(1.) In his ascension, as it was triumphant, three things may be considered : \st, The manner of it, with its representation of old ; ^dly, The ^olace whereinto he ascended ; ^dly, The end of it, or what was the work which he had to do thereon.
[1.] As unto the manner of it, it was openly triumphant and glo- rious. So is it described, Eph. iv. 8, " When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men." And respect is had unto the prefiguration of it at the giving of the law, Ps. Ixviii. 17, 18, where the glory of it is more fully expressed, " The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels : the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive," &c. The most glorious appear- ance of God upon the earth, under the Old Testament, was that on Mount Sinai, in the giving of the law. And as his presence was there attended with all his glorious angels, so, when, upon the finishing of that work, he returned or ascended into heaven, it was in the way of a triumph with all that royal attendance. And this prefigured the ascent of Christ into heaven, upon his fulfilling of the law, all that
248 THE PERSON OF CHKIST.
was required in it, or signified by it. He ascended triumphantly after lie had given the law, as a figure of his triumphant ascent after he had fulfilled it. Having then " spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them," Col. ii. 15. So he led captivity captive; or all the adverse powers of the salvation of the church, in triumph at his chariot wheels. I deny not but that his leading " captivity captive" principally respects his spiritual con- quest over Satan, and the destruction of his power ; yet, whereas he is also said to " spoil principalities and powers, making a shoAV of them openly," and triumphing over them, I no way doubt but Satan, the head of the apostasy, and the chief princes of darkness, were led openly, in sight of all the holy angels, as conquered captives, — the " seed of the woman" having now bruised the " head of the serpent." This is that which is so emphatically expressed, Ps. xlvii. throughout. The ground and cause of all the triumphant rejoicing of the church, therein declared, is, that God was " gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet," verse 5 ; which is nothing but the glorious ascent of Christ into heaven, said to be accompanied with shouts and the sound of a trumpet, the expressions of triumphant rejoicing, be- cause of the glorious acclamations that were made thereon, by all the attendants of the throne of God.
[2.] The place whither he thus ascended is on high. " He ascended up on high," Eph. iv. 8, — that is, heaven. He went " into heaven," Acts i. 11, — and the "heaven must receive him," chap. iii. 21; not these aspectable heavens which we behold, — for in his ascension " he passed through them," ^ Heb. iv. 14, and is made " higher than they," chap. vii. 26, — but into the place of the residence of God in glory and majesty, chap. i. 3, viii. 1, xii. 2. There, on " the throne of God," Rev. iii. 21, — " on the right hand of the Majesty on high," — he sits down in the full possession and exercise of all power and authority. This is the palace of this King of saints and nations. There is his royal eternal throne, Heb. i. 8. And "many crowns" are on his head. Rev. xix. 12, — or all dignity and honour. And he who, in a pretended imitation of him, wears a triple crown, hath upon his own head thereby, " the name of blasphemy," Rev. xiii. 1. There are be- fore him his " sceptre of righteousness," his " rod of iron," — all the re- galia of his glorious kingdom. For by these emblems of power doth the Scripture represent unto us his sovereign, divine authority in the execution of his kingly office. Thus he ascended triumphantly, hav- ing conquered his enemies ; thus he reigneth gloriously over all.
[3.] The end for which he thus triumphantly ascended into heaven,
' The expression quoted by Dr Owen is founded iipon the phrase in the original language, hiXtiXv^ira rch; oifavcus "having passed throu(j!i" not "into the heavens," as it stands in our version — Ed.
MEDIATORIAL EXALTATION OF CHRIST. 249
is twofold: — 1st, The overturning and destruction of all liis enemies in all their remaining powers. He rules them " with a rod of iron," and in his due time will " dash them in pieces as a potter's vessel," Ps. ii. 9 ; for he must " reign until all his enemies are made his foot- stool," 1 Cor. XV. 25, 26 ; Ps. ex. 1. Although at present, for the most part, they despise his authority, yet they are all absolutely in his power, and shall fall under his eternal displeasure. 2dly, The pre- servation, continuation, and rule of his church, both as unto the in- ternal state of the souls of them that believe, and the external order of the church in its worship and obedience, and its preservation under and from all oppositions and persecutions in this world. There is in each of these such a continual exercise of divine wisdom, power, and care, — the etfects of them are so gTcat and marvellous, and the fruits of them so abundant unto the glory of God, — that the world would " not contain the books that might be written" of them; but to handle them distinctly is not our present design.