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dead, but also afcended into heaven; there to dispatch all that remained to be done for the compleating the falvation of his people.

So much the apoftle plainly witneffeth, Eph. iv. 10. "He "that defcended, is the fame alfo that afcended up far above "all heavens," (i. e.) all the afpectable heavens. A full and faithful account whereof the feveral evangelifts have given us, Mark xvi. 19. Luke xxiv. 51. This is fometimes called his going away, as John xvi 7. Sometimes his being exalted, Acts ii. 33. Sometimes his being made higher than the heavens, Heb. vii. 26. And fometimes his entering within the veil, `Heb. vi. 19, 20. All which are but fo many fynonymous phrases, expreffing his afcenfion, in a very pleasant variety.

Now for the opening this act of Chrift, we will bind up the whole in the fatisfaction of thefe fix queftions. 1. Who afcended? 2. Whence did he afcend? 3. Whither? 4. When? 5. How? 6. and laftly, Why did he afcend? And these will take in what is needful for you to be acquainted with in this point.

First, Who afcended? This the apoftle answers, Eph. iv. 10.

the fame that defcended," viz. Chrift. And himself tells us in the text, "I afcend." "And though the afcenfion "were of Chrift's whole perfon, yet it was but a figurative "and improper expreffion, with refpect to his divine nature, "but it agrees most properly to the humanity of Chrift, which "really changed places and conditions by it." And hence it is that it is faid, John xvi. 28. "I came forth from the Father, "and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to my Father." He goes away, and we see him no more. As God he is fpiritually with us ftill; even to the end of the world. But as man, "the heavens muít contain him till the "reftitution of all things," Acts iii. 21.

Secondly, Whence Chrift afcended?

I anfwer, more generally, he is faid to afcend from this world, to leave the world. That is the terminus a quo, John xvi. 28. But more particularly, it was from Mount Olivet, near unto Jerufalem. The very place where he began his laft forrowful tragedy. There, where his heart began to be fadded, there is it now made glad O what a difference was there betwixt the

*Afcenfio totius fuit perfonæ, naturæ tamen divinæ non convenit nifi figurate, Sed humana naturæ maxime proprie conve nit, &c. Amef. Med. p. 114.

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frame Christ was in, in that mount before his paffion, and this he is now in, at his afcenfion! But,

Thirdly, Whither did he afcend ?

It is manifeft it was into the third heavens: the throne of God, and place of the blessed: where all the faints shall be with him for ever. It is faid to be far above all heavens; that is the heavens which we fee, for they are but the pavement of that ftately palace of the great King. He is gone (faith the apostle) within the veil, (i. e.) into the most holy place. And into his Father's house, John xiv 2. And he is also faid to go to the "place where he was before," John vi. 62. back again to that fweet and glorious bofom of delight and love, from whence at his incarnation he came.

Fourthly, When did Christ afcend? Was it presently as foon as he rose from the dead?

No, not fo, for " after his refurrection (faith Luke) he was "feen of them forty days, fpeaking of the things pertaining "to the kindom of God." And truly the care and love of Christ to his people was very manifeft in this his ftay with them ‡. He had ineffable glory prepared for him in heaven, and awaiting his coming, but he will not go to poffefs it, till he had fettled all things for the good of his church here. For in this time he confirmed the truth of his refurrection, gave charge to the apostles concerning the difcipline and order of his houfe or kingdom which was but needful, fince he intended that their Acts should be rules to future churches. So long it was necessary he should stay. And when he had fet all things in order, he would ftay no longer, "left he should feem to affect a terrene life [.” And befides, he had work of great concernment to do for us in the other world. He defired to be no longer here, than he had work to do for God, and fouls. A good pattern for the faints.

Fifthly, How did Chrift afcend into heaven?

Here it is worthy our obfervation, that Chrift afcended as a public perfon or forerunner, in our names, and upon our accounts *.

‡ The weakness of his disciples required the delay of his separation from them. Ames.

Ne terrenam vitam videretur meditare. Amef.

*He by his entrance into heaven gives us the strongest confolation, for as he came down from heaven, not on his own but our account, fo he hath taken poffeffion of heaven to prepare a place and habitation there for us. Pareus on the place. VOL. II. F

So it is faid exprefsly, Heb. vi. 20. fpeaking of the most holy place within the veil: whither (faith he) the forerunner is for us entred. His entring into heaven as our forerunner implies both his public capacity, and precedency.

Firft, His public capacity, as one that went upon our businefs to God. So he himself speaks, John xiv. 2." I go before "to prepare a place for you." To take poffeffion of heaven in our names. The forerunner, hath refpect to others that were to come to heaven after him, in their several generations ; for whom he hath taken up manfions, which are kept for them against their coming.

Secondly, It notes precedency, he is our forerunner, but he himself had no forerunner. Never any entred into heaven before him, but fuch as entred in the name, and through the virtue of his merits. He was the first, that ever entred heaven directly, immediately, in his own name, and upon his own account. But all the fathers who died before him, entred in his name. To the holiest of them all, God would have faid as Elisha to Jehoram, 2 Kings iii. 14. Were it not that I had refpect to the perfon of my fon, in whofe name and right you come, I would not look upon you. You must go back again, heaven were no place for you. No not for you, Abraham, nor for you, Mofes.

