Sermon XXXL
The same which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above
all principality and power, &c. VSR. 20, 21.
THE power that wrought in Christ in his resurrection, I have spoke to that. As also of the several articles which are laid down here in these words : as, namely, that Jesus Christ was dead ; that he was not only dead, but remained
in the state of death, for he was raised from the dead ; and, lastly, that he was raised up, and that by God. I have despatched and explained these things out of these words. I come now to that state of exaltation which is here set forth to us ; and set him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places, far above all principality and power, &c.
There are five things in these first words, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.
The first is, What is meant by setting him at his own right hand; wherein we must consider both something about the phrase, and something about the thing itself imported thereby.
The second thing to be considered is, The author of it, GOD ; it is he that
set him.
The third is, The subject of it, him; when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand.
Fourthly, When it was he was set by God at his right hand. It is plain, after his resurrection; which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him, &c.
Lastly, The place where; in the heavenly places. These are the parts which remain of the 20th verse, concerning the exal
tation, which I hope to despatch, and so likewise to proceed to the 21st
verse, which is an explanation of the great dignity that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ enjoyeth in heaven. What he saith but metaphorically in the 20th verse, he set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, he expresseth more really in the 21st verse, far above all principality and
power, &c.
First, To begin with the phrase, and set, xai tx&Qiffe*. The word is sometimes used, as we say in grammar, either intransitively, for the sitting of him that sits ; or else transitively, to make to sit, to cause to sit. So it
is here taken ; for it is spoken of God the Father s setting of Christ, or making Christ to sit at his own right hand. It is used on the other side of Christ s own sitting; the same w
Tord xadfocti, Acts ii. 30, as the Septuagint well readeth it, he raised him up to sit/ so they read the words. Yet so as
: one, that Jesus Christ doth sit at God s
that here are two things implied
right hand ; and the other, that God the Father hath set him there. Ps.
ex. 1, He said unto him, Sit thou. Now always God s word hath a cau
sation with it ; he said to him, Sit, that is, he made him sit, or as it is here expressed, he made him sit with a mighty power/ for where the word
EPH. I. 20, 21.] TO THE EPHESIANS. 4G7
of a king is there is power, and where the word of God is there is power ;
it had the greatness of power going with it, the exceeding greatness of power, even the same that raised him up from the dead.
Further, for the phrase too, as it noteth out Christ s sitting at God s right hand, it is not a proper phrase of speech, it is but a metaphor, but a simi
litude to express that height of glory to us that Jesus Christ hath in heaven with God, by what is done by kings here on earth to those whom they will honour. It is but a metaphorical speech ; that is clear by this, because you know God properly hath no hand, nor right hand ; and if God have no right hand, then Christ s sitting at God s right hand must needs be a similitude
likewise ; for they are relatives, if the one be not real, the other cannot be. That Christ hath all things under his feet, which is another phrase used in the 22d verse, is but a metaphorical speech ; those who are below one, in
finitely below one, are said to be under his feet ; so is it said here, that both Christ sitteth at God s right hand, and that he hath all things under
his feet.
So that now, to gather what posture of his body Jesus Christ hath in
heaven, or what posture he shall have when he cometh to judgment, though it is expressed by sitting, and sitting at God s right hand, and at the right hand of power, yet this phrase will not infallibly determine what shall be the
posture of his body. Kather, if I would deliver what out of other scriptures seems to be more clearly held forth about it, it would seem to be standing rather than sitting; if you take it in its proper sense, as he is a man, stand
ing is the properest posture of a man.
I know not well what to say to that in Acts vii. 55, where it is said that
Stephen looked up into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus stand
ing at the right hand of God. It seemeth to be a vision of his eye elevated
supernaturally, such as Paul had when he was converted, when Christ from heaven spake to him. Last of all, saith he, he was seen of me. There
fore his bodily face did shine, because he saw him with his bodily eyes. And they saw a representative glory of God ; for you shall find that likewise
in the Old Testament and in the New there was a place to represent the pre sence of God, as 1 Kings viii. 10, and Luke ii. 9, it is said the glory of God phone round about the shepherds.
Now, the like representation Stephen had when he saw heaven opened. I see the heavens opened, saith he, and the Son of man standing on the
right hand of God / he seemeth to speak clearly of what he saw, and the manner of it. I do not know what to say to this place. Sure it was not a
seeing of him by faith only, such as is spoken of, Heb. ii. 9, We see Jesus crowned with glory and honour ; this is more. There is only this that may be said of it, that it was such a kind of vision as was presented to John in the Kevelation. He saw a throne, and he saw a Lamb slain ; so Rev. v. 6, and
chap. i. 15, 16. He saw a man that had a sword come out of his mouth, his feet like unto fine brass, and his countenance was as the sun that shineth in his strength, &c. He speaks of Christ; for, saith he, ver. 17, He said unto me, I am the first and the last, I am he that liveth and was dead. This was but a vision ; now the like it may be was this of Stephen s only. And as those visions in the Revelation were but suited to the present occa
sion, so this vision was but suited to the present condition Stephen was in ; he was to suffer for Christ, and he seeth Christ stand, as being ready to help him.
But, however, we may learn this from it, which is to the point in hand, that these words sitting and standing being used thus promiscuously, the
468 AN EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE [SERMON XXXI.
Holy Ghost varying the phrase, that therefore the word sitting is not to be understood of the natural posture of his body. He would not vary the phrase so of standing and sitting, and being at the right hand of God, if it were taken properly and strictly.
