The Advocateship of Jesus Christ, Text (1 of 3)

The Advocateship of Jesus Christ · Text (1 of 3)

p. 11 Joh. II. 1.

And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

THat the Apostle might obtain due regard from those to whom he wrote, touching the things about which he wrote, he tells them, That he received not his Message to them, at second or third hand, but was himself an Eye and Ear-Witness thereof. That which was from the Beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our Eyes, which we have looked upon, and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life, (for the Life was manifest, and we have seen it, and bear witness; and shew unto you, that eternal Life which was with the father, and was manifest unto us:) That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you. Having thus told them of his ground for what he said, he proceeds to tell them also the matter contained in his Errand; to wit, That he brought them news of Eternal Life, as freely offered in the Word of the Gospel p. 2to them; or rather that that Gospel which they had received, would certainly usher them in at the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven, were their Reception of it sincere, and in truth. For, saith he, then The Blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth you from all sin.

Having thus far told them what was his Errand, he sets upon an Explication of what he had said, specially touching our being cleansed from all sin; not, saith he, from a Being of Sin: For should we say so, we should deceive our selves, and should prove that we have no truth of God in us; but by cleansing, I mean a being delivered from all sin, so, as that none at all shall have the dominion over you, to bring you down to Hell; for that for the sake of the Blood of Christ, all trespasses are forgiven you.

This done he exhorts them to shun, or fly Sin, and not to consent to the Motions, Workings, Inticeings, or the Allurements thereof, saying, I write unto you that you sin not. Let not Forgiveness have so bad an effect upon you, as to cause you to be remiss in Christian Duties, or as to tempt you to give way to Evil. Shall we sin, because we are forgiven? or shall we not much matter what manner of Lives we live, because we are set free from the Law of Sin and Death? God forbid! p. 3Let Grace teach us another Lesson; and lay other Obligations upon our Spirit…. My little Children, saith he, these things I write unto you, that you sin not. What things? why, tidings of Pardon and Salvation, and of that nearness to God, to which you are brought by the precious Blood of Christ. Now lest also by this last exhortation, he should yet be misunderstood, he adds, and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. I say he addeth this to prevent desponding in those weak and sensible Christians, that are so quick of feeling, and of decerning the Corruptions of their Natures. For these cry out continually, That there is nothing that they do, but it is attended with sinful Weaknesses. Wherefore in the Words we are presented with two great truths.

First, with a Supposition, that Men in Christ, while in this World, may Sin. If any man sin; any man, none are excluded; for …ll, or any one of the all of them that Christ …ath redeemed and forgiven, are incident to …in. By may, I mean not a Toleration, but … Possibility. For there is not a Man, not a …ust Man upon the Earth, that doth good and …nneth not, Eccles. 7.20. 1 Kin. 8.46.

Secondly, the other thing with which we … presented, is, an Advocate: If any man sin, p. 4we have an Advocate with Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Now there lieth in these two truths, two things to be enquired into; as,

1, What the Apostle should here mean by sin.

2. And also what he here doth mean by an Advocate. If any man sin, we have an Advocate.

There is ground to enquire after the first of these, because, tho here he saith, they that sin have an Advocate; yet in the very next Chapter, he saith, such are of the Devil, have not seen God, neither know him, nor are of him.

There is ground also to enquire after the Second, because an Advocate is supposed in the Text, to be of use to them that sin. I… any Man sin, we have an Advocate.

1. For the First of these, to wit, what the Apostle should here mean by Sin, If any Ma… Sin.

I answer, since there is a difference in the Persons, there must be a difference in the Sin▪ That there is a difference in the Persons, i… shewed before; one is called a Child of God the other is said to be of the wicked One▪ Their Sin differ also in their Degree at least for no Child of God sins to that Degree a… to make himself uncapable of Forgiveness▪ p. 5For he that is born of God k…peth himself, and that wicked one, toucheth him not, Chap. 5.17, 18. Hence the Apostle says there is a sin unto Death, Mat. 12.32. which is the Sin from which he that is born of God is kept.

The sins therefore are thus distinguished, The Sins of the People of God, are said to be sins that Men commit, the others are counted those, which are the Sins of Devils.

First, the Sins of God's people, are said to be Sins which Men commit; and for which they have an Advocate, tho they, who sin after the example of the wicked one, have none.

When a Man or a Woman, saith Moses, shall commit a Sin, which Men commit; they shall confess their Sin, and an atonment shall be made for them, Numb. 5.5, 6, 7. Mark, It is when they commit a Sin, which Men commit. Or as Hosea has it, when they transgress the Commandment like Adam, Hos. 6.7. Now these are the Sins under consider…tion by the Apostle, and to deliver us from which we have an Advocate with the Father. But for the Sins mentioned in the third Chapter, since the Persons sinning, go here under another Character; they also must be of another Stamp, to wit, a making Head against the Person, Merits and Grace of Jesus Christ: these are the Sins of Devils in the World; p. 6and for these there is no Remission: These they also, that are of the wicked one, commit; and therefore sin after the similitude of Satan, and so fall into the Condemnation of the Devil.

Secondly, but what is it for Jesus to be an Advocate for these? If any Man sin we have an Advocate.

An Advocate is one who pleadeth for another at any bar, or before any Court of Judicature, but of this more in its place. So then we have in the Text, a Christian, as supposed, committing Sin: and a Declaration of an Advocate prepared to plead for him. If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father.

And this leads me first to enquire into what by these words the Apostle must of necessity presuppose. For making use here of the Similitude or Office of an Advocate, thereby to shew the preservation of the sinning Christian; He must,

1. Suppose, That God, as Judge, is now upon the Throne of his Judgment. For an Advocate is to plead at a Bar, before a Court of Judicature. Thus it is among Men; and for as much as our Lord Jesus is said to be an Advocate with the Father, it is clear, that there is a Throne of Judgment also. This the Prophet Micaiah affirms saying, I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne, and all the Host of Heaven p. 7standing by him on the Right hand, and on the Left, 1 Kin. 22.19, 20. Sitting upon a Throne for Judgment; for from the Lord, as then sitting upon that Throne, proceeded that Sentence against King Ahab, that he should go and fall at Ramah-gilead. And he did go, and did fall there, as the award, or fruit of that Judgment. That's the First.

2. The Text also supposeth, that the Saints, as well as Sinners, are concerned at that Bar; for the Apostle saith plainly, That there we have an Advocate. And the Saints are concerned at that Bar, because they transgress as well as others, and because the Law is against the Sin of Saints, as well as against the Sins of other Men. If the Saints were not capable of committing of Sin, what need would they have of an Advocate? [1 Chr. 21.3, 4, 5, 6. 1 Sam. 12.13, 14. Yea though they did sin, yet if they were by Christ so set free from the Law, as that it could by no means take cognisance of their Sins, what need would they have of an Advocate? none at all. If there be twenty places, where there are Assizes kept in this Land, yet if I have offended no Law, what need have I of an Advocate? specially if the Judge be Just, and knows me altogether, as the God of Heaven does. But here's a Judge that's just, and here's an Advocate also; an p. 8Advocate for the Children, an Advocate to plead, (for an Advocate, as such, is not of use, but before a Bar to plead) therefore here is an Offence, and so a Law broken by the Saints as well as others. That's the Second thing.

3. As the Text supposeth that there is a Judge, and Crimes of Saints: So it supposeth that there is an Accuser: one that will carefully gather up the Faults of good Men, and that will plead them at this Bar against them. Hence we read of the Accuser of the Brethren, that accuseth them before God day and night, Rev. 12.10, 11, 12. For Satan doth not only tempt the godly Man to sin; but, having prevailed with him, and made him guilty, he packs away to the Court, to God the Judge of all, and there addresses himself to accuse that Man, and to lay to his charge the heinousness of his offence: pleading against him the Law that he has broken, the light against which he did it, and the like. But now, for the relief and support of such poor People; the Apostle by the Text presents them with an Advocate. That is, with one to plead for them, while Satan pleads against them: With one that pleads for Pardon, while Satan by accusing seeks to pull Judgment, and Vengeance upon our Heads. If any Man sin, we have an Advocate p. 9with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous That's the Third thing.

4. As the Apostle supposeth a Judge, crimes, and an Accuser: So he also supposeth, that those here-in concerned, to wit, the sinning Children, neither can, nor dare attempt to appear at this Bar themselves, to plead their own Cause before this Judge, and against this Accuser. For if they could, or durst do this, what need they have an Advocate; for an Advocate is of use to them, whose cause themselves neither can, nor dare appear to plead. Thus Job pray'd for an Advocate to plead his Cause with God, Job 16.20.21. And David cries out, Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant, O God, for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified, Psal. 143.1, 2, 3. Wherefore 'tis evident that Saints neither can, nor d…re adventure to plead their cause. Alas the Judge is the Almighty, and Eternal God. The Law broken, is the holy and perfect Rule of God, in it self a consuming Fire. The Sin is so odious, and a thing so abominable, that 'tis enough to make all the Angels blush to hear it but so much as once mentioned in so holy a place as that is, where this Great God doth sit to judge. This Sin now hangs about the neck of him, that hath committed it, yea it covereth him, as doth a mantle: The Adversary is bold, cunning, and p. 10audacious, and can word a thousand of us into an utter Silence in less than half a quarter of an hour. What then should the Sinner (if he could come there) do at this Bar to plead? Nothing, nothing for his own Advantage. But now comes in his Mercy, he has an Advocate to plead his Cause. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. That's the fourth thing: But again,

5. The Apostle also supposeth by the Text, That there is an aptness in Christians, when they have sinned, to forget that they have an Advocate with the Father. Wherefore this is written to put them in Remembrance; If any Man sin, let him remember, we have an Advocate. We can think of all other things well enough, namely that God is a just Judge, that the Law is perfectly holy, that my Sin is an horrible and an abominable thing, and that I am certainly there of accused before God by Satan.

