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
Death Col. 2.19 because we hold the Head and have not made Ship-wrack of Faith 1 Tim. 1.19 but still as David and Solomon we confess and are sorry for our Sins Thus tho we seem through our Falls to come short of the Promise with Peter Heb. 4.3 and leave our Transgressions as stumbling Blocks to the World with Solomon and minister Occasion of a Question of our Salvation among the Godly Yet our Advocate fetches us off before God and we shall be found safe and in Heaven at last by them in the next World who was afraid they had lost us in this But all these Points must be managed by Christ for us against Satan as a Lawyer an Advocate who to that end now appears in the Presence of God for us And wisely handleth the very Crisis of the Word and of the Failings of his People together with all those nice and critical Juggles by which our Adversary laboureth to bring us down to the Confusion of his Face 3. There is also the Threatnings that are annexed to the Gospel and they fall now under our Consideration They are of two sorts such as respect those who altogether neglect and reject the Gospel or those that profess it yet fall in or from that Profession thereof The first sort of threatning cannot be pleaded against the Professors of the Gospel as against those that never profess'd it Wherefore he betaketh himself to manage those Threatnings against us that belong to those that have professed and that have fallen in or from that Profession Psal. 109.6 Joshua fell in it Zech. 3.1 2. Judas fell from it And the Accuser stands at the Right Hand of them both to resist them before the Judgment of God. To resist them by pleading the Threatnings against them To wit that God's Soul should have no Pleasure in â—hem If any Man draws back my Soul shall have no Pleasure in them Here 's a Plea for Satan both against one and t'other they are both Apostatized both drawn back and he is subtil enough to manage it Ay but Satan here is also Matter sufficient for a Plea for our Advocate against thee for as much as the next Words distinguish betwixt drawing back and drawing back unto Perdition every one that draws back doth not draw back unto Perdition Heb. 10.38 39. Some of them draw back from and some in the Profession of the Gospel Judas drew back from and Peter in the Profession of his Faith Wherefore Judas perishes but Peter turns again because Judas drew back unto Perdition but Peter yet believed to the saving of the Soul. Nor doth Jesus Christ when he seeth 't is to no boot at any time step in to endeavour to save the Soul. Wherefore as for Judas for his backsliding from the Faith Christ turneth him up to Satan and leaveth him in his Hand Saying when he shall be judged let him be condemned and let his Prayer become Sin Psal. 109.7 But he will not serve Peter so The Lord will not leave him in his Hand nor condemn him when he is judged Psal. 37.33 He will pray for him before and plead for him after he hath been in the Temptation and â—o secure him by Virtue of his Advocation from the Sting and Lash of the Threatning that â—s made against final Apostacy But Fourthly The Necessity of the Advocate 's Office of Jesus Christ appears namely in this To plead about the Judgments Distresses Afflictions and Troubles that we meet withal in this Life for our Sins For though by Virtue of his Office Christ fully takes us off from the Condemnation that the Unbelievers go down â—o for their Sins Yet he doth not thereby exempt us from temporal Punishments for we see and feel that they daily overtake us But for the proportioning of the Punishment or Affliction for Transgression seeing that Comes under the Sentence of the Law 't is fit that we should have an Advocate that understands both Law and Judgment to plead for equal Distribution of Chastisement according I say as the Law of Grace And this the Lord Jesus doth Suppose a Man for Transgression be indicted at the Assizes his Adversary is also full of Malice and would have him punished sorely beyond what by the Law is provided for such Offence And he pleads that the Judge will so afflict and punish as he in his malicious Mind desireth But the Man has an Advocate there And he enters his Plea against the Cruelty of his Clients Accuser Saying My Lord it cannot be as our Enemy would have it The Punishment for these Transgressions are prescribed by that Law that we here ground our Plea upon Nor may it be declined to satisfie his Envy we stand here upon Matters of Law and appeal to the Law. And this is the work of our Advocate in Heaven Punishments for the Sin of the Children come not headlong not without Measure as our Accuser would have them nor yet as they fall upon those who have none to plead their Cause Hath he smote the Children according to the Stroke wherewith he hath smitten others No In Measure when it shooteth forth or seeks to exceed due Bounds thou wilt debate with it He stayeth his rough Wind in the Day of his East Wind Isa. 27.7 8 9. Thou wilt debate with it enquiring and reasoning by the Law whether the shootings forth of the Affliction now going out for the Offence committed be not too strong too heavy too hot and of too long a time admitted to Distress and break the Spirit of this Christian. And if it be he applies himself to the Rule to measure it by he fetches forth his Plum-Line and sets his Plum-line in the middest of his People Amos 7.7 8. Isa. 28.17 and lays Righteousness to that and willnot suffer it to go further but according to the Quality of the Transgression and according to the Terms Bounds Limits and Measures which the Law of Grace admits So shall the Punishment be Satan often saith of us When we have sinned as Abishai said of Shimei after he had cursed David Shall not this Man die for this 2 Sam 19.21 But Jesus our Advocate answers as David what have I to do with thee O Satan thou this Day art an Enemy to me Thou seekest for a Punishment for the Transgressions of my People above what is allotted to them by the Law of Grace under which they are and beyond what their Relation that they stand in to my Father and my self will admit Wherefore as Advocate be pleadeth against Satan when he brings in against us a Charge for Sins committed for the regulating of Punishments both as to the Nature Degree and Continuation of Punishment And this is the Reason why when we are judged we are not condemned but chastened 1 Cor. 1â— 32 that we shouldnot be condemned with the World. Hence David says the Lord had not given him over to the Will of his Enemy Psal. 27.12 And again The Lord hath chastned me
