Received up to Glory

high as the place was whence he came down. 'God manifest in the flesh,' that is the beginning of all; 'received up in glory,' that is the consummation and shutting up of all. It implies all—his exaltation, his resurrection, his ascension, his 'sitting at the right hand of God,' and his coming to 'judge the quick and the dead;' especially is meant his glory after his resurrection, his ascension and 'sitting at the right hand of God;' yet supposing his resurrection,

'Received up to Glory.'

'Glory' implies three things. It is an exemption from that which is opposite, and a conquering over the contrary base condition. It implies some great eminency and excellency as the foundation of it, and then a manifestation of that excellency; and it implies victory over all opposition. Though there be excellency, if there be not a manifestation of that excellency, it is not 'glory.' Christ was inwardly glorious, while he was on earth in the state of abasement. He had true glory, as he was God and man; but there was not a manifestation of it, and therefore it is not properly called 'glory.' There was not a victory, and subduing of all that was contrary to his glory; for he was abased, and suffered in the garden, and died. But where these three are,—an exemption and freedom from all baseness, and all that may diminish reckoning and estimation, and when there is a foundation of true excellency, and likewise a shining, a declaring and breaking forth of that excellency,—there is glory. But Christ, after he was

'manifest in the flesh,' and had done the work here that he had to do, he was 'received up to glory;' that is, all baseness was laid aside. His glory appearing, all abasement did vanish; he was victorious over that; for, in his resurrection, that was the first degree of his glory.

You know, the cloths that he was bound with were left in the grave, the stone was removed. All things that might hinder his glory, that

might abase him in body, in soul, or condition, they were removed.

There was an excellency in all that was not before, in regard of manifestation. For his body, it was now impassible, an immortal, spiritual body. It could suffer no longer. It was not fed with meat and drink, as in the time of his abasement. It was a body so agile and so nimble, that he could move even as he would himself. So there was a glory put upon his body above the sun. There was a glory upon the soul. All that might hinder that, was subdued; for there was no sorrow, no fear, nor grief, as there was in his soul before he was glorified. So both in body and soul, he was more glorious.

And then for his whole condition, that was glorious. He was abased no longer, for now he was taken into the highest place of all, above the heavens; and as his place is most eminent, so his government is most eminent. For he is taken up there 'above all principalities and powers,' as it is Eph. 1:20, and 'is gloriously set down at the right hand of God,' 1 Peter 3:22. All being subject to him, he hath the domination and government of all. So that whatsoever might shadow and cloud him, all ills, either in body, in soul, or condition, all was removed, and he was glorious in all.

For excellency, the foundation of glory, that was always with him in his very abasement, but now it was 'manifested.' He was 'mightily declared to be the Son of God, by raising himself from the dead,'

Rom. 1:4. He was declared to be glorious in all those things wherein he could be glorious. As no person can be glorious but either it must be in body or soul or condition, he was glorious in all; for he was

'received up' into the place of 'glory,' to heaven, to the assembly of glory, to the presence of his Father and the blessed saints and angels, and no question but there was a glorious welcome. If the angels came so cheerfully to proclaim his incarnation when he was born, and sang, 'Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, and good will towards

men,' Luke 2:14, what kind of triumph do you think was made by all the blessed company in heaven when he was entertained thither after his abasement? It is beyond our conceits to imagine.

It will not be altogether unuseful to speak of the circumstances of Christ's being 'taken up to glory.'

1. Whence was he taken? He was taken 'up to glory,' from mount Olivet, where he used to pray, and where he sweat water and blood, where he was humbled. From the place of humiliation was his ascension to glory, shewing unto us that the place ofttimes where we pray, where we are afflicted, our sick-beds, nay, the places of our abasement, the very prisons, they may be as mount Olivet to us, from whence God will take us to glory. Let no man, therefore, fear any abasement; it may prove as mount Olivet to him in this respect.

2. And when was he taken 'up to glory?' Not before he had finished his work, as he saith, John 17:4, 'I have finished the work thou gavest me to do.' Then he was taken up, when he had done all, when he had accomplished our salvation; and after his abasement, not before. So our taking 'up to glory,' it must be when we have done our 'work,' when we have finished our 'course,' when we have run our 'race,' when we have 'fought the good fight.' And also after our abasement.

We must first 'suffer' with Christ, before we can be 'glorified' with him. Again, if we speak of the first degree of Christ's glory, his resurrection: he was taken 'up to glory' when he was at the lowest that could be, when he was in the grave. So God's church and children, at the lowest they are nearest to glory. We use to say,

Things when they are at the worst are nearest mending. So is the state and condition of the church of God, and every particular

Christian. When he is lowest he is nearest rising, as we shall see afterwards.

3. The witnesses of this were the angels. They proclaimed his incarnation with joy; and without doubt they were much more joyful at his ascending up to glory. It was in the presence of the angels. So likewise, when he shall come to manifest his glory at the day of judgment, there will be 'innumerable thousands of angels.' Those glorious creatures were witnesses of his glory, and no question but they yielded their joyful attendance and service, that were so willing to attend him at his birth and coming into the world.

