The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate, Text (2 of 3)

The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate · Text (2 of 3)

p. 72First, 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,

p. 73Secondly, There is a difference in Children, some are bigger than some: There are Children, and little Children. My little Children I write unto you. Little Children. Some of the little Children can neither say Father, nor so much as know that they themselves are Children.

This is true in Nature, and so it is in Grace. Wherefore, notwithstanding what was said under the first Head, it doth not follow, that if I be a Child I must certainly know it, and also be able to call God Father. Let the first then serve to poise and balance the Confident ones, and let this be for the Relief of those more feeble. For they that are Children, whether they know it or no, have Jesus Christ for their Advocate. For Christ is assigned to be our Advocate by the Judge, by the King, by our God and Father, altho we have not known it. True, at present, there can come from hence, to them that are thus concerned in the Advocateship of Christ, but little Comfort, but yet it yields them great Security. They have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. God knows this, the Devil feels this, and the Children shall have the Comfort of it afterwards. I say the time is coming when they shall know, that even then, when they knew it not, they had an Advocate with the Father: An Advocate p. 74who was neither loth nor afraid, nor ashamed to plead for their Defence, against their proudest Foe.

And will not this, when they know it yield them Comfort? Doubtless it will, yea more, and of a better kind than that which flows from the Knowledge that one is born to Crowns and Kingdoms.

Again, As he is an Advocate for the Children, so he is also, as afore was hinted, for the strong and experienced. For no Strength, in this World, secureth from the Rage of Hell; nor can any Experience while we are here fortifie us against his Assaults. There is also an Incidency in the best to sin, and the bigger Man the bigger Fall; for, the more hurt, and the greater Damage. Wherefore, it is of as absolute Necessity that an Advocate be provided for the strong, as for the weak. Any Man: He that is most holy, most reformed, most refined, and most purified, may as soon be in the Dirt as the weakest Christian. And, so far as I can see, Satan's Design is against them most. I am sure the greatest Sins have been committed by the biggest Saints. This way-faring Man came to David's House, and when he stood up against Israel he provoked David to member the People, 2▪ Sam. 12.4, 7. 1 Chr. 21.1. wherefore they have as much need of an Advocate, as have p. 75the youngest, and most feeble of the Flock. What a Mind had he to try a Fall with Peter? and how quickly did he break the Neck of Judas? The like, without Doubt, he had done to Peter, had not Jesus, by stepping in, prevented. As long as Sin is in our Flesh, there is danger. Indeed he saith of the young Men that they are strong, and that they have overcome the wicked one; but he doth not say, they have kill'd him; as long as the Devil is alive there is Danger; and though a strong Christian may be too hard for, and may overcome him in one thing, he may be too hard for, yea and may overcome him, two for one afterwards. Thus he served David, and thus he served Peter; and thus he, in our Day, has served many more. The strongest are weak, the wisest are Fools, when suffered to be sifted as Wheat, in Satan's Sieve: Yea and have often times been so proved to the wounding of their great Hearts, and the Dishonour of Religion.

To conclude this; God, of his Mercy, hath sufficiently declared the Truth of what I say, by preparing for the best, the strongest, and most sanctified, as well as for the least, weakest, and most feeble Saint, an Advocate. My little Children, I write unto you that you sin not, And if any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

p. 76Obj. But some may object, That what has been said, as to discovering for whom Christ is an Advocate, has been too general, and therefore would have we come more to particulars, else they can get no Comfort.

Ans. Well, inquiring Soul, so I will; and therefore harken to what I say.

First, Wouldest thou know whether Christ is thine Advocate or no? I ask, Hast thou entertain'd him so to be? When men have Sutes of Law depending, in any of the King's Courts above, they entertain their Attorney, or Advocate to plead their Cause, and so he pleads for them.

I say hast thou entertained Jesus Christ for thy Lawyer to plead thy Cause? Plead my Cause, O God, said David, Psal. 35.1. and again, Lord, plead thou my Cause, Psal. 43.1. This therefore is the first thing that I would propound to thee. Hast thou with David entertained him for thy Lawyer, or with good Hezekiah, cried out, O Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for me, Isa. 38.14. What sayst thou, Soul? Hast thou been with him, and prayed him to plead thy Cause, and cryed unto him to undertake for thee? This I call entertaining of him to be thine Advocate. And I chuse to follow the Similitude, both because the Scripture seems to smile upon such a way of Discourse, and because thy question p. 77doth naturally lead me to it. Wherefore … ask again, hast thou been with him? Hast thou entertained him? Hast thou desired him to plead thy Cause?

Quest. Thou wilt say unto me, How should I know that I have done so?

Answ. I answer, art thou sensible that thou hast an Action commenced against thee in that high Court of Justice that is above? I say art thou sensible of this? For the Defendants (and all Gods People are Defendants) do not use to entertain their Lawyers, but from Knowledge, That an Action either is, or may be commenced against them, before the God of Heaven. If thou sayst, yea; then I ask who told thee that thou standest accused for Transgression before the Judgment-Seat of God? I say who told thee so? hath the holy Ghost, hath the World, or hath thy Conscience? For nothing else, as I know off, can bring such Tidings to thy Soul.

Again, hast thou found a Failure in all others that might have been entertained to plead thy Cause? Some make their Sighs, their Tears, their Prayers, and their Reformations, their Advocates; Hast thou tryed these, and found them wanting?

Hast thou seen thy state to be desperate, if the Lord Jesus doth not undertake to plead thy Cause? for Jesus is not entertained so long p. 78as Men can make shift without him: But when it comes to this Point I perish for-ever notwithstanding the Help of all, if the Lord Jesus steps not in: Then Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus, good Lord Jesus, undertake for me.

Hast thou therefore been with Jesus Christ as concerned in thy Soul, as heartily concerned, about the Action that thou perceivest to be commenced against thee?

Quest. You will say, how should I know that?

Answ. I answer, Hast thou well considered the Nature of the Crime wherewith thou standest charged at the Bar of God? Hast thou also considered the Justness of the Judge?

Again, I ask, hast thou considered what Truth, as to Matter of Fact, there is in the things whereof thou standest accused? Also hast thou considered the Cunning, the Malice, and Diligence of thine Adversary with the Greatness of the Loss thou art like to sustain? Shouldst thou with Ahab (in the Book of Kings,) 1 King. 22.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. or with the Hypocrites (in the sixth of Isaiah), Isa. 6.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. have the Verdict of the Lord God go out from the Throne against thee?

I ask thee these Questions, because, if thou art, in the Knowledge of these things, to seek; or if thou art not deeply concerned p. 79about the Greatness of the Damage that will certainly over-take thee, and that for-ever, (shouldest thou be indeed accused before God and have none to plead thy Cause:) Thou hast not, nor canst not, let what will come upon thee, have been with Jesus Christ to plead thy Cause; and so, let thy Case be never so desperate, thou standest alone, and hast no Helper, Job 30.13. chap. 9.13. or if thou hast, they not being the Advocate of God's appointing, must needs fall with thee, and with thy Burden. Wherefore, consider of this seriously, and return thy Answer to God, who can tell if Truth shall be found in thy Answers better by far than any: For 'tis he that tries the Reins, and the Heart, and therefore to him I referr thee. But,

Secondly, Wouldest thou know whether Jesus Christ is thine Advocate? Then: I ask again, hast thou Revealed thy Cause unto him? I say hast thou Revealed thy Cause unto him? For he that goeth to Law, for his Right, must not only go to a Lawyer, and say, Sir, I am in Trouble, and am to have a Tryal at Law with mine Enemy, pray undertake my Cause; but he must also Reveal to his Lawyer his Cause. He must go to him, and tell him what is the Matter, how things stand, where the shooe pinches, and so.

Thus did the Church of old, and thus doth p. 80every true Christian now. For tho nothing can be hid from him, yet he will have things out of thine own Mouth. He will have thee to Reveal thy Matters unto him, Mat. 20.32. O Lord of Hosts, said Jeremy, that judgest righteously and tryest the Reins, and the Heart, let me see thy Vengeance on them, for unto thee have I revealed my Cause, Jer. 11.20. And again, But O Lord of Hosts, that tryest the righteous, and seest the Reins and the Heart, let me see thy Vengeance on them, for unto thee have I opened my Cause, Chap. 20.12. Seest thou here how Saints of old were wont to do? How they did, not only in a general way intreat Christ to plead their Cause, but in a particular way, go to him and Reveal, or open their Cause unto him?

O 'tis excellent to behold how some Sinners will do this, when they, get Christ and themselves in a Closet alone. When they upon their bare Knees are pouring out of their Souls before him: Or like the Woman in the Gospel, telling of him all the Truth. Mark 5.