These things I say, we readily think of, and forget them not. Our Conscience puts as in mind of these, our Guilt puts us in mind of these, the Devil puts us in mind of these, and our Reason and Sense holdeth the Knowledge and Remembrance of these close to us; all that we forget, is, that we have an Advocate, an Advocate with the Father; that is, one p. 11that is appointed to take in hand in open Court, before all the Angels of Heaven, my cause; and to plead it by such Law and Arguments, as will certainly fetch me off, tho I am cloathed with filthy Garments. But this I say, we are apt to forget, as Job, when he said, Oh that one might plead for a Man with God, as one pleads for his Neighbour, Job 16.21. Such an one Job had, but he had almost at this time forgot it, as he seems to intimate also, where he wisheth for a days-man that might lay his Hand upon them both. Chap. 9.33. But our Mercy i…, we have one to plead our cause; an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who will not suffer our Soul to be spilt, and spoiled before the Throne, but will surely plead our Cause.

6. Another thing that the Apostle would have us learn from the words, is this, That to remember, and to believe that Jesus Christ is an Advocate for us, when we have sinned, is the next way to support and strengthen our Faith and Hope. Faith and Hope are very apt to faint, when our sins in their Guilt do return upon us, nor is there any more proper way to relieve our Souls, than to understand that the Son of God is our Advocate in Heaven. True, Christ died for our Sins as a Sacrifice, and as a Priest he sprinkleth with his Blood p. 12the Mercy-seat: Ay, but here is one that has sinned after Profession of Faith; that has sinned grievously, so grievously, that his Sins are come up before God; yea, are at his Bar pleaded against him by the Accuser of the Brethren; by the Enemy of the godly. What shall he do now? Why, let him believe in Christ. Believe, that's true; but how now must he conceive in his mind of Christ, for the encouraging of him so to do? Why, let him call to mind that Jesus Christ is an Advocate with the Father, and as such he meeteth the Accuser at the Bar of God, pleads for this Man that has sinned against this Accuser, and prevaileth for ever against him. Here now, tho Satan be turned Lawyer, tho he accuseth, yea tho his charge against us is true, (for suppose that we have sinned) yet our Advocate is with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Thus is Faith encouraged, thus is Hope strengthened, thus is the Spirit of the sinking Christian revived, and made to wait for a good deliverance from a bad cause, and a cunning Adversary: Specially if you consider,

7. That the Apostle also doth further suppose by the Text, That Jesus Christ, as Advocate, if he will but plead our Cause, let that be never so black, is able to bring us off, even before Gods Judgment-Seat to our Joy, and the p. 13confounding of our Adversary. For when he saith, we have an Advocate, he speaks nothing if he means not thus. But he doth mean thus, he must mean thus, because he seeketh here to comfort and support the Fallen. Has any Man sinned, we have an Advocate. But what of that, if yet he be unable to fetch us off, when charged for Sin at the Bar, and before the Face of a righteous Judge.

But he is able to do this, the Apostle says, so in that he supposeth a Man has sinned, as any Man among the Godly ever did: for so we may understand it; and if he giveth us not leave to understand it so, he saith nothing to the purpose neither. For it will be objected by some; But can he fetch me off, tho I have done as David, as Solomon, as Peter, or the like? It must be answered yes, the openness of the terms [anyman], the indefiniteness of the word [Sin] doth naturally allow us to take him in the largest Sense; besides he brings in this Saying as the chief, most apt and fittest to relieve one crush'd down to Death and Hell by the Guilt of Sin, and a wounded Conscience.

Further, methinks by these words, the Apostle seems to triumph in his Christ: Saying, my Brethren, I would have you study to be holy: but if your Adversary the Devil, should get the Advantage of you, and p. 14besmear you with the filth of Sin, you have yet, besides all that you have heard already, an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Who is as to his Person, interest with God, his Wisdom, and Worth, able to bring you off to the comforting of your Souls.

Let me therefore for a Conclusion, as to this, give you an exhortation to believe, to hope and expect that though you have sinned (for I now speak to the fallen Saint) that Jesus Christ will make a good end with thee; trust I say in him, and he shall bring it to pass. I know I put thee upon a hard and difficult task, for believing, and expecting Good; when my guilty Conscience doth nothing but clog, burden, and terrifie me with the Justice of God, the Greatness of my Sins, and the burning Torments is hard and Sweating work. But it must be, the Text calls for it, thy case calls for it, and thou must do it, if thou wouldst glorifie Christ. And this is the way to hasten the issue of thy Cause in Hand, for believing daunts the Devil, pleaseth Christ, and will help, thee before-hand, to sing that Song of the Church, saying, O Lord, thou hast pleaded the Causes of my Soul, thou hast redeemed my Life, Lam. 3.55, 56, 57, 58, 59. Yea, believe, and hear thy pleading Lord say to thee, Thus saith the p. 15Lord, the Lord and thy God, that pleadeth the Cause of his People, Behold, I have taken out of thy Hand the Cup of trembling, even the dregs of the Cup of my Fury, thou shalt no more drink it again, Isa. 51.20, 21, 22. I am not here discoursing of the sweetness of Christ's Nature, but of the Excellency of his Offices, and of his Office of Advocateship in particular, which as a Lawyer for his Client, he is to execute in the Presence of God for us. Love may be where there is no Office, and so where no Power is to do us good: but now, when Love and Office shall meet, they will surely both combine in Christ to do the fallen Christian good. But of his Love we have treated elsewhere; we will here discourse of the Office of this loving One. And for thy further Information, let me tell thee, That God thy Father, counteth that thou wilt be, when compared with his Law, but a poor one all thy Days. Yea, the Apostle tells thee so, in that he saith, there is an Advocate provided for thee. When a Father provides Crutches for his Child, he doth as good as say, I count that my Child will be yet Infirm. And when God shall provide an Advocate, he doth as good as say, my People are subject to Infirmities: Do not therefore think of thy self above what by plain Texts, and fair Inferences, drawn from Christ's Offices, p. 16thou art bound to think. What doth it bespeak concerning thee, That Christ is always a Priest in Heaven, and there ever lives to make Intercession for thee, Heb. 7.24. but this that thou art at thy best in thy self, yea, and in thy best exercising of all thy Graces too, but a poor, pitiful, sorry, sinful Man. A Man that would, when yet most holy, be certainly cast away, did not thy high-Priest take away for thee, the iniquity of thy holy things. The Age we live in is a wanton Age, the Godly are not so humble and low, and base in their own Eyes as they should. Tho their daily experience calls for it, and the Priest-hood of Jesus Christ too.

But above all, the Advocateship of Jesus Christ, declares us to be sorry Creatures. For that Office does as it were predict, that some time or other we shall basely fall, and by falling be undone, if the Lord Jesus stand not up to plead. And as it shews this concerning us; so it shews concerning God, that he will not lightly, or easily lose his People: He has provided well for us: Blood to wash us in; a Priest to pray for us, that we may be made to persevere; and in case we soully fall, an Advocate to plead our Cause, and to recover us from under, and out of all that danger, that by Sin and Satan, we at any time may be brought into. But,

p. 17Having thus briefly passed through that in the Text, that I think the Apostle must necessarily presuppose, I shall now endeavour to enter into the Bowels of it, and see what in a more particular Manner, shall be found therein.

And for my more profitable doing of this work, I shall chuse to observe this Method in my discourse.

First, I shall shew you more particularly of this Advocate's Office, or what, and wherein Christ's Office as Advocate doth lie.

Secondly, After that, I shall also shew you how Jesus Christ doth manage this Office of an Advocate.

Thirdly, I shall also then shew you, who they are, that have Jesus Christ for their Advocate.

Fourthly, I shall also shew you, what excellent Privileges they have, who have Jesus Christ for their Advocate.

Fifthly, And to silence Cavillers, I shall also shew the necessity of this Office of Jesus Christ.

Sixthly, I shall come to answer some Objections. And Lastly to the Use and Application.

To begin with the First of these; namely to shew you more particularly of Christ's Office as an Advocate, and wherein it lieth. p. 18The which I shall do these three ways

1. Touch again upon the Nature of this Office. And then,

2. Treat of the Order and Place that it hath among the rest of his Offices. And,

3. Treat of the Occasion of the Execution of this Office.

First, To touch upon the Nature of this Office. It is that which impowereth a Man to plead for a Man, or one man to plead for another, not in common Discourses, and upon common Occasions, as any man may do; but at a Bar, or before a Court of Judicature, where a Man is accused or impleaded by his Enemy. I say this Advocate's Office, is such both here, and in the Kingdom of Heaven. An Advocate is as one of our Attorneys, at least in the general, who pleads according to Law and Justice for one or other that is in trouble by Reason of some Miscarriage, or of the naughty Temper of some that are about him, who trouble, and vex, and labour to bring him into danger of the Law. This is the Nature of this Office, as I said, on Earth; and this is the Office that Christ executeth in Heaven. Wherefore he saith, If any Man sin, we have an Advocate; one to stand up for him, and to plead for his deliverance before the Bar of God, Joel 3.2. Isa. 66.16. Ezek. 38.22. Jer. 2.

p. 19For tho in some Places of the Scripture, Christ is said to plead for his, with Men, and that by terrible Arguments, as by Fire, and Sword, and Famine, and Pestilence; yet this is not that which is intended by this Text, for the Apostle here saith, he is an Advocate with the Father, or before the Father, to plead for those, that there, or that to the Fathers Face shall be accused for their Transgressions. If any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. So then this is the imploy of Jesus Christ, as he is for us an Advocate. He has undertaken to stand up for his People at God's Bar, and before that great Court, there to plead by the Law and Justice of Heaven, for their Deliverance; when, for their Faults, they are accused, indicted, or impleaded by their Adversary.

