Christ Crucified, Sermon 68
SERMON LXVIII.
ISAIAH LIII.XII.
Verſe 12. —And made interceſſion for the tranſgreſsours.
IT were a very great Conſolation, and a main furtherance in all Religion, to get this ſolidly believed; That Chriſt Jeſus, who is the expreſs image of his Fathers perſon, and the brightneſs of his glory, is now in heaven in our nature, and hath it for his work to be interceeding, and interceeding for tranſgreſſours; we are every day reaping the good of this Interceſſion, in reference to many evils that are keeped off us, and in reference to many mercies beſtowed on us, that we pray not all, or but little for; and we come never to hear a preaching, but we are beholden to it; it being a peculiar fruit of his interceſſion that gifts are given to men, and that the Goſpel is ſent through the earth; and if ever any get good of a Sermon, it is by vertue of this Interceſſion; ſeing he hath ſaid, that he will pray the Father, and that he will ſend the comforter; and when ever we come to hear a preaching, there would be (to ſay ſo) a reviſing of the thoughts of Chriſts Interceſſion and a ſtirring up of our ſelves to get the faith of it lively in it's exerciſe.
That which we ſpake to the laſt day, was concerning the comfort that flows from this, and indeed, if any Doctrine be comfortable, this muſt be comfortable; that we have ſuch a friend in the Court of Heaven, inveſted in this office of an Advocat, and Interceſſour for us.
Uſe 3. Of exhortation, ſeing there is ſuch an Office wherewith Jeſus Chriſt is inveſted, and ſuch an Officer that bears this Office, to be an Advocat for ſinners; then ſinners would be exhorted to learn to improve, and to make uſe of this Advocat, and of his Office, ſince he hath this Office of an Interceſſour; O! do not diſpiſe ſuch a mercy, neglect not ſuch an advantage, but learn to make uſe of him, and in your worſhip applications to God to approach by, and through him: The ground of this Uſe of exhortation is clear in the Words; and from the nature of the thing; For if Chriſt Jeſus bear theſe Offices, and if he bear them for us, then ſure we ſhould improve them: If he be a King, we ſhould make uſe of him, for ſubduing ſin in us; If a Prophet, we ſhould improve that Office, for attaining of Light, and ſaving Knowledge from him; And if he be a Prieſt to ſati…fie divine Juſtice, and to make interceſſion we ſhould improve both parts of that Office: The neceſſity of our improving Chriſts Interceſſion appears from this, if we conſider in what terms we ſtand with God; have we any boldneſſe, or acceſs of our ſelves? is not the door ſhut on us? and is there not a ſtated controverſie ſtanding betwixt God and us? And have we any acceſs but by his moyen? The neceſſity of it is further clear, from the order that God hath laid down in the way of his Adminiſtration of grace; why, I pray, hath he appointed a Mediator, and Interceſſour? is it not for good reaſon? even for the conſolation, and encouragement of ſinners to draw near, who, if they be in earneſt, cannot but be affected with fear to approach unto God; and is it poſſible to come unto God, and not by this door? and were it not ingratitude to neglect it; ſeing he hath contrived this new and living way of acceſs unto him?
But to deſcend to more particular diſcourſing of this matter, which is as difficult a thing to ſpeak of a right, and to practice ſuitably, as any part of Religion; if eſpecially he himſelf teach us not; for ſometimes we will make uſe of his Sacrifice and Satisfaction, when we know not how to make uſe of his Interceſſion; For either we do all our alone, and miſken the Interceſſour; or we will do nothing, and give it over as deſperat, as if our buſineſſe were quite broken, and hopeleſſe, and as if it were needleſſe, or uſeleſs to lay any weight on Chriſt's Interceſſion; And thus whether we apprehend our ſelves to be in better, or in worſe caſe, he is much miſkent, and neglected: That therefore we may the better know how to make uſe of Chriſts Interceſſion; We ſhall, 1. in the general, ſhew what it is to improve it. 2 Speak to ſome particular caſes wherein it in a ſpecial manner is to be improven. 3. Satisfy and remove ſome objections, or anſwer ſome queſtions that may be moved about it. 4. We ſhall give ſome characters of one that is ſerious and tender, in improving of his Interceſſion.