O Saith the Soul, Lord, I am come to thee upon an earnest Business, I am arrested by Satan; the Bailiff was mine own Conscience, and I am like to be accused before the Judgment-Seat of God; my Salvation lies at Stake; I am questioned for my Interest in Heaven; I am afraid of p. 81the Judge; my Heart condemns me, 1 Joh. 3: 20. Mi…e Enemy is subtil, and wanteth not Malice to prosecute me to Death, and then to Hell. Also, Lord, I am sensible the Law is against me, for indeed I have horribly sinned; and thus and thus have I done. Here I lie open to Law, and there I lie open to Law; Here I have gi…en the Adversary Advantage, and there he will surely have a hank against me: Lord I am distressed, undertake for me. And there are some things that thou must be acquainted with about thine Advocate, before thou wilt venture to go thus far with him. As,

1. Thou must know him to be a Friend and not an Enemy unto whom thou openest thy Heart; and, until thou comest to know, That Christ is a Friend to thee, or to Souls in thy Condition, thou wilt never reveal thy Cause unto him: Not thy whole Cause unto him. And it is from this, That so many that have Soul-Causes hourly depending, before the Throne of God; and th…t are in Danger, every day, of eternal Damnation, forbear to entertain Jesus Christ for their Advocate, and so wickedly conceal their Matters from him. But he that hideth his Sins shall not prosper, Prov. 28.13. This therefore must first be believed by thee, before thou wilt reveal thy Cause unto him.

p. 822. A Man, When his Estate is called into Question, I mean his Right and Title thereto, will be very cautious, specially if he also questions his Title to it himself, unto whom he reveals that Affair. He must know him to be one that is not only friendly, but faithful, to whom he reveals such a Secret as this. Why thus it is with Christ and the Soul. If the Soul is not somewhat perswaded of the Faithfulness of Christ, to wit, that if he can do him no good, he will do him no harm, he will never reveal his Cause unto him; But will seek to hide his Counsel from the Lord.

This therefore is another thing by which thou mayst know that thou hast Christ for thine Advocate; If thou hast heartily, and in very Deed, revealed thy Cause unto him.

Now they that do honestly reveal their Cause to their Lawyer, will endeavour to possess him, as I hinted before, with the worst: They will, with Words, make it as bad as they may, for, think they, by that Means I shall prepare him for the worst that mine Enemy can do. And thus Souls deal with Jesus Christ. See the fifty first Psalm, also the thirty eighth, with several others that might be named, and see if God's People have not done so. I said, saith David, That I would confess my Transgressions against my self, p. 83and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin. But,

Thirdly, Hast thou Jesus Christ for thine Advocate? Or wou…dst thou know if thou h… ▪ Then I ask again hast thou committed thy Cause to him? When a Man entertains his Lawyer to stand for him and to plead his Cause, he doth not only reveal, but commit his Cause unto him. I would seek unto him, says Eliphas to Job, and unto him would I commit my Cause, Job 5.8. Now there is a Difference betwixt revealing my Cause, and committing of it to a Man. To reveal my Cause, is to open it to one, and to commit it to him, is to trust it in his Hand. Many a Man will reveal his Cause to him unto whom he will yet be afraid to commit it. But now, he that entertains a Lawyer, to plead his Cause, doth not only reveal, but commit his Cause unto him: As suppose Right to his Estate be called into Question; why then he not only r…eals his Cause to his Lawyer, but puts into his Hands his Evidences, Deeds, Leases, Mortgages, Bonds, or what else he hat…, to shew a Title to his Estate by. And thus doth the Christians deal with Christ: They deliver up all unto him, to wit, all their Signs, Evidences, Promises, and Assurances which they have thought they have had for Heaven and the Salvation of their Souls; and have desired p. 84him to peruse, to search and try them every one, Psal. 139.23. And if there be Iniquity in me, lead me in the way everlasting. This is committing of thy Cause to Christ, and this is the hardest Task of all: For the Man that doth thus, he trusteth Christ with all, and and implyeth that he will live and die, stand and fall, lose and win according as Christ will manage his Business, thus did Paul, 2 Tim. 1.12. and thus Peter admonisheth us to do.

Now he that doth this must be convinced,

1. Of the Ability of Jesus Christ to defend him: For a Man will not commit so great a Concern as his All is, to his Friend; no, not to his Friend, be he never so faithful; if he perceives not in him Ability to save him, and to preserve what he hath, against all the Cavils of an Enemy. And hence it is that the Ability of Jesus Christ as to the saving of his People, is so much insisted on in the Scripture: As, I have laid Help upon one that is mighty, Psal. 89.19. I that speak in Righteousness, mighty to save, Isa. 63.1. And again, I will send them a Saviour, and a great one, Chap. 19.20.

2. As they must be convinced of his Ability to help them, so they must of his Courage. A Man that has Parts sufficient, may yet fail …is Friend for want of Courage. Wherefore, p. 85the Courage and Greatness of Christ's Spirit, as to his undertaking of the Cause of his People, is also amply set out in Scripture. He shall not fail nor be discouraged until he hath set Judgment in the Earth: Vntil he hath brought Judgment into Victory, Isa. 42.4. Mat 12.20.

3. They must also be convinced of his Willingness to do this for them; for tho one be able, and of Courage sufficient, yet, if he is not willing to undertake ones Cause, what is it the better? Wherefore he declareth his Willingness also, and how ready he is to stand up, to plead the Cause of the Poor, and of them that are in want. The Lord will plead their Cause, and spoil the Soul of those that spoiled them, Prov. 22.23.

4. They must also be convinced of this, That Christ is tender and will not be offended at the Dulness of his Client. Some Men can reveal their Cause to their Lawyers, better than some, and are more serviceable and handy in that Affair than others, but, saith the Christian, I am dull, and sorry that way, will not Christ be shuff and shy of me because of this? Honest Heart, he hath a Supply of thy Defects in himself, and knoweth what thou wantest, and where the Shooe pinches, though thou art not able distinctly to open Matters to him. The Child is prickt p. 86with a Pin, and lies crying in the Mothers Lap, but cannot shew to its Mother where the Pin is, but there is pity enough in the Mother to supply this Defect of the Child: Wherefore she undresses it, opens it, searches every Clout from Head to the Foot of the Child, and so finds where the Pin is. Thus will thy Lawyer do, he will search and find out thy Difficulties; and, where Satan seeketh an Advantage of thee, accordingly will provide his Remedy.

5. O but will he not be weary? The Prophet complains of some that they weary God, Isa. 7.13. And mine is a very cross and intricate Cause: I have wearied many a good Man while I have been telling my tale unto him: And I am afraid, That I shall also weary Jesus Christ.

Answer, Soul, he suffered and did bear with the manners of Israel, forty Years in the Wilderness, Acts 13.18. and hast thou tryed him half so long? The good Souls that have gone before thee, have found him a tryed Stone, a sure one to be trusted to as to this, Isa. 28.16. and the Prophet saith positively, That he fainteth not, neither is weary, and that there is no searching of his Vnderstanding, chap. 40.28. let all these things prevail with thee, to believe, that if thou hast committed thy Cause unto him he will bring it to pass, to a good pass, to so good a pass, as will glorifie p. 87God, honour Christ, save thee, and shame the Devil.

Fourthly. But fourthly, wouldest thou know whether Jesus Christ is thine Advocate; whether he has taken in hand to plead thy Cause? Then, I ask, Dost thou together with what has been mentioned before, wait upon him according to his Counsel, until things shall come to a legal Issue! Thus must Clients do. There is a great many Turnings and Windings about Sutes and Tryals at Law; the Enemy also with his Supersedes, Cavils, and Motions, often deferrs a speedy Issue. Wherefore, the Man, whose is the concern, must wait, as the Prophet said: I will look, said he unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my Salvation. But how long, Prophet, wilt thou wait? Why, says he, until he plead my Cause and execute Judgment for me, Mich. 7.7, 8, 9, 10.

Perhaps, When thy Cause is tryed, things for the present are upon this Issue. Thy Adversary indeed is cast, but whether thou shalt have an absolute Discharge, as Peter had, or a conditional one as David, 2 Sam. 12.10, 11, 14. and as the Corinthians had that's the Question. True, thou shalt be compleatly saved at last, but yet whether 'tis not best to leave to thee a Memento of God's Displeasure, against thy Sin, by awarding, that the p. 88Sword shall never depart from thy House; or that some sore Sickness or other Distresses shall haunt thee as long as thou livest or perhaps that thou shalt walk without the Light of God…s Countenance, for several Years, and a Day. Now if any of these three things happen unto thee, thou must exercise Patience and wait. Thus did David, I waited patiently: And again, He exercises his Soul in this Vertue, saying, My Soul, wait thou only upon him, for my Expectation is from him, Psal. 62.5. For now we are Judged of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the World: And by this Judgment, (though it sets us free from their Damnation) yet we are involved in many Troubles: And perhaps must wait many a Day before we can know, That, as to the main, the Verdict hath gone on our Side. Thus therefore in order to thy waiting upon him, without fainting, it is meet, that thou shouldest know the Methods of him that manages thy Cause for thee, in Heaven; And, suffer not Mistrust to break in and bear sway in thy Soul: For he will (at length) bring th…e forth to the Light, and thou shalt behold his Righteousness. She also that is thine Enemy shall see it, and Shame shall cover her that said unto thee, where is thy God?

But what is it to wait upon him according to his Counsel?

p. 89Answ. 1. To wait, is to be of good Courage; to live in Expectation, and to look for Deliverance, tho thou hast sinn… against thy God. Wait on the Lord, be of good Courage and he shall strengthen thy Heart: Wait I say on the Lord, Psal. 7.14. Psal. 31.24.

2. To wait upon him, is, to keep his way: To walk humbly in his Appointments. Wait on the Lord and keep his Way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the Land, Psal. 37.3.

3. To wait upon him, is, to observe and keep those Directions which he giveth thee; to observe, even while he stands up to plead thy Cause. For without this, or not doing this, a Man may further marr his Cause in the Hand of him that is to plead it. Wherefore keep thee far from an evil Matter, have no Correspondence with thine Enemy; walk humbly for the Wickedness that thou hast committed; and loath and abhor thy self, for it in Dust and Ashes. To these things doth the Scripture every where direct us.

