of the soul, than these two considerations:—first, That by the
operation of the Eternal Spirit, it is made a habitation for God
Himself, and susceptible of communion and converse with God, nay, of
being even filled with all the fulness of God; and, second, The
infinite price that was paid for its redemption from sin and woe—the
precious blood of the Son of God.—Mason.
14 ‘A Relation of the Fearful Estate of Frances Spira.’ He had been a
Protestant, but, for some unworthy motives, became a Papist, and was
visited with the most awful compunctions of conscience. A poetical
introduction thus describes the guilty wretch:—
‘Reader, wou’dst see what, may you never feel,
Despair, racks, torments, whips of burning steel?
Behold this man, this furnace, in whose heart,
Sin hath created hell. Oh! In each part
What flames appear;
His thoughts all stings; words swords;
Brimstone his breath;
His eyes flames; wishes curses; life a death;
A thousand deaths live in him, he not dead;
A breathing corpse, in living scalding lead.’
It is an awful account, and has added to it a narrative of the wretched
end of John Child, a Bedford man, one of Bunyan’s friends, who, to
avoid prosecution, conformed; was visited with black despair, and hung
himself. A copy of this curious little book is in the editor’s
possession.—Ed.
15 Nothing more properly excited horror throughout Christendom, than
the conduct of the Algerines in making slaves of their captives;
because their victims had white skins, and were called Christians.
Hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling were paid to redeem the
Christian captives, and thus the pirates were strengthened to continue
their ferocious deeds. Many contributed to those funds the very money
which they derived from the negro slave trade; who, while they
professed to execrate white man slavery, perpetrated the same
barbarities upon their brethren of a different colour and caste. How
strangely does sin pervert the understandings of men, who arrogate to
themselves the highest grade of humanity and civilization!—Ed.
16 These awful denunciations are so many proofs of the immutablilty of
the justice and of the Word of God.—Ed.
17 ‘Saith Christl’ Peter in Acts i. 20, applies this Psalm to Christ,
when the Jews cried, ‘His blood be upon us and upon our childrenl’ then
did they put on the envenomed garment which has tormented them ever
since. It is girded about their loins; the curse has penetrated like
water, and entered the very bones like oil. How awful will be the state
of those who crucify Him afresh, and again put Him to open
shame!—Horsley.
18 How awfully inconceivable is that eternal death that never dieth;
that final end that never endeth—an immortal death—a soul-murdering
life—ever dying, but never dead; were the mountains and rocks to fall
upon and and crush them, still eternity would intervene between them
and death. Oh that grace may be given to ransom our souls from the doom
we have deserved!—Ed.
19 ‘Weall’ wealth, happiness, prosperity; ‘wherefore taking comfort and
boldness, partly of your grace and benevolent inclination toward the
universal weal of your subjects, partly inflamed with zeal, I have now
enterprized to describe, in our vulgar tongue, the form of a just
public weal.’ Sir T. Elyot, Dedication of the Governor to Henry
VIII.—Ed.
20 ‘From the belly,’: from its birth.
21 Bunyan having been engaged in the civil war, accounts for his using
this military idea.—Ed.
22 God hates not the sinner, but the sin; the glorious provision made
for salvation, proves His good will to sinful souls. This will be ‘the
worm that dieth not,’ to sinners to reflect, that, in rejecting the
inviting promises of God, they have sealed their own
condemnation.—Mason.
23 ‘Hideth his sins,’ is quoted from the Genevan, or Puritan
version.—Ed.
24 ‘Potherl’ to be, or cause to be, as one involved in dust, in a
cloud; to perplex, to puzzle, to confound.—Ed.
25 This is an allusion to a custom, nearly obsolete, originating in the
feast of tabernacles, of sacrificing to Vacina at the harvest home. The
Papists substituted St. Bartholomew for the heathen goddess. Upon his
day, the harvest being completed, an image of straw was carried about,
called the corn, or Bartholomew, baby; and masters, mistresses, men,
and maidens danced and rioted together; thus, under the guise of
harmless joy, much evil was perpetrated.—Ed.
26 ‘A blandation,’ an obsolete word, which means wheedling, flattering
speech, soft words.—Ed.
27 Knowing the certainty that this wrath to the uttermost will be
poured out, our blessed Lord exhorts all to ‘fear God, who is able to
destroy both body and soul in hell.’ In that doleful pit, the soul,
re-united with the body, will suffer under the outpourings of Divine
wrath.—Mason.
