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
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
things prevail with thee to believe that if thou hast committed thy Cause unto him he will bring it to pass to a good pass to so good a pass as will glorifie God honour Christ save thee and shame the Devil Fourthly But fourthly wouldest thou know whether Jesus Christ is thine Advocate whether he has taken in hand to plead thy Cause Then I ask Dost thou together with what has been mentioned before wait upon him according to his Counsel until things shall come to a legal Issue Thus must Clients do There is a great many Turnings and Windings about Sutes and Tryals at Law the Enemy also with his Supersedes Cavils and Motions often deferrs a speedy Issue Wherefore the Man whose is the concern must wait as the Prophet said I will look said he unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my Salvation But how long Prophet wilt thou wait Why says he until he plead my Cause and execute Judgment for me Mich. 7.7 8 9 10. Perhaps When thy Cause is tryed things for the present are upon this Issue Thy Adversary indeed is cast but whether thou shalt have an absolute Discharge as Peter had or a conditional one as David 2 Sam. 12.10 11 14. and as the Corinthians had that 's the Question True thou shalt be compleatly saved at last but yet whether 't is not best to leave to thee a Memento of God's Displeasure against thy Sin by awarding that the Sword shall never depart from thy House or that some sore Sickness or other Distresses shall haunt thee as long as thou livest or perhaps that thou shalt walk without the Light of Godâ—s Countenance for several Years and a Day Now if any of these three things happen unto thee thou must exercise Patience and wait Thus did David I waited patiently And again He exercises his Soul in this Vertue saying My Soul wait thou only upon him for my Expectation is from him Psal. 62.5 For now we are Judged of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the World And by this Judgment though it sets us free from their Damnation yet we are involved in many Troubles And perhaps must wait many a Day before we can know That as to the main the Verdict hath gone on our Side Thus therefore in order to thy waiting upon him without fainting it is meet that thou shouldest know the Methods of him that manages thy Cause for thee in Heaven And suffer not Mistrust to break in and bear sway in thy Soul For he will at length bring thâ—e forth to the Light and thou shalt behold his Righteousness She also that is thine Enemy shall see it and Shame shall cover her that said unto thee where is thy God But what is it to wait upon him according to his Counsel Answ. 1. To wait is to be of good Courage to live in Expectation and to look for Deliverance tho thou hast sinnâ—â— against thy God. Wait on the Lord be of good Courage and he shall strengthen thy Heart Wait I say on the Lord Psal. 7.14 Psal. 31.24 2. To wait upon him is to keep his way To walk humbly in his Appointments Wait on the Lord and keep his Way and he shall exalt thee to inherit the Land Psal. 37.3 3. To wait upon him is to observe and keep those Directions which he giveth thee to observe even while he stands up to plead thy Cause For without this or not doing this a Man may further marr his Cause in the Hand of him that is to plead it Wherefore keep thee far from an evil Matter have no Correspondence with thine Enemy walk humbly for the Wickedness that thou hast committed and loath and abhor thy self for it in Dust and Ashes To these things doth the Scripture every where direct us 4. To wait is also to encline to harken to those further Directions which thou mayst receive from the Mouth of thine Advocate as to any fresh Matters that may forward and expedite a good issue of thine Affair in the Court of Heaven The want of this was the Reason that the Deliverance of Israel did linger so long in former times O! Says he that my People had harkened unto me and Israel had walked in my Ways I should soon have subdued their Enemies and turned mine Hand against their Adversaries The Haters of the Lord should soon have submitted themselves But their Time should have endâ—â—ed forever Psal. 81.13 14 15. 5. Also if it tarry long wait for it Do not conclude that thy Cause is lost because at present thou dost not hear from Court. Cry if thou wilt O when wilt thou come unto me But never let such a wicked thought pass through thy Heart saying This Evil is of the Lord why should I wait upon the Lord any longer 2 King. 6.33 6. But take heed that thou turnest not thy Waiting into Sleeping Wait thou must and wait patiently too but yet wait with much longing and Earnestness of Spirit to see or hear how Matters go above You may observe that when a Man that dwells far down in the Country and has some Business at the Term in this or another of the Kings Courts though he will wait his Lawyers time and conveniency yet he will so wait as still to enquire at the Post-house or at the Carriers or if a Neighbour comes down from Term at his Mouth for Letters or any other Intelligence if possibly he may arrive to know how his Cause speeds and whether his Adversary or he has the day Thus I say thou must wait upon thine Advocate His Ordinances are his Post-house his Ministers are his Carriers where Tidings from Heaven are to be had and where those that are sued in that Court by the Devil may at one time or another hear from their Lawyer their Advocate how things are like to go Wherefore I say wait at the Posts of Wisdom's House go to Ordinances with