Secondly, He afcended triumphantly into heaven. To this, good expofitors * refer that which in the type is spoken of David, when he lodged the ark in its own place, with musical inftruments and fhoutings; but to Chrift, in the antitype, when he was received up triumphantly into glory, Pfal. xlvii. 5. "God is gone up with a fhout, the Lord with the found of a trumpet; fing praifes to God, fing praifes; fing praises un"to our king, fing praises."

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A cloud is prepared, as a royal chariot, to carry up the King of glory to his princely pavilion †. "A cloud received him out of their fight," Luke xxiv. 51. And then a royal guard of mighty angels furround the chariot, if not for fupport, yer for greater ftate and folemnity of their Lord's afcenfion. And oh what jubilations of the bleffed angels were heard in heaven! How was the whole city of God moved at his coming! For look as when" he brought his first-begotten into the world, " he said, let all the angels of God worship him," Heb. i. 6. So at his return thither again, when he had finished redempti

* Molerus in loc. Geirus. Aynfworth.

+ Mr. Cafe in his Pifgah.

on-work, there were no less demonftrations given by those bleffed creatures of their delight and joy in it. The very heavens echoed and refounded on that account. Yea, the triumph is not ended at this day, nor never shall.

It is faid, 'Dan. vii. 13, 14. " I faw, (faith the prophet), in "the night vifions, and behold one like the Son of man came "with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, " and they brought him near to him. And there was given "him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; that all people, "nations and languages fhould ferve him." This vifion of Daniel's was accomplished in Chrift's afcenfion, when they, i. e. the angels, brought him to the Ancient of days, i. e. to God the Father, who, to exprefs his welcome to Chrift, gave him glory, and a kingdom. And fo it is and ought to be expounded. The Father received him with open arms, rejoicing exceedingly to fee him again in heaven; therefore God is faid to "receive him up into glory," 1 Tim. iii. 16. For that which, with refpect to Chrift is called afcenfion, is, with refpect to the Father, called affumption. He went up, and the Father received him. Yea, received fo as none ever was received before him, or fhall be received after him.

Thirdly, Chrift afcended munificently, fhedding forth, abundantly, ineftimable gifts upon his church at his afcenfion. As in the Roman triumphs they did fpargere misffilia +, bestow their largest promises upon the people: fo did our Lord when he afcended; "wherefore he faith, when he afcended up on high, he led captivity captive; and gave gifts unto men." The place to which the apoftle refers, is Pfal. lxvii. 17, 18. where you have both the triumph and munificence, with which Chrift went up, excellently fet forth together..

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"The chariots of God, (faith the Pfalmift), are twenty "thousand, even thousands of angels; the Lord is among "them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou haft afcended

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on high, thou haft led captivity captive, thou haft received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious alfo, that God might "dwell among them." Which words in their literal fenfe, are a celebration of that famous victory and triumph of David over the enemies of God, recorded 2 Sam. viii. These conF 2

* See Deodat. and English Annot. &c.

† Princes, when triumphing after victory, use to disperse great prefents, and fums of money among the people, congratulating their triumph with joyous fhouts,

SERM. XL. quered enemies bring him feveral forts of prefents, all which he dedicated to the Lord. The fpiritual fenfe is, that just fo our Lord Jefus Chrift, when he had overcome by his death on the cross, and now triumphed in his afcenfion, he takes the parts and gifts of his enemies, and gives them, by their converfion to the church, for its ufe and fervice: thus he received gifts, even for the rebellious *, i. e. fanctifies the natural gifts and faculties of fuch as hated his people before, dedicating them to the Lord, in his peoples fervice. Thus, (as one obferves), Tertullian, Origen, Auftin, and Jerome, came into Canaan, laden with Egyptian gold. Meaning they came into the church richly laden with natural learning and abilities. Austin was a Manichee, Cyprian a magician, learned Bradwardine a fcornful proud naturalift, who once faid, when he read Paul's epistles, Dedignabar effe parvulus; he fcorned fuch childish things, but afterwards became a very useful man in the church of God. And even Paul himfelf was as fierce an enemy to the church as breathed on earth, till Chrift gave him into its bofom by converfion, and then no mere man ever did the Lord and his people greater service than he. Men of all forts, greater and smaller lights, have been given to the church. Officers of all forts, were given it by Chrift. Extraordinary and temporary, as prophets, apostles, evangelifts; ordinary and standing, as paftors and teachers, which remain to this day, Eph. iv. 8, 9. And those stars are fixed in the church-heaven by a most firm establishment, I Cor. xii. 28. Thoufands now in heaven, and thousands on earth alfo, are bleffing Chrift at this day for these his afcenfion-gifts.

Fourthly, Our Lord Jefus Chrift afcended most comfortably, for whilst he was bleffing his people, he was parted from them, Luke xxiv. 50, 51. Therein making good to them what is faid to him, John xiii. 1. "Having loved his own, he loved them to "the end." There was a great deal of love manifefted by Christ in this very last act of his in this world. The last fight they had of him in this world was a moft fweet and encouraging one. They heard nothing from his lips but love, they faw nothing in his face but love, till he mounted his triumphant chariot, and was taken out of their fight.

Surely these bleffings at parting were fweet and rich ones. For the matter of them, they were the mercies which his blood

* Thou doft raise up teachers of thy church, among those who hate and perfecute thy people; and, from time to time, bring many of thy enemies to this thy kingdom. Mol. on the place.

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