that bestows all upon us gratis. When Mephi- | cate for you in the presence of his Father; but yet bosheth had an opportunity to be yet more charge- he is unwilling that you should render him evil for able to David, he would not, because he had his good; I say, that you should do so by your remiss. life and his all from the mere grace of the king. ness and carelessness for want of such a thinking 2 Sa. xix. 24-28. Also David thought it too much for of things as may affect your hearts therewith. It all his household to go to Absalom's feast, because would be more comely in you, would please him it was made of free cost. Why, Christ is our Ad- better, would better agree with your profession, vocate of free cost, we pay him neither fee nor and also better would prove you gracious, to bo income for what he doth; nor doth he desire aught found in the power and nature of these conclusions. of us, but to accept of his free doing for us thank-How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer fully; wherefore let us put him upon this work as little as may be, and by so doing we shall show ourselves Christians of the right make and stamp. We count him but a follow of a very gross spirit that will therefore be lavishing of what is his friend's, because it is prepared of mere kindness for him; Esau himself was loath to do this; and shall Christians be disingenuous? ances. I dare say, if Christians were sober, watchful, and of a more self-denying temper, they need not put the Lord Jesus to that to which for the want of these things they do so often put him. I know he is not unwilling to serve us, but I know also that the love of Christ should constrain us to live not to ourselves, but to him that loved us, that died for us, and rose again. 2 Co. v. 14, 15. We shall do that which is naught too much, even then when we watch and take care what we can to prevent it. Our flesh, when we do our utmost diligence to resist, it will defile both us and our best performWe need not lay the reins on its neck and say, What care we? the more sin the more grace, and the more we shall see the kindness of Christ, and what virtue there is in his Advocate's office to save us. And should there be any such here, I would present them with a scripture or two; the first is this, 'Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise?' De. xxxii. 6. And if this gentle check will not do, then read the other, Shall we say, Let us do evil, that good may come? their damnation is just. Ro. iii. 8. Besides, as nothing so swayeth with us as love, so there is nothing so well pleasing to God as it. Let a man love, though he has opportunity to do nothing, it is accepted of the God of heaven. But where there is no love, let a man do what he will, it is not at all regarded. 1 Co. xiii. 1-3. Now to be careless and negligent, and that from a supposed understanding of the grace of Christ in the exercise of his advocateship for us in heaven, is as clear sign as can be, that in thy heart there is no love to Christ, and that consequently thou art just a nothing, instead of being a Christian. Talk, then, what thou wilt, and profess never so largely, Christ is no Advocate of thine, nor shalt thou, thou so continuing, be ever the better for any of those pleas that Christ, at God's bar, puts in against the devil, for his people. therein?' Ro. vi. 2. 'If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.' Col. iii. 1-6. I say, it would be more comely for Christians to say, We will not sin because God will pardon; we will not commit iniquity because Christ will advocate for us. 'I write unto you that ye sin not; though if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father.' Why, the brute would conclude, I will not do so, because my master will beat me; I will do thus, for then my master will love me. And Christians should be above [such] 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 God, but not thence to be remiss. 2 Co. v. 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 do part from iniquity, and are zealous of good works. 2 Tim. ii. 19. He gave himself for these. Tit. ii. 11–14. 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. Ac. xxvi. 18. Use Seventh. 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 Christians, Christ Jesus is not unwilling to lay *Rovers;' without any definite aim. Nature shoots not out himself for you in heaven, nor to be an Advo-at rovers.'-Glanville.