418 The true Remedy againfi SERMON C;LXIV. The true Remedy againPc the troubles of life. JOHN XIV. i. Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God ; believe al fo inme. The fourth j Come now to thefifth and le gróund ofComfort, which the Chriftian Religion $er;: on affords togood Men, fortheir fupport under Trouble, namely, it affures fhir Tezf. g PP y us ofa molt compafíionate and prevalent and perpetual Patron and Advocate and Interceffor with God in Heaven for us, namely, our bleffed Saviour, whofor the fúfeeing ofdeathwas crowned withglory and honour, advancedat the right bandof God, where he fits in great majeffy and glory, having all power in heaven and earth committed to him , and where be lives continually to make intercefon for ars. And this is another Confideration mentioned by our Saviour for the comfort of his Difciples, who were fo forrowful at the thoughts of his departure from them, That though he fhould leave theWorld, yet he fhould be highly advan- ced in Heaven, where he would certainly employ all his favour and power and intereft for their Benefit and Advantage, and be an everlafting Patron andAdvo- cate for thofe whofe Salvation he had purchafedwith fo much fweat and blood, prefenting our Requefts andPrayers toGod, in virtue ofhis molt meritorious Sacri- fice and Sufferings continually prefented to his Father, perpetually foliciting our caufe,and procuring for us all thofe Bleffangs by his interceflion in Heaven, which he had purchafed for us by his blood upon earth. For which reafon, faith the A- pofile, Heb.7. 25. he is able to fave to the utmoft all thofe that come to God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make interceffron for us; that is, He is able to perfect the work of our Salvation, which he began here upon Earth; and to procure for all thofe who addrefs their Prayers to God in his name, whatever is needful andcon- venient for us, becaufe he is alway at the right hand of God, to fecond our Pray- ers by his powerful interceflion for us. And this is a groundof Comfort; though not greater and more fubflantial in it felf than the other ; yet more accommodated to our apprehenfions, who are natu- rally apt to dread the Majefty of God, and to Peek out for fome in favour with him, to be Mediators and Interceffors with God for us, and to prefent our Prayers and Requefls to him. And this was the original of the Addreffes of the Heathens to the Angels and Souls departed, as a kind of intermediateand inferiour Deities, to prefent their Prayers, and intercede with the great God in their behalf. And as incompliance with the general apprehenfion of Mankind concerning the appealing of the Deity by all forts of Sacrifices, God was pleafed to provide one facrii ice, which by beingonce offered fhould obtain eternal redemption for us, andperfect for ever them that are fanaifiied, and by this means to put an end both to the car- nal Sacrifices of the Law, and the barbarous and inhuman Sacrifices of thePagan Worfhip: So in like condefcenfion to thegeneral inclinations ofMankindto addrefs themfelves to Godby feveral Mediators and Interceffors, God hash appointed one only Mediator between God and Man, the Man Chrill 7efus, who gave bimfelf a ranfoin a
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