umphing chariot? I need but follow the sacred footsteps of thy victory, and gather its excellent fruits. If thou hast been able to deal with Death when thou wast shut up in a dungeon, if thou didst then bring down its pride, and carry away its prisoners; what may I not expect from thy victorious and almighty arm, now that thou hast in thy hand the keys of hell and death? O most mighty and merciful Lord, thou hast not only overcome death for me, but thou wilt also overcome it by me, who am thy child, and the sheep of thy pasture, whereof thou hast paid the ransom. Thou art not only raised from the dead, but thou art also the resurrection and the life. Thou art the Prince of life, the Lord of glory and immortality; so that he that liveth and believeth in thee shall never die; and whosoever believeth in thee, though he were dead, yet shall he live.— Samson's act was admirable when he slept until midnight, rose up, and carried away the gates of Gaza upon his shoulders up to an high mountain. But who would not admire thee, O invincible Nazarite, who having slept until the third day in the bowels of the earth, didst rise again by thy divine virtue, carry away the gates of hell, and make them to become the gates of heaven, and the entrance into the celestial paradise! Let me die, since the Redeemer liveth, and intends to introduce me into an happy life, purchased for me with his most precious blood, and secured for me by his glorious resurrection. Amen. CHAP. XVIII. The sixth Consolation against the Fears of Death is, the Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven, and sitting at the right hand of God. IT Tis indeed a great joy and comfort to behold a cruel and proud enemy overcome and disarmed, and ourselves freed, freed, by that means, from the heavy yoke of his insufferable tyranny; but our joy would be turned into grief, and our comfort into sadness, if we did but perceive at the same time, the Author of our freedom choaked with his own blood, and breathing out his last gasp at the moment of his victory. It is requisite, to render our satisfaction complete and perfect, that his triumphs might be everlasting, and that he might be advanced to the highest glory and sovereign empire. Now there is no enemy more cruel and terrible than Death. We have beheld it disarmed upon the cross of cur Lord Jesus Christ, and perfectly vanquished and subdued by his glorious resurrection. But if with the eye of our faith we look a little higher to the glorious ascension of our divine Saviour, we shall see the same Death bound to his triumphing chariot, and this conquering Redeemer exalted above the highest heavens, and sitting gloriously at the right hand of God; we shall see him invested in an almighty power, adored by all creatures; we shall see him commanding not only all the angels of light, and the celestial spirits, that are about his magnificent throne, but exercising dominion also over the world, over death, the devils, and hell. Because he hath been "obedient unto death, yea, to the ignominious death of the cross, God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth," Phil. ii. "And that every tongue shall confess, that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Every soldier shares not always in the triumph of the general, and all the subjects taste not of their prince's happiness; but as we are the brethren of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the members of his mystical body, we have a share in his triumph, and in the glory of his empire. Therefore the apostle St. Paul informs us, "That our life (that is to say, our glory and eternal felicity) is hid with Christ in God." In an other other place he tells us, in express words, "that God who is rich in mercy hath made us sit in heavenly places with Jesus Christ." in This glorious Saviour is gone to take possession of the kingdom of heaven not only for himself, but also in our names, and for us. Therefore he informs the holy apostles, and all true believers, "That in his Father's house there are many mansions; I am going to prepare a place there for you." In the same manner he speaks in that admirable prayer, which he consecrates himself to God, for the great work of our redemption: "Father, I will that they also, whom thouhast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me." For the same reason, St. Paul tells us, in his epistle to the Hebrews, for our comfort, Heb. vi. that Christ is gone into heaven, as our forerunner. The high-priest of the Jews entered into the earthly sanctuary, to present himself before God for the people, Heb. ix. Thus our Lord Jesus Christ is gone into the heavenly sanctuary, to appear for us in the presence of God. The highpriest of the Jews carried upon his breast and shoulders the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; but Jesus Christ hath engraven us upon his heart, according to the prayer of the spouse in the Canticles, ch. viii. "Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is as strong as death." The high-priest of the Jews did cast off the names of the twelve tribes with the robes; but neither death nor life, nor things present, nor things to come, shall ever separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ, Rom. viii. The royal diadem that was put upon Esther's head never caused her to forget her people and parentage; she was mightily grieved for Haman's conspiracy, and the decree which he had caused the king Ahasuerus to sign and seal with a signet. I may likewise say, that the glory to which our Lord Jesus Christ is now raised, can never make him forget the people that he hath redeemed with his blood. He is not unmindful of Satan's plots, nor of the sentence and doom pronounced against us by the great Monarch of the world, and confirmed by his great seal. His glorious head may be crowned with the rainbow, but his merciful heart is inflamed with love for us. He thinks it no disgrace to acknowledge us for his brethren, and to pray to God for us, who sits upon his throne, where thousand millions wait upon him, and ten thousand thousands worship him. He is able to save to the uttermost all such as draw near to God through him; for he lives always to intercede for us. If the Father hath always granted him his request, when he was in his greatest abasement, can we imagine that his intercession will be fruitless, now that he is ascended up to the highest glory? From this exaltation to heaven, he beholds all our encounters and our strugglings with Death. He sees all the enemies that assault us, and the dangers unto which we are exposed. He is acquainted with the deep malice, and crafty designs, of the enemies of our salvation. He perceives all the darts that they let fly against us. Therefore he covers us with a shield, and will not suffer us to be overcome by temptation. He fulfils his virtue in our infirmities, and makes us more than conquerors. He hath an eye always upon his flock, he holds his sheep all in his hand, and none is able to pluck them from thence. When he was upon earth in his agony, at this word, that dropt out of his mouth, I am he, John xviii. his enemies fell backward: and when he was in Death's prison he forced it to obey him. And shall not he, now that he is exalted up to the highest heavens, in the glory of his triumph, have the same command and power over Death, the world, and hell? When he walked upon the waters, he cried to his apostles, 9. S s "It "It is I; be not afraid," John vi. How much rather may he speak to us in this manner, now that he sits upon the throne that can never be moved! Christian souls, who trembles at the approaches of Death, imagine that the Lord Jesus, crowned with glory, calls to thee from heaven. Fear not; for I call thee, and hold out unto thee mine arms, I that am thy Saviour and Redeemer, who have satisfied for all thy sins with my blood, and who have redeemed thee from the curse of the law, and eternal damnation. I have disarmed God's justice, vanquished hell, broken the serpent's head, and swallowed up Death in victory. I have purchased for thee the glories of heaven, and the delights of paradise; I have trampled upon the world and all its powers. I am worshipped by all the church triumphing in heaven, and by legions of angels that fly about my throne. I will therefore send some of them to guard thee, and when thou shalt leave the body, where thou livest as a stranger, they shall bring up thy soul into this magnificent abode of immortality, whither I am come to prepare a place for thee. Without doubt, if the anchor of our hope is fixed within the veil, that is, in heaven, where Jesus Christ is gone in as our forerunner, we shall not apprehend the most contrary and boisterous storms raised against us by the Prince of the powers of the air, who works with efficacy in the children of rebellion. We shall tread under foot all the billows of this troublesome sea, and through these swelling waves we shall march safe to our divine Jesus. If at any time we begin to sink, and that our soul is frighted, this almighty Lord, who hath not only delivered himself, but is the Saviour and Deliverer of his church, will speak to us as the apostle, "O man of little faith, why didst thou doubt ?" Knowest thou not, that I command the winds, that I can still the waves, and drive away the tempest? Knowest thou not that I have in my hands the keys of hell and of death? When a person is to go to a place |