If therefore, to come to the thing itself, for I have done with the phrase, it be meant by way of similitude, I shall open this similitude, what it is, thus : You must consider that it is spoken to us after the manner of men, and when he is said to sit at God s right hand, God is represented to us as a king, as the Lord Sovereign of heaven and earth; as, 1 Tim. i. 17, he is called, the King eternal, immortal, invisible, and only wise God. A king that is
full of glory, which glory is always represented to us under the same words and expressions that are familiar among men to represent glory by ; and
therefore when we speak of a king, we say His Majesty
: so when the Scrip ture speaks of God, this King, it calleth him the Majesty on high ; so Heb. L 3. And as kings have their thrones, as Solomon had, to set forth his
glory, and throne in the Scripture is still put for kingly power, so likewise
is God said to have a throne. The Scripture representeth the sovereignty of
God, by having a throne that he sitteth on ; therefore you shall still read, both in the Old Testament and in the New, that he appeareth upon a throne. Now this glory of God, and this throne of his, is said to be in the heavens, because it is certain that the glory of God and his sovereignty is there repre sented more, infinitely more than in this world it is. This is but his foot
stool, heaven is his throne ; so you have it in that 7th of the Acts, it is but some five verses before this vision of Stephen s, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool ; and then he looks up and seeth the glory of God, and Christ standing at his right hand.
You see, now, how the glory of God is set forth in the way of kingly power, having a court where he manifests it ; in which court standeth his throne, for heaven is so.
Now then, after the same manner of men is the glory of the man Christ Jesus set forth unto us by sitting at God s right hand. So, Heb. i. 3, it is
said that he is sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high ; as I
said, majesty is put for the kingly power of God, and Christ is sat down on the right hand of that Majesty, that is, of God himself, as you call the king
His Majesty. And as in Heb. i. 3, he is said to sit down on the right hand of Majesty, so in Heb. viii. 1, he is said to sit on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, that is, of God, who displayeth his
glory in the heavens. Therefore Stephen saw the glory of God first, and Jesus
standing on the right hand of God ; and in Matt. xxvi. 64, it is called sit
ting on the right hand of power ; and in Luke xxii. 69, it is explained the
right hand of the power of God ; that is, of the powerful God. It was the custom of the eastern nations for kings to express their respect to those whom they favoured by setting them at their right hand, as you know Solomon set his mother, 1 Kings ii. 19; and therefore it was the re
quest of the mother of the sons of Zebedee for her children, that Christ would
let them sit, the one at his right hand, the other at his left. And that in 1 Esdras iv. 29, though it be Apocrypha, it representeth what the manner of those nations was : it is said that Apame, the king s concubine, did sit 012 the right hand of the king. So among the Romans, we read in Suetonius, in the Life of Nero, when the king of Parthia came, he set him at his right hand. But Christ s sitting at God s right hand is not only a token of fami
liarity, but it is more ; for these, though they were set at the right hand, yet they were not invested with power by it, only a respect was shewn to them ;
Era. I. 20. 21.] TO THE EPHESIANS. 469
therefore we further read that the manner of those eastern nations was for
the king s son always to sit upon the throne of his father, and that upon his
right hand, for that was his hand of respect.
So we read in Exod. xi. 5, when he would express the eldest son of Pha
raoh, he saith thus : From the first-born of Pharaoh that sittath upon his
throne, unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill. And
the like we have Exod. xii. 29, It came to pass, that the Lord smote all the
first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his
throne, unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon. Here
you see how the eldest son is expressed ; it is all one to say, the eldest son
of a king, and to say, one that sat upon his throne. And accordingly you have it of Christ, being the eldest Son of God, Kev. iii. 21, To him that
overcometh, I will grant to sit with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne. And therefore, as Solo
mon, 1 Kings i. 34, was crowned king, and was set upon his father s
throne while his father was alive, and remained king, so is Jesus Christ, and in that Solomon was a type of Christ, and David of God the Father ; and though God be king still, yet he, as it were, hath given over the govern ment, as David did, to his Son. Head Acts ii. 30, 31, &c. David being a
prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the
fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on
his throne ; he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ. And, saith he, This Jesus hath God raised up ; therefore being by the right hand
of God exalted, &c. Here, you see, he doth apply this type of Solomon unto our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Therefore you shall find in Dan. vii. 9, 1 3, where the kingdom of Jesus
Christ, and his inauguration into it, is set forth ; there the Ancient of days did sit, and the Son of man was brought to him. And what saith he, ver. 19? I beheld till the thrones were cast down. There are those that find
fault much with this translation, and say it is clean contrary ; it is, till the
thrones were set ; and so the Septuagint reads it, till the thrones were set ; as the Rabbins say, one throne for God the Father, and one for God the Son. The Ancient of days did sit, and then the Son was brought to him, and
another throne was set for him, and he did give him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, &c., so ver. 13. So that to sit at God s right hand is not
only a matter of favour, such as kings sometimes shew to those whom they would honour, but it is a matter of prerogative belonging to the eldest son ; the same that was performed to Solomon, that was crowned king and sat
upon his father s throne in his father s lifetime ; his father withdrew, as it
were, and so doth God the Father, and lets Christ execute the government. It was a prerogative that was never given to any creature. See for this, Heb. i. 1 3, To which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand ? Not an angel had this privilege ; it is, therefore, a privilege pecu
liar to the eldest Son of the King of heaven, to sit at the right hand of God; as you heard before, out of the place in Exodus, that to be the eldest son of
a king, and to sit upon his throne, is all one. So that whereas God hath
translated some into heaven, as Enoch and Elijah, and those that rose with
Christ ; they are indeed translated to heaven, but none sat at God s right hand, that is peculiar unto Christ himself, that is God s own Son. And, indeed and in truth, when the thrones were set in that 7th of Daniel, you shall find that the angels stood; so the expression is there, ver. 10, There were thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. And now, in comparison of this, for they are
470 AX EXPOSITION OP THE EPISTLE [SERMON XXXI.
all metaphorical expressions, the saints are said to stand ; but it is the pre
rogative of Christ alone to sit : Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine
enemies thy footstool.
