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The
influence
of
Chrifts
Interceflion
into
the Perfev.of
Sts.
CAP.
IX.4:4.
them
who
do
enter
that
way,
therein;
and perhaps iñdifferent men
will
217
fcarce
thinke the Glory and Honour
of
the
Lord
Jefus
to
be
of
any
great
re-
gard
with
us.
3.
That
this
is
the import
of
Chrifls
Interceflion for
Believers,is
evident
4
4.
by
that
preface, which we have
thereof,
John
17.
being
'a
manifeft
declarati-
on
on earth
of
that,which
Chrift
lives
for ever
in
Heaven
to
do. This
was
the
Incen
fe,wherewith
he
entred into
the Holy
place, which
he now
prepared and
which
was afterwards
beaten
final!,
in his
Agony,
that it might
be
ready
to
make
a
fweet
perfume
at
his
entrance
into
Heaven, as he
was
fprinkled
with
his
owne
¡
Iood.
That
Chrift
Interceded,and
for
his
Elea,
for whom he
dyed,
that
they
may believe,
our
Adverfaries
deny;but
that
he Intercedes for a&uall
Believers,
bath not
hitherto
been queftioned.
'What
it
is;which
-he
requefts on
their behalfe,
the tenor
of
that
Power of
his
(John
17.)
will
manifeû.
v.
II,
(faith he)
Holy
Father
keepe
through
thine
owne
name,thof
whom thou
haft
given
m'
e,
that
they may
be one
as
we are5keepe
them
from
finne
and
ruin;
every
thing
that
will
hinder them from
union
with
me.What
is
it
that
our
Saviour
hère
prayesfor,& for whó
is
he
fo
ingaged
?that
it
is
for
Believers,as
fuch,for
whom
he puts up thefe fupplications,our
Adverfaryes
in
the
caufe
in
hand, do
con
tend.
That
thefemay
be
kept through the Power'ofGod, unto
Unity among
themfelves, which they
have
by
their
Union
with him,
is
his
dying requefl
for
them. He
prayes
not for
any
fuch oneneffe,
as
is
confluent with;their fe-
paration from him, and
his
Fathers
Love.
Where now
(ball
we
fix
the fuppo-
fed failure:
thofe,who
effe
&ually
and
eventually,
are kept up
to
Spirituali
Union, cannot
fall
out
of, nor
fall
of
from
(totally
nor finally)
the
Love
of
God.
Either Chrift
is
not heard
in his
requeft,
or
the
Father cannot keepe
them
by
his
Power,
if
thefe thus interceeded for, are not preferved. Many
Temptations,
many oppofitions,
great Tribulations without, ftróng Corrup
tions within, they
tnuft needs meet withal]: thefe they have no power
in
themfelves
to
overcome,nor
to
refill. Should they be left
to
themfelves,they
would never be able
to
hold
out to the end;
Saith
Chrift, I
(
would
look
thefe
poore
Sheep, for
whom
I
have)laid
downe
my
life
to
bring them
unto
thee:Ho-
ly
Father,
do thou therefore
keepe
and prefervethem from
all
thefe
evills,
that
they
may
not
prevaile over
thé.
And
keep
thë through
thy Nam
',thy
Power,
(for
we
are keptthrough the
Power
of
God unto
Salvation,)
let thy Power be
ex
erted
for
their
prefervation. And what
is
too ftrong for
thy.
Power
?
Who
man
take
them
out
of
thy hand
?
Lay
that
upon
them for their defence, thew
it
out
in
their
behalfe, that
all their
enemies may feele
the
weight , and
ftrength
thereof.
Keepe
them
through
thy
Name,
thy
Grace
,
let
that
befu
f
fci-
ent
for
them,
let them have
filch
fupplyes
of
Gofpell
Grace, and pardoning
Mercy, (concerning which,
I
manifefted thy
Name
unto them v.6.
and
fo
re-
vealed thee
a
Father) that
they may be incouraged
to trufl
in
that
Name
of
thine, and
to
flay
themfelves upon
thee,
where
the
failure
is,
doubtleffe
is
not
eafy
to
manifeft. In
the
verle following
our
Saviour addes many motives
to
make
his
Interceflion prevalent
in
their
behalfe.
Firfl,v.r
2.
he
faith,that
according
to that
Commiflìon,that he had
received4
he
had
faithfully
preferved them,
whiltf that
he was
in
the
world;and
now being
ready
to
leave
them,
as
to
his
bodily prefence, he urges
the
fpeciall
prefervation
ofhis Father
as
needfull,
that,
after
all
the
Care
and
Coff,
which he
had
laid
out
about
them, they might
not utterly
perifh.
And
then
Secondly, v.
13.
he urges the neceffity,that they (hould have
Come
Afftt-
rance
of
it
in
the midit
of
ail
their troubles and tryalls,
that
they
may
have
Confolation upon their
confidence in
the
words,which Chrift
had
fpoken
to
F
f
them,