—ED. generals; they should be more at the mark: A word spoken in season, how good is it?' I say, Christians should observe and inquire, that they may observe the cause or ground of their brother's 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 forerunner 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, as 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 that Satan more desires than to get good men in his sieve 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 Advocate be hid, 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 he forthwith conceiveth comfort; for an advocate is to plead for me according as has been showed afore, that I may be delivered from the wrath and accusation of my adversary, and still be kept safe under grace. Further, 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 into remembrance which he has forgotten-to wit, that though 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, though we have sinned, that we might be damned, as Christ has to plead it, though 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 ance. Use Eighth. But what is all this to you that are not 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? Je. xxx. 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. It 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,' in the place where accusers stand. And when he shall be judged, let him be condemned,' let there be none to plead for his deliverIf he cries, or offereth to cry out for mercy or forgiveness, 'let his prayer become sin.' Ps. cix. 6. 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 xxvii. 20–23. And what shall this man do? Can he overstand 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 being carried upon men's 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 salvation, if men be denied an Advocate to plead their cause with God. Nor can any advocate save Jesus Christ the righteous avail anything at all, because there is none appointed but him to that work, and therefore not to be admitted to enter a plea for their client at the bar of God. Objection. But some may say, There is God's grace, the promise, Christ's blood, and his second part of priesthood now in heaven. Can none of these severally, nor all of them jointly, save a man from hell, unless Christ also become our Advocate? You may remember that I have already told you that there are several who have not the Lord Jesus for their Advocate-to wit, those that are still in their sins, pursuing of their lusts; those that are ashamed of him before men; and those that are never otherwise but lukewarm in their profession. And let us now, for a conclusion, make further inquiry into this matter. Answer. All these, his Advocate's office not excluded, are few enough, and little enough, to save the saints from hell; for the righteous shall scarcely be saved. 1 Pe. iv. 18. There must, then, be the promise, God's grace, Christ's blood, and him to advocate too, or we cannot be saved. What is the promise without God's grace, and what is that grace without a promise to bestow it on us? I say, what benefit have we thereby? Besides, if the Is it likely that those should have the Lord Jesus promise and God's grace, without Christ's blood, for their Advocate to plead their cause; who would have saved us, wherefore then did Christ despise and reject his person, his Word, and ways? die? Yea, and again I say, if all these, without or those either who are so far off from sense of, his being an Advocate, would have delivered us and shame for, sin, that it is the only thing they from all those disadvantages that our sins and in- hug and embrace? True, he pleadeth the cause firmities would bring us to and into; surely in vain of his people both with the Father and against the and to no purpose was Jesus made an Advocate. devil, and all the world besides; but open profaneBut, soul, there is need of all; and therefore be not ness, shame of good, and without heart or warmth thou offended that the Lord Jesus is of the Father in religion, are no characters of his people. It is made so much to his, but rather admire and wonder irrational to think that Christ is an Advocate for, that the Father and the Son should be so concerned or that he pleadeth the cause of such, who, in the with so sorry a lump of dust and ashes as thou art. self-same hour, and before his enemies, are throwAnd I say again, be confounded to think that sining dirt in his face by their profane mouths and should be a thing so horrible, of power to pollute, unsanctified lives and conversations. to captivate, and detain us from God, that without all this ado (I would speak with reverence of God and his wisdom) we cannot be delivered from the everlasting destruction that it hath brought upon the children of men. But, I say, what is this to them that are not admitted to a privilege in the advocate-office of Christ? Whether he is an Advocate or no, the case to them is the same. True, Christ as a Saviour is not divided; he that hath him not in all, shall have him in none at all of his offices in a saving manner. Therefore, he for whom he is not an Advocate, he is nothing as to eternal life. Indeed, Christ by some of his offices is concerned for the elect, before by some others of them he is; but such shall have the blessing of them all before they come to glory. Nor hath a man ground to say Christ is here or there mine, before he hath ground to say, he also is mine Advocate; though that office of his, as has been already showed, stands in the last place, and comes in as a reserve. But can any imagine that Christ will pray for them as Priest for