John Bunnyon THE ADVOCATESHIP OF JESUS CHRIST Clearly Explained AND Largely Improved FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BELIEVERS FROM 1 John 2.1 And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous By JOHN BVNYAN Author of the Pilgrim's Progress London Printed for Dorman Newman at the King's Arms in the Poultry 1688. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Courteous Reader OF all the excellent 〈…〉 God the Father haâ— conferred upon 〈◊〉 Châ—iâ—t ouâ— Lord this of his being an Advocate with him for us is not the least tho to the shame of Saints it may be spoken the blessed benefits thereof have not with that diligence and fervenâ— desire been enquired after as they ought Christ as Sacrifice Priest and King with the glories in and thaâ— flow from him as such has God be thanked in this our day been much discovered by our Seers and as much rejoiced in by those who have believed their words but as he is an Advocate with the Father an Advocate for us I fear the excellency of that doth still too much lie hid Tho I am verily of opinion that the Peâ—ple of God in this Age have as much need of the knowledge thereoâ— if not more need than had their Brethren that are gone before them These words if not more need Perhaps may seem to some to be 〈◊〉 what out of Joint but let the Godly-wise consider the Decays that are amongst us as to the Power of Godliness And what abundance of foul miscarriages the generality of Professors now stand guilty of as also how diligent their great Enemy is to accuse them at the Bar of God for them And I think they will conclude that in so saying I indeed have said some truth Wherefore when I have thoughâ— on this and have somewhat conâ—idered also the transcendent excellency of the Advocateship oâ— this our Lord And again that but little of the Glory thereof has by writing been in our day communicated to the Chuâ—ch I adventured to write what I have seen thereof and do by â—hat doth follow present it unto her for good I count not my self sufficient for this or for any other truth as it is in Jesus But yet I say I have told you somewhat of it accordding to the proportion of Faith. And I believe that some will thank God for what I here have said about it but it will be chiefly those whose Right and Title to the Kingdom of Heaven and Glory doth seem to themselves to be called in question by their Enemy at the Bar of the judge of all These I say will read and be glad to hear that they have an Advocate at Court that will stand up to plead for them and that will yet secure to them a right to the heavenly Kingdom Wherefore it is more particularly for those that at present or that hereafter may be in this dreadful plight that this my Book is now made publick Because it is as I have shewed for such that Jesus Christ is Advocate with the Father Of the many and singular advantages therefore that such have by this their Advocate in his Advocating for them this Book gives some account As where he pleads how he pleads what he pleads when he pleads with whom he pleads for whom he pleads and how the Enemy is put to shame and silence before their God and all the holy Angels Here is also shewed to those herein concerned how they indeed may know that Jesus is their Advocate Yea and how their matâ—ers go before their God the Judge And particularly that they shall well come off at last Yea tho their Cause as 't is theirâ— is such in Justification of which themselves don 't dare to shew their Heads Nor have I left the dejected Souls without Directionâ— how to entertain this Advocate to plead their Cause Yea I have also shewn that he will be with ease prevailed with to stand up to plead for such as one would think the very Heavens would blush to hear them named by him Their comfort also is that he never lost a Cause nor a Soul for whom he undertook to be an Advocate with God. But Reader I will on longer detain thee from the perusal of the Discourse Read and think read and compare what thou readest with the Word of God. If thou findest any benefit by what thou readest give the Father and his Son the Glory and also pray for me If thou findest me short in this or to exceed in that impute all such things to my weakness of which I am always full Fare-wel I am thine to serve thee what I may JOHN BUNYAN The Contents of this Treatise Page THe Apostles divine Policy to beget a due regard to his divine Doctrine of Eternal Life 1 The Apostles Explication of this Expression viz. