Flavel, Fountain of Life, File 41.
( ...continued from File 40)
Sermon 41. The Session of Christ at God's right-hand explained and
applied, being the third Step of his glorious Exaltation.
Heb 1:3.
When he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand
of the Majesty on high;
Christ being returned again to his Father, having finished his
whole work on earth, is there bid by the Father to sit down in the
seat of honour and rest. A seat prepared for him at Gods right hand,
that makes it honourable; and all his enemies as a footstool under
his feet that makes it easy. How much is the state and condition of
Jesus Christ changed in a few days! Here he groaned, wept, laboured,
suffered, sweat, yea, sweat blood, and found no rest in this world,
but when he comes to heaven, there he enters into rest. Sits down
for ever in the highest and easiest throne, prepared by the Father
for him when he had done his work. "When he had by himself purged
our sins, he sat down," &c.
The scope of this epistle is to demonstrate Christ to be the
fulness of all legal types and ceremonies, and that whatever light
glimmered to the world through them, yet it was but as the light of
the day-star, to the light of the sun.
In this chapter, Christ the subject of the epistle, is
described; and particularly in this third verse, he is described
three ways.
First, By his essential and primeval glory and dignity, he is
"ap-augasma", the brightness at his Father's glory, the very
splendor of glory, the very refulgency of that son of glory. "The
primary reason of that appellation is with respect to his eternal
and ineffable generation, light of light, as the Nicene creed
expresses it. As a beam of light proceeding from the sun. And the
secondary reason of it, is with respect to men," for look as the sun
communicates its light and influence to us by its beams, which it
projects; so does God communicate his goodness, and manifest himself
to us, by Christ. "Yea, he is the express image, or character of his
person. Not as the impressed image of the seal upon the wax, but as
the engraving in the seal itself." Thus he is described by his
essential glory.
Seconds, He is described by the work he wrought here on earth,
in his humbled state, and it was a glorious work, and that wrought
out by his own single hand, "When he had by himself purged our
sins." A work that all the angels in heaven could not do, but Christ
did it.
Thirdly, and lastly, He is described by his glory, the which
(as a reward of that work) he now enjoys in heaven. "When he had by
himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the
Majesty on high," i.e. the Lord clothed him with the greatest power,
and highest honour, that heaven itself could afford; for so much
this phrase of "sitting down on the right hand of the Majesty"
imports, as will appear in the explication of this point, which is
the result of this clause, viz.
Doct. That when our Lord Jesus Christ has finished his work on
earth, he was placed in the seat of the highest honour, and
authority; at the right-hand of God in heaven.
This truth is transformingly glorious. Stephen had but a
glimpse of Christ at his Father's right hand, and it caused "his
face to shine, as it had been the face of an angel", Acts 7: 56.
This, his high advancement, was foretold and promised before the
work of redemption was taken in hand, Psal. 110: 1. "The Lord said
unto my Lord, sit thou at my right-hand, until I make thine enemies
thy footstool." And this promise was punctually performed to Christ,
after his resurrection and ascension, in his supreme exaltation, far
above all created beings, in heaven and earth, Eph. 1: 20, 21, 22.
We shall here open two things in the doctrinal part, viz. What is
meant by God's right hand; and what is implied in Christ's sitting
there, with his enemies for a footstool.
First, What are we to understand here by God's right hand? It
is obvious enough, that the expression is not proper, but figurative
and borrowed. God has no hand, right or left; but it is a
condescending expression, wherein God stoops to the creature's
understanding, and by it he would have us understand honour, power,
and nearness.
First, The right hand is the hand of honour, the upper hand,
where we place those whom we highly esteem and honour. So Solomon
placed his mother in a seat at his right hand, 1 Kings 2: 19. So, in
token of honour, God sets Christ at his right hand; which, on that
account, in the text, is called the right hand of Majesty. God has
therein expressed more favour, delight, and honour to Jesus Christ,
than ever he did to any creature. "To which of the angels said he at
any time, sit thou on my right hand?" Heb. 1: 13.
Secondly, The right-hand is the hand of power: we call it the
weapon hand, and the working hand. And the setting of Christ there,
imports his exaltation to the highest authority, and most supreme
dominion. Not that God the Father has put himself out of his
authority, and advanced Christ above himself; no, "for in that he
saith he has put all things under him, it is manifest that he is
excepted which did put all things under him," 1 Cor. 15: 27. But to
sit as an enthroned king at God's right hand, imports power, yea,
the most sovereign and supreme power; and so Christ himself calls
the right-hand at which he sits, Matt. 26: 64. "Hereafter ye shall
see the Son of man sitting on the right-hand of power."
