both his Sons The very last words that you hear from Jacob but the ordering of his Funeral were The Almighty shall bless thee with Blessings of Heaven above with Blessings of the Deep that lieth under Blessings of the Breasts and the Womb Gen. 49. He breathed out his Life with Blessings in his Mouth frequently do the Sun-beams shine with the greatest clearness and strength just when the Sun is about to set and so doth Grace when the Person is a dying Do but read the 2 Pet. 1. Observe how Heaven sits on Peter's Lips that every word breaths Immortality and Glory in the Counsel he gives after and ver 14. he had considered that shortly he must put off the Tabernacle of his Flesh Certainly Friends when Death is nearest than are all Graces most pregnant Then will gracious Souls take their fill of Faith and Repentance and Hopes and Prayers and Blessings and Counsels and Reproofs Death breaks the Box of Ointment and then is the House filled with the Smell When St. Paul was to leave the Ephesians and as he told them they should see his face no more he Preached till Midnight Acts 20.7 and after that again he talked with them a long while vers 11. and then he kneeled down and prayed with them all vers 36. It was his last his parting his farewel Sermon He was to be gone from them for ever and so could not tell how to make an end but his Soul was resolved all into Blessings and Prayers and Counsels for their good when he should be gone This was a Heavenly parting and such are the Parting 's of God's People Full of Blessings full of Prayers full of Encouragements full of Counsel to those they are to leave behind Thus as Christ all his time taught you to live by his departure teacheth you to die And 't is a brave thing to find any of our Friends to depart as Christ departed with much of Heaven within insomuch that the disorders of Distempers cannot hinder gracious Words 2. It is worth our Observation too that Christ when he left his People left his Blessing with them He blessed them and then was parted from them like a good Parent finding the time of his departure near calls his Friends together prays with them prays for them and so dies and leaves them 'T is a comfort to a Child to receive his Father's Blessing when God is ready to receive his Father's Soul And it cannot but be an infinite Encouragement to the Faithful however times prove to know that Christ left his Blessing to his People when he was going to his Father his corporal Presence gone was no less when his Blessing filled the room And thus had he set his last Seal to the truth of his last Sermon John 13.1 Having loved his own he loved them to the end he blest them as he left them Let Men curse them what matters that Christ when he went to Heaven blessed them The Apostles only hear it but the Apostles should not only enjoy it For saith Christ Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which believe on me through their word John 17.20 So that Christ's Blessing is a common Stock to all the Church And so we come to the last thing The Actio ascensus The Action of Christ's Ascension and that is described 1. Disjunctione ab Apostolis In separation from the Apostles 2. Sursum sublatione By his being carried aloft into Heaven Now how this was done you shall find the same Evangelist more fully to express 1 Acts 9. While they beheld he was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight What might be said of this Cloud might prove a Region too sublime for many of your understandings 'T is the Spiritual Profit and Advantage I aim at and not Philosophical Speculations which ordinarily makes Mens Minds like Jude's filthy Dreamers to become Clouds without Water carried about of Winds Jude 12. And therefore of this Cloud I shall only say this at present That it is probable that by this Cloud was meant the appearance of Angels at least with it a great Company of these Ministers of God So that when 't is said the Clouds received him 't is meant the Angels received him For it is ordinary in Scripture to describe the appearance of Angels by a Cloud as signifying a great Company a Cloud of Witnesses and hence you find 25 Exod. 22. God speaks of the covering of the Ark saith There will I meet thee and commune with thee from betwixt the two Cherubims In the 16 Levit. 2. 