am condemned at the just Judgment of God. Vide vitam Brunonis 203 Obj. There is Grace the Promise the Blood of Christ cannot these save except Christ be Advocate ib. Answ. These and Advocate and all little enough 204 Christ no Advocate for such as have no Sense of and Shame for Sin. 206 Obj. Is not Christ an Advocate for his Elect uncalled 207 Answ. He died and prayeth for all his Elect as Priest as Advocate pleads for the called only ib. 1 Joh. II. 1. And if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous THat the Apostle might obtain due regard from those to whom he wrote touching the things about which he wrote he tells them That he received not his Message to them at second or third hand but was himself an Eye and Ear-Witness thereof That which was from the Beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our Eyes which we have looked upon and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life for the Life was manifest and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal Life which was with the father and was manifest unto us That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you Having thus told them of his ground for what he said he proceeds to tell them also the matter contained in his Errand to wit That he brought them news of Eternal Life as freely offered in the Word of the Gospel to them or rather that that Gospel which they had received would certainly usher them in at the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven were their Reception of it sincere and in truth For saith he then The Blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth you from all sin Having thus far told them what was his Errand he sets upon an Explication of what he had said specially touching our being cleansed from all sin not saith he from a Being of Sin For should we say so we should deceive our selves and should prove that we have no truth of God in us but by cleansing I mean a being delivered from all sin so as that none at all shall have the dominion over you to bring you down to Hell for that for the sake of the Blood of Christ all trespasses are forgiven you This done he exhorts them to shun or fly Sin and not to consent to the Motions Workings Inticeings or the Allurements thereof saying I write unto you that you sin not Let not Forgiveness have so bad an effect upon you as to cause you to be remiss in Christian Duties or as to tempt you to give way to Evil. Shall we sin because we are forgiven or shall we not much matter what manner of Lives we live because we are set free from the Law of Sin and Death God forbid Let Grace teach us another Lesson and lay other Obligations upon our Spiritâ— My little Children saith he these things I write unto you that you sin not What things why tidings of Pardon and Salvation and of that nearness to God to which you are brought by the precious Blood of Christ. Now lest also by this last exhortation he should yet be misunderstood he adds and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous I say he addeth this to prevent desponding in those weak and sensible Christians that are so quick of feeling and of decerning the Corruptions of their Natures For these cry out continually That there is nothing that they do but it is attended with sinful Weaknesses Wherefore in the Words we are presented with two great truths First with a Supposition that Men in Christ while in this World may Sin. If any man sin any man none are excluded for â—ll or any one of the all of them that Christ â—ath redeemed and forgiven are incident to â—in By may I mean not a Toleration but 〈◊〉 Possibility For there is not a Man not a â—ust Man upon the Earth that doth good and â—â—nneth not Eccles. 7.20 1 Kin. 8.46 Secondly the other thing with which we 〈◊〉 presented is an Advocate If any man sin we have an Advocate with Father Jesus Christ the righteous Now there lieth in these two truths two things to be enquired into as 1 What the Apostle should here mean by sin 2. And also what he here doth mean by an Advocate If any man sin we have an Advocate There is ground to enquire after the first of these because tho here he saith they that sin have an Advocate yet in the very next Chapter he saith such are of the Devil have not seen God neither know him nor are of him There is ground also to enquire after the Second because an Advocate is supposed in the Text to be of use to them that sin Iâ— any Man sin we have an Advocate 1. For the First of these to wit what the Apostle should here mean by Sin If any Maâ— Sin. I answer since there is a difference in the Persons there must be a difference in the Sin That there is a difference in the Persons iâ— shewed before one is called a Child of God the other is said to be of the wicked One Their Sin differ also in their Degree at least for no Child of God sins to that Degree aâ— to make himself uncapable of Forgiveness For he that is born of God kâ—â—peth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not Chap. 5.17 18. Hence the Apostle says there is a sin unto Death Mat. 12.32 which is the Sin from which he that is born of God is kept The sins therefore are thus distinguished The Sins of the People of God are said to be sins that Men commit the others are counted those which are the Sins of Devils First the Sins of God's people are said to be Sins which Men commit and for which they have an Advocate tho they who sin after the example of the wicked one have none When a Man or a Woman saith Moses shall commit a Sin which Men commit they shall confess their Sin and an atonment shall be made for them Numb 5.5 6 7. Mark It is when they commit a Sin which Men commit Or as Hosea has it when they transgress the Commandment like Adam Hos. 6.7 Now these are the Sins under considerâ—tion by the Apostle and to deliver us from which we have an Advocate with the Father But for the Sins mentioned in the third Chapter since the Persons sinning go here under another Character they also must be of another Stamp to wit a making Head against the Person Merits and Grace of Jesus Christ these are the Sins of Devils in the World and for these there is no Remission These they also that are of the wicked one commit and therefore sin after the similitude of Satan and so fall into the Condemnation of the Devil Secondly but what is it for Jesus to be an Advocate for these If any Man sin we have an
