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fice at once, making an atonement for our sins, that to believers they should not be imputed.

§8. (III.) The apostle having thus asserted in general the sacerdotal office of Christ, and the effectual sacrifice he offered, and because that could not be done without the greatest humiliation and abasement of the Son, he instantly removes our gloomy apprehensions, by adding the blessed event of his all-important undertaking. "He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." The Lord Messiah undertaking to purge our sins, did by the one offering of himself perfectly effect it, which the blessed issue of his undertaking demonstrates; for he immediately entered into the glorious condition here expressed, as a signal pledge and evidence not only that his work was perfected, but also that God was fully satisfied and well pleased with what he had done.

The right hand, in scripture language, constantly denotes dignity and pre-eminence. The instance of Jacob's blessing Joseph's children testifies also the constant usage of those ancient times from the intimation of nature itself, Gen. xlviii, 17, 19; and the disposal of the sheep and goats at the last day, to the right hand and left, gives the privilege to the former. So Basil, "The right hand place denoteth a quality of dignity." And Chrysostom, "If he would have signified any diminution, he would not have said, sit on my right hand, but on my left." Solomon placed his mother, when she came unto him, on his right hand, as a token of honor; while he himself sat down on the throne of the kingdom; 1 Kings ii, 19; and the church is said to be at the right hand of Christ, Psalm xlv, 9. It is not unlikely but there may be an allusion in this expression to the Sanhedrim, the highest court of judicature among the Jews. He who presided in it was

called, the Father of judgment, or Father of the house of judgment; who sat next to, and at the right hand of the prince of the Sanhedrim, to whom belonged the execution of the sentence of the court. Agreeable to that are these words, "the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son." The greatest honor that can be done to any one among the sons of men, is for the chief ruler to set him next himself on his right hand: so is the Son of God as mediator, made partaker of the greatest glory that God hath to bestow in heaven. Nor is the "right hand of God" here taken absolutely for the power and strength of God; but, with the adjunct of sitting at it, it represents a place and eminency of glory, as he is considered on his throne of majesty: and therefore it is here termed the right hand of majesty, and not of power. §9. Two things are particularly intended in this expression:

1. The security of Christ from all his adversaries and sufferings for the future. Now he is, in person, everlastingly free from all opposition; for where he is, thither his adversaries cannot come. He is above their reach, beyond their power, secure in the throne and presence of God. Thus the fruit of the church being delivered from the rage and persecution of Satan, is said to be caught up unto God, and to his throne, Rev. xii, 5. Hence though men do, and will continue their malice and wrath against the Lord Christ to the end of the world, as if they would crucify him afresh, yet "he dies no more," being triumphantly secure at the right hand of God.

2. His inexpressible majesty and glory. God on his throne, is God in the full manifestation of his own glorious majesty. On his right hand sits the Mediator; yet so, as that he also is "in the midst of the throne,"

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Rev. v, 6. How little can our weak understandings comprehend of his majesty! It is not his rule and authority, but his safety, majesty, and glory which accompany them, that are here intended, as represented by the magnificent throne of Solomon. Besides, the apostle is not treating of the kingly power of Christ, but of his sacerdotal office; and the glory that ensued upon the discharge thereof. That, therefore, which he seems to respect, was the high priest's entrance into the holy place, after his offering of the solemn anniversary sacrifice of expiation. Then alone was he admitted into that august and holy place, that heaven below; where was the solemn representation of the presence, the throne, and glory of God. And what did he there? He stood with all humility and holy reverence ministering before the Lord, whose presence was there represented. He did not go and sit down between the cherubims, but worshipping at the footstool of the Lord, he departed. It is not, saith the apostle, so with Christ; but as his sacrifice was infinitely more excellent and effectual than theirs, so upon the offering of it he entered into heaven itself above, and into the real glorious presence of God; not to minister in humility, but to participate of the throne of majesty and glory. He is a "king and priest upon his throne," Zech. vi, 13.

$10. (IV.) We now proceed to the following observations:

Obs. 1. All the glorious perfections of the Deity belong to, and dwell in the person of the Son. Were it not so, he could not gloriously represent to us the person of the Father. This the apostle here teacheth us, as we have manifested in the explication of the words; and the same truth will again occur to us.

$11. Obs. 2. The whole manifestation of the nature of God unto us, and all communications of grace, are immediately through the person of the Son. There are sundry signal instances wherein God reveals himself, and communicates from his own infinite fulness to his creatures; and in all of them he doth it immediately by the Son.

(1.) In the creation of all things, God both gave them their being, and imparted unto them of his goodness, and manifested his nature to those that were capable of an holy apprehension of it. Now all this God did immediately by the Son; not as a subordinate instrument, but as the principal efficient, being his own power and wisdom. The Son, as the power and wisdom of the Father, "made all things;" so that in that work, the glory of the Father shines forth in him, and no otherwise: by him was the communication of being, goodness, and existence to the creation.

(2.) In the providential rule and disposal of all created things, God farther manifests himself to his creatures, and makes farther communications of his goodness to them, through the same uncreated medium.

(3.) The matter is yet more plain, as to the revelation of his will, and the institution of ordinances from first to last. This is the substance and grand design of the gospel, to reveal the Father in and by the Son; to declare that through him alone we can be made par⚫ takers of his grace and goodness; and that no other way can we have either acquaintance or communion with him. See John i, 18. The whole end of the gospel is to give us "the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," 2 Cor. iv, 6.

As the Father is the original and fountain of the whole Trinity as to subsistence, so also as to the opcration; he works not but by the Son; who, having the

Divine nature communicated unto him by an ineffable eternal generation, is to communicate the effects of the Divine power, wisdom, and goodness by temporary operation. And thus he becomes the "brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person."

§12. In the dispensation and counsel of grace, God hath determined, that all communications of himself to us shall be by the Son as incarnate. This the

whole gospel abundantly testifies; which discovers to us the necessity of coming unto God only by Christ. God in himself is said to be in "thick darkness," as also to dwell in "light whereunto no creature can approach:" which expressions, though seemingly contrary, teach us the same thing, (viz.) the infinite distance of the Divine nature from our apprehensions and conceptions; no man having seen God at any time. But this God, invisible, eternal, incomprehensibly glorious, hath impressed sundry characters of his excellencies, and left footsteps of his blessed properties, on the things that he hath made, that by the consideration and contemplation of them, we might come to some such acquaintance with him as might encourage us to fear and serve him, and to make him our utmost end. But all these expressions of God in other things, besides his Son Christ Jesus, are partial and obscure: partial; not what is necessary to be known, that we may live unto him here, and enjoy him hereafter: obscure; not leading us to any perfect or settled knowledge of him. And hence it is that those who have attempted to come to God any other way than in Christ Jesus, have all failed and come short of his glory. But seeing the Lord Christ is the "brightness of his glory," in whom his glory shines out of the immense darkness that his nature is enwrapped in with

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