PSALM lxviii. 18. Thou haft afcended on high, thon haft led captivity captive, thou haft received gifts for men: yea, for the rebellious alJo: that the Lord God might dwell among עליק למרום .them Chr 1. This was typified, Lev. xvi. 2, 3. 3. Performed by Chrift, John xx. 17. Luke xxiv. This Afcenfion was, 1. Local. 2. Vifible, because no more was he to be feen on Earth. 2. Why did he afcend? 1. To confirm our Faith. 2. To make interceffion for us, 1 John ii. 2. 3. To prepare Manfions for us, John xiv. 2. USE. Is Chrift afcended? 1. Afcend to him with your Affections, Col. iii. 1. 2. Long to be with him. II. Thou haft led Captivity Captive. 1. We are naturally Captives. 2. To Satan, 2 Tim. ii. 26. 2. Chrift delivereth us from this Captivity, Luke iv. 18. Ats iii. 26. 3. He makes us his own Servants, and fo captivates to himself the Captives of Sa tan. US E. Let us ferve him who hath redeemed us to himself, 1 Cor. vi. 20. III. Thou haft received gifts for Men, ph ΟΙΝΙ ΠΟΔΙ έδωκε δίματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, So allo the Targum 1. What Gifts? 1 Repentance, Acts ii. 38. 2. Pardon, 1 John ii. 1. 3. His Spirit, Ats ii. 1. John xvi. 7. 2.—Righteousness. 3. Judgment. 2. To guide us, John. xvi. 13. Rom. viii. 14. 3. To fanctifie us, Tit. iii. 5. 1 Cor. vi. 11. 4. To quicken us, Rom. viii. 2. 5. To help us in Prayer, Rom. viii. 15,16. 6. To difcover our Eftates to us, Rom. viii. 16. 7. To comfort and fupport us, John xiv. 16, 17. IV. Tea, for the rebellious, p, that is, even for finners, Rom. v. 8. who rebell, 1. Against GOD, Isa. i. 2, 3. V. That the Lord God might dwell amongst them, which implies, 1. Our Relation to him, Deut. iv. 7. Bb 3 2. His 2. His favour to us, Lev. xxvi. 11. Exod. xxxiii. 1, 2, 3, 16. Exod. xxxiv. 9. 3. Our Communion with him, 1 John i. 3. 4. His gu dance of us, Pfal. Ixxviii. 14,52,53. Pfal. lxxvi. 2. 5. His Protection, Numb. xxiii. 21, 22, 23. Ffal xlvi. 5, 6, 7. Pfal. xxiii. 4. 6. His providing for us, Pfal. xxiii. 1, 5, 6. 7. His being our GOD, Lev. xxvi. 11, 12. US E. 1. Believe the Afcenfion. 2. Live like those who believe it. PSAL. lxxiii. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I defire befides thee. G OD is to be defired before all things in the I. What is it to defire GOD? 1. To prefer him in our Judgments, Phil. iii. 8. 2. To chufe him in our Wills. 3. To be more Zealous in our endeavour after him than any thing else. II. What is it in GOD we are to defire? 2. His Favour, Pfal. xxx. 5. Pfal. Ixiii. 3. III. Why III. Why should we defire GOD above all things? 1. Because he is more defirable than all things, Luke xviii. 19. Prov. iii. 15. 2. All other things are only defirable for his fake. 3. He alone can fatisfie our defires, Ifa. lv. 1. Pfal. xvii. 15. I. USE. Reproof, to thofe that defire all things before GOD. 1. That think of other things more than GOD, Pfal. xviii. 4. 2. That are unwilling to part with any thing for GOD. 3. That regard not the Ordinances. 4. That make it not their business to feek after GOD. 2. Exhortation, As Solomon, 1 Kings iii. 5, 11, 12, 13. MOTIVES. 1. This is the end why we have defires. 3. To defire GOD above all things, is a 4. Defire GOD here, and enjoy GOD hereafter. Defire GOD above, 1. Riches. 2. Honours. 3. Friends. 4. Relations. 5. Pleafures. 6. Liberty. 7. Knowledge, Si Chriftum difcis fatis e/t. Bb 4 8. A 8. A good Name. 9. Health. 10. Life, Temporal, Eternal, Exod. xxxii. 32. And manifeft that you defire GOD more than these things. 1. By being willing to part with them when GOD calls for them. 2. By being more ferious in looking after GOD than these things. Vide Vol. 4. Serm. viii. of this Author. PSAL. XC. I 2. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. DOCTRINE. T is our Duty to number our days, Pfal. xxxi. 4. I. What Arithmetical Operations should we perform each Day? 1. Addition. Add each day, 1. To the number of your Graces, 2 Pet. i. 5,6 2. To the Degrees of each Grace, 2 Pet. iii. 18 2. Subftraction. Subftract, 1. From the fins of your Souls, Col iii. 5. 2. From the ilrength of your fins. 3. Multiplication. Multiply, 1. Your thoughts of GOD, Pfal. cxxxix. 17, 18. 2. Your |