ger he is about it, the more trouble he hath with it. Created enjoyments will not continue our lives here, because of our frailty; they will not accompany us into eternity, because of their own frailty; we change and they change; we are vanity and they are no better. But an interest in the omnipotency, sovereignty, and eternity of the Lord Christ, will yield a soul relief and satisfaction even in this condition; having that in them, which is suited to relieve us under our present frailty, and to give us satisfaction during our future everlasting existence. In Christ we have stability and unchangeableness: though we die, yet he dieth not; and "because he liveth we shall live also." But Oh! the misery of those who have no interest in him; and have therefore nothing to console themselves with against the evils of any condition. All their hopes are in this life, and from its flattering but delusive enjoyments; when these are once past, they will be eternally, and universally miserable; miserable beyond our expression or their own apprehension. And what is this life? a vapor that appeareth for a little while, and then vanisheth away. What are the enjoyments of this life? dying, perishing things; and, with respect tot hem, fuel to lust, and so to hell. Surely the contentment that a dying man can take in dying things is very contemptible in itself, and an awful indication of everlasting disappointment,

VERSE 13.

But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

31. Introduction. $2-5. The words explained. $6-9. (I.) Who are the enemies of Christ, and how they are to be made his footstool. $10, 11. (II.) By whom they shall be so made. $12, 13. Inferences.

§1. THE usefulness of this testimony for confirming the dignity and authority of the Messiah, appears by the frequent quotation of it in the New Testament, See particularly Matt. xxii, 44.

In the interrogation, a vehement negation is included; he said not at any time to any of the angels: he never spake these words or the like concerning them; there is no testimony to that purpose recorded in the whole book of God, the only means of such knowledge, and rule of our faith, in such things. The manner of the expression puts an emphasis on the denial; and he makes application of this testimony to every angel in heaven, severally considered. For whereas he had before sufficiently proved the pre-eminence of the Messiah above the angels in general; to obviate any remaining objection that might be left in reserve, he applies the present testimony to every one of them singly and individually. "Unto which of the angels said he at any time?" That the testimony itself clearly proves the intendment of the apostle, provided the words are justly applied, (and surely no Christian will deny that) is beyond all exception. For they contain an eulogium, an assignation of honor and glory, beyond whatever was or can be ascribed to any angel

whatever.

$2. "The Lord said unto my Lord." In the Greek both the person speaking and the person spoken to, are expressed by the same name, (Kupios) Lord; but in the

Hebrew they have different denominations. The person speaking is Jehovah, that is, God the Father; for though this name be often used where the Son is distinctly spoken of, yet where Jehovah speaketh to the Son, or of him, as here, it is the person of the Father that is denoted. The person spoken to therefore is the Son; (1) the Lord, David's Lord. In respect of his Divine nature, being of the same essence, power, and glory, with the Father, he is, absolutely considered, capable of no subordination or exaltation; yet, economically, the eternal Son of God humbled himself, and emptied himself of this glory, Phil. ii, 7, 8; not properly by parting with it, but by the assumption of human nature into personal union with himself; being thus made flesh, John i, 14; wherein his eternal glory was clouded for a season, John xviii, 5; and his person humbled to the discharge of those mediatorial acts which were to be performed in the human nature, Phil. ii, 9, 10. But we must carefully observe, that the person of Christ is here addressed, not in respect of his Divine nature only, which is not capable of exaltation or glory by way of free donation; nor in respect of his human nature only, which does not constitute exclusively the king and head of the church; but with respect to his whole person complexly, wherein the Divine nature, exerting its power and glory with the understanding and will of the human nature, is the principle of those acts, whereby Christ ruleth over all in the kingdom given him of his Father, Rev. i, 17, 18; as he was God, he was David's Lord, but not his son; as he was man, he was David's son, and so absolutely could not be his Lord. In his person God-man be was his Lord and his son: which is the import of our Savior's question, Matt. xxii, 4.

§3. The nature of this speaking, or when God said it, seems to intend, the original decree of God concerning the exaltation of the Son incarnate. So David calls this word the decree, the statute or eternal appointment of God, Psalm ii, 7; the eternal covenant between the Father and the Son concerning the work of mediation. The declaration of this decree and covenant in the prophecies and promises given out concerning their accomplishment and execution from the foundation of the world, Luke i, 40; 1 Pet. i, 11, 12; Gen. iii, 15. "He said it by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began." The actual accomplishment of them all, when upon the resurrection of Christ, and the fulfilling of his work of humiliation, God actually invested him with the promised glory.

§4. Hence the manner of expression, "Sit thou at my right hand." It has the force of a promise, having a respect to the decree, covenant, and declaration thereof from the foundation of the world; and God engaging his faithfulness and power to it in the appointed season, speaks concerning it as a thing instantly to be done. And as those words respect the glorious accomplishment of the thing itself, so they denote the acquiescence of God in the work of Christ, and his authority in his glorious exaltation. The "sitting at the right hand of God," hath been explained before, verse 3. In brief, it is the exaltation of Christ into the glorious administration of the kingdom granted him, with honor, security, and power; or in one word, as our apostle expresses it, 'his reigning,' Cor. xv, 25, "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet."

§5. There is in the words the end aimed at in this sitting down at the right hand of God, and that is, the

making of his enemies his footstool." This is promised him as the exalted Savior and Sovereign. For the opening of these words we must inquire,

I. Who are these enemies of Christ, and how they are to be made his footstool.

And,

§6. (I.) We have already shewn, that it is the glorious exaltation of Christ in his kingdom that is here spoken of; and therefore the enemies intended must be the enemies of his kingdom, or rather enemies to him in his kingdom. Now the kingdom of Christ may be considered either in respect of the internal spiritual power and efficacy of it, in the hearts of his subjects; or, with respect to the outward glorious administration of it in the world; and in both these respects it hath enemies in abundance; all and every one of which must be made his footstool. We shall consider them apart. The kingdom or reigning of Christ, in the first sense, consists in his authority and power, which he employs for the conversion, sanctification, and salvation of his elect. As he is their king he quickens them by his spirit, sanctifies them by his grace, preserves them by his faithfulness, raiseth them from the dead at the last day by his power, and gloriously rewardeth them in his righteousness to all eternity.

$7. In this work the great Messiah has many ene-mies; sin, Satan, the world, death, the grave, and hell: all these are enemies to the work and kingdom of Christ, and consequently to his person, as having undertaken that work. Sin is universally and in its whole nature his enemy; hence it is, that sinners and enemies are the same, Rom. v, 8, 10. It is that which makes a special, direct, and immediate opposition to the quickening, sanctifying, and saving of his people. Sa