2. And now to treat of the Order or Place that this Office of Christ hath, among the rest of his Offices, which he doth execute for us, while we are here in a State of Imperfection: And I think it is an Office that is to come …ehind, as a Reserve, or for an Help at last, when all other Means shall seem to fail. Men do not use to go to Law, upon every Occasion; or, if they do, the Wisdom of the Judge, the Jury, and the Court, will not admit that every Brangle and foolish Quarrel p. 20shall come before them; but an Advocate doth then come into Place, and then to the Exercise of his Office, when a Cause is counted worthy to be taken notice of by the Judge, and by the Court. Wherefore he, I say, comes in the last Place, as a reserve, or help at last to plead; and by pleading to set that right by Law, which would otherwise have caused an increase to more doubts and to further Dangers.

Christ as Priest, doth always works of Service for us; because in our most spiritual things there may faults and Spots be found, and these he taketh away of Course by the Exercise of that Office. For he always wears that Plate of Gold upon his Fore-head before the Father, whereon is written, Holiness to the Lord. But now, besides these common Infirmities, there are Faults that are highly gross and foul, that oft are found in the Skirts of the Children of God. Now these are they that Satan taketh hold on, these are they that Satan draweth up a Charge against us for. And to save us from these, it is, that the Lord Jesus is made an Advocate. When Joshua was cloathed with filthy Garments, then Satan stood at his right Hand to resist him, and then the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord Jesus pleaded for his Help, Zech. 3. By all which it appears, that this Office p. 21comes behind, is provided as a Reserve, that we may have help at a pinch, and then be lifted out, when we sink in mire where there is no standing.

This is yet further hinted at by the several Postures that Christ is said to be in, as he exerciseth his Priestly, and Advocate's Office. As a Priest he sits, as an Advocate he stands, Isa. 3.13. The Lord stands up when he pleads. His sitting is more constant and of Course; Sit thou, &c. but his standing is occasional, when Joshua is indicted; or when Hell and Earth is broken loose against his Servant Stephen. For as Joshua was accused by the Devil, and as then the Angel of the Lord stood by; so when Stephen was accused by men on Earth and that Charge seconded by the fallen Angels before the Face of God, 'tis said the Lord Jesus stood on the Right Hand of God, Act. 7.55. wit, to plead, for so I take it, because standing is his Posture as an Advocate, Heb. 10. not as a Priest, for as a Priest he must sit down, but he standeth as an Advocate, as has been shew'd afore. Wherefore,

Secondly, The Occasion of his exercising of this Office of Advocate, is, as hath been hinted already, when a Child of God shall be found guilty before God of some heinous Sin, of some grievous thing in his Life and Conversation. p. 22For as for those Infirmities that attend the best, in their most spiritual Sacrifices; if a Child of God were guilty of ten thousand of them, they are of Course purged through the much Incense that is always mixed with those Sacrifices, in the golden Censer that is in the Hand of Christ: And so he kept clean and counted upright notwithstanding those Infirmities. And therefore you shall find that notwithstanding those common Faults the the Children of God are counted good and upright in Conversation, and not charged as Offenders. David, saith the Text, did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him, all the days of his Life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite, 1 Kin. 15.5. But was David in a strict Sense without Fault in all things else? No verily: But that was foul in a higher degree than the rest, and therefore there God sets a blot: Ay, and doubtless, for that he was accused by Satan before the Throne of God: For here is Adultery, and Murder and Hypocrisie, in David …s doings: Here is notorious matter, a great Sin, and so a great Ground for Satan to draw up an Indictment against the King; and a thundering one to be sure shall be preferred against him. This is the time then for to Christ stand up to plead. p. 23For now there is room for such a Question, can David's Sin stand with Grace, or is it possible that a Man that has done as he has, should yet be found a Saint, and so in a Saved State? Or can God repute him so, and yet be Holy and Just? Or can the Merits of the Lord Jesus reach, according to the Law of Heaven, a Man in this Condition? Here is a Case dubious, here's a Man whose Salvation, by his foul Offences, is made doubtful: Now we must to Law and Judgment; wherefore now let Christ stand up to plead. I say now was David's Case dubious, Psal. 51. he was afraid that God would cast him away, and the Devil hoped that he would, and to that end charged him before God's Face, if perhaps he might get Sentence of Damnation to pass upon his Soul. But this was David's Mercy he had an Advocate to plead his Cause, by whose, Wisdom and Skill in Matters of Law and Judgment, he was brought off of those heavy Charges, from those gross Sins, and delivered from that eternal Condemnation, that by the Law of Sin and Death was due thereto.

This is then the occasion that Christ taketh to plead, as Advocate, for the Salvation of his People: to wit the Cause; he pleadeth the Cause of his People. Not every Cause but such and such a Cause; the Cause that is very bad, and by the which they are involved not p. 24only in Guilt and Shame, but also in danger of Death and Hell. I say the Cause is bad, if the Text be true; if Sin can make it bad, yea if Sin it Self be bad. If any Man sin, we have an Advocate. An Advocate to plead for him; for him as considered guilty, and so consequently as considered in a bad Condition. 'Tis true we must distinguish between the Person and the Sin: and Christ pleads for the Person, not the Sin: but yet, he cannot be concerned with the Person, but he must be with the Sin; for tho the Person and the Sin may be distinguished, yet they cannot be separated. He must plead then not for a Person only, but for a guilty Person, for a Person under the worst of Circumstances: If any Man sin, we have an Advocate for him as so considered.

When a Man's Cause is good, it will sufficiently plead for it self, yea and for its Master too: specially when it is made appear so to be, before a Just and Righteous Judge. Here therefore needs no Advocate, the Judge himself will pronounce him righteous. This is evidently seen in Job, Thou movest me against him (this said God to Satan) to destroy him without a Cause, Job 2.3. Thus far Job's Cause was good, wherefore he did not need an Advocate; his Cause pleaded for its self, and for its owner also. But if it was to plead p. 25good Causes for which Christ is appointed Advocate, then the Apostle should have written thus: If any Man be righteous, we have an Advocate with the Father. Indeed I never heard but one in all my Life preach from this Text, and he, when he came to handle the Cause for which he was to plead, pretended it must be good, and therefore said to the People see that your Cause be good, else Christ will not undertake it. But when I heard it, Lord, thought I, if this be true, what shall I do, and what will become of all this People; yea and of this Preacher too? Besides, I saw that by the Text, the Apostle supposeth an other Cause, a Cause bad, exceeding bad, if Sin can make it so. (And this was one Cause why I undertook this work.)

When we speak of a Cause, we speak not of a Person simply as so considered: For, as I said before, Person and Cause must be distinguished. Nor can the person make the Cause good, but as he regulates his Action by the Word of God: If then a good, a righteous man doth what the Law condemns, that thing is bad; and if he be indicted for so doing, he is indicted for a bad Cause; and he that will be his Advocate, must be concerned in, and about a bad Matter, and how he will bring his Client off, therein doth lie the Mystery.

p. 26I know that a bad Man may have a good Cause depending before the Judge, and so also good Men have, Job 31. but then they are bold in their own Cause and fear not to make mention of it, and in Christ to plead their Innocency before the God of Heaven, as well as before Men, Psal. 71.3, 4, 5. 2 Cor. 1.23. Gal. 1.20. Phil. 1.8. But we have in the Text a Cause that all Men are afraid of, a Cause that the Apostle concludes so bad, that none but Jesus Christ himself can save the Christian from it. It is not only sinful, but Sin it self. If any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father.

Wherefore there is in this Place handled by the Apostle one of the greatest Mysteries under Heaven. To wit, That an innocent and holy Jesus, should take in hand to plead for one before a just and righteous God, that has defiled himself with Sin. Yea, that he should take in Hand to plead for such an one against the fallen Angels; and that he should also by his Plea effectually rescue, and bring them off from the Crimes and Curse whereof they were verily guilty, by the Verdict of the Law and Approbation of the Judge.

This I say is a great Mystery, and deserves to be pry'd into by all the godly, both because much of the Wisdom of Heaven is discovered in it, and because the best Saint is, p. 27or may be concerned with it.

Nor must we by any means let this truth be lost, because it is the truth, the Text has declared it so: And to say otherwise is to belye the Word of God, to thwart the Apostle, to sooth up Hypocrites, and to rob Christians of their Privilege, and to take the Glory from the Head of Jesus Christ, Luk. 18.11, 12.

The best Saints are most sensible of their Sins, and most apt to make Mountains of their Mole-hills: Satan also, as has been already hinted, doth labour greatly to prevail with them to sin, and to provoke their God against them, Job 2.9. by pleading what is true, or by surmising evilly of them, to the end they may be left with him to be try'd, that they may be accused by him. Great is his malice towards them, great is his Diligence in seeking their Destruction; wherefore greatly doth he desire to sift to try, and winnow them, if perhaps he may work in their Flesh to answer his Design; that is, to break out in sinful Acts that he may have by Law to accuse them to their God and Father. Wherefore for their Sakes this Text abides, that they may see, that when they have sinned they have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

And thus have I shew'd you the Nature, p. 28the Order, and Occasion of this Office of our blessed Lord Jesus. I come now to shew you,How Christ manages the Office of an Advocate. How Jesus Christ doth manage this his Office of an Advocate for us.

And that I may do this to your Edification, I shall choose this Method for the opening of it.

First, shew you how he manages this Office with his Father.

Secondly, I shall shew you how he manages it before him, against our Adversary.

How he manages this his Office of Advocate with his Father.

First, He doth it by himself, by no other, as Deputy under him. No Angel, no Saint, no Work has place here, but Jesus, and Jesus only. This the Text implies, we have an Advocate, speaking of one, but one, one alone, without an Equal or an Inferior. We have but one, and he is Jesus Christ.