4. He was carried up in the clouds, in which also he shall come again at the last day.

But before he was taken up 'to glory' he was forty days on earth, to give evidence to his apostles and disciples of his resurrection, and to instruct and furnish them in things concerning their callings; afterwards he was taken 'up to glory.' And in all that time of his abode on earth, after his first degree of glory, his resurrection, he was never seen of sinful eye for anything we see in Scripture—I mean of those that were scorners of him, that despised him. The Scribes and Pharisees and carnal people did not see him. They had no commerce ot all with him after his resurrection. They that despised him in his abasement had no comfort by his exaltation.

But that which I will chiefly press in this clause shall be to shew, that, as this is a mystery, so how it is a 'mystery of godliness' to stir us up to godliness; for, as I said before, divine truths and principles they are called 'godliness,' because, where they are embraced, they work godliness, the soul is transformed into them. Where these truths are

'engrafted in the soul,' as St Peter saith, they turn the soul into their own nature. Therefore I will shew how this mystery, Christ 'received up to glory,' breeds a frame of godliness in the heart.

That it is a mystery it will easily appear. For was it a 'great mystery' that God should take our nature upon him, to be abased in it? Surely it must needs be a mystery that God will be glorified in our nature.

Was our nature advanced in his incarnation? Much more was it glorified in his exaltation, when he carried it to heaven with him.

Here was the mystery of the exaltation of our nature. God was as much abased as he could be, being born and dying for us. Our human nature was as much advanced as it could be, when God raised it up to heaven. God could be no more abased, remaining God; and man's nature can be no more advanced, remaining the true nature of man.

This is a 'great mystery,' the advancement of our nature in Christ, that was made 'lower than the angels;' he was 'a worm, and no man.'

Now our nature in Christ is advanced above the angels. Now this nature of ours in Christ, it is next to the nature of God in dignity; here is a mystery.

Among many other respects it is a mystery for the greatness of it. We see after his ascension, when he appeared to Paul in glory, a glimpse of it struck Paul down; he could not endure it. Nay, before he suffered, a very shadow of his glory, it amazed Peter and James and John; they could not bear it; they forgot themselves: 'Let us build,' say they, 'three tabernacles,' &c. If a little discovery of his glory on earth wrought these effects, what great glory is it then that he hath in heaven! Certainly it is beyond all expression.

In this glorious condition that Christ is received into, he fulfils all his offices in a most comfortable manner. He is a glorious prophet, to send his Spirit now to teach and open the heart. He is a glorious priest, to appear before God in the holy of holies, in heaven for us, for ever; and he is a king there for ever. From thence he rules his church and subdues his enemies. So that though he accomplished and fulfilled those blessed offices that were appointed him in the

state of humiliation on earth, as it became that state to suffer for us, yet it was necessary that he should enter into glory, to manifest that he was a king, priest, and prophet; for he was not manifested who he was, indeed, to our comfort, till he was 'received up in glory.' We had not the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, sent from above till he ascended; as it is in John 7:39, 'The Holy Ghost was not given, because Christ was not ascended,' to apply and to help us make use of Christ and all his benefits and riches. So that in regard of the manifestation of Christ's offices, and of application of all the good we have by it, it is by Christ

'received up in glory.' To come to some application.

1. First of all, we must lay this for a ground and foundation of what follows, that Christ ascended as a public person. He must not be considered as a particular person, alone by himself, but as the 'second Adam.' As he took the nature of man in his incarnation, so he ascended into heaven in it, as a public person. As the first Adam was, in whom we all sinned, and all came to misery and baseness, and died, so Christ must be considered as the 'second Adam,' as in other things, so in his ascension to glory.

2. In the second place, we must know that there is a wondrous nearness between Christ and us now; for before we can think of any comfort by the 'glory of Christ,' we must be one with him by faith, for he is the saviour of his body. Therefore we must be in him, we must be his members, we must be his spouse; and being so once, we are one with Christ. There is no relation in the world that is able to express the nearness between Christ and us sufficiently; and therefore, when we speak of Christ ascending into glory, we must needs think of ourselves, and of our glory and advancement. He was taken up to glory in onr nature, not only for himself but for all his. As the husband of the church, he is gone before, to take up heaven for his wife. As a husband takes up land in another country for his

spouse, though she be not there, Christ hath taken up heaven for us:

'I go before to prepare a place for you,' John 14:3. So likewise he is in heaven as a glorious head, ministering virtue, and comfort, and strength to all his. All our power and strength, it comes from Christ now, as our head in heaven.

3. Again, There is a causality, the force of a cause in this; because Christ, therefore we. Here is not only a priority of order, but a cause likewise; and there is great reason. Was there the force of a cause in Adam, that was but mere man, to convey sin and misery, and the displeasure of God to all that are born and descend of him? and is there not the force of a cause in the 'second Adam,' to convey grace and glory to his, he being God and man? Therefore, whatsoever is good, it is first in Christ and then in us. Christ first rose, therefore we shall rise; he ascended into glory, therefore we shall be afterward in glory.

4. And then we must consider Christ not only as an efficient cause, but as a pattern and example how we shall be 'glorified.' He is not only the efficient of all glory within and without, but he is the exemplary cause; for all is first in him and then in us. He was first abased, and so must we; and then he was glorified, and so shall we.

We must be conformable to his abasement, and then to his glory. 'He is the first-fruits of them that sleep,' 1 Cor. 15:20; he being the firstfruits, we succeed. These things being premised as grounds, I come to make some use of this comfortable point.