whom he will not plead as Advocate? or that he will speak for them to God for whom he will not plead against the devil? No, no; they are his own, that he loveth to the end, Jn. xiii. 1, to the end of their lives, to the end of their sins, to the end of their temptations, to the end of their fears, and of the exercise of the rage and malice of Satan against them. To the end may also be understood, even until he hath given them the profit and benefit of all his offices in their due exercise and administration. But, I say, what is all this to them that have him not for their Advocate? VOL. I. If he pleads as an Advocate for any, he must plead against Satan for them, and so consequently must have some special bottom to ground his plea upon; I say, a bottom better than that upon which the carnal man stands; which bottom is either some special relation that this man stands in to God, or some special law he hath privilege by, that he may have some ground for an appeal, if need be, to the justice and righteousness of God; but none of these things belong to them that are dead in trespasses and sins; they stand in no special relation to God: they are not privileged by the law of grace. Objection.-But doth not Christ as Advocate plead for his elect, though not called as yet? Answer. He died for all his elect, he prayeth for all his elect as a Priest, but as an Advocate he pleadeth only for the children, the called only. Satan objecteth not against God's election, for he knows it not; but he objecteth against the called to wit, whether they be truly godly or no, or whether they ought not to die for their transgressions. Job i. 9, 10; Zec. iii. And for these things he has some colour to frame an accusation against us, and now it is time enough for Christ to stand up to plead. I say, for these things he has some colour to frame a plea against us; for there is sin and a law of works, and a judge too, that has not respect of persons. Now to overthrow this plea of Satan, is Jesus Christ our Advocate; yea, to overthrow it by pleading law and justice; and this must be done with respect to the children only-'My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.' 2 c OR, THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST, AND WHO ARE PRIVILEGED IN IT. BY JOHN BUNYAN. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 6 HOWEVER strange it may appear, it is a solemn | able as Mary or any other saint? To atone for sin fact, that the heart of man, unless prepared by a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, rejects Christ as a complete Saviour. The pride of human nature will not suffer it to fall, as helpless and utterly undone, into the arms of Divine mercy. Man prefers a partial Saviour; one who had done so much, that, with the sinner's aid, the work might be completed. Not such were the opinions of John Bunyan; the furnace of sharp conviction had burnt up this proud dross; he believed the testimony of Scripture, that from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet all nature is corrupted; so that out of the unsanctified heart of man proceed evil thoughts, murders, and the sad catalogue of crimes which our Lord enumerates, and which defile our best efforts after purity of heart and life. No sinner will ever totally rely upon the Saviour until he is sensible of his own perishing state; hanging by the brittle thread of life over the yawning gulf of perdition; sinking in that sin which will swallow him up in those awful torments which await the transgressor; feeling that sin has fitted him as stubble for the fire; then it is that the cry proceeds from his heart, Lord, save, I perish; and then, and not till then, are we made willing to receive Christ as a complete Saviour' to the uttermost, not of his ability, but of our necessity. This was the subject of all Mr. Bunyan's writings, and, doubtless, of all his preaching. It was to direct sinners to the Lamb of God, who alone can take away sin. This little treatise was one of those ten excellent manuscripts' which, at Bunyan's decease, were found prepared for the press. It was first published in 1692, by his friends E. Chandler, J. Wilson, and C. Doe. It is limited to a subject which is too often lost sight of, because it is within the veil-the intercession of Christ as the finishing work of a sinner's salvation. Many persons limit the 'looking unto Jesus' to beholding him upon the cross, a common popish error; but this is not enough; we must, in our minds, follow him to the unseen world, and thus ascend to a risen Saviour, at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for our daily sins. And he is our ONLY Intercessor, and it is a rejection of him, for us to seek the aid of another. Who ever was mad enough to ask Moses to intercede for him, and surely he is as calls for the amazing price of the blood of Christ, who was 'God manifest in the flesh.' He undertook the work by covenant; and all the 'saved' form part of his mystical body; thus perfectly obeying the law in him. He poured