In general, therefore, you see there are two things imported by Jesus
Christ s sitting down at God s right hand. The first is the exaltation of
Christ, as God s eldest Son. Not only to be next him, to be second in heaven to him; not only so, but as God s eldest Son to be invested with all
God-like power and authority, to sit upon his throne alone, and to do there
as Solomon did upon David s throne, even in David s lifetime ; to be taken
up to the participation of all that happiness, blessedness, glory, majesty, and
power, which the great God himself enjoyeth, and that in such a manner as no creature is capable of. To none of all the angels did he say, Sit, as he
saith to Christ. That is, I say, the sum of the meaning of these words, he
set him at his own right hand.
Now to come to the particulars of this advancement of Christ, that this, his being set at God s right hand, holdeth forth.
First, It noteth out the enjoyment of all blessedness in an infinite manner ; that God is immediately his happiness. And this the words,
being at his
right hand, implieth. And then he is said to sit, because he doth quietly
possess and enjoy all this happiness. That this is part of the meaning of
the phrase is evident by that in Ps. xvi. 11, a psalm made of Christ, and
quoted by Peter in that second of the Acts to which I have often had re
course. Now, what saith Christ there ? Thou wilt shew me the path of
life ; in thy presence is fulness of joy. But this doth not speak home to
that I would have, but that which followeth doth. At thy right hand
there are pleasures for evermore. It is spoken assuredly of such pleasures as Jesus Christ by way of prerogative enjoyeth beyond all the saints and
angels, he being at God s right hand so as none of them are. It was that
peculiar encouragement that Jesus Christ had, not to be in heaven only as a common saint, but to be in heaven at God s right hand, and to have plea sures answerable, far above all the pleasures of men and angels, as I shall shew you when I come to handle that point.
There are said to be pleasures at God s right hand. The right hand, you know, is that wherewith a man is bountiful if he will lay out himself and
distribute of his riches, he doth it with his right hand : Let not thy left hand know wiiat thy right hand doth. When Jesus Christ speaks of God s
( At
distributing and communicating to him fulness of pleasures, he saith,
thy right hand are pleasures, &c. Jesus Christ is at God s right hand, and
therefore God doth communicate and impart to him, to the utmost, all his
happiness, so far forth as that human nature is capable of. Length of days are at her right hand, that is, eternal life ; and at her left, riches and honour. So Wisdom speaks in the Proverbs ; for we are said to be at God s
right hand. The happiness of the saints at the latter day, how is it expressed in Scripture ?
< He will set them on his right hand. I speak it for this, that happiness, and being in heaven, is expressed by being at God s right hand; and Christ is said to be at God s right hand : what happiness and
pleasures then hath he 1 On the other side, the highest misery of wicked men is said to be in their being at God s left hand.
As it implieth the fulness of pleasure, so it importeth honour and glory, and a fulness of the participation of that. For that you may take those
expressions I gave you before, of Queen Bathsheba being set at Solomon s
right hand ; it was in a way of glory and respect unto her. 1 Kings ii. 19, whe*i Bathsheba came to the king,
l the king rose up to meet her, and sat
EPH. I. 20, 21.] TO THE EPHESIANS. 471
down upon his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king s mother ; and
she sat on his right hand. Therefore our Saviour Christ, when they, Matt.
xx. 21, desired one to be on his right hand and the other on his left, in-
terpreteth it in ver. 27 to be a desire of being chief; that is the interpreta tion he himself putteth upon it. He is therefore in that first of the Hebrews, ver. 11, said to be set down on the right hand of Majesty, having imparted to him a God-like and a royal majesty, such as appeareth in no creature. So
now, to be set down at God s right hand, which is a second meaning of it, is
this, for Jesus to be crowned with glory and honour ; We see Jesus, saith
he, Heb. ii. 9, to be crowned with glory and honour that is, he is set down at the right hand of Majesty.
In the third place, to be set down at God s right hand is not only to have a fulness of happiness, to enjoy the Godhead ; to have rivers of plea sures from his right hand, and to have glory and majesty to be set above all; but it is to have a real rule, and power, and dominion put into his hands too.
Kings oftentimes make no other use of their kingdoms but to enjoy plea
sures, and glory, and state ; but for their rule they leave it unto others, as Pharaoh did to Joseph. In the throne, saith he, I will be above thee. But now it is otherwise ; when Jesus Christ is set down at God s right hand, he hath the rule, the dominion over all things imparted to him, he is invested with it. And this is a different thing from majesty; therefore they are both mentioned in Matt. xxiv. 30, Ye shall see, saith he, the Son of man
coming in the clouds with power and great glory. Power is one thing, and
glory is another, although it is power that doth make glorious. And hence,
therefore, one evangelist calleth it, sitting on the right hand of power, Mark
xiv. 62, because that Christ is invested with the power of God, and the
right hand is in a more especial manner put for power in Scripture. As, to
give you but one place for it, though there be multitudes of them, Exod.
* Thy right hand, Lord, is become glorious in power. The right hand is still put for power. So that for Christ to sit at God s right hand, is for him to have all power and dominion put into his hands. Therefore both in
xv. 6,
Ps. ex., where God s placing Christ at his right hand is mentioned, there he
is called Lord : The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand. David was a king, he was one of those principalities and powers that the
21st verse mentioneth, but he acknowledgeth Christ to be over him; nay, David was his father, that is more. Parents that are kings do not call their
children lords ; but Christ had such a prerogative by sitting at God s right hand that he was the Lord of David. And the apostle Peter interpreteth
it, Acts ii., speaking of the exaltation of Christ ;
* Being, saith he, ver. 33, by the right hand of God exalted ; and he quoteth David for it too, The Lord said unto my Lord, saith he, Sit thou on my right hand. Now what
* Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and
saith he, ver. 36 ?
Christ. So that sitting at God s right hand is interpreted to be making of him Lord, and that is evidently held forth in the text; for he saith that he
is over principalities, and powers, and might, and dominion, and whatsoever
else is named in heaven or in earth, and he hath them all under his feet. And to shew forth the excellency of Christ, he saith he is over all these ; that
is, as a ruler, as a lord over all these.