do thus for then my Master will love me And Christians should be above Men brutish Men. And for a Conclusion as to this let me present you with three Considerations 1. Know that it is the Nature of Grace to draw holy Arguments to move to goodness of Life from the Love and Goodness of of God But not thence to be remiss 1 Cor. 5.14 2 Know therefore that they have no Grace that find not these Effects of the Discoveries of the Love and Goodness of God. 3. Know also that among all the Swarms of Professors that from Age to Age make mention of the Name of Christ they only must dwell with him in Heaven that depart from Iniquity and are zealous of good Works 2 Tim. 2.19 He gave himself for these Tit. 2.11 12 13 14 not that they were so antecedent to this Gift But those that he hath redeemed to himself are thus sanctified by the Faith of him Acts 26.18 Seventhly Is it so Is Jesus Christ an Advocate with the Father for us Then this should encourage strong Christians to tell the weak ones where when they are in their Temptations and Fears through Sin they may have one to plead their Cause Thus the Apostle doth by the Text and thus we should do one to another Mark he telleth the weak of an Advocate My little Children I write unto you c. Christians when they would comfort their dejected Brethren talk too much at rovers or in generals They should be more at the Mark. A Word spoke in season how good is it I say Christians should observe and enquire that they may observe the Cause or ground of their Brothers Trouble and having first taken Notice of that in the next place consider under which of the Offices of Jesus Christ this Sin or Trouble has cast this Man and so labour to apply Christ in the Word of the Gospel to him Sometimes we are bid to consider him as an Apostle and High Priest and sometimes as a fore runner and an Advocate And he has as was said afore these divers Offices with others that we by the Consideration of him might be relieved under our manifold Temptations This as I said I perceive John teaches us here as he doth a little before of his being a Sacrifice for us for he presenteth them that after Conversion shall sin with Christ as an Advocate with the Father As who should say my Brethren are you tempted are you accused have you sinned has Satan prevailed against you We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Thus we should do and deliver our Brother from Death there is nothing â—hat Satan more desires than to get good Men into his Sive to sift them as Wheat that if possible he may leave them nothing but bran no Grace but the very husk and shell of Religion And when a Christian comes to know this should Christ as Priest or Advocate be hid from him what could bear him up But let him now remember and believe that we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and â—e forthwith conceiveth Comfort For an Advocate is to plead for me according as has been shewed afore that I may be delivered from the Wrath and Accusation of my Adversary and still be kept safe under Grace Furâ—her by telling of my Brother that he hath an Advocate I put things into his Mind that he has not known or do bring them to Remembrance which he has forgot To wit that tho he hath sinned he shall be saved in a way of Justice For an Advocate is to plead Justice and Law and Christ is to plead these for a Saint that has sinned Yea so to plead them that he may be saved This being so he is made to perceive that by Law he must have his Sins forgiven him That by Justice he must be justified For Christ as an Advocate pleadeth for Justice Justice to himself and this Saint is of himself a Member of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones Nor has Satan so good a Right to plead Justice against us tho we have sinned that we might be damned as Christ has to plead it tho we have sinned that we might be saved For Sin cannot cry so loud to Justice as can the Blood of Christ And he pleads his Blood as Advocate by which he has answered the Law wherefore the Law having nothing to object must needs acquit the Man for whom the Lord Jesus pleads I conclude this with that of the Psalmist Surely his Salvation is nigh them that fear him that Glory may dwell in our Land. Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other Truth shall spring out of the Earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven Yea the Lord shall give that which is good and our Land shall yield her Increase Righteousness shall go before him and shall lead us the Way of his Steps Vse 8. Eighthly But what is all this to you that are â—ot concerned in this Privilege The Children indeed have the Advantage of an Advocate but what is this to them that have none to plead their Cause Jer. 30.12 13. They are as we say left to the wide World or to be ground to Powder between the Justice of God and the Sins which they have committed This is the Man that none but the Devil seeks after that is pursued by the Law and Sin and Death and has none to plead his Cause 'T is sad to consider the plight that such an one is in His Accuser is appointed yea ordered to bring in a Charge against him let Satan stand at his right Hand Ps. 109 6 7. in the Place where Accusers stand And when he shall be judged let him be condemned let there be none to plead for his Deliverance If he cries or offereth to cry out for