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

Object. But he also saith, if any Man sin, we have an Advocate. Any Man that sinneth seems by the Text, notwithstanding what you say, to have an Advocate with the Father.

Answ. By any Man, must not be meant, any of the World, nor any of the Elect; but any Man in Faith and Grace: For he still limits this general Term of [any Man] with this Restriction [we.] Children, if any Man sin, we have an Advocate. We, any Man of us. And this is yet further made appear; since he saith that it is to them he writes, not ⟨p. 71⟩only here, but further in this Chapter. I write unto you, little Children: I write unto you, Fathers: I write unto you, young Men, ver. 12, 13, 14. These are the Persons intended in the Text. For under these three Heads, are comprehended all Men: For they are either Children, and so Men in Nature, or young Men, and so Men in Strength, or else they are Fathers, and so aged, and of Experience. Add to this, by [any Man] that the Apostle intendeth, not to enlarge himself beyond the Persons that are in Grace; but to supply what was wanting by that Term, [little Children,] for since the strongest Saint may have need of an Advocate, as well as the most feeble of the Flock; why should the Apostle leave it to be so understood, as if the Children and the Children only, had an Interest in that Office? Wherefore after he had said, my little Children, I write unto you, that you sin not, he then adds with Enlargement, And if any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father. Yet the little Children may well be mentioned first, since they most want the Knowledge of it, are most feeble, and so by Sin, may be forced most frequently to act Faith on Christ as Advocate: Besides, they are most ready through Temptation to question whether they have so good a Right to Christ in all his Offices, as has better and ⟨p. 72⟩more well grown Saints: and therefore, they, in this the Apostles Salutation, are first set down in the Catalogue of Names. My little Children, I write unto you that ye sin not, And if any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous. So then, the Children of God are they, who have the Lord Jesus, an Advocate or them with the Father. The least and biggest, the oldest and youngest, the feeblest and the strongest; all the Children have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.