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin 2 The Apostles Exhortation to separation from sin as a good effect of a good cause Viz. forgiveness ib. The Apostlâ—s addition to prevent misunderstanding viz. we have an Advocate with the Father 3 This brings to the Text in which are two great truths contained 1. A Supposition viz. that Men in Christ may sin ib. 2. An Expression by way of Consolation in case of Sin viz. we have an Advocate with the Father ib. An Enquiry into the First Viz. what our Apostle means by Sin In which is considered a difference in the Person and in the Sin. 4 5 An Enquiry into the Second viz what it is for Christ to be an Advocate viz. To plead for another in a Court of Judicature 6 Seven things supposed in the Office of Advocate 1. That God as Judge is on the Throne of Judgment ib. 2. That Saints are concerned at that Bar. 7 3. That Christians have an Accuser 8 4. That sinning Saints dare not appear at this Bar to plead their own Cause 9 5. That Christians are apt to forget their Advocate and remember their Judge 10 6. To remember our Advocate is the way to support Faith and Hope 11 7. That if our Advocate plead our Cause tho that be never so black he is able to bring us off 12 The Apostles triumph in Christ on this account 13 An Exhortation to the difficult task of believing 14 Christ's Advocateship declares us to be sorry creatures 16 The Method observed in the ensuing discourse 17 First To speak of this Advocate 's Office. ib. 1. By touching on the Nature of this Office. 18 2. By treating of the Order or Place of this Office. 19 3. The occasion of this Office viz. some great Sin. 21 Christ as Advocate pleads a Bad Cause 23 A good Cause will plead for it self 24 A pestilent passage of a Preacher 25 A bad man may have a Good Cause and a good man may have a Bad Cause 26 Christ the righteous pleading a Bad Cause is a mystery ib. The best Saints are most sensible of their Sins 27 Second To shew how Christ does manage his
his Hand upon them both Chap. 9.33 But our Mercy iâ— we have one to plead our cause an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who will not suffer our Soul to be spilt and spoiled before the Throne but will surely plead our Cause 6. Another thing that the Apostle would have us learn from the words is this That to remember and to believe that Jesus Christ is an Advocate for us when we have sinned is the next way to support and strengthen our Faith and Hope Faith and Hope are very apt to faint when our sins in their Guilt do return upon us nor is there any more proper way to relieve our Souls than to understand that the Son of God is our Advocate in Heaven True Christ died for our Sins as a Sacrifice and as a Priest he sprinkleth with his Blood the Mercy-seat Ay but here is one that has sinned after Profession of Faith that has sinned grievously so grievously that his Sins are come up before God yea are at his Bar pleaded against him by the Accuser of the Brethren by the Enemy of the godly What shall he do now Why let him believe in Christ. Believe that 's true but how now must he conceive in his mind of Christ for the encouraging of him so to do Why let him call to mind that Jesus Christ is an Advocate with the Father and as such he meeteth the Accuser at the Bar of God pleads for this Man that has sinned against this Accuser and prevaileth for ever against him Here now tho Satan be turned Lawyer tho he accuseth yea tho his charge against us is true for suppose that we have sinned yet our Advocate is with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Thus is Faith encouraged thus is Hope strengthened thus is the Spirit of the sinking Christian revived and made to wait for a good deliverance from a bad cause and a cunning Adversary Specially if you consider 7. That the Apostle also doth further suppose by the Text That Jesus Christ as Advocate if he will but plead our Cause let that be never so black is able to bring us off even before Gods Judgment-Seat to our Joy and the confounding of our Adversary For when he saith we have an Advocate he speaks nothing if he means not thus But he doth mean thus he must mean thus because he seeketh here to comfort and support the Fallen Has any Man sinned we have an Advocate But what of that if yet he be unable to fetch us off when charged for Sin at the Bar and before the Face of a righteous Judge But he is able to do this the Apostle says so in that he supposeth a Man has sinned as any Man among the Godly ever did for so we may understand it and if he giveth us not leave to understand it so he saith nothing to the purpose neither For it will be objected by some But can he fetch me off tho I have done as David as Solomon as Peter or the like It must be answered yes the openness of the terms anyman the indefiniteness of the word Sin doth naturally allow us to take him in the largest Sense besides he brings in this Saying as the chief most apt and fittest to relieve one crush'd down to Death and Hell by the Guilt of Sin and a wounded Conscience Further methinks by these words the Apostle seems to triumph in his Christ Saying my Brethren I would have you study to be holy but if your Adversary the Devil should get the Advantage of you and besmear you with the filth of Sin you have yet besides all that you have heard already an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Who is as to his Person interest with God his Wisdom and Worth able to bring you off to the comforting of your Souls Let me therefore for a Conclusion as to this give you an exhortation to believe to