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

Priv. 2. Secondly, Thine Advocate, as he pleadeth a Price already paid, so, and therefore, he pleads for himself as for thee. We are all concerned in one bottom; if he sinks we sink, if we sink he sinks. Give me leave to make out my meaning.

1. Christ pleads the Value and Virtue of the Price of his Blood and Sacrifice for us: And admit of this horrible Supposition, a little for Argument's Sake, That tho Christ pleads the Worth of what, as Priest, he offereth, yet, the Soul, for whom he so pleads, perishes eternally. Now where lieth the Fault? In Sin; you say true; but it is, because there was more Virtue in Sin to damn, than there was in the Blood pleaded by Christ, to save: For he pleaded his Merit, he put it into the Balance against Sin, but Sin hath weighed down the Soul of the Sinner to Hell, notwithstanding the Weight of Merit that he did put in against it. Now, what's the Result but that the Advocate goes down, as well as we, we to Hell, and he in Esteem? Wherefore, I say, he is concerned with us, his Credit, his Honour, his Glory, and Renown, flies all away, if those, for whom he pleads, as an Advocate, perish for want of Worth, in his Sacrifice pleaded: But shall this ever be said of Christ, or will it be ⟨p. 100⟩found, that any, for whom Christ, as Advocate, pleads, yet perish for want of Worth in the Price, or of Neglect in the Advocate to plead it? No, no, himself is concerned, and that as to his own Reputation and Honour, and as to the Value, and Virtue of his Blood, nor will he lose these for want of pleading for them concerned in this Office.

2. I argue again: Christ, as Advocate, must needs be concerned in his Plea; for that every one, for whose Salvation he advocates, is his own. So then, if he loses, he loses his own, his Substance & Inheritance. Thus if he lose the whole, and if he lose a part, one, any one of his own, he loseth part of his All, and of his Fullness: Wherefore, we may well think, that Christ, as Advocate, is concerned, even concerned with his People, and therefore will thoroughly plead their Cause.