390 Chap:i6. An Ex;po;tian Mon tbeBookof J O S. Verf:at. toprevail on our hearts to receive that mercy : Though Chrift be our Advocate in Heaven, pleading for us with the Father, yet if we had not the fpirit toplead in our hearts on earth, we fhould never receive the good that Chrift path purchafed for usof his Father. Chrift appearsfor us in Heaven, Heb. 9. 24. He appears as an Atturney in Court for his Client ; he is gone toHeaven to appear for us; the fpirit comes from Heaven and appears in us. Chrift began the work ofhis intercefúon here John 17.. He is gone into Heaven to continue and perfect it, The fpirit doth both begin and perfell his intercefúon here ; he doth not plead for us, but in us , or the fpirit makes inter- ceflion for us by flirting us up to prayer , by teaching us how to word and mould, or rather how to fighand groanour 'prayers ; Chrifl makes irtrceffion for us, by prefenting, and tendring thofe prayers to the Father which the fpirit helps us to make, or by making prayers for us himf if to the Father. Some difpute how , they inquire much after the manner how Chrift makes intercd ion or performs the office ofan Ad- vocate for us but it is enough for us to know that he is an Advocate, or that he makes interccffion for us, though we are not able to defcribe the manner how t Whether it be, Firtt, Onely by prefenting himfelf to the Father, and his appearingfor us, whicl},is an equivalent, if not a formal inter., ceffion : Or Secondly, By the tendering of his righteoufnefs, and merits, as fatisfafion to the Father. Or Thirdly, By exprefling our wants and his,delres for us; Whether by all there, or by which of there, or whether by fome other way, is not determinable by us , yet this is clear that he performs the office ofan Advocate for us, and that we rec ; t every:good thing from the hand. ofGod, through his hab frrther,'Chrift may be contdered Firtl, As an Advocate for the whole Church : There are Tomecaufesof common concernment to all thepeople of God. Thus he . was an Advocate for Jerufalem, when,under bonds and .captivity -in Babylon,Zecb.t. 12, Then ,aloe Angel of the Lord (not,., - created, but the creating Angel, or the Angel of the Covenant, wbo it the Son of God) anfwered andPaid, Lord
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