Secondly, As Christ, as Advocate, plead• against Satan, the Interest that his Father hath in his chosen. So also he pleads against him, by no less Authority, his own Interest in them. Holy Father, saith he, keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me, Joh. 17. ⟨p. 45⟩11. Keep them while in the World, from the Evil, the Soul-damning Evil of it. These Words are directed to the Father, but they are levelled against the Accusations of the Enemy, and were spoken here, to show what Christ will do for his, against our Foe, when he is above. How, I say, he will urge, before his Father his own Interest in us, against Satan, and against all his Accusations when he brings them to the Bar of God's Tribunal with Design to work our utter Ruin. And is there not a great deal in it? As if Christ should say, Father, my People have an Adversary who will accuse them for their Fault before thee; but I will be their Advocate, and, as I have bought them of thee, I will plead my Right against him, Joh. 10.28. Our English Proverb is, Interest will not lye. Interest will make a man do that which otherwise he would not. How many thousands are there for whom Christ doth not so much as once open his Mouth, but leaves them to the Accusations of Satan, and to Ahab's Judgment, nay a worse, because there is none to plead their Cause? And why doth not he concern himself with them, but because he is not interested in them? I pray not for the World, but for those thou hast given me, for they are thine, And all mine are thine, and I am glorified in them, Joh. 17.9, 10.
Secondly, As Christ, as Advocate, plead• against Satan, the Interest that his Father hath in his chosen. So also he pleads against him, by no less Authority, his own Interest in them. Holy Father, saith he, keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me, Joh. 17. ⟨p. 45⟩11. Keep them while in the World, from the Evil, the Soul-damning Evil of it. These Words are directed to the Father, but they are levelled against the Accusations of the Enemy, and were spoken here, to shew what Christ will do for his, against our Foe, when he is above. How, I say, he will urge, before his Father his own Interest in us, against Satan, and against all his Accusations when he brings them to the Bar of God's Tribunal with Design to work our utter Ruin. And is there not a great deal in it? As if Christ should say, Father, my People have an Adversary who will accuse them for their Fault before thee; but I will be their Advocate, and, as I have bought them of thee, I will plead my Right against him, Joh. 10.28. Our English Proverb is, Interest will not lye. Interest will make a man do that which otherwise he would not. How many thousands are there for whom Christ doth not so much as once open his Mouth, but leaves them to the Accusations of Satan, and to Ahab's Judgment, nay a worse, because there is none to plead their Cause? And why doth not he concern himself with them, but because he is not interested in them? I pray not for the World, but for those thou hast given me, for they are thine, And all mine are thine, and I am glorified in them, Joh. 17.9, 10.