28 Bunyan probably here refers to his own experience when he was in
prison, and was threatened by the judge to be hung for not going to
parish church. ‘I thought with myself, if I should make a scrabbling
shift to clamber up the ladder, yet I should, either with quaking or
other symptoms of faintings, give occasion to the enemy to reproach the
way of God. I was ashamed to die with a pale face and tottering knees
in such a cause as this.’—Grace Abounding, No. 334.—Ed.
29 This wish has been felt while in a desponding state, under the
terrors of the law, and a fearful looking for of fiery indignation.
Thus Bunyan says, ‘I blessed the condition of the dog and toad, and
counted the estate of everything that God had made far better than this
dreadful state of mine.’ Grace Abounding, No. 104.—Ed.
30 Alluding to the old proverb of bringing a noble to ninepence, and
ninepence to nothing.—Ed.
31 At the popular game of nine pins—Ed.
32 In our comparatively happy days, we have little if any conception of
the manner in which our forefathers desecrated the Sabbath. When Popery
clouded the country, mass was attended on the Lord’s day morning early;
it was a recital of certain unknown words, after which parties of
pleasure, so called, spent the day in places attractive for the
frivolity or wantonness of their entertainments—in dancing, and
carousing; the evening being devoted to the theatres or ball rooms.
This was afterwards encouraged by our English ‘heads of the church,’ in
a book of lawful sports to be used on Sundays. Even in our time a flood
of iniquity continues to flow on those sacred days, which human laws
cannot prevent. As the influence of the gospel spreads, the day will
become sanctified and this will ever prove a correct standard of its
progress.—Ed.
33 How solemn, nay, awful is the thought that heaven’s gates must be
shut against all impurity. None who live and die in the love of sin can
enter heaven, lest they should defile it—‘And there shall in no wise
enter into it anything that defileth, neither worketh abomination, or a
lie’ (Rev 21: 27).—Ed.
34 In ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress,’ in the house called Beautiful, all the
inmates, except the porter, are females.—Ed.
35 The edict of Nantes was issued April 1598; but in violation of it,
Rochelle was taken from the Protestants in 1628. From that time horrid
barbarities were practised upon them. In 1676, the elector of
Brandenburg appealed to the French king on behalf of his Protestant
subjects, of whom multitudes fled for refuge to England and Germany. In
1685, the edict of Nantes was revoked, and a frightful persecution
ensued.—Ed.
36 Great allowance must be made for the times in which Bunyan lived.
Baxter, and all the great divines, Sir M. Hale, and the judges,
believed in witches, ghosts, and other chimeras; in fact, any one
professing unbelief in these wild fancies, would have been counted
among infidels and atheists.—Ed.
37 Sin ‘in the general of it,’ or sin wherever it may be found.
38 The law is a transcript of the mind of God, it is holy, just, and
good—so that he that offendeth in one point is guilty of all. The law
convicts and shows the sinner that God is all eye to see, and all fire
to consume, every unclean thing. Thus the law gives sin its strength,
and death its warrant, to arrest and execute the sinner.—Mason.
THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST AS AN ADVOCATE,
CLEARLY EXPLAINED, AND LARGELY IMPROVED,
FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BELIEVERS.
1 John 2:1—“And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous.”
By JOHN BUNYAN, Author of “The Pilgrim’s Progress.”
London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King’s Arms, in the Poultry,
1689.
ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR.
This is one of the most interesting of Bunyan’s treatises, to edit
which required the Bible at my right hand, and a law dictionary on my
left. It was very frequently republished; but in an edition by John
Marshall, 1725, it became most seriously mutilated, many passages were
omitted, and numerous errors were made. In this state, it was copied
into Mr. Whitefield’s edition of his works, and it has been since
republished with all those errors. It is now restored to its original
state; and we hope that it will prove a most acceptable addition to our
theological literature. Although Bunyan was shut up for more than
twelve years a prisoner for the truth, and his time was so fully
occupied in preaching, writing, and labouring to provide for the
pressing wants of his family; still he managed to get acquainted, in a
very remarkable manner, with all those law terms which are connected
with the duties of a counsel, or advocate. He uses the words replevin,
supersedeas, term, demur, nonsuit, reference, title, in forma pauperis,
king’s bench, common pleas, as properly and familiarly as if he had
been brought up to the bar. How extraordinary must have been his mental
powers, and how retentive his memory! I examined this work with
apprehension, lest he had misapplied those hard words; but my surprise
was great, to find that he had used every one of them with as much
propriety as a Lord Chief-Justice could have done.
