Section 4

Romans 8:34. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ, who is even at the right hand of God.

CHAP. 1.

I come next to this third great pillar and support of faith, Christ's being at God's right hand, and to show how the view and consideration of this may strengthen faith seeking justification and pardon of sin: 'Who is he that condemns? Christ is even at God's right hand.'

In the opening of which I shall keep to the begun method, both by showing how justification itself depends upon this, and the evidence thereof to us, both of which the Apostle had here in his eye and from both of which our faith may derive comfort and assurance. And I mean to keep punctually to the matter of justification only, as in the former.

These two latter that remain here in the text (Christ's sitting at God's right hand and his interceding for us) are brought in here by the Apostle as those which have a redundant force and prevalence in them for the non-condemnation of the elect, that although the two former abundantly served to secure it, yet these two added to the former do make the triumph of faith more complete and full and us more than conquerors, as it after follows. Nor does this place alone make mention of Christ's sitting at God's right hand (which I now am first to handle) in this its relation and influence into our justification and the assurance of faith about it, but you have it to the same end, use, and purpose alleged by that other great Apostle, 1 Peter 3:18–22. And if the scopes of these two Apostles in both places be compared, they are the same. Here the resurrection of Christ and his sitting at God's right hand are brought in as the ground of this bold challenge and triumph of faith; and there in Peter is mentioned the answer or plea of a good conscience in a believer justified, which it puts into the court and opposes against all condemning guilts (so it is called, verse 21). The Apostle alleging the resurrection of Jesus Christ as one ground of it ('the answer of a good conscience by the resurrection of Jesus Christ') and then further to back and strengthen this plea or answer of a good conscience, the Apostle puts his ascension and sitting at God's right hand into the bill as further grounds confirming it, so it follows: 'Who is gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.' All which the Apostle here expresses in one word (as enough to carry it), that Christ is even at God's right hand. The soul has a sufficient answer against condemnation in Christ's death and resurrection, full enough though it should stop there; indeed therein can faith triumph though it went no further, for it can show a full satisfaction given in his death and that accepted by God for us, and Christ acquitted and we in him. Therefore faith (you see) comes to a 'rather' there. But then let it go on to consider Jesus sitting at God's right hand and making intercession for us, and then faith will triumph and insult over all accusers, be more than a conqueror; then it comes not to a 'rather' only (as here) but to a 'much more shall we be saved by his life' (Romans 5:10). And the meaning of that is: if his death had power to pay all our debts and justify us at first, then much more has his life this power. So that his death is but the ground and foundation of our faith herein and the lowest step of this ladder, but these others are the top and full triumph of faith therein. And our spirits should rise as the Apostle herein rises: faith upon these wings may not only fly above the range of all accusations and condemners but even clean out of their sight, and so far above all such thoughts and fears as it may reach to a security that sins are forgotten and shall be remembered no more. What joy was there in the disciples when they saw Christ risen (John 20)? Therefore in the primitive times it was used as a voice of joy, and to this day the Greek Christians entertain each other at that time of the year with these words: 'The Lord is risen; your surety is out of prison; fear not.' But (as Christ said in another case, so say I) what will you say if you see your surety ascended up to heaven, and that as far above angels and principalities (as the Apostle speaks, Ephesians 1) as the heavens are above the earth? Will you not in your faith and hope proportionably ascend and climb up also, and have thoughts of pardon as far exceeding your ordinary thoughts as the heavens are above the earth? Therefore first view him as ascending into heaven before ever he comes to be at God's right hand, and see what matter of triumph that will afford you, for that you must first suppose before you can see him at God's right hand, and so is necessarily included though not expressed here. But that place before quoted out of Peter (1 Peter 3) gives us both these two particulars included in it: 1. his ascension, 'who is gone into heaven'; and 2. his power and authority there, 'is at God's right hand and has all power and authority subject to him'; and prompts both these as fit matter to be put into a good conscience's answer and apology why it should not be condemned. And therefore both may here as well come into faith's triumph, as being intended also by the Apostle and included in this one expression. He speaks with the least to show what cause faith had to triumph, for the least expression of it, his purpose being but to give a hint to faith of that which comprehensively contains many things in it which he would have us distinctly to consider for our comfort.