Use 1. Christ is received up in glory; therefore, first of all, for our information, we must not seek him in a wafer-cake, we must not look for him in the sacrament bodily: how can he be there when he is

'received up in glory'? Therefore when we come to the sacrament, let us consider we have now to deal with Christ who is in heaven.

Cannot Christ shew his virtue to comfort and strengthen us, but we must have his body in the communion to touch our bodies? The foot hath influence from the head, yet the head is distant from it in place.

The utmost branches have life and sap from the root, yet they are remote in respect of place. A king spreads his influence over his whole kingdom, though it be never so large, yet he is but in one place, in respect of his person. Doth the sun in the heavens come down to the earth to make the spring, and to make all fruitful?

Cannot he send beams and influence from thence to cherish the earth? Must Christ come down in his body to us, or else he can do us no good? Must there be a corporeal descent, or else we can receive no influence from him? There may be a derivation of virtue from Christ though his person be in heaven; where he shall remain till the last day, when he shall come to be 'glorious in his saints.' The sun doth more good being in heaven, than he could do if he were on the earth.

If the sun were lower, what would become of the earth? But being so remote, and so far above, he hath opportunity to shine over the greatest part of the earth at once; being greater than the earth, he shineth over more than half the earth at once. Christ being in heaven, as the 'Sun of righteousness,' he shines more gloriously over all; and we have more comfort, and benefit, and influence from Christ, now in heaven, than we could if he were on earth. Must we needs make him bodily present everywhere, as the papists do, and other heterodox strange conceited men in Germany?* What need we do thus when there may be influence from Christ, now in heaven, to us on earth,—as we see in other things,—without confusion of his divine properties to his body, or making his body as his Godhead is?

Therefore seek him not bodily anywhere but in heaven. Those opinions overthrow three articles of our faith at once: 'He ascended into heaven;' 'He sitteth at the right hand of God;' and, 'He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.' And where is his body in the mean time? in the sacrament? No. He is 'received up in glory.'

Therefore we must have our thoughts in heaven when we are about that business. We must 'lift up our hearts,' as it is in our liturgy, which is taken out of the ancient liturgy, 'We lift them up unto the Lord.' We must have holy thoughts raised up to Christ in heaven.

Use 2. Again, Is Christ 'received up to glory'? Here is singular comfort, considering what I said before, that he is ascended as a public person, in our behalf, in our nature, for our good. Therefore, when we think of Christ in heaven, think of our husband in heaven, think of ourselves in heaven: 'We are set together in heavenly places with Christ,' as the apostle saith, Eph. 1:20. We have a glorious life, but it is hid with Christ, in heaven. When Christ himself shall be revealed, our life shall be revealed. Though we creep upon the earth as worms, yet notwithstanding we have communion and fellowship with Christ, who is joined with us in the same mystical body; who is now 'at the right hand of God' in heaven; and he that hath glorified his natural body in heaven, that he took upon him, he will glorify his mystical body; for he took flesh and blood, his natural body, for the glory of his mystical body, that he might bring his church to glory.

Therefore, we ought as verily to believe that he will take his mystical body, and every particular member of it, to heaven, as he hath taken his natural body, and hath set it there in glory.

It is a comfort, in the hour of death, that we yield up our souls to Christ, who is gone before to provide a place for us. This was one end of his taking up to heaven, to provide a place for us. Therefore, when we die, we have not a place to seek. Our house is provided beforehand. Christ was taken up to glory to provide glory for us.

Even as paradise was provided for Adam before he was made, so we have a heavenly paradise provided for us. We had a place in heaven before we were born. What a comfort is this at the hour of death, and at the death of our friends, that they are gone to Christ and to glory!

We were shut out of the first paradise by the first Adam. Our comfort is, that now the heavenly paradise in Christ is open: 'This day shalt thou be with me in paradise,' saith Christ to the good thief, Luke

23:43. There was an angel to keep paradise when Adam was shut out; but there is none to keep us out of heaven; nay, the angels are ready to convey our souls to heaven, as they did Lazarus, and as they accompanied Christ in his ascension to heaven, so they do the souls of his children.

Likewise, In our sins and infirmities. When we have to deal with God the Father, whom we have offended with our sins, let us fetch comfort from hence. Christ is ascended into heaven, to appear before his Father as a mediator for us; and, therefore, God turns away his wrath from us. We have a friend, a favourite in the court of heaven, the Son of God himself, at his Father's 'right hand:' he makes intercession for us. As Jonathan appeared in Saul's court to speak a good word and to plead for David, so our Jonathan, Jesus Christ, but with far better success, appears in the court of heaven for us, continuing our peace with God in our daily breaches, perfuming our prayers. And there is no danger of his death, for 'he is a priest for ever at the right hand of God,' to make intercession for us; his very presenting himself in heaven speaks for us. As if he should say, These persons that ask in my name, they are such persons as I was born for; such as I obeyed for; such as I died for; such as I was sent into the world to work the great work of redemption for; for he wrought our redemption in his abased estate; but he applies it as he is exalted.