Expectation to hear from thy Advocate there For he will send in due time Tho it tarry wait for it because it will surely come and will not tarry Hab. 2.1 2 3. And now Soul I have answered thy Request and let me hear what thou sayst unto me Soul. Truly says the Soul methinks that by what you have said I may have this blessed Jesus to be mine Advocate for I think verily I have entertained him to be mine Advocate I have also revealed my Cause unto him yea committed both it and my self unto him And as you say I wait O I wait And my Eyes fail with looking upward Fain would I hear how my Soul standeth in the Sight of God and whether my Sins which I have committed Since Light and Grace was given unto me be by mine Advocate taken out of the Hand of the Devil and by mine Advocate removed as far from me as the Ends of the Earth are asunder Whether the Verdict has gone on my side And what a Shout there was among the Angels when they
feel the Power of his Plea to the delivering of me and the putting of him to Shame Yes verily specially since the Plea is good the Judge just nor can the Enemy find any Ground for a Demâ—â— to be put in against my present Discharge in open Court and that by Proclamation Specially since my Advocate has also by his Blood fully satisfied the old Law that he might establish the New Heb. 10 9 10 11 12. Priv. 4. Fourthly Since that which goeth before is true it follows That he that entereth his Plea against the Children must needs be overthrown For always before just Judges 't is the Right that taketh place Judge the right O Lord said David or let my Sentence come forth from thee according to the Law of Grace And he that knows what strong Ground or bottom our Advocate has for his Pleadings and how Satan's Accusations are without sound Foundation will not be afraid he speaking in Christ to say I appeal to God Almighty since Christ is my Advocate by the new Law whether I ought to be condemned to Death and Hell for what Satan pleads against me by the Old. Satan urgeth that we have sinned but Christ pleads to his propitiatory Sacrifice and so Satan is over-thrown Satan pleads the Law of Works but Christ pleads the Law of Grace Further Satan pleads the Justice and Holiness of God against us there the Accuser is over-thrown again And to them Christ appeals and his Appeal is good since the Law testifies to theâ— sufficiency of the Satisfaction that Christ has made thereto by his Obedience Rom. 3.22 â—3 also since by another Covenant God himself has given us to Jesus Christ so delivered us from the Old. Wherefore you read nothing as an effect of Satans pleading against us but that his Mouth is stopp'd as appears by the 3. of Zechariah and that he is cast yea cast down as you have it in the 12. of the Revelations Indeed when God admits not when Christ wills not to be an Advocate and when Satan is bid stand at the right Hand of one accused Psal. 109.6 7. to inforce by pleading against him the things charged on him by the Law then he can prevail prevail for-ever against such a wretched one But when Christ stands up to plead when Christ espouses this or that Man's Cause then Satan must retreat then he must go down And this necessarily flows from the Text we have an Advocate a prevailing one one that never lost Cause one that always puts the Childrens Enemy to the rout before the Judgment-seat of God. This therefore is another Privilege that they have who have Jesus Christ for their Advocate Their Enemy must nâ—eds be overthrown because both Law and Justice is on the other side Priv. 5 Fifthly Thine Advocate has pity for thee and gâ—eat Indignation against thine Accuser And these are two excellent things When a Lawyer hath pity for a Man whose Cause he pleadeth it will ingage him much but when he has Indignation also against the Man's Accuser this will yet engage him more Now Christ has both these and that not of Humour but by Grace and Justice Grace to us and Justice to our Accuser He came down from Heaven that he might be a Priest and returned thither again to be Priest and Advocate for his And in both these Offices he levelleth his whole Force and Power against thine Accuser For this Cause was the Son of God manifest that he might destroy the Works of the Devil Joh. 3.8 Cunning Men will if they can entertain such an one to be their Advocate who has a particular Quarrel against their Adversary For thus think they he that is such will not only plead for me but for himself and to right his own Wrongs also and since if it be so and it is so here my Concerns and my Advocate 's are interwoven I am like to fare much the better for the Anger that is conceived in his Heart against him And this I say is the Childrens Case their Advocate counteth their Accuser his greatest Enemy aâ—d waiteth for a time to take Vengeance and he usually then takes the opportunity when he has ought to do for his People against him Hence he says The Dâ—y of Vengeance is in my Heart and the Year of my redeemed is come Isa 63.3 4. I do not say that this Revenge of Christ is as oft times is a Mans of Spite Prejudice or other irregular lettings out of Passions but it ariseth from Righteousness and Truth Nor can it be but that Jesus must have a Desire to take Vengeance on his Enemy and ours since Holiness is in him to the utmost bounds of Perfection And I say again that in all his Pleading as an Advocate as well as in his offering as a Priest he has a hot and slaming Desire and Design to â—ight himself upon his Fâ—â— 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 sighteth against God when he accuseth the Children And this thy Father knows right well He must therefore needs distinguish between the Charge and the Mind that brings it Specially when what is charged upon us is under the gracious Prâ—mise of a Pardon as I have shewed it is Shall not the Judge then hear his Son for our Advocate is his Son in the Cause of one that he favours and that he justly can against an Enemy who seeks his Dishonour and the Destruction of his eternal Designs of Grace A Mention of the Judges Son goes far with Country-men and great striving there is with them who have great Enemies and bad Causes to get the Judges Son to plead promising themselves that the Judge is as 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
