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

Fourthly, The Necessity of the Advocate's Office of Jesus Christ appears namely in this, To plead about the Judgments, Distresses, Afflictions and Troubles that we meet withal in this Life for our Sins. For though by Virtue of his Office, Christ fully takes us off from the Condemnation that the Unbelievers go down •o, for their Sins: Yet he doth not thereby exempt us from temporal Punishments, for we see and feel, that they daily overtake us. But for the proportioning of the Punishment or Affliction, for Transgression, seeing that Comes under the Sentence of the Law, 'tis fit that we should have an Advocate that understands both Law and Judgment to plead for equal Distribution of Chastisement, according, I say, as the Law of Grace: And this the Lord Jesus doth.

Suppose a Man for Transgression, be indicted at the Assizes: his Adversary is also full of Malice, and would have him punished sorely, beyond what by the Law is provided for such Offence. And he pleads that the Judge will so afflict and punish as he in his malicious Mind desireth. But the Man has an Advocate there: And he enters his Plea against the Cruelty of his Clients Accuser: Saying, My Lord, it cannot be as our Enemy would have it. The Punishment for these Transgressions ⟨p. 140⟩are prescribed by that Law that we here ground our Plea upon. Nor may it be declined to satisfy his Envy, we stand here upon Matters of Law, and appeal to the Law. And this is the work of our Advocate in Heaven. Punishments for the Sin of the Children, come not headlong, not without Measure, as our Accuser would have them; nor yet as they fall upon those, who have none to plead their Cause: Hath he smote the Children according to the Stroke wherewith he hath smitten others? No, In Measure when it shooteth forth, (or seeks to exceed due Bounds) thou wilt debate with it: He stayeth his rough Wind in the Day of his East Wind, Isa. 27.7, 8, 9. Thou wilt debate with it; enquiring and reasoning by the Law, whether the shootings forth of the Affliction (now going out for the Offence committed) be not too strong, too heavy, too hot, and of too long a time admitted to Distress and break the Spirit of this Christian. And if it be, he applies himself to the Rule, to measure it by, he fetches forth his Plum-Line, and sets his Plum-line in the middest of his People,