Application is as necessary as merit. We have no good by the work of redemption, without application: and for that end he appears in heaven for us and pleads for us. For even as there is speech attributed to Abel's blood—it cried, 'Vengeance, vengeance!'—so Christ appearing now in heaven for us, his blood cries, 'Mercy, mercy! These are those I shed my blood for; Mercy, Lord!' The very

appearing of him that shed his blood, it cries for mercy at the throne of mercy, which is therefore a throne of mercy because he is there.

He shed his blood to satisfy justice, to make way for mercy.

In the law, the high priest, after he had offered a sacrifice of blood, he was to go into the 'holy of holies;' so Christ, after he had offered himself for a sacrifice, he went into the 'holy of holies,' into heaven, to appear before God. And as the high priest, when he went into the holy of holies, he had the names of the twelve tribes on his breast, to shew that he appeared before God for them all, so Christ being gone into the 'holy of holies,' into heaven, he hath all our names upon his breast; that is, in his heart the name of every particular believer, to the end of the world; to present them before God. Therefore, when we have to deal with God, think of Christ, now glorious in heaven, appearing for us; God can deny him nothing, nor deny us anything that we ask in his name; we have his promise for it.

It is a ground likewise of contentment in all conditions, whatsoever our wants be. What if we want comfort, houses, &c., on earth, when we have heaven provided for us, and glory provided for us; when we are already so glorious in our Head? Shall not any condition content a man in this world, that hath such a glorious condition in the eye of faith to enter into? We should not so much as look up to heaven without comfort: Yonder is my Saviour, yonder is a house provided for me. We should think and look upon heaven as our own place, whither Christ is gone before, and keeps a room for us. Here we may want comforts, we may be thrust out of house and home, out of our habitation and country and all; but all the world, and all the devils in hell, they cannot thrust us out of heaven, nor dissolve and break the communion that is between Christ and us. They cannot take away either grace or glory from us. Therefore we should be content with

any condition in this world. Christ is ascended into heaven, to keep a blessed condition for us.

Likewise, when we think of the troubles of this world, of the enemies we have here, think of Christ taken 'up to glory,' and think of Christ's order. First, he suffered, and then he entered into glory. So we must be content to suffer first, and then be glorious. We are predestinate to be conformable to Christ. Wherein stands our conformity? It is in abasement first, and then in glory. Christ entered into glory in this order, and shall we think to come to heaven in another order than

Christ did? Shall we wish for a severed condition from him? If we be in Christ, all that we suffer in this world, they are sufferings of conformity to make us suitable to our Head, and to fit us for glory.

And our greatest abasements, what are they to the abasement of Christ? None was ever so low, and there is none so high. As he was the lowest in abasement, so he is the highest in glory. When he was at the lowest, in the grave, not only dead, but under the kingdom and command of death, then he rose gloriously and ascended. Our lowest abasements are forerunners of our advancement and glory. This assumption of Christ to glory should help us in this respect.

In all disconsolations there is a world of comfort hence. We must not think of Christ, as if his honours had changed his manners, as it is among men; that now he is become stately, that he doth not regard his poor church. No such matter; he regards his poor church now he is in heaven as much as he ever did. The members here cannot suffer anything but the Head in heaven is sensible of it; as it is Acts 9:4,

'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?' The foot is trod upon, and the tongue complains. Our blessed Saviour is not like Pharaoh's unkind butler, that forgat Joseph when himself was out of prison. Christ being advanced to honour now, forgets us not here. No; he is as good

Joseph, that was sent into Egypt to provide for all his family

beforehand. So this our Joseph, the great steward of heaven and earth, he is gone to provide for us all, against we come to heaven. He forgets us not: 'He disdains not to look on things below,' Ps. 113:6; he considers every poor Christian. He is as merciful now as he was when he was upon earth; as you have it largely proved Heb. 4:7, 'He was man for this end, that he might be a merciful high priest;' and he is so in heaven, and pities all our infirmities. It is not here 'Out of sight, out of mind,' for, as I said, he hath us in his breast; ay, and he is with us, by his Spirit, to the end of the world. He is taken up to heaven by his body; but his Spirit, which is his general vicar, is here with us to the end of the world: 'I will send you the Comforter, and he shall abide alway with you,' John 14:26. And it is better for us to have the Comforter here, without his bodily presence, than to have his bodily presence without the abundance of his Spirit; as it was better with the disciples when he was taken up to heaven, and was present by his

Spirit, than it was before. We lose nothing therefore by the ascension of Christ. It was for us. He was given for us, born for us. He lived for us, he died for us, he rose and ascended to heaven for our good: 'It is good for you that I go,' John 14:28. It was to provide a place for us, and to send the Comforter. All was for our good, whatsoever he did, in his abasement and exaltation.

Again, This administereth comfort in regard of the afflictions of the church. When the church is under any abasement, at the lowest, it hath a glorious head in heaven; and what! doth he sit there and do nothing? No. He sits 'at the right hand of God,' and rules his church, even in the midst of his enemies. If he do give the chain to them, it is for special ends. His people stand in need of all that they endure, and he measures it even to a drachm, whatsoever his church suffers; for they are his members, and he is sensible of their sufferings. He is 'a high priest that is touched with our infirmities,' Heb. 4:15. Therefore nothing can befall his church without his government. He lets loose

the enemies thus far, and then he restrains them, and subdues and conquers them, making them his 'footstool.' The enemies seem to domineer now, and trample on the church; but ere long they shall become the church's 'footstool.' Christ will govern his church till all his enemies 'be under his feet.' He is ascended into heaven for this purpose; and he is fitting his church by these afflictions, for greater grace in this world, and for eternal glory in the world to come.