't is rendred I will appear in the Cloud upon the Mercy-seat Sometimes a Cloud is in Scripture taken for God's more glorious Exhibition of his Majesty and of his special Protection as that Pillar of Cloud that went before them by day so that in this place without any hurt done to the Analogy of Faith we may understand it of both That Angels appeared and that the Majesty and Glory of the Lord did in some notable way discover it self carrying up our Saviour as it were in a Triumphal Chariot to Heaven You see how fruitful this Text is of Observations I shall only from a Declaration of Christ's Ascension tye my self to this one to be handled from the Words Doct. That Christ after his Passion and Resurrection ascended up into Heaven A Proposition that hath in it as great a Mystery and as great a Mercy as any delivered in Scripture that therefore it may be so to us I shall in the handling of it 1. Explain the Terms 2. Prove it 3. Give the Grounds and Reasons of it They are only two Terms which call for Explication Ascending and Heaven The first Christ's Ascension will be best explained by resolving these Questions Quest 1. What is meant by Ascension Sol. His Ascension is that whereby Christ by the Power of his Divinity was advanced above all Aspectable Heavens and as compleat Conqueror over Death and Hell Is Triumphantly sate down as a publick Person on his Throne next the Father in order to the glorifying of himself and his People I shall not now take this Description abroad into its parts because the most contained in it will fall in to our best advantage in the Application Only this Take notice of what I say nor do I say it only but the Scripture with me That he ascended not as a private but a publick Person He ascended not barely as the Son of God but as a publick Person he ascended as the Representative of all the Elect he ascended as a Head And therefore you shall find that after Paul had excellently discoursed of the Power of God manifested in the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead and Ascension into Heaven 1 Ephes he doth 22. ver look upon Christ thus risen and advanced on high as the Head of his Church and they his Body And afterward Chap. 2. looking upon Christ as a publick Person representing his People in
his Death Resurrection and Ascension Speaks of them thus interested in him as those who already sit in Heavenly places ver 6. They do not sit personally but in their Representative as the People of England sit in Parliament by their representative And as the People yet unborn may be said to sin in Adam because he was a Person that stood up in the stead of all So with as much proprieâ—y of Speech may the People of God now on the Earth be said to sit in Heavenly places in that Christ who stands up for them and in their names is there ascended and sate down Quest 2. Can Christ be said to ascend in both Natures or no did he ascend as God if so his Motion overthrows his Omnipresence Now for answer hereto you must know that Ascension is taken two ways 1. Figuratively in regard of State and Condition and so we say a Man gets up or comes down as his Estate and Honours grow or decline though he moves not in place 2. It is taken properly for Local motion a Motion from a lower to a higher place Now both these may be admitted to their place in Christ's Ascension though not both to both Natures For we must know that Christ is a compound Person a Person consisting of two Natures the Divine and Humane Now then the Divine Nature can be only said to ascend in regard of Condition and State When that which lay obscured and vailed in Dust and Flesh came to have its Glory and Perfections to be manifested and to shine forth more clearly then is he said to ascend in his Divine Nature So far forth as Ascension presupposes a Change it may by no means be predicated of the Divine Nature But there may be an Ascension in respect of manifestation which doth not imply a change but a more full appearance As a bright Candle in a Lanthorn is the same whether the Lanthorn be covered or clean wiped And yet the Light is not alike discovered in the one as in the other so that the change is not at all in the Candle but in the Lanthorn 2. The Divine Nature may be said to ascend causally in as much as he caused the Local ascent of the Humane Nature But now Christ man ascended both in regard of State and Place too 1. In regard of State in that he received that Glory and these Perfections which before he had not For till he was ascended his Manhead was not glorified 2. In regard of Place In that he left those lower Seats of the Earth and by the Power of his Divine Nature was carried up to those Mansions which are above the Heavens We may learn what his Ascension was by his descension His descension was not say the Schools proper but metaphorical in respect of his Divine Nature Non mutatione loci vel motu aliquo locali It was not the change of Place or Local motion as if he were come off that glorious and holy place that he might come down upon the Earth Sed tantum naturam humanam in terrâ non autem in caelo assumendo But only by assuming Humane Nature on the Earth which he had not assumed in Heaven And so I may by parity of Reason say that his Ascension was humanam naturam in terrâ assumptam intra coelum recipiendo or transferendo A receiving or translating his Humane Nature