hope and expect that though you have sinned for I now speak to the fallen Saint that Jesus Christ will make a good end with thee trust I say in him and he shall bring it to pass I know I put thee upon a hard and difficult task for believing and expecting Good when my guilty Conscience doth nothing but clog burden and terrifie me with the Justice of God the Greatness of my Sins and the burning Torments is hard and Sweating work But it must be the Text calls for it thy case calls for it and thou must do it if thou wouldst glorifie Christ. And this is the way to hasten the issue of thy Cause in Hand for believing daunts the Devil pleaseth Christ and will help thee before-hand to sing that Song of the Church saying O Lord thou hast pleaded the Causes of my Soul thou hast redeemed my Life Lam. 3.55 56 57 58 59. Yea believe and hear thy pleading Lord say to thee Thus saith the Lord the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the Cause of his People Behold I have taken out of thy Hand the Cup of trembling even the dregs of the Cup of my Fury thou shalt no more drink it again Isa. 51.20 21 22. I am not here discoursing of the sweetness of Christ's Nature but of the Excellency of his Offices and of his Office of Advocateship in particular which as a Lawyer for his Client he is to execute in the Presence of God for us Love may be where there is no Office and so where no Power is to do us good but now when Love and Office shall meet they will surely both combine in Christ to do the fallen Christian good But of his Love we have treated elsewhere we will here discourse of the Office of this loving One. And for thy further Information let me tell thee That God thy Father counteth that thou wilt be when compared with his Law but a poor one all thy Days Yea the Apostle tells thee so in that he saith there is an Advocate provided for thee When a Father provides Crutches for his Child he doth as good as say I count that my Child will be yet Infirm And when God shall provide an Advocate he doth as good as say my People are subject to Infirmities Do not therefore think of thy self above what by plain Texts and fair Inferences drawn from Christ's Offices thou art bound to think What doth it bespeak concerning thee That Christ is always a Priest in Heaven and there ever lives to make Intercession for thee Heb. 7.24 but this that thou art at thy best in thy self yea and in thy best exercising of all thy Graces too but a poor pitiful sorry sinful Man. A Man that would when yet most holy be certainly cast away did not thy high-Priest take away for thee the iniquity of thy holy things The Age we live in is a wanton Age the Godly are not so humble and low and base in their own Eyes as they should Tho their daily experience calls for it and the Priest-hood of
Wherefore Secondly The Occasion of his exercising of this Office of Advocate is as hath been hinted already when a Child of God shall be found guilty before God of some heinous Sin of some grievous thing in his Life and Conversation For as for those Infirmities that attend the best in their most spiritual Sacrifices if a Child of God were guilty of ten thousand of them they are of Course purged through the much Incense that is always mixed with those Sacrifices in the golden Censer that is in the Hand of Christ And so he kept clean and counted upright notwithstanding those Infirmities And therefore you shall find that notwithstanding those common Faults the the Children of God are counted good and upright in Conversation and not charged as Offenders David saith the Text did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his Life save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite 1 Kin. 15.5 But was David in a strict Sense without Fault in all things else No verily But that was foul in a higher degree than the rest and therefore there God sets a blot Ay and doubtless for that he was accused by Satan before the Throne of God For here is Adultery and Murder and Hypocrisie in David â—s doings Here is notorious matter a great Sin and so a great Ground for Satan to draw up an Indictment against the King and a thundering one to be sure shall be preferred against him This is the time then for to Christ stand up to plead For now there is room for such a Question can David's Sin stand with Grace or is it possible that a Man that has done as he has should yet be found a Saint and so in a Saved State Or can God repute him so and yet be Holy and Just Or can the Merits of the Lord Jesus reach according to the Law of Heaven a Man in this Condition Here is a Case dubious here 's a Man whose Salvation by his foul Offences is made doubtful Now we must to Law and Judgment wherefore now let Christ stand up to plead I say now was David's Case dubious Psal. 51. he was afraid that God would cast him away and the Devil hoped that he would and to that end charged him before God's Face if perhaps he might get Sentence of Damnation to pass upon his Soul. But this was David's Mercy he had an Advocate to