your chains and banishment; but that your thoughts, wishes, and endeavours, be em

ployed in aspiring to a more solid good; according to that saying: Let your conversation be in heaven, Phil. iii. 20. O let your hearts and minds with Jesus, dwell above in everlasting glory!

ART. VII. SECT. I.

From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

THAT is the meaning of this article?

A.

- W That Christ shall come at the last day from

heaven, to judge all men according to their works. Q. Shall not every one be judged at his death? A. Certainly he shall. Q. What need then of a general judgment? A. That man may be judged not only as to soul, but body. Q. What else? A. That as Christ on earth was rejected by many, he may now be owned and glorified before all in heaven, earth and hell; this to the joy of the good, and confusion of the wicked.

INSTRUC. As our Saviour, at his first coming, appeared in his mortal body to redeem and save us, so at his second coming, he will appear in his glory and majesty to judge us; and this is therefore called the day of our Lord. There are two days of judgment; the day of every one's death is a day of judgment to them; the soul is no sooner departed from the body, but is immediately carried by the sentence of the just Judge of mankind to the place of its deserts. The second, is the great day of general judgment, when all mankind shall be judged, body and soul, and then shall receive the last and decisive sentence of salvation or damnation. The reasons for this last and general judgment are, 1. That the world may see exact justice done to every one; that it may see how just God is in rewarding the good, and punishing the wicked. That as our bodies were partakers in all the good or evil we have done, they may eternally be partners in the punishment or reward; for which reason the final sentence cannot be pronounced till the body is risen from the dead. 3. That as Christ on earth was denied

2.

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