been taken down with fome undifcernible remainders thereof from the crofs;) he deferred it no longer, both because there was no reason for doing fo, and because itwas fit, that while men's memories were fresh, their paffions warm, their fancies busy, their mouths open in difcourse concerning his death; while the defigned witneffes were prefent, (both enemies watching and friends attending the event,) it was, I fay, then moft fitting that our Saviour fhould arife: as for the meaning of the word third, (whether it be to be taken inclufively in respect to the day of our Saviour's paffion, or fo as to exclude it,) with the reconciling of fome Scriptures feeming diffonant in the point, I refer you for fatisfaction to commentators upon the Gospel; the question not belonging to the subftance of our faith, nor having any very confiderable influence (that I fee) upon practice. I proceed therefore. He afcended into Heaven; and litteth at the right Hand of Cod, the Father Almighty. AFTER our Lord had (after his refurrection) confummated what was requifite to be done by him upon earth for the confirmation of our faith, and conftitution of his Church; having a competent time converfed with his difciples, (establishing their faith, enlightening their minds Vid. Luke in the knowledge of truth and understanding of the Scrip- and John tures, inflaming their affections, comforting their hearts against ensuing tribulations, all oppofitions of earth, and hell, for his fake; directing and prescribing to them how they should proceed in their inftructing, converting, and reconciling the world to the faith and obedience of his law; furnishing them with commiffion and authority to testify his truth, to dispense the tenders of grace and pardon procured by him, to collect and build up that Church, which he had purchased by his blood, lastly imparting his effectual benediction to them; having, I fay, done these things, (which St. Luke expreffes altogether by the words évtaλáμevos aútoïs, that is, having given all neceffary in- A&s i. 2. structions, and laid fitting commands upon them,) he was Fft 51. 1 Pet. iii.22. xx. 17. Luke xxiv. in their presence taken, carried up, άveλøen, åvepépeto,) and afcended into heaven; he, that is, he according to his humanity, his body and foul were by the divine power ogs is tranflated into heaven: into heaven; what is meant by ἐρανόν. that (in the utmost extent, according to the truth of the thing) appears by other phrafes equivalent, by which John xiii. 1. this action is expreffed; Afcending to the Father; that is, Phil. ii. 9. to the place of God's more efpecial prefence and refiEph. i. 20. dence; where iμpavigera tŵ wроσŃπų Tоυ Osoũ, he appears Acts ii. 33. to the face of God; being exalted to the right hand of God, (that is, to the place of highest eminency, and of Heb. ix. 12. greateft proximity to God;) entering is тà aya, (into 1 Tim. iii. thofe most holy places, that σάτeрov тoũ xaтаTETÁOμATOS, Luke xxiv. thofe intimate receffes of inacceffible and incommuniHeb. iv. 14. Cable glory;) being affumed and entering into glory; paff Heb. ix. 24. v. 31. vi. 19. 16. 26. ing through the heavens, (that is, all places above, infeEph. iv. 10. rior to the highest pitch of glory;) afcending spáva ☎ávтæν Tāν ouρavæv, above, beyond all heavens; becoming Heb.vii. 26. únλótepos τűv oúpavæv, (more fublime than, advanced above, the heavens ;) by which appears, that the utmost term of our Saviour's afcent was that place of all in fituation most high, in quality moft holy, in dignity moft excellent, in glory most auguft; the inmost fanctuary of God's temple above, not made with hands; the most special presencechamber in thofe heavenly courts. Thither did our Saviour afcend; and there (as it follows here) he fitteth at God's right hand, for the ends and ufes of these two, (one whereof is only the way or tendency unto the other,) confpiring or being coincident, (I fhall join the confideration of them together;) the meaning of which words it is not hard to find out, it being obvious that the state of things above is in Scripture represented to us by that fimilitude, which is apt moft to beget in us reverence towards God, (and which really doth most resemble it;) the state of a king here, fitting upon his throne; personages of highest rank and refpect, his nearest relations, his most beloved favourites, the chief minifters and officers of his crown attending upon him, and furrounding his throne; fo yet that for diftinction, fome place (more emi 19. 21. nent and honourable than the reft) is affigned to him, toward whom the King intends to declare especial regard and favour; which place (by custom grounded upon reafons plain enough, the opportunity of nearness for all kind of conversation and addrefs; and the right hand's advantage for strength and activity, acquired by use, and confequently also its aptitude to give or take) hath been determined to be the next place at the right hand; (as we fee, for instance, when Bathsheba came to Solomon, it is faid, The king-fat down on his throne, and caufed a feat to 1 Kings ii. be fet for the king's mother; and she fat on his right hand :) thus our Saviour being raised by God to the fupreme pitch of honour, of power, of favour with him, having A&s v. 31. advanced him to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Ifrael, and remiffion of fins; having fuperexalted Phil. ii. 9, him, and bestowed on him a name above all names, to which 10. all knees in heaven, in earth, under the earth must bow; having feated him in heavenly places, above all principa- Eph. i. 20, lity, and authority, and power, and dominion, and name (or title) that is named, both in the prefent world and that which is to come; having committed