John Bunnyon THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST AS AN ADVOCATE 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 Bunyan Author of the Pilgrims 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 Offices which God the Father has conferred upon Jesus Christ our Lord this of his being an Advocate with him for us is not the least though to the shame of Saints it may be spoken the blessed benefits thereof have not with that diligence and fervent desire been enquired after as they ought Christ as Sacrifice Priest and King with the glories in and that 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 Though I am verily of opinion that the People of God in this Age have as much need of the knowledge thereof if not more need than had their Brethren that are gone befoâ—â—â—â—em Tâ—â—â—â— words if not more need perhaps may seem to some to be somewhat 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 thought on this and have somewhat considered also the transcendent excellency of the Advocateship of this our Lord And again that but little of the Glory thereof has by writing been in our day communicated to the Church I adventured to write what I have seen thereof and do by what 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 according 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 matters go before their God the Judge And particularly that they shall well come off at last Yea though their Cause as 't is theirs is such in Justification of which themselves don 't dare to shew their Heads Nor have I left the dejected Souls without Directions how to entertain this Advocate to plead their Cause Yea I have also shewen that he will be with case 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 no 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 alwayâ— full Farewel I am thine to serve thee what I may JOHN BUNYAN THE CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE THe Apostle's divine Policy to beget a due regard to his divine Doctrine of Eternal Life Page 1 The Apostle's Explication of this Expression viz. The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin Page 2 The Apostle's Exhortation to separation from sin as a good effect of a good Cause Viz. forgiveness ib. The Apostle's Addition to prevent misunderstanding viz. we have an Advocate with the Father Page 3 This brings to the Text in which are two great Truths contained ib. 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 Page 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 Page 6 Seven things supposed in the Office of Advocate ib. 1. That God as Judge is on the Throne of Judgment ib. 2. That Saints are concerned at that Bar. Page 7 3. That Christians have an Accuser Page 8 4. That sinning Saints dare not appear at this Bar to plead their own Cause Page 9 5. That Châ—istians are apt to forget their Advocate and remember their Judge Page 10 6. To remember our Advocate is the way to support Faith and Hope Page 11 7. That if our Advocate plead our Cause though that be never so black he is able to bring us off Page 12 The Apostle's triumph in Christ on this account Page 13 An Exhortation to the difficult task of Believing Page 14 Christ's Advocateship declares us to be sorry creatures Page 16 The Method observed in the ensuing discourse Page 17 First To speak of this Advocate 's Office. ib. 1. By touching on the Nature of this Office. Page 18 2. By treating of the Order or Place of this Office Page 19 3. The occasion of this Office viz. some great sin Page 21 Christ as Advocate pleads a bad Cause Page 23 A good Cause will plead for it self Page 24 A pestilent passage of a Preacher Page 25 A bad man may have a good Cause and a good man may have a bad Cause Page 26 Christ the righteous
have Soul-Causes hourly depending before the Throne of God and thâ—t are in Danger every day of eternal Damnation forbear to entertain Jesus Christ for their Advocate and so wickedly conceal their Matters from him But he that hideth his Sins shall not prosper Prov. 28.13 This therefore must first be believed by thee before thou wilt reveal thy Cause unto him 2. A Man When his Estate is called into Question I mean his Right and Title thereto will be very cautious specially if he also questions his Title to it himself unto whom he reveals that Affair He must know him to be one that is not only friendly but faithful to whom he reveals such a Secret as this Why thus it is with Christ and the Soul. If the Soul is not somewhat perswaded of the Faithfulness of Christ to wit that if he can do him no good he will do him no harm he will never reveal his Cause unto him But will seek to hide his Counsel from the Lord. This therefore is another thing by which thou mayst know that thou hast Christ for thine Advocate If thou hast heartily and in very Deed revealed thy Cause unto him Now they that do honestly reveal