assumed into Heaven to be glorified And so I come to the second Term the Place to which he was advanced to which he ascended and that was to Heaven Now Scripture and Philosophy agree in the Number of Heavens and from both we have warrant for three 1. The Region of the Air. 2. The Starry Firmament or Sphears where the Planets run their course 3. The highest Heavens where are the Seates of the Blessed The Caelum Empyreum That resplendent and glorious place where are the blest Spirits made perfect The City of the living God the new Jerusalem Now when we say Christ ascended into Heaven we mean into this Heaven of Heavens above all those visible Heavens and those heavenly Mansions where God doth more fully shew and manifest his glorious Presence and Perfection and where his Angels and blest Spirits have their abode And hence it is that Christ is said to be ascended afar above all Heavens Epes 4.10 To that Holy place which doth as far out-go all the other Heavens for loftiness of Scituation for stability of Duration for dignity of Substance for largeness of Capacity Doth as far I say out-go all other Heavens for these as also for Glory and Blessedness as it doth out-go all the Abilities of a Humane Understanding to comprehend them Sometimes called the Heaven of Heavens 1 Kings 8.27 by way of Eminency Sometimes the House of God the Father John 14.2 Sometimes the 3d. Heaven So far Faith as 't is compared with the Air and Firmament stretched out and adorned with so many glorious Stars and Planets 2 Cor. 12.2 and vers 4. It is called Paradice whereof that ancient Paradice planted in Eden was a Type Sometimes 't is called Abraham's Bosom Sometimes the new Heaven Sometimes the high and holy place shadowed out and often described by Mount Sion Therefore called the Holy Mount of the Lord. Sometimes it is called a City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11.10 Sometimes the Heavenly place Now to this high and to this heavenly place above all Heavens visible to those immortal and unseen Ones above was our Saviour at his Ascension carried by the infinite Vertue and Power of the Divine Nature to sit with the Father triumphant in highest Glory and Majesty And that he was so we are now to prove Now this I shall make good 1. By Types 2. By Prophesies 3. By Promises 4. By Witnesses 1. By Types And hence was it as I conceive and all the Learned I have met with That Enoch before the Law was translated and in the Body advanced from a mortal to immortal Condition to that place where the blest Spirits remain Till their Bodies raised by the Power of Christ's Voice shall be prepared for such a perfect Translation Gen. 5.24 And Enoch walked with God 't is said and he was not for God took him And that this was only an Ascension without any acquaintance with the Grace or Corruption the Apostle tells us Heb. 11.5 By Faith Enoch was translated that he should not see Death Another Type you have under the Law of Eliah specified 2 Kings 2.11 who set on fire with Zeal for God was sutable to his Work and Spirit carried up to God in a fiery Chariot There appeared a Chariot of Fire and Horses of Fire and parted Eliah and Elisha asunder so that Eliah went up by a Whirlewind into Heaven The Chariot parted Eliah and his Friend Elisha but not his Soul and his Body his Soul was translated to Heaven without any smell of Death upon his upper Garment his Body Thus have you
Gen. 45.27 Did Jacob rejoyce to see a Waggon or a Chariot that would carry him into Aegypt to see his Son Joseph And wilt not thou rejoyce to think that Death is a Chariot to carry thee to JESUS CHRIST to carry thee not to Aegypt but to Heaven Not to thy Son but to thy GOD Death is but a Chariot to carry into Heaven to bring us to that Eternal Goshen of Light where GOD's Presence shall both make and keep us blessed for ever And thus have you been offered a taste of Three of those Sweet Streams which came forth of that River which runs in the Eden of God 4. The Fourth and Last is this Is Christ gone to Heaven Thou shalt assuredly go after him 'T is somewhat a sad thing when Death comes and says You must go with me the Body to the Grave the Soul to God that gave it I say then Nature makes a sowr Face upon such a sad Message What my Body that hath cost me so much I used so tenderly that lived so delicately Now to say to corruption thou art my father and to the worm thou art my mother and my sister What this Face of mine be cloathed with Clods of Dust as Job says These Arms these Hands these Feet of mine that were my Pride the Worms Meat They shall feed sweetly upon them Job 24. This is a hard saying to Nature and the harder to be born when the Care hath been all imployed about the Body and the Soul forgotten it will be dreadful indeed to leave the Body in the Hands of Death when the Soul hath been in