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Those angels said to the Apostles, "This same Jesus which is taken from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." This statement implies two things: first, the certainty of Jesus's second coming; and, secondly, the manner of his coming. It was as much as if they had said, You have seen him ascend into heaven; and you shall see him descend from heaven. 1 Thess. iv, 16. And you have seen a cloud of angels receive him out of your sight, and you shall see him come again with clouds. Rev. i, 7. Thus the Son of Man will come with the clouds of heaven; and a multitude of angels will grace his triumphant return to judge the quick and dead.

II. BUT WHY DID OUR LORD ASCEND TO HEAVEN?

He came down to our earth, because he had important work to do in this world; and he ascended to heaven, because he had important work to do in that blessed abode.

He ascended into heaven to receive the reward of his works on earth. Then God highly exalted his human nature; and gave "him a name which is above every name." Phil. ii, 9. And then he entered into the joy that was set before him, when he endured the cross, and despised the shame of an ignominious death.

Jesus ascended to heaven that he might be invested with absolute power and dominion; and that he might fully exercise his regal authority. Thus that prediction was fully accomplished, "I will set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." There he sitteth at the right hand of power; and there "he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” 1 Cor. XV, 25.

He ascended into heaven to send down the Holy Spirit, that the Apostles might be qualified, by his gifts, to preach the Gospel to all nations. This he had promised in the days of his flesh; and the promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. The promise was this, "If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." John xvi. 7.

But he went up into heaven to prepare a place for his disciples; and for all that shall believe on him "through their word." John xvii, 20, 21. As our forerunner, he went before, to prepare mansions for us in the house of our Father. To this he alludes in the following passage, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." John xiv, 2.

Our Lord ascended to heaven to intercede for men. There he maketh "intercession for the transgressors." Isai. liii, 12. There he is our "Advocate with the Father." 1 John ii, 1. There "he ever liveth to make intercession." Heb. vii, 25. We are not informed how he intercedes; but it is certain that he appears "in the presence of God for us." Heb. ix, 24. He cannot plead our innocency, because we are not innocent; but he pleads his sacrificial death on the cross; and that prevails with God.

We add, he ascended on high to receive gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also: the gifts of repentance and the remission of sins are named in the following passage: "He is exalted a Prince and a Saviour,

to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." Acts v, 31. He gives men space to repent. Rev. ii, 21. And when penitent sinners believe, he gives them the remission of sins. Acts x, 43. He also gives a Gospel ministry to guide men into the truth; and all the blessings, both of providence and grace, are the gifts of his mercy and love. III. WHAT LESSONS MAY WE LEARN FROM THIS SUBJECT?

We learn the certainty of a future state, by the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ; for if we admit this fact, we cannot doubt either the resurrection of the dead, or the immortality of the soul. And that promise, "Because I live, ye shall live also," is the anchor of our hope.

The ascension of Jesus teaches us, that human nature is highly exalted, through his gracious undertakings. In that nature he sitteth at the right hand of God. Heb. viii, 1. This is more than can be said of angels. They stand about the throne of God; but to which of them "said he at any time, Sit on my right hand?" Heb. i, 13. But Jesus sits there in his glorified humanity.

It clearly follows, that we have a friend in the courts above, who remembers us in our low estate. When the chief butler of Pharoah was exalted, he forgot Joseph; but Jesus remembers us, for we are graven on the palms of his hands. Isai. xlix, 16.

Then we may go boldly to the throne of grace, confidently expecting mercy, and grace to help in time of need; for such is the influence of our Saviour in the courts of God, that, whatsoever we ask in his name, will be freely given. Blessed be his holy name for ever!

We learn by these important truths, that our hearts should be with the Lord while we sojourn here below; and we should long, like the apostle Paul, to be dissolved, that we may be with Christ; but this longing, or ardent desire, should bow down to the will of our Lord in pious resignation.

