prayers with his merits, and fo makes them penetrate fweetly before his God. In like manner doth our ་ newly out of the fire of affliction? Was he not in the captivity of Babylon? And is it likely he 6. Chrift's interceffion confifts in the prefenting fhould be there, but he would be defiled with the of our plea or answer in heaven, to all thofe ac- touch of pitch? Take a brand, and pull it out of cufations that are brought in against ourselves. And the fire, and there will be fome duft, and afhes, this I take to be the meaning of the challenge, and filth about it; why Lord, (fays Chrift) this Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God select? Joshua is newly pulled out of the burning, and It is God that juftifies, Who is he that condemneth therefore he must needs have ashes, and duft, and it? It is Chrift that died, yea rather that is rifen a- filth about him: But come, (faith Chrift to his gain, who is even at the right-hand of God, who alfo holy angels) take away the filthy garment from maketh interceffion for us, Ro. viii 33, 34. Chrift him; and come (fays Chrift to his fervant Joshua) intercedes, and who fhall condemn? Chrift takes Behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from off all accufations, and who fhall charge? If the thee, and I will clothe thee with change of railaw, or fin, or Satan, fhall dare to accufe, our Je- ment, ver. 4. And thus Chrift took off the accufus is ready at God's right-hand to anfwer all. fation that was brought against Joshua by Satan There is a vifion in Zechariah representing this, and for his filthy garments. the angel fhewed me ofhua the high priest ftanding bleffed interceffor at this inftant; if a poor faint before the angel of the Lord, and Satan ftanding at falls into any fin, ând defiles his garments, Satan his right-hand to refift him, Zech. iii. 1. It was comes in, and takes the right-hand of him, and the cuftom of the accufer to ftand at the right- accufes him before the Lord, but Chrift our great hand of the accused, Set thou a wicked man over high priest being at the right-hand of his Father, bin, and let Satan ftand at his right-hand, Pfal. he takes up the caufe, puts in a plea, and answers cix. 6. Now here's Satan ftanding at Joshua's all the accufations of the enemy, True Lord, right-hand to accuse him; but whereof doth he this poor foul hath filthy garments, but is he not accufe him? That appears in the words following, a fire-brand newly pluckt out of the fire? Was Fofhua was clothed with filthy garments, Zech. ' he not in his natural and finful condition the oiii. 3. an ordinary fign of fin; as a white garment 'ther day? Is he not yet partly regenerate, and is a fign of Chrift's righteoufnefs, fo is a filthy gar-partly unregenerate? Needs therefore must be ment, in fcripture, a fin of vilenefs; alas! Jofhua fome afhes, and duft, and fi'th upon him. was defiled with the pollution which he had got my Father my will is, that thou confider him ten by the contagion of Babylon, and now at his in that refpect, thou knoweft his frame, and return, Satan lays it to his charge, but Jefus Chrift, thou remembrest that he is but duft, though our great high priest steps in, and takes off the ac- he have filthy garments now upon him, yet f cufation, And the Lord faid unto Satan, the Lord will give him change of taiments; I will clothe rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath cho-him with the robe of my righteoufnefs, and then fen Jerufalem rebuke thee, ver. 2. twice he repeats it, to show the fulness of Chrift's interceffion, q. d. The Lord my God, my everlasting Father, rebuke, and confound thee Satan, in this thy malicious oppofition against my Joshua; and then he goes on in his apology for Jofhua, Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire? ver. 2. q. d. Is not this one, whom, of my grace, I have referv. ed amongst my people, whom I caufed to pafs through the fire of mine indignation? And thall not my decree of grace ftand firm and inviolable towards fuch? Or thus, is not this a brand pluckt A thou fhalt fee no iniquity in Jacob, no tranfgreffion in Ifrael.' Why, thus the Lord steps in and anfwers to all the accufations that are brought in against us by law, or fin, or Satan, to God his Father; and in this refpect he is truly called our advocate, If any man fin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, 1 John ii. 1. We have an advocate that pleads for us, that anfwers for us; that in a way of equity (grounding all upon his own