Thirdly, And as it signifies honour and power, so nearness in
place, as we use to say, at one's elbow, and so it is applied to
Christ, in Psal. 110: 5. "The Lord at thy right hand, shall strike
through kings in the day of his wrath," i.e. the Lord, who is very
near thee, present with thee, he shall subdue thine enemies. This
then is what we are to understand by God's right-hand, honour,
power, and nearness.
Secondly, In the next place let us see what is implied in
Christ's sitting at God's right-hand, with his enemies for his
footstool. And, if we attentively consider, we shall find that it
implies and imports divers great and weighty things in it. As,
First, It implies the perfecting and completing of Christ's
work, that he came into the world about. After his work was ended,
then he sat down and rested from those labours, Heb. 10: 11, 12.
"Every priest standeth daily ministering, and offering oftentimes
the same sacrifices: which can never take away sins: but this man
when he had once offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down
on the right hand of God." Here he assigns a double difference
betwixt Christ and the Levitical priests; they stand, which is the
posture of servants; he sits, which is the posture of a Lord. They
stand daily, because their sacrifices cannot take away sin; he did
his work fully, by one offering; and after that, sits or rests for
ever in heaven. And this (as the accurate and judicious Dr. Reynolds
observes) was excellently figured to us in the ark, which was a
lively type of Jesus Christ, and particularly in this, it had rings
by which it was carried up and down, till at last it rested in
Solomon's temple, with glorious and triumphal solemnity, Psal. 132:
8, 9. 2 Chron. 5: 13. So Christ, while he was here on earth, being
anointed with the Holy Ghost and wisdom, went about doing good, Acts
10: 38. and having ceased from his works, did at last enter into his
rest, Heb. 5: 10. which is the heavenly temple, Rev. 11: 19.
Secondly, His sitting down at God's right hand, notes the high
content and satisfaction of God the Father in him, and in his work.
"The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand;" the words are
brought in as the words of the Father, welcoming Christ to heaven;
and (as it were) congratulating the happy accomplishment of his most
difficult work. And it is as if he had said," O my Son, what shall
be done for thee this day? Thou hast finished a great work, and in
all the parts of it acquitted thyself as an able and faithful
servant to me; what honours shall I now bestow upon thee? The
highest glory in heaven is not too high for thee; come sit at my
right hand." O how well is he pleased with Christ, and what he has
done! He delighted greatly to behold him here in his work on earth,
and by a voice from the excellent glory he told him so, when he
spake from heaven to him, saying, "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased," 2 Pet. 1: 17. And himself tells us, John 10: 17.
"Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life," &c.
for it was a work that the heart of God had been set upon from
eternity. He took infinite delight in it.
Thirdly, Christ's sitting down at God's right-hand in heaven,
notes the advancement of Christ's human nature to the highest
honour; even to be the object of adoration to angels and men. For it
is properly his human nature that is the subject of all this honour
and advancement; and being advanced to the right hand of Majesty, it
is become an object of worship and adoration. Not simply, as it is
flesh and blood, but as it is personally united to the second
person, and enthroned in the supreme glory of heaven.
O here is the mystery, that flesh and blood should ever be
advanced to the highest throne of majesty, and being there installed
in that glory, we may now direct our worship to him as God Man; and
to this end was his humanity so advanced, that it might be adored
and worshipped by all. "The Father has committed all judgement to
the Son, that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the
Father." And the Father will accept of no honour divided from his
honour. Therefore it is added in the clause, "He that honoureth not
the Son, honoureth not the Father which has sent him," John 5: 22,
23. Hence the apostles, in the salutations of their epistles, beg
for grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus
Christ; and in their valedictions, they desire the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ to the churches.
Fourthly, It imports the sovereignty and supremacy of Christ
over all. The investiture of Christ, with authority over the empire
of both worlds: for this belongs to him that sits down upon his
throne. When the Father said to him, Sit at my right-hand, he did
therein deliver to him the dispensation and economy of the kingdom.
Put the awful sceptre of government into his hand, and so the
apostle interprets and understands it, 1 Cor. 15: 25. "He must reign
till he have put all his enemies under his feet." And to this
purpose, the same apostle accommodates, (if not expounds) the words
of the Psalmist, "Thou madest him a little lower than the angels,"
i.e. in respect of his humbled state on earth, "thou crownedst him
with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy
hands, thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet," Heb.