their Cause to their Lawyer will endeavour to possess him as I hinted before with the worst They will with Words make it as bad as they may for think they by that Means I shall prepare him for the worst that mine Enemy can do And thus Souls deal with Jesus Christ. See the fifty first Psalm also the thirty eighth with several others that might be named and see if God's People have not done so I said saith David That I would confess my Transgressions against my self and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin. But Thirdly Hast thou Jesus Christ for thine Advocate Or wouâ—dst thou know if thou hâ—â—â— Then I ask again hast thou committed thy Cause to him When a Man entertains his Lawyer to stand for him and to plead his Cause he doth not only reveal but commit his Cause unto him I would seek unto him says Eliphas to Job and unto him would I commit my Cause Job 5.8 Now there is a Difference betwixt revealing my Cause and committing of it to a Man. To reveal my Cause is to open it to one and to commit it to him is to trust it in his Hand Many a Man will reveal his Cause to him unto whom he will yet be afraid to commit it But now he that entertains a Lawyer to plead his Cause doth not only reveal but commit his Cause unto him As suppose Right to his Estate be called into Question why then he not only râ—â—eals his Cause to his Lawyer but puts into his Hands his Evidences Deeds Leases Mortgages Bonds or what else he hatâ— to shew a Title to his Estate by And thus doth the Christians deal with Christ They deliver up all unto him to wit all their Signs Evidences Promises and Assurances which they have thought they have had for Heaven and the Salvation of their Souls and have desired him to peruse to search and try them every one Psal. 139.23 And if there be Iniquity in me lead me in the way everlasting This is committing of thy Cause to Christ and this is the hardest Task of all For the Man that doth thus he trusteth Christ with all and and implyeth that he will live and die stand and fall lose and win according as Christ will manage his Business thus did Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 and thus Peter admonisheth us to do Now he that doth this must be convinced 1. Of the Ability of Jesus Christ to defend him For a Man will not commit so great a Concern as his All is to his Friend no not to his Friend be he never so faithful if he perceives not in him Ability to save him and to preserve what he hath against all the Cavils of an Enemy And hence it is that the Ability of Jesus Christ as to the saving of his People is so much insisted on in the Scripture As I have laid Help upon one that is mighty Psal. 89.19 I that speak in Righteousness mighty to save Isa. 63.1 And again I will send them a Saviour and a great one Chap. 19.20 2. As they must be convinced of his Ability to help them so they must of his Courage A Man that has Parts sufficient may yet fail â—is Friend for want of Courage Wherefore the Courage and Greatness of Christ's Spirit as to his undertaking of the Cause of his People is also amply set out in Scripture He shall not fail nor be discouraged until he hath set Judgment in the Earth Vntil he hath brought Judgment into Victory Isa. 42.4 Mat 12.20 3. They must also be convinced of his Willingness to do this for them for tho one be able and of Courage sufficient yet if he is not willing to undertake ones Cause what is it the better Wherefore he declareth his Willingness also and how ready he is to stand up to plead the Cause of the Poor and of them that are in want The Lord will plead their Cause and spoil the Soul of those that spoiled them Prov. 22.23 4. They must also be convinced of this That Christ is tender and will not be offended at the Dulness of his Client Some Men can reveal their Cause to their Lawyers better than some and are more serviceable and handy in that Affair than others but saith the Christian I am dull and sorry that way will not Christ be shuff and shy of me because of this Honest Heart he hath a Supply of thy Defects in himself and knoweth what thou wantest and where the Shooe pinches though thou art not able distinctly to open Matters to him The Child is prickt with a Pin and lies crying in the Mothers Lap but cannot shew to its Mother where the Pin is but there is pity enough in the Mother to supply this Defect of the Child Wherefore she undresses it opens it searches every Clout from Head to the Foot of the Child and so finds where the Pin is Thus will thy Lawyer do he will search and find out thy Difficulties and where Satan seeketh an Advantage of thee accordingly will provide his Remedy 5. O but will he not be weary The Prophet complains of some that they weary God Isa. 7.13 And mine is a very cross and intricate Cause I have wearied many a good Man while I have been telling my tale unto him And I am afraid That I shall also weary Jesus Christ. Answer Soul he suffered and did bear with the manners of Israel forty Years in the Wilderness Acts 13.18 and hast thou tryed him half so long The good Souls that have gone before thee have found him a tryed Stone a sure one to be trusted to as to this Isa. 28.16 and the Prophet saith positively That he fainteth not neither is weary and that there is no searching of his Vnderstanding chap. 40.28 let all these
