Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life

Thirdly, The Atonement, or propitiation that our Saviour makes to our blessed Father, spoken of in the same place, 1 Joh. 2.2. Atonement, or propitiation, the thing is this: That whereas many a servant of God might fear his Petitions would never be granted, because he hath been so sinful before God, and hath so many ways dishonoured God, that he knows not however God should hear such an unworthy creature as he is. Now the Apostle sets forth in this Epistle the Lord Jesus Christ as our Atonement, that if we come to our Advocate, and say, We have such Suits, and Petitions to put up to our heavenly Father, but we have so displeased him, that we think he will never regard us; Why saith the Apostle, If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins, and therefore for our own hearts, though we have just cause of discouragement in regard of our sins, yet we have a propitiation, an atonement, he makes intercession for us as an Advocate; but you say, God will not hear him for such sinners as we be? Yes, he makes propitiation or atonement, that we perish not by our sins, nor that they should hinder Gods acceptance of us, or granting our desires, ver. 7. of the first chap. and so here is a third groundwork of our confidence and certainty of our desires.

Thirdly, The Attonement, or propitiation that our Saviour makes to our blessed Father, spoken of in the same place, 1 Ioh. 2.2. Attonement, or propitiation, the thing is this: That whereas many a servant of God might feare his Petitions would never be granted, because he hath been so sinfull before God, and hath so many wayes dishonoured God, that he knowes not however God should heare such an unworthy creature as he is. Now the Apostle sets forth in this Epistle the Lord Jesus Christ as our Attonement, that if we come to our Advocate, and say, We have such Suits, and Petitions to put up to our heavenly Father, but we have so displeased him, that we thinke he will never regard us; Why saith the Apostle, If any man sinne, we have an Advocate with the Father, Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins, and therefore for our owne hearts, though we have just cause of discouragement in regard of our sins, yet we have a propitiation, an attonement, he makes intercession for us as an Advocate; but you say, God will not heare him for such sinners as we be? Yes, he makes propitiation or attonement, that we perish not by our sins, nor that they should hinder Gods acceptance of us, or granting our desires, ver. 7. of the first chap. and so here is a third groundworke of our confidence and certainty of our desires.