CHAP. 2.

First then to see what triumph his ascending into heaven will add to our faith in matter of non-condemnation.

And herein first there is not nothing in it to consider what he then did and what was his last act when he was to take his rise to fly up to heaven. He blessed his disciples and thereby left a blessing upon earth with them for all his elect to the end of the world. The true reason and mind of which blessing them was that he being now to go to execute the eternal office of his priesthood in heaven (of which God had sworn, 'You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek'), as Melchizedek in the type blessed Abraham and in him all the faithful as in his loins (therefore the Apostle said that Levi paid tithes to Melchizedek in Abraham's loins, therefore he was blessed in his loins) — so did Christ begin this new and second part of his priesthood with blessing the Apostles and in them all the elect to the end of the world. This was the last thing that Christ did on earth; indeed this he did while ascending — he was taken up while he did it (Luke 24:50–51). And thus solemnly he now did this to show that the curse was gone and that sin was gone; and that action speaks thus much, as if Christ himself had said: 'O my brothers (for so he styled his disciples after his resurrection) I have been dead and in dying made a curse for you; now that curse I have fully removed and my Father has acquitted me and you for it, and now I can be bold to bless you and pronounce all your sins forgiven and your persons justified.' For that is the intention and foundation of blessing: 'Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven him'; and therefore that was the true meaning of his blessing them, which he reserved thus as his last act to show how by his death he had redeemed them from the curse of the law and now going to heaven was able to bless them with all the spiritual blessings that are there and which heaven can afford, for heavenly they are called in that respect (Ephesians 1:4). And as in Abraham (blessed by Melchizedek) all the faithful were blessed, so in these Apostles all the elect to come are blessed. As when God individually blessed Adam and Eve at the first creation, yet he in them blessed all that were forever to come of them — so Christ in blessing them blessed us and all that shall believe through their word to the end of the world. And that they were thus then to be considered as common persons receiving this blessing for us all appears by Christ's words then uttered: 'I am with you to the end of the world' (that is, with you and all your successors, both ministers and other believers) (Matthew 28 last). And Christ herein did as God did before him: when God had done his work of creation, he looked upon all he had done and saw that it was good and he blessed it. Thus did Jesus Christ: now that he had by that one offering perfected forever all the elect, he comfortably views and pronounces it perfect and them blessed, and so goes to heaven to keep and enjoy the sabbath of all there.