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 otheâ—s It is not because their Cause is good but because they are kept from denying of him professedly wherefore for such he will force himself and will set his Face like a Flint and will without Shame own plead and improve his Interest with God for them even for them whose Cause is so horribly bad and gross that themselves do blush while they think thereof 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 have Cause to think that well he may and to hold my Hands before my Face for Shame and to be confounded with Shame while he to fetch me off from Condemnation for my Transgressions sets his Face like a Flint to plead for me with God and against my Accuser But thus much for the Seventh Privilege that they have by Christ who have him for their Advocate Priv. 8. Eightly Another Privilege that they have who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate is this He is always ready always in Court always with the Judge then and there to oppose if our Accuser comes and to plead against him what is pleadable for his Children And this the Text implies where it saith we have an Advocate with the Father Always with the Father Some Lawyers tho they are otherwise able and shrewd yet not being always in Court and ready do suffer their poor Clients to be baffled and nonsuited by their Adversary yea it so comes to pass because of this Neglect that a Judgment is got out against them for whom they have undertaken to plead to their great Perplexity and Damage But no such opportunity can Satan have of our Advocate for he is with the Father always with the Father as to be a Priest so to be an Advocate We have an Advocate with the Father It is said of the Priests they wait at the Altar and that they give Attendance there 1 Cor. 9.13 also of the Magistrate that as to his Office he should attend continually on this very thing And as these so Christ as to his Office of an Advocate attends continually upon that Office with his Father Rom. 13.6 we have an Advocate with the Father always with the Father And truly such an Advocate becomes the Children of God because of the Vigilancy of their Enemy For 't is said of him that he accuseth us Day and Night Rev. 12.10 So unweariedly doth he both seek and pursue our Destruction But behold how we are provided for him we have an Advocate with the Father If he comes a-Days our Advocate is with the Father if he comes a-Nights our Advocate is with the Father Thus then is our Advocate ready to put check to Satan come he when he will or can to accuse us to the Father Wherefore these two Texts are greatly to be minded one of them for that it shews us the Restlessness of our Enemy the other for that it shews us the Diligence of our Advocate That also in the Hebrews shews us the Carefulness of our Advocate where it saith He is gone into Heaven Now to appear in the Presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 Now
Canst thou say unto him as David Judge me and plead my Cause O Lord Psal. 43.1 O the Care of God towards his People and the Desire of their Welfare He has provided them an Advocate and he has referred all Causes and things that may by Satan be objected and brought in against us to the Judgment and Sentence of Christ our Advocate But to come to a Conclusion for this and therefore Priv. 11. Eleventhly The Advantage that he has that has the Lord Jesus for his Advocate therefore is very great Thy Advocate has the Cause has the Law has the Judge has the Purse and so consequently has all that is requisite for an Advocate to have Since together with these he has Heart he has Wisdom he has Courage and Loves to make the best Improvement of his Advantages for the benefit of his Client And that which adds to all is he can prove the Debt paid about which Satan makes such ado a Price given for the Ramsom of my Soul and for the Pardon of my Sins Lawyers do use to make a great Matter of it when they can prove That that very Debt is paid for which their Client is sued at the Law. Now this Christ Jesus himself is Witness to Yea he himself has paid it and that out of his own Purse for us with his own Hands before and upon the Mercy-Seat according as the Law requireth Lev. 16.13 14 15. Heb. 9.11.14.15 16 23 24. what then can accrue to our Enemy or what Advantage can he get by his thus vexing and troubling of the Children of the most High Certainly nothing but as has been said already to be cast down For the Kingdom of our God which is a Kingdom of Grace and the Power of his Christ will prevail Sampson's Power lay in his Hair but Christ's Power his Power to deliver us from the Accusation and Charge of Satan lieth in the Worth of his Undertakings And hence it is said again and they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb Rev. 12.10 11 12. and he was cast out and down And thus much for the Privileges that those are made Pertakers of who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate I come now to the Sixth last thing which is to shew you what Necessity there is that Christ should be our Advocate That Christ should be a Priest to offer Sacrifice a King to rule and a Prophet to teach All seeing Men acknowledge is of Necessity but that he should be an Advocate a Pleader for his People few see the Reason of it But he is an Advocate and as an Advocate has a Work and Imploy distinct from his Priestly Kingly or prophetical Office John says he is our Advocate and signifieth also the Nature of his Work as such in that very Place where he asserteth his Office. As also I have shew'd you in that which goes before But having already shewed you the Nature I will now shew you the Necessity of this Office. First it is necessary for the more full and ample Vindication of the Justice of God against all the Cavils of the infernal Spirits Christ died on Earth to declare the Justice of