2 SERMONS úpon Serm. 14. 5. Another Circumftance, was his lait Action a little before his Afcenfion 5 Luke 24. 50. He bleed his Di fciples ; nay, it,is added again, to put the greater Emphafrs up- on it; Verf.. 51. And while be bleed them, he was parted from them, and carried zip inth Heaven. It is the fafhion of good Men to die bleffing ; Jacob and Moles, when they were to' take their leaves of the World, they bleffed the Tribes. Chrift, before he would go, would 5rft leave his Blefling; nay, the late A&, with which he would clofe up his Life, was an A& of Bleffing, to thew, that now the Curfe was removed, and he was going to Heaven, to convey the Blefftng to all the Heirs of Salvation. ' Mrs 3, 26. 'Unto yew firfi, God having raifed up his Son yefaa, Pent him to biefs you, in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities ; as God bleffed Adam and Eve, when his Work was done. 6. The Manner. As a. 9. When he had fpoken theft things, while they beheld, he was taken up, and a Cloud received him Wit of their fight; The Cloud anfwered to God's ap- pearance in the Tabernacle. When we look on the Clouds, this was Chrift's Chariot, he will come again in like magner. 7. In his Afcenfion he went to Heaven as a Conqueror, he triumphed over his Enemies, and gave Gifts to his Friends; EpheC 4.8. When le afcended up on high, he led Captivity Captive, and gave Gifts unto Men : As glorious Conquerors lead their chief Enemies fettered in Iron Chains. So Col.2. i 5. Having fpoiled Principalities and Powers, be made a flew of them openly, triumphing over them in it : fv inn, non Swdore & Sangui- ne aliorum, ut quondam Imperatoren folebant. There is fame Difficulty about the Expofr- tion of that place; chofe Teem too literally to interpret it, that think there was Come open Pomp and Shew. The PapJts fay, he went to the Limbos Patron,, and took Abraham, Ifaac, Jacob, and other holy Men of the Old Teftament, along with him in Triumph to Heaven; but then he fbould have taken the Devils. Zanchy thinks there was Come real vifible Triumph, vifible not to all, but to God, Angels and Men, leading the Devils through the Air. Still it feemeth too grofs, and to be affected without Warrant. But this mutt be interpreted fuitably to the other Aas of his Offices this Triumph mutt be referred to his Afcenfion. Chrift fought for Heaven, and ftruck the Taft Stroke on the Crofs, feized on the Spoil at his R.efurreEìion, led them in Triumph at his Afcenfion, and by his quiet fitting on the Throne, his Subjects enjoy the Benefit. 8. Chrift's Entertainment by the 'Angels. Some were left to comfort the Apoftles; Aas I. so. While they looked ffedfaflly towards Heaven, two Men flood by in white Ap- parel : There two Men, were two Angels in the fhape of Men. When the Husband is to go a long Journey, he writeth to the Wife from the next Stage, whilft her Grief is frefh and running, and giveth an account of his Welfare. Chrift difpatcheth two Meffengers out of his glorious Train, which Meffage being done, they accompany him with other Angels into Heaven. Dan. 7.13. I faw one like the Son of Man, with the Clouds of Heaven, and they brought him near before him : They, that is, the Angels; the Son of Man, that is, Chrift, as appeareth by the next Verle, they wait upon him, and guard him into the Prefence of God. Certainly if the Angels came Co chearfully to proclaim his Incarnation,when born ; What Triumph is there by that bleffed Company in Heaven at his Afcenfion? Still the Angels are in Chrifi's Company; when he cometh to Judgment, the Angels {hall come with him. Chrift coming into the Pre - fence of the Father, is royally attended ; his Entrance into Heaven is glorious, with gloridus Applaufes and Acclamations ; Pfal. 24. I I. Lift up your Heads, 0 ye Gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlafling Doors, and the King of Glory frail come in ; viz. at the coming of his Humanity: fo yuJin Martyr, Bafil, Euthimius. But clearly there is an Aliufion to the bringing the Ark into the place prepared by David for it; a Figure of Chrift's entrance into Heaven. They applaud him as mighty in Battel, as newly returned from the Spoils of his Enemies: The Entrance of a victorious and trium- phant Captain is there defcribed, and fo it is proper to Chrift. Once more, the bleffed Saints have the like Applaufe, Ifaiah defcribes it, Ifa. 63.1,2, 3. Who in this that cometh frem Edom, with dyed Garments from Bozrah ? this that is glorious in his Ap- parel, travelling in the greatnefs of his Strength? I that (peak Righteoufnefs, mighty to fave. Wherefore art thou red in thine Apparel, and thy Garments like him that treadetb in the Wine-fat ? I have troden the Wine prefs alone, and of the People there was none with me, &c. There is a Dialogue as before, to exprels the Saint's Acclamations to Chrift : The Church is brought in there wondring at Chrift's glorious Triumph over all his Enemies, as returning victorious, from Come bloody . Fight, like a great Commander in
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