Of Christ's Exaltation
A. Christians should be ready to suffer for Christ; 1 Pet. 4:1.
Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.
Q. 12. What is the last inference?
A. That humiliation is the true way to exaltation; Mat. 23:12. And whosoever shall exalt himself, shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted.
Of Christ's Exaltation Quest. 28. WHEREIN consists Christ's exaltation?
A. Christ's exaltation consists in his rising again from the dead on the third day; in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.
Q. 1. What is the first step of Christ's exaltation?
A. His resurrection from the dead.
Q. 2. How doth his resurrrection appear?
A. By the scripture prophecies accomplished in him; 1 Cor. 15:4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures.
Q. 3. Why did Christ rise again?
A. To establish our faith, and abolish our sins; 1 Cor. 15:17. And if Christ be not risen, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Q. 4. What other end was there of Christ's resurrection?
A. To declare his divine power; Rom. 1:4 and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. And to evidence the fulness of his satisfaction; John 16:10. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more.
Q. 5. Did Christ rise in the same body he laid down?
A. It was substantially the same; John 20:27. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing.
Q. 6. What doth Christ's resurrection teach us?
A. The certainty of our resurrection after death; 1 Cor. 15:20. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.
Q. 7. What is the second step of Christ's exaltation?
A. His ascension after forty days into heaven; Acts 1:2, 3. Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost, had given commandment unto the apostles, whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Q. 8. Why did Christ stay so long on earth?
A. To assure the truth of his resurrection, and to settle the due government of his church, Acts 1:2, 3.
Q. 9. For what end did he ascend?
A. To take possession of his glory; John 17:5. And now, Q. Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with