Now secondly let us see him ascending, and see what comfort that will also afford our faith towards the persuasion of justification. The Apostles stood gazing on him; and so do you lift up your hearts to gaze on him by faith and view him in that act as he is passing along into heaven, as leading sin, hell, death, and devil in triumph at his chariot wheels. And with that let your faith triumph in a further evidence of justification. Thus Ephesians 4:8, out of Psalm 68:18, the Apostle says, 'When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive' (to which Hebraism the Latin phrase 'vincere victoriam,' to win a victory, does answer) — then he led captive all our spiritual enemies that would have captured us, they being now captived. Now leading of captives is always after a perfect victory. And therefore whereas at his death he had conquered them, at his rising scattered them, now at his ascension he leads them captive. And so that psalm in the type begins, verse 1: 'Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered; let them flee before him' — so at his resurrection they did. And then he ascends in triumph (as here) in token of victory, 'he has ascended up on high' (verse 18). He ascends as David after his victory up to Mount Zion (for the celebrating of which that psalm seems to have been made by David), whereof this was the intended type. And two triumphing acts there were here mentioned: 1. leading the captives bound to his chariot wheels, as the manner of the Roman triumphs was when the conqueror went up to the Capitol and other peoples in David's time (as Achilles led Hector captive, who tied his feet to his chariot wheels and dragged him dead round about the walls of Troy) — now thus did Christ then deal with our sins and all other enemies. The second act is casting abroad of gifts: 'He gave gifts to men.' It was the custom at their triumphs to cast new coins abroad among the multitude; so does Christ throw the greatest gifts for the good of men that ever were given. Therefore who shall condemn? Sins and devils are not only dead but triumphed over. Compare with this that other place, Colossians 2:15: 'Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in himself' — so I read it, and the Greek bears it, and so it is in the margin varied. It is a manifest allusion to the manner of triumphs after victories among the Romans, even to two of the most notable parts of it: the first of spoiling the enemy upon the place before they stirred out of the field (and this was done by Christ on the cross, 'having spoiled them first,' as verse 14 has it). He speaks it of the devils our enemies and accusers — they had all God's threatenings in his law and the ceremonial law (the bond for our debt to the moral law) to show for it; in these lay the power of the devil over us, that he could boldly come to God and accuse us and sue our bond. And therefore Hebrews 2:14: he is said to have the power of death. Now Christ first took away all his power and spoiled him of all his insignia, weapons, and colors, which he did on the place where the battle was fought, namely on the cross, and nailed our bond there, and having paid the debt left the bond canceled before he stirred off the cross. But then having thus spoiled these enemies on the cross, he further makes a public triumphal show of them in his own person, which is a second act — as the manner of the Roman emperors was in their great triumphs to ride through the city in the greatest state and have all the spoils carried before them, and the kings and nobles whom they had taken they tied to their chariots and led them as captives. And this did Christ at his ascension (for of his triumphing at his ascension I take this triumph in Colossians to be understood, and so to be interpreted by that fore-cited Ephesians 4), plainly manifesting by this public open show of them at his ascension that he had spoiled and fully subdued them on the cross. That which has diverted interpreters from thinking Colossians 2 to have been the triumph of his ascension has been this: that the triumph is said to have been made 'in it,' which they interpret as if it referred to the cross (mentioned verse 14) as the place of it, when as it may as well be translated 'in himself,' that is, 'in his own power and strength,' noting how he alone did this, which other conquerors do not — they conquer not in themselves and by themselves, which Christ did. And yet it was the law that if the Roman emperors or generals themselves took anything in war, they had a peculiar honor to dedicate it in triumph more particularly. Now Christ conquered in himself and therefore triumphed in himself and himself alone. And thus it became our Redeemer (like another Samson) not only to break sin's bars and fling off hell's gates and come out of that prison he was in, but as in sign of a trophy to take them on his back and carry them up the hill (as Samson the type of him did the gates of the city to a high hill), himself triumphantly carrying them on his own shoulders.

Now did Christ then, who was your surety, thus triumph? Then let your faith triumph likewise, for this was not only done by your surety but in your stead, seeing this 'for us' here is to be put to each thing mentioned. The Apostle calls for this at our hands here: 'We are more than conquerors,' says he, verse 37.

Then thirdly, see him entering into heaven; when he comes first to court after this great undertaking, how does God look on him? Is God satisfied with what he has done? As (you know) when a general comes home there is usually great observing how the king takes his service as performed according to commission. Christ as a surety undertook for sinners fully to conquer all our enemies, and God bade him look that he did it perfectly or never see his face more (Hebrews 5). He was to be perfect through sufferings, and those sufferings to be such as to perfect us also (Hebrews 10). Now behold your surety is like a conqueror entered heaven — let that convince you that he has satisfied the debt and performed his commission to a tittle. God would never have suffered him to come there else, but as soon as ever his head had peeped into heaven would have sent him down again to perform the rest. But God lets him enter in and he comes boldly and confidently and God lets him stay there — therefore be convinced that he has given God full satisfaction. Christ himself uses this argument as the strongest that could be brought to convince the world that his righteousness (which he had in his doctrine taught them) was the righteousness which men were only to be saved by, the true righteousness of God indeed. John 16:9–10: 'He shall convince the world of righteousness' — that is, work faith in the hearts of men to believe and lay hold on my righteousness as the true righteousness that God has ordained — 'and this because' (says he) 'I go to my Father and you shall see me no more.' That is, by this argument and evidence it is and shall be evinced that I who undertook to satisfy for sin and to procure a perfect righteousness have perfectly performed it, and that it is a righteousness which God's justice does accept to save sinners by, in that I after my death and finishing this work will ascend up to my Father into heaven and keep my standing there and you shall see me no more. Whereas if I had not fulfilled all righteousness and perfectly satisfied God, you may be sure there would be no going into heaven for me nor remaining there. God would send me down again to do the rest and you should certainly see me with shame sent back again. But I go to heaven and you shall see me no more.

