had not he who undertook to conduct him thither gained admission himself? But now our forerunner Christ is gone into heaven,* and is on the right hand of God, the sincere believer has the strongest assurance that he shall follow him; and, since the great Captain of our salvation has taken possession of the dominions he had acquired by his victory on the cross, the Christian soldier may look forward to the recompense of reward, and with a well grounded expectation wait for a crown of glory that fadeth not away. The expediency of the ascension of our Saviour, it is to be hoped, is sufficiently evident; let us therefore, in the next place, see the comfortable reflections to be drawn from it by the sinner. The first, which presents itself to our minds, is, that we have a most convincing ratification of the truth of that voice from heaven, Matt. iii. 17, “ This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The birth of Christ, of a virgin, bespoke him an extraordinary person, his resurrection from the dead declared him the Son of God with power, and his ascension into heaven fully confirmed it. But, had the Christian been left destitute of this last testimony of the divinity of his Saviour, all the preceding proofs and arguments afforded him might probably have had but a weak influence on his mind. For, though the divine and human natures were as perfectly united to each other, in his state of humiliation on earth, as they are in his state of exaltation and glory in heaven, yet, had the blessed Jesus after his resurrection taken up his residence here, his disciples might have looked upon him as an uncommon man, but would have had some difficulty to believe that he was God. And, if he had not ascended into heaven again, this might have created a diffidence in them whether he had come down from * "Hoc alterum fidei, et pacatæ conscientiæ fulcrum." Gejerus. + This is, &c. "Hic est filius ille, olim a me promissus, rex, sacerdos, et doctor, O ayannres. Repetitur articulus magna emphasi, ille dilectus, unice scilicet, tanquam unigenitus. Repetuntur etiam Matt. xvii. 5, addito, audite eum, ubi obsignatur in magnum illum ecclesiæ prophetam, quem omnes audire tenentur, Deut. xviii. 15; ut hic obsignatur in pontificem maximum ecclesiæ, jam scilicet in munus suum inaugurandum." Lightfoot, &c. heaven heaven at all:* But now there is no room for dispute, even in the breast of the sceptic himself, when we preach not only Jesus and his resurrection, but his ascension likewise. And, if he cannot read Christ's divinity in that sermon of the angels on his resurrection, Matt. xxviii. 6, “He is not here, for he is risen," yet he cannot remain an infidel any longer, when he is informed, by the same angels probably,† that this same Jesus is taken up into heaven; and, being ascended on high, he hath led captivity captive, having spoiled principalities and powers; and hath given gifts unto men, even the exceeding riches of his grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably. A second reflection, to be drawn from the ascension of our Saviour, is, that we have a powerful advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. A reflection which affords comfort to the distressed, joy to the sorrowful, help to the weak, hope to the despondent, confidence to the sinner, and happiness to the saint. Are there any blessings we could wish for, or any mercies we can hope for, which the intercession of Christ cannot obtain for us? Will our heavenly Father be deaf to our prayers, when they are offered up in the name, and through the merits and mediation, of his only-begotten Son? With what boldness may we approach the throne of grace, when we sue for infinite mercy through infinite merit? But, had the sinner no other shelter from divine justice than his hopes of uncovenanted mercy; could he not plead the merits of a Saviour, as well as pray for forgiveness to the offender; God be merciful to me, a sinner, would be but a heartless and discouraging petition. Could he, with any degree of assurance, pray “Qui valet in cœlum ascendere, non mirum descendisse; quum naturale sit, res ad locum originis suæ redire." Brugensis. Two men, Act. i. 10, i. e. 'Angeli specie virorum; vide Matt. xvii. 2." Piscator, &c. and Luke, xxiv. 4. "Orando et interpellando pro nobis, non supplicum more se prosternendo, sed desiderium salutis electorum eloquendo tum mente, tum verbis quæ ipsum non dedeceant, vel postulando jus in vita ante promeritum, sibique promissum, nempe gratiam et salutem." Tirinus. The righteous. "Innocentem et sanctum, et quidem perfectissime, qui patri per omnia placet, ac reconciliatore pro se non eget; neque enim idoneus est advocatus qui ipse sit reus." Estius, &c. for for blessings, when curses were his desert? Or hope for the bounties of heaven, when it is mercy to him that he escapes the miseries of hell? But what confidence does it inspire the suppliant with! how does it lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees!* if, with the cye of faith, we look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God, making intercession for us. Do the sins of men cry out for vengeance? the blood of Christ, which speaketh better things than that of Abel,‡ calls aloud for mercy. Has the sound of your iniquity reached to heaven? behold your gracious Redeemer pleading in your behalf, and hear him utter this short but emphatical prayer for you, "Father, forgive them," and then despair you can. Others are often insincere in their professions of friendship, or unable to perform what they engage for; but can we doubt the sincerity of him who laid down his life for us? Can we dispute his power to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by him, when we see him exalted far above all principalities and powers, and advanced to the highest dignity in the heavens? A third, and the last, reflection I shall at present