We are indebted for this treatise to Bunyan’s having heard a sermon
which excited his attention to a common, a dangerous, and a fatal
heresy, more frequently preached to crowned heads, mitred prelates,
members of parliament, and convocations, than it is to the poor, to
whom the gospel is preached. In this sermon, the preacher said to his
hearers, “see that your cause be good, else Christ will not undertake
it.” p. 159. Bunyan heard, as all Christians ought to hear, with
careful jealousy, and at once detected the error. He exposes the
fallacy, and uses his scriptural knowledge to confute it, by showing
that Christ pleads for the wicked, the lost; for those who feel
themselves so involved in a bad cause, that no advocate but Christ can
bring them through. He manifests great anxiety that every inquirer
should clearly ascertain definite truths and not be contented with
general notions. See p. 189-199, and 201. This is very important
advice, and by following which, we shall be saved from many painful
doubts and fears. Our need of an advocate is proved by the fact, that
Christ has undertaken the office. Some rely on their tears and sighs,
as advocates for them with God; others on imperfect good works-from all
these the soul must be shaken, until it finds that there is no
prevailing Advocate but the Saviour; and that he alone, with his
mystical body, the church, is entitled to the inheritance. Then sincere
repentance, sighs, and tears, evidence our faith in him, and our godly
sorrow for having occasioned him such inconceivable sufferings; tears
of joy that we have such a Saviour and an Advocate, equally omnipotent
to plead for, as to save us. The inheritance being Christ’s, the
members of his body cannot be cheated of it, or alienate it. p. 187.
Bunyan, with his fertile imagination, and profound scriptural
knowledge, spiritualizes the day of jubilee as a type of the safety of
the inheritance of the saints. By our folly and sin we may lose sight
for a time of our title deeds; but the inheritance is safe.
The whole work is a rich treat to those who love experimental divinity,
and are safe in Christ as Noah was in the ark; but, Oh! how woeful must
those be, who are without an interest in the Saviour; and that have
none to plead their cause. “They are left to be ground to powder
between the justice of God and the sins which they have committed. It
is sad to consider their plight. This is the man that is pursued by the
law, and by sin, and by death, and has none to plead his cause. Terrors
take hold on him as waters; a stone hurleth him out of his place” (Job
27). p. 200. Reader, this is a soul-searching subject-may it lead us to
a solemn trial of our state, and to the happy conclusion, that the
Saviour is our Advocate, and that our eternal inheritance is safe in
heaven.
HACKNEY. MAY 1850.
GEORGE OFFOR.
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
COURTEOUS READER,
Of all the excellent offices which God the Father has conferred upon
Jesus Christ our Lord, this of his being an Advocate with him for us is
not the least, though, to the shame of saints it may be spoken, the
blessed benefits thereof have not with that diligence and fervent
desire been inquired after as they ought.
Christ, as sacrifice, priest, and king, with the glories in, and that
flow from, him as such, has, God be thanked, in this our day, been much
discovered by our seers, and as much rejoiced in by those who have
believed their words; but as he is an Advocate with the Father, an
Advocate for us, I fear the excellency of that doth still too much lie
hid; though I am verily of opinion that the people of God in this age
have as much need of the knowledge thereof, if not more need, than had
their brethren that are gone before them.
These words, “if not more need,” perhaps may seem to some to be
somewhat out of joint; but let the godly wise consider the decays that
are among us as to the power of godliness, and what abundance of foul
miscarriages the generality of professors now stand guilty of, as also
how diligent their great enemy is to accuse them at the bar of God for
them, and I think they will conclude, that, in so saying, I indeed have
said some truth. Wherefore, when I thought on this, and had somewhat
considered also the transcendent excellency of the advocateship of this
our Lord; and again, that but little of the glory thereof has by
writing been, in our day, communicated to the church, I adventured to
write what I have seen thereof, and do, by what doth follow, present it
unto her for good.
I count not myself sufficient for this, or for any other truth as it is
in Jesus; but yet, I say, I have told you somewhat of it, according to
the proportion of faith. And I believe that some will thank God for
what I here have said about it; but it will be chiefly those, whose
right and title to the kingdom of heaven and glory, doth seem to
themselves to be called in question by their enemy, at the bar of the
Judge of all.
