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 doth naturally lead me to it Wherefore â— 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 as 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 about 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 't is 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 every 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 't is 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 the Judge my Heart condemns me 1 Joh. 3 20. Miâ—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 giâ—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
pleading a bad Cause is a Mystery ib. The best Saints are most sensible of their sins Page 27 Second To shew how Christ does manage his Office. Page 28 1. ALONE Not by any Proxy or Deputy ib. 2. Christ pleads at God's Bar the Cause cannot be removed into another Court. Page 29 If removed from Heaven we have no Advocate on Earth Page 30 In pleading Christ observes these Rules 1. He granteth what is charged on us ib. 2. He pleads his own goodness for us Page 32 He payeth all our debt down Page 33 All mouths stopped who would not have the sinner delivered Page 34 Christ requires a Verdict in order to our deliverance ib. The sinner is delivered God contented Satan confounded and Christ applauded Page 35 II. How Christ manages his Office of an Advocate against the Adversary by Argument ib. 1. He pleads the pleasure of his Father in his Merits Page 37 Satan rebuked for finding fault therewith Page 38 2. He pleads God's Interest in his People Page 39 Haman's mishap in being ingaged against the King's Queen NB. Page 40 It seems a weak Plea because of Man's unworthiness But it 's a strong Plea because of God's worthiness Page 41 The Elect are bound to God by a seven-fold cord Page 42 43 The weight of the Plea weighed Page 44 3. Christ pleads his own Interest in them Page 45 A Parallel between Cattel in a Pound and Christ's own Sheep Page 46 Six weighty Reasons in this Plea. Page 47 1. They are Christ's own ib. 2. They cost him dear ib. 3. He hath made them near to himself Page 48 They are his Spouse his Love his Dove They are Members of his Body Page 49 A Man cannot spare a Hand a Foot a Finger Page 50 Nor can Christ spare any Member Page 51 4. Christ pleads his right in Heaven to give it to whom he will. ib. Christ will Satan will not Christ's Will stands Page 52 5. Christ pleads Satan's enmity against the godly Page 53 Satan is the Cause of the Crimes he accuses us of Page 55 A Simile of a weak witted Child ib. 6. Christ can plead those sins of Saints for them for which Satan would have them damned Page 58 Eight Considerations to clear that Page 60 61 Seven more Considerations to the same end Page 62 63 Men care most for Children that are infirm ib. A Father offended hath been appeased by a Brother turning Advocate Page 64 Third Head To shew who have Christ for an Advocate Wherein are three things contained Page 65 I. This Office of Advocate differs from that of a Priest. ib. 1. They differ in Name ib. 2. They differ in Nature Page 66 3. They differ as to their Extent ib. 4. They differ as to the Persons with whom they have to do ib. 5. They differ as to the Matter about which they are employed ib. 6. Christ as Priest preceeds Christ as Advocate succeeds Page 67 II. How far this Office of an Advocate is extended In five Particulars Page 68 III. Who have Christ for their Advocate ib. 1. In general All adopted Children Page 69 Obj. The Text saith if any Man sin Page 70 Answ. Any Man is not any of the Woâ—ld But any of the children of God. A difference in Children some bigger than some Page 73 Christ an Advocate for strong men Page 74 75 2. In particular to shew if Christ be our Advocate Page 76 I. If one have entertained Christ to plead a Cause ib. Quest. How shall I know that Page 77 Answ. By being sensible of an Action commenced against thee in the High Court of Justice ib. II. If one have revealed a Cause to Christ. Page 79 An Example of one revealing his Cause to Christ in a Closet Page 80 In Order to this one must know Christ 1. To be a Friend Page 81 2. To be faithful Page 82 III. If one have committed a Cause to Christ. Page 83 In order to this one must be convinced 1. Of Christ's Ability to defend him Page 84 2. of Christ's Courage to plead a Cause ib. 3. Of Christ's Will for this Work. Page 85 4. Of Christ's tenderness in case of his Clients dulness ib. 5. Of Christ's unweariedness Page 86 IV. If one wait till things come to a legal Issue Page 87 Quest. What is it thus to wait Page 88 Answ. 1. To be of good Courage Look for deliverance Page 89 2. To keep his way in waiting ib. 3. To observe his Directions ib. 4. To hearken to future Directions which may come from the Advocate ib. 5. To come to no ill conclusion in waiting viz. that the Cause is lost because one hears not from Court. Page 90 6. To wait waking Not