2: 7, 8. He is over the spiritual kingdom, the Church, absolute Lord
there, Mat. 28: 18, 19, 20. He is also Lord over the providential
kingdom, the whole world, Psal. 110: 2. And this providential
kingdom, being subordinate to his spiritual kingdom; he orders and
rules this, for the advantage and benefit thereof, Eph. 1: 22.
Fifthly, To sit at God's right-hand with his enemies for a
footstool, implies Christ to be a conqueror over all his enemies. To
have his enemies under his feet, notes perfect conquest and complete
victory. As when Joshua set his foot upon the necks of the kings: So
Tamerlane made proud Bajazet his footstool. They trampled his name,
and his saints under their feet, and Christ will tread them under
his feet. It is true indeed this victory is incomplete and in
consummate; for now "we see not yet all things put under him, (saith
the apostle) but we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour," and
that is enough. Enough to show the power of his enemies is now
broken; and though they make some opposition still, yet it is to no
purpose at all; for he is so infinitely above them, that they must
fall before him; it is not with Christ as it was with Abijah,
against whom Jeroboam prevailed, because he was young and tender
hearted, and could not withstand them. His incapacity and weakness
gave the watchful enemy an advantage over him. I say, it is not so
with Christ, he is at God's right hand. And all the power of God
stands ready bent to strike through his enemies, as it is, Psal.
110: 5.
Sixthly, Christ's sitting in heaven notes to us the great and
wonderful change that is made upon the state and condition of
Christ, since his ascension into heaven. Ah, it is far otherwise
with him now, than it was in the days of his humiliation here on
earth. Quantum mutates ab illo! Oh, what a wonderful change has
heaven made upon him! It were good (as a worthy of ours speaks), to
compare in our thoughts the abasement of Christ, and his exaltation
together; as it were in columns, one over against the other. He was
born in a stable, but now he reigns in his royal palace. Then he had
a manger for his cradle, but now he sits on a chair of state. Then
oxen and asses were his companions, now thousands of saints, and ten
thousands of angels minister round about his throne. Then in
contempt, they called him the carpenter's son, now he obtains a more
excellent name than angels. Then he was led away into the wilderness
to be tempted of the devil, now it is proclaimed before him, "let
all the angels of God worship him." Then he had not a place to lay
his head on, now he is exalted to be heir of all things. In his
state of humiliation, "he endured the contradiction of sinners;" in
his state of exaltation, "he is adored and admired by saints and
angels." Then "he had no form or comeliness; and when we saw him,
there was no beauty, why we should desire him:" Now the beauty of
his countenance shall send forth such glorious beams, as shall
dazzle the eyes of all the celestial inhabitants round about him,
&c.
O what a change is this! Here he sweated, but there he sits.
Here he groaned, but there he triumphs. Here he lay upon the ground,
there he sits in the throne of glory. When he came to heaven, his
Father did as it were thus bespeak him.
My dear Son, what an hard travail hast thou had of it? What a
world of woe hast thou passed through, in the strength of they love
to me and mine elect? Thou hast been hungry, thirsty, weary,
scourged, crucified, and reproached: Ah, what bad usage hast thou
had in the ungrateful world! Not a day's rest for comfort since thou
wentest out from me; by now thy suffering days are accomplished; now
thy rest is come, rest for evermore. Henceforth sit at my
right-hand. Henceforth thou shalt groan, weep, or bleed no more. Sit
thou at my right hand.
Seventhly, Christ's sitting at God's right hand, implies the
advancement of believers to the highest honour: For this session of
Christ's respects them, and there he sits as our representative, in
which regard we are made to sit with him in heavenly places, as the
apostle speaks, Eph. 2: 6. How secure may we be (saith Tertullian)
who do now already possess the kingdom? meaning in our Head, Christ.
This (saith another) is all my hope, and all my confidence, namely,
that we have a proportion in that flesh and blood at Christ, which
is so exalted, and therefore where he reigns, we shall reign; where
our flesh is glorified, we shall be glorified. Surely, it is matter
of exceeding joy to believe that Christ our Head, our flesh, and
blood, is in all this glory at his Father's right-hand. Thus we have
opened the sense and importance of Christ's sitting at his Fathers
right hand. Hence we infer,
Inference 1. Is this so great an honour to Christ, to sit
enthroned at God's right hand? What honour then is reserved in
heaven for those that are faithful to Christ, now on the earth?
