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tories of the Lamb in the Courts of Heaven; let us with holy faith and pious joy take up the celestial strain in the Sanctuaries of Earth: and let not our voices be an empty sound. Let us not be content with crying out, Hosanna to the Son of David! Hallelujah to the King of Heaven! but let us also offer unto God the service of our lives; to Christ the works of godliness and faith. The tree without its fruit only cumbereth the ground, and is destined to be cut down. Christ rose again from the dead, that we in and through him might live for ever. Let us die unto sin, and through penitence and faith rise again unto holiness, and we shall be made partakers of his glorious Resurrection, and enter with him in triumph into Heaven; to which habitation of everlasting bliss that we may all come, may God of his infinite goodness and mercy grant, to whom, &c.

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ARTICLE VI.

HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, AND SITTETH AT

THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, THE
ALMIGHTY.

FATHER

!

THE first part of Christ's Exaltation, namely, his Resurrection from the dead, was considered in my last discourse. The second part, his Ascension into Heaven and Session at the right hand of God, is to form the subject of our present meditation.

It must be evident to every one, who dispassionately institutes his inquiry, that the Mosaic and Christian Dispensations are parts of the same system, and are derived from the same source; that the former was the forerunner and shadow of the latter; and that the latter is the completion and perfection of the former. "Before faith came," says the Apostle,

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we were kept under the Law, shut up unto the faith, which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the Law was our school-master to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." The integrity of the Law as a Divine Revelation was particularly declared by Christ, and confirmed by his Apostles, "The Law was given by Moses," who received it immediately from God; "but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ," who was sent by his Father, and who was himself the God and Creator of the world.

The rites and ceremonies, under the Law were types and shadows of good things to come under the Gospel. Now it was prefigured, that the Messiah should ascend up into Heaven. For the High Priest was accustomed to make atonement for himself and the people, once every year; and for that purpose he slew the sin offering without the Sanctuary, and then entered with the blood thereof within the veil into the Holy of Holies,

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and sprinkled it upon and before the mercy-seat. So did Jesus in a more eminent way make atonement for the sins of all mankind. He, as our Great High Priest, offered up himself without the Sanctuary of Heaven, and then with his blood entered into it to the very mercyseat of God, there "to appear in the presence of God for us,' making inter

cession for our sins.

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The translation of Enoch and Elijah into Heaven;-the elevation of Isaac after his figurative death to a state of blessing and prosperity;-the exaltation of Joseph after his designed death and representative burial in prison to be the second person in the kingdom of Pharaoh; the entrance of Joshua into the Promised Land, and his complete possession of it after all his victories over the enemies of God; and the full establishment of David upon his throne in extraordinary splendour and prosperity after all his troubles and deliverances, are so many remarkable types of the

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*Heb. ix. 24.

Ascension and Session of Christ at the right hand of God in all the dignity of divine glory, and in the everlasting possession of the kingdom of Heaven.

This glorious event forms also the subject of prophecy. "Thou art gone up on high," sang the Prophet David, "thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, yea, even for thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them."* Again, the same Prophet sang in a strain of holy triumph; "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in.

Who is the King Lord strong and

of Glory? It is the mighty, even the Lord mighty in battle, even the Lord of Hosts, he is the King of Glory." David also in another prophecy represents the Father as addressing the Son, and seating him on his throne; "The Lord," that is, the Almighty God the Father," said unto my Lord," that is, to Him, who, although my offspring according to the flesh, shall be in dignity

*Psalm lxviii. 18.

+ Psalm xxiv. 7, 8, 10.

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