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

Fifthly. As Christ, as Advocate pleadeth for us against Satan, his Father's Interest in us and his own; and pleadeth also what Right he has to dispose of the Kingdom of Heaven: So he pleadeth against this Enemy, that Malice and Enmity that is in him, and upon which chiefly his Charge against us is grounded, to the Confusion of his Face. This is evident from the title that our Advocate bestows upon him while he pleads for us against him. The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; O Enemy saith he. For Satan is an Enemy, and this Name given him signifies so much. And Lawyers, in their Pleas, can make a great Matter of such a Circumstance as this, Saying, My Lord, we can prove that what is now pleaded against the Prisoner at the Bar, is of mere Malice and Ha•red, that has also of a long time lain burning and raging in his Enemy'• Breast against him. This I say will greatly weaken the Plea and Accusation of an Enemy▪ ⟨p. 54⟩But, says, Jesus Christ, Father, here is a Plea brought in against my Joshua that clothes him with filthy Garments: But it is brought in against him by an Enemy, by an Enemy in the Superlative or highest Degree. One that hates Goodness worse than he, and that loveth Wickedness more than the Man against whom at this time he has brought such an heinous Charge. Then leaving with the father the Value of his Blood for the Accused, he turneth him to the Accuser and pleads against him as an Enemy. O Satan! Thou that accusest my Spouse, my Love, my Members, art, Satan, an Enemy: But it will be Objected, That the things charged are true Grant it. Yet what Law takes Notice of the Plea of one who doth professedly act as an Enemy, because 'tis not done of Love to Truth, and Justice, and Righteousness, nor intended for the Honour of the King, nor for the good of the Prosecuted; but to gratify Malice, and Rage and merely to kill and destroy. There is therefore a great deal of Force, and Strength in an Advocate •s pleading of such a Circumstances against an Accuser: Specially when the Crimes now charged are those and only those for which the Law in the due execution of it has been satisfied before, wherefore now a Lawyer has double and treble ground of Matter to plead for his Client against his ⟨p. 55⟩Enemy. And this Advantage against him has Jesus Christ.