Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose: A View of the Everlasting Gospel.
Section 8.1.3. - Of the Reasons why he ascended.

BOOK 8. THE ASCENSION.

CHAPTER 1.

8.1.3. Of the Reasons why he ascended.

Of the Reasons why he ascended.

Why he ascended; the reasons are: --

1. On Christ's part, that through his passion he might pass to glory. "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to have entered into his glory?" Luke xxiv. 26. I shall not insist on that controversy, whether Christ merited for himself, this is without controversy, that by his passion (I shall not say he properly merited, but) he obtained glory, because he humbled himself so low; God exalted him above the grave in his resurrection, above the earth in his ascension, and above the heavens in placing him at his right hand. And he ascended, that all those prophesies which were foretold of Christ, might be accomplished, "Thou hast ascended on high," Psal, lxviii. 18. -- "And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east," Zech. xiv. 4. The types of this were Enoch's translation, Elijah's ascension, Samson's transportation of the gates of Gaza into an high mountain, the high-priest's going into the holy of holies, "Seeing that we have an high-priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God," Heb. iv. 14. Why, all these prophesies, types and figures, must needs be accomplished, and therefore on his part, it was necessary that Christ must ascend, and go into heaven.

2. The reasons on our part are: --

(a). That in our stead he might triumph over sin, death and hell. In his resurrection he conquered, but in his ascension he triumphed; now it was, that he led sin, death and devil in triumph at his chariot wheels: and this is the meaning of the Psalmist, and of the apostle, "When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive," Eph iv. 8. He vanquished and triumphed over all our enemies, he overcame the world, he bound the devil, he spoiled hell, he weakened sin, he destroyed death, and now he makes a public triumphal show of them in his own person; he led the captives bound to his chariot wheels, as the manner of the Roman triumphs was, when the conqueror went up to the capital. It is to the same purpose, that the apostle speaks elsewhere, "Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in himself," Col. ii. 15, it is a manifest allusion to the manner of triumphs after victories amongst the Romans; first, they spoiled the enemy upon the place, ere they stirred off the field; and this was done by Christ on the cross; and then they made a public triumphal show, they ride through the streets in the greatest state, and had all their spoils carried before them, and the kings and nobles, whom they had taken, they tied to their chariots, and led them as captives; and thus did Christ at his ascension, "Then he openly triumphed (en auto) in himself," (i.e.) in his own power and strength; other conquerors do not thus; they conquer not in themselves, and by themselves, but Jesus Christ conquered in himself, and therefore he triumphed in himself. And yet though he triumphed in himself, and by himself, it was not for himself only, but for us, which made the apostle to triumph in his triumph, "O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. xv 55, 56, 57. If I may speak out what I think was this victory of Christ; I believe it was that honour given to him after his resurrection by the conversion of enemies, by the amazements of the world, by the admiration of angels, and especially by his sitting down at the right hand of the majesty on high; for therein is contained both his exaltation and his triumph over all his enemies to the utmost.

(b). That he might lead us the way, and open to us the doors of glory. It is a question, whether ever those doors of heaven were opened to any before Christ's ascension? Christ tells us, "In my Father's house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you, but I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am ye may be also," John xiv. 2, 3. Some infer hence, as if there should be many outer courts, and many different places or states in glory; and yet that there is one place whether the saints should arrive at last, which was not then ready for them, and was not to be entered into, until the entrance of our Lord had made the preparation. Again, the apostle tells us, that "the fathers received not the promises, God having provided some better things for us, that they without us should not be made perfect", Heb. xi. 40. Whence some infer that their conditions after death was a state of imperfection; and that they were placed in an outer court on this side heaven, called paradise, or Abraham's bosom; and thither also Christ went, when he died, and was attended with the blessed thief. For my part, I shall not join with such who think all souls of saints shall go to paradise, where they must remain till the day of judgment, and then, and not till then, must enter into that heaven, called "the third heaven," or the kingdom of heaven. Indeed some of the ancients make heaven, and the immediate receptacles of souls to be distinct places, both blessed, but hugely differing in degrees; a modem writer is very confident, "That no soul could enter into glory before our Lord entered, by whom we hope to have access;" (Dr. Tayl. Great Exemplar.) and to that purpose he cites those texts, John xiv. 2, 3, Heb. xi. 40. But I see no ground, why the souls of saints should be excluded heaven, either before, or after Christ. As for that text of John xiv. 2. Christ saith, "In my Father's house are many mansions," not many outer courts, nor many different states: and as for the fathers mentioned, Heb. xi. 40. "Surely they without us shall not be made perfect," and we without them shall not be made perfect, in some sense, until the day of judgment. But our perfection is not in respect of a more glorious place, but in respect of that perfection whereof all the faithful shall be made partakers, as well in body as in soul, at the resurrection of the just. Thus far I grant, that no soul ever entered into heaven, but by the virtue and power of Christ's ascension; and that no soul and body jointly ever ascended (except Christ's types) before Christ himself opened those doors, and led the way; and in this respect he is called "the forerunner of his people," Heb. vi. 20.