Mercy or Forgiveness let his Prayer become Sin This is the Portion of a wicked Man. Terrors take hold on him as Waters a Tempest stealeth him away in the Night the East Wind carrieth him away and he departeth and as a Storm hurleth him out of his Place For God shall cast upon him and not spare he would fain flee out of his Hand Men shall clap their Hands at him and shall hiss him out of his Place Job 27.20 21 22 23. And what shall this Man do Can he over-stand the Charge the Accusation the Sentence and Condemnation No he has none to plead his Cause I remember that somewhere I have read as I think concerning one who when he was carrying upon Mens Shoulders to the Grave cried out as he lay upon the Bier I am accused before the just Judgment of God and a while after I am condemned before the just Judgment of God. Nor was this Man but strict as to the Religion that was then on Foot in the World but all the Religion of the World amounts to no more than nothing I mean as to eternal
Jesus Christ too But above all the Advocateship of Jesus Christ declares us to be sorry Creatures For that Office does as it were predict that some time or other we shall basely fall and by falling be undone if the Lord Jesus stand not up to plead And as it shews this concerning us so it shews concerning God that he will not lightly or easily lose his People He has provided well for us Blood to wash us in a Priest to pray for us that we may be made to persevere and in case we soully fall an Advocate to plead our Cause and to recover us from under and out of all that danger that by Sin and Satan we at any time may be brought into But Having thus briefly passed through that in the Text that I think the Apostle must necessarily presuppose I shall now endeavour to enter into the Bowels of it and see what in a more particular Manner shall be found therein And for my more profitable doing of this work I shall chuse to observe this Method in my discourse First I shall shew you more particularly of this Advocate 's Office or what and wherein Christ's Office as Advocate doth lie Secondly After that I shall also shew you how Jesus Christ doth manage this Office of an Advocate Thirdly I shall also then shew you who they are that have Jesus Christ for their Advocate Fourthly I shall also shew you what excellent Privileges they have who have Jesus Christ for their Advocate Fifthly And to silence Cavillers I shall also shew the necessity of this Office of Jesus Christ. Sixthly I shall come to answer some Objections And Lastly to the Use and Application To begin with the First of these namely to shew you more particularly of Christ's Office as an Advocate and wherein it lieth The which I shall do these three ways 1. Touch again upon the Nature of this Office. And then 2. Treat of the Order and Place that it hath among the rest of his Offices And 3. Treat of the Occasion of the Execution of this Office. First To touch upon the Nature of this Office. It is that which impowereth a Man to plead for a Man or one man to plead for another not in common Discourses and upon common Occasions as any man may do but at a Bar or before a Court of Judicature where a Man is accused or impleaded by his Enemy I say this Advocate 's Office is such both here and in the Kingdom of Heaven An Advocate is as one of our Attorneys at least in the general who pleads according to Law and Justice for one or other that is in trouble by Reason of some 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 â—ehind 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 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
Thus If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous But Fifthly As Christ as Advocate pleadeth for us against Satan his Father's Interest in us and his own and pleadeth also what Right he has to dispose of the Kingdom of Heaven So he pleadeth against this Enemy that Malice and Enmity that is in him and upon which chiefly his Charge against us is grounded to the Confusion of his Face This is evident from the title that our Advocate bestows upon him while he pleads for us against him The Lord rebuke thee O Satan O Enemy saith he For Satan is an Enemy and this Name given him signifies so much And Lawyers in their Pleas can make a great Matter of such a Circumstance as this Saying My Lord we can prove that what is now pleaded against the Prisoner at the Bar is of meer Malice and Haâ—red that has also of a long time lain burning and raging in his Enemy'â— Breast against him This I say will greatly weaken the Plea and Accusation of an Enemy But says Jesus Christ Father here is a Plea brought in against my Joshua that cloaths him with filthy Garments But it is brought in against him by an Enemy by an Enemy in the Supeâ—lative or highest Degree One that hates Goodness worse than he and that loveth Wickedness more than the Man against whom at this time he has brought such an heinous Charge Then leaving with the father the Value of his Blood for the Accused he turneth him to the Accuser and pleads against him as an Enemy O Satan Thou that accusest my Spouse my Love my Members art Satan an Enemy But it will be Objected That the things charged are true Grant it Yet what Law takes Notice of the Plea of one who doth professedly act as an Enemy because 't is not done of Love to Truth and Justice and Righteousness nor intended for the Honour of the King nor for the good of the Prosecuted but to gratifie Malice and Rage and meerly to kill and destroy There is therefore a great deal of Force and Strength in an Advocate â—s pleading of such a Circumstances against an Accuser Specially when the Crimes now charged are those and only those for which the Law in the due execution of it has been satisfied before wherefore now a Lawyer has double and treble ground of Matter to plead for his Client against his Enemy And this Advantage against him has Jesus Christ. Besides 't is well known that Satan as to us is the original Cause of those