God to Men in his justifying of the ungodly God standeth upon the Vindication of his Justice as well as upon the Act thereof Hence the Holy Ghost by the Prophets and Apostles so largely disputeth for the Vindication thereof Rom. 3.24 Isa. Jer. Mal. While it asserteth the reality of the pardon of sin the justification of the unworthy and their glorification with God Rom. 3 chap. 4. chap. 8. Gal. 3 and 4. I say wâ—â—â—e it disputeth the justness of thiâ— high Act of God against the cavils of implacable sâ—â—ners Now the Prophets and Apostles in those Disputes by which they seek to vindicate the Justice of God in the Salvation of sinners are not only Ministers of God to us but Advocates for him Since as Elihu has it They speak on God's behalf Job 36.2 Or as the Margent has it I will shew thee that there are yet Words for God Words to be spoken and pleaded against his Enemies for the justification of his Actions Now as it is necessary that there should be Advocates for God on Earth to plead for his Justice and Holiness while he saveth sinners against the cavils of an ungodly People so it is necessary that there should be an Advocate also in Heaven that may there vindicate the same Justice and Holiness of God from all those Charges that the fallen Angels are apt to charge it with while it consenteth that we tho ungodly should be saved That the fallen Angels are bold enough to charge God to his Face with Vnjustness of Language is evident in the first and second of Job And that they should not be as bold to charge him with Unjustness of Actions nothing can be shewed to the contrary Further that God seeks to clear himself of this unjust Charge of Satan is as manifest for all the Troubles of his Servant Job were chiefly for that purpose And why he should have one also in Heaven to plead for the Justness of his Doings in the Forgiveness and Salvation of Sinners appears also as necessary even because there is one even an Advocate with the Father or on the Father's Side seeking to vindicate his Justice while he pleadeth with him for us against the Devil and his Objections God is wonderfully pleased with his Design in the saving of Sinners it pleases him at the Heart And since he also is infinitely just there is need that an Advocate should be appointed to shew how in a Way of Justice as well as Mercy the Sinner may be saved The good Angels did not at first see so far into the Mysteries of the Gospel of the Grace of God but that they needed further Light therein for the Vindication of their Lord as Servants Wherefore they yet did pry and look narrowly into it further and also bowed their Heads and Hearts to learn yet more by the Church of the manifold Wisdom of God 1 Pet. 1.12 Eph. 3.9 10. And if the standing Angels were not yet to the utmost perfect in the Knowledge of this Mistery and yet surely they must know more thereof than those that fell could do no Wonder if those Devils whose emnity could not but animate their Ignorance made and do make their Cavils against Justice insinuating that it is not impartial and exact because it as it is just justifieth the ungodly That Satan will quarrel with God I have shewed you and that he will also dispute against his Works with the holy Angels is more than intimated by the Apostle Jude Jude 9. And why not quarrel with and accuse the Justice of God as unrighteous for consenting to the Salvation of Sinners Since his best Qualifications are most profound and prodigious Attempts to dethrone the Lord God of his Power and Glory Nay all this is evident since we have an Advocate with the
and stumbleth thereat And says Christ because I tell you the truth ye believe me not Joh. 8.45 Hence believing is called labouring Heb. 4.11 and 't is the forest Labour at times that any Man can take in Hand because assaulted with the greatest Oppositions but believe thou must be the Labour never so hard and that not only in Christ in a general way but in him as to his several Offices and as to this of his being an Advocate in particular else some Sins and some Temptations will not in their Guilt nor vexations Trouble easily depart from thy Conscience no not by Promise nor by thy Attempts to apply the same by Faith. And this the Text insinuateth by it's setting forth of Christ as Advocate as the only or best and most speedy Way of Relief to the Soul in certain Cases There is then an Order that thou must observe in the Exercise of thy Soul in a way of believing 1. Thou must believe unto Justification in general and for this thou must direct thy Soul to the Lord Christ as he is a Sacrifice for Sin and as a Priest offering that Sacrifice So as a Sacrifice thou shalt see him appeasing Divine Displeasure for thy Sin and as a Priest spreading the Skirt of his Garment over thee for the covering of thy Nakedness thus being cloathed thou shalt not be found naked 2. This when thou hast done as well as thou canst thou must in the next Place keep thine Eye upon the Lord Christ as improving as Priest in Heaven the Sacrifice which he offered on Earth for the continuing of thee in a state of Justification thy Life time notwithstanding those common Infirmities that attend thee and to which thou art incident in all thy holy Services or best of thy Performances Rom. 5.10 Exod. 28.31 38. For therefore is he a Priest in Heaven and by his Sacrifice interceding for thee 3. But if thy Foot slippeth if it slippeth greatly then know thou 't will not be long before a Bill be in Heaven preferred against thee by the Accuser of the Brethren wherefore then thou must have Recourse to Christ as Advocate to plead