(c). That he might assure us, that now he had run through all those offices which he was to perform here on earth for our redemption, "he that hath entered into his rest, hath also ceased from his own works, as God did from his," Heb. iv. 10. He was first to execute his office, and then to enter into his rest, though he were a son, and so the inheritance were his own, "yet he was to learn obedience, by the things which he suffered, before he was made perfect, and so to become the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him," Heb. v. 8, 9. This was the argument which Christ used when he prayed to be glorified again with his Father, "I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do; and now, O Father! Glorify thou me with thy own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was," John xvii. 4, 5. This was the order of the dispensation of Christ's offices; his first work was a work of ministry, and service in the office of obedience and sufferings for his church; and his next work was the work of power and majesty in the protection and exaltation of his church. And there was a necessity in this order.

(i). In respect of Good's decree, who had so fore-appointed it. Acts ii. 23, 24.

(ii). In respect of God's justice, which must first be satisfied by obedience before any entrance into glory, Luke xxiv. 26.

(iii). In respect of Christ's infinite person, which being equal with God, could not possibly be exalted without some preceding descent and humiliation, "That he ascended, (saith the apostle,) what is it, but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth?" Eph. iv. 9.

(iv). In respect of our evidence and assurance, this is the sign that Christ hath finished the work of our redemption upon the earth; first, he was to act as our surety, and then he was to ascend as our head or advocate: as the first-fruits, the captain, the prince of life, the author of salvation, the forerunner of his people.

(d). That he might thoroughly convince the world of believers of their perfect righteousness, "The Spirit when he comes (saith Christ) shall convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, of sin, because they believe not on me, -- of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more," John xvi. 8, 9, 10. If Christ had not fulfilled all righteousness there had been no going to heaven for him, nor remaining there; certainly God would have sent him down again to have done the rest, and the disciples should have seen him with shame sent back again; but his ascension to heaven proclaims openly: --

(i). That he hath completely finished the work he had to do for us here, that no more was to be done in this world for us, that the satisfactory work to justice was in itself finished.

(ii). That God was well pleased with Jesus Christ, and with what he had done and suffered for us: yea, God was so infinitely taken with him, and his oblation after his sufferings, as that he thinks it not fit to let him stay above forty days longer in this world; he cannot be without him in heaven, but he takes him up into glory, and gives him a name above every name.

(iii). That we have our share in heaven with him; he went not up as a single person, but virtually, or mystically, he carried up all the elect with him into glory; or otherwise how should the spirit convince the world by his ascension of their righteousness? or otherwise how should the Son of God convince his Father of the righteousness? I look upon Jesus Christ going into heaven, as a confident debtor after payment going into a court, and saying. Who hath anything to lay to his charge? All is paid, let the law take its course. When Jesus entered into heaven, he seemed thus to challenge justice, "Make room here for me and mine. Who should hinder? Hath the law anything to say to these poor souls for whom I died? If any in heaven can make objection, here I am to answer in their behalf." Methinks, I imagine a silence in heaven, (as John speaks) at this speech, Rev. viii. 1, only mercy smiles, justice gives in the acquittance, and God sets Christ down at his right hand.

(iv). That he hath a new design to be acted in heaven for us; he is taken up into glory that he may act gloriously the second part of our righteousness, I mean that he might apply it, and send down his Spirit to convince us of it. He acted one part in the flesh, in the habit of a beggar, clothed with rags: but now he is gone to act the person of a prince in robes of glory, and all this to manage our salvation in the richest way that may be. Three great things Christ acts for us now in glory:

(e). That he might receive his Kingdom over us in the place appointed for it; look as kings are crowned in the chief cities of their kingdoms and keep their residence in their palaces near unto them; so it was decent that our Saviour should be crowned in heaven, and there sit down at God's right hand; which immediately follows after his ascension, to which we now come.