the Power of Sin But hast thou the least Hold-fast on Christ a Faith but like a smoaking Flax thou hast then a Cordial to give the Spirit when thy Body is falling into the Pit No mattter let it fall it shall up again Christ is risen and he is gone to Heaven and he is gone to receive thee thither that thou mayest be even where he is So he tells you Joh. 14.19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but you see me because I live you shall live also The Branches live in the Root and if the Root lives they will live As if he said Well my Friends I must leave you a while I must go to Heaven before you but know this I go to Heaven for you and be cause I live there bodily assure your selves you shall live there bodily too What saith a Father to this Well saith he Christ is our Flesh and our Bone he is gone with our Flesh into Heaven our Flesh hath taken possession already of our Inheritance And this is a good assurance and pledge to us that our Flesh these Bodies of ours shall be in Heaven where Christ is Christ is gone bodily into Heaven and because he lives there you shall live there also Because I live ye shall live also saith Christ And as much you have in the 14 Joh. 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am ye may be also Christ is gone for the present but when all is prepared above he will come again and fetch his People Home to his House and to their Inheritance Oh what an unspeakable Comfort is this to a dying Soul I am now ready to lie down in the Dust saith a Soul And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God as Job said 19 Job 26. Christ is entred into Heaven in our Name in our Flesh hath taken possession for us of the purchased Inheritance and therefore he will bring us thither in his appointed time Christ hath gotten in his Head his Body his Church shall come after CHRIST will not sit in Heaven a HEAD without MEMBERS It 's a Scripture more worth than both the Indies for a dying time 6. The End of Christ's Ascention was that he being full of Grace and Glory might be able to refresh and fill the Souls of all his People My Brethren as I told you before Christ did not lose his Bowels his Pity by going to Heaven We have not an High Priest saith the Apostle which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities let us therefore come boldly to obtain mercy Heb. 4.15 16. No my Brethren our High-Priest hath not lost his Feeling by going into Heaven he is not like a Man that his Advancement should make him forget his Friend 's Good That he might hear them that he might help them that he might fill them that he might save them so saith the Apostle Ephes 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things He ascended with filling purposes as the Sun ascends with enlightning strength And therefore at his departure what saith he John 17.19 For their sakes saith he sanctifie I my self that they may be sanctified And Ver. 22. The glory that thou givest me I have given them Our Glory our Fulness our Holiness was one of Christ's Ends why he was glorified and filled himself Of his fulness we all receive grace for grace John 1.16 A notable Comfort to poor needy Souls Dost thou see thy emptiness yea but look on Christ's fulness he emptied himself for us Why so he filled himself for us Dost thou feel great want of Knowledge thou art a poor ignorant Creature that as Paul said thou dost know nothing as thou shouldst Thou dost want Wisdom and Strength and Grace to make thee solid and able in thy Christian Business Thou canst not walk as prudently as thou shouldest in the place God hath set thee Thou canst not carry thy self as beseemingly and as humbly as thou shouldest when God's Hand is upon thee thou hast not that fear of God as thou shouldest nor that love of God that his Mercies call for Yet in the midst of all here 's thy stay and support Thou knowest where to carry thy empty Vessels to be filled Thou canst now go to thy Saviour and say Lord thou art now in Heaven filled with unmeasurable Glory Thou art a God full of Grace and Glory Thou art full that thy People may be full Oh of thy Fulness let us receive Grace for Grace Such Thoughts such Meditations as these will in time work us out of all our Wants Where I am there also shall my servant be saith he John 12.26 When I shall be in Heaven ne're a Servant of mine but shall be in Heaven too the Servant shall be with the Master and you know in that fore-cited place Ephes 2.6 The Apostle speaks of our Ascension as a thing already effected and wrought by Christ's Ascension God hath made us sit together saith he in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Oh my dear Brethren here 's a Comfort for every Cross Come what can come Life or Death Fears Hopes Trouble or Peace this will give us Confidence in all our Fears and
