sufficient degree of evidence for our holy religion. "Because thou hast seen me, (saith he himself to "St. Thomas) thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."4 This blessedness, therefore, by his ascension, he hath left to his whole Church the means of acquiring, "that the trial of your faith (as St. Peter expresses it) may be found unto praise, "and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ; whom, not having seen, ye love; "and in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and "full of glory; receiving the end of your faith, "the salvation of your souls."5 Let us consider, too, that if his absence tries our faith, the manner of his going away powerfully confirms it. For the Apostles were eye-witnesses of his ascending into the clouds; and what stronger proof need we, of his coming from God, than his being thus taken up to him again, according to his own repeated predictions; besides the remarkable, though obscurer, intimations of the same thing in the Old Testament. Nor let it seem strange, that the Scripture should speak of one especial place, as the peculiar and appropriated residence of God. We acknowledge that he is, and cannot but be, every where. "Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of his glory: yea, "the heaven, and heaven of heavens, cannot contain him."7 "Whither shall I "go from thy Spirit ? or whither shall I flee from 46 thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou "art there: if I go down to hell, thou art there "also. If I take the wings of the morning, and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand (4) John xx. 29. (6) Te Deum. (5) 1 Pet. i. 7, 8, 9. "shall hold me." Yet, notwithstanding this, the Scripture constantly mentions him, as having condescended to establish his throne in one particular place; and exhibit himself there, in the symbol of light inaccessible: where, therefore, his holy angels attend upon him, and see his face: from whence he issues forth his commands, as princes do theirs from the royal palace; and is represented as viewing and observing the actions of his creatures; and pouring down blessing or vengeance, as their behaviour requires. "The Lord ; is in his holy temple-the Lord's seat is in hea"ven; his eyes behold-his eyelids try, the chil"dren of men."9 Here it is, that "thousand "thousands minister unto him; and ten thousand "times ten thousand stand before him," celebrating his praises, and rejoicing in the light of his countenance. 66 For, in his presence is the ful"ness of joy-and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore."? 66 Into this blessed place, then, did our Saviour ascend; and there, as the Creed, in conformity with Scripture, teaches, "sat down at the right "hand of the Father." Not that God, who is an infinite Spirit, and by the word of his power doth whatever he pleases, both in heaven and earth, either hath, or needs, bodily members, for instruments of perception or action, like our imperfect nature. But these things are figuratively ascribed to him, in condescension to human capacities. And the meaning of such figures is easily understood. He is the King of the whole world. Now, into a king's immediate presence, not all persons are usually admitted. And of those who are, not all possess the same rank, and degree of nearness to him; but every one such as he pleases to appoint. (8) Psal. cxxxix. 7-10. (9) Psal. xi. 4. 66 Now, the highest mark of dignity which the eastern monarchs conferred on the person, whom they esteemed and favoured most, was, placing him, on occasions of solemnity, at their right hand; the second in honour was next to the royal person, on the other side; and the rest of the court succeeded in the same order. Thus, when the mother of king Solomon came to petition for Adonijah, the Scripture informs us, "he sat down on the throne, "and caused a seat to be set for her, and she sat "on his right hand." And when the sons of Zebedee had, by mistake, imagined the kingdom of our Saviour to be like one of this world, their petition was, "that they might sit, one on his right hand, the other on his left, in his king"dom."4 Sometimes the posture of standing is mentioned; as Psal. xiv. 9. "on thy right hand "did stand the queen, in gold of Ophir." And, when the court of heaven, attending on their Sovereign, is described-"I saw (saith the prophet) the Lord sitting on his throne; and all "the host of heaven standing by him, on his right "hand, and on his left."5 When, therefore, our blessed Lord is represented by St. Stephen to stand, or in Psalm 110, and frequently in the New Testament, to sit at the right hand of God; we are to conceive by it, not that he is confined to this or that posture or place; but that he is raised, in respect of his human nature, to a rank and station above all creatures; possessed of the fullest happiness, the highest honour, and the most sovereign authority: authority, that in which Daniel foretels his being invested; "I saw, and behold, one, like the Son of Man, came with the clouds "of heaven; and came to the Ancient of Days, "and they brought him near before him, and there 66 66 (3) 1 Kings ii. 19. F 66 "was given him dominion and glory, and a king"dom, that all people, nations and languages, "should serve him: his dominion is an everlast"ing dominion, which shall not pass away; and "his kingdom, that which shall not be destroyed-" The fulfilling of which prophecy is thus recorded by the Apostle: "God raised him from the dead, "and set him at his own right hand in the hea venly places, far above all principality and 66 power, and might and dominion, and every name "that is named, not only in this world, but also "in that which is to come:"7"that at the name "of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in "heaven, and things in earth, and things under "the earth" "aud he must reign, till he hath 66 put all enemies under his feet." Sitting at God's right hand implies this pre-eminence: "for "to which of the angels saith God, at any time, "sit on my right hand, until I make thine ene"mies thy footstool ?"1 Indeed, "all power, both in heaven and in earth, 66 was given to our Saviour, before his ascension: but not till afterwards, was his title to it publicly recognised, and possession of it solemnly taken by him: which, in other words, is "sitting down at "the right hand of God." But let us consider, not only the nature of our Saviour's exaltation, but what principally concern us, the benefits of it to mankind, which are three: his sending the Holy Spirit to abide for ever with his Church-his interceding for it with the Father-his powerful protection of it against its enemies. 1. His sending the Holy Spirit. This was reserved, with great wisdom, till after his ascension : both because it was then most needed, to comfort (6) Dan. vii. 13, 14. (1) Heb. i. 13. (7) Eph. i. 20, 21. 66 66 66 his disciples under the loss of his personal presence; and also, because it afforded a new evidence of his divine power, that, far from being in a worse condition by his departure, they were endued with higher degrees of mi aculous gifts, than ever they had been before. St. John, therefore, upon our Saviour's promising the Spirit to them who should believe on him, observes, that "the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."3 And St. Peter, on the day when it was bestowed, saith, "Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having "received, of the Father, the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now "see and hear." The miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, indeed, being no longer necessary, ceased many ages ago: but his sanctifying graces, a much more important blessing, which we shall always need, continue still, and constitute his present share in the work of our redemption : agreeably to the assurance which our blessed Lord gave of "another Comforter to abide with us, and "dwell in us for ever."5 66 996 2. His intercession with the Father. For his oblation of himself being accepted, as the foundation of a new covenant of mercy and favour; we have now an advocate in heaven sure to prevail: "an High Priest, that can be touched with the "feeling of our infirmities; having been tempted "in all points as we are, ever appearing for us in the presence of God; and efficaciously pleading the pardon which he hath purchased. for all who repent of and forsake their sins. "Who, then, is "he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea, rather, that is risen again; who is even at "the right hand of God; who also maketh inter❝cession for us."7 66 (8) John vii. 39. (4) Acts ii. 33. (6) Heb. iv. 15. (5) John xiv. 16, 17. (7) Rom. viii. 34. |