observe to be drawn from the ascension of our blessed Lord, is the assurance we have of the truth of that declaration of the angels to the apostles, Act. i. 11, that "this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so "Manuum similitudo sumpta a laborantibus, genuum a currentibus. Christiani vita et labór Grotius. est et cursus." ↑ "Consummator dicitur fidei; quia certamen hoc decurrentibus, postquam ad metam pervenerint, reddit constituta præmia, et æternam mercedem eis præstat." Estius, &c. "Legendum ragà rò 'Aßix, ut subaudiatur alpa, ex membro antitheto. Et sic legerunt Græci veteres et Syrus. Vide Gen. iv. 10, Heb. xi. 4." Grotius, &c. "Si legas ro, referri possit ad gårrioμòr, ut Abel sit casùs genitivi. Sic vertas, quam illà aspersio Abelis, i. e. aspersio sanguinis in primo illo sacrificio Abelis, Gén. iv. 4. Et sensus erit, sacrificium Christi longe efficacius est, quam sacrificium animalium Abelis, et proinde quàm omnia V. T. sacrificia. Sacrificium autem Abelis hic nominat; tanquam primum omnium in Scriptura memoratorum, quod etiam Deus testatus est sibi gratissimum esse, idque præ illo Caini." Knatchbull, &c. come come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven ;*" that is, with all the splendor and glory of Divine Majesty. At his first coming he appeared in the capacity of our suffering Redeemer; at his second, he will come in the awful character of the great Judge of all men. The design of his first appearance was to rouse the souls of sinners from the death of sin unto a life of righteousness; the intention of his second advent, is to summon our bodies from the grave with the sound of the trump, that we may all appear before his judgement-seat. The apostle, indeed, very rationally infers Christ's coming again from his resurrection from the dead, Acts xvii. 31; for, who so proper to raise the dead as he who raised himself? who can remand us from the grave, or make death and hell surrender up their dead, but he who triumphed over them? but yet, the ascension of Christ is a still farther convincing argument to persuade us of this important truth. When, by his meritorious death on the cross he had purchased for us an eternal inheritance in the heavens, he went thither that he might take possession of it; it is necessary, therefore, that he should return again to gather together the elect, and, as the great captain of their salvation,§ conduct them to the celestial Canaan. As by his ascension into heaven he was invested with regal authority, and all judgement was committed to him, thence may we expect him again in great power and glory to be the judge of the quick and dead; an expectation inconceivably joyful to the true believer, but terrible indeed to the wicked Christian who has no other prospect but a fearful looking for of judgement. It is a terror to him * "Resurrecturos in monte Olivarum Israelitas sentit Chaldæus in canticum, et alii ad Joel, iii, 2, Zach. xiv. 4." Grotius. + "Allusio ad morem Judæorum, apud quos inová fieri solebat sono tubæ, Num. x." Grotius. "In ea doctrina hoc erat, se fore Judicem humani generis." Grotius. The elect." Christianos veros scilicet atque constantes." Grotius, &c. orum credentes." Hammond. "Reliquias Jude §. “ Antisignanum salutis eorum; præcipuum illius opificem et effectorem; et ad consummatam gloriam perducere, in novam Canaan, non in regnum terrenum et opulentum, ut Judæi frustra sperant." Beza, &c. to think that the redemption of his body draweth nigh, and he must shudder to see his Saviour coming in the clouds of heaven. The despised and crucified Jesus will shortly become his awful tremendous judge, and he must appear at the bar of divine justice for his insolentrefusal of divine mercy. But, what inexpressible comfort must the sincere Christian draw from his hopes of this great event: how must it support him under the severest trials he must meet with in this sinful world; to think that, by patient continuance in well doing, he secures to himself the mercy of heaven and the approbation of his Redeemer and Judge. With what undaunted courage may he look forward to that great and terrible day of the Lord when he shall receive that sentence of applause from his blessed Master: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matt. xxv. 21.* Let us, therefore, living under a continual sense and expectation of this coming of the Son of man, endeavour to prepare ourselves for it. Let us in heart and mind thither ascend whither Christ, our forerunner, is for us entered; and, leaving the false pleasures and momentary enjoyments of this life, let us set our affection on things above, "which eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man.”‡ • “Intra in gaudium Domini. Particeps esto herilis gaudii. Gaudium est lætitia æterna, Esa. Ixi. 7." Grotius. + For us entered. "Christus cò prior ivit pro nostro bono, locum nobis paraturus; sive ut nos ed accerseret, sicut ipse dixit Joh. xiv. 3; vel, ut intercedat pro nobis, id quod typo pulchre respondet, quia in V. T. pontifex introiit intra velum semel in anno, supplicaturus pro populo; vel, ut quam suo merito nobis adeptus est salutem eam suâ virtute vendicet, conferat, et conservet in æternum." Grotius, &c. Which eye hath not seen, &c. 1 Cor. ii. 9. These words are a quotation in part from Isai. Ixiv. 4, upon which passage Dr Kennicott remarks thus, "Nihil majorem vitii suspicionem justò affert, quam verba sensu destituta. Quis vero existimabit a qualicunque Scriptore, nedum sacro, hujuscemodi verba unquam proferri potuisse; nec ullo modo explicanda, nisi apostolicæ auctoritatis lux affulserit." Gen. Dissert. Grotius and others suppose "de promisse hoc Paulum ex scrip tis Rabbinorum, seu apocryphis." But Dr Randolph conjectures that the apostle quoted from some purer copy. But, if the inspiration of the apostle be admitted, that at once accounts for his greater accuracy. And |