Christ alone the way to Heaven, or, Jacob's ladder improved containing four sermons lately…

Eighteenthly, To raise up a Ladder, whose Foot stands upon the Earth, and the Top of it reacheth up to Heaven, is not easily done; it needs all mighty Strength, it calls for great ⟨p. 36⟩Strength, wonderful Power, and also much Wisdom, and Skill; it is hard, you know, to raise a Ladder that reacheth up but four or five Stories, or to the Top of a high House or Building; What Power of Man then can raise up such a Ladder that reacheth from Earth to Heaven?

¹My Brethren, as none could contrive, and make such a Ladder, i. e. such a way to Heaven, but God himself, who by his almighty Wisdom, and Power built this World: So none but he could raise up this Ladder; it required infinite Wisdom, and Strength to raise up Christ, when he was so low, being born down under the Guilt and Weight of our Sins, even low as Hell; for Hell pangs took hold of him: O how low was he, when in the Garden, in his bloody Agony, and in the Grave! Could Sin, Death, or Devils, yea all the powers of Hell and Darkness have kept him down, he had never been raised from the Dead▪ and from under Wrath, nor ascended up to Heaven: But what is too hard for God to do? He was raised by the Power of the Father;² or by the Glory of the Father; as the Apostle words it; that is by his glorious Power, and to his eternal Glory; God hath bo•h raised up the Lord, and will also raise us u• by his own Powe•. He first raised him up, as to his Humane Nature, out of a dry Root: And hath raised up an Horn of Salvation for us in the House of David. ³An Horn of Salvation, or a powerful Salvation. Also he raised him up when Sin and Wrath lay upon him; and when he was Dead, and lay in the Grave. Nay, my Brethren, he raise himself up, as I shall show you hereafter, which is a greater wonder still, and more marvellous.