My brethren, what is the reason the Pope is called Antichrist ? You can-
.not call episcopal government antichristian in that sense the Pope is called
Antichrist. But the Pope is plainly called that great Antichrist ; and what
is the reason ? Because he doth usurp the veiy same authority, the very
472 AN EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE [SERMON XXXfflj
imitation of it, which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ hath in heavenj For what is that which Christ is invested with ? It is to be over all powers j and principalities, and dominions in this world and the world to come ; ami
to sit in heaven, advanced to God s right hand, and to have all these undei
his feet. Now if you read 2 Thess. ii. 3, 4, you shall find the description 6| that man of sin to be this :
f That man of sin, saith he, the son of perdif
tion, shall be revealed, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that k| called God, that is, above principalities and powers, above angels them;
f so that he as Goc-l
selves, for they have undertaken to command angels,
sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God ; taking upom| him the same power which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ challengetlij to himself. Others do take that which God hath given his Church to them I
selves, and place church power in a subject it ought not to be in ; and it majj be said they are antichurchian, but not antichristian. But this is tha1| which makes the Pope Antichrist, that he assumeth to himself, as far at|
possibly he can, directly, that power that Jesus Christ himself is invested!
withal.
Then again, in the fourth place, God s calling Christ to sit at his righti hand importeth all those abilities, all those royal, glorious endoivments.\ which God filled the human nature with when he came first to heaven, td make him fit to be the governor of all the world. That infinite wisdom and
power that is in the human nature, and all other prerogatives whereby he is
able to manage the government of this world and the world that is to come, and to have all those things run through his hands which all creatures could not do if the wit and power of them all were put together, that he is able
to wield this sceptre, this is a fourth thing which sitting at God s right hand importeth. This the text holdeth forth unto us ; for, if you mark it, he doth not only
say, that God did set him at his right hand as a king doth advance his
favourite, or as he doth set his son in his throne with him, give him the same authority himself hath, whereas he doth not give ability ; but the text
speaks of a power that wrought in Christ when he set him at his own right hand, a physical power, as I may so call it, which can be exercised and put forth in nothing but in this. As when God set up Saul to be king, he gave him not only power, but a heart to be a king ; so God, as he gave Jesus Christ power over all might and dominion, so he hath given him a heart
also. And, my brethren, to take that man Christ Jesus, that carpenter s son, as I may so express him, speaking of him in his meanness and lowness, that
sorry man, as the prophet speaks of him, and to fill him with such wisdom and power as that he is fit to govern all the world, to have the power of all the doings in the world in his own hands, this is that which God wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand.
Now this is a mighty alteration, to fling off all the flesh, and to endow him with all these abilities. As it is said, 1 Cor. xv. 43, our bodies are sown
in weakness, but they shall be raised again in power; they are sown a
natural, but they shall rise a spiritual body ; that is, furnished with all new
abilities to make them to be spiritual bodies : so is Jesus Christ furnished with all abilities fit for the managing of all the affairs of the world ; that look whatever God meaneth to do, that the man Jesus Christ, joined to the
Godhead, is able to do ; and look whatever God knoweth concerning the
government of the world, that the man Jesus Christ knoweth. Brethren, nor saint nor angel had this.
EPH. I. 20, 21.] TO THE EPHESIANS. 473
You shall find this set forth to you in Rev. v. ; do but duly weigh that
chapter, the scope of it is clearly this. You must know that the Revelation, the general story of which beginneth at the 4th chapter, and so to the end,
is the acting over of the story of the world that was to come, and things are
set forth to us comedy wise. There is first a stage set up, a throne, and
there are the elders about God, that is chap. iv. Then there is a prologue ioit, and that beginneth in this oth chapter; and what is the prologue? It is clearly nothing else but the instalment and coronation of Jesus Christ, as he that should govern the world, and so should be able to give the revela
tion to John. And although his coronation was a thing past, for it was done When he ascended, yet it is here represented to John, because it was the foundation of all the story that followeth. How is it represented 1 There
is a book held forth with seals upon it ; that book containeth God s decrees
to be executed, and he that takes the book must undertake to fulfil what is mitten in the book, and to make it good. There is a proclamation made to
all in heaven and in earth, whether any were worthy to open the book, and
to loose the seals thereof. It seemeth to be an allusion to the admission of
a judge to his place they give him a roll, or a book ; or to the ceremony that is used in the University, when they admit the proctors to their places they give him a statute. So here, speaking of the instalment of Christ into the government of the world, he alludeth to some such kind of ceremony. Here is a book held forth, and proclamation made that whosoever takes
this book must fulfil and make good whatsoever is contained in it. Now, saith he, there was none found either in heaven or in earth that was able
|o know God s decrees, much less to execute them. None was found worthy to do it but the Lamb. And how cometh the Lamb to be able to do it 1 He hath seven horns and seven eyes. There are two things goeth to kingly power
: first, knowledge ; secondly, power. He hath knowledge answerable to his power, for he hath seven
eyes ; that is, as it is there interpreted, they are the seven spirits of God, tent forth into all the earth. His eyes run to and fro in the earth, he ffcnoweth all that is done, so no angel in heaven can do, he seeth every man s
Aeart. And he hath seven horns ; he is as able to perform (for the horn in
Scripture phrase still signifieth power) whatsoever he knoweth, whatsoever 4e meaneth to do. And he takes the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne, for he standeth at God s right hand. And upon his taking it, what a song was sung
! you may read it at ver. 12. They all
Jfell down before the Lamb, being glad there was found one that was able to
administer the affairs of the world ; and they said with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and
Jftrength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
f To open these a little ; they are all ensigns of kingly power. First, He is only worthy to receive authority to do it ; that is meant by
$jpwer. All power, saith he, when he ascended, when he was taking his
flight to heaven, is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Secondly, He is only worthy of riches, which kings have ; he only was
**rtliy to possess all creatures. He hath obtained an inheritance, a better name than the angels, for he is the heir of all things. And as he hath
authority, so he is able now, he hath a natural right unto it, to dispose of
all creatures as his own proper goods and riches.