merits) calls for the pardon of our fins, and for the falvation of our fouls. SECT. SECT. IX. order of Melchifedec, Pfal. cx. 4. Now to what purpose fhould God call him to this office, but efpecially to intercede for them to whom God was How powerful and prevailing Chrift's interceffions willing to communicate falvation? It was God's are with God his Father. powerful and prevailing are Chrift's 9. Hinterceffions with God his Father? I anfwer, Very much, and this will appear, if we confider, As. 1. That Chrift is our great high priest to God, We have fuch an high priest, who fet down at the right-hand of the majefty on high, Heb. viii. 1. Now it was the way of God to lend his ear in fpecial manner to the high priests; and therefore the people ufually run to them, when they would enquire of God, Beforetime, in Ifrael, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he fpake, Come and let us go to the feer, for he that is now called a prophet, or high priest, was beforetime called a feer, I Sam. ix. 9.- People were wont to repair to the priests, and the priests were wont to go to God; and good reafon, for the priests were to mediate for the people, and the people had experience that God would hearken to the cry of the priests, Samuel called unto the Lord, and the Lord fent thunder and rain that day. And all the people faid to Samuel, Pray for thy fervants unto the Lord thy God.And Samuel faid unto the people,God forbid that I should fin against the Lord, in ceafing to pray for you, 1 Sam. xi. 18, 19. 23. Now, fuch an high priest as this, (though with far more eminency) is Chrift to God; he intercedes for his people, God forbid that he should ever ceafe to pray for his people; and he hath God's ear in fpecial manner; if ever God lend his ear to any one, it must needs be to this high priest, because of his office to intercede betwixt God and his people. Christ stands in the middle, or indeed next to God, as he is in these gospel-times our great high priest; and therefore he must needs prevail with God in every petition he puts up for us. 2. That Christ was called to this office by God, Chrift glorified not himself to be made an high priest, Heb. v. 4, 5. No, no, but he was called of God as Aaron was; it was God, the Father, that defigned him to it, and that furnished him for it, and that invested him in it, The Lord hath fworn, and will not repent, thou art a priest for ever after the mind, as well as Chrift's mind, to fave his elect; and this was the way whereon they agreed, that an high priest should be appointed, and an office of interceffion fhould be erected, and by that means the falvation purchased should be applied; many times we are apt to conceive legal or law-thoughts of God, the Father, as that he is juft and fevere, and that Chrift his Son is more meek and merciful; but this cannot be, for there are not two infinite wills, nor two infinite mercies, one in the Father, another in the Son, but one will, and one mercy in both. And to that purpose observe but the rea dinefs of God, the Father, to receive Chrift honourably into heaven, that he might do the work of the high priest there; no fooner had Christ en tred through the gates into the city, but presently, Sit thou down (faith God) at my right-hand ; but to what end? Surely not only to rule as king, (of which we have fpoken before) but also to intercede as our great high prieft; hence we find in fcripture, that Chrift's feffion and interceffion, his Kingly and Prieftly office,are joined together, He is fet on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, Heb. viii. 1. He, Who? Why, Chrift our high priest, we have fuch an high priest who is fet down. It is, as if Chrift at his entrance into heaven, had faid, My Father, I am come hither as the great high prieft, having on his breaft-plate the names of all the elect, and I come to intercede for poor finners; what, fhall I have welcome on these fame terms? to whom the Father replied, • Welcome my Son, my only Son, on these wery terms; Come, fit thee down, and intercede for whom thou pleasest, I have called thee on purpofe to this very office, and thou shalt prevail.? Surely the Father is engaged to purpose to hear his Son, in that he is an high priest to God, and called to his office by God. ོ་་་་ tender hearted; Jefus Chrift is the gracious, pre-ther, by whom all things were made.' Can we 'cious Son of God the Father, and God the Father, imagine now that God himself should be denied ais a dear and kind hearted Father; How then ny