4. To wait, is also to encline, to harken to those further Directions which thou mayst receive, from the Mouth of thine Advocate, as to any fresh Matters that may forward, and expedite a good issue of thine Affair in the Court of Heaven. The want of this, was the Reason, that the Deliverance of Israel did linger so long in former times. O! Says he, that my p. 90People had harkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my Ways; I should soon have subdued their Enemies, and turned mine Hand against their Adversaries. The Haters of the Lord should soon have submitted themselves: But their Time should have end…ed forever, Psal. 81.13, 14, 15.

5. Also, if it tarry long, wait for it: Do not conclude that thy Cause is lost, because, at present, thou dost not hear from Court. Cry if thou wilt, O when wilt thou come unto me! But never let such a wicked thought pass through thy Heart, saying, This Evil is of the Lord; why should I wait upon the Lord any longer? 2 King. 6.33.

6. But, take heed that thou turnest not thy Waiting into Sleeping. Wait thou must, and wait patiently too, but yet wait with much longing, and Earnestness of Spirit to see, or hear how Matters go above. You may observe, that when a Man that dwells far down in the Country, and has some Business at the Term, in this or another of the Kings Courts, though he will wait his Lawyers time and conveniency, yet he will so wait, as still to enquire at the Post-house, or at the Carriers, or, if a Neighbour comes down, from Term, at his Mouth, for Letters, or any other Intelligence, if possibly he may arrive to know how his Cause speeds, and p. 91whether his Adversary, or he, has the day.

Thus, I say, thou must wait upon thine Advocate: His Ordinances are his Post-house, his Ministers are his Carriers, where Tidings from Heaven are to be had, and where those that are sued, in that Court, by the Devil, may, at one time or another, hear from their Lawyer, their Advocate, how things are like to go. Wherefore, I say, wait, at the Posts of Wisdom's House; go to Ordinances with Expectation to hear from thy Advocate there. For he will send, in due time; Tho it tarry wait for it, because it will surely come and will not tarry, Hab. 2.1, 2, 3. And now, Soul, I have answered thy Request; and, let me hear what thou sayst unto me.

Soul. Truly, says the Soul, methinks, that by what you have said, I may have this blessed Jesus to be mine Advocate; for, I think verily, I have entertained him to be mine Advocate; I have also revealed my Cause unto him; yea committed both it and my self unto him. And, as you say, I wait: O I wait! And my Eyes fail with looking upward. Fain would I hear, how my Soul standeth in the Sight of God, and whether my Sins, which I have committed (Since Light and Grace was given unto me) be, by mine Advocate, taken out of the Hand of the p. 92Devil, and by mine Advocate, removed as far from me as the Ends of the Earth are asunder: Whether the Verdict has gone on my side. And what a Shout there was among the Angels when they saw it went well with me. But alas! I have waited, and that a long time; and have, as you advise, ran from Ordinance to minister, and from Minister to Ordinance, or, as you phrase it, from the Post to the Carrier, and from the Carrier to the Post-house, to see if I could hear ought from Heaven, how Matters went, about my Soul there. I have also asked those that pass by the way, if they saw him whom my Soul loveth, and if they had any thing to communicate to me, but nothing can I get or find but Generals; as, that I have an Advocate there, and that he pleadeth the Cause of his People, and that he will throughly plead their Cause, but what he has done for Me, of that, as yet, I am ignorant. I doubt, if my Soul shall, by him, effectually be secured, that yet, a conditional Verdict will be awarded concerning me, and that much Bitter will be mixed with my Sweet, and that I must drink Gall and Wormwood for my Folly: For, if David and Asa, and Hezekiah, and such good Men, were so served, for their Sins, 2 Chron. 16.7, 12. why should I look for other Dealing at the Hand of God? But as to p. 93this, I will endeavour to bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, Isa. 39.3, 8. and shall count it an infinite Mercy, if this Judgment comes to me from him, that I may not be condemned with the World, 1 Cor. 11.32. I know, it is dreadful walking in Darkness, but if that also shall be the Lord's Lot upon me, I pray God I may have Faith enough to stay upon him till Death, and then will the Clouds blow over, and I shall see him, in the Light of the Living.

Mine Enemy, the Devil, as you say, is of an inveagling Temper, and although he has accused me, before the Judgment-Seat of God, yet, when he comes to me, at any time, he glavers and flatters, as if he never did mean me harm: But, I think, 'tis that he might get further Advantage against me. But I carry it now at a further distance than formerly; and O that I was at the remotest Distance, not only from him, but also from that self of mine that laboureth with him for my undoing!

But, altho I say these things now, and to you, yet I have my solitary hours, and, in them, I have other strange thoughts. For thus I think; my Cause is bad: I have sinned, and I have been vile. I am ashamed my self of mine own doings, and have given mine Enemy p. 94the best end of the Staff. The Law and Reason, and my Conscience, plead for him against me and all is true, he puts into his Charge against me, That I have sinned more times than there he Hairs on my Head. I know not of any thing that ever I did in my Life but it had flaw, or wrinkle, or Spot or some such thing in it. Mine Eyes have seen vileness in the best of my doings, what then, think you, must God needs see in them? Nor can I do any thing yet, for all I know that I am accused by my Enemy before the Judgment seat of God, better than what already is imperfect. I lie down in my Shame, and my Confusion covers my Face, I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, O thou Preserver of Men! Jer. 3.24, 25. Job 7.20.

Reply, Well Soul, I have heard what thou hast said, and, if all be true which thou hast said, it is good, and gives me Ground of Hope, That Jesus Christ is become thine Advocate. And, if that be so, no Doubt, but thy Tryal will come to a good Conclusion. And, be not afraid because of the Holiness of God; for thine Advocate has this for his Advantage, that he pleads before a Judge that is just, and against an Enemy that is unholy and rejected. Nor let the thoughts of the badness of thy Cause terrifie thee over much. Cause thou hast indeed to be humble, and thou dost well to cover thy Face with p. 95Shame; And, 'tis no matter how base and vile thou art in thine own Eyes, provided that it comes not by renewed Acts of Rebellion, but through a spiritual Sight of thine Imperfections. Only, let me advise thee here to stop; let not thy Shame, nor thy self-abasing Apprehension of thy self, drive thee from the firm and permanent Ground of Hope, which is the Promise, and the Doctrine of an Advocate with the Father. No, let not the Apprehension of the Badness of thy Cause do it for as much as he did never yet take Cause in Hand that was good, perfectly good of it self: And his Excellency is, to make a Man stand that has a bad Cause, yea he can make a bad Cause good, in a way of Justice and Righteousness.

And, for thy further Encouragement in this Matter, I will here bring in the fourth chief Head, to wit, to shew, what excellent Privileges (I mean over and above what has already been spoke of) they have that are made Partakers of the Benefit of this Office. If any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

First Priv. 1. Thy Advocate pleads to a Price paid, to a Propitiation made; and this is a great Advantage. Yea he pleads to a Satisfaction made for all Wrongs done, or to be done, by his Elect: For by one Offering he hath perfected for-ever them that are sanctified, Heb. 10.14. p. 96ver. 10. chap. 9.26. By one Offering: That is, by the Offering of himself; by one Offering once offered, once offered in the end of the World. This, I say, thine Advocate pleads. When Satan brings in fresh Accusations, for more Transgressions against the Law of God, he forceth not Christ to shift his first Plea, I say, he puts him not to his Shifts at all. For the Price, once paid, hath in it sufficient Value (would God impute it to that end) to take away the Sin of the whole World. There is a Man that hath Brethren, he is rich, and they are poor, (and this is the Case 'twixt Christ and us) and the rich Brother, goeth to his Father, and saith, thou art related to my Brethren with me; and out of thy Store, I pray thee, let them have sufficient, and, for thy Satisfaction, I will put into thy Hand the whole of what I have, which perhaps is worth an hundred thousand Pounds by the Year; and this other Sum, I also give, that they be not disinherited: Now will not this last his poor Brethren to spend upon a good while? But Christ's Worth can never be drawn dry.

Now, set the Case again, that some ill-conditioned Man should take Notice, that these poor Men live all upon the spend, (and Saints do so) and should come to the good Man's House, and complain to him of the spending p. 97of his Sons, and that while their elder Brother stands by: What do you think the elder Brother would reply, if he was as good-natured as Christ? Why he would say, I have yet with my Father in store for my Brethren: Wherefore then seekest thou to stop his hand? As he is just, he must give them for their Conveniency; yea, and as for their Extravagancies, I have satisfied for them so well, that, however he afflicteth them, he will not disinherit them. I hope you will read and hear this, not like them that say, let us do evil that Good may come, but like those, whom the Love of Christ constrains to be better: however, this is the Childrens Bread, that which they have need of and without which they cannot live; and they must have it tho Satan should put Pins into it, therewith to choak the Dogs.

And, for the further clearing of this, I will present you with these few Considerations:

1. Those that are most sanctified, have yet, a Body of Sin and Death in them, Rom. 7.24. and so also it will be while they continue in this World.

2. This Body of Sin, strives to break out, and will break out, to the polluting of the Conversation, (if Saints be not the more watchful) Chap. 6.12. yea it has broke o… p. 98in most sad Manner, and that in the strongest Saints, Gal. 5.17.