For the Firſt, It is indeed a thing ſo difficult to improve Chriſts Interceſſion aright, that we cannot eaſily tell how to conceive of it, being a conſiderable part of the miſtery of Faith, to go to God by a Mediator, and Interceſſour; However, we ſhall 1. ſhew ſome miſtakes that are to be eſhewed. 2. We ſhall ſhew wherein it more properly conſiſts; which is, in the exerciſe of Faith in him, with reſpect to his Interceſſion; And 3. We ſhall illuſtrat it by ſome ſimilitudes, for the further making out of it. 1. Then, when we ſpake of improving Chriſts Interceſſion, and of going to God by him, we would have theſe miſtakes eſhewed. 1. Beware of thinking that there is a going to the Mediator in a diſtinct, or in a different manner from what is, in going to God, for he is God; or that we may go to God at one time, and to the Mediator at another time; as if we would firſt ſpeak a while to the Mediator, and then ſpeak to God, or would firſt make our moan to the Mediator to pacifie God, and when God were calmed to ſpeak to him; as if he were to make moyen with God for us, as a Courti…r makes moyen with the King, the offended partie for a Rebel; we would beware of this: For it divides in our apprehenſion the God-head, that is indiviſible; for if we conſider the Mediator as the object of our worſhip, he is to be conſidered as God; though we may, and are alſo joyntly to conſider him as Mediator, and on that account make uſe of him: And if we conſider him as God, we muſt conſider him as the ſame God, with the Father, and the holy Ghoſt; But to have this imagination of him, that we are to ſpeak to him, as to another Partie, or not as God, is to make him another thing, which is unbecoming that apprehenſion, and eſtimation that we ought to have of the unity of the bleſſed God-head. 2. Beware of thinking that there is a greater facility or eaſineſs to have acceſs to the Mediator, then to have acceſs to God; or that it is more eaſie to have acceſs to the Second Perſon of the Trinity, then to the Firſt, or Third Perſon; we are afraid that there be miſtakes here alſo, as if the Mediator were more eaſie to be dealt with, then the Majeſty of God; or, as if there were more eaſie acceſs unto him; whereas he being the ſame God, and ſo conſidered; there are the ſame grounds, whereon ſinners may have acceſs to the Father, as to the Son; For if we look on a ſinner repenting, and believing, he is as welcome to the Father as to the Son; but if we conſider the ſinner …s not repenting, and believing, he is ſo, neither welcome to the Father nor to the Son: It is true, the Son being conſidered as man, there is a ſympathy, that the Second Perſon united to our nature hath, which is not in God, abſtractly conſidered; yet this is not ſo to be underſtood, as if the mercy of the Mediator, having the two natures …o united in his perſon were of larger extent then the mercy of God; or as if he could be merciful when God is not: For there cannot be greater mercy then that which is infinit, and that is the eſſential attribut of the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt; only this ſympathy in the Mediator is to be conſidered, to ſtrengthen and confirm our Faith, in our application to God, that we have him to approach to in our nature; but it is not to give us any new ground of having acceſs eaſier to Chriſt then to God; but (as we ſaid) only to confirm our Faith, in having acceſs to God: Hence it is, that Jeſus Chriſt is alwayes propo…ed as the midſe whereby, and through whom a ſinner comes to God, ſo that we have acceſs with boldneſs not to the Mediator, as a diſtinct party, but to God through and by him: Therefore there is the ſame common way of application to God, and to Chriſt, the ſame Covenant and Promiſes; the ſame exerciſe of Repentance; of Faith and of Prayer, which gives us acceſs to God, and that gives us acceſs to the Mediator. 3. Beware of placing this improving, and uſe making of the Mediators Interceſſion in words, or petitions directed to the Mediator; which I apprehend, is the uſe that the moſt part make of his Interceſſion: to put up ſuch Petitions, as I am afraid to ſpeak of, as namely, O! Mediator at the Fathers right hand plead for me, as if the Mediator were a diſtinct party from the Judge, to whom we muſt ſpeak for interceeding with the Judge, which ſtill leads us to look on the Mediator, as another different party, or as having other terms whereupon he dealleth with Sinners or as if there were another way of making, uſe of him; and of application to him; And on other grounds, then of, and to God; The contrary whereof we have ſhewed; whereas the uſe making of his Interceſſion conſiſts rather (as after will appear) in Faiths application to God in him; and laying weight on his Interceſſion for acceſs, and acceptance of our perſons and ſervices; when we make it the ground of our adreſs to God, the ground on which we draw near; and this we may and ſhould do, when we name Chriſt, or pray to him as God, with reſpect to his Office of being Interceſſour; even as when we look to him by Faith, to get ſin pardoned; there is a looking to him as God, with reſpect to his offering, and ſatisfaction to the juſtice of God, on which account we expect to be pardoned.