to him all autho- Mat. xxviii. rity in heaven and upon the earth; given all things into John iii. 35. his hands; having made him heir of all things; fubjected xiii. 3. xvii. all things under his feet, (angels, authorities, and powers,) Heb. i. 2. crowned him with (fovereign) glory and honour; having Pet. iii. 22. given him (what that innumerable host of heaven in the Revelation acknowledges him worthy of, v. 12.) power, and riches, and wifdom, and frength, and honour, and glory, and bleffing, (that is, all good and excellence poffible in the highest degree;) God having, I fay, conferred these preeminences of dignity, power, and favour upon our Saviour, he is faid therefore to have feated him naiv. at his right hand; at the right hand of the power, (as it is in the Gospels; that is, of the Sovereign and Almighty 64. Potentate;) at the right hand of the majefly on high; and at Luke xxii. the right hand of the throne of God, (as it is in the Apostle 69. to the Hebrews.) So much plainly the whole speech im- xii. 2. ports; and if there be any peculiar emphasis defigned in the word fitting, beyond that which is fometimes more 1Pet. iii. 22. 18. 2. ii. 8, 9. Eph. 20. Mar.xiv.62. Heb. viii. 1. Rom. viii. 34. fimply and generally faid, being at God's right hand, here may be farther implied, the firm poffeffion, the durable continuance, the undisturbed rest and quiet of this glorious and happy condition wherein he is inftated; as also, it doth augment the main fenfe, fitting being the most honourable posture; and therefore fignifying to the utmost that eminency of favour and refpect he hath in God's fight; as alfo, it may denote farther the nature and quality of his preferment; his being constituted to rule and to judge; and therefore expreffed as fitting upon a throne of majesty, upon a tribunal of juftice. So much briefly may ferve for the explication of these two points: (for as to the words fubjoined, the Father Almighty, whereof the latter is addititious, and not extant in the more ancient forms of this Creed, having confidered them before, treating upon the beginning of the Creed, and particularly having there taken the word Almighty in its greatest latitude, fo as to include both avτoxpάTwp and Tavτodúvaμos, paffing over the critical diftinction made between them; I fhall not repeat any thing concerning them.) Now as to the ends of our Saviour's glorious afcenfion and abode in heaven, the effects produced thereby, the ufes which the belief and confideration thereof may conduce to; the ends and effects thereof, I fay, declared in Scripture, are briefly, Ift. That as a Priest and Advocate he might there intercede for us, for the pardon of our fins, for the acceptance of our perfons, for the fuccefs of our prayers, for the fupply of our needs, for the collation of all benefits and bleffings on us; representing his merits, pleading our cause, prefenting our fupplications, and interpofing his favour Heb.vii. 24. and authority in our behalf; He ever liveth to make interceffion for us: He is our High-Priest, fitting at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens, there performing that Rom. viii. office for us: Who shall condemn? It is Chrift who is at the right hand of God, who alfo intercedeth for us (there :) 1 John ii. 2. If any man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, JeA&s v. 31. fus Chrift the righteous: God exalted him as a Prince and viii. 1. 34. a Saviour, to give repentance unto Ifrael, and remission of fins. It is by him that we do goσéρxeσdai τÿ O=@, have our Heb.vii. 25. accefs to God, not only by virtue of his merits, but by his continual act of mediation: it is he, that in the golden Rev. viii. 3. cenfer, at the golden altar before God, offers up the incense of our prayers, confecrated and perfumed by his hand. 2dly. He afcended and refides in heaven, that as a King he might govern us, protect us, fave and deliver us from our enemies; that he might fubdue and destroy his and our enemies; the enemies of his kingdom and of our falvation; the world, the flesh, the devil, fin, death, and hell; whatever oppofes his glory, his truth, his fervice, and confequently impedes our falvation, either by open violence or fraudulent practice. God did fay unto him, Sit thou at my right hand, till I have made thine enemies Pfal. cx. 1. thy footstool; and accordingly, He must reign until he Heb. i. 13. hath put all his enemies under his feet: no power fhall x. 18. be able to withstand his will and command, who fits at the helm of omnipotent Sovereignty, at that right hand which governs and orders all things. But having before spoken concerning the royal office and lordship of our Saviour, I fhall add no more to this purpose. Acts ii. 34. 1 Cor. xv. 25. Pf. xvi. 11. 3dly. Our Saviour tells us himself, that he went to heaven John xiv. 2: to prepare a place for us; to prepare manfions of joy and blifs in God's presence, where is fulness of joy; at his right hand, where are pleasures for evermore. He is our рóopoμos, our forerunner into heaven, that hath difpofed Heb. vi. 20. things there for our entertainment and reception; It is his John xvii. will, that where he is, there we should be alfo; that we 24. might contemplate and partake of his glory. Luke xxiv. 4thly. Our Saviour alfo tells us, that it was neceffary he should depart hence, that he might fend the Divine Spirit, the power from on high, to enlighten, fanctify, and comfort us; If I go not away, faith he, the Paraclete will John xvi. 7. not come unto you; but if I go, I will fend him unto you: 49. that is, God in his wisdom hath appointed, (for the exaltation of our Saviour's honour,) that fo incomparably excellent a gift should be the reward of his obedience; the |