Book lV. 479 ~. That he might a!fure us that now he bad run throug)l all thofe Offices which be was to ~erform here on earth for our red~mpt!on. He that hath entred mto ht< rejf, Hcb. 4· 10. hmh alf> ce~fed from his o\VIl ~~·orbj, "' God did from hu. He was firfl: to ~xecu:e h1s office, and then to enter mtO tlls rcft;. Tho~tgh he were a Son,. and fo the mhentance Hd•i S· 8, 9• were his own, yet he waJ to /earn obrdzencr, by the thmgs rrhtch hefujfrred, before he ll'A·S rr.ade perfe&, and fo to becometh' .Awhor of eternal fa/vation /JntO all the"? that obey him. This was the Argument wh1ch Ch11ll ufed when he prayed to be glonfied agam with his Father, 1have glorified thee on;,he Mrth, I have finijhed the.work_whi<h tho/J John 17 4 , s. gaveftme todo: and r.o1vO Father gto;zp: thonme wtththyown Jet[, wtth;heglorywhtc,h f httd with thee before the world WM. flmwas the order of the d1fpenfanon of Clmfl s Offices ; his firfl: work was a work of miniflry , and fervice in the office of obtdience and fuffering for his Church? and his. next work was the work of power an? majefl:y in the protection and exaltat,wn of Ius Church. .And tl;ere ~as a necdfity m tlus order. r. In refp.ect of Gods Decree who had fo foi·e-al?.pomred It, .A/1s 2. 23,24. 2. In refpect of O~d's Juftice, which mufl firfl be fatisfie~ by ob~dience before any entrance into glory, l>i!k! 24- 26. 3. In refpect of Chnft s mfimte Perfon, wh1ch bein a equal with God duld not po/Iib!y be exalted without fome preceding defcent and hu~niliation; That he afcended (faith the Apof1:!e) what is it but that he defcen~ed. ftrft Eph. 4 . 9 , into the lower parts of thcearth? 4· In refpect of our ev1dence and a!furance; thts IS the lign that Chrift bath finill1ed the work of our redemption upon the eanh; firn, he was to act as our Surety,and then be was to afcend as our Head, our Advocate; as the firftfruirs,the Captain,the Prince oflife,the Author of falvation ,the Forerunner of his people. 4. That he might tliroughly convince the wor)d of believers of their perfect righteoufnefs, The Spirit trhen he COIJ1tf ( flith Chrift) jha/1con'!ince the world of ji11, ;~nd of righteou[nefs, and of jttq]l'/1ent,--of fin, becaufe they believe not on >ne,--- of righreou(nefs, becaufe I go to my Father, an_d ye fee me no f'lOre: If Chnft ~a~ not ful- John. 16. 8, filled all riglueoufnef>there bad been no gomg t() heaven for htm, ner rematntng there; 9, 10 ' certainly God w~mld have fent him down,again to have done the reft, and the bifciples fhould ha¥e feen !)ilp with ilJame fent back a~ain; but his afcenfion to heaven proclaims openly. r. Th,at /Je b~th compleatly fintfhed the work he had w·.do for us here, that no more was oo be done i11 this world for us, that the fati•factory work to jufl:ice was in it felf finiihed. 2. That God "Yas well ple~fed wit.h J efus Chrifl:,. and with what he had done and fu6'~.rCbl for us; y~, God was fo i.nlinitely taken with him, aJJd his oblation after h_is fulfel'in.gs, as rb.at lw $.hjnks it n\)t fit to let him fl:ay Jtb.ove forty dayes longer in this world ; he cannot be witheut him in heaven, bur he takes him up into glory, and give,s b,lm a oame ~bo•e !)yery namf. 3. 'Fhat we b,ave our !hare in heaven wirh him 1 he wfnt no.t up .as a f111gle perfop, .b.U$ verrually, or myHically he carried up all the El~ct with him into glory : or otherwife how fhould the S_pirit convio>e the World by his afl:eufion ofthei)' righteoufnefs? or otherwifehow fhould the Son of Gop convince his Fa1h~r by his Atcenfion of his Righteoufnefs? I look upon Jefus Chriil g>;>ing jnro Heave;;~, as a conlidellt Debtor after payment goiog into a Court, and faying, Who hflth 41} thing to lay to his charge? tJU is paid, let. the Law tflks his.courfe; wheq ChrJft eJ)_tr~J into l;le.~ven, be feemed thus to chaUenge lufrke, Mak! room here for me and mine, who Jho~tld hinder? bath the LaiV any thing. lP J~ty to thefe poor (ouls for whom I dyed? if any in he.aven •an mak£ 6bje&ion, here, I 4m .roanfi-.tr in their beh_4/f. Methin~.s I imagine a,jilenc~ in heaven (as John fpeaks) At thu R 8 fpeech; only Mercy fm.iles, .and Juftice gives io tbf Acquittance, and God fets Cbrjfr ev. · r. do~nathi;r.ightbaod. 4, That he bath a uewdeligntobe acted in Heave.nfor us: he ts taken up into glory thad1fmay act glor·ioufly the fecood parr of our righ~eoufnefs, I mean that he m1gh~ apply it . .<Jnd (e_nd dow11 bis Spirit to copvince us of it. He acted oue parr~~ the lleih, in tb.e habit of abeggar, cloathed with ·rags 1 but l)OW l1e is gone ~o act the perfon of a Princ.e Jn robes of glory, and all this to manoage our falvation m. rQe nehell: w_ay .tbat may be. Three great .things Chcifl: acts for us now in glory. ~~ Ftrft, he IS tn place cf an Ji,dvoca~efor us: He liveth to intercede for 11<. Heis alwayes b ~egging of favour and love for us, he !yes there w il:op whatever plea may be brought He • 7 • •s– m agamll us by .vJ~e pevil, prLaw; yea, he is tuere to get our frefh pardons for 'new !ins· Secondly, he IS the g1ieat Provjder and Cate.rer for us; he is laying in a great flock and flore !)f glory for us ag;>inil: we cmue there; In my Fathm houfe are many manj10ns.---I gotQ prepare,'a 'pl~ce for you. · J efus Chrifl went befol'e to take up John 14· 2 • ;, - God's
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