But, 2ly. to explicat this a little more, we ſhall ſhew wherein this exerciſe of Faith in making uſe of the Mediators Interceſſion, doth mainly conſiſt; And for the more clear following forth thereof, we ſhall ſpeak to theſe Two, 1. To ſomethings preſuppoſed. 2▪ To ſome things wherein more properly it conſiſts; To both which we would premit this word, that when we ſpeak of making uſe of Chriſts Interceſſion, there are Two extreams to be avoided; One is, when perſons go to God miſkening Chriſt; and do all that they do, as if they were conſtantly friends with God, and in good terms with him, and had need of none to make their peace, or to keep up, and maintain their peace with God; which is in effect, the way laid down in the Covenant of Works, when Adam was a friend: Another extream is in the defect, and that is, when perſons go to God by Chriſt, yet do not lay weight on his Interceſſion as becomes; when not only they want confidence, which the other hath, though on a wrong ground; but do not lay the burden on the right ground; but go to God faintingly, and diſcouragedly, as fearing to truſt or lippen to Chriſts Interceſſion; There is neceſſity to guard againſt both theſe; For there muſt be ſuch an uſe-making of Chriſts Interceſſion, as we dare not go by him,, and yet a concurring act of Faith, puting us to go to God by him, and to lay the weight of what we ſeek and expect, on him, and on his Interceſſion: Now the things that are preſuppoſed to the uſe-making of Chriſt's Interceſſion, guard againſt the firſt extream; and theſe things wherein the uſe making of it properly conſiſts, guard againſt the other extream.
Firſt, Then theſe things preſuppoſed are, 1. A conviction of our natural ſinfulneſs, not only of the diſtance that is betwixt God and us, but of the quarrel and enimity, and that by our deſerving, we may juſtly have the door of acceſs to God ſhut upon us; That is it that puts the ſinner to aſk for an Interceſſour, & to make uſe of him; …s theſe who have provoked a great perſon, fear to go their alone to him; but ſeek for the Mediation of ſome ſpecial friend or favourit. 2. There is preſuppoſed a conſenting to, and acceptation of Chriſts Satisfaction, as the ground of our peace with God; For there is no acceſs to his Interceſſion till this ground be laid; becauſe all the efficacy that is in Chriſts Interceſſion, reſults from, and is ſounded upon his Satisfaction▪ 1 John 2.2. If any man ſin, we have an… … vocat with the Father Jeſus Christ, the righteous, who is the propitiation for our ſins: He procures nothing by his Interceſſion, but through the vertue of that blood which he offered in a Sacrifice to ſatisfie Juſtice, and therefore in improving of his Interceſſion, this method muſt be followed; There muſt firſt be a betaking of our ſelves to his Satisfaction, as the ground of our peace, and whereupon we plead for peace, and for any other thing that we ſtand in need of; except this be, all the imaginations that we can have of Chriſts Interceſſion (as if we would firſt prevail with Chriſt, conceiving that he will ſoon be ingaged, and then have hopes of prevailing with God) if his Satisfaction be miſkent, will be to no purpoſe; For as we ſhew in the Firſt uſe of this point; He interceeds only for his own people, who are believers in him; and have cloſed with his Satisfaction; and as we ſhew from Revel. 8. It's only the prayers of all Saints that are offered up by him; I mean, none can comfortably conclude, that he interceeds for them, but Believers and Saints: And therefore, till his Satisfaction be relied on, as the ground of our peace; we can look for …o benefit by his Interceſſion. 