boon of God himself? If God fometimes spake fhould the interceflions of Chrift but be moft pow- to his fervants, Afk of me, command ye me conerful with God? Hence fome gather the prevalen- cerning all the work of mine hands, Ifa. xlv. 11. cy of Christ's interceffion, because in many places Will not God much fay to God, Afk of me, and of feripture where this part of Chrift's prieft-hood Ihall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, or interceffion is laid down, this Sonfhip is alfo ex- and the uttermoft parts of the earth for thy poffefsipreffed or fet forth, As we have a great high priest on? Pfal ii. 8. We have brought it now fo near, entred into the heavens, Jefus the Son of God, that if God be God, and God be omnipotent, that Heb. iv. 14. And thou art an high priest, for e- he can do, and can have whatsoever he pleases; ver, after the order of Melchifedec, Heb. v. 5, then Christ being one God with his Father, he muft 6. But immediately before, Thou art my Son, needs prevail; it is but afk and have, let him afk this day have I begotten thee. O needs must the what he will. interceffion of fuch a Son be very prevalent: I fay, Of fuch a Son; For was ever any Son like this Son of God? Was ever any Son fo like his Father, or fo equal with his Father? We know he is a begotten Son, and yet never began to be a Son; he is the Son of the Father, and yet never began to have a Father; he is a branch of the King of ages, and yet in all the ages paft was never younger; furely all the relations of fon and father in the world, are but a fhadow of this relation betwixt God and Chrift; it is fo near, that though they are two, (as in all relations there must needs be relatum and correlatum) yet Chrift fpeaks of them, as if they were but one, I and my Father are one, John x. 30. If then the Father fhould deny him any thing, he should deny himself, or ceafe to be one with his Son, which can never be. Chrift is God's Son, his natural Son, his beloved Son, This is my beloved Son, in ruhom I am well pleafed, faith God, Matth. iii. 17. Oh then! how prevalent muft Chrift's interceflions be with God? ་ 4. That Chrift is God himself, not only God's Son, but God himself; how powerful in this refpect must his interceflions be unto the Father? It is true, that Chrift is another subsistence and perfon from the Father, but Chrift is one and the fame God with the Father; Chrift is the very effential, fubftantial, and noble reprefentation of God him felf; Christ is the very felf of God, both God fending and God fent; Chrift is the fellow of God; A wake, Ofword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, Zech. xiii. 7. Nay, Chrift is God, and not another God, but one God, God of 'God, light of light, very God of very God, begot ten, not made, being of one fubftance with the Fa ་ 5. That Chrift is God's darling upon this very account, because he intercedes for his people, Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again, John x. 17. I lay it down by fuffering, and take it again by rifing, afcending up into heaven, and interceding there; and therefore doth my Father love me. O the love of God to Chrift, and of God in Chrift to all his faints! God fo loved the world that he gave his Son, and Chrift fo loved the world, that he gave himself; and now again because Chrift gave himself, and his gift is as a fweet smelling favour unto God, therefore God loves Chrift; O what a round of love is here! God loves Chrift, and Christ loves us, and the Father loves Chrift again for loving of us.' There is not an act of Chrift in his work of our redemption, but the Father looks on it with love and liking at his baptifm. Lo a voice came from heaven, faying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed, Matth. iii. 17. at his death, He feeth of the travail of his foul, and is fatisped, Ifa. liii. 11. at his afcenfion, he heareth of the interceffions of his foul, and he is delighted; Chrift's interceffions are God's mufic, and therefore, as fometimes Chrift fpoke to his spouse, fo God fpeaks to Chrift, Let me fee thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for fweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely, Cant. ii. 14. Now Chrift's interceflions must needs prevail, when God loves Chrift for his interceffions fake: if before the world was made, the Son was his Father's darling, (for fo it is faid) When he appointed the foundations of the earth, then I was by him as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, Prov. viii. 29, 