A Golden Chain

The second benefit of Christs ascension is, that he ascended up to heaven to bestow gifts upon his Church, as it is said in the place before mentioned, He ascended up an high, &c. he gave gifts unto men, that is, the gift of the knowledge of Gods word, the gift of preaching, and prophecy, and all other gifts needful for the good of his Church. The consideration of this, that Christ who is the fountain of grace, and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, should be mindful of us and vouchsafe such special favour to his Church, must cause every one of us who have received any gift of God (as there is no man but he hath received his portion) to be humbled in his own eyes for the same. There is no cause why we should be proud of our gifts; seeing we have nothing, but that which we have received. For to this end Christ ascended, to give gifts unto men, and therefore our gifts whatsoever they be, are not our own, but we had them from Christ; and we are stewards of them a while, for the good of others. The more the Lord giveth to a man, the more he requireth at his hands; and as for such as having good gifts abuse the same, their sin is the more grievous, and their danger the greater. Men of great gifts unless they use them aright with humbled hearts, shall want Gods blessing upon them. For he giveth grace to the humble. The high hills after much tillage are often barren, whereas the low valleys, by the streams of waters passing through them, are very fruitful: and the gifts of God joined with a swelling heart are fruitless; but joined with love and the grace of humility, they edify.

The second benefit of Christs ascension is, that he ascended vp to heauen to bestow gifts vpon his Church, as it is saide in the place before mentioned, He ascended vp an high, &c. he gaue gifts vnto men, that is, the gift of the knowledge of Gods word, the gift of preaching, and prophecie, and all other gifts needefull for the good of his Church. The consideration of this, that Christ who is the fountaine of grace, and in whome are hidde all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge, should be mindfull of vs and vouchsafe such speciall fauour to his Church, must cause euery one of vs who haue receiued any gift of God (as there is no man but he hath receiued his portion) to be humbled in his owne eyes for the same. There is no cause why we should be proud of our gifts; seeing we haue nothing, but that which we haue receiued. For to this ende Christ ascended, to giue gifts vnto men, and therefore our gifts whatsoeuer they be, are not our owne, but we had them from Christ; and we are stewards of them a while, for the good of others. The more the Lord giueth to a man, the more he requireth at his hands; and as for such as hauing good gifts abuse the same, their sinne is the more grieuous, and their daunger the greater. Men of great gifts vnlesse they vse them aright with humbled hearts, shall want Gods blessing vpon them. For he giueth grace to the humble. The high hills after much tillage are often barren, whereas the low vallies, by the streames of waters passing through them, are very fruitfull: and the gifts of God ioyned with a swelling heart are fruitlesse; but ioyned with loue and the grace of humilitie, they edifie.