the throne of glory, and the kingdom which he purchased at the price of his blood, but also to attend to whatever regards the salvation of his people. He ascended, to prove thereby that " his kingdom is not of this world," [1] for the kingdoms of this world are terrene and transient, and are based upon wealth and the power of the flesh; but the kingdom of Christ is not as the Jews expected, an earthly, but a spiritual and eternal kingdom. Its riches, too, are spiritual, as he shows by placing his throne in the heavens, where they, who seek most earnestly the things that are of God, abound most in riches and in abundance of all good things, according to these words of St. James: " Hath not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?" [2]
He also ascended into heaven, in order to teach us to follow him thither in mind and heart, for as, by his death and resurrection, he bequeathed to us an example of dying and rising again in spirit; so by his ascension he teaches us, though dwelling on earth, to raise ourselves in thought and desire to heaven, " con fessing that we are pilgrims and strangers on the earth, [3] seeking a country;" " fellow-citizens with the saints, and the domestics of God;" [4] " for," says the same Apostle, " our conversation is in heaven." [5]
The extent and unspeakable greatness of the blessings, which V the bounty of God has bestowed on us with a lavish hand, were, long before, as the Apostle interprets him, sung by David in these words: " He ascended on high, led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." [6] On the tenth day after his ascension, he sent down the Holy Ghost, with whose power and plenitude he VI filled the multitude of the faithful, then present, and fulfilled his splendid promise: " It is expedient for you that I go; for if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you; but, if I go, I will send him to you." [7] He also ascended into heaven, according to the Apostle, " that he may appear in the presence of God for us," [8] and discharge for us the office of advocate with the Father: My, little children," says St. John, " these things I write to you, that you may not sin, but if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the just, and he is the propitiation for our sins." [9] There is nothing from which the faithful should derive greater joy than from the reflection that Jesus Christ is constituted our advocate and intercessor with the Father, with whom his influence and authority are supreme.
Finally, by his ascension, he has prepared for us a place, as VIII he had promised, and has entered, as our head, in the name of us all, into the possession of the glory of heaven. [10] Ascending into heaven, he threw open its gates, which had been closed by the sin of Adam; and, as he foretold his disciples, at his last supper, secured to us a way by which we may arrive at eternal
