figuratively, as God is sometimes said to go down and to go up, Gen. xi. 6. and Gen. xvii. 22. which must be understood, not of any motion from place to place; nor was it in a visionary way, as the apostle Paul was caught up into the third heaven; but really, visibly, and locally: this ascension of Christ was a real motion of his human nature, which was visible to the apostles, and was by change of place, even from earth to heaven. v. The cause or causes of Christ ascension; it was a of almighty power to cause a body to move upwards with such swiftness, and to such a distance; it is ascribed to the power God, by which he is said to be lifted up and exalted, Acts ii. 33. and v. 31. and therefore it is sometimes passively expressed, that he was carried up, taken up, and received up into heaven; and sometimes actively, as done by himself; so God went up with a shout; see Acts ii. 10. The procuring or meritorious cause of it was the blood of Christ, by which he made full satisfaction to divine justice, and obtained eternal redemption for his people; hence it it said by his own blood; he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us, Heb. ix. 12. The instrumental or ministering causes, were the cloud and the attending angels. VI. The effects of Christ's ascension, or the ends to be answered, and which have been answered, are, 1. To fulfil the prophecies and types concerning it, and particularly that of the high-priest's entering into the holiest of all. 2. To take upon him more openly the exercise of his kingly office: to this pur pose is the parable of the nobleman, Luke xix. 12. 3. To receive gifts from men, both extraordinary and ordinary; and this end has been answered, he has received them, and he has given them. 4. To open the way into heaven for his people, and to prepare a place for them there; he has by his blood entered into heaven himself, and made the way into the holi est of all manifest; given boldness and liberty to his people to enter thither also, and is gone beforehand to prepare by his presence and intercession a mansion of glory for them in his Father's house. 5. To assure the saints of their ascension also; for it is to his God and their God, to his Father and their Father, that he is ascended; and therefore they shall ascend also, and be where he is, and be glorified together with him; and all this is to draw up their minds to heaven, to seek things above, where Jesus is. SESSION OF CHRIST AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. I SHALL treat this article much in the same manner as the former. I. Shew that it was foretold in prophecy, that Christ should sit at the right of God; hence it may be thought, that in prophetic language, and by anticipation, he is called the man of God's right hand, Psal. lxxx. 17. The words were spoken by Jehovah the Father, to his Son, in the everlasting council and covenant of grace; even to him who was David's Adon, or Lord; Christ himself also foretold it, that he should sit down at the right hand of God; Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of Power, Matt. xxvi. 64. II. It is a fact: Christ is set down at the right-hand of God, and the above prophecies are fulfilled; the evidences of this fact are,-1. The effusion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, after Christ had ascended and took his place at the right-hand of God, having received of the Father, the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear, says the apostle, Acts ii. 33. 2. Stephen, the proto-mar. tyr, while he was suffering, was an eye-witness of this; he saw him standing, at the right hand of God; having risen up, as it were, from his seat, to shew his resentment at the usage his servant, Acts vii. 55, 56. I shall, III. Endeavour to explain this article, and shew what is meant by it; what by the right-hand of God; and what by sitting at it; how long Christ will sit there; and what the use and benefits of his session there are to his people. 1. What is meant by the right hand of God, at which Christ is said to sit. This is variously expressed; sometimes by the right-hand of the throne of God; sometimes by the right-hand of the Majesty in the heavens; and elsewhere, by the right-hand of the Majesty on high, Heb. xii. 2. and viii. 1. and i. 3. By Majesty, is meant God himself; by his Throne, heaven and may be put for him that sits upon it; the right-hand of God is not to be taken in a literal sense, but figuratively, and signifies the power of God, and the exertion of that, Psal. lxxxix. 13. and cxviii. 16. 11. What is meant by Christ's sitting at God's right-hand. 1. It is expressive of great honour and dignity; the allusion is to kings and great personages, who, to their favourites, and to whom they would do an honour, when they come into their presence, place them at their right-hand 1 Kings ii. 19. in allusion to which, the queen, the church, is said to stand on the right-hand of Christ, Psal. xlv. 9. 2. It is expressive of his government and dominion over all; for this phrase of sitting at the right-hand of God is explained by reigning or ruling; for it follows, in the original text, as explanitive of it; Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies, Psal. cx. 2. and so the apostle interprets it, in 1 Cor. xv. 25. 