opmlJ tryurnp!Jing over them inrhim(elfe;. it is a manifefl: •allufion to the manner oftryumphs arter VIctones amongft the·Rom4ns; firft, tbey fpoyled the enemy upon the place, ere they ftirred off the field · and thi5 was done by Chrift on the cro1fe; and then they made a publake tryumphall {hew, ~hey rid ,through the ftreets in the greateft ftate, ahd had all thetr fpoyles carryed befo~ them, and the Kings and Nobles whom th~y had taken, ~hey tye~tto their charrets, and led them as capttves; and thts dtd Chrift at his afcen!ion : t hen he openly tryumphed <-v ct.•h&J in himfelfe ( i.) in his own power and ftrength; other conquerours ~o n~t thus; they conquer not in themfelves, and by themfelves, but J elus Chrift conquered in himfeife, and therefore he tryumpbed in himfelfe. And yet though he tryumphed in himfelfe, and by himfelfe, it \\'as not forhim{elfe only, but for us; which made the Apoftle to tryumph in his tryumph, 0 aeath where is thy c r 1 1''5> fling, 0 gr4vewhere is thy vifJory? the jfingBfdeath is fin, and the 1 5 ~,~ 7. ' jfrength of fin is the law ; but thank! be to God which giveth 114 viEhry through our Lord Jefus Chrijf. If I may fpeak out, what I think was this victory of Chrift; 1 b'dee\.·e it was that honour given to him after his refurrection by the converfion of enemies, by the amazements of the world, by the admiration of Angels, and efpecia!ly by his fitting down at the right hand of Majefty on high; for therein is contained both his exaltation, and hi~ tryumph over all his enemies to the utmotl. · 2. Thar he might lead us the way, and open to us the doores of gfory. It is a queftion whether ever thofe doores of heaven were opened tl:fany before Chrifis afcenfion? Chrift tells us, in . my Fathers houfe are many manfiom, if it were not Jo, I would have Joh.14.1,l. told you, but I go to prepae a place f~r rou , and if I go and prepare a place for _rou, 1 will come agninc , and receive J~u unto my felfe, that where 1 am, ye may he alfo. Some infer hence, as if there iliould be'many 'outer courts, and many different places or Hatesin glory; and yet that there is one place whither the Sain!s fhould arrive at !aft, which was not then ready for them, and was not to be entred into, unt ill the entrance of our Lo··d had made the preparation. Againe, the Apoftle tells H<h. - 0 m, that the Fath,rs receivednot tlj~ prornifes, q od having prvvided 11 .4 ' fome brttfr thir.gfor us, that 1 he; without us jlmt!d If' '. be madeperfeR. Whence fome infer that their conditions af.c.tf death was a fiate of imperfdtion; and thr.t they were placed in an outer N n n n 1 2 court
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