THE SEVERITY AND GOODNESS OF GOD. But the soul endures under the heaviest stroke. 199 Ps. xc. 11 can only be answered by a soul exposed to it. To have light of God's truth withdrawn, to have a hardened heart, and a seared conscience, how terrible! Yet this the fate of those who sin against light and knowledge. Privileges abused draw down punishment. Amos. iii. 2. Their relationship makes them feel first effects of His wrath. 1 Pet. iv. 17. Blindness of heart a sure precursor of destruction. II. GOD'S GOODNESS. Displayed towards us as sinners. The unchurching of the Jews proved the reconciling of the world. Acts xiii. 46. Barriers broken down which separated us from God. Riches of God's goodness extended with an unstinting hand. The righteousness of Christ made over to us. God has fully revealed Himself to us in His Word. This goodness endures as long as we "continue in it." God does not treat man as a helpless, irrational creature. Grace animates to increased exertion. Titus ii. 12. Security depends on continuance of our fidelity. xv. 2; Heb. iii. 6, 14. 1 Cor. Yet this continuance a result of Divine grace imparted. We must not presume upon, but continue in God's goodness. also, &c." Cut off from the body of the Church. It may be, cut off from the life that now is. Luke xiii. 7. Church of Israel not the only one which has felt God's severity. Church of Rome in similar state of condemnation. Her shipwreck warns us not to tamper with God's truth. Romanism and Rationalism may well cause removal of her candlestick. Matter for inquiry with us as individuals. God's goodness calls for fear as well as love. Hos. iii. 5. Ps. cxxx. 4. For God has curses in store as well as blessings. Address sinners. THE ASCENSION. "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.”—Mark xvi. 19. The ascension the crowning incident in Christ's career. Each has been assailed by sceptics, especially his ascension. To make complete record, they must be grouped together. Independent witnesses who describe facts as impressed upon their observation. Each evangelist, too, has a prominent design which regulates his selection of incidents for description. Still this does not satisfactorily account for silence of Matthew and John. Yet unreasonable to argue from this, their ignorance of it. Such a theory tenable only from total absence of any reference to it. As acquaintances of the risen Jesus, must have believed in His ascension. The ascension, the necessary adjunct of the resurrection. References in St. Matthew xxviii. 18, xxvi. 64. References in St. John xx. 17, vi. 62. Indirect confirmation of Luke's detailed account and this brief record of St. Mark. Consider Christ's ascension.* * Vide Lange in loco. I. AS A RETURN HOME. THE ASCENSION. History of Christ on earth full of mystery and difficulty. As God He must be omnipresent. John iii. 13. Yet as God's servant He left heaven for a time. 201 Earth the place of His exile till Father's purposes accomplished. Into these He threw Himself as His meat and drink," so finding pleasure. Yet must have felt privation-hence His hours of retire ment. By these exercises the tedium of His exile was relieved. True He was always conscious of His Father's presence, but with restrictions. Therefore Luke xii. 50. May mean simply a desire for painful ordeal to be quickly over. But also language of One who knows that this fiery baptism is the only means by which His soaring spirit can be released. Till then "straitened "-longs for return home. Home," the magnet which attracts the true children. If Absalom in Geshur longs for it, if prodigal longs for it, à fortiori the Son. He knows no cold reception awaits Him. Ps. xxiv. 9. II. AS AN EXALTATION. Again revert to difficulty presented by Christ's deity, connected with His exaltation. As God He could receive no addition to His prerogatives, &c. As Mediator it is that He is exalted. His sojourn on earth was a state of degradation. No language could adequately describe extent of it. Love drew Him down to undergird our frail humanity. Then He showed what mere "dust and ashes" is capable of. He had been exalted in His baptism-in the wildernessbefore His enemies-by His miracles-even on His cross -above all in His resurrection. But a higher honour reserved, as resurrection made Him a king de jure, so ascension, a king de facto. "All power given to me," &c., as the Son of Man. This indeed worthy of admiration, "the worm xxii. 6 elevated to loftiest throne. of Ps. 202 THE REWARD OF THE REDEEMER'S OBEDIENCE. Phil. ii. 9-11. "Names at which the world grew pale." But this "name a source of blessing. Evidence of grandeur of His exaltation in Rev. v. 11—13. III. AS A NEVER-ENDING MARCH OF TRIUMPH. The ascension, the link connecting Christ's work on earth, with His reign in heaven. Not seated there in idle state; carries on government. If on earth He wrought so much good, à fortiori in heaven. John xii. 32. Magnetic attraction of ascended Jesus at work. The ascension the signal for commencement of the Church's successful warfare. Refer again to Matt. xxviii. 18, and connect v. 19. In carrying out this commission, power of ascended Redeemer seen. Preaching may be "foolishness," but wisdom justified in using its means. Causes ever fresh peals of joy in heaven. Thus the war is being waged with varying success, but Acts ii. 47. Prophecy points to glorious future, Eph. i. 22, 23, Rev. xxi. 2. Pleasant to meditate on Redeemer's exaltation. The King will subdue every foe. Under His sceptre you are sure of safety. See in Him the dispenser of God's mercy, the administrator of God's favour, and the very embodiment of God's love. THE REWARD OF THE REDEEMER'S OBEDIENCE. "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name."-Phil. ii. 9. An exhortation to humility from example of Christ, vs. 6-8. Bound to practise it, in imitation of Him who is our Master. But a further reason, it is a virtue which ensures its own reward. In Christ we have an example of the value of that reward. But it may be said, His is an exceptional case. THE REWARD OF THE REDEEMER'S OBEDIENCE. 203 If so, the Apostles' words have no meaning-and between us and Christ a great gulf fixed. But He rose as man as well as God. We have a personal interest in Him as the Son of Man. Text. I. HIS EXALTATION IN RELATION TO, AND CONTRAST WITH, HIS PREVIOUS HUMILIATION. Needs no argument to prove how low He descended. Ps. xxii. 6. Yet even then honours heaped upon Him. At His baptism and transfiguration-His miraculous power. But fitting His exaltation should not cease here, but (1.) A relation of natural consequence. "Natural" inasmuch as it is a law of nature. The oak was once an acorn-great Cæsar was once an infant. God's dealings in grace analogous to those in nature, hence the Christian proverb "No cross, no crown." Hence Scripture inseparably connects His humiliation and exaltation. 1 Pet. i. 2 (ult.). His humiliation rendered necessary by nature of his undertaking. When completed, law of natural sequence necessitated His exaltation. Text. But we go further and say it expresses— (2.) A relation of merit and desert. Some Protestants shrink from admitting this, since it seems to sanction Romish doctrine of merits of saints. But distinction between obedience of Christ, and that of saints, not one of degree, but of kind. His obedience perfect-flaws in every saint. But He had a higher title to reward, from being God, who for a limited period had laid aside His glory. Now resumes what originally belonged to Him. John xvii. 5. He had been exalted in His mighty works. Yet their inference evaded (Luke xi. 15), His disciples in doubt. |