that of an Advocate: that being the proper Signification of Paraclete. Taking the Word now in this Notion, it will fignify to us in general fuch a Perfon as appears in the Behalf of another: Such a Perfon as defends another, when Harm is intended against him: Such a Perfon as interefts himself in the Affairs of another, either by intreating for him, or pleading his Cause, or any ways managing his Bufinefs In a Word, any one that is concerned for another as a Patron or Defender, Sollicitor or Interceffor, is a Paraclete, or an Advocate in the Senfe that is here intended. And thus much of the Notion or Signification of a Paraclete in general; which was my first Point. II. WELL now, both our Saviour and the Holy Ghoft, as the Scriptures inform us, are thus our Paracletes, our Advocates, our Patrons. The next Queftion therefore is, wherein the Patronage or Advocateship of the one differs from that of the other: In what Sense our Saviour is our Advocate, and in what Senfe the Holy Spirit is fo. Now if we look into the Scriptures, we fhall find that the Difference of this Office in these two Perfons lies in this, viz. that our Saviour is our Patron in Heaven, and the Holy Spirit on Earth. Our Saviour pleads our Caufe, and manages our Affairs there; and the Holy Spirit, as his Deputy and and Vicegerent doth it here. Our Saviour is our Advocate with the Father, as St. John in the fore-cited Place exprefly calls him; and the Holy Spirit is our Advocate with the World. Our Saviour appears for us before God the Father, who is confider'd as the great Lord of all; and the Holy Spirit appears for us and for our Caufe, against the World, and the Devil, who are confidered as our Adverfaries or Accufers. They both have undertaken the Defence of the fame Cause, and of the fame Perfons; but in these different Respects. I. To treat of this Matter a little more diftinctly, and firft of all as to the Advocateship of our Saviour: The Scriptures affure us that our Saviour having given up himself as a Sacrifice for the Sins of the World, afcended up into Heaven, with this Mind and Intent, to appear before God for us; to prefent himfelf to his Father with that Sacrifice that had been offered up on the Cross on our Behalf. As the High Priefts under the Law, who were the great Types of Chrift, carried the Blood of the Sacrifices that were flain, into the Holy of Holies, which was the Representative of Heaven, and there prefented that Blood before God, for the Atonement of the People of Ifrael, for whom thofe Sacrifices were flain; fo, I fay, did our Saviour, the true High Prieft of the World, upon his Afcenfion, prefent VOL. V. himfelf D himself with his Sacrifice before God in the heavenly Tabernacle, the Holy of Holies, not made with Hands: and by the Merits and Virtue thereof did then begin (and will for ever continue it) to recommend all Chriftians, and all their Concerns, and all their Prayers to his heavenly Father, to intercede for them continually; and to render God favourable and propitious to them. This is that which the Apoftle tells us, in the v. 24. ninth of the Hebrews, Christ is not entered into the Holy Places made with Hands, which are the Figures of the true one; but into Heaven itself, to appear in the Prefence of v. 24. God for us. Thus alfo in the 7th Chapter. This Man, fays he, meaning our Saviour, because he continueth for ever, bath an unchangeable Priesthood, whereby he is able to fave to the uttermost all that come unto God by him, feeing he evermore liveth to make interceffion for them. And thus laftly, St. Paul v. 33. in the eighth to the Romans; Who, fays he, fball lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect? It is God that justifieth: Who is he that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea rather that is rifen again, who fitteth at the right Hand of God, to make Interceffion for 115. It would take up too much Time, to mention all thofe Places of Scripture that relate to this Advocateship of Christ, that we are now speaking of. I fhall only obferve these following Particulars concerning it, which may fufficiently explain the Nature of it to us. And I draw them all from the Epiftle to the Hebrews, where this Point is largely treated of. First of all, That the Advocateship of our Saviour only refpects God; and it confifts in this, that he doth continually commend us and our Affairs to his heavenly Father. He it our Advocate with the Father, as St. John 1 John 2. ftiles him. 2dly, This Advocatefhip of his, this Interceffion for us, is not in an humble fupplicatory way, but with Power and neverfailing Efficacy: So that whatever he represents to God as his Defire on our behalf, he certainly and effectually obtains for us. 3dly, This Advocateship of Christ, and the Efficacy of it, hath its Foundation principally in the Virtue and Merits of that Sacrifice of himself, which he offered to God upon the Crofs. 4thly, This Advocateship of Chrift, is the very fame thing with his everlasting Priesthood. Chrift is therefore our HighPrieft, because he is our Patron with God, and continually intercedes with him on our behalf: This being the Notion of a Priest. Whether his offering up himself upon the Crofs at Jerufalem was an Act of his Priefthood, or rather a Confecration to it, I will not now difpute; but he became a HighPriest after the Order of Melchifedeck, (which is the Notion of his Priesthood that St. Paul 1. all along pursues in his Epiftle to the Hebrews) when, after he was raised from the Dead, he entered into the Holy of Holies, with that Body of his that had been offered on the Cross, and fat down on God's Right Hand, and became our Patron, our Advocate, our Interceffor with God for ever. At the fame Time indeed he became our King too; for then he had all Power given him in Heaven and in Earth. But there is this Difference between these two Offices, that the one of them refpects God, the other respects us. As our Prieft, he intercedes with God for us. As our King, he employs that Power, which he hath received from God, in the governing us. 5thly and laftly, Chrift being thus our High-Pricft, our Advocate with God, it follows, that all our Prayers to God ought to be put up in his Name; fince it is he that presents them to God, it is he through Eph. 2. whom we have access to the Father. It is for his Sake, and upon his Account, that they are at any Time effectual. All the Returns of our Prayers, and all the Bleffings we receive from God's Hands, are owing to the Virtue of our Saviour's Interceffion and Advocateship. 18. This is a full and plain Account of our Saviour's Advocatefhip. And by these Particulars we may easily discern in how different a Senfe the fame Office is given to the Holy |