against the accuser.-Men choose an advocate who hath a quarrel against
their adversary
Sixth Privilege.-The judge counts the accuser his enemy.-To procure the
judge’s son to plead, is desirable
Seventh Privilege.-The client’s Advocate hath good courage; he will set
his face like a flint.-He pleads before the God, and all the host, of
heaven.-He is the old friend of publicans and sinners.-He pleads a
cause bad enough to make angels blush.-Love will do, and bear, and
suffer much
Eighth Privilege.-The Advocate is always ready in court.-He appears NOW
in the presence of God
Ninth Privilege.-The Advocate will not be blinded with bribes
Tenth Privilege.-The Advocate is judge in the client’s cause.-Joseph’s
exaltation was Israel’s advantage.-God’s care of his people’s welfare
Eleventh Privilege.-The Advocate hath all that is requisite for an
advocate to have
FIFTH.—LAST HEAD.—TO SHOW THE NECESSITY OF CHRIST FOR OUR ADVOCATE
First.-To vindicate the justice of God against the cavils of the
devil.-Satan charges God with unjust words and actions.-God is pleased
with his design to save sinners
Second.-There is law to be objected against us.-Christ appeals to the
law itself.-Christ is not ashamed to own the way of salvation
Third.-Many things give our accuser advantage.-1. Many things relating
to the promises.-2. Many things relating to our lives.-3. The threats
annexed to the gospel
Fourth.-To plead about our afflictions for sins.-A simile of a man
indicted at the assizes, and his malicious adversary.-An allusion to
Abishai and Shimei, who cursed David
Fifth.-To plead the efficacy of our old titles to our inheritance, if
questionable because of new sins-Saints do not sell their inheritance
by sin
Sixth.-Our evidences are oft out of our hand, and we recover them by
our Advocate
SIXTH.—OBJECTIONS REMOVED
First Object.-What need all these offices or nice distinctions.-Answ.
The wisdom of God is not to be charged with folly.-God’s people are
baffled with the devil for want of a distinct knowledge of Christ in
all his offices
Second Object.-My cause being bad, Christ will desert me.-Answ. Sin is
deadly destruction to faith.-A five-fold order observed in the exercise
of faith
Third Object.-But who shall pay the Advocate his fee?-Answ. There is
law, and lawyers too, without money.-Christ pleads for the
poor.-David’s strange gift to God
Fourth Object.-If Christ be my Advocate once, he will always be
troubled with me.-Answ. He is an Advocate to the utmost
SEVENTH.—USE AND APPLICATION
Use First.-To consider the dignity God hath put upon Christ, by
offices, places of trust, and titles of honour, in general
Use Second.-To consider this office of an Advocate in particular; by
which consideration these advantages come:-1. To see one is not
forsaken for sin.-2. To take courage to contend with the devil.-3. It
affords relief for discouraged faith.-4. It helps to put off the visor
Satan puts on Christ.-A simile of a visor on the face of a
father.-Study this peculiar treasure of an advocate.-(1.) With
reference to its peculiarity.-(2.) Study the nature of this
office.-(3.) Study its efficacy and prevalency.-(4.) Study Christ’s
faithfulness in his office.-(5.) Study the need of a share therein
Use Third.-To wonder at Christ’s condescension, in being an Advocate
for the base and unworthy.-Christ acts in open court, 1. With a holy
and just God.-2. Before all the heavenly host.-3. The client is
unconcerned for whom the Advocate is engaged.-4. The majesty of the man
that is an Advocate
Use Fourth.-Improve this doctrine to strengthen grace. 1.To strengthen
faith.-2. To encourage to prayer.-3. To keep humble.-4. To encourage to
perseverance.-Object. I cannot pray; my mouth is stopped.-Answ. Satan
cannot silence Christ.-5. Improve this doctrine, to drive difficulties
down
Use Fifth.-If Christ pleads for us before God, we should plead for him
before men.-Nine considerations to that end.-The last reserve for a
dead lift
Use Sixth.-To be wary of sin against God.-Christianity teaches
ingenuity. 2 Christ is our Advocate, on free cost.-A comely conclusion
of a brute.-Three considerations added
Use Seventh.-The strong are to tell the weak of an Advocate to plead
their cause.-A word in season is good
Use Eighth.-All is nothing to them that have none to plead their
cause.-An instance of God’s terrible judgment.-Object. There is grace,
the promise, the blood of Christ; cannot these save, except Christ be
Advocate?-Answ. These, and Advocate, and all, little enough.-Christ no
Advocate for such as have no sense of, and shame for sin.-Object. Is
not Christ an Advocate for his elect uncalled?-Answ. He died, and
prayeth, for all his elect, as Priest; as Advocate, pleads for the
called only
THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST AS AN ADVOCATE.
