5 :u~· The All-fufficiency of Chrift ------------------ with it. John 17. 24· Farhrr, I wjf[ that t~ofi whom thot~ haft givm me may be with me 1flhere I am, that thty may behold my glory rohlch thou haft gwen me. The Rtari.fical Vifion is the very Glory and Happinefs of the Saints in Heaven, and when they arc brought to behold this Glory of Chrift this lnrcrceffion ceafeth. But then, . Lajlly, There is Chrifi:'s Jntcrceffion for. the continuance of their Glory, and this is that fnterceffion which is Everlafting, that lntetcej]ion which he ever lives to make. as our Saviour Chrift ever lives, fo he ever makes lntercrffion for the Saints, thaf they .may 1~cvcr h? cut offf~om God's p_refence, n~r fall tram their Happinefs, nor forfeit their Glonous It~hentance; for Ill Heaven It fclf, though we be there in a moft perfeCt and finlefs ftate, yet were it not for the lnttrceffion of Chrifl:, whereby every mo111cnt he procures us a confirmation of that cftatc, we fi1ould have no more fccnrity of onr continuance than the Angels which fell, who were more holy and Jnppy than ever we were; we fhould have no more confirmation than .Adam had in Paradifi, who forfeited his Happinefs by ~he mutability of his own Will. Therefore I fJy, the continuance of the Saints now in Heaven depends upon the Everlafting Jntcrccjfion, of Jcfils Chrift. Thus we have confidered the ox rent of Chrift's JnrerceF fion, as to the time where he makes it, and that before his Incarnation, and likcwife after the Confi1mmation of all things. 2. Let us now con lid er the e.wmt of C'Jrijt'.r Interceffion as to the Reafonsforwhom he intercedes, and that is for .:tll his in oppofition to the World; we have this plain in Chrift's Prayer on Earth, whis is the pattern and dranghc of his Interceffion in He.:t\'en, John 17. 9· I pray not for the world, but for thofo thou haft gi11en me out of the w;,riJ. I pray for them, thofe that thou defignefl: fhall be brought to Glory by my Merits. Now for thefc, fmnc arc yet in a fr:~te of Nature, difobedient, hnpcnitent, Unl?eli.evers, others are i11 a frate of Grace a~ually converte~ and regenerated; Chnft mtcrccdcs for both; for thefe latter he mtercedes thoroughout the whole Chapter, 'John 17· 20. Neither pray I for theft alone, ~ut for all thof~ t?at jiJa/l believe on me throu~h their word. And many wh1ch were then hvmg, and received the Benefits of Chrf'n:'s fntctcefficm in their Efteetual Vocation and Omverfion for Unbelievers Chrift prays that they may obtain Grace, for Believers that they may obtain more Grace, and through it be brought to Glory, and that is the fecond Confideration in refpeCl: of the 1ntercefi1o11 of Chrift, as to the latitude and extmt of it, both as to the Time and Perfons. 3· Another thing propounded, is to con lider the Intercejfi_on ofChri/1 in refpefl of the Rmcfits that flow from ir, and thofe are very great and mamfold Bleftmgs, worthy to be obtained by fo g.reat :In Advocate. Now there are but two things whcrei!l the Office of an Advocate properly confifl:s. The Flrft, Is to defend his Climt from Wrongs and Injuries. Secondly, Another is to procure good ~hings for him. The Firfl: he doth·by anfwering the Accnfations and Exceptions that are brought againft him, and the latter he doth by filing out his Right and Title; both thefe the Lord Jefus Chrift our .Advocate doth for us. r. He defends us from thofe evils that our Adverfaries by their Accufations bring againft ns; as we arc Sinners, God's Jnfticc, our own Confcicnces, and Satan's Malice come in as our A,dverfaries, and all laying their feveral Charges againfr us; 1ufth·e that calls for Vengeance, Omfcimce thunders, Satan rageth, and all accufe us. God calls to the Bar, Sinner, fuch and· fitch a Sin thou art guilty of that deferves Eternal Damnation; true, Lord, faith OmfcJence, I will w'itnefs the fame againfl: him, having warned him of it_, and checked him for it, but he bath fallen upon me, and wounded me, while I in thy Name, I have given him thefe Admonitions. True, Lord, faith the Dwil too, all rhjs he did upon my Suggefl:ions and Temptations, therefore refign him over to me for Puniihment. Now wheil the poor Sinner ftands mute an.d trcmbHng, his mighty Ad11ocate pleads his Omfe, and filcnceth all thefe AccuJations that are brought agaiufl: ~ aud !Sts him right; ancl this he cloth two ways. r.Hc
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