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

But perhaps this is to be kept from many till they come to behold his Face, and until all things shall be revealed, that Christ might have Glory given him in the next World for doing of that for them, which they so little thought of in this. But do not thou be content with this Ignorance, because the Knowledge of his advocating of it for thee, will yield thee present Relief. Study therefore thine own Weakness, the Holiness of the Judge, the badness of thy Cause, the Subtlety, Malice, and Rage of thine Enemy, and be assured that when-ever thou sinnest, by and by thou art for it accused before God at his Judgment-Seat. These things will as it were by way of Necessity instil into thy Heart the need that thou hast of an Advocate, and will make thee look, as to the Blood and Righteousness of Jesus Christ to justify thee, so to Christ as an Advocate to plead thy Cause, as did holy Job in his Distresses, Job 16.21. 1 Use 3. Thirdly, Is Christ Jesus not only ⟨p. 177⟩a Priest of, and a King over, but an Advocate for his People? Let this make us stand and wonder, and be amazed at his Humiliation and Condescension. We read of his Humiliation on Earth when he put himself into our Flesh, took upon him our Sins: And made them as his own unto Condemnation and Death. And to be an Advocate, is an Office reproachful to the malicious, if any Man be such an one for those that are base and unworthy. Yea, and the higher and more honourable the Person is that pleads for such, the more he humbles himself. The Word doth often, in effect, account him, now in Heaven as a Servant for us, and Acts of Service are Acts of Condescension. And I am sure some Acts of Service have more of that in them than some. And I think, when all things are considered, that Christ neither doth, nor can do any thing for us there, of a more condescending Nature than to become our Advocate. True, he glories in it but that doth not show that the work is excellent in it self. It is also one of his Titles of Honour. But that is to show how highly God esteems of, and dignifies all his Acts, and tho this shall tend at last to the greatening of his Honour and Glory in his Kingdom, yet the Work it self is amazingly mean.

But perhaps this is to be kept from many till they come to behold his Face, and until all things shall be revealed, that Christ might have Glory given him in the next World for doing of that for them, which they so little thought of in this. But do not thou be content with this Ignorance, because the Knowledge of his advocating of it for thee, will yield thee present Relief. Study therefore thine own Weakness, the Holiness of the Judge, the badness of thy Cause, the Subtilty, Malice, and Rage of thine Enemy, and be assured that when-ever thou sinnest, by and by thou art for it accused before God at his Judgment-Seat. These things will as it were by way of Necessity instil into thy Heart the need that thou hast of an Advocate, and will make thee look, as to the Blood and Righteousness of Jesus Christ to justifie thee, so to Christ as an Advocate to plead thy Cause, as did holy Job in his Distresses,