Therefore, let us not take scandal* at the present sight of things. We stand amazed to see the state of Europe at this time; but for our comfort let us consider that Christ is taken 'up to glory,' and he sits in heaven and rules his church, and will guide all these wars to a good and gracious end. He sits at the stern. The ship may be tossed where

Christ sleeps, but it cannot be drowned. The house that is built upon a rock, it may be blown upon, it shall never be overthrown. The bush wherein the fire is, it may burn, but it shall never be consumed. The church, wherein Christ rules and governs, it may be tossed, it shall never be overcome and subdued. Nay, by all these things that the church suffers, Christ rules, and exerciseth his church's graces, and mortifies his church's corruptions. It is necessary there should be some change. Standing waters breed frogs, and other base creatures; so it is with Christians. If there be not some exercise by afflictions, what kind of vices grow? As we see in these times of peace, what kind of lives most men live, that we may take up an admiration† that God should be so merciful to continue his truth to a company of proud base carnal persons, that lead lives, under the gospel, no better than if they were in paganism. Therefore we cannot look for any good, without further abasement. And certainly, if troubles come, we should many of us be better than we are now: afflictions would be so far from doing us harm, that they would refine us. We shall lose nothing, but that that doth us hurt; that, that we may well spare; that, that hinders our joy and comfort.

But, I say, let us comfort ourselves in respect of the present state of the church. Christ rules in the midst of his enemies, in the midst of crosses and persecutions, not to free us alway from them; but he rules in turning them to good, in strengthening and exercising our graces; and he rules in the midst of his church at this time by turning his enemies' cruelty to the good of the elect. As he ruled in the Israelites when he suffered Pharaoh to go on in the hardness of his heart, but he had a time for Pharaoh's ruin; so Christ hath a time for the persecutions of the church, as he had for all the ten persecuting emperors, that came to base and fearful ends. 'Was there ever any man fierce against God and prospered?' saith Job, chap. 9:4. Was there ever any that set themselves against the church of God and prospered? No, no. It is with the church as it was with Christ; to have looked on Christ hanging and bleeding on the cross, to have seen him grovelling on the ground in the garden, men would be ready to take offence. What! he the Saviour of the world? But stay and see him in the text, assumed to glory, and then there would be no offence taken at Christ. So it is in the church. You see the church suffers persecutions, but lay one thing with another. See the church in heaven with the Head of the church. See the church advanced. See it in glory ere long. See it refined and fitted by sufferings, to come better out of afflictions than it went in, and then none will take scandal at the afflictions of the church, as they ought not at the abasement of Christ. For though he was 'God manifest' in weak

'flesh,' yet we see he 'ascended up in glory.'

There is a comfortable speech, Jer. 30:7, 'It is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be delivered out of it.' So we may say, this is the time of the church's trouble, but the church shall be delivered out of it. The enemies have their time to afflict and trample upon the church; but Christ hath his time to trample on them. Let us wait and expect with comfort better times. The kingdoms of the

world will be known to be the Lord Jesus Christ's. There will be a further subjection to Christ's kingdom than ever there was since the first times, when the fulness of the Gentiles and the conversion of the Jews shall be. Let us comfort ourselves with the times to come.

Christ is in glory, and he will bring his church to further glory even in this world, besides eternal glory at the latter day. 'Rejoice not over me, O mine enemy: for though I be fallen, yet shall I rise,' Micah 7:8.

Let not the enemies of the church insult* over much; though the church be fallen, yet she shall rise again 'after three days,' saith the prophet, Mat. 27:63. † Christ, though he were abased as low as possible he could be, yet after three days he arose; so the church shall rise out of her troubles after three days; that is, after a certain time that we know not; but the exact time is only in the hands of Christ.

But certainly there are glorious times of the church coming.

Consider the wonderful love of Christ, that would suspend his glory so long. The glory of heaven was due to him upon his incarnation, by virtue of the union of his human nature with the divine; for that nature that was united to the Godhead, it must needs have right to glory by that very union. What should hinder, when it was so near to God as to be one person, to be taken into the union of the person? Oh but where had our salvation been then, if Christ had entered into glory upon his incarnation, if he had not shed his blood, if he had not been abased to the death of the cross? Therefore the schoolmen speak well (t), he enjoyed the presence of God affectione justitiœ, with the affection of justice and all virtues; that is, he was as gracious from the beginning, from his incarnation, for matter of grace and love of all that is good; yet not affectione accommoda. There was a nearness to God in pleasure, and joy, and comfort. This he denied himself till he was assumpted to glory after his resurrection; and this he did in love to us, that he might suffer and be abased, to work out our salvation. That redundance of glory that should have been upon

his person presently upon the union, it was stayed till his resurrection, that he might accomplish and fulfil our salvation. What a mercy and love was this! So it is with the church. It is glorious as it hath union with Christ. Is not the church a glorious thing, that is joined to Christ, that is 'Lord of lords, and King of kings,' the ruler of heaven and earth? What is the reason the church is so abased then?