CHAP. 3.

Now then in the next place, for his being or sitting at God's right hand, which is the second particular to be spoken of. As soon as Christ was carried into heaven, as all the angels fell down and worshipped him, so his Father welcomed him with the highest grace that ever yet was shown. The words which he then spoke we have recorded, Psalm 110: 'Sit you at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.' You may by the way observe for the illustration of this, how upon all the several parts of performance of his office either God is brought in speaking to Christ or Christ to his Father. Thus when he chose him first to be our mediator, he takes an oath: 'You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.' Again, when Christ came to take upon him our nature, the words he spoke are recorded: 'Behold I come to do your will; a body have you fitted me' (Hebrews 10, out of Psalm 40). Likewise when he hung upon the cross, his words to God are recorded, Psalm 22:1: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' In like manner when he rose again, God's words used then to him are recorded: 'You are my Son; this day have I begotten you' (Psalm 2), which place is expounded of the resurrection, Acts 13:33. Which is as much as if he had said: 'You never appeared like my Son till now; for whereas I chose a Son to be glorified with power and majesty, until now you have appeared only as a son of man, sorry man, until now you have been made sin and a curse, not like my Son, but have appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh and of a servant all besmeared with blood — therefore this is the first day in which I make account I have begotten you, even now when you first begin to appear out of that sinful hue and likeness of sinful flesh — now I own you for my Son indeed.' And in him he owned us all thus at his resurrection. And then last of all when he comes into heaven, the first word God speaks to him is: 'Son, sit you at my right hand; you have done all my work and now I will do yours' (he gives him a quietus est) — 'rest here; sit here till I make all your enemies your footstool.'

And now, what say you — are you satisfied yet that God is satisfied for your sins? What superabundant evidence must this Christ's sitting at God's right hand give to a doubting heart? It argues first that Christ for his part has perfectly done his work and that there is no more left for him to do by way of satisfaction — this the word 'sitting' implies. Secondly, it argues that God is as fully satisfied on his part — this his sitting 'at God's right hand' implies.

For the first: the phrase of 'sitting' does betoken rest when work is fulfilled and finished. Christ was not to return till he had accomplished his work. Hebrews 10: the Apostle comparing the force and excellence of Christ's sacrifice with those of the priests of the old law says that those priests 'stood daily offering sacrifices which can never take sins away' — their standing implied that they could never make satisfaction so as to say 'we have finished it.' But Christ (says he, verse 12) after he had offered up one sacrifice forever 'sat down', etc. Mark how he opposes their standing to his sitting down. He sat as one who had done his work. Thus Hebrews 4:10: 'He that is entered into his rest' (speaking of Christ, as I have elsewhere shown) 'has ceased from his work as God from his.'

Secondly, this his being at God's right hand as strongly argues that God is satisfied; for if God had not been infinitely well pleased with him he would never have let him come so near him, much less have advanced him so high as his right hand. And therefore in that place even now cited (Hebrews 10:10–12 compared with the former verses), this is alleged as an evidence that Christ had forever taken sins away (which those priests of the law could not do, who therefore often offered the same sacrifice, as verse 11): that this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, 'sat down on the right hand of God,' as thereby showing (and that most manifestly) that he had at that once offered up such a satisfactory sacrifice as had pleased God forever, and thereupon took up his place at God's right hand as an evidence of it, so possessing the highest place in court. This setting him at God's right hand is a token of special and highest favor. So kings whom they were most pleased with they did set at their right hands, as Solomon did his mother (1 Kings 2:19) and so Christ the church his queen (Psalm 45:9), and it was a favor which God never afterward vouchsafed to any. Hebrews 1: 'To which of all the angels did he say, Sit you on my right hand?' Therefore Philippians 2 it is not only said that he exalted him, but 'super-exalted' him, highly exalted him so as never any was exalted, for he was made thereby higher than the heavens. Thus much for the first head.

CHAP. 4.