3. There is beyond this required, the conviction, and impreſſion of our own un…u… ableneſſe, to keep up friendſhip, and fellowſhip with God, through our remaining corruption, and the prevailing of tentation, without a Mediator; and withall, an approbation of Gods way, who hath appointed a Mediator for that end; and a loving to keep up communion with him by a Mediator; So that ſuppoſe we were clear, that our ſins are pardoned, yet we would know that this coviction and impreſſion is neceſſary to put us to make dayly uſe of this part of the Mediators Office; for we may have conviction of the Firſt part; that is, that we cannot make our peace without Chriſts Satisfaction; and yet we may be defective, as to our walking under the due conviction of the Second, that is, of a neceſſity of keeping up of our communion with God, by vertue of his Interceſſion; which is as if a Rebel, being reconciled, and made a friend, by the procurement of ſome great Perſon, yet having to do with the King, ſhould not dare to go unto him, without the man that was inſtrumental, in making his peace; or we may allude to Abſaloms coming home by Joabs procurement, who was three years thereafter at Jeruſalem ere he ſaw his Fathers face, and had a new dealling with Joab for that end; So it's very ſuitable to the way of grace, and ſhews that our being, and ſtanding in grace is free, not to dare to go in to God, even when our peace is made, without the Mediator. 4. Upon the back of all this, there is a neceſſity of the Faith of the Mediator, or Interceſſor, his being at the right hand of God, ready to agent our cauſe; through whom we may have acceſs, when there is reaſon enough in our ſelves, why we ſhould be keeped at the door; and though we dar not go our ſelves alone, yet to adventure to go through him to God: And though this be but the doctrinal Faith of the thing in general, yet it's neceſſarily preſuppoſed, as well as the reſt, That wh…n a challenge riſes, and the Conſcience ſayes, how …a… thou go to God? Faith may anſwer; Becauſe there is a friend there in our nature; when the ſinner is convinced of ſin, the Conſcience challengeth, and the Law condemns, and there is ſome ſad expectation of the drawing forth of the Sentence; The…e is an act of Faith that convinces of a Saviour; whoſe ſatisfaction, if it be made uſe of, and improven, all will be well: This we ſay is neceſſarily preſuppoſed to the uſe making of Chriſts Interceſſion.
2dly. Theſe 4. being preſuppoſed; it follows, that we ſhew what properly it is, to make uſe of Chriſts Interceſſion, or, wherein it conſiſts, And 1. when Faith hath laid hold on Chriſts Satisfaction for peace with God; in the improving of his Interceſſion, there is an act of Faith whereby we actually beſtir our ſelves to approach unto God, upon the weight we lay on his Interceſſion; that when the Soul ſees it ſelf ſecluded, conſidered in it ſelf; yet it will go forward lippening to that; ſo that if a challenge come in its way, and ſay, what ground haſt thou to look that thou wilt be welcome to God? the Soul ſayes none in my ſ…l…, but there is a friend before me, with whoſe ſatisfaction I have cloſed for my peace, and I lay this weight on his Office, and on Gods call to make uſe of him, that on the ground of his moyen with God, I dar h zard to go forward; even as if a Rebel after his peace were made, had ſome buſineſs to do with the Prince, and hearing that there is a friend at Court, yea the ſame friend that made his peace; he thinks that a good time, and fit ſeaſon, to go in, and preſent his ſuit, expecting to come ſpeed through his moyen: And this keeps alwayes the weight, and honour of our obtaining any thing we ſeek, as a prerogative to Chriſt, and ſtops the perſons own mouth, from looking to any thing in it ſelf to boaſt of; even as the Rebel hath no cauſe to boaſt of his getting a hearing from the Prince; but gives the thanks to him, who, as he made his peace, ſo alſo procured him a hearing; and it is according to that word, Heb. 10.21. Having an high-Prieſt over the houſe of God, let us draw near with full aſſurance of faith, expecting a hearing: and that, Heb. 4.15, 16. Seeing we have an high Prieſt, who was tempted in all things, like as we are yet without