If the church were not abased, it could not be conformed to Christ.

Christ, that he might work our salvation, he must be abased, and have suspension and stopping of the glory due to him, till the resurrection. Of necessity, we must be conformed to Christ as far as we may; and, that we may be conformed to him in abasement and suffering, there must be a stop of our glory, till we be dead and turned to dust, until we rise again, until Christ come to be 'glorious in his saints,' 2 Thes. 1:10. If Christ, as I formerly said, had shewed all his glory in his abasement, he could never have suffered. The devil himself would have done him no harm. There had been no pretence.

The Pharisees would never have persecuted him and hated him, if they had seen him to have been such a person as he was; but he veiled his glory that he might suffer. If the world did but see the thousandth part of the glory that of due belongs to Christians, would they revile them, and disgrace, and malign, and trample on them?

Certainly they would not. This is discovered in Scripture; but the world, to discover their atheism, that they believe not the word of God, take no notice of it. And that the children of God may be conformed to their head, and that way may be made to the malice of wicked men, to trample upon them, they go in the shape of miserable men.

Therefore let us not be discouraged for any abasement. We have a glorious life hid with Christ, which shall be revealed one day; in the

mean time, in the midst of abasement, let us believe glory. And let me add this to the rest:

As the same body wherein Christ was spit upon, and mangled, and crucified, in the same body he rose again, and in the same body ascended into heaven, so it shall be with us. The same body that suffers anything for Christ, the same body that dies, the same body shall rise, and be assumed to glory.

Hence likewise we have a ground of patience in all our sufferings from another reason, not from the order but from the certainty of glory. Shall we not patiently suffer, considering the glory that we shall certainly have? 'If we suffer with him we shall be glorified with him,' Rom. 8:17. Who will not be patient awhile, that hath such glory in his eye? Therefore let us look upon the glory of Christ in all our sufferings whatsoever. What made Moses and all the saints in all times to be so patient? They had an eye this way. What made

Stephen not only patient but glorious? 'His face shone as the face of an angel,' Acts 6:15. He looked on Jesus Christ, and saw him 'sitting at the right hand of God.' What made the martyrs not only patient but triumphant in all their sufferings? They had an eye of faith to see

Christ sitting in glory, and to see themselves in heaven 'glorious in Christ;' and not only to see themselves 'glorious in Christ,' but in themselves afterwards. We are not only glorious in our Head, but we shall be ourselves where he is, 'taken up in glory.'

And let it stir us up likewise not to be ashamed of religion, and to stand out in good causes for Christ and the church. 'He is not ashamed to be called our brother,' Heb. 2:11. No; not after his resurrection. 'Go tell my brethren, I ascend to my Father and your

Father,' John 20:17. He was not ashamed of it when he began to be in the state of glory. He is not ashamed of our nature now, to take it up

into heaven. He is not ashamed to own us here, and at the day of judgment to set us at his right hand. And shall we now, for fear of men, for fear of shame, for any base earthly respect, be ashamed of our glorious Head? Do we believe that we have a Head that is glorious in heaven, 'sitting at the right hand of God,' that ere long will come to 'judge the quick and the dead;' and shall we be ashamed to hold out the profession of religion for a scorn, for a word, for a frown? Where is the 'Spirit of glory,' the spirit that should be in Christians that hope to be glorious? 'He that is ashamed of me here,' saith Christ, 'I will be ashamed of him at that great day.' How can we think that Christ will own us, when we will not own religion here?

When we are ashamed to stand for him, shall we think to stand at his right hand? All base carnal atheistical spirits, that are afraid of disgrace, of displeasure, of loss, of anything but of him they should be afraid of; let them know there is no comfort for them in Christ's exaltation; for if they had any communion with Christ, he would infuse another manner of spirit into them. Let us therefore stand for Christ. We have a glorious head, a glorious hope, a glorious inheritance.

And let us go on with encouragement in good duties, with a spirit of faith; for wherefore is Christ in heaven but to rule his church by his

Spirit; 'to lead captivity captive, and to give gifts to men,' Eph. 4:8.

Let us therefore go on with confidence, that Christ from heaven will give us his Spirit to subdue our corruptions. He is in heaven to rule his church; and what is his kingdom but the subduing of our spirits by his Spirit, to be more humble, and more holy and gracious every way? Let us not think that our corruptions will be too hard for us, but go on in a spirit of faith; that Christ that died for us as a priest, he will rule us as a king; and if we be true to our own souls, we shall have strength to sustain us. He sits in heaven to rule us by his gracious Spirit. Let us not despair. Though we carry this and that

corruption about us, we shall by little and little overcome all. He will 'lead captivity captive,' and overcome all in us, as he did in his own person. He that overcame for us will overcome in us, if there be a spirit of faith to depend upon him.

Again, This mystery is a 'mystery of godliness.' It tendeth to and enforceth godliness and holiness of life. Christ 'received up to glory.'

You see then our flesh is in heaven. Christ hath taken into heaven the pledge of our flesh, and given us the pledge of his Spirit. It was a dignifying of our nature that God should be manifest in our flesh.