We have thus seen what triumphing evidence and demonstration both Christ's ascension and sitting at God's right hand do afford us for this: that Christ being considered as our surety has therefore undoubtedly subdued our enemies and sins and satisfied God. Let us now consider further what force, efficacy, and influence these two (both his ascending and sitting at God's right hand as a head and common person for us) have in them towards the assured working and accomplishment of the salvation of believers his elect. And from the consideration of this which is a second head, our faith may be yet further confirmed and strengthened in its confidence. 'Who shall condemn? It is Christ that is at God's right hand.' I shall take in (as in the former) both his ascension and sitting at God's right hand.

1. And first for his ascending: consider these two things in it which may uphold our confidence. 1. That the great end and purpose of that his ascending, the errand, the business he ascended for, was to prepare and provide a place for us and to make way for our coming there. This he assures his disciples of, John 14:2: 'In my Father's house are many mansions; I go to prepare a place for you' — as Joseph was secretly sent before by God's intention to prepare a place in Egypt for his brothers whom God's providence meant to bring after him, so more openly does Christ ascend to heaven, professedly declaring that to be his business: 'I go to prepare a place for you, and it is my Father's house' (says he) 'where I can provide for you and make you welcome.' You heard before what welcome God gave Christ when he first arrived there, and what he said to him; and Christ said (as it were) again to God: 'I come not alone; I have much company, many of my brothers and followers to come after' (for it was the declared and avowed end of his coming to prepare a place for them). 'I prayed when I was on earth that where I am they might be also (John 17), and now I am come here my train must come in too; I am not complete without them. If you receive me you must receive them also, and I am come to take up lodgings for them.' Thus the captain of our salvation (being made perfect through sufferings and then crowned with glory and honor in bringing many sons to glory, as Hebrews 2:10, of which company he was captain) is brought in saying to God, verse 13: 'Behold I and the children which God has given me' (he speaks it when brought to glory) — 'I am their captain and they must follow me; where I am they must be: behold I am here and am not to come alone but to bring to glory all the children which you have given me.' 'They shall all be welcome,' says God, 'there is room enough for them' — 'many mansions' — so that we need not fear nor say in our hearts doubting and despairing, 'Who shall ascend up to heaven for us to bring us there?' (Romans 10). Christ has done it. That is the first thing, but that is not all.

2. He entered into heaven in our very names and so is to be considered in that act as a common person (as well as in his death and resurrection) representing us and also taking possession in our right, and we in him, as a guardian takes possession for heirs under age. Hebrews 6:20: 'the forerunner is for us entered into heaven' — the 'forerunner for us,' that is, our forerunner. A forerunner is a forerunner of followers and of such as stay not long behind, and usually goes before as a harbinger to provide and take up lodgings for them that are to come, and writes the names of those who are to come over the doors of such and such rooms that they may not be taken up by any other. And so Hebrews 12:23 the names of the firstborn are said to be written in heaven or enrolled there; and 1 Peter 1:4–5 their places or mansions in heaven are said to be 'reserved for them' — they stand empty as it were yet taken up, so as none shall take them from them, their names and titles to them being entered and inscribed. And so he truly entered 'for us,' that is in our stead and in our names as a common person. And therefore the high priest (in the type) entered into the holy of holies with all the names of the tribes on his breast — even so does Christ with ours, as a common person in our names, thereby showing that we are likewise to come after him. And this is more than simply to prepare a place; it is to take possession of a place and give us a right to it.

So that your faith through this consideration may see yourselves as good as in heaven already: For Christ is entered as a common person for you. Justification has two parts, First, acquittance from sin, and freedom from condemnation: as here, Who shall condemn? And Secondly, justification of life, as it is called (Romans 5:18), that is, which gives title to eternal life: Now dying and rising as a common person for us, procures the first, sets us perfectly enough in that state of freedom from condemnation; But then, this Christ his entering into heaven, as a common person, sets us far above that state of non-condemnation: It places us in heaven with him. You would think yourselves secure enough, if you were ascended into heaven. As Heman said of his condition, that he was free among the dead, that is, he reckoned himself (in his despair) free of the company in hell, as well as if he had been there; thinking his name enrolled among them, and his place taken up: so you may reckon yourselves (as the word is, (Romans 6)) free of the company of heaven, and your places taken up there; so that when you come to die, you shall go to heaven as to your own place, by as true a title, though not of your own, as Judas went to hell (which is called his own place, as (Acts 1) the Apostle speaks). What a start is this? How far have you left below you pardon of sins and non-condemnation? You are got above. How securely may you say, Who shall condemn? Christ has ascended, and entered into heaven. This is the first branch of the second head: The influence that Christ's Ascension has into our justification and salvation.