plead his Cause by whose Wisdom and Skill in Matters of Law and Judgment he was brought off of those heavy Charges from those gross Sins and delivered from that eternal Condemnation that by the Law of Sin and Death was due thereto This is then the occasion that Christ taketh to plead as Advocate for the Salvation of his People to wit the Cause he pleadeth the Cause of his People Not every Cause but such and such a Cause the Cause that is very bad and by the which they are involved not 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 Judge himself will pronounce him righteous This is evidently seen in Job Thou movest me against him this said God to Satan to destroy him without a Cause Job 2.3 Thus far Job's Cause was good wherefore he did not need an Advocate his Cause pleaded for its self and for its owner also But if it was to plead 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
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 â—o be done by his Elect For by one Offering he hath perfected for-ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 ver 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 of his Sons and that while their eldâ—r 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 â—ust give them for their Conveniency yea and as â—or 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 out in 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 live upon this old Stock their Transgressions are forgiven for the Sake of the Worth that yet God finds in the Offering that Christ hath offered And all Christ's Pleadings as an Advocate are grounded upon the Sufficiency and Worth of that one Sacrifice I mean all his Pleadings with his Father as to the Charge which the Accuser brings in against them For tho thou art a Man of Infirmity and so incident to nothing as to stumble and fall if Grace doth not prevent and it always preventeth not yet the Value and 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 to thy Salvation And this Privilege they have who indeed have Christ for their Advocate And I put it here in the first Place because 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 us 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 true but it is because there was more Virtue in Sin to damn than there was in the Blood pleaded by Christ to save For he 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 put in 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 But shall this ever be said of Christ or will it be found 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
Haters of the Lorâ— should soon have submitted themselves But theiâ— Time should have endured forever Psal. 81.13 14 1â— 5. Also if it tarry long wait for it Dâ— 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 thoughâ— pass through thy Heart saying This Evil iâ— of the Lord why should I wait upon the Lord anâ— longer 2 King. 6.33 6. But take heed that thou turnest no thy Waiting into Sleeping Wait thou must and wait patiently too but yet wait witâ— much longing and Earnestness of Spirit tâ— see or hear how Matters go above Yoâ— may observe that when a Man that dwells faâ— down in the Country and has some Busineâ— at the Term in this or another of the Kingâ— Courts though he will wait his Lawyeâ— time and conveniency yet he will so waiâ— as still to enquire at the Post-house or at thâ— Carriers or if a Neighbour comes dowâ— from Term at his Mouth for Letters oâ— any other Intelligence if possibly he maâ— arrive to know how his Cause speeds anâ— â—hether his Adversary or he has the â—ay Thus I say thou must wait upon thine â—dvocate His Ordinances are his Post-house â—is Ministers are his Carriers where Tidings â—â—om Heaven are to be had and where those â—hat are sued in that Court by the Devil â—ay at one time or another hear from â—heir Lawyer their Advocate how things â—re like to go Wherefore I say wait at â—he Posts of Wisdom's House go to Ordiâ—ances with Expectation to hear from thy Adâ—ocate there For he will send in due time â—ho it tarry wait for it because it will surely â—â—me and will not tarry Hab. 2.1 2 3. And â—ow Soul I have answered thy Request â—nd let me hear what thou sayst unto me Soul. Truly says the Soul methinks â—â—at by what you have said I may have this â—lessed Jesus to be mine Advocate for I â—â—ink verily I have entertained him to be â—ine Advocate I have also revealed my Cause â—nto him yea committed both it and my self â—nto him And as you say I wait O I â—ait And my Eyes fail with looking upâ—ard Fain would I hear how my Soul â—â—andeth in the Sight of God and whether â—â—y Sins which I have committed Since â—ight and Grace was given unto me be by â—ine Advocate taken out of the Hand of the Devil and by mine Advocate removed 〈◊〉 far from me as the Ends of the Earth are asunder Whether the Verdict has gone oâ— my side And what a Shout there was among the Angels when they saw it went weâ—â— with me But alas I have waited and thaâ— a long time and have as you advise raâ— from Ordinance to