very Crimes for which he accuses us at the Bar of God's Tribunal Not to say any thing of how he cometh to us sollicites us tempts us flatters us and always in a manner lies at us to do those wicked things for which he so hotly pursues us to the Bar of the Judgment of God. For tho 't is not meet for us thus to plead to wit laying that Fault upon Satan but rather upon our selves yet our Advocate will do it and make work of it too before God. Simon Simon Satan has desired to have thee that he might sift thee as Wheat but I have pray'd for thee that thy Faith fail not Luk. 22.31.32 He maketh here mention of Satan's Desires by way of Advantage against him and doubtless so he did in his Prayer with God for Peter's Preservation And what he did here while on Earth as a Saviour in general that he doth now in Heaven as a Priest and an Advocate in special I will further suppose that which may be supposed and that which is suitable to our Purpose Suppose therefore that a Father that has a Child whom he loveth but the Child has not half that Wit that some of the Family hath and I am sure that we have less Wit than Angels and suppose also that some bad minded Neighbour by tampering with tempting of and by unwearied Sollicitations should prevail with this Child to steal something out of his Father's House or Grounds and give it unto him And this he doth on purpose to set the Father against the Child And suppose again that it comes to the Fathers Knowledge that the Child through the Allurements of such an one has done so and so against his Father Will he therefore disinherit this Child Yea suppose again that he that did tempt this Child to steal should be the first that should come to accuse this Child to its Father for so doing would the Father take Notice of the Accusation of such an one No verily we that are evil can do better than so How then should we think That the God of Heaven should do such a thing since also we have a Brother that is wise and that will and can plead the very Malice of our Enemy that doth to us all these things against him for our Advantage I say this is the Sum of this fifth Plea of Christ our Advocate against Satan O Satan says he Thou art an Enemy to my People thou pleadest not out of Love to Righteousness nor to reform But to destroy my Beloved and Inheritance The Charge wherewith thou chargest my People is thine own Joh. 8.44 not only as to a matter of Charge but the things that thou accusest them of are thine Thine in the Nature of them Also thou hast tempted allured flattered and daily laboured with them to do that for which now thou so willingly wouldest have them destroyed Yea all this hast thou done of Envy to my Father and to Godliness of Hatred to me and my People and that thou mightest destroy others besides 1 Chron. 21.1 And now what can this Accuser say Can he excuse himself Can he contradict our Advocate He cannot He knows that he is a Satan an Enemy and as an Adversary has he sown his Tares among the Wheat that it might be rooted up But he shall not have his End his Malice has prevented him and so has the Care and Grace of our Advocate The Tares therefore he shall have returned to him again but the Wheat for all this shall be gathered into God's Barn Mat. 13.25 26 27 28. Thus therefore our Advocate makes Use in his Plea against Satan of the Rage and Malice that is the Occasion of the Enemies Charge wherewith he accuseth the Children of God. Wherefore when thou readest these Words O Satan say with thy self Thus Christ our Advocate accuseth our Adversary of Malice and Envy against God and Goodness while he accuseth us of the Sins which we commit for the which we are sorry and Christ has paid a Price of Redemption And thus If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous But Sixthly Christ when he pleads as an Advocate for his People in the Presence of God against Satan He can plead those very Weaknesses of his People for which Satan would have them damned for their Relief and Advantage Is not this a Brand plucked â—ut of the Fire This
here fortifie us against his Assaults There is also an Incidency in the best to sin and the bigger Man the bigger Fall for the more hurt and the greater Damage Wherefore it is of as absolute Necessity that an Advocate be provided for the strong as for the weak Any Man He that is most holy most reformed most refined and most purified may as soon be in the Dirt as the weakest Christian. And so far as I can see Satan's Design is against them most I am sure the greatest Sins have been committed by the biggest Saints This way-faring Man came to David's House and when he stood up against Israel he provoked David to number the People 2 Sam. 12.4 7. 1 Chr. 21.1 wherefore they have as much need of an Advocate as have the youngest and most feeble of the Flock What a Mind had he to try a Fall with Peter and how quickly did he break the Neck of Judas The like without Doubt he had done to Peter had not Jesus by stepping in prevented As long as Sin is in our Flesh there is danger Indeed he saith of the young Men that they are strong and that they have overcome the wicked one but he doth not say they have kill'd him as long as the Devil is alive there is Danger and though a strong Christian may be too hard for and may overcome him in one thing he may be too hard for yea and may overcome him two for one afterwards Thus he served David and thus he served Peter and thus he in our Day has served many more The strongest are weak the wisest are Fools when suffered to be sifted as Wheat in Satan's Sieve Yea and have often times been so proved to the wounding of their great Hearts and the Dishonour of Religion To conclude this God of his Mercy hath sufficiently declared the Truth of what I say by preparing for the best the strongest and most sanctified as well as for the least weakest and most feeble Saint an Advocate My little Children I write unto you that you sin not And if any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Obj. But