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SERMON IX.

ON THE ASCENSION.

Psalm lxviii. 18.

THOU HAST ASCENDED ON HIGH, THOU HAST LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE: THOU HAST RECEIVED GIFTS FOR MEN; YEA, FOR THE REBELLIOUS ALSO, THAT THE LORD GOD MIGHT DWELL * AMONG THEM.

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SEARCH the Scriptures, said our Lord, for they testify of me. The more we read them, the more shall we be convinced of the truth of this declaration. Innumerable are the places which speak directly or indirectly of a precious Christ, especially in the book of Psalms.

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THE Occasion of this fine Psalm is posed to be, the fetching of the ark from the house of Obed-edom to Mount Zion, 2 Sam. 6, which was conducted with great solemnity, with sacrifices and thanksgiv

ings, in commemoration of the many deliverances which God had vouchsafed to his people in bringing them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and through the wilderness; the giving the Law on Mount Sinai, and the destruction of their enemies; circumstances which made very weighty impressions upon the minds of the old testament saints, and more especially such men as David, who was not only a pious, sensible worshipper of God, but also, an eminent type of the great Redeemer; as was also the ark which they were at this time conducting to its resting place.

BUT while the mind of the writer was under the divine influence, it was carried far beyond the bounds of the Jewish economy, to the triumphant ascension of the Lord of life and glory. All the triumphant successes, which crowned David's warlike achievements, fell infinitely short of the triumph of Jesus over sin, death and hell. Did chariots and horsemen attend the victories of David? Thousands of angels attended the victorious resurrection and ascension of David's Son, and David's Lord: and therefore the divine penman addresses him in the words of the text, Thou hast ascended upon high; thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. As the words refer to the ascent of the ark;

we may understand them thus: The ark was the symbol of the Divine presence, and the type of our Saviour's humanity; the ark had been a considerable time in a state of captivity, being taken by the Philistines; (a) but David having overcome these stubborn enemies of God and his people, and made them tributaries to Israel; the ark was conducted to its proper station, viz. Mount Zion, the type of our Saviour's resurrection; Jehovah, who resided in it, had now taken or led captivity captive, that is, such as had ruled, taken and brought the ark of God into captivity, were become captives themselves; and we find David liberally dispensing gifts among the people, (b) and, like a generous conqueror, very likely his subdued enemies might partake of his bounty; so that he might be said to give gifts unto men, even the rebellious; and perhaps even these might submit to the God of Israel, that he might be glorified in their salvation; so that he might dwell among them, yea, as it is said, that he might reign in the midst of his enemies.

ALL this is grand and glorious; and worthy the power and wisdom of God; but we must look a little higher still; the apostle applies it to the triumphant ascent of our all conquering Immanuel, conquering sin, death and hell; and the heavenly gifts

(a) 1 Sam. iii. 11.

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(a) 2 Sam. vi, 17.

which he bestowed upon the officers of his church are infinitely superior to the gifts which David distributed either to his friends or his conquered enemies. (a)

THIS day commemorates that blessed event; and whether it is the precise day or not, it is not very material, he that regards a day let him regard it unto the Lord. I own I am partial to the seasons which bring in review the glorious events, and glorious transactions upon which our salvation depends. To attend a little to the words of the text, I shall consider,

FIRST, what is implied in his ascending. SECONDLY, the gifts which he received, and for whom.

THIRDLY, the end for which he receiv ed and gave them.

FIRST, then, let us consider what is implied in his ascending.

1. It implies, says the apostle, that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth. And he that descended, is the same also that ascended far above all heavens. This implies that our blessed Lord had a being prior to his incarnation. This is plain from many of our Lord's expressions, 1 came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him. that sent me. (b) Glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the

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world was. (a) Likewise that saying, which offended the Jews so much, that they took up stones to stone him, viz. Before Abraham was I am; which they understood perfectly well to mean, that he existed before Abraham, a thought which they could not endure. To which agree the words of the apostle Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich. (b) I am not now proving his divinity, nor should quote such texts for that purpose.* With respect unto his divine nature I apprehend it neither comes nor goes, and therefore neither ascends nor descends, seeing he filleth all space, is in every place, and can say, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them."But I am now speaking of that first-born of every creature, the human soul of our blessed Lord, that Holy thing which is called the Son of God. (c)

2. OUR blessed Lord finished the great work, namely, the redemption of the world, for which he descended. Hence he could say, I have glorified thee upon earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And so intent was he upon the great design, that he said, I must work the work of him

(a) John xvii. 5. (b) 2 Cor. viii. 9. (c) Luke i. 35. * See my Sermon on that subject.

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