These, I say, will read, and be glad to hear, that they have an
Advocate at court that will stand up to plead for them, and that will
yet secure to them a right to the heavenly kingdom. Wherefore, it is
more particularly for those that at present, or that hereafter, may be
in this dreadful plight, that this my book is now made public; because
it is, as I have showed, for such that Jesus Christ is Advocate with
the Father.
Of the many and singular advantages, therefore, that such have by this
their Advocate in his advocating for them, this book gives some
account; as, where he pleads, how he pleads, what he pleads, when he
pleads, with whom he pleads, for whom he pleads, and how the enemy is
put to shame and silence before their God and all the holy angels.
Here is also showed to those herein concerned, how they indeed may know
that Jesus is their Advocate; yea, and how their matters go before
their God, the Judge; and particularly that they shall well come off at
last, yea, though their cause, as it is theirs, is such, in
justification of which, themselves do not dare to show their heads.
Nor have I left the dejected souls without directions how to entertain
this Advocate to plead their cause; yea, I have also shown that he will
be with ease prevailed with, to stand up to plead for such, as one
would think, the very heavens would blush to hear them named by him.
Their comfort also is, that he never lost a cause, nor a soul, for whom
he undertook to be an Advocate with God.
But, reader, I will no longer detain thee from the perusal of the
discourse. Read and think; read, and compare what thou readest with the
Word of God. If thou findest any benefit by that thou readest, give the
Father, and his Son the glory; and also pray for me. If thou findest me
short in this, or to exceed in that, impute all such things to my
weakness, of which I am always full. Farewell. I am thine to serve thee
what I may,
JOHN BUNYAN.
THE CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE
The apostle’s Divine policy, to beget a due regard to his Divine
doctrine of eternal life.-The apostle’s explication of this expression,
viz., The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.-The apostle’s
exhortation to separation from sin, as a good effect of a good cause,
viz., Forgiveness-The apostle’s addition, to prevent misunderstanding,
viz., We have an advocate with the Father
This brings to the text, in which are two great truths contained: I. A
supposition, viz., That men in Christ may sin. II. An expression, by
way of consolation, in case of sin, viz., We have an Advocate with the
Father
Two things for inquiry in these truths: First. An inquiry into what our
apostle means by sin; in which is considered, A difference in the
person and in the sin. And, Second, An inquiry into what it is for
Christ to be an Advocate, viz., To plead for another in a court of
judicature
Seven things supposed in the office of an advocate: 1. That God, as
judge, is on the throne of judgment. 2. That saints are concerned at
that bar. 3. That Christians have an accuser. 4. That sinning saints
dare not appear at this bar to plead their own cause. 5. That
Christians are apt to forget their Advocate, and remember their Judge.
6. To remember our Advocate is the way to support faith and hope.-7.
That if our advocate plead our cause (though that be never so black) he
is able to bring us off
The apostle’s triumph in Christ on this account.-An exhortation to the
difficult task of believing.-Christ’s advocateship declares us to be
sorry creatures
THE METHOD OBSERVED IN THE DISCOURSE.
FIRST, TO SPEAK OF THIS ADVOCATE’S OFFICE
First, By touching on the nature of this office
Second, By treating of the order or place of this office
Third, The occasion of this office, viz., some great sin.-Christ, as
Advocate, pleads a bad cause.-A good cause will plead for itself.-A bad
man may have a good cause, and a good man may have a bad cause.-Christ,
the righteous, pleading a bad cause, is a mystery.-The best saints are
most sensible of their sins.-A pestilent passage of a preacher
SECOND, TO SHOW HOW CHRIST DOES MANAGE HIS OFFICE
First, How he manages his office of Advocate with the Father.-1. ALONE,
not by any proxy or deputy.-2. Christ pleads at God’s bar; the cause
cannot be removed into another court.-If removed from heaven, we have
no advocate on earth.-3. In pleading, Christ observes these rules: (1.)
