5oo Book IV. !LOOking unto jjefus. Chap.2.sea. 2. ----------~~--~~------------------ more worth, and value, and benefit than all thofe ? come Jludy that piece of the Bi- _. ble wherein thefe are written, there is not a line or exprellion of Chrill: in the Scripture, but 'tis matter enough for a whole Age to comment on ; thou needell not ·to leave old principles for new difcoveries, for in thefe very particulars thou mighteft find fucc~llive fweemefs unto all eternity . S EC T. II. . _.-_,,.... __ Ofconjideriltg Jef"! in that refpefl. 2. LEt us confider Jefzi!, carrying on this work of our falvationfor us in thefe particulars. We mull: not only fl:udy to know thefe things, liut we mull: meditate on them ttll they come down from our heads ro our hearts. Meditation is the poize that fets all the wheels within a going; it were tO fmall purpofe to bid us, defire, hope, believe, love, joy, &c. if lirll: we did not meditate: in meditation it is that the under– ilanding works , that the will is inclined to follow , that devotion is refre01ed, that faith is encreafed, hope ell:ablifhed, love kindled ; ~nd therefore begin here0 my foul; iris a dueconfideration, that gives both life, andli5ht, and motion to thy aCl:ingsin all proceedings. · And to rake them in order. --- 1. Confider of Chrifl:'s afcenfion into Heaven. Merhiriks fouls lhould put themA<h '· 10 • fel res into the condition of the Difciples, When they look!d ftcdfaftly towr~rds hMven M Chri.fl wem up; What, 01all he afcend, and n,.ll not we in our contemplations follow after him? gaze, 0 my foul, on this wonderful Object, thou needell: not fear any check from God or Aogel, fo thatthy contemplation be fpirimal and divine. No fooner had Chrit11ini0Jed his work of redemption here on earth, but on the Mount called Olivet he affembles with his Difciplcs,where having given them commands,he begins to mount; and being a little lifted up into the Air, prefently a Cloud receiv~s him into her lap. Herein is a clear demonll:ration of his Godhead ; Clouds are ufually in Scriptures put for the Houfe, or Temple, or Receptacle of God himfelf. How often is it faid that Exod. td. to·theglory of the Lord appeared in the cloud l And that he came t• MofeJ in a thick_ cloud? ·-!9·9·"' ' 4·' 6 · and that he cal/edumoMofes out of the n:idjlof the cloild l and that the Lorddefcended in il';d,· r. the cloud l is not the Cloud God's ownChariot? Behold the Lordrideth on a fwiftc/oud; Pial. 104. 3· --and0 Lordmy God thou art verygreat; faith lJavid; great indeed, and he proves it thus, Who mak!th the clouds hu chariot. J efus Chrifl: in his afcenfion to Heaven enters by the way into a Cloud ; this was his Charioi, led by thoufands aod ten thoufands of Pla~.6s. 17 1 g. his Angels, The chariots of God are twenty thoufn,d, even thoufandJ of .Angels, the Lord ' u among them M in Sinai in the holy place, thou haft afcended on high, thOJ< haft led captjvitj captive, thou haft received gifts fgr men. Some are of opinion, that not only thoufands of Angels led this Chariot, bur that many of the Saints which llept, and rofe with Chrilt at his refurre<'lion, now afc.ended with him, and compaffed about this glorious Eng\ilh An. Cloud; whence they give this for the meaning of the text, that when he went up through notatious on the air, and afcendedup on high, heledcaptivity taptive, that u, heleda ctrtainn~<mber / Ej.IJ. 4· ·'· •f captives, namely the S,aints th4t were long held in captivity of deAth, whofe bodm arofe 1 at Chrijf's refurreEfion, and now they accompanied Chrift at hu triumphant march into hea11m. However he was attended, be not too curious ( 0 my foul in this) the bright Cloud that covered his body difcovered his Divinity; and therefore here is thy duty; r J to look itedfaflly towards Heaven, and to worlhip him in his afcenfion up into Heaven; 0 admire and adore! But fl:ay not thy contemplation in the Cloud, he afcends yet higher, through the Air, and through the Clouds, and through that Sphere, or Element of lire, and through thofe Orbs of the Moon, Merc11ry, Mai's; of the Sun, 1upiter, Venm, Saturn; and throuoh tfm azure Heaven of fixed Stars, and through that lirll: moveable, and through th"ofe condenfe and folid waters of the ClJrill:alline Heaven ; nor ftood he ll:ill till he came to thofe doors and gates of the Empyreal Heaven, called The heaven •f hea· vem'; in all this triurt)phant glorious march fome tell us of an heavenly harmony made c. r. i• Sum. i:Jy thof~ Choriflers of'Heaven, the blelfed Angels: Some go_ing before, . and fome gomg o/enf. after, they chant hu p'rai{N, and fi"g Hallelufaht ; and that IS the meamng of t~e Pfal: Prar. . f· mill:, O'od t1gone 11p with a jiJollt, the Lord with the fotmd of" Tmmpet. In thrs me.dr4 . tauon
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