“AND IF ANY MAN SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST
THE RIGHTEOUS.”—I JOHN 2:1.
That the apostle might obtain due regard from those to whom he wrote,
touching the things about which he wrote, he tells them that he
received not his message to them at second or third hand, but was
himself an eye and ear witness thereof—‘That which was from the
beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which
we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life,
(for the life was manifested, and we have seen _it_, and bear witness
and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was
manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard, declare we unto
you.[3] Having thus told them of his ground for what he said, he
proceeds to tell them also the matter contained in his errand—to wit,
that he brought them news of eternal life, as freely offered in the
word of the gospel to them; or rather, that that gospel which they had
received would certainly usher them in at the gates of the kingdom of
heaven, were their reception of it sincere and in truth—for, saith he,
then ‘the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth you from all
sin.’
Having thus told them of his ground for what he said, he proceeds to
tell them also the matter contained in his errand-to wit, that he
brought them news of eternal life, as freely offered in the word of the
gospel to them; or rather, that that gospel which they had received
would certainly usher them in at the gates of the kingdom of heaven,
were their reception of it sincere and in truth—for, saith he, then
“the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleanseth you from all sin.”
Having thus far told them what was his errand, he sets upon an
explication of what he had said, especially touching our being cleansed
from all sin—“Not,” saith he, “from a being of sin; for should we say
so, we should deceive ourselves,” and should prove that we have no
truth of God in us, but by cleansing, I mean a being delivered from all
sin, so as that none at all shall have the dominion over you, to bring
you down to hell; for that, for the sake of the blood of Christ, all
trespasses are forgiven you.
This done, he exhorts them to shun or fly sin, and not to consent to
the motions, workings, enticings, or allurements thereof, saying, “I
write unto you that ye sin not.” Let not forgiveness have so bad an
effect upon you as to cause you to be remiss in Christian duties, or as
to tempt you to give, way to evil. Shall we sin because we are
forgiven? or shall we not much matter what manner of lives we live,
because we are set free from the law of sin and death? God forbid. Let
grace teach us another lesson, and lay other obligations upon our
spirits. “My little children,” saith he, “these things write I unto
you, that ye sin not.” What things? Why, tidings of pardon and
salvation, and of that nearness to God, to which you are brought by the
precious blood of Christ. Now, lest also by this last exhortation he
should yet be misunderstood, he adds, “And if any man sin, we have an
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” I say, he addeth
this to prevent desponding in those weak and sensible Christians that
are so quick of feeling and of discerning the corruptions of their
natures; for these cry out continually that there is nothing that they
do but it is attended with sinful weaknesses.
Wherefore, in the words we are presented with two great truths—l. With
a supposition, that men in Christ, while in this world, may sin—, “If
any man sin;” any man; none are excluded; for all, or any one of the
all of them that Christ hath redeemed and forgiven, are incident to
sin. By “may” I mean, not a toleration, but a possibility; “For there
is not a man, not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth
not” (Eccl 7:20; 1 Kings 8:46). II. The other thing with which we are
presented is, an Advocate—, “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with
the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
Now there lieth in these two truths two things to be inquired into,
as-First, What the apostle should here mean by sin. Second, And also,
what he here doth mean by an advocate-“If any man sin, we have an
Advocate.” There is ground to inquire after the first of these,
because, though here he saith, they that sin have an advocate, yet in
the very next chapter he saith, “Such are of the devil, have not seen
God, neither know him, nor are of him.” There is ground also to inquire
after the second, because an advocate is supposed in the text to be of
use to them that sin—, “If any man sin, we have an Advocate.”
First, For the first of these—to wit, what the apostle should here mean
by sin—, “If any man sin.”