sleeping ib. Ordinances and Minister compared to a Post-house and Carriers of Letters Page 91 The Clients comfortable conclusion about his Advocate and Cause ib. But yet doubting and desponding Page 92 93 The Author's reply to and comply with the Clients conclusion And his Council in the case Page 94 Fourth Head To shew the Clients Privileges by the benefit of this Office of Advocate Page 95 Priv. 1. The Advocate pleads a price paid ib. Of a rich Brother and his poor Brethren Page 96 Of the ill-conditioned Man their Enemy ib. Farther cleared by three considerations Page 97 Priv. 2. The Clients Advocate pleads for himself also both concerned in one bottom Page 99 1. He pleads the price of his own Blood. ib. 2. He pleads it for his own Page 100 A Simile of a lame Horse ib. Of Men going to Law for a thing of little worth ib. Obj. I am but one Page 101 Answ. Christ cannot lose one Page 102 Priv. 3. The Plea of Satan is groundless ib. Satan must be cast over the Bar. Page 103 A Simile of a Widow owing a Sum of Money Page 105 Of an old Law nulled by a new Law. Page 106 Satan pleads by the Old Law Christ by the New. ib. Priv. 4. Is consequential The Clients Accuser must need be overthrown Page 107 The Clients solemn Appeal to the Almighty Page 108 In case the accused have no Advocate Satan prevails ib. Priv. 5. The Advocate hath pity for his Client And indignation against the Aâ—cuser Page 109 Men chuse an Advocate who hath a Quarrel against their Adversary Page 110 Priv. 6. The Judge counts the Accuser his Enemy Page 111 To procure the Judges Son to plead is desirable ib. Priv. 7. The Clients Advocate hath good courage He will set his Face like a Flint Page 112 He pleads before the God and all the Host of Heaven Page 113 He is the old Friend of Publicans and sinners ib. He pleads a Cause bad enough to make Angels blush Page 114 Love will do and bear and suffer much Page 115 Priv. 8. The Advocate is alway ready in Court. Page 116 He appears consider the Presence of God. Page 117 Priv. 9. Tâ—â— Christ â—â—â—â—cate will not be blinded with Bribes â—â— Page 118 Priv. 10. The Advocate
Condemnation that by the Law of Sin and Death was due thereto This is then the occasion that Christ taketh to plead as Advocate for the Salvation of his People to wit the Cause he pleadeth the Cause of his People Not every Cause but such and such a Cause the Cause that is very bad and by the which they are involved not only in Guilt and Shame but also in danger of Death and Hell. I say the Cause is bad if the Text be true if Sin can make it bad yea if Sin it Self be bad If any Man sin we have an Advocate An Advocate to plead for him for him as considered guilty and so consequently as considered in a bad Condition 'T is true we must distinguish between the Person and the Sin and Christ pleads for the Person not the Sin. but yet he cannot be concerned with the Person but he must be with the Sin for tho the Person and the Sin may be distinguished yet they cannot be separated He must plead then not for a Person only but for a guilty Person for a Person under the worst of Circumstances If any Man sin we have an Advocate for him as so considered When a Man's Cause is good it will sufficiently plead for it self yea and for its Master too specially when it is made appear so to be before a Just and Righteous Judge Here therefore needs no Advocate the Juâ—ge himself will pronounce him righteous This is evidently seen in Job Thou movest me against him this said God to Satan to destroy him without a Cause Job 2.3 Thus far Job's Cause was good wherefore he did not need an Advocate his Cause pleaded for its self and for its owner also But if it was to plead good Causes for which Christ is appointed Advocate then the Apostle should have written thus If any Man be righteous we have an Advocate with the Father Indeed I never heard but one in all my Life preach from this Text and he when he came to handle the Cause for which he was to plead pretended it must be good and therefore said to the People see that your Cause be good else Christ will not undertake it But when I heard it Lord thought I if this be true what shall I do and what will become of all this People yea and of this Preacher too Besides I saw that by the Text the Apostle supposeth an other Cause a Cause bad exceeding bad if Sin can make it so And this was one Cause why I undertook this work When we speak of a Cause we speak not of a Person simply as so considered For as I said before Person and Cause must be distinguished Nor can the person make the Cause good but as he regulates his Action by the Word of God If then a good a righteous man doth what the Law condemns that thing is bad and if he be indicted for so doing he is indicted for a bad Cause and he that will be his Advocate must be concerned in and about a bad Matter and how he will bring his Client off therein doth lie the Mystery I know that a bad Man may have a good Cause depending before the Judge and so also good Men have Job 31. but then they are bold in their own Cause and fear not to make mention of it and in Christ to plead their Innocency before the God of Heaven as well as before Men Psal. 71.3 4 5. 