〈…〉 keeped from many 〈◊〉 or when they asault thaâ— they prevail not utâ—erly over us Tâ—e Devil lyeâ— alwayes aâ— the waâ— and we are often secure but our Lord Jeâ—us to say so watch â—n the stor or rebound of the tentation and 〈◊〉 it off as to the designed prejudice Luke 22 32. Simon Simon Satan hath desired that he may have you that hâ— may winnow you but I have prayed for thee that thy saith fail not There are many tentations that he keeps off that they beat not on us and when they assault us he breaks the power of them tha the Believer succumbs not under them Hence it is that we are keeped on our feet otherwayes what would become of us when David fell in adultery and Peter denyed his Master what would have become of them had it not been for this there would be no living for us in the multitude of tentations if he were not interceeding for us what could we forsee of Satans snars what strength have weak and witlesse we to resist tentations what could we do with the spear of corruption when it rises like a flood upon us and Satan inforceth his assaults upon us a if he were speaking with mans voicâ— or mouth hiding us do this and that But there is an Intercessour that pleads our cause 3. We have by this Intercession the preventing of many Judgements temporal and spiritual when tâ—e ax is laid to the root of the tree and it is found barren and juâ—â—ice cryes and the command comes out Cut it down why cumbers it the ground How comes it that the ax strikes not why is it not hewed down There is an efficacy in Christs Intercession for paring of it a while longer as it is Luke 13.6 The dresser of the vineyard sayes spare it for this year and it 's granted O! but we would have a most sinful and miserable life if there were not an Intercessour at Gods right hand 4. Disposition for dutie and help in the performance of dutie flows from his Intercession It 's this that makes us pray and that gives us boldnesse in prayer and in other duties that there is such an high Priest over the house of God as it is Heb. 10.19 20.21 Iâ—'s this that gives us ground of approaching to God and to expect a hearing and as it is Luke 13.7 8. It is his digging and pains that makes the barren fig tree fruitâ—ul 5 It flows from this that our prayers are heard though there be much I firmâ—â— in them and that they are not call back in our â—aces as dung but are made s voury to Goâ— it 's through the efficacy of his Intercession We have a type of his Revel 8.4 5. where John sees an Angel come and â—and at the Altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it up with the prayers of all faints and the smoak of the incense which came up with the prayers of the sâ—ints ascended up before God It was savoury and acceptable to God and made the prayers of all Saints acceptaâ—le for the weight of Gods accepting their prayers is laid on the smoak of his incense It 's he that takes the â—â—â—gled and halfe prayers of his People and presents them to God and when they would be cast back as the supplication of an enemy He as great Master of Râ—quists through the acceptation that he hath with God makes them acceptable We should have no ground to pray with confidence nor acceptation to be heard if there were not a golden censer in his hand 6. We have from his Intercession an answer to all challenges There is much debt on our score the Law pursues hâ—rd and curseth us for our habitual enimity and all the particular Acts of it and his Intercession is the last defence on which the triumph of Faith rises by the other stepâ— Rom 8 43. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Is it because they want a chaâ—ge No for there is the Devil the Law and the Conscience to charge them But it's God that justifies who shal condemne It 's Christ that died yea rather is risen again who is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us We have a high Priest there that hath payed our Debt and pleads that the application of his purchase may be made forthcoming and who I pray will lay any thiâ—g to our charge in that Court where God is Judge and Christ is Advocat 7. More particularly our Lord by his Intercession taketh away the guilt of our holy things for when we approach to God in worship there is a carnalness and pollutedness in the best things we do much irreverence much unbelief much want of humility zeal sincerity and tendernesse So that all our righteousnesses are but as filthy rags But the high Priest Exod. 28.38 hath on his fore-head Holiness to the Lord And his Oâ—â—ce is to bear the iniquitie of the holy things of the children of Israel â—hat they may be accepted before the Lord and in this he was a Type of Christ the great high Priest going in unto Heaven to make Intercession for his Peoplâ— who bears not onâ—y their iniqâ—â—ties but the iniquity of their holy tâ—inâ—s Aaron answers for them as the Type Our Lord Jesus as the anti-râ—pe He being emâ—nently holiness to the Lord and having holiness on his forehead and being so well pleasing to the Father however our prayers anâ— praises and other parts of service be but little worth yeâ— he makes them acceptable and procures that they be not rejected when