Father: the first showeth that Christ upon his ascension is set down at the right hand of God; the second assureth us that the God, at whose right hand Christ is set down, is the Father Almighty.

For the explication of Christ's session, three things will be necessary; first, to prove that the promised Messias was to sit at the right hand of God; secondly, to show that our Jesus, whom we believe to be the true Messias, is set down at the right hand of God; thirdly, to find what is the importance of that phrase, and in what propriety of expression it belongs to Christ.

That the promised Messias was to sit at the right hand of God, was both pre-typified and foretold. Joseph, who' was betrayed and sold by his brethren, was an express type of Christ; and though in many things he represented the Messias, yet in none more than in this, that being taken out of the prison he was exalted to the supreme power of Egypt. For thus Pharaoh spake to Joseph, "Thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh took off the ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had, and they cried before him, Bow the knee; and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt," Gen.. xli. 40. Thus Joseph had the execution of all the regal power committed unto him, all edicts and commands were given out by him, the managing of all affairs was through his hands, only the authority by which he moved remained in Pharaoh still. This was a clear representation of the Son of Man, who, by his sitting on the right hand of God, obtained power to rule and govern all things both in hea ven and earth, especially as "the ruler of his house," that, is, the church, with express command that all things both in heaven and earth, and under the earth, should bow down before him; but all this in the name of the Father to whom the throne is still reserved, in whom the original authority still remains. And thus the session of the Messias was pre-typified,

The same was also expressly foretold, not only in the

sense, but in the phrase. "The Lord said unto my Lord," saith the prophet David,"Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool," Psal. cx. 1. The Jews have endeavoured to avoid this prophecy, but with no success: some make the person to whom God speaks to be Ezechias, some Abraham, some Zerubbabel, others David, others the people of Israel; and because the prophecy cannot belong to him who made the psalm, therefore they who attribute the prediction to Abraham, tell us the psalm was penned by his steward Eliezer : they who expound it of David, say that one of his musicians was author of it.

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But first it is most certain that David was the penman of this psalm; the title speaks as much, which is, "A Psalm of David;" from whence it followeth that the prediction did not belong to him, because it was spoken to his Lord. Nor could it indeed belong to any of the rest whom the Jews imagine, because neither Abraham, Ezechias, nor Zerubbabel could be the Lord of David, much less the people of Israel, to whom some of the Jews referred it, who were not the lords but the subjects of that David. Besides, he who is said to sit at the right hand of God, is also said to be "a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech;" but neither Abraham, nor Ezechias. nor any whom the Jews have mentioned was ever any priest of God. Again; our Saviour urged this scripture against the Pharisees saying, "What think ye of Christ? whose Son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his Son? and no man was able to answer him a word," Matt. xxii. 42. From whence it is evident that the Jews of old, even the Pharisees, the most accurate and skilful amongst them, did interpret this psalm of the Messias; for if they had conceived the prophecy belonged either to Abraham, or David, or any of the rest since mentioned by the Jews, they might very well, and questionless would have answered our Saviour, that this belonged not to the Son of David. It was therefore the general opinion of the church

of the Jews before our Saviour, and of divers Rabbins since his death, that this prediction did concern the kingdom of Christ. And thus the session of the Messias at the right hand of God was not only represented typically, but foretold prophetically; which is our first consideration.

Secondly; we affirm that our Jesus, whom we worship as the true Messias, according unto that particular prediction, when he ascended up on high, did sit down at the right hand of God. His ascension was the way to his session, and his session the end of his ascension; as the evangelist expresseth it, "He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God;" or as the apostle, "God raised Christ from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." There could be no such session without an ascension; and "David is not ascended into the heavens; but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly;" let all the blind and wilful Jews be convinced of this truth, that God hath not set at his own right hand, either Abraham or David, either Ezechias or Zerubbabel, but "hath made that same Jesus whom they have crucified both Lord and Christ."

This was an honor never given, never promised to any man but the Messias: the glorious spirits stand about the throne of God, but never any of them sat down at the right hand of God. "For to which of his angels said he' at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?" But Christ was so assured of this honor, that before the council of the chief priests, and the elders of the people, when he foresaw his death contrived and his cross prepared, even then he expressed the confidence of his expectation, saying, "Hereafter shall the Son of Man sit on the right hand of the power of God," Luke xxii. 69. And thus our Jesus, whom we worship as the true promised Messias, "is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God," 1 Pet. iii. 22—which was our second consideration.

Our next inquiry is, what may be the utmost importance of that phrase, and how it is applicable unto Christ.

The phrase consists of two parts, and both to be taken metaphorically: first, therefore, we must consider what is the right hand of God, in the language of the scriptures; secondly, what it is to sit down at that right hand. God being a spirit can have no material or corporeal parts; and consequently as he hath no body, so in a proper sense can he have no hands at all; but because God is pleased to descend to our capacity, and not only to speak by the mouths of men, but also after the manner of men, he expresseth that which is in him by some analogy with that which belongs to us. The hands of man are those organical parts which are most active, and executive of our power; by these the strength of our body is expressed, and most of our natural and artificial actions are performed by them. From whence the power of God, and the exertion or execution of that power, is signified by the hand of God. Moreover seeing by a general custom of the world the right hand is more used than the left, and by that general use acquireth a greater firmitude and strength, therefore the right hand of God signifieth the exceeding great and infinite power of God.

Again; because the most honorable place amongst men is the right hand, (as when Bathsheba went unto king Solomon, "he sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother, and she sat on his right hand," 1 Kings ii. 19;) therefore the right hand of God signifies the glorious majesty of God.

Thirdly; because the gifts of men are given and received by the hands of men, and "every perfect gift comes from the Father of lights," therefore the right hand of God is the place of celestial happiness and perfect felicity; according to that of the psalmist, "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore,' "Psal. xvi. 11.

Now as to the first acception of the right hand of God, Christ is said to sit down at the right hand of the Father in regard of that absolute power and dominion which he hath obtained in heaven; from whence it is expressly said, "Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power," Matt. xxvi. 64.

As to the second acception, Christ is said to sit on the

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right hand of God in regard of that honor, glory, and majesty, which he hath obtained there; wherefore it is said, "When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" and again, "We have an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens," Heb. i. 3; viii. 1.

In reference to the third acception, Christ is said to sit on the right hand of God, because now after all the labors and sorrows of this world, after his stripes and buffetings, after a painful and shameful death, he resteth above in unspeakable joy and everlasting felicity.

As for the other part of the phrase, that is, his session, we must not look upon it as determining any posture of his body in the heavens, correspondent to the inclination and curvation of our limbs: for we read in the scriptures a more general term, which signifies only his being in heaven, without any expression of the particular manner of his presence. So St. Paul, "Who is even at the right hand of God;" and St. Peter, "Who is gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God." Besides, we find him expressed in another position than that of session; for "Stephen looking stedfastly into heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God; and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God." He appeared standing unto Stephen, whom we express sitting in our Creed; but this is rather a difference of the occasion, than a diversity of position. He appeared standing to Stephen, as ready to assist him, as ready to plead for him, as ready to receive him; and he is oftener expressed sitting, not for any positional variation, but for the variety of his effects and operation.

This phrase then "to sit," prescinding from the corporeal posture of session, may signify no more than habitation, possession, permansion, and continuance; as the same word in the Hebrew and Greek languages often signifies. And thus our Saviour is set down at the right hand of God in heaven; because he who dwelt with us before on earth, is now ascended up into heaven, and hath taken his mansion or habitation there; and so hath he seated himself, and dwelleth in the highest heavens.