CHAP. 5.

The consideration of his sitting at God's right hand may in respect of the influence, that it must needs have into our salvation, yet add more security to our faith; if we either consider the power and authority of the place itself, and what it is to sit at God's right hand; Or secondly, the relation, the person he bears and sustains in his sitting there, even of a common person, in our right. And both these being put together will add strength mutually each to other, and to our faith; both to consider, how great a prerogative it is to sit at God's right hand, and what such a one as sits there has power to do; and then that Christ (who is invested with this power, and advanced to it,) he possesses it all as our Head, and in our right, as a common person representing us. And

1. Consider the prerogatives of the place itself; they are two:

1. Sovereignty of power, and might, and majesty.

2. Sovereignty of authority and judgment: either of which, may secure us from non-condemnation.

1. Sovereignty of power and might: this the phrase "sitting at God's right hand" implies, (Matthew 26:64), where Christ himself expounds the purport of it: Hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power: And so, (Ephesians 1:20-22), this is made the privilege of God's setting him at his right hand, that he has put all things under his feet. A phrase importing the highest sovereignty and power, not used of any creatures, angels, or men: none of them have other things under their feet, that is, in so low a subjection as to be their vassals; especially, not all things; and therefore by that very phrase, the putting all things under his feet, the Apostle argues in that second chapter of Hebrews, that that man of whom David in Psalm 8 (there cited by him) had spoken, was no other but Christ; not Adam, nor the angels; for to neither of these has God subjected all things (Hebrews 2:5), but to Christ only (Hebrews 2:8), who sits in the highest throne of majesty: And to make his seat the easier, has a world of enemies made his footstool, even all his enemies; (so Psalm 110) which is the highest triumph in the world. Now to what end has God committed this power to him, but that himself may be his own executor, and administrator, and perform all the legacies which he made to those whom he died for? As the expression is (Hebrews 9:15-17), that none of his heirs might be wronged. Fairer dealing than this could there ever be, nor greater security given to us. This to have been God's very end of investing Christ with this sovereign power, is declared by Christ himself, (John 17:2): Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him: And accordingly at his Ascension, to comfort his disciples, in the fruit of their ministry, [reconstructed: (Matthew 28:18)], he says, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. What holy confidence may this breed in us? He is at God's right hand, and we are in his hands (John 10:28), and all his enemies are under his feet, who then can pull us out? (Revelation 1:18) says Christ, I have the keys of hell and death. The key is still in the Scripture phrase the ensign of power and authority. Now Christ has, both, the keys of death, the postern gate out of this world; and of hell, even of the broad gates of that eternal prison; so as none of his can be fetched out of this world by death, but Christ he must first open the door; much less, can any go to hell without his warrant. Indeed (Matthew 16:19), he has the keys of the kingdom of heaven also, to open to whom he will. By his Resurrection, we may see and rest assured, that he has the keys of death and hell, (for he unlocked the doors, and came out from there) and by his Ascension and sitting at God's right hand, that he has the keys of heaven, whose door he has unlocked, and now set open. What need we then fear hell, when Christ our Redeemer has the keys of it?

Second, to sit at God's right hand imports all judgment to be committed to him, for sitting was the posture of judges, a phrase used to note their authority. So Proverbs 20:8 says, 'A king that sits on the throne of judgment scatters the wicked with his eyes' — and so does Christ his and our enemies. See what Christ says in John 5:21–22: 'The Son of man raises up whom he will, for the Father judges no man but has committed all judgment to the Son.' Now if he who loved us so and died for us is the judge himself, then who shall condemn? Christ sits on God's right hand. This is the very inference that follows in verse 24 of John 5: 'He that believes shall not come into condemnation' — Christ utters it upon his having said he had all judgment committed to him in the preceding verse 22, on purpose that from that consideration he might assure believers of their non-condemnation. For what need we fear any under-officers when we have the judge thus for us?