he is for this end imployed and made use of 8. We will find that strength to bear through under a Cross and a good oâ—tgate from under the cross comes from him as Intercessour O! so advertant as he is when his own are under the cross his bowels are then moved though not as they were on earth yet certainly they want not their own holy motion suitable to the glorious estate whereunto he is exalted Therefore Acts 9. He cryes from Heaven Saul Saul why persecuts thou me And Stephen when a stoning to dâ—ath sees him standing at the right hand of God executing this part of his Priestly Oâ—â—ice One part whereof is to keep off a cross and another part whereof is to help to get it honourably born and to a victory over it 9. Our perseverance in the Faith and perfect glorification is a fruit of Christs Intercession so that his own cannot but persevere and be glorified because he interceeds for them This is it that is spoken to several times John 17. especially verses 15. and 24. In the 15. v. I pray for them that they may be keeped from the evil He prayes for them that they may be keeped from the evil of sin especially he prayes for them that they may be keeped that they fall nor from the truth And v. 24. Father I will that these whom thou
Believer is to beware least he be stollen off his feet and misken Christs Intercession for then he is ready to think that he cannot but be well and his prayers cannot but be heard because he gets liberty to put them up and it 's then often that there is hazard to lay least weight on Christs Intercession To improve Christs Intercession aright in such cases these Two are to be adverted to 1. That his Intercession be acknowledged as the fountain and procuring cause of that liberty and liveliness and so we are to carry a stoped mouth before God and not to boast of it For as we shew the pouring out of the Spirit is a special fruit of Christs Intercession It being by vertue thereof that gifts are given and grace to worship God in a spiritual manner 2. That we beware of thinking that our prayers are in a fitness or that they put us in a fitness of access to God because of that liberty except by vertue of Christs Intercession more then if we had not a word to say There is in our unbelief and presumption a secret inclination to lay the weight of our acceptance on our own liberty Whereas Revel 8. the prayers of all Saints must come up before God having the smoak of his incense to make them acceptable In which respect in a case of liberty Christs Intercession is made use of and improven when we are denyed to our own liberty and it is not made the ground of our confident application to God but Christs Intercession onâ—y Again 2. when the Believer is in bonds in some eminent manner so that he cannot pray he scarce hath a word to speak to God he goes it 's true about the duty but he comes not speed his prayer relishes not to himself he is like one speaking but not praying his heart is not warmed neither is there at least to his own apprehension any connexion betwixt his words whereupon he is ready to think that his prayer is as good as no prayer because of that inclination that is in all of us to rest on our own praying without making use of thâ— Intercession of Christ The reasons why in this case we would presse the use-making of his Intercession are these 1. Lâ—aâ—t we faint and grow wear in prayer which cannot but befal us if his Intercession be not made use of 2. Least we loss the estimation of the excellent worth of Christs Intercession which is exceeding derogatory to him that is mighty to save and on whom help is laid and it is especially for such a time and case that he is holden forth for an Intercessour Now there is a twofold improvement of Christs Intercession called for in this case when the Believer is in bonds and cannot so much as sigh but it 's called in question whether it be accepted though yet the man is serious 1. There is an improving of it for obtaining of that which we have been aiming at though we cannot tell our own teal to speak so nor open our cause nor make known our requests to God yet to expect what we have been aiming at and seeking after by vertue of Christs Intercession for as ill set together as our prayer hath been because it is founded upon the Intercession of the Mediator and we expect a hearing on that account alaâ—erly it being his Intercession that makes our prayers acceptable it can make such a poor prayer acceptable also whereupon the Soul rests quiet and expects a hearing on this ground because as was said the prayers of all Saints go up from his Censer and with his Incense and none are cast back that are put up through him and by vertue of his Intercession Hence sometimes looks sometimes thoughts sometimes broken words and groans come up before God are acceptable and get a return The reason is because through the Intercession of the Mediator the prayers of all Saints are acceptable This is even as if a man should credit his able Advocat with the managing of his Cause although he cannot to speak so â—outh-band his own teal nor expresse himself satisfyingly to himself in it Hâ—nce we have these words often John 