We must not think of the ascension of Christ as a severed thing from us, ⟨p. 108⟩1but if we would have the comfort of it, we must think of it, as our selves ascending with him. Think of Christ as a public person, and a surety for us, and then we shall have great comfort in that, that he saith, I ascend. God prepared paradise, before he made the Creature, he would have him to come into a place of honour and pleasure. And so God before ever we were born provided a place, and paradise for us in Heaven, that we might end our days with greater comfort. We may be straitened here, many a good Christian hath scarce where to lay his head; but Christ is gone to prepare a place for them in Heaven. And this may comfort us in the consideration of all our sins; for sin past, and for corruption present, and for any sin that we may commit for time to come; for any thing that is past, if we confess our sins to God, he will forgive them: the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sins, even for the present corruptions that attend on us. We have one that stands between God and us as a surety, & he will give us his spirit to subdue our ⟨p. 109⟩corruptions, and at length make us 2like himself, a glorious spouse. If we were perfect men, we needed not a Mediator, and this may teach us comfort, rather because we are sinners, and daily subject to offend God. We have one to make our peace; for time to come, if we sin, we have an 3Advocate. When Christ taught us to pray, forgive us our daily trespasses, he supposed we would daily run into sins. We have an Advocate in Heaven every day to stand between God and us, to answer God, to undertake that at length we should cease to offend him, and for the present, we are such as he shed his precious blood for, and he appeareth for us by virtue of his death, which is a marvellous comfort. We think if we commit sin, there is no hope; but what needs a Mediator, but to make peace between the parties disagreeing? If all things were made up between God and us, what need of an intercessor? but God knoweth well enough, we run into daily sins, by reason of a spring of corruption in us, which is never idle. And therefore we may daily go to God in ⟨p. 110⟩4the name of our Advocate, and desire God for Christs sake to pardon, and desire Christ to intercede for us; let us therefore shame our selves.
We must not think of the asc•nsion of Christ as a severed thing from us, ⟨p. 108⟩1but if we would have the comfort of it, we must think of it, as our selves ascending with him. Think of Christ as a publick person, and a surety for us, and then we shall have great comfort in that, that he saith, I ascend. God prepared paradise, before he made the Creature, he would have him to come into a place of honour and pleasure. And so God before ever we were born provided a place, and paradise for us in Heaven, that we might end our dayes with greater comfort. We may be streightned here, many a good Christian hath scarce where to lay his head; but Christ is gone to prepare a place for them in Heaven. And this may comfort us in the consideration of all our sins; for sin past, and for corruption present, and for any sin that we may commit for time to come; for any thing that is past, if we confesse our sins to God, he will forgive them: the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sins, even for the present corruptions that attend on us. We have one that stands between God and us as a surety, & he will give us his spirit to subdue our ⟨p. 109⟩corruptions, and at length make us 2like himself, a glorious spouse. If we were perfect men, we needed not a Mediator, and this may teach us comfort, rather because we are sinners, and daily subject to offend God. We have one to make our peace; for time to come, if we sin, we have an 3Advocate. When Christ taught us to pray, forgive us our daily tuespasses, he supposed we would daily run into sins. We have an Advocate in Heaven every day to stand between God and us, to answer God, to undertake that at length we should cease to offend him, and for the present, we are such as he shed his pretious blood for, and he appeareth for us by vertue of his death, which is a marvellous comfort. We think if we commit sin, there is no hope; but what needs a Mediator, but to make peace between the parties disagreeing? If all things were made up between God and us, what need of an intercessor? but God knoweth well enough, we run into daily sins, by reason of a spring of corruption in us, which is never idle. And therefore we may daily go to God in ⟨p. 110⟩4the name of our Advocate, and desire God for Christs sake to pardon, and desire Christ to intercede for us; let us therefore shame our selves.
- 1Think on Christ as ascended with him.
- 2Ephes. 5. 20.
- 31 Joh. 2. 1. Mat. 6. 12.
- 4Go to God for pardon of sinners in the name of Christ.