That that was an abasing to him, as God, was an honour to our nature. The incarnation of Christ it was the beginning of his abasement in regard of his Godhead, for the Godhead to be clouded under flesh; but it was a dignifying of the human nature that it should be grafted into the second person. And is it not a greater honour to our nature that now in Christ it is gone to heaven, and is there above angels? Our nature in Christ rules over all the world.

And wherefore is all this? As it is for wondrous comfort, so for instruction, to carry ourselves answerable to our dignity. What! hath

God taken our nature upon him to the unity of the second person, and exalted and honoured and enriched it? Is he likewise gone to heaven in our nature, and is there above all principalities and powers? All the angels in heaven attend upon him. And shall we debase and dishonour our nature that is so exalted? Let it work upon us, to carry ourselves in a holy kind of state. Shall we defile ourselves with sinful courses, and make ourselves baser than the earth we tread on, worse than any creature? for a man without grace is next to the devil in misery, if God be not merciful to him. If God have thus honoured our nature above all created excellency whatsoever, shall not this stir us up to a correspondent carriage? It is oft pressed by the apostle that we 'walk worthy of our calling,' Eph. 4:1. And, indeed, let us oft consider to what great matters we are called; for the life of

heaven it must be begun upon earth. 'Whosoever hath this hope,' to be glorious with Christ in heaven, 'it purgeth him,' 1 John 3:3. It frames him to be like the state he hopes for, and he that hath not a care to suit and fit his carriage and disposition to the state he believes, it is an empty hope; he deludes himself. Whosoever shall be glorious with Christ in heaven, is also glorious now. There is a Spirit of glory resting upon them, that is, grace; grace makes them glorious.

Those that have not a Spirit of glory, that is, a Spirit of grace, to fashion and conform them, in some measure to be like Christ, by little and little, they have no right nor interest in the state of glory that shall be revealed after.

Is Christ taken up to glory, and for us as well as for himself? 'What manner of men ought we to be in holy conversation,' 2 Peter 3:11. We should 'keep ourselves unspotted of the wicked world,' James 1:27.

Shall we think to have communion and fellowship with Christ in glory, when we make 'the members of Christ the members of an harlot?' 1 Cor. 6:15; when we make our tongues instruments of blaspheming God and Christ; as a company of vile wretches, that will come to the ordinances of God, and yet have not overcome their atheistical nature so much, as to leave their swearing and filthy courses? Do we think to have communion with Christ in glory, and not get the victory over these base courses? Do we profess ourselves to be Christians, and live like pagans? Hath God such need of people to fill heaven with, that he will have such unclean persons? Shall we have such base thoughts of heaven? No, beloved. These things must be left, if ever, upon good ground, we will entertain thoughts of fellowship in this glory. There is 'a new heaven and a new earth,' 2

Peter 3:13, for the new creature, and only for such. Let us not delude ourselves. There must be a correspondence between the head and the members, not only in glory, but in grace; and the conformity in grace is before the conformity in glory. Will God overturn his method and

order for our sakes? No, no; all that come to heaven, he 'guides them by his Spirit' here, in grace, and then he brings them to glory.' He gives 'grace and glory, and no good thing shall be wanting to them that lead a godly life,' Ps. 84:11; but first grace and then glory.

Therefore let not the devil abuse us, nor our own false hearts, to pretend a share in this glory, when we find no change in ourselves, when we find not so much strength as to get the victory over the base and vile corruptions of the world. The apostle from this ground infers mortification of our 'earthly members:' 'You are risen with Christ,'

'Your life is hid with Christ in God,' and 'we are dead with Christ.'* Therefore we ought to mortify our sinful lusts. For the soul being finite, it cannot be carried up to these things that are of a spiritual, holy, and divine consideration; but it must die in its love, and affection, and care to earthly things and sinful courses. Therefore let us never think that we believe these things indeed, unless we find a disposition, by grace, to kill and subdue all things that are contrary to this condition. Though somewhat there will be in us to humble us, or else why are the precepts of mortification given to them that were saints already, but that there is somewhat will draw us down to abase us? But this is no comfort to him that is not the child of God, that lives in filthy courses, that he might easily command himself in. Let him abandon the name of a Christian. He hath no interest to the comfort of this, that Christ is 'received up to glory.'

Again, The mystery of Christ's glory it tends to godliness in this respect, to stir us up to heavenly-mindedness. The apostle doth divinely force this in the fore-named place, Col. 3:1, 'If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above.' From our communion with Christ, rising and ascending into heaven, and sitting there in glory, he forceth heavenly-mindedness, that our thoughts should be where his glory is, where our Head and husband is; and certainly

there is nothing in the world more strong to enforce an heavenly mind than this, to consider where we are, in our Head. Christ, our head and husband, is taken up into glory. There is our inheritance; there are a great many of our fellow-brethren; there is our country; there is our happiness. We are for heaven, and not for this world.

This is but a passage to that glory that Christ hath taken up for us; and therefore why should we have our minds grovelling here upon the earth? Certainly if we have interest in Christ, who is in glory 'at the right hand of God,' it is impossible but our souls will be raised to heaven in our affections before we be there in our bodies. All that are

Christians, they are in heaven in their spirit and conversation beforehand. Our heavy, dull, earthly souls being touched by his

Spirit, they will ascend up. The iron when it is touched with the loadstone, though it be an heavy body, it ascends up to the loadstone, it follows it. The sun it draws up vapours, that are heavy bodies of themselves. Christ as the loadstone being in heaven, he hath an attractive force to draw us up. There is not the earthliest disposition in the world, if our hearts were as heavy as iron, if we have communion with Christ, and have our hearts once touched by his

Spirit, he will draw us up, though of ourselves we be heavy and lumpish. This meditation, that Christ our head is in glory, and that we are in heaven in him, and that our happiness is there, it will purge and refine us from our earthliness, and draw up our iron, heavy, cold hearts.

