Book IV. J!.,rotiing unto 'Jjtfu.S'. Chap. 2. SeCt. 2. 553 ~der of the nature of Chrift';·;;;-;-ercefsion: what is it but the gracious Will of Chrifl fervently defiring that for the vertne of his death, and facrifi,e, thy perfon and performances might be accepted of God ? As Chrifl on earth gave himfelf to the death, even to the death of the Crof, for the abolition of fin, fo now in Heaven he prayes the Father, by h~ agony and bloody fweat, by his cro{s and paffion, by his death and (acrifi<e,. that thy _hns may be p~rdoned! thy fervtce ac_Gepted, and th_Y foul faved. This is the Wtll of Cbn!l:, e.en thy JU~tficatton, fanchficarton, and falvanon; and ac– cordingly be prefents his Will, Fmher I 1vill that all thofe priviledges flowing from my death may be conferred on jitch a pcrfon by name ; jiteh a foul is nolV meditating and confi· dtring of my intcrceffion, and my wiU is that hu very mcdit'!tion may find acceptance with God. 0 what workings would be m thy heart and fpmt, tf thou dtd!l: but confider that Chrifl even now were fpeaking his Will, that thy perfon and duty might both find acceptance, and-be well-pleating with God. 2. Confider of the perfon that intercedes for thee ; it is Chrift in both Natures. it is thy Mediator; the middle one betwi:<:t God and man; in this refpect thou mayft c'on– fider him as one indifferent, and equally inclimng tO either party, like a pair of fcales that hang ev~n, neither !ide lift up_, or deprelfed more than the other; A Mediator is Gal. . ~0 not of one, fatth the Apoftle, Chnflmdlfferentl}' partook of both Natures, Godhead, 3 ' and Manhood, that fo he might be fit to ftand in the gap between his Father and os; he is a Prieft according to both Natures; he ts aDayes-man wholly for God, and a Dayesman wholly for us, and on our fide. · 3. Confider of the perfon to whom Chri[l intercedes; is it not to his Father? Tbou art fure to fpeed well, 0 my foul, for God' is the Father of thy Intercelfor. If I had a fuit to fome Majefty, and the Prince would but mediate, I might hope to fpeed ; Chrifi is God's Prince (as I may call him) and m refpec'l: of us, The firft-begotten of many brethren. And herein is thy rejoycing, that the party offended is Chri!l:'s own Father, and, in Chrift, thy Father; fathers cannot be cruel to their own dear children ; What man amongft you, whom if his fun a./z. bread, he will give hima ftone, or if he Mk.. a ftjh, will he give himaSerpent.' If ye then bewg evil IQtow how to givegoodgifts unto your children, Mat. 7· 9, 10 > how much more Jhall your Father.which is in heaven givegood things to them that Mk_ him.' 11 ' and efpecially if Chrill: himfelf ask? 4· Confider of the perfons for wl19111 Chri'ft intercedes, it is for all the Elect, and in particular for thee. 0 the fweetof this one meditation! if I knew that my, name were written in Heaven, Jhould I not ( as Chri!t bids me) ' rejoyce in this .' oh but whatis it Lukno 20 to have my name written in the chief part of Heaven ? what is it to have my name ' • · written in the brra!l:-'Plate of J efus Chrifl? come, read 0 my foul, is it not thus writ- – ten, Ifaac, or racob, I h.wcprayed, and I am pra)'ing forthce that thy faith fail 11ot? fare I am, that I would not part with my hope in this priviledge for allth' wide world. the very confiderarion of thi; makes me to efteem of all the world as drofs, and dogs~ meat. And oh that ever the world, or fteJh, or devil fhould fteal this meditation out of my heart! oh that ever! fiwu\d forget that Chrift is gone to Heaven, that he is en– tred i,,to the Holy of Holies, and that he carries my name into the.prefence of God the Father! Ifpeak the fame to thee that readeft, if thou art a Believer, there is no doubt of it, but Chrift is fpeaking 'a good word to his Father in thy behalf; he can no more for~et thee in his intercdlions, than a Mother with full breafts can forget her fucking , Child, that the lhouid not have compaffion on the fon of her womb: Now if ever, loolz 11pto 7eJiu, yea look, and never leave looking, till thou fpie!t thy own name writ on his heart; it isenongh tO fix thy foul, and to make it dwell on J efus Chrift thus carry– ing thee on his fi1oulders, and bearing thee on his breaft-plate for a memorial unto his Father in Heaven. 5- Confider of the agreement and difference betwixt Chrift's interceffions, and the imerceffionsof the high Prie!\s of old; they did both intercede, but Chri!l:'s interceffi– ons are ever in a meer tranfcendent, eminent way : Chri!l: is more faithful in his office a~d pla~e than ever high Prieft was ; Chri!l: is more compa{.!ionate and pitiful than ever h1gh Pnefl: was ; and hence it is that he bath the title of "'""""~yv®-, one of ma7rj commifcrarions ; all is mercy, and love, and fweetnefs, and more than motherly affection James 5. I r. that comes fromChnft. 0 my foul, why fi1ouldft thou fay wlth!frael, My way uhidden from the Lord, and my j11dgment u paffcdovcr by my GQd? as 1f J efus Chrift had left Ir,. 4°· 2 7• thee out of the count of hi> people, and out of the roll of thofe whom 'he is to look af 1 ter? No, no; he is afaithful and merciful High Prieft ; far above all the high Priefts of N n n the
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