3. Christ offereth no new Sacrifice for the Salvation of these his People; for, being raised from the Dead, he dies no more, Rom 6.9. So then, if Saints sin they must be saved (if saved at all) by Virtue of the Offering already offered; and if so, then all Christ's Pleas, as an Advocate, are grounded upon that one Offering, which before, as a Priest, he presented God with, for the taking away of Sin. So then, Christians l…e upon this old Stock, their T…sgressions are forgiven for the Sake of … …o…th, that ye… … …inds in the Offering that Christ hath o…red. And all Christ's Pleading… as an Advocate, are grounded upon the Sufficiency, … Worth of that one Sacrifice. I mean all his Pleadings with his Father, as to the Charge, which the Accuser brings in agai… … …hem. For, tho thou art a Man of Infirmity; and so incident to nothing, as to stumble and fall, if Grace doth not pr… and it always preventeth not;) yet the … Worth of the Price that was once paid for thee, is not yet worn out, and Christ, as an Advocate, still pleadeth (as Occasion is given) that, with Success, … thy Salvation. And this Privilege they … indeed have Christ for their Advo… … I put it here in the first Place, p. 99because all other do depend upon it.

Priv. 2. Secondly, Thine Advocate, as he pleadeth a Price already paid, so, and therefore, he pleads for himself as for thee. We are all concerned in one bottom; if he sinks we sink, if we sink he sinks. Give me leave to make out my meaning.

1. Christ pleads the Value and Virtue of the Price of his Blood and Sacrifice for … And admit of this horrible Supposition, a little for Argument's Sake, That tho Christ pleads the Worth of what, as Priest, he offereth, yet, the Soul, for whom he so pleads, perishes eternally. Now where lieth the Fault? In Sin; you say tru…; but it is, because there was more Virtue in Sin to damn, than there w… … ▪ Blood pleaded by Christ, to save: … pleaded his Merit, he put it into the Balance against Sin, but Sin hath weighed down the Soul of the Sinner to Hell, notwithstanding the Weight of Merit that he did p… i… against it. Now, what's the Result but that the Advocate goes down, as well as we, we to Hell, and he in Esteem? Wherefore, I say, he is concerned with us, his Credit, his Honour, his Glory, and Renown, flies all away, if those, for whom he pleads, as an Advocate, perish for want of Worth, in his Sacrifice pleaded: … shall this ever be said of Christ, or will it be p. 100found, that any, for whom Christ, as Advocate, pleads, yet perish for want of Worth in the Price, or of Neglect in the Advocate to plead it? No, no, himself is concerned, and that as to his own Reputation and Honour, and as to the Value, and Virtue of his Blood, nor will he lose these for want of pleading for them concerned in this Office.

2. I argue again: Christ, as Advocate, must needs be concerned in his Plea; for that every one, for whose Salvation he advocates, is his own. So then, if he loses, he loses his own, his Substance & Inheritance. Thus if he lose the whole, and if he lose a part, one, any one of his own, he loseth part of his All, and of his Fulness: Wherefore, we may well think, that Christ, as Advocate, is concerned, … concerned with his People, and therefore will thoroughly plead their Cause.

Suppose a Man should have an Horse, tho …ame, and a piece of Ground, tho somewhat barren; yet, if any should attempt to take these away, he would not sit still and so lose his own. No, saith he, since they are mine own, they shall cost me five times more than they are worth, but I will maintain my Right.

I have seen Men, sometimes, strongly ingaged in Law for that, which, when considered by itself, one would think, was not worth regarding. But when I have asked them, why so p. 101concerned for a thing of so little Esteem? They have answered, O! 'Tis some of that by which I hold a Title of Honour, or my Right to a greater in come, and therefore I will not lose it. Why, thus is Christ engaged; what he pleads for, is his own, his All, his Fulness; yea, 'tis that by which he holds his Royalty, for he is King of Saints, Rev. 15 3. Joh. 6.37, 38, 39. Psal. 16.5, 6. 'Tis part of his Estate▪ and that by which he holds some of his Titles of Honour, Eph. 5.6. Jer. 51.34. Rom. 11.26. Heb. 2.10. Saviour, Redeemer, Deliverer and Captain, are some of his Titles of Honour: But, if he loseth any of those, upon whose Account he weareth these Titles of Honour, for want of Virtue in his Plea, or for want of Worth in his Blood, he loseth his own; and not only so, but also Part of his Royalty; and does also diminish, and l…y a blot upon his glorious Titles of Honour. And he is jealous of his Honour, his Honour he will not give to another.

Wherefore, he will not, (be not afraid) he never will leave nor forsake those, who have given themselves unto him, and for whom he is become an Advocate with the Father, to plead their Cause: Even because thou art one, one of his own, one by whom he holdeth his glorious Titles of Honour.

Obj. O but I am but one, and a very sorry one too: And what's one, specially such an one p. 102as I am? Can there be a miss of the Loss of such an one?

Answ. One and one makes two, and so ad infinitum. Christ cannot lose one, but as he may lose more, and so, in Conclusion, lose all. But of all that God has given him he will lose nothing, Joh. 6.38, 39. Besides, to lose one, would encourage Satan, disparage his own Wisdom, make him uncapable of giving in, at the Day of Account, the whole tale to God, of those that he has given him. Further, this would dishearten Sinners and make them afraid of venturing their Cause, and their Souls in his Hand; and would, as I said before, either prove his Propitiation, in some Sense, ineffectual, or else himself defective in his pleading of it. But, none of these things must be supposed. He will throughly plead the Cause of his People, Mic. 7. execute Judgment for them, bring them out to the Light, and cause them to behold his Righteousness.

Priv. 3. Thirdly, The Plea of Satan is groundess; and that's another Privilege. For, albeit thou hast sinned, yet, since Christ before has paid thy Debt, and also paid for more; since thou hast not yet run beyond the Price of thy Redemption; it must be concluded, That Satan wants a good bottom to ground his Plea upon, and therefore must, in Conclusion, p. 103fail of his Design. True, there is Sin committed, there is a Law transgressed; but there is also a Satisfaction for this Transgression, and that which super-abounds. So …ho there be Sin, yet there wants a Foundation for a Plea. Joshua was cloathed with filthy Garments, but Christ had other Garments prepared for him; Change of Raiment: Wherefore Iniquity, as to the Charge of Satan, vanishes. And the Angel answered and said, Take away the filthy Garments from him, [This intimates that there was no Ground, no sufficient Ground for Satan's Charge;] and to him, he said, behold, I have caused thine Iniquity to pass from thee, and will cloath thee with Change of Raiment, Josh. 3.4. Now, if there be no Ground, no sound and sufficient Ground, to build a Charge against the Child upon, I mean, As to Eternal Condemnation, for that's the thing contended for; then, as I said, Satan must fall like Lightning to the Ground, and be cast over the Bar, as a corrupt, and illegal Pleader: But this is so, as, in part, is proved already, and will be further made out by that which follows. They that have, indeed, Christ to be their Advocate are themselves, by Virtue of another Law, than that against which they have sinned, secured from the Charge that Satan brings in against them. I granted before that the Child of God has p. 104sinned, and that there is a Law that condemneth for this Sin: But here is the thing, this Child is removed by an Act of Grace into, and under another Law. For we are not under the Law, Rom. 6.14. chap. 8.1. and so consequently there is now no Condemnation for them: Wherefore, when God speaketh of his dealing with his, he saith, it shall not be by their Covenant, Ezek. 16.61. That is, not by that of the Law; they then being not under the Law. What if a Plea be commenced against them, a Plea for Sin, and they have committed Sin; a Plea grounded upon the Law, and the Law takes Cognisance of their Sin? Yet, I say, the Plea wants a good bottom, for that the Person, thus accused, is put under another Law. Hence he says, Sin shall not have Dominion over you, for you are not under the Law. If the Child was under the Law, Satan's Charge would be good, because it would have a substantial Ground of Support, but since the Child is dead to the Law, Gal. 2.16. and that also dead to him; for both are true, as to Condemnation, Rom. 7.6. how can it be that Satan should have a sufficient Ground for his Charge, tho he should have Matter of Fact, sufficient Matter of Fact, that is Sin? for by his change of Relation, he is put out of the reach of that Law. There is a Woman, a Widow, that oweth a p. 105Sum of Money, and she is threatned to be sued for the Debt; now what doth she, but marrieth; so, when the Action is commenced against her as a Widow, the Law finds her a married Woman, what now can be done? Nothing to her, she is not who she was, she is delivered from that State by her Marriage. If any thing be done, it must be done to her Husband. But, if Satan will sue Christ, for my Debt, he oweth him nothing: And, as for what the Law can claim of me, while I was under it, Christ has delivered me by Redemption, from that Curse, being made a Curse for me, Gal. 3.13.