14. and 16. Whatever ye ask in my name believing ye shall receive and whatever ye ask in my name I will do it that is when ye ground the expectation of your hearing and speed-coming in prayer on me and my mediation when folks because of their short-comings in prayer give over the expectation of a hearing and a return they give over in so far the laying of due weight on his Intercession only ye would remember the terms on which a person is warranted to make use of his Intercession for when we follow not his way in the improving of it we cannot expect to come speed or get good by it 2. A Believer in his bonds would expect a lousing through the vertue of his Intercession And this is another way how we would improve it in this case when we are bound up and to speak so langled that we cannot stir in prayer then we would have an eye to the efficacy of Christs Intercession that is of continual vigour and efficacy even when we are very dead indisposed and lifelesse for the attaining of liberty and liveliness This is indeed to cast a look to him and singly to improve the efficacy of his mediation when we cannot speak on word to work up our selves to a disposition for that work And these two go well together to be improving his Intercession for obtaining what we need for the time present and for the time to come and when we are in bonds to be improving it for liberty and freedom 2dly There is an use-making of Christs Intercession called for both when we aim to obtain any thing and when we have obtained that which we would be at 1. In our aiming to have or obtain we would improve it that our addresses to God may be in his name and our Faith of obtaining may be founded on Christs Intercession and not on our own and that our Faith may be stayed and fixed in expectation of the thing The improving of Christs Intercession in his respect leads us 1. To the right way of prosecuting our suits to God and 2. It quiets and fixâ—s us in expecting of an answer and when this is wanting Christians are either discouraged and know not how to pursue their cause or else they are carnally secure and presumptuous which is very ordinary for either as I have said we are under an anxious fear so that we know not how to go about dutie with any hope of success or else we grow secure and slack and careless in dutie 2ly There is an use-making of Christs Intercession when we have obtained any benefit which keeps the Soul in his common and debt and in acknowledging it self to be his Debtor This makes Christians when they have gotten any thing to be humble and helps them to a sanctified use of
thing to be marked Observe That all men even the Elect themselves not excepted are naturally in a most sinful and desperat state and condition so that if ye would know what they are by Nature this is a description of their state All we like sheep have gone astray and every one hath turned to his own way And when it 's called our own way there needs no other Eâ—â—thete to set out the desperatness of it That which I mean is this that all men are naturally under these two 1. They are under guilt before God Eph. 2.1 2. Dead in sins and tresp sses childâ—en of wrath and heirs of condemnation lyable to the curse of God by vertue of the Covenant which Adam broke 2. Which is mostly aimed at here there is in every one a sinful nature a sinfulness or sinning sin an inclination to sin every one hath a straying humour So that although the similitude of sheep aâ—ree not to them in that senâ—e as sheep are innocent creatures yet it agrees to them in this sense that they are silly foolish Creatures And in this respect it is said Gen. 6.8 That all tha imaginations of the thoughts of the heart in man are only evil continually And Eph. 2.1 They are said to be dead in sin not only in respect of their being obnoxious to God's curse but in respect of their natural deadness of their sinful nature and want of spiritual life So Rom. 3 9 10. and forwards the Apostle describes the sinfulness of man's nature at large not only in respect of its guilt but of its inclination to sin and says that their throat is an open Sepulchre Insinuating thereby that men naturally are like to a Tomb and that the Corps within the Tomb is death and sin and that all that comes from them savours of that Their feet are swift to shed blood with their tongues they use deceit c. Every member and part of the body and every faculty of the soul is bent to that which is evil These three may further confirm it 1. If we look in general to what the Scripture speaks of men by nature Eph. 2.1 2 3. Rom. 3 and 5. Chapters They being as it is Isaiah 57. penult As the raging Sea that casts out dirt and mire continually It is alwayes moving and working one way or other and more especially in a storm so that though at one tide ye should sweep the Shore never so clean it will be as foul and dirty the next Tide that cometh So are these hearts of ours as Peter speaks 2 Epist 2. And Jude vers 13. foaming out their own shame And James saith Chap. 4.5 The spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy It hath as great eagerness after and as great delight in sin as a Drunkard hath after