with Him; when He shall appear in glory, together with those whose life is now hid with Him in God; when "He shall come in His own glory, and in His "Father's, and of the holy angels;" not laying aside His present glory on the Father's throne to take "His own" on earth as Son of Man: but when Heaven shall be opened to Earth, and Earth reconciled to Heaven; and "the glory of the celestial" and "the glory of the terrestrial" joined in one, under His reign "by whom" God hath purposed "to reconcile all things unto Himself," and, "in "the Dispensation of the fulness of times, to gather "together all things in One both which are "in heaven and which are on earth; even in HIM." (Col. i. 20; Eph. i. 10). .; . In anticipation of which the Christian too can take up the words of the Text and say "Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is the fulness of joy" as it is written, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." And again-" there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it" (in the city of God): "and His servants shall serve Him, and they shall "see His face." 2. But the Mystery of the Ascension is 'Heaven' in yet another sense-as revealed and opened, not in prospect only, but at present; in virtue of our T union with Christ, and the life which we have in Him: as the Apostle states in Ephes. ii. 4-6 (a passage recently dwelt on as shewing our present participation in His Resurrection); where, having described the natural state of man as a death in sin, he adds-" But God who is rich in mercy, for His "great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together "with Christ and hath raised us up 'together (with Him), and made us sit together "in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Observe here -not shall raise us up and shall make us to sit together in heavenly places; but-" hath raised" and "hath made:" the veil being rent and we admitted with Christ our risen and living Head to worship within, even in the most Holy Place; and before "the throne of grace," to which " we now have access with confidence" by the Spirit which He hath given us. In other words, it is a marvellous result of this event and our singular privilege-the "high calling of God in Christ Jesus" of the Church of this Dispensation —to realize the position in the heavens of the ascended Saviour, and the relation to God, even the Father, into which in His person He has brought our nature: the climax-result and crowning blessing of the Incarnation, as saith St. John, 1st Ep. i. 3, 4, after asserting that Truth as what he had witnessed-" That which we "have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye "also may have fellowship with us: andtruly our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus "Christ. And these things write we unto you that 66 your joy may be full:" another allusion (shall we not say?) to the anticipation of the Redeemer in our Text,-"In thy presence is the fulness of joy"— declaring the participation in this His joy of those to whom it is graciously given (as just said) to realize His position where now He is gone "to appear in the presence of God for us." But, Is this so? Is this our calling and privilege? Then, With what feelings should we keep this Feast! What manner of persons ought we to be! It has been just said that the Ascension is the mystery of Heaven revealed-of Heaven in hope, and Heaven in present access to God. But if it be so, it should also be in us the mystery of Heavenly-mindedness: as reasons the Apostle-" If ye then be risen with "Christ seek those things that are above, where "Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set Set your "affections on things above, not on things on the "earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with "Christ in God." (Col. iii. 1-4). And again, (Phil. iii. 20),-in contrast with those who "mind. earthly things"-" our conversation is in Heaven, "from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord "Jesus Christ." And so the Church, praying in the Collect for this day that, like as we do believe 'the only-begotten Son of God, our Lord Jesus 'Christ, to have ascended into the heavens, so we 'may also in heart and mind thither ascend and 'with Him continually dwell.' May this Prayer be answered in us! now so conformed to the Redeemer in May we be His Life on earth, His Death, His Resurrection, and Ascension, that (in the words of the Apostle) we "may apprehend that for which we have been apprehended of Christ Jesus" by His vouchsafing to take our nature, and hereafter be conformed to the image of His glory at His appearing !-And, TO HIM, WITH THE FATHER, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, BE ASCRIBED ALL PRAISE AND MAJESTY, AND POWER, BOTH NOW DOMINION AND EVER. 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