minister and from Minister to Ordinance or as you phrase it from the Post to the Carrier and from thâ— Carrier to the Post-house to see if I coulâ— hear ought from Heaven how Matters wenâ— about my Soul there I have also asked thoâ—â— that pass by the way if they saw him whom 〈◊〉 Soul loveth and if they had any thing to coâ—municate to me but nothing can I get 〈◊〉 find but Generals as that I have an Advocaâ—â— there and that he pleadeth the Cause of 〈◊〉 People and that he will throughly pleâ—â— their Cause but what he has done for 〈◊〉 of that as yet I am ignorant I doubt my Soul shall by him effectually be secure that yet a conditional Verdict will be awarâ—ded concerning me and that much Bitter 〈◊〉 be mixed with my Sweet and that I 〈◊〉 drink Gall and Wormwood for my Follâ— For if David and Asa and Hezekiah 〈◊〉 such good Men were so served for their 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 16.7 12. why should I look for ther Dealing at the Hand of God But as â—his I will endeavour to bear the Indignation of â—he 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 't is 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 vite I am ashamed my self of mine own doings and have given mine Enemy the best end of the Staff. The Law anâ— Reason and my Conscience plead for hiâ— against me and all is true he puts into hiâ— Charge against me That I have sinned more time than there be Hairs on my Head. I know not oâ— any thing that ever I did in my Life but it haâ— 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 Shame And 't is 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
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 flaming Desire and Design to right himself upon his Foe and ours Hence he triumphed over him 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 fighteth 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 Promise 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 like 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 Now 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 't is 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 Christ 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 others 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 But 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
Honour But that is to shew how highly God esteems of and dignifies all his Acts and tho this shall tend at last to the greatning of his Honour and Glory in his Kingdom yet the Work it self is amazingly mean. I speak after the manner of Men It is accounted so in this World How ignoble and unrespectful doth a Man make himself specially to his Enemy when he undertaketh to plead a bad Cause if it also happeneth to be the Cause of the base and unworthy And I am sure we are every one so in our selves for whom he is become an Advocate with the Father True we are made worthy in him but that 's no thanks to us as to our selves and our Cause both are yet bad enough And let us now leave off disputing and stand amazed at his Condescention He humbleth himself to behold things that are in Heaven Psal. 113.4 5 6. and Men of old did use to wonder to think that God should so much stoop as to open his Eyes to look upon Man or once so much as to mind him Job 14.1 2 3. Psal. 144.3 4. Job 7.17 Psal. 8.4 And if these be Acts that bespeak a Condescension what will you count of Christ's standing up as an Advocate to plead the Cause of his People Must not that be much more so accounted Oh the Condescention of Christ in Heaven While Cavillers quarrel at such kind of Language let the Saints stay themselves and wonder at it and be so much the more affected with his Grace The Persons are base the Crimes are base with which the Persons are charged wherefore one would think that has but the Reason to think that it is a great Condescention of Christ now in Heaven to take upon him to be an Advocate for such a People Specially if you consider the openness of this Work of Christ for this thing is not done in a Corner This is done in open Court. First with an holy and just God for he is the Judge of all and his Eyes are purer than to behold Iniquity yea his very Essence and Presence is a consuming Fire yet before and with this God and that for such a People Jesus Christ the King will be an Advocate For one mean Man to be an Advocate for the base with one that is not considerable is not so much But for Christ to be an Advocate for the base and for the base too under the basest Consideration this is to be wondred at When Bathsheba the Queen became an Advocate for Adonijah unto King Solomon you see how he flounced at her for that his Cause was bad And why saith he dost thou ask Abishai for Ad nijah Ask for him the Kingdom also 1 Kin. 2.16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. I told you before that to be an Advocate did run one upon Hazards of Reproach and it may easily be thought that the Queen did blush when from the King her Son she received such a Repulse Nor do we hear any more of her being an Advocate