Nor is it for Christ's Honour, nor for the Honour of the Law or of the Justice of God, that any but Jesus Christ should be an Advocate for a sinning Saint. Besides, to assert the contrary, what doth it but lessen Sin, and make the Advocateship of Jesus Christ superfluous? It would lessen Sin, should it be removed by a Saint or Angel: It would make the Advocateship of Jesus Christ superfluous, p. 29yea, needless should it be possible that Sin could be removed from us by either Saint or Angel.

Again, If God should admit of more Advocates than one, and yet make mention of never an one but Jesus Christ, or if John should allow another, and yet speak nothing but of J…sus only: Yea that an Advocate under that title should be mentioned but once, but once only in all the Book of God, and yet that divers should be admitted, stands neither with the Wisdom or Love of God, nor with the Faithfulness of the Apostle. But Saints have but one Advocate, if they will use him, or improve their Faith in that Office for their Help, so; if not, they must take what follows.

This I thought good to hint at,because the times are corrupt and because Ignorance and Superstition always waits for a Countenance with u… and these things have a natural tendency, as to darken all truth, so especially this, which bringeth to Jesus Christ so much Glory, and yieldeth to the Godly so much Help and Relief.

Secondly, As Jesus Christ alone is Advocate, so God's Bar, and that alone, is that before which he pleads. For God is Judge himself, Deut. 32, 36. Heb. 13.23. Nor can the Cause which now he is to plead be removed p. 30into any other Court, either by appeals, or otherwise.

Could Satan remove us from Heaven to a…other Court he would certainly be too hard for us, because there we should want our Jesus, our Advocate to plead our Cause. Indeed sometimes he impleads us before Men, and they are glad of the Occasion, for they and he are often one; but then we have Leave to remove our Cause, and to pray for a Tryal in the highest Court: Saying, Let my Sentence comeforth from thy Presence, and let thine eyes behold the things that are Equal, Psal. 17.2. This wicked World doth sentence us for our good Deeds, but how then would they sentence us for our bad ones? But we will never appeal from Heaven to Earth for Right: For here we have no Advocate; our Advocate is with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

Thirdly, As he pleadeth by himself alone, and no where else but in the Court of Heaven with the Father: So as he pleadeth with the Father for us, he observeth this Rule;

1. He granteth, and confesseth whatever can rightly be charged upon us: Yet so, as that he taketh the whole Charge upon himself; acknowledging the Crimes to be his own.

p. 31O God, says he, thou knowest my foolishness, and my Sins, my Guiltiness is not hid from thee, Psal. 69.5. And this he must do, or else he can do nothing: If he hides the Sin or lesseneth it, he is faulty: If he leaves it still upon us, we die: He must then take our Iniquity to himself, make it his own, and so deliver us. For having thus taken the Sin upon himself, as he lawfully may, and lovingly doth, for we are Members of his Body, (so 'tis his Hand, 'tis his Foot, 'tis his Ear that hath sinned:) It followeth that we live, if he lives, and who can desire more. This then must be thorowly considered, if ever we will have Comfort in a day of Trouble and Distress for Sin.

And thus far there is, in some kind, a harmony betwixt his being a Sacrifice, a Priest and an Advocate; as a Sacrifice our Sins were laid upon him, Isa. 53. as a Priest he beareth them, Exod. 28.38. and as an Advocate he acknowledgeth them to be his own, Psal. 69.5. Now, having acknowledged them to be his own, the Quarrel is no more 'twixt us and Satan: For the Lord Jesus has espoused our Quarrel, and made it his. All then that we, in this matter, have to do, is, to stand at the Bar, by Faith among the Angels, and see how the business goes. O Blessed God! What a Lover of Mankind art thou, and p. 32how gracious is our Lord Jesus, in his thu… managing matters for us?

2. The Lord Jesus having thus taken ou… Sins upon himself, next pleads his own Goodness to God, on our Behalf: Saying, Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of Hosts, be ashamed for my Sake: Let not those that seek thee, be confounded for my Sake, O God of Israel. Because for thy Sake I have born Reproach: Shame hath covered my Face, Psal. 69.6, 7, Mark, let them not be ashamed for my Sake, let them not be confounded for my Sake. Shame and Confusion, are the Fruits of Guilt, or of a Charge for Sin, Jer. 3.25. and are but an enterance into Condemnation, Dan. 12.2. Joh. 5.29. But behold, how Christ pleads, saying, Let not that be, for my Sake, for the Merit of my Blood, for the Perfection of my Righteousness, for the Prevalency of my Intercession, Let them not be ashamed for my Sake, O Lord God of Hosts. And let no Man object, because this Text is in the Psalms, as if it were not spoke by the Prophet, of Christ; for, both John and Paul, yea, and Christ himself, do make this Psalm a Prophecy of him: Compare ver. 9. with Joh. 2.17. and ver. 9, with Rom. 15.3. And ver. 21. with Matth. 27.48. and Mat. 15.25.

But is not this a wonderful thing, That Christ should first take our Sins, and account p. 33them his own; and then plead the value and worth of his whole self, for our Deliverance? For, by these Words [for my Sake,] he pleadeth his own self, his whole self, and all that he is and has: And thus he puts us in good Estate again, tho our Cause was very bad.

To bring this down to weak Capacities, Suppose a Man should be indebted twenty thousand Pounds, but has not twenty thousand farthings wherewith to pay; And suppose also, that this Man be arrested for this Debt, and that the Law also, by which he is sued, will not admit of a penny bate: This Man may yet come well enough off, it his Advocate, or Attorney will make the Debt his own, and will, in the Presence of the Judges, out with his Bags and pay down every Farthing. Why this is the way of our Advocate. Our Sins are called Debts, Matth. 6.12. we are sued for them at the Law, Luk. 12.59. and the Devil is our Accuser; but behold, the Lord Jesus comes out with his Worthiness, pleads it at the Bar, making the Debt his own, Mark 12.42. 2 Cor. 3.5. and saith, now let them not be ashamed, for my Sake, O Lord God of Hosts, let them not be confounded for my Sake, O God of Israel. And hence, as he is said to be an Advocate, so he is said to be a Propitiation, or a mends-Maker, or one that appeaseth the Justice of Go… for our Sins, If p. 34any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the Propitiation for our Sins.

And who can now object against the Deliverance of the Child of God? God cannot; for he for Christ's Sake, according as he pleaded, hath forgiven us all Trespasses, Col. 2.13. Eph. 4.32. The Devil cannot; his Mouth is stopp'd as is plain in the Case of Joshua, Zech. 3. The Law cannot, for that approveth of what Christ has done. This then is the way of Christ's pleading.

You must know, That when Christ pleads with God, he pleads with a just and righteous God, and therefore he must plead Law and nothing but Law: And this he pleaded in both these Pleas. First, in confessing of the Sin, he justified the Sentence of the Law, in pronouncing of it evil, and then in his laying of himself, his whole self, before God, for that Sin he vindicated the Sanction, and Perfection of the Law. Thus therefore he magnifies the Law and makes it Honorable, and yet brings off the Client, safe and sound in the view of all the Angels of God.

Thirdly, the Lord Jesus, having thus taken our Sins upon himself, and presented God with all the Worthiness that is in his whole self, for them, in the next place, he calleth for Justice, or a just Verdict upon the Satisfaction p. 35he hath made to God and to his … Then Proclamation is made in open Court saying take away the filthy Garments from him, from him that hath offended, and cloath him with Change of Raiment, Zech. 3.

Thus the Soul is preserved that hath sinned; thus the God of Heaven is content that he should be saved; thus Satan is put to Confusion, and Jesus applauded and cried up by the Angels of Heaven, and by the Saints on Earth.

Thus have… shewed you how Christ doth Advocate it with God, and his Father, for us, and I have been the more particular in this, because the Glory of Christ, and the Comfort of the Dejected, is greatly concerned, and wrapt up in it. Look then to Jesus, if thou hast sinned; to Jesus, as an Advocate pleading with the Father for thee: Look to nothing else, for he can tell how, and that by himself, to deliver thee: yea, and will do it, in a way of Justice, which is a Wonder, and to the Shame of Satan; which will be his Glory, and also to thy compleat Deliverance, which will be thy Comfort and Salvation.

But to pass this, and to come to the Second thing, which is, to shew you, how the Lord Jesus manages this his Office of an Advocate, before his Father, against the Adversary: For he pleadeth with the Father, but pleadeth … p. 36…e Devil, he pleadeth with the Fa…her, Law and Justice; but against the Adversary he letteth out himself.

I say as he pleadeth against the Adversary, so he enlargeth himself, with Arguments, over and besides those which he pleadeth with God his Father.

Nor is it meet, or needful, that our Advocate, when he pleads against Satan, should so limit himself to matter of Law, as when he pleadeth with his Father. The Saint by sinning oweth Satan nothing, no Law of his is broken thereby, why then should he plead for the saving of his People, justifying Righteousness to him?

Christ, when he died, died not to satisfie Satan, but his Father; not to appease the Devil, but to answer the Demands of the Justice of God, nor did he Design when he hanged on the Tree, to triumph over his Father, but over Satan. He redeemed us therefore from the Curse of the Law, by his Blood, Gal. 3.13. and from the Power of Satan, by his Resurrection, Heb. 2.14. He delivered us from righteous Judgment by Price, and Purchase; but from the Rage of Hell by Fight and Conquest.

And, as he acted thus diversly in the Work of our Redemption; even so he also doth in the Execution of his Advocate's Office. When p. 37he pleadeth with God, he pleadeth so: And when he pleadeth against Satan he pleadeth so. And how he pleadeth with God, when he dealeth with Law and Justice, I have shewed you; and now I will shew you how he pleadeth, before him, against the Accuser of the Brethren.

