Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n
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A45347
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Christ's ascension into heaven asserted and practically improved in several sermons / by Joseph Hallet ... whereunto is added by way of preface some account of the pious author.
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Hallet, Joseph, 1628?-1689.
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1693
(1693)
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Wing H450; ESTC R30724
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41,914
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130
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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
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