Now, the Covenant into which I am brought, by Grace, by which also I am secured from the Law, is not a Law of Sin and Death, as that is from under which I am brought, Rom. 8.2. but a Law of Grace and Life; so that Satan cannot come at me, by that Law and by Grace, I am by th…t secured also from the Hand, and Mouth and S…ing… of all other: I mean still as to an eternal Concern. Wherefore God saith, if we break his Law, the Law of Works, he will visit our Sin with a Rod, and our Iniquity with Stripes, but his Covenant, his new Covenant, will he not break, Psal. 89.30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37. but will still keep close to that, and so secure us from eternal Condemnation.

p. 106Christ also is made the Mediator of tha Covenant, and therefore an Advocate by that: For his Priestly Office, and Advocateship are included by his Mediation. Wherefore, when Satan pleads by the Old, Christ pleads by the new Covenant, for the Sake of which, the Old one is removed. In that he saith, A new Covenant, he hath made the first Old; now, that which decayeth and waxeth old, is ready to vanish away, Heb 8.13. So then, the Ground of Plea is with Jesus Christ, and not with our Accuser. Now what doth Christ plead, and what is the Ground of his Plea? Why, he pleads for Exemption and Freedom from Condemnation, tho by the Law of Works, his Children have deserved it: And the Ground for this his Plea, as to Law, is, the Matter of the Covenant it self. For thus it runs, For I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness, and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more, ver. 12. Now here is a Foundation, a Foundation in Law, for our Advocate to build his Plea upon; a Foundation in a Law not to be moved, or removed, or made to give Place, as that is forced to do, upon which Satan grounds his Plea against us.

Men, when they plead before a Judge, use to plead matter of Law. Now, suppose there is an old Law in the Realm by which Men deserve to be condemned to Death; and there p. 107is a new Law in this Realm, that secureth Men from that Condemnation, which belongs to them by the old; and suppose also that I am compleatly comprehended by all the Provisoes of the new Law, and not, by any tittle thereof, excluded from a share therein: And suppose again, that I have a brangling Adversary that pursues me by the old Law, which yet cannot in Right touch me, because I am Interested in the New; my Advocate also is one that plead… by the new Law, where only there is a Ground of Plea: Shall not now mine Adversary feel the Power of his Plea to the delivering of me, and the putting of him to Shame? Yes verily, specially since the Plea is good, the Judge just; nor can the Enemy find any Ground for a Dem… to be put in against my present Discharge in open Court, and that by Proclamation: Specially since my Advocate has also, by his Blood, fully satisfied the old Law, that he might establish the New, Heb. 10 9, 10, 11, 12.

Priv. 4. Fourthly, Since that which goeth before is true, it follows, That he that entereth his Plea against the Children must needs be overthrown. For always, before just Judges 'tis the Right that taketh place. Judge the right, O Lord, said David, or let my Sentence come forth from thee, according to the Law of Grace. And he that knows what p. 108strong Ground, or bottom our Advocate has for his Pleadings, and how Satan's Accusations are without sound Foundation, will not be afraid, he speaking in Christ, to say, I appeal to God Almighty, since Christ is my Advocate by the new Law, whether I ought to be condemned to Death and Hell for what Satan pleads against me by the Old. Satan urgeth that we have sinned, but Christ pleads to his propitiatory Sacrifice, and so Satan is over-thrown. Satan pleads the Law of Works, but Christ pleads the Law of Grace: Further, Satan pleads, the Justice and Holiness of God against us: & there, the Accuser is over-thrown again. And to them Christ appeals, and his Appeal is good, since the Law testifies to the… sufficiency of the Satisfaction that Christ has made thereto by his Obedience, Rom. 3.22, …3. & also, since by another Covenant God himself has given us to Jesus Christ, & so delivered us from the Old. Wherefore you read nothing as an effect of Satans pleading against us, but that his Mouth is stopp'd; as appears by the 3. of Zechariah, and that he is cast; yea cast down, as you have it in the 12. of the Revelations.

Indeed when God admits not, when Christ wills not to be an Advocate, and when Satan is bid stand at the right Hand of one accused, Psal. 109.6, 7. to inforce, by pleading against him, the things charged on him by the Law; then he can prevail, prevail for-ever p. 109against such a wretched one: But, when Christ stands up to plead, when Christ espouses this or that Man's Cause; then Satan must retreat, then he must go down. And this necessarily flows from the Text, we have an Advocate, a prevailing one, one that never lost Cause, one that always puts the Childrens Enemy to the rout before the Judgment-seat of God. This therefore is another Privilege that they have, who have Jesus Christ for their Advocate: Their Enemy must n…eds be overthrown, because both Law and Justice is on the other side.

Priv. 5 Fifthly, Thine Advocate has pity for thee, and g…eat Indignation against thine Accuser: And these are two excellent things. When a Lawyer hath pity for a Man, whose Cause he pleadeth, it will ingage him much; but when he has Indignation also against the Man's Accuser, this will yet engage him more. Now, Christ has both these, and that not of Humour, but by Grace, and Justice; Grace to us, and Justice to our Accuser. He came down from Heaven that he might be a Priest, and returned thither again, to be Priest and Advocate for his: And in both these Offices, he levelleth his whole Force and Power against thine Accuser. For this Cause was the Son of God manifest, that he might destroy the Works of the Devil, Joh. 3.8.

p. 110Cunning Men will, if they can, entertain such an one to be their Advocate, who has a particular Quarrel against their Adversary: For thus, think they, he that is such, will not only plead for me, but for himself, and to right his own Wrongs also, and, since (if it be so, and it is so here) my Concerns and my Advocate's are interwoven, I am like to fare much the better, for the Anger that is conceived in his Heart against him. And this, I say, is the Childrens Case; their Advocate, counteth their Accuser his greatest Enemy, a…d waiteth for a time to take Vengeance, and he usually then takes the opportunity, when he has ought to do for his People against him. Hence he says, The D…y of Vengeance is in my Heart and the Year of my redeemed is come, Isa 63.3, 4.

I do not say that this Revenge of Christ, is, as oft times is a Mans, of Spite, Prejudice, or other irregular lettings out of Passions; but it ariseth from Righteousness and Truth. Nor can it be, but that Jesus must have a Desire to take Vengeance on his Enemy and ours, since Holiness is in him, to the utmost bounds of Perfection. And I say again, that in all his Pleading, as an Advocate, as well as in his offering as a Priest, he has a hot and slaming Desire and Design to …ight himself upon his F… and ours. Hence he triumphed over p. 111him, when he died for us upon the Cross, and designed the spoiling of his Principality, while he poured out his Blood for us before the Face of God, Col. 2.14, 15. we then have this Advantage more, in that Christ is our Advocate, our Enemy is also his, and the Lord Jesus counts him so.

Priv. 6. Sixthly, As thine Advocate, so thy Judge holdeth thine Accuser for his Enemy also. For it is not of Love to Righteousness and Justice that Satan accuseth us to God, but that he may destroy the Workmanship of God. Wherefore he also sighteth against God, when he accuseth the Children. And this thy Father knows right well: He must therefore needs distinguish between the Charge, and the Mind that brings it: Specially when what is charged upon us is under the gracious Pr…mise of a Pardon (as I have shewed it is.) Shall not the Judge then hear his Son, (for our Advocate is his Son) in the Cause of one that he favours, and that he justly can against an Enemy, who seeks his Dishonour, and the Destruction of his eternal Designs of Grace?

A Mention of the Judges Son, goes far with Country-men, and great striving there is, with them, who have great Enemies and bad Causes, to get the Judges Son to plead; promising themselves that the Judge is as p. 112like to hear him, and to yield a Verdict to his Plea, as to any other Lawyer. But what now shall we say concerning our Judge's Son, who takes part, not only with his Children, but with him, and with Law and Justice, in pleading against our Accuser? Yea, what shall we say when both Judge, and Advocate and Law are all bent to make our Persons stand and escape, whatever, and how truly soever the Charge and Accusation is, by which we are assaulted of the Devil. And yet, all this is true, wherefore here is another Privilege of them that have Jesus for their Advocate.

Priv. 7. Seventhly, Another Privilege that they have, who have Jesus Christ for their Advocate, is, That he is undaunted and of a good Courage, as to the Cause which he undertakes: For that's a requisite Qualification for a Lawyer, to be bold and undaunted in a Man's Cause: Such an one is coveted, especially by him that knows he has a brazen-faced Antagonist. Wherefore he saith that he will set his Face like a Flint, Isa. 50.5, 6, 7. when he stands up to plead the Cause of his People. Lawyers, of all Men, need this Courage, and to be above others Men of hard Fore-heads, because of the Affronts that sometimes they meet with, be their Cause never so good▪ in the Face, sometimes, of the chief of a Kingdom. p. 113Now Christ is our Lawyer and stands up to plead, not only sometimes, but always for his People, before the God of Gods, and that not in a Corner, but while all the Host of Heaven stands by both on the right Hand and on the Left. Nor is it to be doubted, but that our Accuser brings many a sore Charge against us, into the Court: But, however, we have an Advocate that is valiant and courageous: One that will not fail nor be discouraged till he has brought Judgment into Victory. Hence John inserts his Name, saying, If any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ.

Men love to understand a Man, before they commit their Cause unto him, to wit, whether he be fitly qualified for their Business. Well, here's an Advocate propounded; an Advocate to plead our Cause against our Foe. But what is he? What's his Name? Is he qualified for my Business? The Answer is, 'tis Jesus Christ. How! Jesus Christ! What, that old Friend of Publicans and Sinners! Jesus Christ! He used never to fail, he used to set his Face like a Flint against Satan, when he pleadeth the Cause of his People. Is it Jesus Christ, says the knowing Soul, then he shall be mine Advocate?