have been in his Bed then in his Pulpit His Weaknesses were so very great although his bodily Disorders were sometimes violent yet then was he extreamly willing to spend the little remains of his Strength to instruct and profit you He often adventured into the Pulpit when his Distempers had exceedingly enfeebled him so that sometimes he has been seized by a fit of the Hipochondriack Passion in the midst of his Work to the sudden surprize of the Congregation for that was the Disease that attended him by frequent returns from the Confinement in the South gate-Prison in your City to the utmost Period of his Days The last time that ever he was in the Pulpit he laboured under a great deal of Weakness and a visible disorder of Body insomuch that his Legs trembled under him which I observing a little before he entred the Church entreated him to forbear Preaching for that Season and to permit me for once to supply his room or that he would allow me to apply my self to the Reverend Mr. Collings for his Assistance who had often made a very friendly Offer of it in case my Father 's great weaknesses should at any time disable him for his ministerial Work But he put me off with this Reply that he was loath to omit that Season because he was afraid he should never have on opertunity of Preaching more which was a sad Presage of what soon befel him yet he could not be disswaded from doing his Master's Business altho' he labour'd under such great bodily Infirmities but he ascended the Pulpit and entertained the Auditory with an excellent Discourse from the Song of Moses Deut. 32.1 which Song begins thus Give ear oh ye heavens and I will speak and hear oh earth the words of my mouth He designed several Discourses upon these Words but his Death prevented him From the consideration that Moses delivered that divine Song just as he was about to take his final Farewel of this World he thence observed this precious Truth Doctrine 1. That gracious Souls the nearer Heaven they are the more Heavenly will they be On this Truth he had Preached several Sermons but then farther remarking that this sweet Song delivered by Moses just before his departure had a manifest regard to the welfare of the Church of Israel he thence observed this other precious Truth Doct. 2. That good Men die with the Interest of God and Souls much upon their Hearts In his last Sermon he mostly insisted upon this Doctrine and concluded it with this Passage Oecolampadius when he fell sick at Basil sent not for the Physician but the Pastors of the Churches and notwithstanding his Pain and Weakness with much Life and Vigour besought them to continue constant and firm in the purity of that Doctrine they had professed and Preached and for other things he willed them to be less careful assuring them that the alsufficient God would provide for them and not be wanting When thus he had ended his Discourse he concluded all with these sad Words which he spake feelingly tho with a sweet Voice I believe this is the last Sermon that ever I shall preach to you or that ever you will hear from me Or Words to that purpose which proved a truth tho a doleful one For no sooner had he left the Congregation but he instantly repaired to his House betook himself to his Bed and from thence in a few days was carried to his Grave A vast Multitude of People attended his Funeral after his Interment the Reverend Mr. George Tross his worthy Successor preach'd his Funeral Sermon to a very numerous Assembly from those Words Zech. 1.5 Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever From which Text the Auditory were entertain'd with many suitable and profitable Truths which I wish may have a lasting Impression upon all that heard them My Endeared Father preach'd his last Sermon March 6. 1688. and exchanged this life for a better March 14 of the same Year Yhus he delivered as it were his own Funeral Discourse then went to his home and dyed Thus suddenly was he removed not without your sorrowful Resentment of so great a Loss may those excellent Truths that he taught you still have a room in your memories and a happy Influence upon your Practices and that will be the best way to secure his Name from Oblivion and to evidence your own Names to be written in the Lambs Book of Life Rev. 21.27 But before I can dismiss this Account of my Father I look upon my self obliged to reply to an invidious Objection that formerly many have made a Noise with to lessen his Esteem and procure his Discredit Viz. Obj. Mr. Hallet said they was a man of very mean Abilities that had little of a Scholar in him for he had never the Benefit of an Academical Tuition he was never graduated in any University never had a regular methodical Education and therefore wondred People were so fond of one of so little Learning To which I answer 1. I heartily rejoyce that I could