An exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles, or rather of the articles of faith. In which the chiefe points of the euerlasting and free couenant betweene God and the faithfull is briefly and plainly handled. Gathered out of the catechising sermons of Gasper Oleuvian Treuir, and now translated out of the Latine tongue into the English for the benefite of Christ his Church. By Iohn Fielde.

Of the second fruite of the ascension.

THe second fruite is, that by his ascension in∣to heauen, he hath made vs to sit with him in heauenlie places, Ephes. 2.6. So that we do not onely in a naked hope looke for heauen: but we possesse it in the head, and in Christ our brother: aswell because that same earthly, and bodily pledge, which he hath taken of vs, full expiation & cleansing, being made of our sins, doth possesse the heauens nowe in our name: as also because we our selues doe possesse a spi∣ritual and heauenly pledge receaued againe frō him, to wit the spirite of Christ dwelling in vs: & so by the power of the holie Ghost through faith in the promise of the Gospell we are in∣graffed into him. And therfore Ro. 10.6.8. The righteousnes which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, who shal ascend into heauen? That is to bring Christ from aboue, &c. But what saith it? The worde is neare thee, euen in thy mouth, and in thine

heart, that is, that same worde of Faith whiche wee preache.

Surely the spirituall first fruites of this do∣ctrine are most sweete. For it bringeth to passe by the power of Christ his spirite, that now in a certain and vndouted hope in our head Christ, we possesse heauen. Therefore let vs confirme our mindes in this most profitable doctrine by some most euident oracles of y^e scripture. Christ himselfe nowe about to goe into that heauen∣ly possession in our name, speaketh on this sort, Iohn. 14. In my fathers house there are many abyding places, if it had bene otherwise, I had tolde you. I go to prepare a place for you. The same Iohn. Chap. 20. I ascend to my father, and to your father; to my God, & to your God. The Apostle also maketh vs so sure of the certaintie of the earnest and pledge which Christ hauing of vs, hath aduanced into the heauens, that he saith in the second of the Ephesians, that God hath made vs to sitte with Christ in heauenly places. Againe, of sending that same earnest or comforter vnto vs Christe speaketh thus in Ioh. 16. I speake the truth vnto you, it is pro∣fitable for you that I goe: for if I go not, that same com∣forter shal not come vnto you. Peter also witnesseth of this same earnest already sent in Actes 2. also Paule in 2. Cor. 1. Who hath sealed vs and gi∣uen the earnest of his spirite in our heartes: And most plaine of all other places in the 2. Cor. 5. See also Tertullian in his booke of the resurrecti∣on of the flesh, where amongest other thinges he writeth thus, This Iesus called the Mediator of God & men, of the trust of either part committed vnto

him doth keepe the pledge of the flesh in himselfe as the earnest of the whole summe. For like as he hath left the earnest of his spirit with vs, so also he hath taken of vs the earnest of the flesh, and hath aduanced into heauen the pledge of the whole summe hereafter to be brought thither. Be quiet therefore O flesh and bloud, you haue vsurped both heauen & the kingdome of God in Christ, or if they denie you in Christ, let them also denie Christ to be in heauen, who haue denied heauen vnto you.