First, He pleads against him the well-Pleasedness that his Father has in his Merits, saying, This shall please the Lord. Or this doth, or will please the Lord, better than any thing that can be propounded, Psal. 69.31. Now this Plea being true, as it is, being established upon the liking of God Almighty: Whatever Satan can say, to obtain our everlasting Destruction, is without Ground, and so, unreasonable: I am well pleased, saith God, Mat. 3.17. and again, The Lord is well pleased for for [his] Christ's Righteousness Sake, Isa. 42.21. All that enter Actions against others, pretend that wrong is done, either against themselves, or against the King. Now Satan will never enter an Action against us in the Court above, for that wrong by us has been done to himself, he must pretend then, that he sues us for that Wrong has by us been done to our King: But behold, we have an Advocate with the Father, and he has made Compensation for our Offences: He gave himself for our Offences. But still Satan maintains his Suit; and our God saith he is well pleased p. 38with us for this Compensation Sake, yet he will not leave off his Clamor. Come then, says the Lord Jesus, the Contention is not now against my People, but my self, and about the Sufficiency of the Amends that I have made for the Transgressions of my People. But he is near that justifieth me, that approveth and accepteth of my Doings, Therefore shall I not be confounded. Who is mine Adversary? let him come near me. Behold, the Lord God will help me, Isa. 50.7, 8, 9. Who is he that condemneth me? Lo, they shall all (were there ten thousand times as many more of them) wax old as a Garment, the Moth shall eat them up. Wherefore, if the Father saith Amen to all this, as I have shew'd already that he hath, and doth, the which also further appeareth, because the Lord God has called him the Saviour the Deliverer and the Amen: What follows, but that a Rebuke should proceed from the Throne against him? And this, indeed, our Advocate calls for, from the Hand of his Father; saying, O Enemy, The Lord rebuke thee: Yea he doubles this Request, to the Judge, to intimate his Earnestness for such a Conclusion, or to shew that the Enemy shall surely have it, both from our Advocate and from him, before whom Satan has so grievously accused us, Zech. 3.

For what can be expected to follow from p. 39such an Issue in Law as this is, but sound and severe snibs, from the Judge, upon him that hath thus troubled his Neighbour and that hath, in the Face of the Country, cast Contempt upon the highest act of Mercy, Justice, and Righteousness, that ever the Heavens beheld? And all this is true, with reference to the Case in Hand; wherefore, The Lord rebuke thee, is that which, in Conclusion, Satan must have for the Reward of his Works of Malice, against the Children, and for his contemning of the Works of the Son of God.

Now, our Advocate having thus established, by the Law of Heaven, his Plea with God, for us, against our Accuser, there is way made for him to proceed, upon a Foundation that cannot be shaken: Wherefore he proceedeth in his Plea, and further urges against this Accuser of the Brethren,

Secondly, God's Interest in this People, and prayeth that God would remember that. The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee. True, the Church, the Saints, are despicable in the World, wherefore Men do think to tread them down. The Saints are also weak in Grace, but have Corruptions, that are strong, and therefore Satan, the God of this World, doth think to tread them down: But the p. 40Saints have a God, the living, the eternal God, and therefore, they shall not be troden down: Yea, They shall be holden up; for God is able to make them stand, Rom. 14.4.

It was Haman's mishap, to be ingaged against the Queen, and the Kindred of the Queen. 'Twas that that made him he could not prosper; that brought him to Contempt and the Gallows. Had he sought to ruin another People, probably he might have brought his Design to a desired Conclusion: But his compassing the Death of the Queen spoiled all. Satan also, when he fighteth against the Church, must be sure to come to the worst; For God has a Concern in that: Therefore it is said, The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it; but this hindreth not but that he is permitted to make almost what Spoils he will, of those that belong not to God: Oh! how many doth he accuse and soon get out from God, against them, a Licence to destroy them? As he served Ahab and many more. But this I say, is a very great Block in his Way, when he medle…h with the Children: God has an Interest in them. Hath God cast away his People? God forbid! Rom. 11.1, 2. The Text intimates, That they, for Sin, had deserved it, and that Satan would fain have had it been so. But God's Interest in them, preserved them: God hath not cast p. 41away his People which he fore-knew. Wherefore, when Satan accuseth them before God? Christ, as he pleadeth his own Worth and Merit; pleadeth also against him, that Interest that God has in them.

And, tho this to some may seem but an indifferent Plea; for what Ingagement lieth, may they say upon God to be so much concerned with them: for they sin against him; and often provoke him most bitterly? Besides, in their best State they are altogether Vanity, and a very thing of nought. What's Man, (sorry Man) that thou art mindful of him, or that thou shouldest so be?

I answer, tho there lieth no Ingagement upon God, for any Worthiness that is in Man, yet there lieth a great deal upon God, for the Worthiness that is in himself. God has ingaged himself with his, having chosen them to be a People to himself. And by this means they are so secured from all that all can do against them; that the Apostle is bold, upon this very Account, to challenge all despite to do its worst against them; saying, who s…all lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect? Rom. 8.33. Who? Saith Satan, Why that will I. Ay saith he, but who can do it and prevail? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? ver. 34. By which Words, the Apostle clearly declareth, That Charges against the p. 42Elect, tho they may be brought against them, must needs prove ineffectual, as to their Condemnation; 'cause their Lord God still will justifie for that Christ has died for them.

Besides, a little to enlarge. The Elect are bound to God by a seven-fold Cord, and a three-fold one is not quickly broken.

First, Election is eternal, as God himself, and so without Variableness, or Shadow of Change. And hence it is called an eternal Purpose, and a Purpose of God that must stand, Eph. 3.11. Rom. 9.11.

Secondly, Election is absolute, not conditional. And therefore cannot be overthrown by the Sin of the Man who is wrapt up therein. No Works foreseen to be in us, was the Cause of God's chusing of us. No Sin in us shall frustrate or make Election void. Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect? It is God that justifieth, Rom. 9.11. chap. 11.6, 7.

Thirdly, By the Act of Election the Children are involved, wrapt up, and covered in Christ (he hath chosen us in him) not in our selves, not in our Vertues, no not for, or because of any thing, but of his own Will, Eph. 1.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Fourthly, Election includeth in it a permanent Resolution of God to glorifie his Mercy on the Vessels of Mercy, Thus fore-ordained p. 43unto Glory, Rom. 9.15, 18, 23.

Fifthly, By the Act of electing Love it is concluded, that all things whatsoever, shall work together for the Good of them whose Call to God, is the Fruit of this Purpose; this eternal Purpose of God, Rom. 8.28, 29, 30.

Sixthly, The Eternal Inheritance is, by a Covenant of free and unchangeable Grace, made over to those thus chosen. And to secure them from the Fruits of Sin, and of the Malice of Satan it is sealed by this our Advocate's Blood as he is Mediator of this Covenant: Who also is become surety to God for them, to wit, to see them forth-coming at the great Day, and to set them then safe and sound before his Fathers Face after the Judgment is over, Rom. 9.24. Heb. 9.15. chap. 7.22. chap. 13.20. chap. 9.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. Joh. 10.28, 29.

Seventhly, By this Choice, Purpose, and Decree, the Elect, the concerned therein, have allotted them by God, and laid up for them in Christ, a Sufficiency of Grace, to bring them, through all Difficulties, to Glory. Yea and they; every one of them, after the first Act of Faith, the which also they shall certainly attain, (because wrapt up in the Promise for them) are to receive the earnest and first Fruits thereof into their Souls, 2 Tim. 1.9. Acts 14.22. Eph. 1.4, 5, 13, 14.

p. 44Now, put all these things together, and then feel if there be not weight in this Plea of Christ against the Devil. He pleads God's Choice and Interest in his Saints against him, an Interest that is secured by the Wisdom of Heaven; by the Grace of Heaven; by the Power, Will, and Mercy of God in Christ. An Interest in which all the three Persons in the God-head have engaged themselves by mutual Agreement and Operation, to make good when Satan has done his All. I know there are some that object against this Doctrine, as false: But such perhaps are ignorant of some things else as well as of this. However they object against the Wisdom of God, whose truth it is, and against Christ our Advocate, whose Argument, as he is such, it is, yea, they labour, what in them lieth to wrest that Weapon out of his Hand, with which he so cudgelleth the Enemy, when, as Advocate, he pleadeth so effectually against him for the rescuing of us from the Danger of Judgement: Saying: The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee.

Secondly, As Christ, as Advocate, plead… against Satan, the Interest that his Father hath in his chosen. So also he pleads against him, by no less Authority, his own Interest in them. Holy Father, saith he, keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me, Joh. 17. p. 4511. Keep them while in the World, from the Evil, the Soul-damning Evil of it. These Words are directed to the Father, but they are levelled against the Accusations of the Enemy, and were spoken here, to shew what Christ will do for his, against our Foe, when he is above. How, I say, he will urge, before his Father his own Interest in us, against Satan, and against all his Accusations when he brings them to the Bar of God's Tribunal with Design to work our utter Ruin. And is there not a great deal in it? As if Christ should say, Father, my People have an Adversary who will accuse them for their Fault before thee; but I will be their Advocate, and, as I have bought them of thee, I will plead my Right against him, Joh. 10.28. Our English Proverb is, Interest will not lye. Interest will make a man do that which otherwise he would not. How many thousands are there for whom Christ doth not so much as once open his Mouth, but leaves them to the Accusations of Satan, and to Ahab's Judgment, nay a worse, because there is none to plead their Cause? And why doth not he concern himself with them, but because he is not interested in them? I pray not for the World, but for those thou hast given me, for they are thine, And all mine are thine, and I am glorified in them, Joh. 17.9, 10.

p. 46Suppose so many Cattel in such a Pound, and one goes by, whose they are not; doth he concern himself? No, he beholds them and goes his way. But suppose that at his Return he should find his own Cattel in that Pound; would he now carry it toward them as he did unto the other? No, no. He has Interest here: they are his that are in the Pound: Now he is concerned, now he must know who put them there, and for what Cause too they are served as they are. And if he finds them rightfully there, he will fetch them thence by Ransom; but if wrongfully he will replevy them, and stand a Tryal at Law with him that has thus illegally pounded his Cattel.