never hear any thing objected against his Piety 2. I do most sincerely wish that the Persons that made a clamour with this Cavil were Possessours of a great deal more Learning than my Father was ever Master of 3. I may further add that I have known very many Persons that have had an Education in our Academies that have no great reason to boast of their acquired Abilities or to value themselves upon the account of their Clerkship Degrees and Colledge commons I am convinc'd do not inspire Men with Knowledge and Learning and I have reason to believe that Men may be wise and knowing altho they were never nursed up in those Seminaries for I have been acquainted with some that have been well skill'd in Arts and Sciences in the learned Tongues and Languages and yet had never the Advantage of an Accademial Instruction Such have profited more by their Diligence and their own private reading than many others by their Colledge Lectures and their little Debates in the Schooles I say this not that I would be thought to give a disparaging Character of an Academial Tuition but only to prove that Learning and skill in Sciences are not always confined to Persons thus educated and I am sure my Father was a plain instance of it But 4. I shall offer a farther Reply to this Objection in the Words of the learned and pious Mr. Baxter which you may find in the Preface to his Teacher of Households Speaking there of the learning that is to be met with in the Vniversities he thus expresses himself If any say there is no great or solid Learning to be got elsewhere let them think where great Augustine and most of the great Lights of the Church for Four hundred Years attained their Knowledge and whether the Scaligers Salmasius Grotius Selden and such others got not more by secret laborious Reading than by Academical Tutors
in all our necessities as is to be found in his Ascension We may now pray and not fear our Mediator is gone before our Advocate is with the Father Be now wholly confident that thou shalt be heard in that thou fearest weak Duties cannot hinder acceptance when Christ is above to further it When thou dost pray thou goest to a God that hath thine Advocate at his Right-hand He that is of God's Counsel is thy Counsel This the Apostle thinks is enough to give a Man a bold and confident face in that holy Presence 4 Heb. 14 16. Seeing then that we have an High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace Never fear Christ is above Who would not come boldly into the Court when he knows he hath such a Person to present his Petition The eldest Son to the King is of thy side what needest thou fear some would take off Prayer from being now a Duty because we live in the days of the Gospel Days say they of a high Dispensation 't is ill being too high for Duty No my Brethren pray now if ever for now thine Advocate is in Heaven and therefore thou shouldst now be always sending up Petitions thither 2. Christ ascended to Heaven that he might make a full Conquest over all his Peoples Enemies And this we are told by the Author to the Hebrews Ch. 10.12 13. This man sat down at the right hand of God expecting till his enemies be made his footstool That is till they are fully conquered and in the 4 Eph. 8. When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive That is he led those captive which had before kept his People in captivity as we may see to be the meaning of the Phrase in the 5 Judges 12. An allusion to the Custom of the Romans who after their Victory led their Captives in triumph So Christ's ascending up to Heaven it was his getting into his Triumphal Chariot leading his own and his Peoples Enemies captived at his Chariot-wheels as it were and so saith Paul 2 Colos 15. Having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is he did in height of confidence make them a publick Example of fcorn and shame 'T is true Christ strook the last stroke and won the day on his Cross Then the Devil and Sin and Death received their mortal wound But at the Resurrection he seized the Prey laid hold on those he had subdued and by his Ascension dragged them as it were at his Chariot-wheels to be trampled upon by all those that are Members of his Body which makes the Victory of God's poor People certain Oh what a comfort is this my Brethren that Christ by going up to Heaven doth manifest to all the World that all their Enemies lie bleeding at his Feet That he hath overcome the Grave Death the Devil and Sin They may bark they can bite no more the Serpent may put out his Sting but cannot hurt They now lie all as Captives chained in the Stocks till the King's Pleasure How are we hereby armed against the fear of Satan I confess these spiritual Powers are great in their own nature But they are not now what they were They are disarmed Devils they are Devils but