30. In the original, delights, intimating that the eternal eternal Son was variety of delights to his Father. O then! what delights, what variety, what infinity of delights hath God in Chrift now interceding for us? What a dear darling is Chrift to God, when not only he ftands by him, but he reprefents to him all the elect from the beginning to the end of the world, q. d. See Father, look on my breast, read here all the names of thofe thou haft given me, as Adam, and Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob; of the twelve tribes, and of the twelve apoftles, of all the martyrs, profeffors and confeffors of the law and gospel; I pray for them, I pray not for the world, but only for them, for they are mine. Methinks I hear God answer, What my Son! and what the Son of my womb! and what the Son of my vows! Haft thou be gotten me thus many fons? And are all thefe mine? Why then, ask what thou wilt, and have ⚫ what thou pleaseft; 1 am as ftrongly inclined and difpofed to give thee thy afking, as thou wouldít have it; it is my joy, my delight, my pleafure to fave thefe fouls, and furely the pleasure of the Lord fhall profper in thy hands.' 6. That Chrift is God's commander, (I speak it with reverence) as well as petitioner; it is a phrafe given to the fervants of God, Command ye ne, Ifa. xlv. 11. And may we not give it to the Son of God? Chriftians! God is as ready to do us fervice as if we had him at command, This is the confidence that we have in him, that if we afk any thing according to his will he heareth us, I John. v. 14. And, in this fenfe, we may boldly fay, That God, the Father, is as ready to hear Jefus Chrift, as if he had him at command; not that in deed and reality he commands God, but that in deed and truth he commands all below God, and he commands all in the fead of God. And to this purpose is that voice of God, I have fet my King upon my holy bill of Zion, Pfal. ii. 6. And why my King? I dare not fay he is God's King, as if God were Chrift's inferior, or Chrift's fubject: God forbid! why then my King? I answer, He is God's King, becaufe appointed by God; or he is God's King, because he rules in the ftead of God, The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, John v. 22. God hath given away all his prerogatives unto Je-fus Chrift, fo that now the King of faints can do what he will with God, and with all the world, · As if the Fa only it follows, Afk of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. ther fhould have faid, I cannot deny thee, and yet, O my Son! I would have thee afk, do what thou wilt in heaven, earth and hell; I have not the heart, indeed I have not the power to deny thee any thing, only acknowlege this power to be originally in myself, that all that ho'nour the Son, may honour the Father, and all that honour the Father, may honour the Son.' These are the terms betwixt God the Father, and God the Son; oh then! how powerful and prevailing are Chrift's interceffions with his Father? If he afk who hath power to command, there is little queftion of prevailing in his fuit. We have heard in our days of a fuit managed with a petition in one hand, and a fword in the other, and what the effect is all now can tell. As a King, who fues for peace, backed with a potent army, ablę to win what he intreats for, mult needs treat more effectually; fo Chrift, fuing to his Father for his faints, with a power fufficient to obtain what he fues for, he muft needs effect what defires may be. It is well obferved, That Christ first is faid to fit at God's right-hand, and then to intercede ; he treats the falvation of finners, as a mighty prince treats the giving up of fome town, which lies feated under a castle of his that commands the town.' Or he treats the falvation of finners, as a commander treats the furrendering of a perfon already in his hands; it is beyond God's power (I speak it with fubmiflion) to deny his Son in any thing he asks; if the Lord fometimes cried out to. Mofes, like a man whofe hands are held, Let me alone, Exod. xxxii. 