. The AU-fufficiencj ofChrift ceffiotl for UJ, . See wi1at tite Apo.ftle faith, Whether we live, we live unto the Lord, or whether Bt, di.e, we die unto the Lord, or whether we live or die we are the Lord'J· It might happily be inverted to us, whether the Lord lives, he lives for us, or whether he ~ies, he dies for us, and whether the Lord lives or dies, it is for our Advantage . but this is only in the General ; and therefore, ' l , 2.. To ceme and defcend to Particulars, there are a very many great Bcnefit1 that do redound to Believers by the Life and lntercef!ion of Chrift. , Benefit 1. Hen~e we obtain ~he ,Myfi:ical Union both to GCKl and one another, 1ohn q. 2 I . Chnft prays that Ius Samts may be all one, ao thou Father art i11 me and 1 in thu, and from this Union flows ~ll that Fe\low!hip and CommuniOn which 'they have either with God, ot one another; their Communion with God depends 11pon their Union to him in the famenefs ofSpirit, and their Communion among them. fclves depends upon their Mutual Union to the fame Body, and both depend upon this Prayer of Chrift. Ben· 2. The ineflimable Gift ofthe Holy Ghoft, likewifo U the benefit of Chrift's lnterceJJi· On: John_ 16. 17· If ! go not away the Comfor~er will ~ot come Wlto you, but if I depart 1 wdl fond htm to yozt; fo John 14:· 16, 17. lwdl pray the Father, a_nd he jl1al/ gi'l!e you ano~ tber Comforter, that ht may be w~th you for ever. All the Mottons, Breathmgs, Evi~ dences and Supports of the Holy Spirit you enjoy as they were the Purchafe of Chri!l's Death, _fo alfo _are the Benefits obtained by his L ifo and lnttrceffion for us; hence a_lfo was 1t t~at m the firft Age of the Chur~h there were thofc extraordinary and n11raculous G1fts of the Holy Ghoft, the G1fts of Tongues and Healing, &c. Aas 3· 35· .Ben. 3· Through this lnterce({ion 1t1t have boldJJC[s and confidence at tTu Throne ofGrace, Heb. 4· l ~h 15 . Seeing then that we have a great High PeieP that i& p:lffi:dinto the Heavtm, 'Je{m the San of God; let U& therefore come boldly unto the Throne ofGrace, that we may obta'in Mercy, aud find Grace to help in time of need. Eph. 3· 12. In rof10m we have bofdne{s and accefs with confidence through the faith of him. \Vho would not be encouraged t.o go boldly to God, that hath ii1ch an Advocate to plead for him that never yet had the Jeall: denial. Ben. 4· Hence alfo we receive aft our ftrength .audgrowth in Grace, John . 17. 17· Sanfli.. fie them thrf)ugh thy truth, thy word i& truth. Grace, together with all the meafures and degrees of it, they are derived to us as from Chrift's fulnefs, fo by his lnterceffion. they are received by our Prayers, and conveyed to us by his Prayer. .Ben. )• Hmcewe obtain iikewife Perfeverance and Continuance in Grace, John 17. 11. lfqfy Father, krrp thrqugh thine own Name thofo 1vhom thou haft given me. l hll1Je prayed, faith Chrift to Peter, that thy faith fail nor, and upon this lncenfc of Chrift'£ Prayer is Built the Pcrfeverlnce of the Saints in Grace. .Bm. 6 . Hence likewifo we are preforved both ttgainft TemptatUm, and from Sin. Whm Under T emptation, John 17. 15· I pray that thou Jq1ou/deft keep them from the evil; that is, from the evi l of Temptation, fo that Satan never came near ns, nor the e'lil which he teri1pis us to, fo that though he alfault us he m~y never prevail; that we may be either fr ee fro.m Tcffiptation, or at ~eaft vitl:orlous over it. So Luke 17. 21. The Devil he is bound up by this Almighty Prayer; and though there be no Saint on Earth that enjoys perfetl: freedom either from Sin, or Temptat ions to Sin, yet thefe Temptations would be much more frequent, and always prevalent over us, were not Chrifr's Prayer intcrpofed by mighty force and frrength, and beat back Satan's fiery Darts that they cannot reach us, or ,rebat~ •their force and fharpnefs that they cannot hurt us. ~ . Ben. 7· From ckri{fs lnterceffion we likewifo do obtaiti acceptation of all our Dutit.t· He fee!<. the iniquity o£ our holy things, and cleanfeth ' us fr:om all Imperfection, Cor~ ruption and Sinfulnefs that adheres to them, even .by that Inccnfe that he offers up, with the Prayers of all the Saints, he makes them acceptable and a fwcet fitvour to God the Father. Not that the Jncenfe .of the lnterceffion of Chrill: call:s a Milt before God, that he fhould not difcerri the faillts and infirmities of our beft .Servkes, yea, ·he clearly fees them, and fully knows them, yet thofe performances which in themfclves were abominable and finful, through the perfume of his Incenfe they become a fweet fayour to God, and he accepts of them with as much complacency and delight as he doth of the perfect Services of the Ang'ls themfc!ves. Ben. 8. From the lflterceJJion of Chrift we receive the Bmrfir of the Spirit's ma~ing lnttretf Jio.n for us in otmHt~Jrts1 with PrAJer for us that we througb the Spirit may be inabl(d ro pr~y AgttlfJ
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