before God thy Judge against the Devil thine Adversary for thee 4. And as to the badness of thy Cause let that nothing move thee save to Humility and self-Abasement For Christ is glorified by being concerned for thee Yea the Angels will shout aloud to see him bring thee off For what greater Glory can we conceive Christ to obtain as Advocate than to bring off his People when they have sinned noâ—withstanding Satans so charging of them for them as he doth He gloried when he was going to the Cross to die he went up with a Shout and the Sound of Trumpet to make Intercession for us And shall we think that by his being an Advocate he receives no additional Glory 'T is Glory to him doubtless to bear the Title of an Advocate and much more to plead and prosper for us against our Adversary as he doth 5. And I say again for thee to think that Christ will reject thee for that thy Cause is bad is a kind of thinking Blasphemy against this his Office and his Word For what doth such a Man but side with Satan while Christ is pleading against him I say 't is as the Devil would have it for it puts Strength unto his Plea against us by increasing our Sin and Wickedness But shall Christ take our Cause in Hand and shall we doubt of good Success This is to count Satan stronger than Christ and that he can longer abide to oppose than Christ can to plead for us Wherefore away with it not only as to the Notion but also as to the Heart and Root thereof Oh! When shall Jesus Christ our Lord be honoured by us as he oughâ— this dastardly Heart of ours when shall it be more subdued and trodden underfoot of Faith when shall Christ ride Lord and King and Advocate upon the Faith of his People as he should He is exalted before God before Angels and above all the Power of the Enemy there is nothing comes behind but the Faith of his People Obj. 3. But since you follow the Metaphor so close I will suppose if an Advocate be entertained some Recompence must be given him His Fee who shall pay him his Fee I have nothing could I do any thing to make this Advocate part of Amends I could think I might have Benefit from him but I have nothing what say you to this Answ. Similitudes must not be strained too far but yet I have an Answer for this Objection There is in some Cases Law for them that have no Money ay Law and Lawyers too And this is called a suing in Forma Pauperis and such Lawyers are appointed by Authority for that Purpose Indeed I know not that it is thus in every Nation but 't is sometimes so with us in England and this is the way altogether in the Kingdom of Heaven before the Bar of God. All is done there for us in Forma Pauperis on free câ—st For our Advocate or Lawyer is thereto designed and appointed of his Father Hence Christ is said to plead the Cause not of the rich and wealthy but of the Poor and Needy not of those that have many Friends but of the Fatherless and Widow not of them that are fat and strong but of those under sore Afflictions Prov. 22.22 23. chap. 23.10 11. chap. 31.9 He shall stand at the right Hand of the Poor to save him from them that condemn his Soul Psal. 109.31 or as it is in the Margent from the Judges of his Soul. This then is the manner of Jesus Christ with Men He doth freely what he doth not for Price nor Reward I have raised him up says God And I will direct all his Ways he shall build my City and he shall let go my Captives not for Price nor Reward Isa. 45.13 This I say is the manner of Jesus Christ with Men he pleads he sues in Forma Pauperis gratis and of meer Compassion And hence it is that you have his Clients give him thanks for that is all the Poor can give I will greatly praise the Lord with my Mouth I will praise him among the Multitude for he shall stand at the right Hand of the Poor to save him from them that condemn his Soul Psal. 109.30 They know but little that talk of giving to Christ except they mean they would give him Blessing and Praise He bids us come freely take freely and tells us that he will give and do freely Rev. 22.17 chap. 21.6 Let him have that which is his own to wit thy self for thou art the Price of his Blood. David speaks very strangely of giving to God for Mercy bestowed on him I call it strangely because indeed 't is so to Reason What says he shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits I will take this Cup and call for more Psal. 116.12
Adonijah 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 Majestly 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 slain 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 selves 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 People and pleadeth the Cause of the poor and needy And as for Sin which is one great stumble to thine actings O my Faith Christ has not only died for that as a Sacrifice nor only carried his Sacrifice unto the Father into the holiest of all but is there to manage that Offering as an Advocate pleading the efficacy and Worth thereof before God against the Devil for us Thus I say we should strengthen our Faith for Faith has to do not only with the Word but also with the Offices of Christ. Besides considering how many the Assaults are that are made upon our Faith we find all little enough to support it against all the Wiles of the Devil Christians too little concern themselves as I have said with the Offices of Jesus Christ and therefore their Knowledge of him is so little and their Faith in him so weak We are bid to have our Conversation in Heaven and then a Man so hath when he is there in his Spirit by Faith observing how the Lord Jesus doth exercise his Offices there