Thirdly, He is worthy to receive strength; he hath not only authority and power to dispose of all, but he hath strength too. Kings have not strength answerable to their power, that is, to their authority, but what they do, they
474 AN EXPOSITION OP THE EPISTLE [SERMON XXX
must do by others. But Jesus Christ hath strength, personal strength, }
is able to do it alone.
Fourthly, Wisdom; that is as large as all these.
Fifthly, Honour. Honour is due to him from all the creatures, they f;
all down before him.
Sixthly, Glory, from his Father that hath thus joined him in commissic and set him up to be sharer with him in the kingdom. And
Lastly, Blessing, from all his saints, for they only bless him. And tl he hath given him by sitting on God s right hand.
I will give you but one instance. He was able, when he was set down God s right hand, to send the Holy Ghost into men s hearts. What a migh
ability was this could any creature do it ? that the Holy Ghost shou, be his ambassador, to despatch his business here ! Yet this is made t
fruit of being set at God s right hand. Acts ii. 33, Being by the rig hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of t
Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now both see and hea Could any creature have done this ? No mere creature could have done nor ho as mere man could have done it ; but he being man joined to God, he hath right to do it. You see now what is imported by sitting at God s right hand. This
the substance of it. It importeth
First, Fulness of all pleasure.
Secondly, A communication of God-like majesty.
Thirdly, Power and dominion over all things, Fourthly, Ability to execute that power. So much for the substance of it. There are two circumstances that sittii on God s right hand doth yet imply, to make up this fully
First, That he doth quietly possess all this. The word sitting still ii;
plieth quiet possessing. As 1 Kings ii. 38, when Shimei was in Jerusale
quiet and undisturbed, we translate it, he dwelt at Jerusalem/ the Hebre word is, he sat at Jerusalem/ he quietly enjoyed his house ; as David
said to sit in his house. That same phrase there in Acts iii. 21, which T
translate whom the heavens must receive, or contain, until the times
restitution of all things/ it is strange to see how ambiguous the Holy Gho
speaks ; the words may be as well read thus, and as clearly, and no ma can deny it, who must possess the heavens till the times of the restiti
lion of all things. It is as true and as fall a sense, and the Lutherai answer us home in that place, for we would bring it against their ubiquity and they say, arid say truly, who must possess the heavens till/ &c.
is a phrase used in Greek and Latin, to receive the city, or receive the k
dom, speaking of kings or conquerors, when they come to possess a kingdoi or a city. David useth the phrase, Ps. Ixxv. 2, When I shall receive tib
congregation, I will judge uprightly/ that is, when I shall come to posse, the kingdom. So Jesus Christ possesseth heaven, he sitteth and quiet! enjoyeth his kingdom. This is implied by sitting on the right hand of Goc
Secondly, He doth not sit only quietly, but he sitteth surely. When his kin< dom is mentioned, still you shall find this added, Thy throne is for everlasi
ing; it endureth for ever; it is from generation to generation, &c. And thi
the word sitting implieth. As, Isa. xvi. 5, speaking of the kingdom of Chris: In mercy/ saith he, shall the throne be established; and he shall sit upo:
it in truth. To have him sit upon it, and to have the throne established, i
all one. It implieth the firmness of his kingdom ; it is such a kingdom a
shall break all kingdoms.
PH. I. 20, 21.] TO T13E EPHESIANS. 475
So you have what it is to have Christ sit at God s right hand, as briefly I could, explained. The uses that this affords are infinite, which the
ripture giveth ; but I must not run out into this thing, for I must merely
:pound.
The second thing in the text is, who it is that set him at his right hand.
have done with the first; opened the phrase of sitting at God s right hand,
come now to the second, his exalter and advancer. It is God, namely the
ithcr, that set him at his own right hand, and that by his exceeding great-
:ss of power.
You know our Saviour Christ acknowledged that all his power is from
e Father. All power, saith he, is given unto me ; that is his expres
m, Matt, xxviii. As he is the natural Son of God simply considered, so he
th not sit at God s right hand, and so indeed power is not given to him,
r so he hath it by nature. But take him as he is Mediator, and that as he God and man too, for he is Mediator in both natures, and so all the power
at he hath is given unto him, and so he is only said to begin to sit at God s
;ht hand after his resurrection ; whereas, as he is the natural Son of God, had power equally with the Father from before the world was. There-
re you know God boasteth of it ; I have set my king upon mine holy
11. Other kings are by human institution and creation ; but this same
isus Christ, he is my king, saith he.
Now, my brethren, though the Father did but give it him, let me say this
Christ on the other side, he hath a right to it. So indeed it is carried
tween the Father and the Son ; it is the Father s gift, and so the Father
honoured, but yet it is the Son s due. All power is given unto him ; yet
I saith plainly in Luke xxii. 29, that he hath power to give a kingdom, he
eth the same expression of himself that he doth of his Father. I appoint
[.to you a kingdom, saith he, as my Father hath appointed unto me. And
the Father quickeneth whom he will, so the Son quickeneth whom he
1 too, John v. 21. Only there is a reconciliation of free-will ; God s will
I Christ s never differ, for Jesus Christ exerciseth the highest liberty of
1, and not only so, but he exerciseth a sovereignty of will, and it is his
lit and due so to do ; yet he doth nothing but what the Father willeth.
