* Qu. 'will there'?— Ed.
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2. Yet more particularly, those that ascend ■with Christ, they that are in heaven and they that are on earth do the same thinf/s, though in different degrees and measure. What do they in heaven ? There they meddle not with defilements of the world ; and so, though a Christian be on earth, he defileth himself not with the world, or ill company. He will converse with them, but not defile himself with them. They that be in heaven are praising God, and so be they much in praising of God here. They that be in heaven love to see the face of God, they joy in it. And they that be heavenly-minded here joy in the presence of God, in the word, the sacra- Inents, and his children. If they be ascended in any degree and measure, this they will do. And then they will joy in communion with God all they can, as they do in heaven. You have some carnal dispositions that are never themselves but in carnal company like themselves. If ever we mean to be in heaven, we must] joy in heaven on earth ; that is, in them that be heavenly in their dispositions. If we cannot endure them here, how shall we ever live with them in heaven ?
What was Christ to ascend for ? What is the end of his ascension ?
The end of his ascension was to take possession of heaven in his body, which had never been there before ?
1. And he was to take possession of heaven in his body for his church ; that is, his mystical body. So he ascended to heaven, carried his blessed body that he took in tt^ virgin's womb with him.
2. And likewise he ascended to heaven, to take up heaven in behalf of his spouse, his church ; as the husband takes up land in another country in behalf of his wife, therefore he did ascend.
3. And likewise he ascended to leave his Spirit, that he might send the Comforter. He taketh away himself, that was the great Comforter, while he was below. He was the bridegroom ; and while the bridegroom was present, they had not such a measure of the Spirit. Christ's presence supplied all. But Christ ascended to heaven that his departure from them might not be prejudicial to them, but that they might have comfort through the God of comfort, the Spirit of comfort, the Holy Ghost : ' I will send the Comforter,' John siv. 16, seq.
And though there was no loss by the ascension of Christ, they might fear by losing of Christ that all their comfort was gone. Ay, but Christ telleth them, ' I go to prepare a place for you.' He goeth to take up heaven for his church, and then to send his Spirit. What a blessed intercourse is there now, since Christ's ascension, between heaven and earth ! Our body is in heaven, and the Spirit of God is here on earth. The flesh that he hath taken into heaven is a pledge that all our flesh and bodies shall be where he is ere long. In the mean time, we have the Spirit to comfort us, and never to leave us till we be brought to the place where Christ is. This is great comfort, and this is the main end why Christ ascended to the Father, that he might send the Comforter. And comfort might well come now in more abundance than before, because by the death of Christ all enemies were conquered, and by the resurrection of Christ it was discovered that God was appeased. The resurrection of Christ manifested to the world what was done by death ; and now, all enemies being conquered, and God being appeased, what remains but the sweetest gift next to Christ, the Holy Ghost ? And that is the reason why the Holy Ghost was more abundant after Christ's resurrection, because God was fully satisfied, and declared by the rising of Christ to be fully satisfied, and all enemies to be conquered.
446 A HEAVENLY CONFERENCE.
4. Ono end likewise of his resurrection was ' to make a show of his con- quest.' There is a double victory over the enemy. There is a victory in the field, and triumph together with it. And then there is triumphing in civitate rcgia, a triumphing in the kingly city. So Christ did conquer in his death, and shewed his conquest by resurrection ; but he did not lead captivity captive and make show thereof till he ascended ; and then he made open show of his victorious triumph in civitate rcrfia.
5. One special end, likewise, why he would have this message sent, that he was to ascend, was that he might appear there in heaven for us, as Heb. ix. 11, scq., * He appears for ever in heaven for us, and maketh interces- sion for us.' When the high priest was to enter into the holy of holies, which was a type of heaven, he carried the names of the twelve tribes engraven in stone upon his breast. Christ, our true high priest, being entered into the holy of holies, carried the names of all his elect in his breast into heaven, and there appcarcth before God for us. He carrieth us in his heart. Christ doth fulfil that which in John xvii. he prayeth for, appearing in heaven before his Father by virtue of his blood shed, and that blood that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel. It speaks mercy and pardon. The blood of Abel crieth for vengeance and justice ; but the blood of Christ saith. Here is one that I shed my blood for. And when we pray to God, God accepts of our prayers ; and by virtue of Christ's blood shed, there is mercy, and pardon, and favour procured, which is sprinkled by faith upon the soul ; God manifesting to the soul by his Spirit, that Christ died in particular for such a soul, which soul praying to God in the name of Christ, that blood not only in heaven, but sprinkled upon the soul, speaketh peace there. The Spirit saith that to the soul, which Christ doth in heaven. Christ saith in heaven, I died for such a soul ; the Spirit saith in the soul, Christ died for me ; and the blood of Christ is sprinkled on every particular soul. As Christ in heaven appears and intercedeth for me, so the Spirit intercedeth in mine own guilty heart, that always speaks discomfort, till it be satisfied with particular assurance. Christ died for me, and God is mine, and Christ is mine. Thus particular faith sprinkleth the blood of Christ upon the soul. So that now my sins are not only pardoned in heaven, but in my soul. There is not only inter- cession in heaven, but in my soul. My soul goeth to God for pardon and for mercy, and rejoiceth in all the mercies it hath and hopeth to have. What is done in heaven, is done in a man's soul by the Spirit in some measure.