2 Cor. 1.23 Gal. 1.20 Phil. 1.8 But we have in the Text a Cause that all Men are afraid of a Cause that the Apostle concludes so bad that none but Jesus Christ himself can save the Christian from it It is not only sinful but Sin it self If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Wherefore there is in this Place handled by the Apostle one of the greatest Mysteries under Heaven To wit That an innocent and holy Jesus should take in hand to plead for one before a just and righteous God that has defiled himself with Sin. Yea that he should take in Hand to plead for such an one against the fallen Angels and that he should also by his Plea effectually rescue and bring them off from the Crimes and Curse whereof they were verily guilty by the Verdict of the Law and Approbation of the Judge This I say is a great Mystery and deserves to be pry'd into by all the godly both because much of the Wisdom of Heaven is discovered in it and because the best Saint is or may be concerned with it Nor must we by any means let this truth be lost because it is the truth the Text has declared it so And to say otherwise is to belye the Word of God to thwart the Apostle to sooth up Hypocrites and to rob Christians of their Privilege and to take the Glory from the Head of Jesus Christ Luk. 18.11 12. The best Saints are most sensible of their Sins and most apt to make Mountains of their Mole-hills Satan also as has been already hinted doth labour greatly to prevail with them to sin and to provoke their God against them Job 2.9 by pleading what is true or by surmising evilly of them to the end they may be left with him to be try'd that they may be accused by him Great is his malice towards them great is his Diligence in seeking their Destruction wherefore greatly doth he desire to sift to try and winnow them if perhaps he may work in their Flesh to answer his Design that is to break out in sinful Acts that he may have by Law to accuse them to their God and Father Wherefore for their Sakes this Text abides that they may see that when they have sinned they have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And thus have I shew'd you the Nature the Order and Occasion of this Office of our blessed Lord Jesus I come now to shew you How Jesus Christ doth manage this his Office of an Advocate for us And that I may do this to your Edification I shall choose this Method for the opening of it First shew you how he manages this Office with his Father Secondly I shall shew you how he manages it before him against our Adversary How he manages this his Office of Advocate with his Father First He doth it by himself by no other as Deputy under him No Angel no Saint no Work has place here but Jesus and Jesus only This the Text implies we have an Advocate speaking of one but one one alone without an Equal or an Inferior We have but one and he is Jesus Christ. Nor is it for Christ's Honour nor for the Honour of the Law or of the Justice of God that any but Jesus Chrisâ— should be an Advoâ—â—â—e for a sinning Saint Besides to assert 〈◊〉 contrary what doth it but lessen Sin and make the Advocateship of Jesus Christ superfluous It would lessen Sin should it be removed by a Saint or Angel It would
13. God has no need of thy Gift nor Christ of thy Bribe to plead thy Cause Take thankfully what is offered and call for more That 's the best giving to God. God is rich enough Talk not then of giving but of receiving for thou art poor Be not too high nor think thy self too good to live by the Alms of Heaven And since the Lord Jesus is willing to serve thee freely and to maintain thy Right to Heaven against thy Foe to the saving of thy Soul without Price or Reward Let the Peace of God rule in thee to the which thou art also called as is the rest of the Body and be thou thankful Col. 3.15 This then is the Privilege of a Christian we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous One that pleadeth the Cause of his People against those that rise up against them of his Love Pity and meer good Will. Lord open the Eyes of dark Readers of disconsolate Saints that they may see who is for them and upon what Terms Obj. 4. But if Christ doth once begin to plead for me and shall become mine Advocate He will always be troubled with me unless I should of my self forsake him for I am ever in Broils and Suits of Law Action after Action is laid upon me and I am sometimes ten times in a Day summoned to answer my Doings before God. Answ. Christ is not an Advocate to plead a Cause or two nor to deliver the Godly from an Accusation or two He delivereth Israel out of all his Troubles 2 Sam. 22.28 and