[t is his Father that set him at his own right hand. I desire you to
serve the difference of these two phrases the Scripture holdeth forth. The
altation of Christ is not only said to be at God s right hand, but it is said to
with God s right hand. As in Acts ii. 33 he saith, he was by the right nd of God exalted ; and Acts v. 31, Him hath God exalted with his
ht hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, &c. So that being at his right nd implieth that he hath all power committed to him ; and being exalted
th the right hand, or by the right hand of God, implieth it was an answer-
le almighty power that raised him up to this. My brethren, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ did not only live by the wer of God while he was here. Man liveth not by bread only, but by
ery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. I do so, saith he ; that
his meaning. But you shall read, that since he is gone to heaven, he liveth
the power of God. It is in 2 Cor. xiii. 4, He was crucified through
1 And because that God the
jakness, yet he liveth by the power of God."
ither is he that exalted him, therefore Paul calleth him the Father of
ory in the beginning of this prayer in this chapter. I might enlarge this. You see how the Persons honour one another : the
ither s honour, that he doth give him this power ; the Son s honour, that
is worthy ; and it was fit, and comely, and necessary for his Father to
476 AN EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE [SEHMON XXI.
do it. Consider of it thus : that the Son of God should be chosen (take it sc* be the Mediator of the world, that the Son, that that person should be rangl out, it was but an act of choice ; though it was comely it should be I Son rather than the Holy Ghost. That the man Christ Jesus, that he ft chosen to it, that was merely of God, as much as the choice of us was! eternal life ; yet now, when this man Christ Jesus was united to the a of God, he had right to all this, it was his due. Heb. i. 2, 6, compared I
gether; as he is called in the second verse, the appointed heir of all things* he is called in the sixth verse the natural heir of all things.
Now, it being his due the first day, what doth Christ ? He layeth ael
all his glory, takes the form of a servant, voluntarily doth it to honour i Father. What honour doth his Father do to him for it when he cometrl heaven 1 Have you obscured your glory, saith he, withdrawn it for I sake ? I will do as much for you, I will commit all judgment to you ; not be seen, the eyes and thoughts of all creatures shaU be next upon y The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto
Son, John v. 22, that is, visibly to execute it. So that God did as it wi
give up the kingdom, as David did to Solomon while he was alive, Becal that he glorified God in suffering himself to be made obedient to the de&t therefore it was justice for God to glorify him likewise, by withdraw! himself from the affairs of the world ; that is, in respect of visible executl of it.
And Jesus Christ had this in his eye when he was to die upon the cro he suffered for it, as I said in the last discourse. You shall see, saith
1 the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power. And for the joy tl was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is down at the right hand of the throne of God, Heb. xii. 2. He had fc honour of his in his eye, and therefore as his reward the Father gave it hi and it was comely the Father should give it him ; and because that he, wh he was here below, was made lower than the angels, much lower, a lit lower for the time, but much lower otherwise, therefore God hath set h above the angels. And because while he was here he suffered himself to insulted on by Satan, to have power on his body to hurry it up and dow. and when he came to die, saith he, The prince of this world cometh, but shall find nothing in me, yet come he did; therefore now he is exalted i above all principalities and powers, &c. And it was his due to have it, was his reward, it is but his condign reward ; and it is yet a reward thei fore given by the Father.
Thirdly, The next thing in the text that is mentioned is, who it is
is -here exalted. It is him. Whom 1 Christ. Some would restrain th
\ exaltation of Christ s sitting at God s right hand only to the human natur
For, say they, as he was the Son of God simply considered, he did alwar
sit at God s right hand. But the mistake lieth in this. It is true, tal him as he is Son of God, he hath an equal power with the Father from eve:
lasting, but that power is never expressed by sitting at God s right ham for then the Holy Ghost should be said to sit at God s right hand as well God the Son, which is never said. But the sitting at God s right hand dot,
imply that power that is committed to him as Mediator, both God and mar
that is, as he is the Son of God, clothed with man s nature, exalted now i:
heaven, so that what is attributed to the one is attributed to the other b
t communication of properties ; as we say that God and man died, though th manhood only did die, yet it is attributed to the whole, it is called th< blood of God ; and we say God-man rose, though his body only rose, yet i
PH. I. 20, 21.] TO THE EPHESIANS. 477
attributed to the whole ; totus Christus, though not totum Christi. Whole
hrist rose and whole Christ sitteth at God s right hand ; he exalted him,
iough not the whole of Christ.
I will not insist longer on this. There is only a scripture or two I will
ve why not only the manhood is said thus to be exalted, but the Godhead
/ o as considered joined with the manhood. The first, that his Godhead is
: tus exalted, I mean that the Son of God is exalted, is that Ps. ex. 1, The
ord said unto my Lord, Sit thou, &c. Now, he was David s Lord only as he
1 as Son of God. I mean that the foundation of his being Lord is laid in
t at; therefore, Heb. i. 13, the Apostle proveth him to be God from this,
] scause he was bidden to sit down on God s right hand ; To which of all the
igels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make, &c. But
ito the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, &c. And
: en it belongeth to him likewise as man ; that you have a clear place for,
>hn v. And our Saviour putteth it in on purpose. Saith he, at ver. 22,
ill judgment is committed unto the Son ; and lest that we that know him
be both God and man should take this to be spoken of him in regard of
1* Godhead, as he was second Person only, he telleth us plainly, ver. 27,
k - le hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the
1 in of man. So that take him as he is Son of man, so he hath authority
"i ven him to execute judgment ; and he putteth in this to open the prophecy, Im. vii, for, saith he there, at ver. 14, to the Son of man was given domi-
J m, and glory, and a kingdom which shall not be destroyed, and to this Son
\ man, saith he, is all judgment given. I Now, you will ask how it is said, take him as he is the Son of God, that
I should be exalted, for he is but as he was ?