And thus it is 'twixt Jesus Christ and his, he is interested in them, the Cattel are his own, his own Sheep, Joh. 10.3, 4. but poundded by some other by the Law, or by the Devil. If pounded by the Law, he delivereth them by Ransom; if pounded by the Devil, he will replevy them, stand a Tryal at Law for them, and will be against their Accuser, their Advocate himself. Nor can Satan withstand his Plea, though he should against them join Argument with the Law, for as much as has been prov'd before, he can and will by what he has to produce and plead of his own, save his from all Trespasses, Charges, and p. 47Accusations. Besides all Men know that a Man's proper Goods are not therefore forfeited, because they commit many, and them too great Transgressions. And if any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

Now the Strength of this Plea thus grounded upon Christ's Interest in his People, is great: And hath many weighty Reasons on it's side, as,

First, They are mine: Therefore in Reason at my Dispose not at the Dispose of an Adversary. For while a thing can properly be called mine, no Man has therewith to do but my self; nor doth (a Man, nor) Christ lose his Right to what he has by the Weakness of that thing which is his proper Right. He therefore as an Advocate, pleadeth Interest; his own Interest in his People, and Right must with the Judge of all the Earth take Place. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? Gen. 18.25.

Secondly, They cost him dear, and that which is dear bought is not easily parted with, 1 Cor. 6.20. They were bought with his Blood, Eph. 1.7. 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. they were given him for his Blood, and therefore are dear Children, Eph. 5.1. For they are his by the highest Price. And this Price he as Advocate pleadeth against the Enemy of our Salvation: p. 48Yea I will add, they are his, because he gave his All for them, 2 Cor. 8.9. when a Man shall give his All for this or that, then that which he so hath purchased, is become his All. Now Christ has given his all for us, he made himself poor for us, Eph. 1.23. Wherefore we are become his All, his Fulness, and so the Church is called. Nay further. Christ likes well enough of his Purchace, though it hath cost him his All. The Lines, says he, are fallen to me in pleasant Places, I I have a goodly Heritage, Psal. 16. Now put all these things together, and there is a strong Plea in them. Interest, such an Interest, will not be easily parted with. But this is not all; for,

Thirdly, As they cost him dear, so he hath made them near to himself, near by way of Relation. Now that which did not only cost dear, but that by way of Relation is made so: That a Man will plead heartily for. Said David to Abner, Thou shalt not see my Face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's Daughter, when thou comest to see my Face, 2 Sam. 3.13, 14. Saul's Daughter cost me dear; I bought her with the jeopardy of my Life: Saul's Daughter is near to me, she is my beloved Wife. He pleaded hard for her because she was dear and near unto him.

Now, I say, the same is true in Christ. p. 49His People cost him dear, and he hath made them near unto him; wherefore, to plead Interest in them, is to hold by an Argument that is strong.

1. They are his Spouse, and he hath made them so. They are his Love, his Dove, his Darling, and he accounts them so. Now should a wretch attempt in open Court to take a Man's Wife away from him, how would this cause the Man to plead! Yea, and what Judge, that is just, and knows that the Man has this Interest in the Woman pleaded for, would yield to, or give a Verdict for the Wretch against the Man, whose Wife the Woman is? Thus Christ in pleading Interest, in pleading [thou gavest them me] pleads by a strong Argument; an Argument that the Enemy cannot invalidate. True, were Christ to plead this before a Saul, 1 Sam. 25.44. or before Sampson's Wives Father, the Philistian, Judg. 14.20. perhaps such treacherous Judges would give it against all Right. But I have told you the Court in which Christ pleads, is the Highest and the Justest, and that from which there can be no Appeal. Wherefore Christ his Cause; and so, the Cause of the Children of God, must be tryed before, their Father, from whose Face to be sure, just Judgment shall proceed. But,

2. As they are called his Spouse, so they p. 50are called his Flesh, and Members of his Body, 1 Cor. 12.27. Now, said Paul to the Church, Ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular, Eph. 5.30. This Relation also makes a Man plead hard. Were a Man so plead far a Limb, or a Member of his own, how would he plead! What Arguments would he use! and what Sympathy and feeling would his Arguments flow from!

I cannot lose a Hand, I cannot lose a Foot, cannot lose a Finger: Why, Saints are Christ's Members, his Members are of himself. With what Strength of Argument would a Man plead the Necessaryness of his Members to him, and the Vnnaturalness of his Adversary in seeking the Destruction of his Members, and the Deformity of his Body. Yea, a Man would shuck, and cringe, and weep, and intreat, and make Demurrs and Halts, and Delays to a thousand Years (if possible) before he would lose his Members, or any one of them.

But I say, how would he plead, and Advocate it, for his Members, if Judge, and Law, and Reason, and Equity were all on his side; and if by the Adversary there could be nothing urged, but that against which the Advocate had long before made Provision for the effectual Overthrow thereof? And all this is true as to the Case that lies before us.

p. 51Thus we see what Strength there lieth in this second Argument that our Advocate bringeth for us against the Enemy. They are his Flesh and Bones, his Members: He cannot spare them: He cannot spare this, because; nor that, because; nor another because; nor any because they are his Members. As such they are lovely to him, as such they are useful to him, as such they are an Ornament to him: Yea, tho in themselves they are feeble, weak, and through Infirmity much disabled from doing as they should. Thus If any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ …he righteous. But,

Fourthly, As Christ, as Advocate, pleads for us against Satan, his Fathers Interest in us, …nd his own: So he pleadeth against him …hat Right and property that he hath in Heaven to give it to whom he will. He has a Right to Heaven, as Priest and King; it is …is also by Inheritance. And since he will be …o good a Benefactor to bestow this House …n some Body; but not for their Deserts, …ut not for their Goodness: And since again …e has to that end spilt his Blood for, and ta…en a Generation into Covenant-Relation to …im that it might be bestowed on them, it …all be bestowed on them: And he will …ead this if there be need, if his People sin … if their Accuser seeks, by their Sin, their p. 52Ruin and Destruction. Father, saith he, I will that those whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my Glory, Joh. 17.24. Which thou hast given me. Christ's Will, is the Will of Heaven, the Will of God; shall not Christ then prevail?

I will, saith Christ; I will, saith Satan: But whose Will shall stand? 'Tis true, Christ in the Text speaks more like an Arbitrator than an Advocate: More like a Judge than one pleading at a Bar. I will have it so, I judge that so it ought to be and must. But there is also something of Plea in the Words both before his Father, and against our Enemy. And therefore he speaketh like one that can plead and determine also, yea like one that has Power so to do. But shall the Will of Heaven stoop to the Will of Hell? Or the Will of Christ to the Will of Satan? Or the Will of Righteousness to the Will of Sin? Shall Satan, who is God's Enemy, and whose Charge wherewith he chargeth us for Sin, and which is grounded not upon Love to Righteousness, but upon Malice against God's Designs of Mercy, against the Blood of Christ, and the Salvation of his People: I say, shall this Enemy and this charge prevail with God against: the well-grounded Plea of Christ, and against the Salvation of God's Elect! and so keep us out of Heaven? No, no, Christ will p. 53have it otherwise. He is the great Donator, and his Eye is good. True, Satan was turned out of Heaven for that he sinned there, and we must be taken into Heaven tho we have sinned here; this is the Will of Christ and as Advocate he pleads it against the Face and Accusation of our Adversary. Thus, If any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. But,

Fifthly. As Christ, as Advocate pleadeth for us against Satan, his Father's Interest in us and his own; and pleadeth also what Right he has to dispose of the Kingdom of Heaven: So he pleadeth against this Enemy, that Malice and Enmity that is in him, and upon which chiefly his Charge against us is grounded, to the Confusion of his Face. This is evident from the title that our Advocate bestows upon him while he pleads for us against him. The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; O Enemy saith he. For Satan is an Enemy, and this Name given him signifies so much. And Lawyers, in their Pleas, can make a great Matter of such a Circumstance as this, Saying, My Lord, we can prove that what is now pleaded against the Prisoner at the Bar, is of meer Malice and Ha…red, that has also of a long time lain burning and raging in his Enemy'… Breast against him. This I say will greatly weaken the Plea and Accusation of an Enemy▪ p. 54But, says, Jesus Christ, Father, here is a Plea brought in against my Joshua that cloaths him with filthy Garments: But it is brought in against him by an Enemy, by an Enemy in the Supe…lative or highest Degree. One that hates Goodness worse than he, and that loveth Wickedness more than the Man against whom at this time he has brought such an heinous Charge. Then leaving with the father the Value of his Blood for the Accused, he turneth him to the Accuser and pleads against him as an Enemy. O Satan! Thou that accusest my Spouse, my Love, my Members, art, Satan, an Enemy: But it will be Objected, That the things charged are true Grant it. Yet what Law takes Notice of the Plea of one who doth professedly act as an Enemy, because 'tis not done of Love to Truth, and Justice, and Righteousness, nor intended for the Honour of the King, nor for the good of the Prosecuted; but to gratifie Malice, and Rage and meerly to kill and destroy. There is therefore a great deal of Force, and Strength in an Advocate …s pleading of such a Circumstances against an Accuser: Specially when the Crimes now charged are those and only those for which the Law in the due execution of it has been satisfied before, wherefore now a Lawyer has double and treble ground of Matter to plead for his Client against his p. 55Enemy. And this Advantage against him has Jesus Christ.