ſin; Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obt…in mercy and find grace to help in time of need: This is the Firſt ſtep of improving Chriſts Interceſſion, when the ju…ified ſinner is at a ſtand, on ſome new challenge for guilt, and dar not go forward, nor adventure to approach unto God; on this account, and ground that there is a Mediator, and Advocat at his right hand, to hazard (if we may ſpeak ſo) or rather with confidence to go forward, and preſent his ſuit to God. 2. There is an act of Faith, as in undertaking, ſo in expecting and on-waiting upon God, for obtaining a hearing of our ſuit, on this account, that Jeſus Chriſt is an interceſſour in heaven for ſuch as imploy him; And this guards againſt both the faillings before mentioned, to wit, againſt anxiety on the one hand, … preſumption on the other; againſt anx…ty and fainting, when as there is not only a propoſing of our deſire, but an on-waiting for, and expectation of a hearing from God; againſt preſumption, and turning carnal when the expectation of a hearing is not founded on our own righteouſneſſe, but on the Interceſſion of Chriſt; This is it which we have, Dan. 9.17. compared with Jonah 2.4. In the 2. of Jonah 4. v. He ſayes; Then I ſaid, I am cast out of thy ſight, yet will I look again toward thy holy temple; The which look was in effect, a looking toward the interceſſion of Chriſt the Meſſiah; The Temple with it's Sacrifice having been typical of him; and the Mercy-ſeat that was there, being typical of his interceſſion; It is, as if unbelief had ſuggeſted to Jonah, now Jonah, what will become of thee? thou art a gone man, and needs not pray any more; yet ſayes he, I will look again towards thy holy temple: and though he knew not wel, now being in the belly of the Whale, where the Temple ſtood; yet his Faith having an ſuitable exerciſe on the Meſſiah ſignified by the Temple, and his looking, being an act of Faith, carried in his ſuit to God, which was accepted; and Indeed this is a main thing, by which a poor Believer caſt down, wins to his feet again; The other place is, Dan. 9.16, 17. Where, when he is ſerious, and doubling his petition; he hath theſe words, Cauſe thy face to ſhine upon thy Sanctuary, which is deſolat, for the Lords ſake; and to let it be known what he meaned, by ſaying, for the Lords ſake, which looks to him who was to be interceſſour in our nature, he expones it in the following words, O! my God incline thine ear, and hear, open thine eyes, and behold our deſ…lations, For we do not preſent our ſupplications b… fore thee for our righteouſneſses but for thy great mercies: That is an improving aright of Chriſts interceſſion, not to pray directly to him, as a diſtinct party, but to pray for mercy upon the account of his Interceſſion; For what is for mercies ſake, in the latter, is for the Lords ſake, in the former, viz. becauſe, by him, and by vertue of his Interceſſion, mercy comes out unto us: And this is a main uſe to be made of Chriſts Interceſſion, to wit, to have upon that ground an expectation of a hearing, or to found our expectation of a hearing on that account; and let it bear the weight of it, as well it can. 3. The right improvement of Chriſts Interceſſion hath this act of Faith; That although there ſeem to be many difficulties, and long off puting, yet Faith upon the account of his Interceſſion, will continue it's expectation of a hearing and it's looking for, of what the perſon hath ſought, and ſtands in need of; whatever croſs diſpenſations thwart it's expect…tion, and whatever ſignes of anger appear in the way of it's obtaining it wai…s on for all that: Though Jonah be in the belly of the W…ale, and the weids wrapped about his head, yet will he look towards his holy Temple; So though a Soul have no life, nor ſenſe, no inward …iſting, nor arguments in the mouth; yet acting on Chriſts Interc…ſſion by Faith; it will not leave, nor give over it's ſuite, conſidering, that though it