meffengers (of God in heaven, Matt. xxii. 30), and are fons of God, being fous of the refurrection. Comp. Rom. viii. 11, 16, 17; Rev. xxi. 6, 7. See Eff. iv. on Angels, p. 358 to 361, and this Effay chapter iii. fect. 19, for farther explanation.

SEC. XVI.

Sitting on the right hand of God.

Luke xxii. 69. Hereafter the Son of man will fit on the right hand of the power of God. Alfo Matt. xxvi. 64; comp. xxviii. 18, 19, 20; Mark xvi. 19. So then, after the Lord had fpoken unto them, he was taken up into heaven, and fat on the right hand of God. Acts v. 31. Him (Jefus, 30) God hath exalted to his right hand, to be a Leader and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Ifrael, and forgiveness of fins. 1 Pet. iii. 22. Jefus Chrift who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels, and authorities, and powers, having been made fubject unto him. Ephes. i. 20, 21, 22; his (God's) mighty ftrength, which he fhewed in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and feated him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name which is named, not only in this age, in that also which is to come; and put all things in

but

fubjection under his feet, and appointed him head

See also Rom.

over all things in the church &c. xiv. 9; Heb. i. 1 to 4, 13; x. 12, 13; Acts ii. 23.

Sitting on the right hand of a king fignifies, being placed in a station of eminent favour, dignity, and power. So Matt. xx. 21. The mother of Zebedee's fons faid to Jefus, command that these my two fons may fit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom. xxv. 33. He will fet the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Ver. 34. Then the king will fay to them on his right hand, come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. See alfo 1 Kings ii. 19; Pfa. xlv. 9; lxxx. 17.

Christ's fitting on the right hand of God cannot be understood literally, because this is inconfiftent with the pure fpirituality of the Most High. The figurative meaning of the phrase is explained by feveral of the texts in which it occurs, as above quoted, to fignify a fituation of pre-eminent divine favour, honour, and dominion. And we have produced feveral paffages in which the phrafe being placed on the right hand of a perfon fignifies, being peculiarly honoured and favoured by him. Comp. Ephes. ii. 5, 6; Rom. viii. 17; Rev. iii. 21; John xvii. 22, 24.

SEC. XVII.

An advocate with the Father, who interpofes for mankind.

Rom. viii. 34. Who is he that condemneth? Shall Chrift that died; yea, rather, that is risen, that is alfo at the right hand of God, that interpofeth alfo for us. Heb. vii. 25. Wherefore he is able to fave alfo, in the fulleft degree, thofe who come to God by him, fince he ever liveth to interpofe for them. Comp. ix. 24.

1 John ii. 1. If any man fin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jefus Christ the righteous.

Εντυγχανειν υπερ τινος pro commodo alicujus facere aliquid. Schleusner. Пagaxλntes qui aliΠαρακλητος cujus caufam agit et eum tuetur. Schleufner, 3.) The three inftances quoted above are the only ones in which these terms are applied to Chrift in the whole New Teftament.

Every character and appellation of Jefus which is mentioned in the first chapter of this effay, and moft of thofe in the feccnd and third chapters, are expreffive of fome particular office with which he is invefted by God, and which he voluntarily fuftains, in order that he may communicate the greatest temporal and eternal bleffings to mankind from our heavenly Father. Some of these offices he has filled, in fome he now acts, and others he will fuftain in the future life.

If being the advocate and interpofing for mankind, in the texts which we have quoted as applied to Christ, be understood as limited to his petitioning the Most High in their favour, this is not peculiar to his present exalted state. He did this frequently during his ministry on earth. John xvii. 9, 11, 15, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24; xi. 41, 42; Luke xxii. 32; xxiii. 34. Jefus and his apoftles command his dif ciples to do the fame. Matt. v. 44; vi. 10 to 13; 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2, 3, EVTEU as interceffions. Ephes. vi. 18, 19. The ancient patriarchs and prophets alfo interceded with God for their fellow men. Abraham, Gen. xviii. 23, &c. xx. 17. Mofes, Numb. xiv. 13, 17, 19, 20; xxi. 7: Elijah, 1 Kings xviii. 41 to 45: Elishah, 2 Kings iv. 33: Samuel, 1 Sam. vii. 9.

Jefus Chrift, however, does not direct his dif ciples to petition him to intercede with the Father in behalf of any one. On the contrary, he fays, even to the Apostles, John xvi. 23, in that day (when I go to the Father, ver. 7, 10, 17, 18,) ye fhall request nothing of me. Ver. 26. In that day, ye fhall ask in my name; and I fay not unto you that I will request the Father for you; for the Father himself loveth you.

SEC. XVIII.

Knowing all things.

John xvi. 30. His difciples fay to Jefus, now we are fure that thou knoweft all things, and needeft not that any man fhould ask thee; (because he knew without being asked, ver. 19;) by this we believe that thou cameft forth from God. xxi. 17. Peter fays, Lord, thou knoweft all things, thou knoweft that I love thee, i. e. Jefus knew his inward difpofition.

In both these texts, the fecond clause of each fhews, that by knowing all things was meant, knowing their thoughts and difpofitions. Now the knowledge of the thoughts is mentioned as a prerogative of the Supreme Being: 1 Kings viii. 39; Jerem. xvii. 9, 10; Pf. cxxxix. 2, 6; Acts i. 24; xv. 8; Rom. viii. 27.

The difciples, therefore,

naturally inferred from the knowledge which Jefus had of their thoughts, that he spake and acted by divine authority: John xvi. 30. From this know ledge of the thoughts of men, which Chrift manifefted upon other occafions, they drew the fame inference. John vi. 61, 64; comp. with ver. 68, 69; fee alfo xii. 11, 18, 19; vii. 19, 20, 25, 31; Luke xxii. 31 to 34, 55 to 61; ii. 19, 21, 22; and comp. John i. 48, 49, 50.

Пas, therefore, in the texts which we are confidering, must be understood in a limited ferfe