I believe she had enough of this But oh this Christ of God who himself is greater than Solomon he is become an Advocate an Advocate with the Father who is the eternally just and holy and righteous God And that for a People with Respect to him far worse than could be Adonijah in the Eyes of his Brother Solomon Majesty and Justice are dreadful in themselves and much more so when approached by any specially when the Cause as to matter of Fact is bad that the Man is guilty of who is concerned in the Advocateship of his Friend And yet Jesus Christ is still an Advocate for us an Advocate with the Father Secondly Consider also before whom Jesus Christ doth plead as an Advocate and that is before or in the Presence and Observation of all the heavenly Host. For while Christ pleadeth with God for his People all the Host of Heaven stands by on the right Hand and on the Left Mat. 10.32 And tho as yet there may seem to be but little in this Consideration yet Christ would have us know and account it an Infinite Kindness of his to us that he will confess and not be ashamed of us before the Angels of his Father Mark 8.38 Angels are holy and glorious Creatures and in some Respect may have a greater Knowledge of the Nature and baseness of Sin than we while here are capable of and so may be made to stand and wonder while the Advocate pleads with God for a People from Head to Foot cloathed therewith But Christ will not be ashamed to stand up for us before them though they know how bad we are and what vile things we have done Let this therefore make us wonder Thirdly Add to these how unconcerned oft-times those are with themselves and their own desolate Condition for whom Christ as an Advocate laboureth in Heaven with God. Alas the Soul is as far off of knowing what the Devil is doing against it at God's Bar as David was when Saul was threatning to have his Blood while he was hid in the Field 1 Sam. 20.26 27 28 29 30 31 32. But O true Jonathan How didst thou plead for David Only here thou hadst the Advantage of our Advocate thou hadst a good Cause to plead for when Saul thy Father said David shall surely die Thy Reply was wherefore shall he be slâ—in What evil hath he done But Christ cannot say thus when he pleadeth for us at God's Bar nor is our present Senselessness and unconcernedness about his pleading but an Aggravation to our Sin. Perhaps David was praying while Jonathan was playing the Advocate for him before the King his Father But perhaps the Saint is sleeping yea sinning more while Christ is pleading for him in Heaven Oh! This should greatly affect us this should make us wonder this should be so considered by us as to heighten our Souls to Admiration of the Grace and Kindness of Christ. Fourthly join to these the Greatness and Gravity the highness and glorious Majesty of the Man that is become our Advocate says the Text 't is Jesus Christ we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ. Now that he should become an Advocate that he should embrace such an Imploy as this of his Advocateship let this be a wonderment and so be accounted But let us come to the fourth Use. Vse 4. Fourthly Is it so is Jesus Christ the Saviour also become our Advocate Then let us labor to make that Improvement of this Doctrine as tendeth to strengthen our Graces and us in the management of them Indeed this should be the Use that we should make of all the Offices of Christ but let us at this time concern our sâ—lves about this Let I say the poor Christian thus expostulate with himself 1. Is Christ Jesus the Lord mine Advocate with the Father Then awake my Faith and shake thy self like a Gyant Stir up thy self and be not faint Christ is the Advocate of his
and to keep us humble So we should make Vse of it to encourage to Perseverance that is to hold on to hold out to the end For for all those Causes the Apostle setteth Christ before us as an Advocate There is nothing doth more discourage the truly Godly thaâ— the Sense of their own Infirmities as haâ— been hinted at all along consequently nâ—thing can more encourage them to go on than to think that Christ is an Advocate foâ— them The Services also that Christ haâ— for us to do in this World are full of Difficulty and so apt discourage But wheâ— a Christian shall come to understand that iâ— we do what we can 't is not a failing eitheâ— in Matter or Manner that shall render it wholly unserviceable or give the Devil that Aâ—vantage as to plead thereby to prevail foâ— our Condemnation and Rejection but thaâ— Christ by being our Advocate saves us froâ— our falling short and also from the Rage 〈◊〉 Hell This will encourage us to hold oâ— though we do but hobble in all our goings anâ— fumble in all our doings For we have Chriâ—â— for an Advocate in case we sin in the Managâ—ment of any Duty If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Let us therefore go on in all God's Ways as well as we can for our Hearts and when our Foot slips let us tell God of it and his Mercy in Christ shall hold us up Psal. 84.18 