It is an argument of a great deal of atheism and infidelity in our hearts, as indeed our base nature is prone to sink down, and to be carried away with present things, that professing to believe that Christ is risen and ascended into heaven, and that he is there for us, yet that we should be plodding and plotting altogether for the earth, as if there were no other heaven, as if there were no other happiness but that which is to be found below. There is nothing here that can

satisfy the capacious nature of man. Therefore we should not rest in anything here, considering the great things that are reserved for us, where Christ is in glory. Therefore when we find our souls falling down of themselves, or drawn downward to base cares and earthly contentments, by anything here below, let us labour to raise up ourselves with such meditations. I know not any more fruitful, than to consider the glory to come, and the certainty of it. Christ is taken into glory, not for himself only, but for all his; for 'where I am,' saith he, 'it is my will that they be there also,' John 17:24. Christ should lose his prayer if we should not follow him to heaven. It is not only his prayer but his will, and he is in heaven to make good his will. The wills of men may be frustrate, because they are dead; but he lives to make good his own will, and his will is, that we be where he is. Now, if a man believe this, can he be base and earthly-minded? Certainly no. 'Where our treasure is, our hearts will be there also,' Mat. 6:21, by the rule of Christ; 'Where the body is, the eagles will resort,' Mat.

24:28. If we did make these things our treasure, we would mount above earthly things. There is nothing in the world would be sufficient for us, if we had that esteem of Christ, and the glory where

Christ is, as we should and might have.

And it is not only meditation of these things that will cause us to be heavenly-minded; but Christ, as a head of influence in heaven, conveys spiritual life to draw us up. 'When I am ascended, I will draw all men after me,' John 12:32. There is a virtue from Christ that doth it. There is a necessity of the cause and consequence, as well as strength of reason and equity. There is an influence issuing from Christ our head, to make us so indeed. Therefore, those that are otherwise, they may thank themselves. The best of us, indeed, have cause to be abased, that we betray our comfort, and the means that we have of raising up our dead and dull hearts, for want of meditation. Let us but keep this faith in exercise, that Christ is in

heaven in glory, and we in him are in heaven, as verily as if we were there in our persons, as we shall be ere long, and then let us be uncomfortable, and base, and earthly-minded, if we can.

To conclude all. As the soul of man is first sinful and then sanctified; first humble and then raised; so our meditations of Christ must be in this order: first, think of Christ as abased and crucified, for the first comfort that the soul hath is in Christ 'manifested in the flesh,' before it come to 'received up into glory.' Therefore, if we would have comfortable thoughts of this, 'Christ received up in glory,' think of him first 'manifest in the flesh.' Let us have recourse in our thoughts to Christ in the womb of the virgin; to Christ born and lying in the manger; going up and down doing good; hungering and thirsting; suffering in the garden; sweating water and blood; nailed on the cross; crying to his Father, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' finishing all upon the cross; lying three days in the grave; have recourse to Christ thus abased, and all for us, to expiate our sin; he obeyed God to satisfy for our disobedience. Oh! here will be comfortable thoughts for a wounded soul, pierced with the sense of sin, assaulted by Satan; to think thus of Christ abased for our sins, and then to think of him 'taken up into glory.'

In the sacrament, our thoughts must especially have recourse, in the first place, to Christ's body broken, and his blood shed, as the bread is broken and the wine poured out; that we have benefit by Christ's abasement and suffering, by satisfying his Father's wrath, and reconciling us to God. Then think of Christ in heaven, appearing there for us, keeping that happiness that he hath purchased by his death for us, and applying the benefit of his death to our souls by his

Spirit, which he is able to shed more abundantly, being in that high and holy place, heaven; for the Spirit was not given in that abundance, before Christ was ascended to glory, as it hath been

since. In this manner and order, we shall have comfortable thoughts of Christ. To think of his glory, in the first place, it would dazzle our eyes, it would terrify us, being sinners, to think of his glory, being now ascended; but when we think of him as descended first, as he saith, 'Who is he that ascended, but he that descended first into the lower parts of the earth?' Eph. 4:9. So, who is this that is taken 'up in glory?' Is it not he that was 'manifest in our flesh' before? This will be comfortable. Therefore let us first begin with Christ's abasement, and then we shall have comfortable thoughts of his exaltation.

These points are very useful, being the main grounds of religion; having an influence into our lives and conversation above all others.

Other points have their life and vigour and quickening from these grand mysteries, which are the food of the soul. Therefore let us oft feed our thoughts with these things, of Christ's abasement and glory, considering him in both as a public person, 'the second Adam,' and our surety; and then see ourselves in him, and labour to have virtue from him, fitting us in body and soul for such a condition. The very serious meditation of these things, will put a glory upon our souls; and the believing of them will transform us 'from glory to glory,' 2

Cor. 3:18.

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