Christ prayed, and his prayer was heard, John 17: 24. "That we may
be with him to behold the glory that God has given him;" and what
heart can conceive the felicity of such a sight? It made Stephen's
face shine as the face of an angel, when he had but a glimpse of
Christ at his Father's right hand. "Thine eyes shall see the king in
his beauty," Isa. 33: 17. which respected Hezekiah in the type,
Christ in the truth. But this is not all, though this be much, to be
spectators of Christ in his throne of glory; we shall not only see
him in his throne, but also sit with him enthroned in glory. To
behold him is much, but to sit with him is more. I remember it was
the saying of a heavenly Christian, now with Christ, I should far
rather look but through the hole of Christ's door, to see but one
half of his fairest and most comely face, [for he looks like heaven]
suppose I should never win to see his excellency and glory to the
full than to enjoy the flower, the bloom, and chiefest excellency of
the glory and riches of ten worlds. And you know how the Queen of
the South fainted at the sight of Solomon in his glory. But this
sight you shall have of Christ, will change you into his likeness.
"We shall be like him (saith the apostle) for we shall see him as he
is," 1 John 3: 2. He will place us as it were in his own throne with
him. So runs the promise, Rev. 3: 21. "To him that overcometh, I
will grant to sit with me in my throne; even as I also overcame, and
am set down with my Father in his throne:" and so 2 Tim. 2: 12. "If
we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him." The Father set
Christ on his right hand, and Christ will set the saints on his
right hand. So you know the sheep are placed by the angels at the
great day, Mat. 25: and so the church, under the figure of the
daughter of Egypt, whom Solomon married, is placed "on the king's
right hand, in gold of Ophir," Psal. 45: This honour have all the
saints. O amazing love! What, we set on thrones, while as good as us
by nature howl in flames! O what manner of love is this! These
expressions indeed do not intend that the saints shall be set in
higher glory than Christ; or that they shall have a parity of glory
with Christ, for in all things he must have the pre-eminence: But
they note the great honour that Christ will put upon the saints; as
also, that his glory shall be their glory in heaven. "As the glory
of the husband redounds to the wife;" and again, their glory will be
his glory, 2 Thess. 1: 10. and so it will be a social glory. O, it
is admirable to think, whither free grace has already mounted up
poor dust and ashes!
To think how nearly related now to this royal, princely Jesus!
But how much higher are the designs of grace, that are not yet come
to their parturient fulness, they look beyond all this that we now
know! "Now are we the sons of God, but it does not yet appear what
we shall be," 1 John 3: 2. Ah what reason have you to honour Christ
on earth, who is preparing such honours for you in heaven.
Inf. 2. Christ Jesus thus enthroned in heaven then how
impossible is it, that ever his interest should miscarry or sink on
earth? The church has many subtle and potent enemies. True, but as
Haman could not prevail against the Jews, whilst Esther their friend
spake for them to the king, no more can they whilst our Jesus sits
at his, and our Father's right hand. Will he suffer his enemies that
are under his feet, to rise up and pull out his eyes, think you?
Surely they that touch his people touch the very apple of his eye,"
Zech. 2: 8. "He must reign till his enemies are put under his feet,"
1 Cor. 15: 25. The enemy under his feet, shall not destroy the
children in his arms. He sits in heaven on purpose to manage all to
the advantage of his church, Eph. 1: 22. Are our enemies powerful;
lo our King sits on the right hand of power: Are they subtle and
deep in their contrivance; He that sits on the throne, overlooks all
they do. Heaven overlooks hell. "He that sits in heaven beholds,"
and derides their attempts, Psal. 2: 4. He may permit his enemies to
straiten then in one place, but it shall be for their enlargement in
another: For it is with the church, as it is with the sea: what it
loses in one place, it gets it another; and so really loses nothing.
He may suffer them also to distress us in outwards, but shall be
recompensed with inward and better mercies; and so we shall lose
nothing by that. A footstool you know is useful to him that treads
on it, and serves to lift him up higher; so shall Christ's enemies
be to him and his, albeit they think not so. What singular benefits
the oppositions of his enemies, occasion to his people; I have
elsewhere discovered, to which I may refer my reader; and pass to
Inf. 3. Is Christ set down on the right hand of the Majesty in
heaven? O with what awful reverence should we approach him in the
duties of his worship! Away with light and low thoughts of Christ.
Away with formal, irreverent, and careless frames in praying,
hearing, receiving, yea, in conferring and speaking of Christ. Away
with all deadness, and drowsiness in duties; for he is a great King
with whom you have to do. A king, to whom the kings of the earth are
but as little bits of clay. Lo, the angels cover their faces in his
presence. He is an adorable Majesty.