But while we dwell on earth, we should honour our Lord and Saviour before all men; by maintaining and propagating his truth; by steady obedience to his laws; and by an open avowal of him as our only Lord and Master; for without this conduct we cannot hope to see his face with joy.

The ascension of Jesus should reconcile us to death and the grave. Death is a conquered enemy; and the grave has been opened. Jesus rose, and ascended on high; we shall rise and meet him in the air. 1 Thess. iv, 17.

We see that it is vain for sinners to oppose the Saviour. They are weak; but he is strong. He is "long-suffering, and not willing that any should perish;" but ere long he will come in glory to punish his enemies. May they now bow down to his sceptre; and be saved by his grace! For we may rest assured, that "he will finally subdue all his foes;" and every knee shall bow to him, either voluntarily or by constraint. May we expect and long for his second coming! The exact time of his appearance as our Judge is not revealed; but remember he has said, "Surely, I come quickly." Come, Lord Jesus, and put an end to all our sorrows; come, and receive us into glory; come, and let as live with thee for ever. Amen.

SERMON CIX.

THE PARABLE OF THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN.

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a wine-press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. MATTHEW xxi, 33.

WHEN God places men in high stations, either in civil or religious communities, he expects them to honour him before the people. The Jewish rulers were highly exalted in both respects; but they robbed. God of his glory. When he sent his servants to receive the fruit of his vineyard, they "beat one, and killed another, and stoned another;" and when he sent his Son, "they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him." This vile conduct was followed by two awful events: first, their honours and privileges were taken away; and, secondly, they were punished with just severity. Those rulers, including both kings and priests, are addressed in this parable, because their corrupt administration had corrupted the people, and dishonoured the householder. The vineyard, as we observed on the murmuring labourers, was the Jewish church; but that referred to the people, and this to their rulers.

I. THE HUSBANDMEN, WHO HAD THE CARE OF THIS VINEYARD, WERE JEWISH KINGS AND PRIESTS.

The children of Israel were governed by elders in the land of Egypt, by Moses in the wilderness, and by Joshua, when they first settled in the land of Canaan. Afterwards they were governed by judges until the days of Samuel; but then they chose a king. Saul was their first king. He was intrusted with the care and management of civil affairs; and the kings who succeeded him had the same trust. Some of those kings were wise and good; but others were ignorant and wicked. They were required to govern the people by the law of the Lord; but many of them neglected that law, and caused Israel to sin.

The priests were intrusted with the management and direction of eligious affairs; but many of them were very wicked before the Lord. A few of them were truly pious, and honoured God in the sacred office; but the rest dishonoured him, and led the people astray by their scandalous conduct. Such were Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron; and Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli. And there were many others, from the days of Aaron to the days of the Son of Man, whose characters are correctly described in this parable.

The vineyard was let out to these husbandmen, that they might promote the great principles of morality and religion; and that God might be glorified in the fruitfulness of his people. It was their duty to instruct the ignorant; to warn the wicked; to encourage the good; to

punish offenders; to protect the weak; and, in short, to promote the wide spread of civil, social, and religious happiness.

Here it may be proper to remark, that civil magistrates and Christian Ministers should carefully attend to these duties. They are placed in situations of awful responsibility, and will soon be summoned to the bar of God, to give an account of every measure which they have taken in their respective offices. That they may do this with joy, let them ever be the patrons of knowledge and virtue, and do all to the glory

of God.

II. THE HOUSEHOLDER WENT INTO a far COUNTRY.

Some judicious writers are of opinion, that this circumstance is introduced into the parable as a mere ornament; and others think, it is spoken according to the opinion of the wicked husbandmen. But it is quite certain, that God withdrew the tokens of his special presence from the Jewish church many ages before the coming of Christ; and that he committed, in some measure, the guidance and government of his people to certain rulers, who are here represented under the character of husbandmen.

But though the householder went into a far country, speaking after the manner of men, yet the vineyard was his own; his authority was exactly the same as if he had been visibly present; and the husbandmen were accountable to him for their conduct. This is precisely the case under the Gospel dispensation. Jesus is gone into a far country, where he will remain till the end of the world; but his authority over the church is the same as if he dwelt visibly in the midst of her.

