He ascendeth. He implieth that he was risen. That w-as past, and therefore he nameth it not. All Christ's mind was on ascending. Those that are risen together with Christ, their mind is all on ascension, all on heaven. And this is one main reason, because where anything is imper- fect, there the spirit resteth not till it attaineth to that perfection that it is destinated unto. When anything hath a proper element and place where it must rest, it resteth not till it be in its own proper place and element. The perfection of the soul is in heaven, to see Christ face to face, and God in Christ. Heaven is the element of a Christian. It is his proper region. He is never well till there ; and there is his rest, his solace and content- ment, and there all his desires ai'e satiated to the utmost. Till we be in heaven, we be under desires ; for we be under imperfections. All the while we are in imperfections we are in an uncomfortable estate ; and while we be so, we are not as we should be. And therefore wheresoever any are partakers of Christ's resurrection, they mind the ascension as pre- sent. Where any grace is, there the thoughts are for heaven presently.
Let us take a scantingf of our dispositions from hence. There be many that think it good to be here always ; they never think of ascending. If they could live here always, they would with all their hearts, but it is not 80 with a Christian. It is his desire to be where his happiness, his Saviour, his God and Father is, where his country and inheritance is,
* That is, ' over-curious.'— G. t That is, ' proportion ' = measure.— G.
444 A HEAVENLY CONFERENCE.
and therefore he mindeth ascension and things to come. When anything is done, he thinks that what is done is not yet enough. As your great conquerors in the world, they forget what they have conquered, and romomber what they have yet to do ; so Christ, having got conquest over death, he thinks now of ascension, to conquer in the eyes of all ; for it is not enough to conquer in the field, but he will conquer in the city ; he will conquer to heaven, and make show of his conquest. I ascend to lead captivity captive, ' to make a show,' as it is expressed, Col. ii. 15. While anything is to do or receive, our souls should not be satisfied, but still stretched out to desire further and further still, more and more still, till we be there where our souls shall be filled to the uttermost ; and there is no place of further desire, as heaven is the place to satiate, and fill all the comers of the soul.
Quest. But how shall we know whether we be risen with Christ or no ?
Resol. Partly we may know it by our former courses. Christ when he was risen, all the clothes were laid together in the grave. He left them behind, and rose with an earthquake. There was a commotion ; and after his resurrection he minded heaven. So if ye be risen with Christ, your former vile courses lie in the grave ; your oaths are gone ; profaneness and wicked- ness of life gone. Tell you me, you are risen, while you carry the bonds of your sins about you ? You profane, wretched, swearing, ungodly persons, filthy speakers, that have an heart more filthy, vile in body and soul, can they have any part in Christ ? Where is that that bound you before ? You carry it about still. Therefore you be in the bonds of the devil ; you be in the grave of sin ; there is no rising. KesuiTection is with commotion. There was an earthquake when Christ arose; and there is an heartquake when the soul riseth. Can the soul rise from sin without com- motion ? In the inward man there will* be division between flesh and spirit, without any ado at all ? And therefore they that find nothing to do in their spirits, where is their rising again ?
t But that which is proper to the occasion in hand is the third. Where grace is begun, there will be an inward proceeding and ascending with Christ. How shall I know therefore whether I ascend ?
1. First, By miucUiu/ tilings above. The apostle telleth us directly. Col. iii. 1, * Mind things above,' be heavenly-minded in some sort, live the life that Christ did, after his resm'rection. All his discourse was, after his resurrection, of the kingdom of heaven, and his mind was on the place whither he was to go ; and so a true Christian indeed, that is truly risen, his thoughts and discourse is, when he is himself, heavenly. Other things he useth as if he did not ; as while we be in the world, we must deal with worldly things ; but we must deal with them as that which is not our proper element, 1 Cor. vii. 37, ' They used the world, as if they used it not ; and they married, as if they did not ; for they knew the fashion of this world passeth away.' And therefore they that affect earthly glory, carnal aflections and delights, they cannot think of these things with any comfort. They be moles which grovel in the earth. Some make a pro- fession, and they ascend higher as kites do, but they look low ; they make high professions, but their aims are low. The true eagles that ascend to Christ, as they ascend, so they look upward and upward still. They do not mind things below ; they do not take a high pitch, and still continue earthly-minded ; but they look high, as well as ascend high. Therefore let us not deceive ourselves.