Darkness and to be shut up in Prison is also a great Discouragement to us But our Advocate is for giving us Light and for fetching us out of our Prison True he that Joseph chose to be his Advocate to Pharaoh remembred not Joseph but forgat him Gen. 40.14 23. but he that has Jesus Christ to be his Advocate shall be remembered before God. He remembred us in our low Estate for his Mercy endureth forever Mich. 7.8 9 10. Psal. 136.23 Yea he will say to the Prisoners shew your selves and to them that are in the Prison-House go forth Satan sometimes gets the Saints into the Prison when he has taken them Captive by their Lusts Rom. 7.23 but they shall not be always there and this should encourage us to go on in godly Ways For we must through many Tribulations enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Obj. But I cannot pray says one therefore how should I persevere When I go to Prayer instead of praying my Mouth is stopt What would you have me do Well Soul tho Satan may baffle thee he cannot so serve thine Advocate If thou must not speak for thy self Christ thine Advocate can speak for thee Lemuel was to open his Mouth for the Dumb to wit for the Sons of Destruction and to plead the Cause of the poor and needy Prov. 31.8 9. If we knew the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ so as the Word reveals it we would believe we would hope and would notwithstanding all Discouragements wait for the Salvation of the Lord. But there are many things that hinder wherefore Faith and Prayer and Perseverance are made difficult things unto us But if any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And God shall fight for you and you shall hold your Peace was once a good Word to me when I could not pray Fifthly As we should improve this Doctrine for the Improvement and Encouragement of these Graces So we should improve it to the Driving of Difficulties down before us to the getting of Ground upon the Enemy Resist the Devil drive him back this is it for which thy Lord Jesus is an Advocate with God in Heaven and this is it for the Sake of which thou art made a Believer on Earth 1 Pet. 5.9 Heb. 12.4 wherefore â—as God put this Sword we have an Advoâ—ate into thy Hand but to fight thy way â—hrough the World. Fight the good Fight of Faith lay hold on eternal Life And say I will go in the Strength of the Lord God And since I have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous I will not despair tho the Iniquity of mine Heels should compass me about Psal. 49.5 Vse 5. Fifthly Doth Jesus Christ stand up to plead for us with God to plead with him for us against the Devil Let this teach us to stand up to plead for him before Men to plead for him against the Enemies of his Person and Gospel This is but reasonable For if Christ stands up to plead for us why should not we stand up to plead for him He also expecteth this at our Hands saying who will rise up for me against the evil Doers Who will stand up for me against the Workers of Iniquity The Apostle did it and counted himself engaged to do it where he saith he preached the Gospel of God with much Contention 2 Thes. 2.2 Nor is this the Duty of Apostles or Preachers only but every Child of God should earnestly contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Jud. 3. And as I said there is Reason why we should do this He standeth for us And if we 1. Consider the Disparity of Persons to plead it will seem far more reasonable He stands up to plead with God we stand up to plead with Men. The Dread of God is great yea greater than the Dread of Men. 2. If we consider the Persons pleaded for He pleads for Sinners for the inconsiderable vile and base We plead for Jesus for the Great Holy and Honourable 'T is an Honour for the Poor to stand up for the Great and Mighty But what Honour is it for the Great to plead for tâ—e base Reason therefore requireth that we stand up to plead for him tho there can be but little rendereâ— why he should stand up to plead for us 3. He standeth up to plead for us in thâ— most Holy Place tho we are vile Anâ— why should we not stand up for him in thiâ— vile World since he is holy 4. He pleads for us though our Cause iâ— bad why should not we plead for him since his Cause is good 5. He pleads for us against fallen Angels why should we not plead for him against sinful Vanities 6. He pleads for us to save our Souls why should not we plead for him to sanctifie his Name 7. He pleads for us before the Holy Angels why should not we plead for him beforâ— Princes 8. He is not ashamed of us tho now in Heaven why should we be ashamed of him before this Adulterous and sinful Generation 9. He is unwearied in his pleading for us why should we faint and be dismayed while we plead for him My Brethren is it not reasonable that we should stand up for him in this World Yea is it not Reason that in all things we should study his Exaltation here since he in all things contrives our Honour and Glory in Heaven A Child of God should study in every of his Relations to serve the