The Fountain of Life Opened

Thus you see what a nervous, argumentative, pleading prayer Christ poured out to the Father for them at parting.

The next enquiry is, why he thus prayed and pleaded with God for them, when he was to die?

And certainly it was not because the Father was unwilling to grant the mercies he desired for them. No, they came not off with difficulty, nor were they wrested by mere importunity out of the hand of an unwilling and backward person. For he tells us in Joh. 16.27. the Father himself loveth you; (i. e.) he is propense enough of his own accord, to do you good. But the reasons of this exceeding importunity are, First, He foresaw a great trial then at hand; yea, and all the after trials of his people as well as that. He knew how much they would be sifted, and put to it in that hour, and power of darkness that was coming. He knew their faith would be shaken, and greatly staggered, by the approaching difficulties, when they should see their Shepherd smitten, and themselves scattered. The Son of man delivered into the hands of Sinners, and the Lord of Life hang dead upon the tree; yea sealed up in the grave. He foresaw what straights his poor people would fall into, betwixt a busy Devil, and a bad heart: therefore he prays, and pleads with such importunity, and ardency for them that they might not miscarry. Secondly, He was now entering upon his intercession-work in Heaven, and he was desirous in this prayer to give us a Specimen, or sample of that part of his work before he left us; that by this we might understand what he would do for us, when he should be out of our sight. For this being his last on earth, it shows us what affections, and dispositions he carried hence with him▪ and satisfies us that he who was so earnest with God on our behalf, such a mighty pleader here, will not forget us, or neglect our concerns in the other world. Yet Reader, I would have the always