2. The ends of his ascension, as they are declared in scripture, plainly speak the vehemency of Chrisf s desire to draw souls to him. Now the declared ends of his ascension were, (1) To make way for the Spirit's coming to convince, convert, and com- fort the souls of all that come unto him ; John xvi. 7. " Neverthe- ^' less I tell you the truth, 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 unto you : And when he is come, " he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of "judgment.'" Without the conviction of these things no man can come to Christ ; and no such convictions can be wrought upon the conscience of any man, without the Spirit; and the Spirit could not come to effect these things upon men's hearts, if Christ had not ascended ; John vii. 39. " But this spake he of the Spirit, " which they that believe on him should receive ; for the Holy " Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glori-. " fied." Thus Christ provided for the carrying on his great design upon your hearts when he was entering into his own glory : the thoughts of that glory made him not to forget his great design upon earth. (2.) Another end of Christ's ascension was, to make intercession with the Father for all and every soul that should come unto him; that their future sins might make no breach of the bond of the covenant betwixt God and them : a privilege able to draw the hearts of all sinners to him; 1 John ii. 1, 2. "My little " children, these things I write unto you that ye sin not." Mark it, the intercession of Christ must encourage and embolden no man to sin ; that would be a vile abuse of the grace of God : " But if *' any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ ^' the righteous ; and he is the propitiation for our sins ;" i. e. If sin surprize and deceive any gracious soul, the bent of whose heart is against it, let him not be discouraged ; he hath a potent advo- cate ascended into the heavens, to continue the peace betwixt God and that soul. O what an encouragement is here to gain the con- sent of a sinner's heart to embrace Jesus Christ ! (3.) Another declared end of Christ's ascension was, to lead captivity captive, as in the forecited place, Psal. Ixviii. 17. that is, to captivate and tri- umph over Satan as a conquered enemy, who led us captive in the day of our vanity : he conquered Satan upon the cross, Col. ii. 15. and he triumphed over him at his ascension : and without such a conquest and triumph no soul could come to Christ. (4.) In a word, Christ ascended into heaven to prepare mansions of rest and
15G exgla:cd'*s duty.
glory for every soul that should embrace him in the way of repent- ance and faith in this world ; John xiv. 2. "In my Father's house <' are many mansions ; if it were not so, I would have told you : *• I go to prepare a place for you," q. d. It satisfies me not to enjoy my glory in heaven alone ; all that come unto me by faith, shall be with me where I am ; let them know, for their encouragement, that the glory which God hath given me, I have given them, John xvii. 22. All these things loudly speak the fervent desire of Christ's soul after union and communion with poor sinners ; which was the thing to be demonstrated.
II. Having proved the point, that Christ is an earnest suitor for union and communion with the souls of sinners ; we next come to shew the marvellous and admirable grace and condescension of Christ that it should be so. And this will appear five ways to the. astonishment of every considering soul.
1. Though Christ be thus intent and earnest in his suit for your consent, yet he gaineth nothing by you when you do consent; the gain is to yourselves, but not to him : He is over all, God blessed
for ever, Rom. ix. 5. above all accessions from the creature. What ^oth the sun gain by enlightening and animating the lower world .^ Or what doth a fountain gain when men drink and are refreshed by its waters ? If any soul that heareth me this day should presently resolve henceforth to break asunder all the ties and engagements betwixt liim and sin ; to subscribe the articles of the gospel ; to give away himself, soul and body to Christ ; to hve henceforth as a hallowed, dedicated creature to the Lord Jesus ; this indeed would turn to the infinite and everlasting advantage of such a soul ; but yet Christ cannot be profited thereby.
2. And that which still increases the wonder is this, that though Christ make no gain or profit by our conversion, yet hath he im- poverished himself^ to gain such unprofitable creatures as we are to him. He hath made himself poor to make us rich ; so speaks the apostle in 2 Cor. viii. 9. " For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus " Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became " poor, that ye through his poverty might be ricli.'" He expends his riches, makes no advantage unto himself; his incarnation im- poverished his reputation, Phil. ii. 7. How poor was Christ when he said, Psal. xxii. 6. " But I am a worm, and no man, a reproach " of men, and despised of the people t"^ How poor in temporal comforts, when he said, Matth. viii. 20. " The foxes have holes, " and the birds of the air have nests ; but the Son of man hath " not where to lay his head." Yea, how poor was he in spiritual comforts, when that astonishing out-cry brake from him upon the cross, Matth. xxvii. 46. " My God, my God, why hast thou for- *•' saken |pe .-"^ 0 let it astonish us, that Christ should earnestly
desire union With our souls upon terms of such deep self-denial to himself. -
3. Though Christ gain nothing by you, and impoverished him- self for you ; yet doth he endure many vile repulses, delays, and denials of his suit, and will not leave it for all that : O astonishing grace ! One would think that the least delay, and much 'more a re- fusal of an overture from Christ, upon such terms as you have heard^ should make his indignation presently to smoke against such a soul ; and that he should say, Thou hast refused my offer, so full of self, denying and condescending grace, never shall another offer be made to so unworthy a soul ; and yet you see he is contented to wait as well as knock. Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
4. Herein the admirable grace of this heavenly suitor appears, that Jesus Christ pa,sseth by millions of creatures, of more excellent gifts and temperaments, and never makes them one offer of him- self, never turneth aside to give one knock at their door : but comes to thee, the vilest and basest of creatures, and will not be gone from thy door without his errand's end.