Yes, my brethren, he is exalted in this sense, because his Godhead was
Jacured and hidden while he was here below. It was his due to have
Jined in his manhood instantly as he doth now in heaven, that all men
Jbuld behold his glory as the glory of the only-begotten Son of God, as the
Jostles Peter, and James, and John did when he was transfigured. Now t veileth all his glory ; when he comcth to sit at the right hand of God,
lire he shewefch it ; so that in respect of manifestation he is said to be
felted, for then he was manifested to be the Son of God.
f So much for the Person that is exalted, how it is true of him both as God
d man. I The fourth thing to be explained is, when it was that he began to be
mdted. The text plainly saith, after his resurrection; the same power, Iith he,
f which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, wsl set him at his own right hand. 1 There are some divines that are mightily mistaken in this, for they would
lijke the sitting at God s right hand to be the prerogative of the hyposta-
ftal union, and so would make him to sit on God s right hand when he was
^ithe womb. But, brethren, the Scripture runneth clean otherwise. It was
|l due indeed then, and his right; but in respect of its execution, he was U as a king under age, till he rose again and ascended up to heaven.
. erofore you shall find, Heb. i. 3, it is expressly said, After he had purged
rains, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. After; lurk that phrase ; it was not till then : so Heb. x. 12, After he offered one
i orifice for sin, he sat down on the right hand of God ; it was after that.
; was like one that is born a king, that cometh to act the part of a servant
.ion a stage ; but when he cometh to such a period he throweth off the
im of a servant, and sheweth himself to be a king: and so doth Jesus
478 AN EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE [SERMON XXXI
Christ ; therefore you have it, Phil. ii. 9, He took on him the form of a servant, and was obedient unto the death ; and then it was that God exalted him, he did not enter upon this glory till he had suffered death; so Heb.ii
9, and in Rev. v. 12, it is said there expressly, he was worthy to receive honour, and glory, and riches, <fcc.,. because he was slain. He was first to be slain. It became him first to suffer, and so to enter into his glory. There fore his sitting at God s right hand was not before God had raised him. That is the fourth thing.
The fifth is, the place where he sitteth. It is expressly said, in heaven. The word in the original is not heavenly places; the word places is put in; but, he set Mm at his own right hand in the heavenlies. The Lutherans therefore interpret it, he sitteth in heavenly things ; that
is, they say, all his power is exercised in things heavenly. But, my brethren, that which followeth confuteth it in part, for he saith he is over every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come ; not only heavenly things, but earthly things ; so that not only heavenly things are meant, though they are not to be excluded, but answer able to the phrase of sitting is properly intended Jieavenly places, and so notes out the very place where he thus sits, even in heaven. Heaven is the court of the great God, where his throne is, as you saw out of Acts vii. 49
; and it is the place where God hath appointed Jesus Christ to be honoured. Only let me say this : when he cometh to judge wicked men, because he will not bring them up to heaven, for none of them shall ever enter into the third heavens, then he cometh down, and bringeth heaven down with him, for all the angels come with him, and he shall come in the clouds with all the glory of his Father, in the greatest glory and majesty that can be. But the proper seat and place of Christ is at God s right hand. I see the heavens opened, saith he, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Therefore still the Scripture calleth us to look up to Christ as sitting at God s right hand in the heavens. The Lutherans would have him every where even as man, which is to maintain that opinion of his bodily presence in the bread you eat in the sacrament, which is a mighty gross absurdity, for
so he should be as much in the bread you eat every day as in that of the sacrament ; and, accordingly, they further make his ascension into heaven a mere metaphor ; they say he did not remove his place locally, whereas the
text saith expressly they saw him ascend up into heaven.
That the sitting of Christ at God s right hand is in heaven, and that that
is the place appointed for him, I will give you but one scripture for it. I
therefore quote it because I will open it a little unto you ; it is Acts ii. 34. When he would prove that those words in Ps. xvi., At thy right hand are
pleasures for evermore, &c., were not meant of David, what expression doth he use ? For David, saith he, is not ascended into the heavens : but he
saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou, &c. My brethren, David was ascended into heaven, for Ms soul was there. How, then, doth
this argument hold ? The truth is, he putteth ascension into heaven to be
all one with sitting at God s right hand, because that heaven is the place where God hath appointed to manifest his glory and the glory of Christ; and
therefore, Mark xvi. 19, it is expressly said he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God. So, in 1 Pet. iii. 22, He is gone into
heaven, and is on the right hand of God. I could give you multitudes of
places for it.
It is a wild opinion of the Lutherans, that would have heaven also every-
IH, I. 20, 21.] TO THE EPHESIAN3. 479
here, as Christ is everywhere. But the Apostle telleth us plainly, 1 Thess.
~!|. 10, that we expect and wait for Christ from heaven. If Christ were every-
\here, and heaven were everywhere, how could we expect to meet him in
i;he air, when he shall descend from heaven, as the Apostle saith, 1 Thess.
!>v. 17, speaking of the air as a distinct place from heaven 1
I go you have all these five things opened that belong to this part of the
20th verse. First, What is meant by sitting on God s right hand. Secondly, Who it was that raised him ; God the Father. Thirdly, The subject that was
thus exalted, both considered as God and man. Fourthly, The time when it
was begun; it was when he ascended into heaven after his resurrection.
Fifthly, The place where ; it is in heaven, in heavenly places. I will now make a little entrance into the 21st verse, so much indeed as
shall give a light into it : Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and
every name, &c.
Here he expresseth more really what he had said in the other speech more
figuratively ; there he expresseth the dignity of Christ by sitting on God s
right hand, here he speaks more plainly, far above all principality,
<kc.
There are two general heads of this verse. Here is, first, The eminence of Christ s exaltation; and, secondly, The uni
versality of it.
The eminency of it is set forth two ways
First, For the intention, the height of it as it is personal in him; it is not
only above, but far above all principality, and power, and might, and domi
nion, &c.
Secondly, It is expressed by the lowness of the subjection of all things to
m; he is far above, for all things are tinder his feet. Then there is the universality of it ; he instanceth in the chiefest things that are in this world and in the world to come, in might and dominion, in
principalities and powers, and in every name that is named, not only in this
world, but also in that which is to come.
