The influence ofChrifts Interceflion into the Perfev.ofSts. CAP. IX.4:4. themwhodo enter that way, therein; and perhaps iñdifferent men will 217 fcarce thinke the Glory and Honour of the LordJefus to be ofany great re- gard with us. 3. That this is the import ofChrifls 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,whichChriftlives for ever in Heaven todo. This was the Incenfe,wherewith heentred into the Holy place, which he nowprepared and whichwas afterwards beaten final!, in his Agony, that it might be ready to make a fweet perfumeat his entrance into Heaven, as he was fprinkled with his owne ¡Iood. That Chrift Interceded,and for his Elea, for whom he dyed, thatthey may believe, ourAdverfaries 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 ofthat Power ofhis (John17.) will manifeû. v. II, (faith he) Holy Father keepe through thineowne 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 ishe fo ingaged?that it is forBelievers,as fuch,forwhom he puts up thefe fupplications,our Adverfaryes in the caufe in hand, do con tend. That thefemay bekept through the Power'ofGod, untoUnity among themfelves, which they haveby 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, andhis Fathers Love. Where now (ball we fix the fuppo- fed failure:thofe,who effe&ually andeventually, are kept up to Spirituali Union, cannot fall out of, nor fall offrom (totally nor finally) the Loveof 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 toovercome,nor to refill. Should they be left to themfelves,they would never be able tohold out to the end; SaithChrift, I (would look thefe pooreSheep, for whom I have)laiddowne my life tobring themunto thee:Ho- lyFather, do thou therefore keepe and prefervethem from all thefe evills, that they may not prevaile over thé. Andkeep thë throughthy Nam ',thy Power, (for weare keptthrough the PowerofGod unto Salvation,) let thy Power be ex erted for their prefervation. And what is too ftrong for thy. Power ? Who man take themout ofthy 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, thyGrace , let thatbefuffci- 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 aFather) that they may be incouraged to trufl in that Name of thine, andto flay themfelves upon thee, where the failureis, doubtleffe isnot eafy to manifeft. In theverle following our Saviour addes many motives tomake his Interceflion prevalent in their behalfe. Firfl,v.r 2. he faith,that according to that Commiflìon,that he had received4 he hadfaithfullypreferved them, whiltf that he was in theworld;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 haveCome Afftt- ranceofit in the midit ofail their troubles and tryalls, that they may have Confolation upon their confidence in the words,which Chrift had fpoken to F f them,
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