they are naked Devils Devils they are but wounded Devils conquered Devils Devils led captives Devils in Chain no fear of a chained Enemy if you come not within his reach 2. Again what Encouragement have we here to hold out in all our Encounters against these Enemies They may foam but they cannot fight they are Prisoners Captives chained up from doing hurt Christ our Lord doth hold them pinioned that they cannot stir they think they may do what they please but no more then a Goal-bird in Irons they are held with Irons of Guilt and in Chains of Providence we would all say that that Man hath a base low Spirit who when he was well appointed and well-guarded should rear a naked Enemy We have our Weapons with us our Captain with us our Enemies naked and bound Let us be strong then in the might of him that strengthens us to look upon Satan now as loose is to deny Christ's Ascension He is a Devil still but a chained Devil 3. Here 's an Encouragement for our Faith too keep that eye clear that thou mayest see thy Victory and thou art safe there 's no more required then that thou see thy Captain triumphing Give Glory unto Christ that he hath done this for thee and he will apply it to thee Doth the Devil hold hard Fear not one look of Christ's will make his Weapons fall out of his hands Is Sin strong Yea but the Sting is gone Christ hath the Victory look to thy Saviour let but thy Faith mount into his Triumphal Chariot and thine Enemies are all under thy feet also You know 't is a mighty Encouragement to a Souldier to fight when he sees his Commander go on beating down his Enemies before him We should fear our Enemies less and prevail more if we would eye Christ's Conquest more frequently having such a Friend in Heaven we need not fear any on Earth nor Friend in Hell 3. He ascended on high for the pouring forth of the Graces of his Spirit that his People might also be prepared for that holy place not only that they be secured here but crowned above whence saith the Apostle Ephes 4.8 When he ascended on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto men It is an allusion to the Roman Custom that when the Conqueror rode in Triumph towards the Capitol or Palace he did not only draw the Prisoners at his Chariot-wheels but also scatter'd Money to the Spectators that saw him ride along in Triumph Why so Christ having by his Ascension spoiled Death and the Devil cast his Gifts unto Men dispenseth his Graces in a greater measure into the Hearts of his People He hath conquered his Enemies and now gives about his Favours to those that are his so that strength of Grace is the Fruit of Christ's Ascension and Acts 2.33 Being by the Right hand of God exalted he hath shed forth the Holy Ghost And therefore to comfort his Disciples at his departure shews them what they should get by the loss of his corporal Presence John 16.7 It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come to you But if I depart I will send him to you And 7 John 39. The Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Christ was not yet glorified Not that this Text or that other gives any countenance to that Socinian dotage That before Christ's Ascension there were no saving Gifts of the Spirit for that will suppose that before Christ was there none went to Heaven or that Holiness was not necessary to the seeing of God But the
Calamities in all our Storms We shall one Day be where our Saviour is What a calming Support will it be when a Soul shall say It will be better when we shall be with Christ The Apostle says 2 Cor. 5.6 7. Therefore we are always confident saith he knowing that while we are present in the Body we are absent from the Lord We are confident I say willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. And thus have you heard the Four pleasant Streams of Eden come swimming to you from that great River of Christ's End in going to Heaven To prepare a place for his People And thus have I finished the Improvement of the Point by way of Comfort I now come to the last and that is Counsel Is Christ gone to Heaven and is he gone for us into Heaven Oh then let us carry our selves sutably to this Mercy and to our Hopes by it and that in these particulars 1. Is Christ gone to do our Work in Heaven Oh then let us do Christ's Work here on Earth 'T is but Reason and common Equity my Brethren that since Christ is gone upon our Business that we have an eye unto his Business in the World Endeavour to carry on Christ's Interest his Kingdom in your Hearts in your Families in the Places where you live Let all know you are the Servants of Christ and labour all you can to make others Servants to him do what you can by your Prayers by your Counsels by your Lives by your Examples by your Encouragements to propagate and enlarge the Bounds of Christ's Kingdom 'T is the Nature of