10. How much more did Chrift's interceffion bind God's hands, and command all in heaven, earth and hell? Hence we fay, That God the Father hath divested himself of all his power, and given the keys into Christ's own hands, I am he that liveth and was dead, I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and death, Rev. i. 18. There is no man goes to hell, but he is lockt in by Jefus Chrift, and there is no man goes to heaven, but he is lockt in there by Jefus Chrift, he hath the keys of all men's eternities hanging at his own girdle; if he but fay, Father, I will that this man and that ་ woman fhould inherit heaven;' the Father cannot but reply, My Son, I have no power to deny thy thy fuit, thou haft the keys of heaven in thine own hands, be it even as thou wilt. 7. I fhall only add this on the Father's part, That God is Chrift's commander to this office, as well as Chrift is God's commander in this office. O! why fhould we have hard thoughts of God the Father more than of God the Son? Is he not as willing of our falvation as Jefus Chrift? Surely it was the oath of God, I mean of God the Father, As I live, faith the Lord, I would not have the death of a finner, but that the wicked turn from his fin and live, Ez. xxxiii. 11. Was not this the first falute of God to Christ, when he first entred into heaven, Sit down here in this throne, and afk what thou wilt of thy Father? Nay, did not the Father prevent the Son, in laying his commands upon him to ask, before the Son opened his mouth to speak a word, by way of any requests to God his Father? Thou art my Son, this day (even this day of thy refurrection, afcenfion, feffion) have I begotten thee, afk of me, and I fhall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth for thy poffeffions, Pfal. ii. 7, 8. q. d. Come Son, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, and though I have be* gotten thee from all eternity, yet this day and every day I am begetting thee ftill: I faid to thee at thy refurrection, This day have I begotten thee;' and I faid to thee at thy afcenfion, This ⚫ day have I begotten thee; and now afk, and be ⚫ not shy, or modeftly backward in petitioning; I ⚫ command 'thee to this office, I make thee here the great master of requests in heaven; others may pray out of charity, but none but thyfelf in a way of juftice, authority, and office; and there•fore afk boldly and largely, open thy mouth wide, * and I will fill it. Of what a demonstration of love is this, not only to Christ, but to us in Christ, zhat when man had offended his God, broke covenant with God, and turned enemy to God, that then God the Father fhould feek peace with man, offer conditions of peace to man and for that purpofe fhould appoint a Mediator, an interceffor, and call his own Son to that office; and now he is in heaven, that he should bid him do his office, and ask freely, so that if the elect be not faved, it fhould be laid on the score of Chrift, for the Father is moft willing: Surely here is more than Goodwin, Chrift exalted, intimation of the Father's inclination to accept ⚫ of Chrift's interceffions in our behalf.' We may read here, that the Father's heart is as much towards us, as Chrift's own heart; Oh! he is full of bowels, he is gentle, and easy to be intreated; Chrift needs not much ado to get his grant, Christ ' adds not by his interceffion one drop of love to the heart of God; only he draws it out, which otherwife would have been stopt, nor doth he. broach it before his Father command him to it.' Oh then! how powerful and prevailing muft Chrift's interceffions be? WHA his people? I anfwer. 1. It is the Father's will that it should be fo; he called Jefus Chrift to this office, the command of God is upon Jefus Chrift, Afk what thou wilt for thy redeemed ones, I willingly engage myfelf to grant, only it is my pleasure thou thouldft afk:' as fometimes he faid to the house of Ifrael, I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it; notwithstanding I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Ifrael, to do it for them, Ezek. xxxvi. 36, 37. So faith God to Chrift, I the Lord have fpoken, and I will do it, only, my Son, I will be enquired of by thee.' I look upon this as the main reafon of Chrift's interceffion, Even fo Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight; its God's will that Chrift fhould intercede. 2. It is the Father's love to engage his Son for his own people. O the comfort of a found Chriftian in this refpect! what, art thou in temptation, or desertion? Surely Christ is engaged by God to petition for thee; thou haft put up many petitions to Christ, and he hath put them all up unto God; he could do no otherwife, for he is in place an advocate, to mention and plead fuch cafes as are moved to him. Methinks I imagine God thus befpeaking his Son; See thou do this poor foul good, my Son; here is for him according to all he needs, only afk according to what thou knoweft will make him happy; muft he have my Spi rit, |