and in drink 2. Experience also confirms it Go thorow all the Men and Women that ever were in the World our blessed Lord Jeâ—us being excepteâ— as not descending oâ— Adam by the ordinary way of Generation and that will be found true which the Apostle hath Rom. 3. There is none that doth good no not one And that which is spoken Gen. 6. All flesh hath corrupted their way And what is the spring of all the aâ—ominations that are in the World and the rise of these particular evils that are in believers and Saints mentioned in Scripture as in David Peter and others But this same corrupt nature this body of death as it is called Rom. 7.14 All which strongly prove a fire to be within when there is such a smoak without 3. We may confirm it from well-grounded reason for it cannot be otherwise If the root be of such a nature can the branches be otherwayes Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing No not one Job 14.4 When Adam fell the root was corrupted and the branches cannot be fresh the fountain was defiled and the streams cannot be clean and clear Hence when Adam begot Seth an Elect in whom the Church was continued it is said that he begat a son after his own likeness Gen. 5. He himself was created after Gods Image but begat children after his own Image Though this be a commonly received Doctrine yet it s not without good reason nor for no use insisted on so much here and in other Scriptures We shall therefore speak a little to these four Uses of it The 1. Use of it serves for Information and we may make it a looking-glass wherein we may see clearly our own most sinful state and condition Would ye know what ye are by nature This Text tells you that not only all men have strayed but that each of us or every one of uc hath turned to his own way But knowing how ready we are to shift the challenge we would be perswaded that we are by nature lyable to Gods curse for Adams sin dead in sin and inclined to all evil Sheep are no readier to go the wrong way and will no more readily stray if they want a Shepherd then we are inclined to do There is a common word in many of your mouths that we are all sinners by nature but when it 's searched into we find that there is much ignorance amongst you of what it means many count themselves to be sinners only because of their being guilty of the first sin and so put no difference betwixt the first sin and Original sin which is an effect that flows from and follows upon the first sin The first sin was Adam's deed and is legally ours being imputed to us As it is Rom. 5. Death reigned over all even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam 's transgression because Adam in his standing and falling stood in our room representing all mankind that was to come of him But Original sin is inherent in us and cleaveth closs to us and is that which we are born and bred and grow up with And therefore ye would distinguish these sins that ye may know that ye are not only guilty of Adams first sinful deed but that ye havâ— a present sinful and corrupt nature though it be not â—lways alike exercising and acting it self Others again look only upon their nature as inclined to evil and look not on it as that which makes them lyable to wrath by reason of the first sin But ye would put both together and know that though your sinfulness doth not consist only in an inclination to evil that yet your sinfulness lyes mainly in that and that it will not be long a going wrong And it 's not only your actual straying and going wrong that ye would take notice of but also and mainly of your sinful nature that inclines disposes and sets you on work to go wrong It 's your filthy corrupt Nature the Body of Death the smell and savour whereof to say so is the kything of some actual sin We may clear it in a similitude or two We are by this
in against us else what needed we to have an Advocat and Intercessâ—ur if our Plea were just and good as from our selves we needed not one to undertake for us the Judge would absolve us but the defects that are in us give access to this part of his Office which supposes us to have infirmities else we needed not an high Priest if we were like Adam in his innocency for he needed not an Intercessour and therefore in the Text it is for the transgressâ—urs that he makes Intercession and 1 John 2.2 If any man sin we have an advocat c. 2. All the weight of Christs Intercession and the grounds whereon he pleads are in himself and therefore none need to stand a back because there is nothing in themselves We have an advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation Christ hath in him a fulnesse to pay the Debt himself and he pleads on that and on nothing in the creature He sayes not let them be pardoned because they have not sin nor because they have such and such qualifications but because I have been a propitiation for them I have payed their Debt Therefore he is called the righteous because he hath reason for that which he seeks He hath payed for what he seeks and therefore it cannot but be granted 3. There is a freedom in the application of all the application is free Grace every way and that is clear from the