62.

IT follows; " And fitteth on the right "band of God, the Father Almighty. Now here, as the word Heaven fignifies not fo much a Place, as a State of Happinefs, Majefty, and Honour; fo "the right hand of God" fignifies, not a Situation, (for God has no Hands, no Shape or Parts,) but it fignifies a State of high Dignity, Power and Dominion, next and immediately after God himself, the Father of all. For which reafon, 'tis styled in several places of Scripture, the right hand of Power, the right hand Mark xiv. of the Power of God, the right hand of Luke xxii. the Throne of God, the right hand of the 69: Majefty on high, and the right hand of the Heb. i. 3. throne of the Majefty in the Heavens. And the fame thing is elsewhere set forth, under the following Phrafes: That be bath put all enemies under his Feet: That 25 all Power is given unto him in Heaven and in Earth: That Angels and Authorities 1Pet.iii. and Powers are made fubject unto him: Eph.i. 21. That he is fet far above all Principality and Power and Might and Dominion and every Name that is named, not only in

H 3

This

Heb.xii. 2:

viii. I.

I Cor. xv.

Mat.xxviii

18.

22.

This world, but also in that which is to ver. 17. come; the God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, ver. 22. the Father of Glory, having put all things

under his feet, and given him to be the

Head over all things to the Church; and Phil. ii. 9, having given him a Name which is above

&c.

every Name, that at the name of Jefus every knee fhould bow, of things in Heaven, and things in Earth, and things under the Earth; and that every tongue should confefs that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the Glory of God, the Father. All which things are emphatically contained in this One expresfion, that he "fitteth on the right hand Rev.iii.21." of God; that he is fet down with his Rev. xxii. Father in His Throne; fo that the Throne

1.

of God is now the Throne of God and of

the Lamb.

THE word," Sitting, is not to be understood of a particular Pofture, (for in other places of Scripture 'tis expreffed Rom. viii. that he Is at the right hand of God, and that he Stands at the right hand of God ;) 55, 56. but the word, fitting, is used in Scripture the moft frequently, because it most pro

34.

Acts vii.

perly

14.

perly denotes a full Poffeffion of Dignity, and Perpetuity in retaining it. After he had Heb.x. 12, offered One Sacrifice for Sins, he for ever fat down on the right hand of God, having perfected for ever them that are fanctified.

12.

Heb.ix.24.

vii. 25.

HIS Office, during this his Sitting at the right hand of God, till his Coming to Judgment; is to intercede for us. Thus the Scripture declares, that he maketh in- Isaiah liii. terceffion for the Tranfgrefours; That he appears in the prefence of God for us, and ever liveth to make interceffion for Them that come unto God by him: That we have an 1 Joh.ii. 1. Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, and he is the Propitiation for our Sins; that is, for the Sins of those who truly repent and amend. That he Alone is the One Mediatour between God 1Tim ii.5. and Men, the Mediatour of the New TeftaHeb.ix.15. ment, having purchased to himself a Acsxx.28. Church with his own Blood, and given himself for our Sins, that he might deliver us from this prefent evil World. Wherefore all Those do greatly dishonour H 4 him,

Gal i.4.

Col.ii. 23. him, who, by a Shew of Wisdom in Willworship and Humility, join with him Qther Mediators of their own appointment, Col.ii. 19. such as the Blessed Virgin or Saints or Angels. Which is, in St Paul's language, not holding the Head.

which, fee the First Article of the Creed.

ARTIC. 7. From thence he chall come to judge the Quick and the Dead.

IN the words of This Article, there is nothing difficult to be explained. Yet, of all the Articles in the Creed, This is to Us of the greatest importance. And there are contained in it Maný Particulars, worthy of our most ferious confideration,

IN

IN the first place, the Proof that there fhall be an univerfal Judgment, is both manifold and clear; founded in the Light of Natural Reafon in Men, and confirmed by exprefs Revelation from God. The Probability of it, may very ftrongly be collected; from the confideration of Mens being in their Nature Accountable Creatures, feeing and diftinguishing neceffarily between Good and Evil, choofing freely and determining their own Actions, and confequently being worthy of Blame or Commendation, of Punishment or Reward: From the natural and unavoidable Apprehenfions of Confcience, which all men find hereupon arifing within their own Breafts; And from our correfpondent natural Notion of God, as fupreme Governour and righteous Judge of the World. This Probability is confirmed, by Many though obfcure intimations in the Old Teftament. And in the New Teftament the Truth is afcertained, by numberlefs clear and express Declarations: It being the whole Design of almost every part of the Writings of the Evangelifts

and