had before obferved to his difciples, upon a remark, SERM. able occafion, Luke ix. 54, 55. When they would CXCVI. have "called for fire from heaven" to have confumed the Samaritans for refufing to entertain our SAVIOUR, as Elias had done in a like cafe, our SAVIOUR, feverely reproves that fierce fpirit of theirs, as by no means fuitable to the gofpel: "ye "know not what manner of fpirit ye are of: for "the Son of man came not to deftroy mens lives, "but to fave them." And juft anfwerable to the difference between the fpirit of Elias and our SAVIOUR, was the different manner of their tranflàtion into heaven; the one gently received up " in a "cloud," the other violently taken up "by a "whirlwind," carried in "a chariot of fire drawn by horfes of fire."

And there is likewife another difference not altogether unworthy of our obfervation. The bleffing which Elijah left to Elifha at his parting from him, and the promise of his fpirit to be imparted to him, is conceived in very doubtful words, 2 Kings ii. 9.

Elijah faid to Elifha, afk what I fhall do for thee, "before I be taken away from thee. And Elifha "faid, let a double portion of thy fpirit be upon me. And he said, thou haft afked a hard thing; nevertheless, if thou fee me when I am taken "from thee, it fhall be fo unto thee; but if thou fee

me not, it shall not be fo." This was very doubtful, fuitable to the obfcurity of the law; but our SAVIOUR, when he parted from his difciples, makes a plain and abfolute promife of the HOLY GHOST to them anfwerable to the clearness and grace of the gofpel: "ye fhall be baptized with the "HOLY GHOST not many days hence." So VOL. X.

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SERM. wifely did GoD order all circumstances concerning CXCVI. our SAVIOUR, that every thing belonging to him, every action that he did, and every circumftance of it might have some important fignification.

IV. The laft circumstance of our SAVIOUR'S afcenfion, is the place where he went, ver. 11.

This fame JESUS which is taken up from you "into heaven." And this is elfewhere more particularly exprefs'd, by declaring the dignity to which he was exalted in heaven; "being fet down on the right "hand of God, and having all power in heaven and "earth committed to him." Mark xvi. 19. “ He "was received up into heaven, and fat on the right "hand of GoD:" which phrafe fignifies our SAVIOUR'S being advanced in his humane nature, to an honour and dignity next to that of the divine majefty; the right hand being esteemed the place of greatest honour. This exaltation of CHRIST, the apostle tells us, was conferr'd upon him as a reward of his great humiliation and fufferings; Heb. xii. 2. "Who for the joy that was fet before him endured "the cross, and defpifed the fhame, and is fet down "on the right hand of the throne of GOD." And by virtue of this exaltation, the apostle proves him to be exalted in his humane nature above the angels,

Heb. i. 3, 4. "When he had by himself purged "our fins, he fat down at the right hand of the "majefty on high, being made fo much better than "the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a "more excellent name than they ;" that is, being advanced to a higher dignity; for name among the Hebrews fignifies dignity and honour. So the apoftle ufeth the word name, Phil. ii. 9, 10, 11. "Where"fore GoD alfo hath highly exalted him, and given

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"him a name which is above every name, that at SER M. "the name of JESUS every knee fhall bow, of CXCVI. things in heaven and things in earth, and things "under the earth; and that every tongue fhould "confefs that JESUS CHRIST is LORD to the glory of GOD the FATHER." So likewife, Eph. i. 20, 21. "Whom he raised from the dead, "and fet at his own right hand in heavenly places, "far above all principalities, and powers, and might, ❝and dominion, and every name that is named, not "only in this world, but in that which is to come." And now, wherein this dignity doth confift, the fame apostle tells us in the next words; "that he hath put "all things under his feet, and given him to be head "over all things to the church;" which is the fame with what our SAVIOUR told his apoftles before his afcenfion," all power is given me in heaven "and in earth;" that is, GOD hath committed the government of the world into his hands, for the benefit and advantage of his church here in this world, and for the difpenfing of rewards and punishments to good and bad men in the next life.

And though the apoftles did only see him taken up, and received in a cloud out of their fight, and were not witneffes of his advancement and exaltation at the right hand of God; yet they had, and we have, fufficient, affurance of it, both by what our SAVIOUR declared before his afcenfion, and by the effects which followed after. Before he afcended, he told them whither he was going, and what power and dignity would be conferred upon him, that "all power in heaven and earth was com"mitted to him;" and that as an evidence of this exaltation at the right hand of God, and the power

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SERM. there conferr'd upon him, he would in a few days CXCVI. fend down the HOLY GHOST upon them in a

fenfible manner, and in great and fenfible effects, enabling them to fpeak with tongues, and to work all forts of miracles. After this he was in their fight taken up from them, and carried towards heaven; and ten days after, the HOLY GHOST, according to his promife, came down upon them in miraculous powers and gifts. So that here was abundant evidence to them of his exaltation in heaven, they having feen him taken up and carried thitherwards, and after this finding the wonderful effects of his being there, and of the power which was conferred upon him.

The third and laft thing to be spoken to, is the confequent benefits of our SAVIOUR'S afcenfion and exaltation; and they are chiefly these three: the fending of the HOLY GHOST; his powerful interceffion for us at the right hand of GoD; and the confirmation of our faith, as to the truth of his doctrine in general, and particularly as to his coming to judgment.

I. The fending of the HOLY GHOST in miraculous powers and gifts upon the apoftles, to qualify them for the speedy and effectual propagation of the gofpel, and to give credit to them in the preaching of it. By the gift of tongues, they are enabled to preach the gofpel to all nations; and by the other miraculous powers, GOD bare witnefs to the testimony which they gave of our SAVIOUR's doctrine and refurrection. And this was a great benefit; for to this we owe the great bleffing of the gospel, and the fpreading of the chriftian religion through the world; and this was properly the fruit of our SAVIOUR'S

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SAVIOUR'S afcenfion into heaven, and his exalta- SER M. tion at the right hand of GoD, and of that royal power and majefty which he was invefted withal. GOD in his wife difpenfation of things having fo or.. dered, that this dignity and power fhould be the reward of our SAVIOUR'S obedience and fufferings; which may ferve to explain to us that paffage, John vii. 39. This fpake he of the SPIRIT, which they that believe on him fhould receive: for the "HOLY GHOST was not yet given, because JESUS was not yet glorified." The giving of thefe gifts of the HOLY GHOST, was purpofely referved by GoD, to be an inftance of that power and glory, wherewith our SAVIOUR was to be invefted upon his afcenfion into heaven, and exaltation at the right hand of GoD; and therefore our SAVIOUR tells his difciples, that they ought not to be troubled at his departure, because, till he had left them, the HOLY GHOST would not come, John xvi. 17. "I tell you the truth, it is expedient "for you that I go away: for if I go not away, "the comforter will not come unto you."

II. Another mighty benefit of our SAVIOUR'S afcenfion and exaltation, is his powerful interceffion for us at the right hand of GoD. And this is a mighty adv ntage and comfort, to have a perpetual patron and advocate at the right hand of God, to plead our caufe, to folicit our concernments, and reprefent our wants, and to offer up our prayers and requests to Gop, in the virtue of his meritorious facrifice; to have fo good a friend in the court of heaven, in fuch power and favour with the great king of the world. This under the law was fhadowed by the high-prieft's going into the holy of holies,