First, To open unto you the eminency of this exaltation of Christ. He
is said to be far above, not only above, but far above, riot civu only, but
iflregavw, far above ; so far that the Apostle knew not how to express it, but,
as we use to say, infinitely above. So now that which in Acts ii. 33 is called
simply the exaltation of Christ, in Phil. ii. 9 is called superexaltation, so
the word is in the original ; not only an exalting, but an exalting to the
highest, an infinite exalting ; and therefore, Heb. vii. 26, we are said to have
such a high priest as is made higher than the heavens.
I told you before, that sitting at God s right hand noted out, first, fulness
of pleasure ; secondly, glory ; thirdly, power and dominion. Now, you shall see that in all these Jesus Christ is advanced far above all creatures, and enjoyeth them all in that transcendent manner as no creature doth, either
angels or men.
First, Jesus Christ hath such pleasure as no creature hath. For that, take
Ps. xlv., where he speaks of Christ as exalted at God s right hand, and speak
ing of his throne, saith he, ver. 6, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever ; the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. He speaks of him as installed
into his kingdom. What followeth*? Because thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness, therefore God hath anointed thee with the oil of
gladness above thy fellows. Here is, you see, an anointing with joy and
gladness above his fellows ; in this regard, therefore, he is above all princi
pality and power, and all things else. Why ? Because he is nearer the foun-
480 AN EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE [SERMON XXXI;
tain than all creatures are, for he is one Person with the Son of God ; a the communication of God, and all the fulness of the Godhead, to him must needs be so much the greater by how much, the union is nearer. As he haa the nearest union that any creature could have to be one Person with ttoj Godhead, so he hath the joys of God, which none else can have. While to
j was upon the earth he was a man of sorrows, such as no man had ; so noil when he cometh to heaven, as his sorrows abounded, so his joys also abound As he was the first of many brethren in respect of affliction, so he is anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows : for he hath not only the joys of Goe to be his, but the joys of all his children ; they are also his, therefore he bicb I them be holy, that my joy may be full, saith he ; I rejoice in it, saith he}
rejoice in it, saith he, more than you ; for, as the Apostle saith, you are mji crown and my joy ; so Christ hath joy in all.
Secondly, Take rule and dominion, that is most proper to the text indeed
j he hath a rule and dominion far above all things. Eev. iii. 21, Ye shall sit with me in my throne, even as I also am set down with my Father in hi I throne. What is the meaning of that scripture ? This in a word : As I aal
glorified, so shall ye be glorified, and I have communicated to you a kind a
rule, a kind of suffrage at the day of judgment ; but this is peculiar to th< Son, to the Lord Jesus Christ, to sit in the Father s throne.
^ So likewise for glory ; which is the third thing meant by sitting at Gocfrj right hand. He hath such glory in heaven, that could a man see him sitting* in heaven, and all the angels about him, he would say, That is the Son of God
presently. Set a king among his nobles, and you could not know one from another, if he would conceal his outward state ; but set the Person of Chris* amongst angels, you would presently say, That is the Son of God. We sa\* his glory, say they, as the glory of the only-begotten Son of God, when t had but a glimpse of it in his transfiguration. There is such a glory shineth in the person of Jesus Christ as he is far above all angels and men, he is tla Sun of righteousness ; therefore he is said to be the image of the invisibl* God/ so as no men or angels are ; and the brightness of his Father s glory, which they are not ; it is spoken of him as he is man ; for otherwise as he is God, he is as invisible as God himself. Therefore as the actions of the SOB of God are higher than the actions of men, for you see they are of infinite
j worth, which men s good works and angels are not, so the glory of Godman, the Son of God, is more than all the glory of angels or the glory of all the sons of men whatsoever ; it is of another kind. Hence it cometh to pass that our Saviour Christ is to be worshipped, for you see he hath that glory that no creature hath ; take him as he is man
sitting at God s right hand, he is to be worshipped, which no creature is. Saith he, Heb. i. 6, When he bringeth his Son into the world he saith, Let
all the angels of God worship him. It is spoken of his second coming, as I could open at large. And Ps. xlv. 11, there the Church is said to stand at Christ s right hand, and one would think she were mightily exalted ; what followeth? Ver. 12, Daughter, saith God, he is thy Lord, and worship thou him. You shall find that this is part of Christ s exaltation in Phil. ii.
10, that all worship that is to be performed unto God should be done in his name. Wherefore, saith he, hath God highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that in it is not at the name, but in the name of Jesus every knee should bow ; that is, that all worship should be
put up to him in the name of Christ. This is that prerogative which no creature hath or was fit to have ; this glory God would give to none but to
. I. 20, 21.] TO THE EPHESIANS. 4g]_
he man Christ exalted in heaven ; yea, let me add this, that this began to
>e done when he did ascend up into heaven.
I have wondered sometimes at that speech, John xvi. 24 : Hitherto ye lave asked nothing in my name. When he taught them the Lord s Prayer, ne would have thought they should have been taught to make their prayers
i the name of Jesus Christ, as we are taught to do by the Apostle ; but he pas not then ascended ; this at his name every knee shall bow, he must uffer for it first, and then enter into this glory. Therefore, Rom. viii. 34, ou have his sitting at God s right hand and his interceding for us joined )gether.
This is the reason why Jesus Christ is so jealous that he will not use the lediation of saints in heaven as the Papists do, which is flat idolatry. VTiy ? Because he is in heaven the only Mediator. Here on earth you lust indeed speak to men to pray for you, but if you speak to any in heaven o pray for you, Christ is jealous of it ; for it is part of his glory to sit on od s right hand and to be the only Mediator, and that not only in his name lould prayers be put up, but that none else should be employed to put up rayers besides. Therefore the worshipping of saints is flat idolatry, because esus Christ is in heaven, and it is his only prerogative to intercede for us, is a part of his right and glory. These prerogatives are far above what ever any creature hath : and so now have done with the intention of his exaltation ; he is exalted far above
.1 principality/ &c.
TOL. L
482 AN EXPOSITION OF THE EPISTLE [SEEMON XXXII