The advocateship of Jesus Christ clearly explained, and largely improved, for the benefit of…

Now, put all these things together, and then feel if there be not weight in this Plea of Christ against the Devil. He pleads God's Choice and Interest in his Saints against him, an Interest that is secured by the Wisdom of Heaven; by the Grace of Heaven; by the Power, Will, and Mercy of God in Christ. An Interest in which all the three Persons in the God-head have engaged themselves by mutual Agreement and Operation, to make good when Satan has done his All. I know there are some that object against this Doctrine, as false: But such perhaps are ignorant of some things else as well as of this. However they object against the Wisdom of God, whose truth it is, and against Christ our Advocate, whose Argument, as he is such, it is, yea, they labour, what in them lieth to wrest that Weapon out of his Hand, with which he so cudgelleth the Enemy, when, as Advocate, he pleadeth so effectually against him for the rescuing of us from the Danger of Judgement: Saying: The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee.

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,