He granteth what is charged on us.-(2.) He pleads his own goodness for
us.-He payeth all our debts down.-All mouths stopped, who would not
have the sinner delivered.-(3.) Christ requires a verdict in order to
our deliverance.-The sinner is delivered, God contented, Satan
confounded, and Christ applauded
Second, How Christ manages his office of an Advocate against the
adversary by argument.-1. He pleads the pleasure of his Father in his
merits.-Satan rebuked for finding fault therewith.-2. He pleads God’s
interest in his people.-Haman’s mishap in being engaged against the
king’s queen.-N. B. It seems a weak plea, because of man’s
unworthiness; but it is a strong plea, because of God’s worthiness.-The
elect are bound to God by a sevenfold cord.-The weight of the plea
weighed
Third, Christ pleads his own interest in them.-A parallel between
cattle in a pound and Christ’s own sheep.-Six weighty reasons in this
plea.-1. They are Christ’s own.-2. They cost him dear.-3. He hath made
them near to himself.-(a.) They are his spouse, his love, his dove;
they are members of his body.-(b.) A man cannot spare a hand, a foot, a
finger.-Nor can Christ spare any member.-4. Christ pleads his right in
heaven to give it to whom he will.-Christ will; Satan will not;
Christ’s will stands.-5. Christ pleads Satan’s enmity against the
godly.-Satan is the cause of the crimes he accuses us of.-A simile of a
weak-witted child.-6. Christ can plead those sins of saints for them
for which Satan would have them damned.-Eight considerations to clear
that.-Seven more considerations to the same end.-Men care most for
children that are infirm.-A father offended hath been appeased by a
brother turning advocate
THIRD HEAD.—TO SHOW WHO HAVE CHRIST FOR AN ADVOCATE; WHEREIN ARE THREE
THINGS CONTAINED
First, This office of advocate differs from that of a priest.-1. They
differ in name.-2. They differ in nature.-3. They differ as to their
extent.-4. They differ as to the persons with whom they have to do.-5.
They differ as to the matter about which they are employed.-6. Christ,
as Priest, precedes; Christ, as Advocate, succeeds
Second, How far this office of an advocate is extended; in five
particulars
Third, Who have Christ for their Advocate.-1. In general, all adopted
children.-Object. The text saith, “If any man sin.”-Answ. “Any man,” is
not any of the world; but any of the children of God.-A difference in
children; some bigger than some.-Christ an Advocate for strong men.-2.
In particular, to show if Christ be our Advocate-(1.) If one have
entertained Christ to plead a cause.-Quest. How shall I know
that?-Answ. By being sensible of an action commenced against thee in
the high court of justice.-(2.) If one have revealed a cause to
Christ.-An example of one revealing his cause to Christ, in a
closet.-In order to this, one must know Christ, (a.) To be a
friend.-(b.) To be faithful.-(3.) If one have committed a cause to
Christ.-In order to this, one must be convinced, (a.) Of Christ’s
ability to defend him.-(b.) Of Christ’s courage to plead a cause.-(c.)
Of Christ’s will for this work.-(d.) Of Christ’s tenderness in case of
his client’s dullness.-(e.) Of Christ’s unweariedness-(4.) If one wait
till things come to a legal issue.-Quest. What is it thus to
wait?-Answ. (a.) To be of good courage; look for deliverance.-(b.) To
keep his way in waiting.-(c.) To observe his directions.-(d.) To
hearken to further directions which may come from the advocate.-(e.) To
come to no ill conclusion in waiting, viz., that the cause is lost;
because one hears not from court.-(f.) To wait waking, not
sleeping.-Ordinances and ministers compared to a post house and
carriers of letters.-The client’s comfortable conclusion about his
advocate and cause.-But yet doubting and desponding.-The author’s reply
to, and compliance with, the client’s conclusion; and his counsel in
the case
FOURTH HEAD—TO SHOW THE CLIENT’S PRIVILEGES, BY THE BENEFIT OF THIS
OFFICE OF ADVOCATE
First Privilege.-The Advocate pleads a price paid.-Of a rich brother
and his poor brethren.-Of the ill-conditioned man, their enemy.-Further
cleared by three considerations
Second Privilege.-The client’s Advocate pleads for himself also; both
concerned in one bottom.-1. He pleads the price of his own blood.-2. He
pleads it for his own.-A simile of a lame horse.-Of men going to law
for a thing of little worth.-Object. I am but one.-Answ. Christ cannot
lose one
Third Privilege.-The plea of Satan is groundless.-Satan must be cast
over the bar.-A simile of a widow owing a sum of money.-Of an old law
nulled1 by a new law.-Satan pleads by the old law; Christ by the new
Fourth Privilege.-Is consequential; the client’s accuser must needs be
overthrown.-The client’s solemn appeal to the Almighty.-In case the
accused have no advocate, Satan prevails