some may object That what has been said as to discovering for whom Christ is an Advocate has been too general and therefore would have me come more to particulars else they can get no Comfoâ—t Ans. Well inquiring Soul so I will and therefore harken to what I say First Wouldest thou know whether Christ is thine Advocate or no I ask Hast thou entertain'd him so to be When men have Sutes of Law depending in any of the King's Courts above they entertain their Attorney or Advocate to plead their Cause and so he pleads for them I say hast thou entertained Jesus Christ for thy Lawyer to plead thy Cause Plead my Cause O God said David Psal. 35.1 and again Lord plead thou my Cause Psal. 43.1 This therefore is the first thing that I would propound to thee Hast thou with David entertained him for thy Lawyer or with good Hezekiah cried out O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me Isa. 38.14 What sayst thou Soul Hast thou been with him and prayed him to plead thy Cause and cryed unto him to undertake for thee This I call entertaining of him to be thine Advocate And I chuse to follow the Similitude both because the Scripture seems to smile upon such a way of Discourse and because thy question doth naturally lead me to it Wherefore I 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 Mine 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 given the Adversary Advantage and there he will surely have a hank against me Lord I am distressed undertake for me And there are some things that thou must be acquainted with about thine Advocate before thou wilt venture to go thus far with him As 1. Thou must know him to be a Friend and not an Enemy unto whom thou openest thy Heart and until thou comest to know That Christ is a Friend to thee or to Souls in thy Condition thou wilt never reveal thy Cause unto him Not thy whole Cause unto him And it is from this That so many that have Soul-Causes hourly depending before the Throne of God and that 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 wouldst thou know if thou hast 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 reveals his Cause to his Lawyer but puts into his Hands his Evidences Deeds Leases Mortgages Bonds or what else he hath 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
by Grace by which also I am secured from the Law is not a Law of Sin and Death as that is from under which I am brought Rom. 8.2 but a Law of Grace and Life so that Satan cannot come at me by that Law and by Grace I am by that secured also from the Hand and Mouth and Sting of all other I mean still as to an eternal Concern Wherefore God saith if we break his Law the Law of Works he will visit our Sin with a Rod and our Iniquity with Stripes but his Covenant his new Covenant will he not break Psal. 89.30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37. but will still keep close to that and so secure us from eternal Condemnation Christ also is made the Mediator of tha Covenant and therefore an Advocate by that For his Priestly Office and Advocateship are included by his Mediation Wherefore when Satan pleads by the Old Christ pleads by the new Covenant for the Sake of which the Old one is removed In that he saith A new Covenant he hath made the first Old now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away Heb 8.13 So then the Ground of Plea is with Jesus Christ and not with our Accuser Now what doth Christ plead and what is the Ground of his Plea Why he pleads for Exemption and Freedom from Condemnation tho by the Law of Works his Children have deserved it And the Ground for this his Plea as to Law is the Matter of the Covenant it self For thus it runs For I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more ver 12. Now here is a Foundation a Foundation in Law for our Advocate to build his Plea upon a Foundation in a Law not to be moved or removed or made to give Place as that is forced to do upon which Satan grounds his Plea â—gainst us Men when they plead before a Judge use to plead matter of Law. Now suppose there is an old Law in the Realm by which Men deserve to be condemned to Death and there is a new Law in this Realm that secureth Men from that Condemnation which belongs to them by the old and suppose also that I am compleatly comprehended by all the Provisoes of the new Law and not by any tittle thereof excluded from a share therein And suppose again that I have a brangling Adversary that pursues me by the old Law which yet cannot in Right touch me because I am Interested in the New my Advocate also is one that pleads by the new Law where only there is a Ground of Plea Shall not now mine Adversary feel the Power of his Plea to the delivering of me and the putting of him to Shame Yes verily specially since the Plea is good the Judge just nor can the Enemy find any Ground for a Demurr 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 overthrown again And to them Christ appeals and his Appeal is good since the Law testifies to thes sufficiency of the Satisfaction that Christ has made thereto by his Obedience Rom. 3.22 23. 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 great 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 and 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
