Chri!l:s rvfnExpajition lntercefsion. world. For whatfoeuer Chrift willeth, the A throHgh the ayre,they appeare intheir proper f~meaifo the Father bcmg well pleafed WI~h formes and colours as they are,hutifthey bee lum,wiii~th;and thereforewhatfoeuer Chnft looked vpon through a greene glaifc, they all as aMediator wii.leth for vs at the hands of appeare greene: fo hkewife ifGod behold vs h1s Father, meft~Cl: or fubftance lS arequeft as we are in our felues,weappeareas vile and or prayer: . . . damnable finners: butif helookevpon vs as Thetlurd pomt IS, that Chnft alone, and we are prefented before his throne inheauen nG>nc withhim makes intercefsion for vs.And in the perf011 of our Mediatour Chrift IefiJS' this I prooue by induaion ofparticulars.Firft will!ng that we lhould be approeued for hi~ ofall,thi~ officea~pert~mes ~otto the angels: me:Its: then we ~ppearewiti.Iout all fpot and they are Indeed m1mftrmg fpmtsforthe good Wrinklebefore him. And thiS is the vfe Pan/ ofGodschofeo; they reioy~ewhen a finneris makeshereof:l~uGod(faithhc)thatiH}Iifirrh: Rom s. conuerted; and ~hen hedieth,theyare ready ~nd the reafun I>rendred :font u Chrijl that ~;. to carry htsfoule mto.Abrahttms bofome; and to dead, yeaor rather~htch urifenagttine, wh9U God otherwhilcs vfeth them as melfcngers to alfo atthe r.ght hand If God, and m.k!s req••JI Luk. 1• rcueale his will:thusthe Angel GAbrielbrings for vs. 'l• a melfa!;eto Zachary the ~rieO:, that Go'! had B Secondly,Chrifts interccfiion fi:rues toproheard his prayer : buttt IS not once fatd mall 4Crue all repentant finners in the eftate of the Scriptu~es, that they make intercefsion to grace: thatbeingonce iufrified and fanaified, God for vs. As for the Saints departed, they they may fo continue to the end. For when acannot make intercefsion for vs, becaufe they ny feruantofGod isouertaken by the corrup. know not our particulareftates here on earth, donofhisowne narure, and fals intoanyplr• neither can they heare our r<quefts. And ticular finne,then Chrifls intercefsion is made thcrforeifwelhouldpraytothemtoprayfor as a blelfed hand to apply the faluc of his vs, we lhould fubftitute them into the roome death to that particular fore. For he continuof God, becanfe wee afcribe that to them, ally appeares before ~od, and ft1ewcs himwhich is propcrto him,namely, the fearching felfe to be willinc that God the Father lhouid ofrhe heart, aod.the knowledge of all things accepthisone onoly facri/ice forthedaily and done vpon earth ; th<>ugh withaU wee lhouid particular finnes of this or that particular fay, thattheydoe this not by themfelues,bnt man: and thisisdone,that a man being iufliJiof God. As for the faithful! hereon earth,ined before God, may nor fall away quite from deed they haue warrant, ye'l_commandement grace , butfor euety particular finne may bee to pray one for another:' yet can they not c humblcd,andreceiue pardon. Ifthiswere not make interceiSion for vs. For lirft, llee that tO,our eftate lhonld be moft miferable, confimakes intercefsion muft bring fomething of dering that for euery fume committed by vs his owne,that may be ofvalueand price with afterourrepcmance,wedeferue to becaft our Godto procure the grant of his requdl: feof the fauour of God. condiy, he muft do<ir in his owne name: but Thirdly, Chrifls intercefsion ferueth to the faithfull on earth make requefr to God make our good workes acceptable to God. one for another,nor in their ownenames, nor For euen in the befi: workes that a man can for thtirowne mcrits,but in the name,and for doe,there are two wants. Firll:,theyaregood themerits ofCi1tift. lt is a prerogatiue belononely in vart: fecondly, they are mingled ging to Chrift alone tQ make a requefrin his with finne. For as a man i• partly fpirir or owne name,and for hisowne merits:wethergrace, and partly flefh ; fo arehis workesparrfore c.onclude, that the worke ofinterce!sion ly gracious, and partly flelhly. And becaufe is the foie workeofChrift,Godand man, nor grace is onely begun inrhislife, therefore all belonging ro.any creature befide in heauen or the workes of grace in thislife are finfull and in <arth.And whoreas the Papifts cannot conimperfeCt.Nowby Chriftsintercefsion his fa. tent themfdues with his intercefsion alon~,as D tisfaetion.is applyed to our perfons, and by being mo{t fufficiem : it arguesplainely, that confequentrhe defeaofonr works is couered they doubt eitherofhis power,or efhis will: and remooucd , and they are approoced of whereupon theirprayersturne to finn~. God the Fa.tber. In avifion S.John tawan An- 1\tu,i. Iam.,.6. Thdruits aml benefits of Chnftstntercef.. gell, !landing before the altorw!th a golden fion are thefe.Firft,by means ofit we are alfucenfer full of fweete odours ro offervp with red,thar thofe whicH are repetant finners lhal the prayers ofrhe Samts vpon the fame. And ftand and appeare righteous befor.e God f~r thisfignifies, that Chrift prefents ourw?rkes eu<r: at what time f<>cuer Chrift,bemgnowm before the throneofGod, and by hiS hlterheaucn, and there prefenting himfclfe and his cefsion fantlifies them , that they may be ac· merits before his Father, fhewes himfclfedeceptable to God. And therefore we mufr refirous and willing, and they whofoeuer they member that when wee doe any thmgthat IS are being finncrs, lhould be accepted of God accepted ofGod,it is not for our fakes, but by for rhe f•me,euen then immediatly at that ve· reafvn ofthe value and vigour of Chnft hiS ry inllant this hii will is done, and they are merit. . • . accepted "' rigbteous before God indoede. Fourthly, th: mrercefsiOnofChnft made When a man Jookts vpon things direaly inhcauen, breedeth andcauferhmthehcarts --- of
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