to sit. Of the former see 1 Kings x. 8. Dan. vii. 10. Angels are called those that stand by. Of the latter see Dan. vii. 9. "I beheld till the thrones were cast "down, and the Ancient of days did sit." See also 1 Kings ii. 19. and Esther i. 14.-" Seven princes of "Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and "which sat the first in the kingdom." "I sat chief," says Job." Christ, therefore, whilst he sits by the Father, possesses a dignity superior to all the angels. "For to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit "thou on my right hand." 2dly, Judicial and royal authority. "Ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, "judging the twelve tribes of Israel."w "I sit a "queen." In like manner it is said of Christ,-" And "he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon "his throne;" and again,—" In mercy shall the throne "be established, and he shall sit upon it."z 3dly, Rest after labours which have been sustained. The blessed and glorious rest which Christ enjoys, is plainly indicated in the Father's address to him; when, having invited Christ to sit, he devolves on himself what remains of the work of conquering and triumphing over his enemies:-" Sit thou at my right hand, until I make "thine enemies thy footstool." 4thly, An undisturbed abode for a long period in the same place. "Shi"mei dwelt, sat, at Jerusalem many days." с "He con“tinued, sat, there a year and six months." a So also .7 .Zech. iii הָעוֹמְדִים .16 .Dan. vii קָאֲמַיאַ* t Chap. xxix. 25. Mat. xix. 28. Zech. vi. 13. ▾ Heb. i. 5. * Rev. xviii. 7. * Is. xvi. 5. a Gen. xviii. 1. Mic. iv. 4. John iv. 6. b Ps. cx. 1. 'Exdios, Acts xviii. 11. * 1 Kings ii. 38. the glory of Christ will be constant and perpetual; "for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under "his feet."e XII. It is not inconsistent with this sitting, that Stephen saw Christ "STANDING at the right hand of "God." The expression must not be understood grossly, as relating to the posture of the body, but as referring to the thing denoted by that posture, namely, Christ's glorious rest and ample authority. The standing attitude in which he appeared to Stephen, was intended to indicate his perfect readiness, amidst the glory with which he is surrounded, to defend and strengthen that noble martyr, and to receive his spirit.s "We must consider," says Gregory the Great,* "what " is intended by Mark's expression, he sat on the right "hand of God, and by Stephen's saying, I see the "heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Why does Mark affirm that "he sits, while Stephen avers that he saw him stand"ing? But know, brethren, that it belongs to a Judge, "to sit; to a Warrior, or Helper, to stand. Since "therefore our Redeemer, being exalted to heaven, even now exercises universal judgment, and will come at last as the Judge of all, Mark describes him as sitting after he was received up; for, in consequence "of the glory of his ascension, he will appear as Judge "at the end of the world. Stephen, engaged in the "labours of the contest, beheld him whom he regard"ed as his Helper, in a standing posture; because he fought for him, and supported him by his grace from 66 66 66 66 Homil. xxix. In festo Adscens. e 1 Cor. xv. 25. f Acts vii. 56. "heaven, that he might obtain the victory over the " perverseness of his persecutors on earth." XIII. Having premised these observations respecting the terms and the phrase, let us now examine the subject itself; which, agreeably to what has been said, we explain thus. Christ's sitting at the right hand of God, is that supreme and peculiar glory, both in his person and in his Kingly office, which, after his ascension into heaven, was conferred on him by the Father, and most justly taken possession of by himself, for the glory of God the Father, and for the perfect salvation of the Church. XIV. This definition sets forth, without doubt, the HIGHEST GLORY OF CHRIST; to which he rose by several distinct steps. First, whilst he was yet in a state of abasement, some rays of glorious majesty occasionally broke forth. In the next place, in his resurrection, he was exalted from a mortal to an immortal state; which is the beginning of his glorification. Further, in his ascension, he was raised from a condition till then terrestrial, although immortal, to a celestial state;-which is an advance in glory. And in fine, he was exalted in heaven, to the dignity of sitting at the right hand of God: "He was received up into hea"ven, and sat on the right hand of God;"-in which the summit and perfection of his glory consists. "He "is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty "in the heavens."j xv. This glory is not merely supreme, but also peculiar to Christ. It far surpasses the dignity of all h 2 Pet. i. 16, 17. j Heb. viii. 1. VOL. II. 2 K i Mark xvi. 19. 23. the Angels, much more of all mankind. "He set "him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 66 far above all principalities, and power, and might, "and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to "come." That is, he set him above all that is eminent and glorious; whether amongst men or angels; whether in the former age of the Old Testament, which, at the time of the Apostle's writing these words, was hastening to its termination, and in which the name of a Moses, of a Prophet, and of a High-priest was great,—or in the New Testament age, which the Apostle might denominate the age to come, in reference to the expectation of the ancients, and because, whilst the temple was yet standing, the Church did not fully make use of her liberty. In this age, it is perfectly clear, the name of Christ is transcendantly excellent. But the expression extends also to the future age of glory, and intimates that our Lord is much higher than all the Angels, whatever be the lofty titles with which they are adorned, and that if there be names of Angels still more august than these, which we shall at last know to be associated with them in the world to come, he has dominion also over them. XVI. This glory, then, is so far peculiar to Christ, that he divides it with no creature. When believers are said to "sit on his throne," m or to "stand at his "right hand," these expressions must be understood of their communion with Christ; owing to which they rejoice in his glory, as if it were their own, and do themselves, according to their measure, obtain glory, * Heb. i. 5. 1 Ephes. i. 20, 21. somewhat similar, although by no means equal, to that glory of which their Saviour, in human nature, is possessed. In this view, they are even said to be "par"takers of the divine nature." How exalted soever the dignity to which believers are advanced, it cannot exceed that which it is fit for creatures, blessed with the divine favour, to receive. That which is given to Christ, is suitable to the Only-begotten and co-essential Son of God, and to that high office, to the participation of which no mere creature can be admitted. XVII. But doth he not possess it in common with another Divine person? I reply, the glory of which we now speak, is economical, and pertains to Christ as Mediator. As therefore, of all the three persons of the Godhead, the Son alone undertook the office of mediation; so the glory, which is the reward and recompense of the faithful discharge of that office, belongs only to Christ. The Scripture nowhere says, that the Holy Spirit sits at the right hand of God. In the mean time, so far as this glory involves the supremacy of the Deity, and that equal dignity with the Father, which is founded in the unity of the Divine Essence, in that view it cannot be separated from the glory of the Father and of the Holy Spirit. They possess, in that respect, the same glory, and the same throne:P The distinction being preserved,-a distinction not indeed of degree, much less of kind, but merely of order,-of that order which can subsist between him who gives honour, or who shows that one is to receive from all his subjects equal honour with himself,-and him to whom that honour is done, or who is declared entitled to equal regard. • 2 Pet. i. 4. Luke ix. 26. Rev. iii. 21. |