g has entered that one true, real, and eternal world,
wherein is neither disease, disorder, change, decay, nor death, for it is
none other than the Bosom of the Father.

SERMON XIII. ASCENSION DAY

Eversley. Chester Cathedral. 1872.

St John viii. 58. "Before Abraham was, I am."

Let us consider these words awhile. They are most fit for our thoughts
on this glorious day, on which the Lord Jesus ascended to His Father, and
to our Father, to His God, and to our God, that He might be glorified
with the glory which He had with the Father before the making of the
world. For it is clear that we shall better understand Ascension Day,
just as we shall better understand Christmas or Eastertide, the better we
understand Who it was who was born at Christmas, suffered and rose at
Eastertide, and, as on this day, ascended into heaven. Who, then, was He
whose ascent we celebrate? What was that glory which, as far as we can
judge of divine things, He resumed as on this day?

Let us think a few minutes, with all humility, not rashly intruding
ourselves into the things we have not seen, or meddling with divine
matters which are too hard for us, but taking our Lord's words simply as
they stand, and where we do not understand them, believing them
nevertheless.

Now it is clear that the book of Exodus and our Lord's words speak of the
same person. The Old Testament tells of a personage who appeared to
Moses in the wilderness, and who called Himself "the Lord God of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob." But this personage also calls Himself "I AM." "I AM
THAT I AM:" "and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of
Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."

In the New Testament we read of a personage who calls Himself the Son of
God, is continually called the Lord, and who tells His disciples to call
Him by that name without reproving them, though they and He knew well
what it meant--that it meant no less than this, that He, Jesus of
Nazareth, poor mortal man as He seemed, was still the Lord, the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I do not say that the disciples saw that at
first, clearly or fully, till after our Lord's resurrection. But there
was one moment shortly before His death, when they could have had no
doubt who He assumed Himself to be. For the unbelieving Jews had no
doubt, and considered Him a blasphemer; and these were His awful and
wonderful words,--I do not pretend to understand t