Haters of the Lorâ— should soon have submitted themselves But theiâ— Time should have endured forever Psal. 81.13 14 1â— 5. Also if it tarry long wait for it Dâ— not conclude that thy Cause is lost because at present thou dost not hear from Court Cry if thou wilt O when wilt thou come unto me But never let such a wicked thoughâ— pass through thy Heart saying This Evil iâ— of the Lord why should I wait upon the Lord anâ— longer 2 King. 6.33 6. But take heed that thou turnest no thy Waiting into Sleeping Wait thou must and wait patiently too but yet wait witâ— much longing and Earnestness of Spirit tâ— see or hear how Matters go above Yoâ— may observe that when a Man that dwells faâ— down in the Country and has some Busineâ— at the Term in this or another of the Kingâ— Courts though he will wait his Lawyeâ— time and conveniency yet he will so waiâ— as still to enquire at the Post-house or at thâ— Carriers or if a Neighbour comes dowâ— from Term at his Mouth for Letters oâ— any other Intelligence if possibly he maâ— arrive to know how his Cause speeds anâ— â—hether his Adversary or he has the â—ay Thus I say thou must wait upon thine â—dvocate His Ordinances are his Post-house â—is Ministers are his Carriers where Tidings â—â—om Heaven are to be had and where those â—hat are sued in that Court by the Devil â—ay at one time or another hear from â—heir Lawyer their Advocate how things â—re like to go Wherefore I say wait at â—he Posts of Wisdom's House go to Ordiâ—ances with Expectation to hear from thy Adâ—ocate there For he will send in due time â—ho it tarry wait for it because it will surely â—â—me and will not tarry Hab. 2.1 2 3. And â—ow Soul I have answered thy Request â—nd let me hear what thou sayst unto me Soul. Truly says the Soul methinks â—â—at by what you have said I may have this â—lessed Jesus to be mine Advocate for I â—â—ink verily I have entertained him to be â—ine Advocate I have also revealed my Cause â—nto him yea committed both it and my self â—nto him And as you say I wait O I â—ait And my Eyes fail with looking upâ—ard Fain would I hear how my Soul â—â—andeth in the Sight of God and whether â—â—y Sins which I have committed Since â—ight and Grace was given unto me be by â—ine Advocate taken out of the Hand of the Devil and by mine Advocate removed 〈◊〉 far from me as the Ends of the Earth are asunder Whether the Verdict has gone oâ— my side And what a Shout there was among the Angels when they saw it went weâ—â— with me But alas I have waited and thaâ— a long time and have as you advise raâ— from Ordinance to minister and from Minister to Ordinance or as you phrase it from the Post to the Carrier and from thâ— Carrier to the Post-house to see if I coulâ— hear ought from Heaven how Matters wenâ— about my Soul there I have also asked thoâ—â— that pass by the way if they saw him whom 〈◊〉 Soul loveth and if they had any thing to coâ—municate to me but nothing can I get 〈◊〉 find but Generals as that I have an Advocaâ—â— there and that he pleadeth the Cause of 〈◊〉 People and that he will throughly pleâ—â— their Cause but what he has done for 〈◊〉 of that as yet I am ignorant I doubt my Soul shall by him effectually be secure that yet a conditional Verdict will be awarâ—ded concerning me and that much Bitter 〈◊〉 be mixed with my Sweet and that I 〈◊〉 drink Gall and Wormwood for my Follâ— For if David and Asa and Hezekiah 〈◊〉 such good Men were so served for their 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 16.7 12. why should I look for ther Dealing at the Hand of God But as â—his I will endeavour to bear the Indignation of â—he Lord because I have sinned against him Isa. 39.3 8. and shall count it an infinite Mercy if this Judgment comes to me from him that I may not be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.32 I know it is dreadful walking in Darkness but if that also shall be the Lord's Lot upon me I pray God I may have Faith enough to stay upon him till Death and then will the Clouds blow over and I shall see him in the Light of the Living Mine Enemy the Devil as you say is of an inveagling Temper and although he has accused me before the Judgment-Seat of God yet when he comes to me at any time he glavers and flatters as if he never did mean me harm But I think 't is that he might get further Advantage against me But I carry it now at a further distance than formerly and O that I was at the remotest Distance not only from him but also from that self of mine that laboureth with him for my undoing But altho I say these things now and to you yet I have my solitary hours and in them I have other strange thoughts For thus I think my Cause is bad I have sinned and I have been vite I am ashamed my self of mine own doings and have given mine Enemy the best end of the Staff. The Law anâ— Reason and my Conscience plead for hiâ— against me and all is true he puts into hiâ— Charge against me That I have sinned more time than there be Hairs on my Head. I know not oâ— any thing that ever I did in my Life but it haâ— flaw or wrinkle or Spot or some such thing in it Mine Eyes have seen vileness in the best of my doings what then think you must God needs see in them Nor can I do any thing yet for all I know that I am accused by my Enemy before the Judgment-seat of God better than what already is imperfect I lie down in my Shame and my Confusion covers my Face I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou Preserver of Men Jer. 3.24 25. Job 7.20 Reply Well Soul I have heard what thou hast said and if all be true which thou hast said it is good and gives me Ground of Hope That Jesus Christ is become thine Advocate And if that be so no Doubt but thy Tryal will come to a good Conclusion And be not afraid because of the Holiness of God for thine Advocate has this for his Advantage that he pleads before a Judge that is just and against an Enemy that is unholy and rejected Nor let the thoughts Of the badness of thy Cause terrifie thee over much Cause thou hast indeed to be humble and thou dost well to cover thy Face with Shame And 't is no matter how base and vile thou art in thine own Eyes provided that it comes not by renewed Acts of Rebellion but through a spiritual Sight of thine Imperfections Only let me advise thee here to stop let not thy Shame nor thy self-abasing Apprehension of thy self drive thee from the firm and permanent Ground of Hope
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
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