red the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God," Heb. xii 2. “It behooved Christ to suffer all things first, and then to enter into his glory," Luke xxiv. 26. "If we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him," Rom. viii. 17. O friends, how doubly sweet will your sorrows be, when ye shall be revealed with him in glory! what a fair prospect will it be, when "ye shall be taken up" in the sight of your, and the Lord's enemies, "in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall be for ever with the Lord! My soul saith, yea, let all the people say Amen, yea Amen."

CHRIST

A

KING AND JUDGE.

XIX. LORD'S DAY.

Psalm cx. 1. 2. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion; rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

Q. 50. Why is it added, " And sitteth at the right hand of God?” A. Because Christ is ascended into heaven for this end, that he might there appear as head of the church, by whom the Father governs all things.

Q. 51. What profit is this glory of Christ our head unto us?

A. First, that by his holy Spirit he poureth out heavenly graces upon us his members; and then, that by his power he defends and preserves us against all enemies.

Q. 52. What comfort is it to thee, that “Christ shall come again to judge the quick and the dead ?"

A. That in all my sorrows and persecutions, with uplifted head, I look for the very same Person, who before offered himself for my sake, to the tribunal of God, and hath removed all curse from me; to come as Judge from heaven: who shall cast all his and my enemies into everlasting condemnation, but shall translate me with all his chosen ones to himself, into heavenly joys and glory.

TAKE silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them on the

head of Joshua, the son of Josedek, the high priest." Thus the Lord commanded the prophet Zechariah, Zech. vi. 11. Among the several ornaments of the high priest, the golden plate, inscribed "Holiness to the Lord," and placed on his forehead, shone forth with special lustre; yea, this was a holy crown to the high priest. Exod. xxix. 6. But this was too little for Joshua the high priest; the prophet must make for him, other crowns, and set them on his head, and therefore also say to him, "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying Behold the man whose name is the Branch, and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit, and rule upon his throne, and he shall be a priest upon his throne," Zech. vi. 12, 13. It is not to be doubted but that Joshua the high priest was, like every other lawful high priest, a type of the Messiah, the man whose name is Branch; but herein Joshua excelled the other high priests, that crowns of silver and gold were set upon his head, as a greater and worthier type of the Messiah. The other high priests were types of this Branch, as the only and perfect high priest; but Joshua, when these crowns were set upon his head, and the signification of them explained to him, became also a type of the Messiah as king, and foreshowed particularly that the offices of king and priest, which were never united together in one person and tribe in Israel, should both be administered by him, in order that he might "build the temple of the Lord." Like Melchizedek, he should be also king of Salem, and a priest of the most high God. And truly our Jesus is both high priest and king. As high priest he hath obtained an eternal redemption, and as king he applies it; as high priest he ascended into heaven, and entered thus into the true sanctuary, as we have seen in the former Lord's day; and as king the sits at the right hand of God, to rule upon his throne, which will appear particularly in the last judgment; and this we must show at present.

We must attend in this Lord's day to two particulars with respect to the exalted Mediator:

I. His sitting at the right hand of God, as king.

II. His coming again to judgment, as judge.

These are two great articles of our faith, and they contain many and important matters; but we cannot exhibit them all at present on account of the brevity of our method; and we will therefore remark only the principal particulars.

I. The first head is explained by the instructor in the fiftieth ques

tion; and the advantages are then shown in the fifty-first question

The instructor, in order to explain Christ's sitting at the right hand of God, asks why it is added, “and sitteth at the right hand of God," to show that Christ's sitting at the right hand of God is different from his ascension into heaven; for though Enoch and Elijah ascended into heaven, they did not sit at the right hand of God; but Christ ascended into heaven, that he might sit at the right hand of God. Therefore Mark saith, "The Lord was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God," Mark xvi. 19.

In order to know wherein it consists to be on the right hand of God, we must observe, that this is not to be understood in a proper sense, or of a bodily posture; for as God is a Spirit, and hath therefore no hands, the Son of God cannot be in a bodily manner at his right hand. When a right hand is ascribed to the Lord, we must explain it in a manner which becomes God, and according to his word: now the word of God understands by his right hand, (a) the special favour which he showeth to them who are the objects of his favour, as we show favour with the right hand, and not so much with the left. So David speaks of it, Psalm xx. 6, "The saving strength of his right hand." (b) The majesty and glory of God, which he manifests especially in heaven; for the right hand is considered as the most honourable. So we read of "the right hand of the majesty on high," Heb. 1. 3. (c) By the right hand of God is also understood the power, dominion, and government of the Lord over all; for our greatest strength is in our right hand, and by that we govern all our actions. In this sense do we find the right hand of God. Psalm xvii. 7, "Thou savest them which put their trust in thee, from them that rise up against thy right hand;" that is, against thy mighty dominion. It is said,

I. That Christ is at God's right hand, by which it is intimated, (a) that he is in heaven in the enjoyment of his Father's special and full favour, by which he fully enjoys the greatest happiness. Therefore he saith, Psalm xxi. "Thou wilt show me the way of life: in thy presence is fulness of Joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Peter, explaining these words, represents the Saviour as saying, "Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy by thy countenance," Acts ii. 28. And thus Jesus is "the man of God's right hand," Psalm lxxx. 17. As Jacob called his youngest son, on account of his special affection for him, Benjamin, that is, son of the right hand. (b) That he is exalted to the highest honour and glory, so that 4 every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and under the

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earth, and which is in the sea, and all that is in them, must say, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever," Rev. v 13. And so "God hath highly exalted him, and hath given him a name, which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knce should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father," Philip. i 9, 10, 11. For when we set any person at our right hand, we honour him; so Solomon set his mother on his right hand to honour her, 1 Kings ii. 19, and thus the bridegroom places the bride on his right hand, to hon our her, Psalm xlv. 9. And so "Jesus sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high," Heb. i. 3. viii. I. Yea, he is thus glorified more than the most glorious angels; "for to which of the angels said he at any time, sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool?" Heb. i. 13. Christ's being at Gcds right band consists also, (c) in his being appointed by the Father to be a ruler and a king over all, and particularly over his church; and so "the Father hath made him sit with him in his throne," Rev. iii. 21, and the Father therefore governs all things by him. This hath respect to the custom of sovereign rulers, who, when they adopt others or their followrulers, place them on their right hand. So the mother of Zebedee's children, when she desired that her sons might be the first after the Lord Jesus in his kingdom, requested, saying, Matt. xx. 21, “Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left in thy kingdom." Of David's sons it is said, that "they were Princes," 2 Sam. viii. 18, and so they were also "the first at the hand of the king" 1 Chron. xviii. 17. In this sense the catechism explains Christ's sitting at the right hand of God, when it saith, that "Christ is ascended into heaven for this end, that he might appear there as head of his Christian church, by whom the Father governs all things; see the fiftieth question. And truly the instructor speaks here according to the word of God; for Peter saith, Acts ii. 33, 36, "He therefore being exalted by the right hand of God, let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." And Paul, explaining our text, saith, 1 Cor. xv. 25, "He must reign until he hath put all things under his feet." Therefore it is also said, that "God hath exalted him at his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour," Acts v. 31. To which also pertains, that "the Father hath put all things under his feet," as Paul and Peter speak, Eph. i. 20—23. 1 Peter ii. 21, and