Besides, 'tis well known that Satan as to us, is the original Cause of those very Crimes for which he accuses us at the Bar of God's Tribunal. Not to say any thing of how he cometh to us, sollicites us, tempts us, flatters us, and always (in a manner) lies at us to do those wicked things, for which he so hotly pursues us to the Bar of the Judgment of God. For tho 'tis not meet for us thus to plead, to wit, laying that Fault upon Satan but rather upon our selves; yet our Advocate will do it, and make work of it too before God. Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have thee, that he might sift thee as Wheat, but I have pray'd for thee that thy Faith fail not, Luk. 22.31.32. He maketh here mention of Satan's Desires, by way of Advantage against him; and doubtless so he did in his Prayer with God for Peter's Preservation. And what he did here, while on Earth, as a Saviour in general, that he doth now in Heaven as a Priest, and an Advocate in special.

I will further suppose that which may be supposed, and that which is suitable to our Purpose. Suppose therefore that a Father that has a Child whom he loveth, but the Child has not half that Wit that some of the Family hath; (and I am sure that we have p. 56less Wit than Angels) and suppose also that some bad minded Neighbour, by tampering with, tempting of, and by unwearied Sollicitations should prevail with this Child to steal something out of his Father's House, or Grounds, and give it unto him: And this he doth on purpose to set the Father against the Child. And suppose again that it comes to the Fathers Knowledge that the Child through the Allurements of such an one has done so and so against his Father; Will he therefore disinherit this Child? Yea suppose again that he that did tempt this Child to steal should be the first that should come to accuse this Child to its Father, for so doing, would the Father take Notice of the Accusation of such an one: No verily; we, that are evil, can do better than so. How then should we think, That the God of Heaven should do such a thing, since also we have a Brother that is wise, and that will, and can plead the very Malice of our Enemy, that doth to us all these things, against him, for our Advantage? I say, this is the Sum of this fifth Plea of Christ our Advocate, against Satan. O Satan, says he, Thou art an Enemy to my People, thou pleadest not out of Love to Righteousness, nor to reform, But to destroy my Beloved, and Inheritance. The Charge wherewith thou chargest my People, p. 57is thine own, Joh. 8.44. not only as to a matter of Charge; but the things that thou accusest them of, are thine; Thine, in the Nature of them: Also thou hast tempted, allured, flattered and daily laboured with them, to do that, for which, now, thou so willingly wouldest have them destroyed. Yea, all this hast thou done of Envy to my Father, and to Godliness; of Hatred to me and my People, and that thou mightest destroy others besides, 1 Chron. 21.1. And now what can this Accuser say? Can he excuse himself? Can he contradict our Advocate? He cannot. He knows that he is a Satan, an Enemy, and, as an Adversary, has he sown his Tares among the Wheat, that it might be rooted up: But he shall not have his End, his Malice has prevented him, and so has the Care and Grace of our Advocate: The Tares therefore he shall have returned to him again, but the Wheat for all this shall be gathered into God's Barn, Mat. 13.25, 26, 27, 28.

Thus therefore our Advocate makes Use, in his Plea against Satan, of the Rage and Malice that is the Occasion of the Enemies Charge, wherewith he accuseth the Children of God. Wherefore when thou readest these Words, [O Satan] say with thy self, Thus Christ our Advocate accuseth our Adversary p. 58of Malice and Envy against God and Goodness, while he accuseth us of the Sins which we commit, for the which we are sorry, and Christ has paid a Price of Redemption: And (thus) If any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. But,

Sixthly, Christ, when he pleads as an Advocate for his People in the Presence of God, against Satan, He can plead those very Weaknesses of his People, for which Satan would have them damned, for their Relief and Advantage. Is not this a Brand plucked …ut of the Fire. This is part of the Plea of our Advocate against Satan for his Servant Joshua, when he said, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, Zech. 3.2. Now to be a Brand pluckt out of the Fi…e, is to be a Saint impared, weakned, defiled, and made imperfect by Sin. For so also the Apostle means when he saith, And others save with Fear, pulling them out of the Fire; hate…ng even the Garment spotted by the Flesh, Jude 23. By Fire, in both these Places we are to understand Sin: For that it burns and consumes as Fire, Rom. 1.27. Wherefore a Man is said to burn, when his Lusts are strong upon him; and to burn in Lusts to others, when his wicked Heart runs wickedly after them, 1 Cor. ….9.

Also when Abraham said, I am but Dust and p. 59Ashes, Gen. 18.27. he means, he was but what Sin had left: Yea he had something of the Smutch and besmearings of Sin yet upon him. Wherefore it was a Custom with Israel, in Days of old, when they set Days apart for Co…fession of Sin, and Humiliation for the same, to sprinkle themselves with, or to wallow in Dust and Ashes, Est. 4.1, 3. Jer. 6.26. Job 30.9. chap. 42.6. as a token that they did confess, that they were but what Sin had left, and that they also were defiled, weakned and polluted by it.

This then is the next Plea of our goodly Advocate for us. O Satan, This is a Brand plucked out of the Fire. As who should say, thou objectest against my Servant Joshua, That he is black like a Coal, or that the Fire of Sin, at times, is still burning in him. And what then, the Reason why he is not totally extinct as tow, is not thy Pity, but my Father's Mercy to him: I have plucked him out of the Fire, yet not so out, but that the smell thereof is yet upon him; and my Father and I, we consider his Weakness, and pity him. For since he is as a Brand pulled out; can it be expected by my Father or me, that he should appear before us as clear, and do our biddings as well as if he had never been there? This is a Brand plucked out of the Fire, and must be considered as such, and must be born with p. 60as such. Thus, as Mephibosheth pleaded for his Excuse, His Lameness, 2 Sam. 17.24, 25, 26. So Christ pleads the Infirm, and indigent Condition of his People, against Satan, for their Advantage.

Wherefore Christ, by such Pleas as these for his People, doth yet further shew the Malice of Satan, (for all this Burning comes through him) yea, and by it he moveth the Heart of God to pity us, and yet to be gentle, and long suffering, and merciful to us. For Pity and Compassion are the Fruits of the yearning of God's Bowels towards us, while he considereth us as infirm and weak and subject to Slips and Stumbles, and Falls, because of Weakness.

And that Christ our Advocate by thus pleading doth turn things to our Advantage, consider,

1. That God is careful that through our Weakness our Spirits do not fail before him when he chides, Isa. 57.16, 17, 18.

2. He stays his rough Wind in the Day of his East Wind, Isa. 27.7, 8, 9. and debates about the Measure of Affliction, when for sin we should be chastened, lest we should sink thereunder.

3. He will not strictly mark what's done amiss because if he should, we cannot stand, Psal. 130.3.

p. 614. When he threatneth to strike, his Bowels are troubled, and his Repentings are kindled together, Hos. 11.8, 9.

5. He will spin out his Patience to the utmost length, because he knows we are such Bunglers at doing, Jer. 9.24.

6 He will accept of the Will for the Deed, because he knows that Sin will make our best Performances imperfect, 2 Cor. 8.12.

7. He will count our little a very great deal, for that he knows we are so unable to do any thing at all, Job 1.21.

8. He will excuse the Souls of his People, and lay the Fault upon their Flesh (which has greatest Affinity with Satan) if through Weakness and Infirmity we do not do as we should, Mat. 26.41. Rom. 7.

Now, as I said, all these things happen unto us, both Infirmities and Pity, because, and for that we were once in the Fire, and for that the Weakness of Sin abides upon us to this Day. But none of this Favour could come to us, nor could we, by any Means, cause that our Infirmities should work for us thu… advantageously: But that Christ our Advocate stands our Friend, and pleads for us as he doth.

But again, before I pass this over, I will, for the clearing of this, present you with a few more Considerations, which are of ano…her p. 60duplicate page p. 61duplicate page p. 62Rank: to wit that Christ our Advocate, as such, makes mention of our Weaknesses so against Satan, and before his Father, as to turn all to our Advantage.

1. We are therefore to be saved by Grace, because, by Reason of Sin we are disabled from keeping of the Law, Deut. 9.5. Isa. 64.6.

2. We have given unto us the Spirit of Grace to help, because we can do nothing that's good without it, Eph. 2.5. Rom. 8.26. Ezek. 16.8.

3. God has put Christ's Righteousness upon us to cover our Nakedness therewith, because we have none of our own to do it withal, Phil. 3.7, 8.

4. God alloweth us to ride in the Bosom of Christ to the Grave, and from thence in the Bosom of Angels to Heaven, because our own Legs are not able to carry us th…ther, Isa. 40.11. chap. 46.4. Psal. 67.17. Luk. 16.22.

5. God has made his Son our Head, our Priest, our Advocate, our Saviour, our Captain that we may be delivered from all the Infirmities, and all the Fiends that attend us and that plot to do us Hurt, Eph. 1.22. Col. 1.18. Heb. 7.12.

6. God has put the fallen Angels into Chains, 2 Pet. 2.4. Rev. 20.1, 2. that they night not follow us too fast, and has inlarged p. 63us, Psal. 34.7. and directed our Feet in the way of his Steps, that we may haste us to the strong Tower, and City of Refuge for Succour and Safety: And has given good Angels a Charge to look to us, Heb. 1 14.

7. God has promised, That we, at our counting days shall be spared, as a Man spareth his own Son that serves him, Mal. 3.17.

Now, from all these things, it appears that we have Indulgence at God's Hand, and that our Weaknesses, as our Christ manages the Matter for us, are so far off from laying a Block or Bar in the Way to the Enjoyment of Favour, that, they also work for our good: Yea, and Gods Foresight of them, has so kindled his Bowels and Compassions to us, as to put him upon devising of such things for our Relief, which, by no means could have been, had not Sin been with us in the World: And had not the best of the Saints been as a Brand plucked out of the Burning.