parable of the barren fig-tree what could the tree say when Justice pleaded it should be cut down There is nothing in it to procure a delay but the Gardner stands up and bids spare it and he will take pains on it and apply what is needful causes are not here cast back because the partie is poor nor because he hath much Debt on his score No If any man sin he hath an advocat the thing is obtained without money and without price would ye then have a Priest that suits you well ye shall have him and have him freely if ye imploy him to undertake for you he will do it freely and it 's his honour so to do 4. It 's free and effectuall It cannot misgive for who pleads is it not the Son before whom pleads he It 's before his own Father who heareth him alwayes for whom doth he plead It 's for them who are the Fathers own Elect and his also Thine they were and thou gavest them me and all mine are thine and thine are mine It 's for them whom the Father loves as well as he whaâ— does he seek and plead for for that which is covenanted and he pleads for it according to the terms of the Covenant Therefore it 's sure that though heaven and earth may be mixed and overturned yet none can louse a link here It 's impossible but what he interceeds for he must obtain and for whom he interceeds he prevails and that 's for all that imploy him 4ly For Advertisement or caveat It may be asked here may all comfort themselves in Christs Intercession Some will think that were good but in truth it would make the consolation of all unsure Therefore there are Four qualifications of a person that may and only may warrantably take the consolation whereof we have spoken 1. It 's a Person that hath betaken himself to Christs satisfaction for there are two parts of the Priestly Office His Satisfaction and his Intercession and there is no dividing of them nor making use of them but in the right order First he satisfies and then he iâ—terceeds and he must be taken and mâ—â—e use of in this order 1. In his Satisfaction to divine Justice and it 's on this ground that we must found our righteousnesse and plead for absolution and whoâ—ver haâ—e 〈◊〉 thi◠〈◊〉 of his â—â—â—faction may 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—selves in his 〈…〉 â—â—â—ed on his Satisfaction 1 John 〈…〉 he interceeds for these he is a 〈◊〉 and he is a propitiation for all who by 〈◊〉 have betaken themselves to him This is the very hinge of our Consolation 〈◊〉 to take with our Debt and to betake 〈◊〉 selves to him according to the 〈◊〉 lippening for salvation on that ground 〈◊〉 It 's these who are essaying and practising themselves in the duties of holinesse wrestling with a body of death and exercising themselves to Godlinesse that they may warrantably comfort themselves in Christs Intercession as Paul who Rom. 7. being put to it in the conflict with his corruption comforts himself thus I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Though they be sorly harassed with a corrupt nature yet they may expect an outgate through vertue of his Intercession Therefore Revel 8. Christs incense as I have often said and the Saints Prayers go and go up together Lazinesse and security hath not this consolation but if a person be praying and be serious though weak in it he hath an Advocat who when it comes to he asked what shall be thought of such an ones Sacrifice pleads that it may be accepted 3. It 's the person that not only is aiming and minting to do dutie but is denyed to it laying no weight on it disparing ever to get victory over corruption in his own strength or to come by the hearing of his prayers through any worth that is in them and not daring to step forward his alone but leaving all he does at Christs feet to make it acceptable which leads to the 4th thing requisit viz. when persons whether their doing and duties be of worth or not Jesus Christ is made by them the upshot of all they lay weight on him to get them done and to get them accepted when they are done and without him all would be desperat in their esteem this was typified in the peoples giving the Sacrifices to the Priest to be offered and though it were but two Turtle doves or two young Pigions they were brought to the Priest as well as other Sacrifices But such as consider not the enimity and sinfulnesse that is in themselves and adventure to step into God without him cannot lay claim to this consolation which runs alwayes on this ground Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him Seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them Is there not then ground of Consolation here and such as there is reason to bestow a preaching upon it to teach us how to clear our selves in it and make use of it and how to chear our selves in it Ye that seclude your selves from this Consolation O! but ye spil and mar a good life to your selves and hazard your own cause that will most certainly go against you because ye put it not in the right hand which the Lord give you wisdom to amend and give us all the right use of this through Jesus Christ SERMON LXVIII ISAIAH LIII XII Verse 12. And made intercession for the transgressours IT were a very great Consolation and a