chuses to be an Advocate for such Therefore the Godly of old did use to make from the Greatness of their Troubles and the abundance of their Troublers an Argument to the Lord Christ to send and lend them help Have Mercy upon me said David consider my Trouble which I suffer of them that hate me Psal. 9.13 And again Many are they that rise up against me many there be that say of my Soul there is no help for him in God Psal. 3.1 2. Yea the Troubles of this Man were so many and great that his Enemies began to triumph over him saying There is no help for him in God ver 7. But could he not deliver him or did the Lord forsâ—ke him No no thou hast smitten saith he all mine Enemies upon the Cheek-bone thou hast broken the Teeth of the ungodly And as he delivereth them from their Troublers so also he pleadeth all their Causes O Lord saith the Church thou hast pleaded the Causes of my Soul thou hast redeemed my Life Lam. 3.58 Mark troubled Christian thou sayst thou hast been arrested oft times in a Day and as often summoned to appear at God's Bar there to answer to what shall be laid to thy Charge And here for thy Encouragement thou readest that the Church hath an Advocate that pleadeth the Causes of her Soul that is all her Causes to deliver her He knows that so long as we are in this World we are subject to Temptation and Weakness and through them made guilty of many bad things Wherefore he hath prepared himself to our Service and to abide with the Father an Advocate for us As Solomon saith of a Man of great Wrath Prov. 19.19 so it may be said of a Man of great Weaknesses and the best of Saints are such he must he delivered again and again Yea many a time saith David did he deliver them Psal. 106.44 45. to wit more than once and twice and he will do so for thee if thou entertain him to be thine Advocate Thou talkest of leaving of him but then whither wilt thou go all else are vain things things that cannot profit 1 Sam. 12.20 21 22 23. and he will not forsake his People tho their Land be filled with Sin against the holy One of Israel Jer. 51.5 I know the modest Saint is apt to be abash'd to think what a troublesome one he is and what a make-work he has been in God's House all his Days And let him be filled with holy blushing but let him not forsake his Advocate Having thus spoken to these Objections let us now come to make some use of the whole and Vse 1. First I would exhort the Children to consider the Dignity that God hath put upon Jesus Christ their Saviour For by how much God hath called his Son to Offices and Places of trust by so much he hath heaped Dignities upon him 'T is said of Mordecai That he was next to the King Ahasuerus And what then Why then the Greatness of Mordecai his high Advance must be written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia Esth. â—0 1 2 3. to the end his Fame might not be buried nor forgot but remembred and talked of in Generations to come Why my Brethren God hath exalted Jesus of Nazareth Hath made him the only great one having given him a Name above every Name A Name did I say a Name and Glory beyond all Names and above all Names as doth witness both his being set above all and the many Offices which he executeth for God on behalf of his People 'T is counted no little Addition to Honour when Men are not only made near to the King but also intrusted with most if not almost with all the most weighty Affairs of the Kingdom Why this is the Dignity of Christ he is 't is true the natural Son of God and so high and one that abounds with Honour but this is not all God has conferred upon him as Man all the high and most mighty Honours of Heaven He hath made him Lord Mediator betwixt him and the World. This in general And particularly he hath called him to be his high Priest forever Heb. 7.21 22 23 24. and hath sworn he shall not be changed for another he hath accepted of his Offering once forever counting that there is wholly enough in what he did once to perfect forever them that are sanctified to wit set apart to Glory Heb. 10.11 12 13. He is Captain General of all the Forces that God hath in Heaven and Earth the King and Commander of his People Chap. 9.25 26. He is Lord of all and made Head over all things to the Church Eph. 1.22 and is our Advocate with the Father O the Exaltation of Jesus Christ Let Christians therefore in the first Place consider this Nor can it but be profitable to them if withal they consider that all this Trust and Honour is put and conferred upon him in Relation to the Advantage and Advancement of Christians If Christians do but consider the nearness that is 'twixt Christ and them and withal consider how he is exalted it must needs be matter of Comfort to them He is my Flesh and my Bone that is exalted it is my Friend and Brother that is thus set up and preferred 'T was something to the Jews when Mordecai was exalted to Honour they had thereby Ground to