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 Advesary 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 Advoâ—ate with the Father If he comes a-Days our Advocate is with the Father if he comes a-Nights our Advocate is with the Father Thus then is our Advocate ready to put check to Satan come he when he will or can to accuse us to the Father Wherefore these two Texts are greatly to be minded one of them for that it shews us the Restlessness of our Enemy the other for that it shews us the Diligence of our Advocate That also in the Hebrews shews us the Carefulness of our Advocate where it saith He is gone into Heaven Now to appear in the Presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 Now just the time present Now the time always present Now let Satan come when he will. Nor is it to be omitted that this Word that thus specifies the time the present time doth also conclude it to be that time in which we are imperfect in Grace in which we have many failings in which we are tempted and accused of the Devil to God This is the time and in it and every whit of it he now appeareth in the Presence of God for us O the Diligence of our Enemy O the Diligence of our Friend the one against us the other for us and that continually If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous This then that Jesus Christ is always an Advocate with the Father for us and so continually ready to put a check to every Accusation that Satan brings into the Presence of God against us is another of the Privileges that they have who have Jesus Christ for their Advocate Priv. 9. Ninthly Another Privilege that they have who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate is this He is such an one that will not by Bribes by Flattery nor fair Pretences be turned aside from pursuing of his Clients Business This was the Fault of Lawyers in old time that they would wrest Judgment for a Bribe Hence the holy one complained That a Bribe did use to blind the Eyes of the Wise and pervert the Judgment of the Righteous 1 Sam. 12.3 Amos 5.12 Deut. 16.19 There are three things in Judgment that a Lawyer must take heed of One is the Nature of the Offence the other is the meaning and intendment of the Law-makers and a third is to plead for them in Danger without Respect to Affliction or Reward And this is the Excellency of our Advocate he will not cannot be byassed to turn aside from doing Judgment And this the Apostle intendeth when he calleth our Advocate Jesus Christ the righteous We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous Or as another Prophet calls him to wit The Just Lord one that will do no Iniquity that is no Unrighteousness in Judgment Zeph. 3.5 He will not be provoked to do it neither by the continual Sollicitations of thine Enemy nor by thy continual Provocations wherewith by Reason of thy infirm Condition thou dost often tempt him to do it And remember that thy Advocate pleads by the new Covenant and thine Adversary accuses by the Old and again remember that the new Covenant is better and more richly provided with Grounds of pleading for our Pardon and Salvation than the old can be with Grounds for a Charge to be brought in by the Devil against us suppose our Sin be never so heinous 'T is a better Covenant established upon better Promises Now put these two together namely that Jesus Christ is righteous and will not swerve in Judgment Also that he pleads for us by the new Law with which Satan hath nothing to do nor had he can he by it bring in a Plea against us Jer. 31.29 30 31 32 33 34. Ezek. 36.25 26 27 28 29 30. Heb. 8.8 9 10 11 12 13. because that Law in the very body of it consists in free Promises of giving Grace unto us and of an everlasting Forgiveness of our Sin. O Children your Advocate will stick to the Law to the new Law to the new and everlasting Covenant and will not admit that any thing should be pleaded by our Foe that is inconsistent with the Promise of the Gift of Grace and of the Remission of all Sin. This therefore is another Privilege that they are made Pertakers of who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate He is just he is righteous he is Jesus Christ the righteous He will not be turned aside to judge awry either of the Crime the Law or for Favour or Affection Nor is there any sin but what is pardonable committed by those that have chosen Jesus Christ to be their Advocate Priv. 10. Tenthly Another Privilege that they have who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate is this The Father has made him even him that is thine Advocate the Vmpire and Judge in all Matters that have do or shall fall out 'twixt him and us Mark this well For when the Judge himself before whom I am accused shall make
mine Advocate the Judge of the Nature of the Crime for which I am accused and of matter of Law by which I am accused to wit whether it is in Force against me to Condemnation or whether by the Law of Grace I am set free specially since before my Advocate has espoused my Cause promised me Deliverance and pleaded my Right to the State of eternal Life must it not now go well with me Yes verily The Judge then making thine Advocate the Judgâ— for he hath committed all Judgment unto the Son Joh. 5.22 hath done it also for thy Sake who hast chosen him to be thine Advocate 'T was a great thing that happened to Israel when Joseph was become their Advocate and when Pharoah had made him a Judge Thou says he shall be over my House and according to thy Word shall all my People be ruled See I have set thee over all the Land of Egypt and without thee shall no Man lift up his Hand or Foot in all the Land of Aegypt Only in the Throne I will be greater than thou Gen. 41.39 40 44. Joseph in this was a type of Christ and his Goverment here of the Government of Christ for his Church Kings seldom make a Man's Judge his Advocate they seldom leave the Issue of the whole Affair to the Arbitration of the poor Man's Lawyer But when they do methinks it should even go to the Hearts desire of the Client whose the Advocate is Specially when as I said before the Cause of the Client is become the Concern of the Advocate and that they are both wrapt up in the self same Interest yea when the Judge himself also iâ— therein concerned And yet thus it is with that Soul who has Jesus Christ for his Advocate What sayst thou poor Heart to this The Judge to wit the God of Heaven has made thy Advocate Arbitrator in thy Business He is to judge God has referred the Matter to him and he has a Concern in thy Concern an Interest in thy good speed Christian Man dost thou hear Thou hast put thy Cause into the Hand of Jesus Christ and hast