SECOND. A second thing that demonstrateth this truth is, that he ascended and was received up into heaven. 'So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven' (Mark 16:19). This demonstration consisteth of two parts—First, Of his ascending. Second, Of his being received.
First. For his ascending—'He ascended up on high' (Eph 4:8). This act of ascending answereth to the high-priest under the law, who, after they had killed the sacrifice, he was to bring the blood into the most holy place—to wit, the inner temple, the way to which was ascending or going up (2 Chron 9).
Now, consider the circumstances that attended his ascending, when he went to carry his blood to present it before the mercy-seat, and you will find they all say amends is made to God for us.
1. At this he is again attended and accompanied with angels (Acts 1:10,11).
2. He ascendeth with a shout, and with the sound of a trumpet, with 'Sing praises, sing praises, sing praises' (Psa 47:6).
3. The enemies of man's salvation are now tied to his chariot-wheels—'When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive' (Eph 4:8). That is, he led death, devils, and hell, and the grave, and the curse, captive, for these things were our captivity. And thus did Deborah prophesy of him when she cried, 'Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam' (Judg 5:12). This David also foresaw when he said, 'Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive' (Psa 68:18).
4. The apostles must be the beholders of his going up, and must see the cloud receive him out of their sight (Acts 1:9-12).
The consideration of these things strongly enforceth this conclusion, that he hath spoiled what would have spoiled us, had he not by his blood shed taken them away. And I say, for God to adorn him with all this glory in his ascension, thus to make him ride conqueror up into the clouds, thus to go up with sound of trumpet, with shout of angels, and with songs of praises, and, let me add, to be accompanied also with those that rose from the dead after his resurrection, who were the very price of his blood; this doth greatly demonstrate that Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price to God for the souls of sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them; he had not else rode thus in triumph to heaven.
Second. I come now to his being received—'He was received up into heaven.' The high-priest under the law, when he ascended into the holiest, he was there to offer the blood, which holiest was the type of heaven (Exo 19:10,11; Heb 9:24). But because the sacrifices under the law could not make them that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience, therefore they were to stand, not to sit; to come out again, not tarry there. 'For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me), to do thy will, O God' (Heb 10:4-6).
Christ, therefore, in his entering into heaven, did it as high-priest of the church of God; therefore neither did he go in without blood. Wherefore, when he came to be 'an high-priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood; he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us' (Heb 9:12-14). He entered in, having obtained, or because he obtained, eternal redemption for us. But to pass that.