When John had a vision of this enthroned King, about sixty
veers after his ascension; such was life over-powering glory of
Christ, as the sun when it shineth in its strength, that when he saw
him, he fell at his fleet as dead, and died it is like he had, if
Christ had not laid his hand on him, and said, "Fear not, I am the
first and the last; I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I
am alive for evermore," Rev. 1: 17, 18. When he appeared to Saul in
the way to Damascus, it was in glory above the glory of the sun,
which overpowered him also, and laid him as one dead upon the
ground.
O that you did but know what a glorious Lord you worship and
serve. Who makes the very place of his feet glorious, wherever he
comes. Surely He is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his
saints, and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him.
There is indeed a "parresia" boldness or free liberty of speech
allowed to the saints, Eph. 3: 12. But no rudeness or irreverence.
We may indeed come, as the children of a king come to the father,
who is both their awful sovereign, and tender father; which double
relation causes a due mixture of love, and reverence in their
hearts, when they come before him. You may be free, but not rude, in
his presence. Though he be your Father, Brother, Friend; yet the
distance betwixt him and you is infinite.
Inference 4. If Christ be so gloriously advanced in the highest
throne, then none need to reckon themselves dishonoured, by
suffering the vilest things for his sake. The very chains and
sufferings of Christ have glory in them. Hence Moses "esteemed the
very reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of
Egypt," Heb. 11: 26. He saw an excellency in the very worst things
of Christ, his reproaches and sufferings, as made him leap out of
his honours and riches, into them. He did not, (as one saith) only
endure the reproaches of Christ, but counted them treasures. To be
reckoned among his honours and things of value. So Thuanus reports
of Ludovicus Marsacus, a noble knight of France, when he was led
with other martyrs, that were bound with cords, to execution; and he
for his dignity was not bound, he cried, give me any chain too, let
me be a knight of the same orders. Disgrace itself is honourable,
when it is endured for the Lord of Glory. And surely there is (as
one phraseth it) a little paradise, a young heaven, in sufferings
for Christ. If there were nothing else in it, but that they are
endured on his account, it would richly reward all we can endure for
him; but if we consider how exceeding kind Christ is to them, that
count it their glory to be abased for him; that though he be always
kind to his people, (yet if we may so speak) he overcomes himself in
kindness, when they suffer for him; it would make men in love with
his reproaches.
Inf. 5. If Christ sat not down to rest in heaven, till he had
finished his work on earth; then it is in vain for us to think of
rest, till we have finished our work, as Christ also did his.
How willing are we to find rest here! To dream of that, which
Christ never found in this world, nor any ever found before us. O
think not of resting, till you have done working and done sinning.
Your life and your labours must end together. "Write (saith the
Spirit) blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest
from their labours," Rev. 14: 13. Here you must have the sweat, and
there the sweet. It is too much to have two heavens. Here you must
be content to dwell in the tents of Cedar, hereafter you shall be
within the curtains of Solomon. Heaven is the place of which it may
be truly said, that there the weary be at rest. O think not of
sitting down on this side heaven. There are four things will keep
the saints from sitting down on earth to rest, viz. grace,
corruption, devils and wicked men.
First, Grace will not suffer you to rest here. Its tendencies
are beyond this world. It will be looking and longing for the
blessed hope. A gracious person takes himself for a pilgrim, seeking
a better country, and is always suspicious of danger in every place
and state. It is still beating up the sluggish heart with such
language as that, Mic. 2: 10. "Arise, depart, this is not thy rest,
for it is polluted." Its further tendencies and continual
jealousies, will keep you from sitting long still in this world.
Secondly, Your corruptions will keep you from rest here. They
will continually exercise your spirits, and keep you upon your
watch. Saints have their hands filled with work by their own hearts
every day. Sometimes to prevent sin; and sometimes to lament it. And
always to watch and fear, to mortify and kill it. Sin will not long
suffer you to be quiet, Rom. 7: 21, 22, 23, 24. And if a bad heart
will not break your rest here, then,
Thirdly, There is a busy devil will do it. He will find you
work enough with his temptations and suggestions, and except you can
sleep quietly in his arms as the wicked do, there is no rest to be
expected. "Your adversary, the devil, goes about as a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour; whom resist," 1 Pet. 5: 8.
Fourthly, Nor will his servants and instruments let you be
quiet on this side heaven. *Their very name speaks their turbulent
disposition. "My soul, (saith the holy man) is among lions, and I
lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men,
whose teeth are spears and arrows," Psal. 57: 4. Well then, be
content to enter into your rest, as Christ did into his. He sweat,
then sat, and so must you.
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