Grace to be diffusive of her own Excellencies Grace hath a wondrous greedy eye it would fetch in all to Christ And therefore you shall find that immediately before his Ascension he shewed his Disciples that they should mind his Business when he was gone upon theirs Acts 1.8 Ye shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem and in the uttermost parts of the earth And then how after his Ascension his Disciples Men and Women and all went on in Christ's Business you may see in the after Verses of that Chapter Is the Master of the House gone and gone for the Servants Good Oh let them not then neglect their Master's Business How would it wound thy Heart and appale thee if Christ when he meet thee should say I have all this while on your Errand been employed to make you happy and you have done nothing for me the while whilst I have been providing for your Glory you have been dishonouring me Is Christ gone to Heaven to prepare a place for thee Then do thou prepare a Heart for him It is but a grateful Recompence to give up thy Heart to him who is gone to get Heaven for thee What wilt thou give him for all the Prayers and Cost he hath been at to make thee happy Why thou hast nothing to give but thy Heart and he calls for nothing else My son saith he give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 Prepare a Heart for Christ who hath prepared a Heaven for thee Shall Christ go to Heaven to prepare a place for thee and thou not suffer him to have a corner in thy Heart Christ is gone to prepare a Throne for thee and thou let Lust to sit upon the Throne within thee There is a sweet Exhortation 19 Revel 7. Let us be glad and rejoyce and give Honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready Be thou as the Bride ready against the Wedding-day When Christ went to Heaven then it was the betrothing Day But thy Marriage Day is thy Dying Day Make thy self ready against that Day and prepare a Heart for him who prepares a Heaven for thee 3. Labour to look upon him ascending with an Eye of Faith then is some spiritual Gift likely to drop down to us when we see our Master ascended It is said of Elijah 2 Kings 2.10 That if he should see his Master ascending then he should have his spirit doubled Certainly 't is no less true in this matter if we can but by Faith see Christ ascended into Glory his Spirit shall in some measure come upon us 4. Thou must lean and rest thy self upon Christ for all see him ascended on high for thee and so do all in his Strength and Power However thine Hand shakes in thy Duties know thou hast one above that will hold thy Hand Set about nothing but with Paul's Confidence I can do all things in Christ that strengthens me This Use Christ directs his Disciples to make of his Ascention John 14.3 4 6. I go to prepare a place for you saith Christ Whither I go you know and the way you know We know not the Way saith Thomas No why I am the way saith he No man cometh unto the Father but by me I ascend up to the Father for you and you must ascend up to the Father by me all your Doings all your Fightings your Works your Wrestlings are all to be undertaken in the Strength of Christ Thanks be to God saith Paul who hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor 15.57 5. 'T is our Duty that now we serve him more affectionately and accurately and faithfully than ever He hath led Captivity captive by his ascending on high The World Sin Death the Devil now lie bleeding at Christ's Feet yea and through Christ that strengthens us at our Feet so saith the Apostle He will tread down Satan under our feet Rom. 16.20 What have we then to do but to serve the Lord. Deliverance doth always infer Service and Obedience being delivered out of the hands of our enemies let us serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives Luke 1.74 Christ hath purchased our Obedience by Deliverance Thus 2 Sam. 7.1 when David had Peace from his Enemies he made this Use of it to raise up a House for the Service of God when the Lord had given him rest round about from all his Enemies Behold saith he I dwell in an house but the Ark of God dwells in courtains When God had given him Rest it was not to enjoy quietly what he had but to serve God with what he did enjoy He had no sooner Rest but he thought of God's Service so these in the 9. Acts. They had Rest as it is said and walked in the fear of God Are you freed from Enemies you are the more free to serve God obey more freely since you may live more freely This was that when Christ was to ascend which he gives in charge to his Apostles to teach his People He was now ready to ascend well what was it now fit that the People should know Why that they must observe whatsoever Christ had commanded them 28 Matth. 20. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Is the Master of the Family