The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

The fourth question is, From what place he ascended, and that is noted by the Evangelist S. Luk. Chap. 24. 50▪ Act. 1. 12. viz. that he went up into heaven from off some part of the mount of Olives, that was near the Town of Bethany. Now it is conjectured by Divines, that he chose this place of purpose; First, that in the same place he might show the proof of his Divinity and Glory, in which before he had showed the extreme proof of his frailty and infirmity, when in that place he sweat blood, struggling under the brunt of Gods fierce wrath; and in that place he began the declaration of his greatest glory, where not long before he had begun to feel & suffer his greatest ignominy and pain. Secondly, this mountainish place served somewhat to awake the affections of the godly, to teach them to get as high as they can above the world and worldly occasions, hasting after their blessed Saviour that is gone up to heaven before them. Thirdly, Bethany signifies the house of affliction; and so by his ascending to the glory of heaven from that place, he might leave us an assurance, that a passage may be had yea unto all the godly shall be prepared to attain unto the joys of heaven, even through many tribulations: we may ascend out of the house of sorrow, bed of sickness, vale of tears, the land of captivity, unto heaven, as well as from Jerusalem a place of peace: Yea, such afflicted ones may much comfort themselves in the hope that Christ will take them to heaven, out of these places of sorrow, in his due time.

The fourth question is, From what place hee ascended, and that is noted by the Euangelist S. Luk. Chap. 24. 50▪ Act. 1. 12. viz. that he went vp into heauen from off some part of the mount of Oliues, that was neere the Towne of Bethania. Now it is coniectured by Diuines, that hee chose this place of purpose; First, that in the same place he might shew the proofe of his Diuinity and Glory, in which before he had shewed the extreme proofe of his frailty and infirmity, when in that place hee sweat blood, strugling vnder the brunt of Gods fierce wrath; and in that place hee began the declaration of his greatest glory, where not long before hee had begun to feele & suffer his greatest ignominie and paine. Secondly, this mountainish place serued somewhat to awake the affections of the godly, to teach them to get as high as they can aboue the world and worldly occasions, hasting after their blessed Sauiour that is gone vp to heauen before them. Thirdly, Bethania signifies the house of affliction; and so by his ascending to the glory of heauen from that place, he might leaue vs an assurance, that a passage may be had yea vnto all the godly shall bee prepared to attaine vnto the ioyes of heauen, euen through many tribulations: we may ascend out of the house of sorrow, bed of sicknesse, vale of teares, the land of captiuity, vnto heauen, as well as from Ierusalem a place of peace: Yea, such afflicted ones may much comfort themselues in the hope that Christ will take them to heauen, out of these places of sorrow, in his due time.