out his life to open a fountain for sin and uncleanness; and as they are liable to pollution in their passage through the world, he only is able, and he ever liveth, to make intercession for their transgressions. Thus he becomes a complete Saviour, and will crown, with an eternal weight of glory, all those that put their trust in him. Beautiful, and soul-softening, and heartwarming thoughts abound in this little work, which cannot fail to make a lasting impression upon the reader. Bunyan disclaims the beggarly art of complimenting' in things of such solemnity. p. 213. He describes the heart as unweldable, a remarkable expression, drawn from his father's trade of a blacksmith; nothing but grace can so heat it as to enable the hammer of conviction to weld it to Christ; and when thus welded, it becomes one with him. p. 216. There is hope for a returning backslider in a complete Saviour; he combines the evidence of two men, the coming and the returning sinner; he has been, like Jonah, in the belly of hell; his sins, like talking devils, have driven him back to the Saviour. Sin brings its own punishment, from which we escape by keeping in the narrow path. Good works save us from temporal miseries, which ever follow an indulgence in sin; but if we fall, we have an Advocate and Intercessor to lift us up; still, if thou lovest thy soul, slight not the knowledge of hell, for that, with the law, are the spurs which Christ useth to prick souls forward to himself. O gather up thy heels and mend thy pace, or those spurs will be in thy sides. p. 220. Take heed, O persecutor; like Saul, thou art exceeding mad, and hell is thy bedlam. Take heed of a false faith; none is true but that which is acquired by a kneeling, searching, secking for truth as for hid treasure. Death is God's bailiff, he will seize thee without warning; but with the saints, the grave's mouth is the final parting place between grace and sin. p. 236. Forget not that a good improvement will make your little grace to thrive. p. 239. Reader, may Divine grace indelibly fix these wholesome truths upon our minds. GEORGE OFFOR. CHRIST A COMPLETE SAVIOUR. WHEREFORE HE IS ABLE ALSO TO SAVE THEM TO SEEING HE EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION THE apostle, in this chapter, presenteth us with . two. And it may be made either to set them at In the words, I take notice of four things: FIRST, Of the intercession of Christ-He maketh inter- 1. He prays for all the elect, that they may be cession. SECOND, Of the benefit of his interces- brought home to God, and so into the unity of the sion- Wherefore he is able to save to the utter- faith, &c. This is clear, for that he saith, Neither most,' &c. THIRD, We have also here set before pray I for these alone;' that is, for those only that us the persons interested in this intercession of are converted; but for them also which shall Christ-And they are those that come unto God believe on me through their word;' for all them by him.' FOURTH, We have also here the certainty that shall, that are appointed to believe; or, as of their reaping this benefit by him; to wit, seeing you have it a little above, for them which thou he ever liveth to make intercession for them-hast given me.' Jo. xvii. 9, 20. Is. liii. 12. And the reaWherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.'* [1. OF THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST.] FIRST, We will begin with HIS INTERCESSION, and will show you, First, What that is; Second, For what he intercedes; and, Third, What is also to be inferred from Christ's making intercession for us. First, I begin, then, with the first; that is, to show you what intercession is. Intercession is prayer; but all prayer is not intercession. Intercession, then, is that prayer that is made by a third person about the concerns that are between Coming unto God by Christ, essentially involves in it walking in conformity to his image; and all such comers must be perfectly and eternally saved. Why then, O child of God, should you suffer under Giant Despair, in his doubting, fearing castle.-ED. son is, for that he hath paid a ransom for them. Christ, therefore, when he maketh intercession for the ungodly, and all the unconverted elect are such, doth but petitionarily ask for his own, his purchased ones, those for whom he died before, that they might be saved by his blood. 2. When any of them are brought home to God, he yet prays for them; namely, that the sins which through infirmity they, after conversion, may commit, may also be forgiven them. This is showed us by the intercession of the high priest under the law, that was to bear away the iniquities of the holy things of the children of Israel; yea, and also by his atonement for them that sinned; for that it saith, And the priest shall make an atonement for him, for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.' Le. v. 10. This also is intimated even where our Lord doth make intercession, saying, I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that |