hath no ground of expectation of good from it ſelf; yet from Chriſts Interceſſi…n it hath; which is the improvement of that, Heb. 7.25. He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all that come unto God through him, &c. If there were never ſo ſtrong objections from unbelief, and carnal reaſon; and if it ſhould be ſuggeſted, ye have ſuch and ſ…ch difficulties, that cannot be overcome, lying in the way of your Salvation, and there is nothing in you concurring to make out your Salvation; yet Faith ſayes, He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, or, as the word i… he can ſave to the full, or to the yond moſ…; and what is the ground? becauſe he ever lives to make interceſſion; And this is the main thing to be taken notice of, in improving of his Interceſſion, when the ſinner hath preſented his ſuit, or requeſt to God through the Mediator; to get his mind quieted, on the account of Chriſts Interceſſion, that it ſhall be anſwered; even as a man, who having a Cauſe to plead, and geting an able Advocat, who ſayes to him, I will warrand your cauſe; quiets himſelf, becauſe of his undertaking: So proportionably there is a weight laid on Chriſts Interceſſion by Faiths lippening to him, which maketh the Soul to be without anxiety: And this continued act of Faith doth not at all fo…ter ſin, but ſtrengtheneth rather to oppoſe ſin; quiets the mind, and makes more humble, and keeps a tranquillity in the Soul, in bands, as well as in liberty; becauſe it layes the weight of it's coming ſpeed with God, not on i…'s own argumenting, but on the Mediators Interceſſion: For as we ſhew from, Revel. 8. The prayer… of all Saints go up from his cenſer; the weakeſt, as well as the ſtrongeſt, becauſe it's his incenſe that makes them ſavoury. 4. There is an improvement of Chriſts Interceſſion, when any thing is obtained, whether it be a mercy in preventing ſuch and ſuch a ſtroak, or the beſtowing of ſuch and ſuch a favour; and that is, when Faith derives not, that mercy from, nor attributs it to, it's own praying, though it did pray, and pray ſomewhat ſeriouſly, but derives it from, and attributs it to the vertue and efficacy of Chriſts Intercesſion, and counts it ſelf obliged to that, as the riſe of all the perſons good; and again, by him returning thanks to God for it; And this is a little proof of improving Chriſts Interceſſion: Sometime when we want what we would have, and are reſtrained, we will improve all means to obtain, yet when we have obtained, there is but little acknowledgment of him therein; which acknowledgment is our duty, inſinuat John 14.13, 14. Whatſoever ye ask in my name, I will do; that the Father may be glorified in the Son: And in this ſenſe, we ought to walk in the uſe of every mercy, as be…i…g the acknowledgment of C…iſts Interceſſion; and to be affected with love to God, and ſhould withal have a new impreſſion of it's obligation, to be forthcoming for God, upon the account of his Interceſſion; Whereas the moſt part of fo…k take their mercies, and think not themſelves to be in his common for them; neither do they own him with thankful acknowledgment of them, when they have gotten them; even as a man who had gotten a favour through the mediation of another, and ſhould forget him, would be very ingrate; The making uſe of Chriſts Interceſſion in this reſpect, is the improving of it, for the awaking of our thankfuln…ſs, and the confirming of our obligation to him: If we look through our life, is there any day, or hour, but we will need ſomething, and be injoying ſomething? and the improving Chriſts Interceſſion thus, would make the thoughts of Chriſt always freſh, and lovely to us; but we ſeek, and get, and enjoy, as if a Mediator were not in heaven; but as we acknowledge him in praying to him, when we have need; ſo when any thing is gotten, we ſhould acknowledge, that we have received it, and do enjoy it on the account of his Interceſſion, who obtained it for us.