But then in the last place, add that second particular mentioned to all these — that Christ sits there as a head, as a common person, for us. First as a head: so in Ephesians 1, when the Apostle had so hyperbolically set forth his power of being advanced to God's right hand (verse 21) far above all principalities and powers and above every name that is named, not only in this world but that which is to come, and how God has put all things under his feet — he adds, 'and has given him to be head over all things to the church.' Observe now: he is said to sit there over all things not in his own pure personal right simply as his inheritance as he is the Son of God (as Hebrews 1:3–5 affirms of him), but he sits thus over all as a head to the church. That 'over all things' comes in between 'head' and 'to the church' on purpose to show that he is set over all in relation to his church, so that our relation is involved and our right included in this exaltation of his and so put into his commission, for this prerogative is said to be given him. He sits not simply as a Son but as a head, and he sits not as a head without a body and therefore must have his members up to him. So in the next verse it is added, 'which is his body, yes, his fullness' — so that Christ is not complete without all his members and would leave heaven if any one were wanting. It would be a lame, maimed body if it wanted but a toe. Christ is our element, and he being ascended we are sparks that fly upward to him. He took our flesh and carried it into heaven and left us his Spirit on earth, both as pledges and earnests that we should follow.

Further yet, he is not only said to sit as our head, but we are also said to sit together with him — that is made the upshot of all in the next chapter, Ephesians 2:6. So that as we arose with him (he being considered as a common person) and ascended with him as was said, so yet further we sit together with him in the highest heavens in his exalted estate above the heavens (as is the meaning of that phrase). Not that Christ's being at God's right hand (if taken for that sublimity of power) is communicable to us — that is Christ's prerogative only, as Hebrews 1:5 says: 'To which of all the angels did he ever say, Sit at my right hand?' Yet so, that his sitting in heaven as it is indefinitely expressed is understood to be in our right and stead and as a common person, and so is to assure us of our sitting there with him in our proportion. So Revelation 3:21 expressly renders the mind and intent of it: 'To him that overcomes I will grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also am set down with my Father in his throne.' There is a proportion observed though with an inequality: we sit on Christ's throne but he only on his Father's throne — that is, Christ only sits at God's right hand, but we sit at Christ's right hand. And so the church is said to be at Christ's right hand in Psalm 45:9. Moreover (and this may afford a further comfort to us in the point in hand) this represents that at the last day we shall sit as assessors on his judgment seat to judge the world with him. So Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:30 say: 'When the Son of man shall sit in his glory, you shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the tribes of Israel.' So this our sitting with him is spoken in respect to judgment and the giving of its sentence — not a sentence shall pass without your votes. So by faith you may not only look on yourselves as already in heaven sitting with Christ as a common person in your right, but you may look upon yourselves as judges also. So that if any sin should arise to accuse or condemn, it must be with your votes, and you will never pronounce a fatal sentence upon your own selves. Who shall accuse? Who shall condemn?

As Paul triumphed here, so may we, for at the present we sit in heaven with Christ and have all our enemies under our feet. As Joshua made his servants set their feet on the necks of those five kings, so God would have us by faith do the like to all ours, for one day we shall do it. And if you say, 'We see it not' — I answer, as in Hebrews 2 the Apostle says of Christ himself, 'Now we see not yet all things put under him' (verse 8), 'not yet under him' (for he now sits in heaven and expects by faith when his enemies shall be made his footstool, as Hebrews 10:12–13 has it), 'but we see' (for the present) 'Jesus crowned with glory and honor' (verse 9). And so we may be sure that the thing is as good as done. In seeing him thus crowned we may see ourselves sitting with him and quietly wait and expect (as Christ himself does) until all is accomplished and our salvation finished and fully perfected.

His intercession now remains only to be spoken of, which yet will afford further considerations to strengthen our faith. His sitting at God's right hand notes out his power over all from God, but his intercession notes all power and favor with God for us — so as to effect our salvation with God's highest contentment and good will and all yet further to secure us. Who shall condemn?