I have seen Men (and yet they are worse than God) take most care of, and also best provide for those of their Children, that have been most infirm and helpless: (And our Advocate shall gather his Lambs with his Arm, and carry them in his Bosom.) Yea, and I know that there is such an Art in shewing and making mention of Weaknesses, as p. 64shall make the Tears stand in a Parents Eyes, and as shall make him search to the bottom of his Purse, to find out what may do his Weakling good. Christ also has that excellent Art, as he is an Advocate with the Father for us: He can so make mention of us, and of our Infirmities, while he pleads afore God, against the Devil, for us; that he can make the Bowels of the Almighty yearn towards us, and to wrap us up in their Compassions.

You read much of the pity, Compassion, and of the yearning of the Bowels of the mighty God towards his People: All which, I think, is kindled, and made burn towards us, by the pleading or our Advocate.

I have seen Fathers offended with their Children; but when a Brother has turned a skilful Advocate, the Anger has been appeased, and the means have been concealed. We read but little of this Advocate's Office of Jesus Christ; yet much of the Fruit of it is extended to the Churches. But as the Cause of Smiles, after Offences committed, is made manifest afterward; so at the Day when God will open all things, we shall see, how many times our Lord as an Advocate pleaded for us, and redeemed us by his so pleading into the injoyment of Smiles and Imbraces, who for Sin, but a while before, were under Frowns and Chastisements.

p. 65And thus much for the making out, how Christ doth manage his Office of being an Advocate for us with the Father. If any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And I shall come now to the Third Head, to wit, To shew you more particularly, who they are, that have Jesus Christ for their Advocate.

In my handling of this Head, I shall shew,

1. That this Office of an Advocate, differeth from that of a Priest, and how.

2. I shall shew yout how far Christ extendeth this his Office of Advocateship. I mean in Matters concerning the People of God: And then,

3. I shall come more directly, to shew who they are that have Christ for their Advocate.

For the first of these, That this Office of Christ as an Advocate, differeth from that of a Priest. That he is a Priest, a Priest for ever, I heartily acknowledge: But that his Priesthood and Advocateship should be one and the self-same Office, I cannot believe.

1. Because they differ in Name. We may as well say a Father, as such, is a Son; or, That Father, and Son is the self same Relation; as, say a Priest and an Advocate, as to Office, are but one and the same thing. They differ in Name as much as Priest and Sacrifice p. 66do. A Priest is one, and a Sacrifice is another; and tho Christ is Priest, and Sacrifice too; yet as a Priest he is not a Sacrifice, nor as a Sacrifice, a Priest.

2. As they differ in Name, so they differ in the Nature of Office. A Priest is to slay a Sacrifice, an Advocate is to plead a Cause. A Priest is to offer his Sacrifice, to the end, that by the Merit thereof, he may appease: An Advocate is to plead, to plead according to Law. A Priest is to make Intercession by Virtue of his Sacrifice, an Advocate is to plead Law, because Amends is made.

3. As they differ in Name, and Nature, so they also differ as to their Extent. The Priesthood of Christ extendeth it self to the whole of God's Elect; whether called or in their Sins: But Christ as Advocate pleadeth only for the Children.

4. As they differ in Name, in Nature, and Extent, so they differ as to the Persons, with whom they have to do. We read not any where that Christ, as Priest, has to do with the Devil, as an Antagonist: But as an Advocate he hath.

5. As they differ in these, so they differ as to the Matters about which they are imployed. Christ as Priest concerns himself with every wry thought, and also with the least Imperfection or Infirmity that attends our most p. 97holy things; but Christ as Advocate doth not so, as I have already shewed.

6. So that Christ, as Priest, goes before, and Christ, as an Advocate, comes after; Christ as Priest, continually interceeds, Christ as Advocate, in Case of great Transgression, pleads: Christ as Priest has need to act always; but Christ, as Ad…ocate, sometimes only. Christ, as Priest, acts in times of Peace; but Christ, as Advocate, in times of Broils, Turmoils and sharp Contentions. Wherefore Christ, as Advocate, is, as I may call him, a Reserve. And his time is then to arise, to stand up and plead, when his are cloathed with some filthy Sin, that of late, they have fallen into, as David, Joshua, or Peter. When some such thing is committed by them, as ministreth to the Enemy a shew of Ground, to question the truth of their Grace. Or when 'tis a Question, and to be bebated, whether it can stand with the Laws of Heaven, with the Merits of Christ, and the Honour of God that such an one should be saved? Now let an Advocate come forth, now let him have time to plead, for this is a fit Occasion, for the Saints Advocate to stand up to plead for the Salvation of his People. But,

Secondly, I come next to shew you, How far this Office of an Advocate is extended. p. 68I hinted at this before, so now shall be the more brief.

1. By this Office, he offereth no Sacrifice, he only as to Matter of Justice, pleads the Sacrifice offered.

2. By this Office, he obtains the Conversion of none: He only thereby, secureth the converted from the Damnation, which their Adversary, for Sins after Light and Profession endeavoureth to bring them to.

3. By this Office he prevents not temporal Punishment: But by it, he chiefly preserveth the Soul from Hell.

4. Be this Office, he brings in no justifiing Righteousness for us; he only, thereby, prevaileth to have the Dispose of that brought in by himself, as Priest, for the justifiing of those by a new, and fresh Act, who had made their Justification doubtful by new Falls into Sin. And this is plain in the History of our Joshua, Zech. 3. o often mentioned before.

5. As Priest he hath obtained eternal Redemption for us; and as Advocate he by Law maintaineth our Right thereto, against the Devil and all his Angels.

I come now to shew you, Who they are that have Jesus Christ for their Advocate. And this I shall do first more generally, and then shall be more particular and distinct about

p. 69First, more generally. They are all the truly Gracious; those that are the Children by Adoption: And this the Text affirmeth; I wri…e unto you, little Children, that you sin not: And if any Man sin, we have on Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. They are then the Children, the Children by Adoption, that are the Persons concerned in the Advocateship of Jesus Christ. The Priesthood of Christ extendeth it self to the whole Body of the Elect; but the Advocateship of Christ doth not so, this is further cleared, by this Apostle, and that in this very Text, if you consider, what immediately follows. We have an Advocate, says he, and he is also the Propitiation for our Sins. He is our Advocate and also our Priest. As an Advocate, ours only; but as a Propitiation, not ours only, but also for the Sins of the whole World; to be sure, for the Elect throughout the World, and they that will extend i… further, let them.

And I say again, had he not intended that there should have been a straighter Limit put to the Advocateship of Christ, than he would have us put to his Priestly Office, What needed he, when he speaketh of the Propitiation which relates to Christ as Priest, have added, And not for ours only? As an Advocate then, he ingageth for us that are Children; and as a Priest too, he hath appeased God's p. 70Wrath for our Sins. But, as an Advocate, his Offices are confined to the Children only, but as a Priest he is not so. He is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for ours only. The Sense therefore of the Apostle should, I think, be this: That Christ, as a Priest, hath offered a Propitiatory Sacrifice for all; but, as an Advocate, he pleadeth only for the Children. Children, we have an Advocate to our selves, and he is also our Priest; but as he is a Priest, he is not ours only, but maketh, as such, amends for all that shall be saved. The Elect therefore have the Lord Jesus for their Advocate then and only then when they are, by calling, put among the Children, because as Advocate he is peculiarly the Childrens. My little Children we have an Advocate.

Object. But he also saith, if any Man sin, we have an Advocate. Any Man that sinneth seems by the Text, notwithstanding what you say, to have an Advocate with the Father.

Answ. By any Man, must not be meant, any of the World, nor any of the Elect; but any Man in Faith and Grace: For he still limits this general Term of [any Man] with this Restriction [we.] Children, if any Man sin, we have an Advocate. We, any Man of us. And this is yet further made appear; since he saith that it is to them he writes, not p. 71only here, but further in this Chapter. I write unto you, little Children: I write unto you, Fathers: I write unto you, young Men, ver. 12, 13, 14. These are the Persons intended in the Text. For under these three Heads, are comprehended all Men: For they are either Children, and so Men in Nature, or young Men, and so Men in Strength, or else they are Fathers, and so aged, and of Experience. Add to this, by [any Man] that the Apostle intendeth, not to enlarge himself beyond the Persons that are in Grace; but to supply what was wanting by that Term, [little Children,] for since the strongest Saint may have need of an Advocate, as well as the most feeble of the Flock; why should the Apostle leave it to be so understood, as if the Children and the Children only, had an Interest in that Office? Wherefore after he had said, my little Children, I write unto you, that you sin not, he then adds with Enlargement, And if any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father. Yet the little Children may well be mentioned first, since they most want the Knowledge of it, are most feeble, and so by Sin, may be forced most frequently to act Faith on Christ as Advocate: Besides, they are most ready through Temptation to question whether they have so good a Right to Christ in all his Offices, as has better and p. 72more well grown Saints: and therefore, they, in this the Apostles Salutation, are first set down in the Catalogue of Names. My little Children, I write unto you that ye sin not, And if any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous. So then, the Children of God are they, who have the Lord Jesus, an Advocate …or them with the Father. The least and biggest, the oldest and youngest, the feeblest and the strongest; all the Children have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

First, Since then the Children have Christ for their Advocate; art thou a Child? Art thou begotten of God by his Word? Jam. 1.18. Hast thou in thee the Spirit of Adoption? Gal. 4.6. Can'st thou in Faith, say, Father, Father, to God? Then is Christ thy Advocate. Thine Advocate, Now to appear in the Presence of God for thee, Heb. 9.24. To appear there, and to plead there, in the Face of the Court of Heaven for thee: To plead there against thine Adversary, whose Accusations are dreadful, whose Subtilty is great, whose Malice is inconceivable, and whose Rage intolerable: To plead there before a just God, a righteous God a Sin revenging God: Before whose Face thou wouldst die, if thou wast to shew thy self, and, at his Bar to plead thine own Cause. But,