For my part, I have often wondred, when I have considered, what sad Causes Jesus p. 114Christ sometimes takes in Hand, and for what sad Souls he sometimes pleads with God his Father; he had need of a Face as hard as Flint, else how could he bear up in that Work, in which, for us, sometimes he is employed. A Work enough to make Angels blush. Some, indeed, will lightly put off this, and say, it is his Office, but I say, his Office notwithstanding, the Work in it self is hard, exceeding hard; when he went to die, had he not despised the Shame, he had turned his Back upon the Cross, and left us in our Blood: And now it is his turn to plead, the Case would be the same, only he can make Argument upon that, which to us seems to yield no Argument at all, to take Courage to plead for a Joshua, for a Joshua cloathed, cloathed with filthy Garments. He, saith he, that is ashamed of me and my Words in this adulterous Generation, of him will I be ashamed, &c. Mark 8.38. Hence it follows that Christ will be ashamed of some, but why not ashamed of othe…s? It is not because their Cause is good, but because they are kept from denying of him professedly; wherefore, for such, he will force himself and will set his Face like a Flint, and will, without Shame, own, plead, and improve his Interest with God for them, even for them, whose Cause is so horribly bad and gross, that themselves do blush while they think thereof.

p. 115But what will not Love do? What will not Love bear with? And what will not Love suffer? Of all the Offices of Jesus Christ, I think this tryeth him as much as any. True, his offering himself in Sacrifice, tryed him greatly, but that was but for a while; his grapling as a Captain with the Curse and Death and Hell tryed him much, but that also was but for a while: But this Office of being an Advocate, tho it meeteth not with such sudden Depths of Trouble, yet, what it wants in Shortness it may meet with in length of time. I know Christ being raised from the Dead, dies no more. Yet he has not left off, tho in Heaven, to do some works of Service for his Saints on Earth: For there he pleads as an Advocate, or Lawyer for his People, Heb. 8.1, 2. And let it be, that he has no Cause of Shame, when he standeth thus up to plead for so vile a Wretch as I, who have so vilely sinned; yet I have Cause to think, that well he may, and to hold my Hands before my Face for Shame: and to be confounded with Shame, while he, to fetch me off from Condemnation for my Transgressions, sets his Face like a Flint to plead for me, with God, and against my Accuser. But thus much for the Seventh Privilege that they have by Christ, who have him for their Advocate.

p. 116Priv. 8. Eightly, Another Privilege that they have, who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate, is this; He is always ready, always in Court, always with the Judge, then and there to oppose, if our Accuser comes, and to plead against him what is pleadable for his Children. And this the Text implies, where it saith, we have an Advocate with the Father: Always with the Father. Some Lawyers, tho they are otherwise able and shrewd, yet not being always in Court, and ready, do suffer their poor Clients to be baffled and nonsuited by their Adversary; yea it so comes to pass, because of this Neglect, that a Judgment is got out against them, for whom they have undertaken to plead, to their great Perplexity and Damage. But no such opportunity can Satan have of our Advocate, for he is with the Father, always with the Father; as to be a Priest, so to be an Advocate: We have an Advocate with the Father. It is said of the Priests, they wait at the Altar, and that they give Attendance there, 1 Cor. 9.13. also of the Magistrate, that, as to his Office, he should attend continually on this very thing. And as these, so Christ, as to his Office of an Advocate, attends continually upon that Office with his Father, Rom. 13.6. we have an Advocate with the Father; always with the Father. And truly such an Advocate becomes p. 117the Children of God, because of the Vigilancy of their Enemy: For 'tis said of him, that he accuseth us Day and Night, Rev. 12.10. So unweariedly doth he both seek and pursue our Destruction. But behold, how we are provided for him, we have an Advocate with the Father. If he comes a-Days, our Advocate is with the Father; if he comes a-Nights, our Advocate is with the Father. Thus then is our Advocate ready to put check to Satan, come he when he will, or can, to accuse us to the Father. Wherefore these two Texts are greatly to be minded; one of them for that it shews us the Restlessness of our Enemy, the other for that it shews us the Diligence of our Advocate.

That also in the Hebrews shews us the Carefulness of our Advocate, where it saith, He is gone into Heaven, Now to appear in the Presence of God for us, Heb. 9.24. Now, just the time present. Now, the time always present: Now, let Satan come when he will. Nor is it to be omitted, that this Word, that thus specifies the time, the present time, doth also conclude it to be that time in which we are imperfect in Grace, in which we have many failings, in which we are tempted and accused of the Devil to God: This is the time, and in it, and every whit of it, he now appeareth in the Presence of p. 118God for us. O the Diligence of our Enemy! O the Diligence of our Friend, the one against us, the other for us, and that continually. If any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. This then, that Jesus Christ is always an Advocate with the Father for us, and so continually ready to put a check to every Accusation that Satan brings into the Presence of God against us, is another of the Privileges that they have, who have Jesus Christ for their Advocate.

Priv. 9. Ninthly, Another Privilege that they have, who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate, is this, He is such an one that will not by Bribes, by Flattery nor fair Pretences, be turned aside from pursuing of his Clients Business. This was the Fault of Lawyers in old time, that they would wrest Judgment for a Bribe: Hence the holy one complained, That a Bribe did use to blind the Eyes of the Wise, and pervert the Judgment of the Righteous, 1 Sam. 12.3. Amos 5.12. Deut. 16.19. There are three things in Judgment, that a Lawyer must take heed of: One is the Nature of the Offence, the other is the meaning, and intendment of the Law-makers, and a third is to plead for them in Danger without Respect to Affliction or Reward. And this is the Excellency of our Advocate, he will not, cannot be byassed to turn aside from doing Judgment. And p. 119this the Apostle intendeth when he calleth our Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Or as another Prophet calls him, to wit, The Just Lord, one that will do no Iniquity, that is, no Unrighteousness, in Judgment, Zeph. 3.5. He will not be provoked to do it, neither by the continual Sollicitations of thine Enemy, nor by thy continual Provocations, wherewith, by Reason of thy infirm Condition, thou dost often tempt him to do it. And remember, that thy Advocate pleads by the new Covenant, and thine Adversary accuses by the Old; and again remember that the new Covenant is better and more richly provided with Grounds of pleading for our Pardon and Salvation, than the old can be with Grounds for a Charge to be brought in by the Devil against us, suppose our Sin be never so heinous. 'Tis a better Covenant, established upon better Promises.

Now put these two together; namely that Jesus Christ is righteous, and will not swerve in Judgment: Also that he pleads for us by the new Law, with which Satan hath nothing to do, nor (had he) can he by it, bring in a Plea against us, Jer. 31.29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. Heb. 8.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. because that Law p. 120in the very body of it, consists in free Promises of giving Grace unto us, and of an everlasting Forgiveness of our Sin. O Children, your Advocate will stick to the Law, to the new Law, to the new and everlasting Covenant, and will not admit that any thing should be pleaded by our Foe, that is inconsistent with the Promise of the Gift of Grace, and of the Remission of all Sin. This therefore is another Privilege that they are made Pertakers of who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate. He is just, he is righteous, he is Jesus Christ the righteous. He will not be turned aside to judge awry, either of the Crime, the Law, or for Favour or Affection. Nor is there any sin, but what is pardonable, committed by those that have chosen Jesus Christ to be their Advocate.

Priv. 10. Tenthly, Another Privilege that they have, who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate, is this, The Father has made him, even him that is thine Advocate, the Vmpire and Judge in all Matters that have, do or shall fall out 'twixt him and us. Mark this well. For when the Judge himself, before whom I am accused, shall make mine Advocate the Judge of the Nature of the Crime, for which I am accused, and of matter of Law, by which I am accused, to wit, whether it▪ is in Force against me, to Condemnation, or whether, p. 121by the Law of Grace, I am set free: (specially, since before my Advocate has espoused my Cause, promised me Deliverance, and pleaded my Right to the State of eternal Life) must it not now go well with me? Yes, verily. The Judge then making thine Advocate the Judge, for he hath committed all Judgment unto the Son, Joh. 5.22. hath done it also for thy Sake, who hast chosen him to be thine Advocate. 'Twas a great thing that happened to Israel, when Joseph was become their Advocate, and when Pharoah had made him a Judge: Thou, says he, shalt be over my House, and according to thy Word shall all my People be ruled. See, I have set thee over all the Land of Egypt; and without thee shall no Man lift up his Hand or Foot in all the Land of Aegypt: Only in the Throne, I will be greater than thou, Gen. 41.39, 4…, 44. Joseph in this was a type of Christ, and his Goverment here, of the Government of Christ for his Church.

Kings seldom make a Man's Judge his Advocate; they seldom leave the Issue of the whole Affair to the Arbitration of the poor Man's Lawyer. But, when they do, methinks it should even go to the Hearts desire of the Client, whose the Advocate is: Specially when as I said before, the Cause of the Client is become the Concern of the Advocate; and that they are both wrapt up in the self same Interest; yea, when the Judge himself also is p. 122therein concerned: And yet thus it is with that Soul who has Jesus Christ for his Advocate. What sayst thou poor Heart to this? The Judge, to wit, the God of Heaven, has made thy Advocate Arbitrator in thy Business: He is to judge, God has referred the Matter to him, and he has a Concern in thy Concern, an Interest in thy good speed. Christian Man, dost thou hear? Thou hast put thy Cause into the Hand of Jesus Christ, and hast chosen him to be thine Advocate to plead for thee before God and against thy Adversary; and God has referred the Judgment of that Matter to thy Advocate; so that he has Power to determine the Matter. I know Satan is not pleased with this, he had rather things should have been referred to himself, and then woe had been to the Child of God: But, I say, God has referred the Business to Jesus Christ, has made him Vmpire, and Judge in thine Affair. Art thou also willing that he should decide the Matter? Canst thou say unto him as David, Judge me, and plead my Cause, O Lord, Psal. 43.1.