for him Let us often by Faith go to the Bar of God there to hear our Advocate plead our Cause we should often have our Faith to God's Judgment-seat because we are concerned there There we are accused of the Devil there we have our Crimes laid open and there we have our Advocate to plead And this is suggested in the Text for it saith we have an Advocate with the Father Therefore thither our Faith should go for help and relief in the Day of our straits I say we should have our Faith to God's Judgment-Seat and shew it there by the Glass of our Text what Satan is doing against and the Lord Jesus for our Souls we should also shew it how the Lord Jesus carries away every Cause from the Devil and from before the Judgment-Seat to the Comfort of the Children the Joy of Angels and the Shame of the Enemy This would strengthen and support our Faith indeed And would make us more able than for the most part we are to apply the Grace of God to our selves And hereafter to give more strong Repulses to Satan 'T is easie with a Man when he knows that his Advocate has overthrown his Enemy at the King's Bench Bar or Court of common Pleas less to fear him the next time he sees him and more boldly to answer him when he reneweth his Threats upon him Let Faith then be strengthened from its being exercised about the Advocateship of Jesus Christ. Secondly As we should make use of Christ's Advocateship for the strengthening of our Faith so we also should make use thereof to the encouraging of us
Miscarriage or of the naughty Temper of some that are about him who trouble and vex and labour to bring him into danger of the Law. This is the Nature of this Office as I said on Earth and this is the Office that Christ executeth in Heaven Wherefore he saith If any Man sin we have an Advocate one to stand up for him and to plead for his deliverance before the Bar of God Joel 3.2 Isa. 66.16 Ezek. 38.22 Jer. 2. For tho in some Places of the Scripture Christ is said to plead for his with Men and that by terrible Arguments as by Fire and Sword and Famine and Pestilence yet this is not that which is intended by this Text for the Apostle here saith he is an Advocate with the Father or before the Father to plead for those that there or that to the Fathers Face shall be accused for their Transgressions If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous So then this is the imploy of Jesus Christ as he is for us an Advocate He has undertaken to stand up for his People at God's Bar and before that great Court there to plead by the Law and Justice of Heaven for their Deliverance when for their Faults they are accused indicted or impleaded by their Adversary 2. And now to treat of the Order or Place that this Office of Christ hath among the rest of his Offices which he doth execute for us while we are here in a State of Imperfection And I think it is an Office that is to come behind as a Reserve or for an Help at last when all other Means shall seem to fail Men do not use to go to Law upon every Occasion or if they do the Wisdom of the Judge the Jury and the Court will not admit that every Brangle and foolish Quarrel shall come before them but an Advocate doth then come into Place and then to the Exercise of his Office when a Cause is counted worthy to be taken notice of by the Judge and by the Court. Wherefore he I say comes in the last Place as a reserve or help at last to plead and by pleading to set that right by Law which would otherwise have caused an increase to more doubts and to further Dangers Christ as Priest doth always works of Service for us because in our most spiritual things there may faults and Spots be found and these he taketh away of Course by the Exercise of that Office. For he always wears that Plate of Gold upon his Fore-head before the Father whereon is written Holiness to the Lord. But now besides these common Infirmities there are Faults that are highly gross and foul that oft are found in the Skirts of the Children of God. Now these are they that Satan taketh hold on these are they that Satan draweth up a Charge against us for And to save us from these it is that the Lord Jesus is made an Advocate When Joshua was cloathed with filthy Garments then Satan stood at his right Hand to resist him and then the Angel of the Covenant the Lord Jesus pleaded for his Help Zech. 3. By all which it appears that this Office comes behind is provided as a Reserve that we may have help at a pinch and then be lifted out when we sink in mire where there is no standing This is yet further hinted at by the several Postures that Christ is said to be in as he exerciseth his Priestly and Advocate 's Office. As a Priest he sits as an Advocate he stands Isa. 3.13 The Lord stands up when he pleads His sitting is more constant and of Course Sit thou c. but his standing is occasional when Joshua is indicted or when Hell and Earth is broken loose against his Servant Stephen For as Joshua was accused by the Devil and as then the Angel of the Lord stood by so when Stephen was accused by men on Earth and that Charge seconded by the fallen Angels before the Face of God 't is said the Lord Jesus stood on the Right Hand of God Act. 7.55 to wit to plead for so I take it because standing is his Posture as an Advocate Heb. 10. not as a Priest for as a Priest he must sit down but he standeth as an Advocate as has been shew'd afore Wherefore Secondly The Occasion of his exercising of this Office of Advocate is as hath beeâ— 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 Hiâ—â—ite 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