3. Sitting at the right hand of God, supposes Christ has done his work, and that to satisfaction, and with acceptance: as the work of redemption, Heb. ix. 12. the work of making atonement for sin, Heb. i. 3. and the work of bringing in an everlasting righteousness, for the justification of his people, Rom. iv. 25. 4. Sitting at God's right hand, supposes ease and rest from labour; for Christ, upon his resurrection and ascension to heaven, came into the presence of God; in whose presence is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore; and when he was made glad with the light of his countenance; and when having entered into his rest, he ceas ed from his works, as God did from his, at creation, Psal. xvi. 11. Heb. iv. 10. 5. Sitting denotes continuance; Christ sits as a priest upon his throne, and abides continually, the priests under the law did not abide continually, by reason of death. Which leads, 111. To observe how long Christ will sit at the right hand of God; namely, until his enemies are put under his feet, and made his footstool. Some are subdued already; as sin, which is made an end of; the devil, who is destroyed; and the world, which is overcome by him; others remain to be destroyed: as the man of sin, and son of perdition, who will be destroyed with the breath of his mouth; the anti-christian kings, who will be gathered to the battle at Armageddon, and slain, the beast, and the false prophet, who will be cast into the burning lake. 1v. The use of Christ's session at the right hand of God to his people, and the benefits and blessings arising from thence to them, are, 1: Protection from all their enemies. 2. In consequence of this, freedom from fear of all enemies, 1 Cor. xv. 25—27. 3. The perpetual and prevalent intercession of Christ, on the behalf of his chosen ones, is another benefit arising from his session at the right hand of God; there he sits as their high priest; and being made higher than the heavens, ever lives to make intercession for them. 4. Hence great encouragement to come with boldness and free. to the throne of grace; and to set our affections on things in heaven, and not on things on earth, Heb. iv. 14-16. 5. This raises the expectation of the saints, with respect to Christ's second coming; which is another branch of Christ's exaltation. But that I shall reserve to treat of in a more pro per place. dom OF THE PROPHETIC Office of chrÍST. HIS office in general is that of Mediator, which is but one the branches of it are three fold, his Prophetic, Priestly, and Kingly offices; all which are included in his name, Messiah, or Christ, the anointed; prophets, priests, and kings, being anointed, when invested with their several offices; as Elisha the prophet, by Elijah; Aaron the priest, and his sons, by Moses; Saul, David, and Solomon kings of Israel: these offices, seldom, if ever, met in one Person; Melchizedek was king and priest, but not a prophet; Aaron was prophet and priest, but not a king; David and Solomon were kings and Prophets, but not priests: the greatest appearance of them way PP in Moses, but whether all together is not so clear; but in Christ they all meet. The case and condition of his people required him to take upon him, and execute these offices. They are dark, blind, and ignorant, and need a prophet to enlighten them; they are sinful, guilty creatures, and need a priest to make atonement for them; in their unconverted state they are enemies to God, and disobedient to him, and need a powerful prince to subdue them; and in their converted state are weak and helpless, and need a king to rule over them, protect and defend them. It may be observed, that these offices are executed by Christ in the order in which they are here placed. I shall begin with his prophetic office. I. It was foretold that Christ should appear in the character of a prophet, and therefore was expected by the Jews as such; hence when they saw the miracles he wrought, they said, This is of a truth, that Prophet, &c. John vi. 14. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, Deut. xviii. 15. 18. The qualifications of Christ for his prophetic office, were also foretold; which lie in the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which he received without measure. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath 'anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, Isai. Ixi. 1. from which passage of scripture Christ preached his first sermon, at Nazareth; and having read the text, said, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears, Luke iv. 16-21. There are also several names of Christ, by which he is called in the Old Testament, which refer to his prophetic office, as a messenger, an interpreter, one among a thousand. He goes by the name of Wisdom, and Prov. viii. 1. is called a Councellor, Isai. ix. 6. a Teacher, Isai. xlii. 4. a Speaker, Isai. 1. 4. a Light to lighten the Gentiles, Isai. xlii. 6. And likewise, a Witness of the people, Isai. lv. 4. II. The evidence and proof of Jesus being that Prophet that was to come, are the miracles which were wrought by him; upon Christ's working the miracle of feeding five thouBand persons with five loaves and two small fishes; some of |