III. THE SERVANTS WHOM THE HOUSEHOLDER SENT, THAT THEY MIGHT RECEIVE THE FRUITS OF HIS VINEYARD, WERE THE HOLY PROPHETS.

The householder had a right to expect fruit from his vineyard. He had enclosed the ground; he had placed it under culture; he had furnished it with conveniences; and he had hedged it round about. Thus, when high privileges are conferred upon a people, they are expected to be fruitful in every good work.

The Jewish rulers were expected to promote the fruitfulness of God's vineyard. Civil power should be used in restraining vice, and in pro moting virtue; and religious authority should be employed in cultivating the minds of men in useful knowledge, that they may live in all holiness before the Lord.

Prophets were sent by the householder to receive the fruits of his vineyard; or to require those fruits of piety and virtue which the law commanded. They reproved sin; warned men of danger; urged the rulers to do their duty; and exhorted the people to glorify God by a regular discharge of every moral and religious duty. When they received good reports of the vineyard, they carried the good tidings, in their prayers, to the householder; and when they heard evil tidings, they acquainted him with the nature and extent of that evil.

IV. BUT THE SERVANTS OF THE HOUSEHOLDER WERE CRUELLY PERSE

CUTED.

Elijah says, "The children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword."

1 Kings xix, 10. The chief-priests "mocked the messengers of God, and misused his prophets." 2 Chron. xxxvi, 16. Zedekiah smote the Prophet Micah on the cheek; and cast him into prison. 1 Kings xxii, 24-27. Pashur, the son of Immer the priest, smote Jeremiah the Prophet, and put him in the stocks. Jer. xx, 2. Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, testified against the wickedness of the people, and they stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king, in the court of the house of the Lord. 2 Chron. xxiv, 21.

Those lordly kings and priests imagined that the householder had no right either to the fruit of his vineyard, or the homage of his family; and that every messenger that he sent was a disturber of the public peace, by his officious meddling. And this has been the temper of many kings and priests in every age and nation.

Persecutors wish to stand in the place of God; and this was the predominant desire of those wicked husbandmen. They thought if they could get rid of the Prophets, there would be no one to control them in their pride and wickedness; but they forgot that the Judge of all the earth, though invisible, was a constant witness of all their vile proceedings.

V. LAST OF ALL, THE HOUSEHOLDER SENT UNTO THEM HIS SON, SAYING, THEY WILL REVERENCE MY SON.

The Jewish rulers, to whom this parable was addressed, knew who was meant by the Son of the Householder. David had spoken of the Messiah under the character of a son, saying, "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry;" that is, pay him homage as your king. Ps. ii, 12. And the prophet Isaiah, speaking of Christ, says, "Unto us a Son is given." Isai. ix, 6. When Jesus claimed this title, the Jews charged him with blasphemy; but he replied, "Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God." John x, 36.

They will reverence my Son, said the Householder; and, humanly speaking, there was every probability of that being the case. He was worthy of their highest regards. Consider the relation in which he stood to the Father; his claims on the vineyard; the sanctity of his character; and the astonishing miracles which he wrought; and it will appear that he should have been reverenced by all men.

VI. BUT THEY SLEW THE SON.

They slew the Son because they hated him, and wished to get rid of that spiritual government which he was about to set up among men; and they vainly imagined, that his death would be the destruction of his cause, and leave them in full possession of the vineyard; but their malice and deeds of darkness were over-ruled for the good of the world. Thus in many events we see two opposite principles powerfully at work⚫ on the one hand, the wicked designs of men; and on the other, the gracious designs of God. The first discovers the ignorance, vileness, and impotence of sinners; and the second, the wisdom, purity, and power of the Deity.

By slaying the Son, the Jewish rulers poured contempt on his God and Father; and by this rebellious act, threw off the yoke of the House