O the Care of God towards his People, and the Desire of their Welfare. He has provided them an Advocate, and he has referred all Causes, and things, that may by Satan be objected and brought in against us, to the Judgment and Sentence of Christ our Advocate. p. 123But, to come to a Conclusion for this, and therefore,

Priv. 11. Eleventhly, The Advantage that he has, that has the Lord Jesus for his Advocate, therefore is very great. Thy Advocate has the Cause, has the Law, has the Judge, has the Purse, and so consequently has all that is requisite for an Advocate to have. Since together with these, he has Heart, he has Wisdom, he has Courage, and Loves to make the best Improvement of his Advantages, for the benefit of his Client. And that which adds to all, is, he can prove the Debt paid, about which Satan makes such ado; a Price given for the Ramsom of my Soul, and for the Pardon of my Sins. Lawyers do use to make a great Matter of it, when they can prove, That that very Debt is paid, for which their Client is sued at the Law. Now this Christ Jesus himself is Witness to: Yea, he himself has paid it, and that out of his own Purse, for us, with his own Hands, before and upon the Mercy-Seat according as the Law requireth, Lev. 16.13, 14, 15. Heb. 9.11.14.15, 16, 23, 24. what then can accrue to our Enemy, or what Advantage can he get by his thus vexing and troubling of the Children of the most High? Certainly nothing, but, as has been said already, to be cast down. For p. 124the Kingdom of our God, which is a Kingdom of Grace, and the Power of his Christ will prevail. Sampson's Power lay in his Hair, but Christ's Power, his Power to deliver us from the Accusation and Charge of Satan, lieth in the Worth of his Undertakings. And hence it is said again and they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb, Rev. 12.10, 11, 12. and he was cast out, and down. And thus much for the Privileges that those are made Pertakers of who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate.

I come now to the Sixth & last thing,The Necessity of Christ's being an Advocate. which is, to shew you, what Necessity there is that Christ should be our Advocate.

That Christ should be a Priest to offer Sacrifice, a King to rule, and a Prophet to teach, All seeing Men acknowledge, is of Necessity; but, that he should be an Advocate, a Pleader for his People, few see the Reason of it. But he is an Advocate, and as an Advocate, has a Work and Imploy distinct from his Priestly, Kingly, or prophetical Office: John says, he is our Advocate, and signifieth also the Nature of his Work as such, in that very Place, where he asserteth his Office. As also I have shew'd you in that which goes before: But, having already shewed you p. 125the Nature, I will now shew you the Necessity of this Office.

First, it is necessary, for the more full and ample Vindication of the Justice of God, against all the Cavils of the infernal Spirits. Christ died on Earth, to declare the Justice of God to Men, in his justifying of the ungodly. God standeth upon the Vindication of his Justice, as well as upon the Act thereof: Hence the Holy Ghost, by the Prophets and Apostles, so largely disputeth for the Vindication thereof, Rom. 3.24. Isa. Jer. Mal. While it asserteth the reality of the pardon of sin, the justification of the unworthy, and their glorification with God, Rom. 3 chap. 4. chap. 8. Gal. 3 and 4. I say, w…e it disputeth the justness of thi… high Act of God, against the cavils of implacable s…ners▪ Now the Prophets and Apostles in those Disputes by which they seek to vindicate the Justice of God, in the Salvation of sinners, are not only Ministers of God to us, but Advocates for him: Since, as Elihu has it, They speak on God's behalf, Job 36.2. Or, as the Margent has it, I will shew thee that there are yet Words for God; Words to be spoken, and pleaded against his Enemies, for the justification of his Actions. Now, as it is necessary, that there should be Advocates, for God on Earth, to plead for his Justice and Holiness, while p. 126he saveth sinners, against the cavils of an ungodly People; so it is necessary that there should be an Advocate also in Heaven, that may there vindicate the same Justice and Holiness of God, from all those Charges that the fallen Angels are apt to charge it with, while it consenteth that we, tho ungodly, should be saved.

That the fallen Angels are bold enough to charge God, to his Face, with Vnjustness of Language, is evident in the first and second of Job: And, that they should not be as bold to charge him with Unjustness of Actions, nothing can be shewed to the contrary: Further, that God seeks to clear himself of this unjust Charge of Satan, is as manifest; for all the Troubles of his Servant Job were chiefly for that purpose: And why he should have one also in Heaven, to plead for the Justness of his Doings, in the Forgiveness and Salvation of Sinners, appears also as necessary, even because there is one, even an Advocate with the Father, or on the Father's Side, seeking to vindicate his Justice, while he pleadeth with him, for us, against the Devil and his Objections.

God is wonderfully pleased with his Design in the saving of Sinners; it pleases him at the Heart: And since he also is infinitely just, there is need, that an Advocate should be appointed p. 127to shew, how in a Way of Justice, as well as Mercy, the Sinner may be saved.

The good Angels did not at first see so far into the Mysteries of the Gospel of the Grace of God, but that they needed further Light therein, for the Vindication of their Lord, as Servants: Wherefore they yet did pry, and look narrowly into it further, and also bowed their Heads and Hearts to learn yet more, by the Church, of the manifold Wisdom of God, 1 Pet. 1.12. Eph. 3.9, 10. And if the standing Angels were not yet, to the utmost, perfect in the Knowledge of this Mistery, (and yet surely they must know more thereof, than those that fell could do,) no Wonder if those Devils, whose emnity could not but animate their Ignorance, made, and do make their Cavils against Justice, insinuating that it is not impartial and exact, because it, as it is just, justifieth the ungodly.

That Satan will quarrel with God, I have shewed you, and that he will also dispute against his Works with the holy Angels, is more than intimated by the Apostle Jude, Jude 9. And why not quarrel with, and accuse the Justice of God as unrighteous for consenting to the Salvation of Sinners? Since his best Qualifications are most profound and prodigious Attempts to dethrone the Lord God of his Power and Glory.

p. 128Nay all this is evident since we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And again, I say, 'tis evident that one part of his Work, as an Advocate, is to vindicate the Justice of God, while he pleadeth for our Salvation; because he pleadeth a Propitiation. For a Propitiation respecteth God, as well as us, the appeasing of his Wrath and the reconciling of his Justice to us, as well as the redeeming of us from Death and Hell. Yea it therefore doth the one, because it doth the other. Now if Christ, as an Advocate, pleadeth a Propitiation with God, for whose Conviction doth he plead it? Not for God's, for he has ordained it, allows it, and gloriously acquiesces therein, because he knoweth the whole Virtue thereof. It is therefore for the Conviction of the fallen Angels, and for the confounding of all those Cavils that can be invented and objected against our Salvation, by those most subtil, and envious ones. But,

Secondly, There is Matter of Law to be objected and that both against God and us. At least there seems to be so, because of the Sanction that God has put upon the Law, and also, because we have sinned against it.

God has said in the Day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die; and, the Soul that sinneth it shall die. God also standeth still upon p. 129the Vindication of his Justice, he also saveth Sinners. Now, in comes our Accuser, and chargeth us of Sin, of being guilty of Sin, because we have transgressed the Law. God also will not be put out of his way and steps of Grace to save us, also he will say he is just and righteous still. I, but these are but sayso…s, how shall this be proved? Why, now here is room for an Advocate that can plead to Matter of Law, that can preserve the Sanction of the Law, in the Salvation of the Sinner. He shall magnifie the Law and make it honourable, Isa. 42.21. the Margent saith, and ma… him honourable. That is, he shall save the Sinner and preserve the Holiness of the Law and the Honour of his God. But who is this …hat can do this? It is the Servant of God, saith the Prophet, ver. 1. ver. 13. the Lord, a Man of War. But how can this be done by him? The Answer is, it shall be done, for God is well pleased for his Righteousness Sake. For 'tis by that that he magnifies the Law and makes his Father honourable.

That is, he as a Publick Person, comes into the World, under the Law, fulfils it, and having so done, he gives that Righteousness away; for he, as to his own Person, never had need thereof: I say he gives that Righteousness to those that have need, to those that have none of their own, that Righteousness p. 130might be imputed to them.

This Righteousness then he presenteth to God for us, and God, for this Righteousness Sake, is well-pleased that we should be saved, and for it can save us, and secure his Honour, and preserve the Law in its Sanction. And this Christ pleadeth against Satan as an Advocate with the Father for us. By which he vindicates his Fathers Justice, holdeth the Child of God, notwithstanding his Sins, in a State of Justification, and utterly overthroweth and confoundeth the Devil.

For Christ, in pleading thus, appeals to the Law it self. If he has not done it Justice. Saying, most mighty Law, what Command of thine have I not fulfilled? what Demand of thine have I not fully answered? where is that jot, or tittle of the Law that is able to object against my Doings, for want of Satisfaction? Here the Law is mute, it speaketh not one Word, by way of the least Complaint, but rather testifies of this Righteousness that it is good and holy, Rom. 3.22, 23. Rom. 5.1…, 16, 17, 18, 19. Now then, since Christ did this as a publick Person, it follows, that others must be justified thereby. For that was the end, and Reason of Christ's taking upon him to do the Righteousness of the Law. Nor can the Law object against the Equity of this Dispensation of Heaven. For p. 131why might not that God who gave the Law his Being and his Sanction, dispose as he pleases, of the Righteousness which it commendeth? Besides, If Men be made righteous, they are so, and if by a Righteousness which the Law commendeth, how can Fault be found with them by the Law? Nay, It is witnessed to by the Law and the Prophets, who consent, that it should be unto all and upon all them that believe, for their Justification, Rom. 3.20, 21.

