III. The Advantages which the Church and all the Members of it received from the Afcenfion of Chrift, are many and great. The first and most eminent Benefit derived from it was the Miffion of the Holy Ghost, of which I spoke before. A Benefit which was indeed more fenfible in the Apoftolick Times, when it communicated to many the Gift of Tongues, the Power of working Miracles, or a Prophetick Spirit; but is at this Day no less advantageous; fince by the Influences and Operations of the Holy Ghost the Church is ftill maintained, the Faithful are enabled to perform their Duty, and the Unfaithful are converted. Thus the Afcenfion of Chrift became a lafting Benefit to all his Followers, procuring to them those Graces, which otherwife could never have been obtained. The Afcenfion of Elijah made one Elisha, left a double Portion of his Spirit with one Difciple to be communicated to no other; but the Afcenfion of Chrift was of univerfal Benefit, producing bleffed Effects, which fhould extend to all Believers, and to all Ages.

A fecond Benefit of the Afcenfion of our Lord, is the Confirmation of our Faith, which from thence received firm Affurance of the Truth of his Doctrine, and the Divinity of his Perfon. He had proclaimed to the unbelieving Jews, as well as to his own Difciples, in the Sixth of St. John, that

he

he would afcend into Heaven. What, and if ye shall fee the Son of Man afcend up where he was before? After his Refurrection he faid unto the Women, Go to my Brethren, and fay unto them, I afcend unto my Father and your Father. It was not therefore unexpected to the Apostles, they were acquainted with his Refolutions herein, and when they faw effected what he had before foretold them, they could no longer doubt that he was the true Meffias. Thus although the Prophetical Office of our Lord expired upon the Crofs, all his fubfequent Actions offered convincing Arguments to Mankind of the Truth of his Miffion, and the Certainty of thofe Things he taught. No greater Proof of either could be imagined than his Refurrection from the Dead; and when to this was added his Afcenfion into Heaven, there was no more Place left for Doubt.

Thus the Faith of the Apostles was confirmed by the Afcenfion of Chrift, but their Hopes were much more exalted. By this glorious Triumph they faw him put into Poffeffion of that ample Power, which they fo long wished to be affumed by him, which might enable him to reward his Followers, and effect thofe Promifes which he had made to them. In John xiv. he had told them there were many Mansions in his Father's Houfe; and that he went before to prepare a Place for them, intending to receive them after

wards

wards to himself, that where he was, there they might be also. The former Part of the Promise they faw to be effected in his Afcenfion, and thence conceive affured Hopes that the latter would be accomplished...

There can be no greater Motive to believe the Truth of Prophecies or Promises, than to confider the Performance of thofe which went before. The fame Fore-knowledge of our Lord, which forefaw the Exaltation of himself, could as easily foresee the like Reward to be given to his Followers; and the fame Power which advanced him to the Right Hand of God, could exalt whomfoever he pleafed into Heaven. So that his Power could not be queftioned; and his Will therein he had often declared, affuring them, Joh. xii. 32. When I am lifted up from the Earth, I will draw all Men unto me.

Herein the Hopes of all Mankind received Increase and Strength. They had all impatiently wished for Immortality; it was cafy to believe that their Souls fhould still exift but their Bodies were equally Parts of themfelves. They were equally concerned for the future Happiness of both; yet that either fhould be hereafter happy, they were affured only by the Revelation of Christ. He affirmed it, he promised it, he confirmed it by wonderful Signs and Miracles; yet it could not but seem ftrange, that Flesh and Blood fhould inherit the Kingdom of God; that fuch a grofs corporeal Being fhould be ad

mitted to the Society of Angels; that Man who was excluded from an earthly Paradife, fhould be taken up to the immediate Prefence of God. All this did feem incredible, till they faw an Example of it in the Body of Chrift, which confifting of the fame Flesh and Blood, partaking of the fame Nature, was vifibly received into Heaven, and placed in eternal Happiness.

By this they were convinced, that the like Immortality of their own Bodies was not impoffible; and while they confidered the Promises of Chrift, and their own Relation to him, that he was the first Fruits of human Nature, their forerunner which is entred into Heaven for them, the Captain of their Salvation, and the Head of their Society; they were fully fatisfied that it fhould in time be granted to them; fince what he foretold of his own Afcenfion they faw effected; fince it was but natural to follow their Captain, their Head, and their Forerunner;' and with him to be received into the Place of their defired Happiness.

Farther, as Chrift is our King and our Prieft, the Benefits which we hope to receive from either of thofe his Offices, received Increase by his Afcenfion into Hea

ven.

As King, he is thereby invested in the actual Dominion of his Church, enabled to bestow upon her all thofe Graces and extraordinary Affiftances, which are neceffary for her Well-being. As our Prieft, his Interceffions

terceffions with God the Father in our behalf, are made much more prevalent by his perfonal Prefence with him.

Under the Law, the Efficacy of the great propitiatory Sacrifice, depended upon its being prefented by the High Prieft, in the Holy of Holies, the Place where God was pleafed to promife his immediate Prefence. How much more efficacious then must be conceived to be the Interceffion of our High Prieft; who not once a Year but continually; not with the Bleod of Bulls or Goats, but with his own Blood; not in an Earthly Tabernacle, but in the highest Heaven, maketh Interceffion for us? If the Mediation of the Jewish High Priest could avert temporal Punishments due to the Sins of the People; much more will the Mediation of our High Priest free Mankind from eternal Punishments. If their Priest being cloathed with the fame Nature could more fenfibly commiferate the Unhappiness of his People; ours for the fame Purpose took our Nature on him. But whereas their Prieft was fubject to the Guilt of the fame Sins for which he interceded, ours knew no Sin; theirs was admitted no farther than to the Symbols of God's Prefence, to the Cherubims and the Mercy-Seat; ours to the very Throne of his Majefty; where he continually pleadeth his Sufferings on our behalf, diffufeth his Graces to us, and prepareth Manfions for us.

Lastly,