chosen him to be thine Advocate to plead for thee before God and against thy Adversary and God has referred the Judgment of that Matter to thy Advocate so that he has Power to determine the Matter I know Satan is not pleased with this he had rather things should have been referred to himself and then woe had been to the Child of God But I say God has referred the Business to Jesus Christ has made him Vmpire and Judge in thine Affair Art thou also willing that he should decide the Matter Canst thou say unto him as David Judge me and plead my Cause O Lord Psal. 43.1 O the Care of God towards his People and the Desire of their Welfare He has provided them an Advocate and he has referred all Causes and things that may by Satan be objected and brought in against us to the Judgment and Sentence of Christ our Advocate 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 of 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 while it disputeth the justness of this high Act of God against the cavils of implacable sinners 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 thaâ— there should be Advocates for God on Earth to plead for his Justice and Holiness while he saveth sinners against the cavils of
by the Law and the Prophets who consent that it should be unto all and upon all them that believe for their Justification Rom. 3.20 21. And that the mighty God suffereth the Prince of the Devils to do with the Law what he can against this most wholesome and godly Doctrine it is to shew the Truth Goodness and Permanency thereof For this is as who should say Devil do thy worst When the Law is in the Hand of an easie Pleader tho the Cause that he pleadeth be good a crafty Opposer may overthrow the right but here is the Salvation of the Children in debate and whether it can stand with Law and Justice The Opposer of this is the Devil his Argument against it is the Law he that defends the Doctrine is Christ the Advocate who in his Plea must justifie the Justice of God defend the Holiness of the Law and save the Sinner from all the Arguments Pleas Cavils Stops and Demurrs that Satan is able to put in against it And this he must do fairly righteously simply Pleading the Voice of the self-same Law for the Justification of what he standeth for which Satan pleads against it For tho it is by the new Law that our Salvation comes yet by the old Law is the new Law approved of and the way of Salvation thereby by it consented to This shews therefore that Christ is not ashamed to own the way of our Justification and Salvation no not before Men and Devils It shews also that he is resolved to dispute and plead for the same tho the Devil himself shall oppose it And since our Adversary pretends a Plea in Law against it 't is meet that there should be an open Hearing before the Judge of all about it But for as much as we neither can nor dare appear to plead for our selves our good God has thought fit we should do it by an Advocate we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous This therefore is the second thing that shews the need that we have of an Advocate to wit our Adversary pretends that he has a Plea in Law against us and that by Law we should be otherwise disposed of than to be made Possessors of the Heavenly Kingdom But Thirdly There are many things relating to the Promise to our Life and to the Threatnings that minister Matter of Question and Doubt and give the Advantage of Objections unto him that so eargerly desireth to be putting in Cavils against our Salvation all which it hath pleased God to refel by Jesus Christ our Advocate 1. There are many things relating to the Promises as to the largeness and straitness of Words as to the Freeness and Conditionality of them which we are not able so well to understand and therefore when Satan dealeth with us about them we quickly fall to the Ground before him we often conclude that the Words of the Promise are too narrow and strait to comprehend us we also think verily that the Conditions of some Promises do utterly sâ—ut us out from hope of Justification and Life But our Advocate who is for us with the Father he is better acquainted with and learned in this Law than to bafled out with a bold Word or two Isa. 50.4 or with a subtil piece of Hellish Sophistication He knows the true Purport Intent Meaning and Sense of every Promise and piece of Promise that is in the whole Bible and can tell how to plead it for Advantage against our Accuser and doth so And I gather it not only from his Contest with Satan for Joshua Zech. 3. and from his Conflict with him in the Wilderness Mat. 4. and in Heaven Rev. 14. but also from the Practice of Satan's Emissaries here For what his Angels do that doth he Now there is here nothing more apparent than that the Instruments of Satan do plead against the Church from the pretended Intricacy Ambiguity and Difficulty of the Promise whence I gather so doth Satan before the Tribunal of God but there we have one to match him we have an Advocate with the Father that knows Law and Judgment better than Satan and Statute and Commandment better than all his Angels And by the Verdict of our Advocate all the Words and Limits and Extensions of Words with all Conditions of the Promises are expounded and applyed And hence it is that it sometimes falleth so out that that very Promise that we have thought could not reach us to comfort us by any Means has at another time swallowed us up with Joy unspeakable Christ the true Prophet has the right Understanding of the Word as an Advocate has pleaded it before God against Satan and having overcome him at the common Law he hath sent to let us know it by his good Spirit to our Comfort and the Confusion of our Enemy Again 2. There are many things relating to our Lives that minister to our Accuser occasions of many Objections against our Salvation for besides our daily Infirmities there are in our Lives gross Sins many horrible Backslidings also we oft-times suck and drink in