And, that the mighty God suffereth the Prince of the Devils to do with the Law what he can, against this most wholesome and godly Doctrine, it is, to shew the Truth, Goodness and Permanency thereof. For this is as who should say, Devil do thy worst. When the Law is in the Hand of an easie Pleader, tho the Cause that he pleadeth be good, a crafty Opposer may overthrow the right, but here is the Salvation of the Children in debate, and whether it can stand with Law and Justice. The Opposer of this is the Devil, his Argument against it is the Law, he that defends the Doctrine, is Christ, the Advocate, who, in his Plea, must justifie the Justice of God, defend the Holiness of the Law, and save the Sinner from all the Arguments, Pleas Cavils, Stops and Demurrs, that Satan is able to put in against it. And p. 132this he must do fairly, righteously, simply, Pleading the Voice of the self-same Law for the justification of what he standeth for, which Satan pleads against it. For, tho it is by the new Law that our Salvation comes, yet by the old Law, is the new Law approved of, and the way of Salvation thereby, by it consented to.

This shews therefore that Christ is not ashamed to own the way of our Justification and Salvation, no not before Men and Devils: It shews also that he is resolved to dispute and plead for the same, tho the Devil himself shall oppose it. And, since our Adversary pretends a Plea in Law against it, 'tis meet, that there should be an open Hearing before the Judge of all about it: But for as much as we neither can nor dare appear to plead for our selves, our good God has thought fit we should do it by an Advocate: we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

This therefore is the second thing that shews the need that we have of an Advocate; to wit, our Adversary pretends that he has a Plea in Law against us, and that by Law we …uld be otherwise disposed of than to …e made Possessors of the Heavenly Kingdom. But,

Thirdly, There are many things relating p. 133to the Promise to our Life, and to the Threatnings that minister Matter of Question and Doubt; and give the Advantage of Objections unto him that so eargerly desireth to be putting in Cavils against our Salvation; all which it hath pleased God to refel by Jesus Christ our Advocate.

1. There are many things relating to the Promises, as to the largeness and straitness of Words, as to the Freeness and Conditionality of them, which we are not able so well to understand; and therefore, when Satan dealeth with us, about them, we quickly fall to the Ground before him; we often conclude that the Words of the Promise, are too narrow and strait to comprehend us, we also think verily that the Conditions of some Promises do utterly …ut us out from hope of Justification and Life. But our Advocate who is for us, with the Father, he is better acquainted with, and learned in this Law, than to be ba…e… out with a bold Word or two, Isa. …0.4. or with a subtil piece of Hellish Sophistication. He knows the true Purport, Intent, Meaning, and Sense of every Promise, and piece of Promise, that is in the whole Bible, and can tell how to plead it, for Advantage, against our Accuser; and doth so: And I gather it not only from his Contest with Satan for Joshua, Zech. 3. and from his Conflict p. 134with him in the Wilderness, Mat. 4. and in Heaven, Rev. 14. but also from the Practice of Satan's Emissaries here. For what his Angels do, that doth he. Now there is here nothing more apparent, than that the Instruments of Satan do plead against the Church, from the pretended Intricacy, Ambiguity, and Difficulty of the Promise, whence I gather, so doth Satan before the Tribunal of God, but there we have one to match him, we have an Advocate with the Father, that knows Law and Judgment better than Satan, and Statute and Commandment, better than all his Angels: And by the Verdict of our Advocate, all the Words, and Limits, and Extensions of Words, with all Conditions of the Promises, are expounded and applyed. And hence it is, that it sometimes falleth so out, that that very Promise that we have thought could not reach us to comfort us by any Means, has at another time swallowed us up with Joy unspeakable: Christ the true Prophet has the right Understanding of the Word, as an Advocate, has pleaded it before God against Satan, and having overcome him at the common Law, he hath sent to let us know it by his good Spirit, to our Comfort, and the Confusion of our Enemy. Again,

2. There are many things relating to our Lives, that minister to our Accuser, occasions p. 135of many Objections against our Salvation; for, besides our daily Infirmities, there are in our Lives, gross Sins; many horrible Backslidings; also we oft-times suck and drink in many abominable Errors and deceitful Opinions, of all which Satan accuseth us before the Judgment-Seat of God, and pleadeth hard, that we may be damned forever for them. Besides, Some of these things are done after Light received, against present Convictions and Disswasions to the contrary, against Solemn engagement to Amendment, when the Bonds of Love were upon us, Jer. 2.20. These are crying Sins, they have a lo…d voice in themselves against us, and give to Satan great Advantage and Boldness to sue for our Destruction before the Bar of God. Nor doth he want Skill to aggravate, and to comment profoundly upon all Occasions, and Circumstances that did attend us, in these our Miscarriges; to wit, that we did it without a Cause, also when we had, had we had Grace to have used them, many things to have helpt us against such Sins, and to have kept us clean and upright. There is also a Sin unto Death, 1 Joh. 5. and he can tell how to labour, by Argument and Slight of Speech, to make our Transgressions not only to border upon, but to appear in the Hue, Shape, and Figure of that, and thereto make his Objection p. 136against our Salvation. He often argueth thus with us, and fastneth the Weight of his Reasons upon our Consciences, to the almost utter Destruction of us, and the bringing of us down to the Gates of Despair, and utter Destruction: The same Sins with their aggravating Circumstances, as I said, he pleadeth against us at the Bar of God: But there he meeteth with Jesus Christ our Lord, and Advocate, who entereth his Plea against him, unravels all his Reasons and Arguments against us, and shews the guile and falshood of them; he also pleadeth as to the Nature of Sin, as also to all those high Aggravations, and proveth that neither the Sin in it self, nor yet as joined with all its advantageous Circumstances, can be the Sin unto Death, Col. 2.19. because we hold the Head, and have not made Ship wrack of Faith, 1 Tim. 1.19. but still as David and Solomon, we confess and are sorry for our Sins. Thus, tho we seem, through our Falls, to come short of the Promise with P…er, Heb. 4.3. and leave our Transgressions as stumbling Blocks to the World with Solomon, and minister Occasion of a Question of our Salvation among the Godly: Yet our Advocate fetches us o… before God, and we shall be found safe (and in Heaven at last) by them in the next World, who was afraid they had lost us in this.

p. 137But all these Points must be managed by Christ for us, against Satan, as a Lawyer, an Advocate; who to that end, now appears in the Presence of God for us: And wisely handleth the very Crisis of the Word, and of the Failings of his People, together with all those nice and critical Juggles by which our Adversary laboureth to bring us down, to the Confusion of his Face.

3. There is also the Threatnings that are annexed to the Gospel; and they fall now under our Consideration. They are of two sorts, such as respect those who altogether neglect and reject the Gospel, or those that profess it, yet fall in, or from that Profession thereof.

The first sort of threatning cannot be pleaded against the Professors of the Gospel as against those that never profess'd it. Wherefore he betaketh himself to manage those Threatnings against us that belong to those that have professed and that have fallen in, or from that Profession, Psal. 109.6. Joshua fell in it, Zech. 3.1, 2. Judas fell from it. And the Accuser stands at the Right Hand of them both to resist them before the Judgment of God. To resist them by pleading the Threatnings against them. To wit, that God's Soul should have no Pleasure in them. [If any Man draws back my Soul shall have no Pleasure in p. 138them.] Here's a Plea for Satan, both against one and t'other, they are both Apostatized, both drawn back, and he is subtil enough to manage it. Ay but, Satan, here is also Matter sufficient for a Plea for our Advocate against thee, for as much as the next Words distinguish betwixt drawing back, and drawing back unto Perdition; every one that draws back, doth not draw back unto Perdition, Heb. 10.38, 39. Some of them draw back from, and some in the Profession of the Gospel. Judas drew back from, and Peter in the Profession of his Faith: Wherefore Judas perishes, but Peter turns again, because Judas drew back unto Perdition, but Peter yet believed to the saving of the Soul. Nor doth Jesus Christ when he seeth 'tis to no boot, at any time step in to endeavour to save the Soul. Wherefore, as for Judas for his backsliding from the Faith, Christ turneth him up to Satan, and leaveth him in his Hand. Saying, when he shall be judged let him be condemned, and let his Prayer become Sin, Psal. 109.7. But he will not serve Peter so, The Lord will not leave him in his Hand, nor condemn him when he is judged, Psal. 37.33. He will pray for him before, and plead for him after he hath been in the Temptation, and so secure him by Virtue of his Advocation, from the Sting and Lash of the Threatning, that p. 139is made against final Apostacy. But,

Fourthly, The Necessity of the Advocate's Office of Jesus Christ appears namely in this, To plead about the Judgments, Distresses, Afflictions and Troubles that we meet withal in this Life for our Sins. For though by Virtue of this Office, Christ fully takes us off from the Condemnation that the Unbelievers go down to, for their Sins: Yet he doth not thereby exempt us from temporal Punishments, for we see and feel, that they daily overtake us. But for the proportioning of the Punishment or Affliction, for Transgression, seeing that Comes under the Sentence of the Law, 'tis fit that we should have an Advocate that understands both Law and Judgment to plead for equal Distribution of Chastisement, according, I say, as the Law of Grace: And this the Lord Jesus doth.