our fins did flay him; it must be our repentance that re SERM. viveth him to us, our obedience that maketh him to live XXX. in our behalf; for Christ is not in effect risen to impenitent people: as they continue dead in trespasses and sins, as they lie buried in corruption of heart and life, so their condemnation abideth, and death retaineth its entire power over them; they shall not καταντᾶν εἰς τὴν ἐξανάςασιν, attain Phil. iii. 11. unto that happy refurrection, whereof our Lord's refurrection was the pledge and pattern; so did our Lord assure in his preaching; He, faid our Lord, that believeth in the John iii. 36, Son (that is, who with a fincere, strong, and lively faith, 15. productive of due obedience, believeth in him) hath everlafting life; but ὁ ἀπειθῶν, he that disobeyeth (or with a practical infidelity disbelieveth) the Son shall not fee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him; whence we may well infer with St. Paul, Therefore, brethren, we are debt-Rom. viii. ors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: for if we live 12, 13. after the flesh, we shall die; but if through the Spirit we do mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live; that is, affuredly by obeying God's will we shall obtain, by difobedience we must forfeit, all the benefits of our Lord's refurrection.

5. Lastly, The contemplation of this point should elevate our thoughts and affections unto heaven and heavenly things, above the fordid pleasures, the fading glories, and the unftable possessions of this world; for him we should Rev. xiv. 4. follow whitherfoever he goeth; rising with him, not only from all finful defires, but from all inferior concernments, foaring after him in the contemplation of our minds and affections of our heart; that although we are absent from 2 Cor. v. 6. the Lord in the body, we may be present with him in fpi-iii. 20. rit, having our conversation in heaven, and our heart there, Matt. vi. where our treasure is; for if our fouls do still grovel on the earth, if they be closely affixed to worldly interests, deeply immersed in sensual delights, utterly enslaved to corrup-2 Pet.ii. 19. tion, we do not partake of our Lord's refurrection, being. quite fevered from his living body, and continuing in vast (Gal. vi. 8. distance from him: I shall therefore conclude, recom- 1 Tim. v. mending that admonition of St. Paul; If ye then be rifen 6.)

SERM. with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ XXX. fitteth on the right hand of God: Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth: for you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God; that when Chrift, who is our life, shall appear, then ye may also appear with him in glory. Amen.

Heb. xiii. 20, 21.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make us perfect in every good work to do his will, working in us that which is wellpleafing in his fight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

He afcended into heaven, and itteth at the right hand of God.

SERMON ΧΧΧΙ.

MARK xvi. 19.

He was received up into heaven, and fat on the right hand of God.

Our Lord after his refurrection having confummated SERM. what was requifite to be done by him upon earth, for XXXI. the confirmation of our faith, and the constitution of his Church; having for a competent time conversed with his disciples, enlightening their minds with knowledge of the truths concerning him, and in right understanding of the Scriptures relating to him; establishing their faith in immoveable conviction, enflaming their affections by pathetical difcourse, comforting their minds with gracious promises against tribulations enfuing, and arming their hearts with courage and patience against all oppositions of earth and hell; directing and prescribing to them how they should proceed in the instruction of men, and converfion of the world to the belief of his doctrine, the acceptance of his overtures, the observance of his laws; furnishing them with authority, and giving them orders to attest the truth concerning him, to dispense the grace and mercy procured by him, and to promulgate the whole will of God to mankind; promifing them spiritual gifts and aids (both ordinary and extraordinary) necessary or conducible either

:

SERM. to the common edification or to the particular welfare of XXXI. Christians; ordering them to collect and compact the fo

Ats i. 2.

ciety of faithful believers in him, which he had purchased with his blood; in fine, imparting to them his effectual benediction, and a promise of continual assistance in the profecution of those great and holy designs which he committed to their management; having, I say, accomplished all these things, which St. Mark in this verse expresseth briefly by the words μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς, after he had spoken to them; and which St. Luke compriseth in the words ἐντειλάμενος αὐτοῖς, that is, having imparted to them all needful instructions, and imposed all fitting commands upon them; he in their prefence departed away into the possession of his glorious state; He was, faith St. Mark in our text, received up into heaven, and fat on the right hand of God.

Which words of the Evangelist do contain two grand points of our faith, the afcenfion of our Lord to heaven, and his fession there at God's right hand; the right understanding and due confideration whereof [as it is now peculiarly, when the Church recommendeth these points to be the subjects of our devotion most seasonable, so perpetually] is of great use for the edification of our fouls and the direction of our practice: in order to which purposes, I shall endeavour to explain them, to confirm the truth of them, to shew the ends and effects of them, and practically to apply them.

I. He was received into heaven; this is the first point, wherein we may observe the act, and its term: the act, ἀνελήφθη, he was assumed, or taken up, faith St. Mark

xiii. 1.

ται τῷ προσ

Acts ii. 33.

16.

2 Pet. i. 17.

ix. 12.

Διεληλυθέν

νές.

And what is meant by heaven, in the proper fenfe ade- SERM. quate to this matter, may appear from other places equi- XXXI. valent, by which this action, or the refult thereof are expressed. It is called afcending to his Father, and paffing John xx. out of this world to his Father; that is, departing hence i into the place of God's more especial prefence and refidence; where he, as the Apostle to the Hebrews faith, 'Εμφανίζε appeareth to the face of God; being, as St. Peter speaketh, ώπα Θιν exalted to the right hand of God; (that is, to the greatest Heb.ix.24. proximity, and therefore highest eminency, with God.) It v. 31. is termed being taken up into glory, and entering into his 1 Tim. iii. glory; that is, into a most glorious place and state peculiar Luke xxiv. to him; that place which St. Peter calleth μεγαλοπρεπής 26, δόξα, the magnificent, or most excellent glory. It is styled Heb. vi. 19. entering εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τῷ καταπετάσματος, into the most inward part behind the veil; and into the τὰ ἅγια, the espe- ναι τὰς ἐραcially holy places; that is, into the inmost recesses of glory, Heb. iv. 14. inacceffible, and in degree incommunicable, to any other. Eph. iv. 10. He is faid to have passed through the heavens, (that is, through all places inferior to the highest top of glory and felicity;) to have afcended ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν ἐρανῶν, over Ὑψηλότε above all the heavens; to have become higher than the hea-ρος τῶν ἐραvens, or advanced above them: by which expreffions it Heb. vii.26. appeareth, that the term of our Saviour's ascent, called heaven here, was that place of all places in the universe of things in situation most eminent, in quality most holy, in dignity most excellent, in glory most illustrious; the inmost fanctuary of God's temple above, not made with Heb. ix. 11, hands; the most august chamber of prefence in the celef- 22. tial court: and whereas there are, as our Lord telleth us, many manfions, or apartments, in the house of God, the John xiv. 2. chief and best of them our Lord hath taken up for his refidence; whereas heaven is a place of vast extent, to the utmost top thereof our Lord hath afcended, even into that φῶς ἀπρόσιτον, inaccessible light where God dwelleth. And there, as it followeth, he fitteth at God's right 16. hand; the meaning of which words it is not difficult to find out; it being obvious and clear, that the state of things above, in the other blessed world, is in the Scrip

1 Tim. vi.