many abominable Errors and deceitful Opinions of all which Satan accuseth us before the Judgment-Seat of God and pleadeth hard that we may be damned forever for them Besides Some of these things are done after Light received against present Convictions and Disswasions to the contrary against Solemn engagement to Amendment when the Bonds of Love were upon us Jer. 2.20 These are crying-Sins they have a loâ—d voice in themselves against us and gâ—ve to Satan great Advantage and Boldness to sue for our Destruction before the Bar of God. Nor doth he want Skill to aggravate and to comment profoundly upon all Occasions and Circumstances that did attend us in these our Miscarriges to wit that we did it without a Cause also when we had had we had Grace to have used them many things to have helpt us against such Sins and to have kept us clean and upright There is also a Sin unto Death 1 Joh. 5. and he can tell how to labour by Argument and Slight of Speech to make our transgressions not only to border upon but to appear in the Hue Shape and Figure of that and thereto make his Objection against our Salvation He often argueth thus with us and fastneth the Weight of his Reasons upon our Consciences to the almost utter Destruction of us and the bringing of us down to the Gates of Despair and utter Destruction The same Sins with their aggravating Circumstances as I said he pleadeth against us at the Bar of God But there he meeteth with Jesus Christ our Lord and Advocate who entereth his Plea against him unravels all his Reasons and Arguments against us and shews the guile and falshood of them he also pleadeth as to the Nature of Sin as also to all those high Aggravations and proveth that neither the Sin in it self nor yet as joined with all its advantageous Circumstances can be the Sin unto
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 Theâ—e 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 cost 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 2â— 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 13. God has no need of thy Gift nor Christ of thy Bribe to plead thy Cause Take thankfully what is offered and call for more That 's the best giving to God. God is rich enough Talk not then of giving but of receiving for thou art poor Be not too high nor think thy self too good to live by the Alms of Heaven And since the Lord Jesus is willing to serve thee freely and to maintain thy Right to Heaven against thy Foe to the saving of thy Soul without Price or Reward Let the Peace of God rule in thee to the which thou art also called as is the rest of the Body and be thou thankful Col. 3.15 This then is the Privilege of a Christian we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous One that pleadeth the Cause of his People against those that rise up against them of his Love Pity and meer good Will. Lord open the Eyes of dark Readers of disconsolate Saints that they may see who is for them and upon what Terms Obj. 4. But if Christ doth once begin to plead for me and shall become mine Advocate He will always be troubled with me unless I should of my self forsake him for I am ever in Broils and Suits of Law Action after Action is laid upon me and I am sometimes ten times in a Day summoned to answer my Doings before God. Answ. Christ is not an Advocate to plead a Cause or two nor to deliver the Godly from an Accusation or two He delivereth Israel out of all his Troubles 2 Sam. 22.28 and chuses to be an Advocate for such Therefore the Godly of old did use to make from the Greatness of their Troubles and the abundance of their Troublers an Argument to the Lord Christ to send and lend them help Have Mercy upon me said David consider my Trouble which I suffer of them that hate me Psal. 9.13 And again Many are they that rise up against me many there be that say of my Soul there is no help for him in God Psal. 3.1 2. Yea the Troubles of this Man were so many and great that his Enemies began to triumph over him saying There is no help for him in God ver 7. But could he not deliver him or did the Lord forsâ—ke him No no thou hast smitten saith he all mine Enemies upon the Cheek-bone thou hast broken the Teeth of the ungodly And as he delivereth them from their Troublers so alâ—o he pleadeth all their Causes O Lord â—aith the Church thou hast pleaded the Causes â—f my Soul thou hast redeemed my Life Lam. â— 58 Mark troubled Christian thou â—ayst thou hast been arrested oft times in a Day and as often summoned to appear at God's Bar there to answer to what shall be â—aid to thy Charge And here for thy Encouâ—agement thou readest that the Church hath â—n Advocate that pleadeth the Causes of her â—oul that is all her Causes to deliver her He knows that so long as we are in this World we are subject to Temptation and Weakness and through them made guilty â—f many bad things Wherefore he hath preâ—ared himself to our Service and to abide â—ith the Father an Advocate for us As Soloâ—on saith of a Man of great Wrath Prov. 19. â—9 so it may be said of a Man of great Weakâ—esses and the best of Saints are such he â—ust he delivered again and again Yea maâ—y a time saith David did he deliver them Psal. â—06 44 45. to wit more than once and twice â—nd he will do so for thee if thou entertain 〈◊〉 to be thine Advocate Thou talkest of â—aving of him but then whither wilt thou 〈◊〉 all else are vain things things that cannot â—rofit 1 Sam. 12.20 21 22 23. and he â—ill not forsake his People tho their Land be 〈◊〉 with Sin against the holy One of Israel Jer. 51.5 I know the modest Saint is apt to be abash'd to think what a troublesome one he is and what a make-work he has been in God's House all his Days And let him be filled with holy blushing but let him not forsake his Advocate Having thus spoken to these Objections let us now come to make some use of thâ— whole and Vse 1. First I would exhort the Children 〈◊〉 consider the Dignity that God hath put upon Jesus Christ their Saviour For