صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

welcoming Christ to heaven, and, as it were, congratulating the happy accomplishment of his most difficult work. He delighted greatly to behold him here in his work on earth, as expressed by a voice from the excellent glory, "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 2 Pet. 1: 17. And himself tells us, "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life," John, 10: 17; it was a work dear to the heart of God from eternity; he took infinite delight in it

3. Christ's sitting at God's right hand in heaven, shows the advancement of Christ's human nature to the highest honor, even to be the object of adoration to angels and men. For it is properly his human nature that is the subject of all this honor and advancement; and being advanced to the right hand of Majesty, it is become an object of worship and adoration. Not simply as it is flesh and blood, but as it is personally united to the Second Person and enthroned in the supreme glory of heaven.

Oh here is the mystery, that flesh and blood should ever be advanced to the highest throne of Majesty, and that being there installed in glory, we may now direct our worship to him as God-man; and to this end was his humanity so advanced, that it might be adored and worshipped by all. "The Father hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father." And the Father will accept of no honor separate from his honor. Therefore it is added, "He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent him." John, 5: 22, 23. Hence the apostles, in the salutations of their epistles, beg for grace, mercy, and peace from God the Fa ther, and our Lord Jesus Christ; and desire the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be with the churches.

4. It imports the sovereignty and supremacy of Christ over all the investiture of Christ with authority over

the empire of both worlds; for this belongs to him that sits upon his throne. When the Father said to him, Sit thou at my right hand, he thereby delivered to him the dispensation and economy of the kingdom. He put the awful sceptre of government into his hand. So the apostle interprets it; "He must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet." 1 Cor. 15:25. And to this purpose the same apostle accommodates (if not expounds) the words of the psalmist, "Thou madest him a little lower than the angels," that is, in respect to his humbled state on earth, "thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet." Heb. 2:7, 8. He is over the spiritual kingdom, the church, absolute Lord. Matt. 28: 18-20. He is also Lord over the providential kingdom, the whole world, Psalm 110:2; and this providential kingdom, being subordinate to his spiritual kingdom, he orders and rules the providential for the advantage and benefit of the spiritual. Eph. 1:22.

९९

5. To sit at God's right hand, his enemies being made his footstool, presents Christ as Conqueror over all his enemies. To have his enemies under his feet, denotes conquest and complete victory. They trampled his name and his saints under their feet, and Christ will tread them under his feet. It is true indeed this victory is incomplete as yet; for now we see not yet all things put under him, (saith the apostle,) but we see Jesus crowned with glory and honor," and that is enough; enough to show that the power of his enemies is broken; and though they make some opposition still, yet it is to no purpose; he is infinitely above them, and they must fall before him; all the power of God stands ready to strike through his enemies. Psalm

110: 5.

6. Christ's sitting in heaven shows us the great and

wonderful change in his state and condition since his ascension. Ah, it is far otherwise with him now than it was in the days of his humiliation here on earth. It were good, as a worthy of ours says, (Case, in his Mount Pisgah,) to compare in our thoughts the abasement of Christ, and his exaltation, as it were in columns, one over against the other. He was born in a stable, but now he reigns in his royal palace. Then he had a manger for his cradle, but now he sits on a chair of state. Then, in contempt, they called him the carpenter's son ; now he obtains a more excellent name than angels. Then he was led away into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil; now it is proclaimed, "Let all the angels of God worship him." Then he had not where to lay his head; now he is exalted to be Heir of all things. In his state of humiliation "he endured the contradiction of sinners;" in his state of exaltation "he is adored and admired by saints and angels." Then "he had no form or comeliness; and when we saw him, there was no beauty, that we should desire him :" now the beauty of his countenance sends forth such glorious beams as may dazzle the eyes of the celestial inhabitants round about him.

7. Christ's sitting at God's right hand implies the advancement of believers to the highest honor: for this session of Christ respects them, and he sits there as our Representative, in which respect we are made to "sit with him in heavenly places." Eph. 2: 6. How secure may we be (saith Tertullian) who do now in Christ, our Head, already possess the kingdom! Surely it is matter of exceeding joy that Christ our Head, our flesh and blood, possesses all this glory at his Father's right hand.

INFERENCE 1. Is Christ so honored, to sit enthroned at God's right hand? What honor is reserved in heaven for those that are faithful to Christ, now on earth! Christ prayed, and his prayer was heard, that we may be with him to behold the glory that God hath given him, John,

17: 24; and what heart can conceive the felicity of such a sight? "Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty." Isa. 33: 17. But this is not all: though it be much, to be spectators of Christ on his throne of glory; we shall not only see him on his throne, but also sit with him enthroned in glory. The sight you shall then have of Christ will change you into his likeness. "We shall be like him, (saith the apostle,) for we shall see him as he is." 1 John, 3:2. He will place us, as it were, in his own throne with him. So runs the promise, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne ; even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne," Rev. 3: 21; and so 2 Tim. 2: 12, "If we suffer we shall also reign with him." The Father set Christ on his right hand, and Christ will set the saints on his right hand. So, you know, the sheep are placed by the angels at the great day, Matt. 25; and so the church, under the figure of the daughter of Egypt, is placed "on the king's right hand, in gold of Ophir." Psalm 45. This honor have all the saints. Oh what manner of love is this! These expressions indeed do not imply that the saints shall have a parity of glory with Christ, for in all things he must have the pre-eminence: but they show the great honor Christ will give to the saints; as also, that his glory shall be their glory in heaven; as the glory of the husband redounds to the wife; and again, their glory will be his glory, 2 Thess. 1: 10, and so it will be a social glory. Oh, it is admirable to think to what free grace hath already exalted poor dust and ashes! to think how near the saints are now to this royal, princely Jesus! But how much higher are the designs of grace not yet fulfilled. They transcend all that we now know! Now are we the sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall be." 1 John, 3 : 2. Ah what reason have you to honor Christ on earth, who is preparing such honor for you in heaven!

2. Is Christ thus enthroned in heaven? Then how impossible is it that ever his interest should fail on earth! The church has many subtle and potent enemies; but as Haman could not prevail against the Jews whilst Esther their friend spake for them to the king, no more can they whilst our Jesus sits at his and our Father's right hand. Surely they that touch his people touch the very "apple of his eye." Zech. 2: 8. "He must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet." 1 Cor. 15:25. The enemy under his feet shall not destroy the children in his arms. He sits in heaven on purpose to manage all to the advantage of his church. Eph. 1:22. Are our enemies powerful? Lo, our King sits on the right hand of power. Are they subtle and deep in their contrivance? He that sits on the throne overlooks all they do. "He that sits in heaven" beholds and derides their attempts. Psalm 2: 4. He may permit his enemies to straiten them in one place, but it shall be for their enlargement in another. For it is with the church as with the sea; what it loses in one place it gets in another, and so really loses nothing. He may suffer them also to distress us in outward things, but we shall be recompensed with inward and better mercies; and so we shall lose nothing. A footstool, you know, is. useful to him that treads on it, and serves to lift him up higher; so shall Christ's enemies be to him and his, albeit they think not so. What singular benefits the opposition of his enemies occasions to his people, I have elsewhere shown. (See his Saint Indeed.)

3. Is Christ set down on the right hand of the Majesty in heaven? Oh with what reverence should we approach him in the duties of his worship! Away with light and low thoughts of Christ. Away with formal, irreverent, and careless frames in praying, hearing, yea, in conversing and speaking of Christ. Away with all deadness and drowsiness in duties; for he is a great

« السابقةمتابعة »