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

Thus is Faith encouraged, thus is Hope strengthened, thus is the Spirit of the sinking Christian revived, and made to wait for a good deliverance from a bad cause, and a cunning Adversary: Specially if you consider,

7. That the Apostle also doth further suppose by the Text, That Jesus Christ, as Advocate, if he will but plead our Cause, let that be never so black, is able to bring us off, even before Gods Judgment-Seat to our Joy, and the ⟨p. 13⟩confounding of our Adversary. For when he saith, we have an Advocate, he speaks nothing if he means not thus. But he doth mean thus, he must mean thus, because he seeketh here to comfort and support the Fallen. Has any Man sinned, we have an Advocate. But what of that, if yet he be unable to fetch us off, when charged for Sin at the Bar, and before the Face of a righteous Judge.

But he is able to do this, the Apostle says, so in that he supposeth a Man has sinned, as any Man among the Godly ever did: for so we may understand it; and if he giveth us not leave to understand it so, he saith nothing to the purpose neither. For it will be objected by some; But can he fetch me off, tho I have done as David, as Solomon, as Peter, or the like? It must be answered yes, the openness of the terms [any man], the indefiniteness of the word [Sin] doth naturally allow us to take him in the largest Sense; besides he brings in this Saying as the chief, most apt and fittest to relieve one crushed down to Death and Hell by the Guilt of Sin, and a wounded Conscience.

But he is able to do this, the Apostle says, so in that he supposeth a Man has sinned, as any Man among the Godly ever did: for so we may understand it; and if he giveth us not leave to understand it so, he saith nothing to the purpose neither. For it will be objected by some; But can he fetch me off, tho I have done as David, as Solomon, as Peter, or the like? It must be answered yes, the openness of the terms [anyman], the indefiniteness of the word [Sin] doth naturally allow us to take him in the largest Sense; besides he brings in this Saying as the chief, most apt and fittest to relieve one crush'd down to Death and Hell by the Guilt of Sin, and a wounded Conscience.