3dly. We ſaid, That this may be illuſtrat by ſimilitudes; And there are theſe Three whereby it may be illuſtrat. The 1. is (if we may call it a ſimilitude) the comparing of the uſe-making of his Interceſſion, with the uſe-making of his Satisfaction; (wherein there is a reſemblance) we make uſe of his Satisfaction, when we are convinced of our natural ſinfulneſſe, and enimity, and that we cannot make our own peace our ſelves; yet hearing of his Satisfaction, and having an offer of it, and believing that His able to do our turn, we hazard … that ground, to cloſe with God in the Covenant: And through the ſenſe of peace come not for a long time, yet we, with confidence wait for it, becauſe the ground we lean on for it cannot fail; proportionably to this, we … uſe of Chriſts Interceſſion; when under a challenge, we are convinced of a …, and da… not approach to God; yet hearing tell that there is an Interceſſou… in heaven; who will undertake for them that imploy him: we hazard confidently on that ground, to propoſe our ſuits unto God, and notwithſtanding of difficulties, expect and wait for an anſwer: It may be Objected here, that it ſeems, there is no difference betwixt the improving of his Satisfaction, and the improving of his Interceſſion, Anſwer, There is no difference, in reſpect of the things fought, nor in reſpect of the acts of Faith, whereby we make uſe of the one, and of the other, nor in reſpect of the grounds whereupon; for Chriſt hath payed the debt of them, for whom he interceeds, he hath purchaſed the ſame things for which he maketh Interceſſion, they are the ſame acts of Faith, that make uſe of both, It's the ſame Covenant, and offer, that warrands us to come to his Satisfaction for peace, that warrands us to make uſe of his Interceſſion for the application of peace; There is only this difference that by his Satisfaction he procures us peace, and a right to it, and our peace is made by his laying down before God, the price, which we by Faith take hold of; but when he interceeds, he hath nothing to pay, but interceeds for what he hath purchaſed; Therefore the Scripture hangs the application of his purchaſe upon his Interceſſion; He hath bought peace, and every good thing that we ſtand in need of by his death; and by his Interceſſion, he procures and makes the application: Therefore it's on this ground▪ that the Spirit is poured out; As among men, it's one thing to make peace, and another thing to bring the offending perſon into familiarity with the offended party; So it's the ſame Faith acting on Chriſts Satisfaction, for being brought in to Covenant with God, as the meritorious cauſe that acts on Chriſts Interceſſion, for application of that which he hath purchaſed; but under a different conſideration, looking on his Satisfaction as procuring; and on his Interceſſion, for application of the ſame things. A 2d. Similitude to clear it, is the people under the Law, their making uſe of the high Prieſt; There were two parts of the high Prieſts Office, or two things, wherein the people made uſe of him. 1. For offering Sacrifice; 2. For Interceſſion; The high Prieſt went into the moſt holy once a year, and ſprinkled the blood, and prayed for the people; in which time they were ſtanding without praying, in the hope of having their prayers made the more acceptable: This was by Gods appointment typically to prefigure our Lords Interceſſion in heaven; It is true, the high Prieſts praying for them was nothing to the Souls advantage, of him or them, if Chriſt was not made uſe of, both by him, and by them; yet it was typical, and to ſhew this much, that they were to improve Chriſts Interceſſion, as well as his Sacrifice and Satisfaction; Therefore, Luke 1.10. When Zacharias went in to pray, the whole multitude of the people was without praying. A 3d. ſimilitude (which we have hinted at in our going along) is drawn from that way that is uſed among men, for bringing two parties that are at ods, and variance, to be reconciled, and at one; which though we are not to conceive in that carnal manner, yet it holds as to the ſubſtance of the thing; as if the offending party durſt not go his alone, to the party offended, but ſhould carrie along with him a friend, that hath place, and power to prevail with the other; when he undertakes to go along with him contrary to his deſerving, he will expect confidently to get a good hearing; and if any ſhould ſay to him, how dar you go to ſuch an one, whom you have ſo provocked? he would anſwer, becauſe I have a friend before me, that will make moyen for me; and when by that friends moyen, he gets a favourable hearing, and his ſuit granted, he comes away rejoycing, profeſſing his great obligation to that friend; So is it here as to the thing, though as was ſaid, we would guard againſt carnal conceptions, of taking up God, and the Mediator as diſtinct parties to be made application to, we ſhall inſiſt no further for the time, O! that there were ſeriouſneſs to improve his Blood and Satisfaction, for waſhing us from the guilt of ſin, and for making our peace with God, and his Interceſſion, for upholding our peace and communion with God, and for the attaining of every good, that he hath purchaſed and promiſed, which is the ſum of all, God help us to the practice of it, and to be conſcientious in it.