I answer, since there is a difference in the persons, there must be a
difference in the sin. That there is a difference in the persons is
showed before; one is called a child of God, the other is said to be of
the wicked one. Their sins differ also, in their degree at least; for
no child of God sins to that degree as to make himself incapable of
forgiveness; “for he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that
wicked one toucheth him not” (I John 5:18). Hence, the apostle says,
“There is a sin unto death” (v. 16). See also Matthew 12:32. Which is
the sin from which he that is born of God is kept. The sins therefore
are thus distinguished: The sins of the people of God are said to be
sins that men commit, the others are counted those which are the sins
of devils.
1. The sins of God’s people are said to be sins which men commit, and
for which they have an Advocate, though they who sin after the example
of the wicked one have none. “When a man or woman,” saith Moses, “shall
commit any sin that men commit—they shall confess their sin—and an
atonement shall be made for him” (Num 5:5-7). Mark, it is when they
commit a sin which men commit; or, as Hosea has it, when they
transgress the commandment like Adam (Hosea 6:7). Now, these are the
sins under consideration by the apostle, and to deliver us from which,
“we have an Advocate with the Father.”
2. But for the sins mentioned in the third chapter, since the persons
sinning go here under another character, they also must be of another
stamp-to wit, a making head against the person, merits, and grace of
Jesus Christ. These are the sins of devils in the world, and for these
there is no remission. These, they also that are of the wicked one
commit, and therefore sin after the similitude of Satan, and so fall
into the condemnation of the devil.
Second, But what is it for Jesus to be an Advocate for these? “If any
man sin, we have an Advocate.”
An advocate is one who pleadeth for another at any bar, or before any
court of judicature; but of this more in its place. So, then, we have
in the text a Christian, as supposed, committing sin, and a declaration
of an Advocate prepared to plead for him-“If any man sin, we have an
Advocate with the Father.”
And this leads me first to inquire into what, by these words the
apostle must, of necessity, presuppose? For making use here of the
similitude or office of an advocate, thereby to show the preservation
of the sinning Christian, he must,
1. Suppose that God, as judge, is now upon the throne of his judgment;
for an advocate is to plead at a bar, before a court of judicature.
Thus it is among men; and forasmuch as our Lord Jesus is said to be an
“Advocate with the Father,” it is clear that there is a throne of
judgment also. This the prophet Micaiah affirms, saying, “I saw the
Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him
on his right hand and on his left” (I Kings 22:19). Sitting upon a
throne for judgment; for from the Lord, as then sitting upon that
throne, proceeded that sentence against king Ahab, that he should go
and fall at Ramoth-gilead; and he did go, and did fall there, as the
award or fruit of that judgment. That is the first.
2. The text also supposeth that the saints as well as sinners are
concerned at that bar; for the apostle saith plainly that there “we
have an Advocate.” And the saints are concerned at that bar; because
they transgress as well as others, and because the law is against the
sin of saints as well as against the sins of other men. If the saints
were not capable of committing of sin, what need would they have of an
advocate (I Chron 21:3-6. I Sam 12:13,14)?4 Yea, though they did sin,
yet if they were by Christ so set free from the law as that it could by
no means take cognizance of their sins, what need would they have of an
advocate? None at all. If there be twenty places where there are
assizes kept in this land, yet if I have offended no law, what need
have I of an advocate? Especially if the judge be just, and knows me
altogether, as the God of heaven does? But here is Judge that is just;
and here is an Advocate also, an Advocate for the children, an Advocate
to plead; for an advocate as such is not of use but before a bar to
plead; therefore, here is an offence, and so a law broken by the saints
as well as others. That is the second thing.
3. As the text supposes that there is a judge, and crimes of saints, so
it supposeth that there is an accuser, one that will carefully gather
up the faults of good men, and that will plead them at this bar against
them. Hence we read of “the accuser of our brethren, that accused them
before our God day and night” (Rev 12:10-12). For Satan doth not only
tempt the godly man to sin, but, having prevailed with him, and made
him guilty, he packs away to the court, to God the judge of all; and
there addresses himself to accuse that man, and to lay to his charge
the heinousness of his offence, pleading against him the law that he
has broken, the light against which he did it, and the like. But now,
for the relief and support of such poor people, the apostle, by the
text, presents them with an advocate; that is, with one to plead for
them, while Satan pleads against them; with one that pleads for pardon,
while Satan, by accusing, seeks to pull judgment and vengeance upon our
heads. “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous.” That is the third thing.
4. As the apostle supposeth a judge, crimes, and an accuser, so he also
supposeth that those herein concerned-to wit, the sinning
children-neither can nor dare attempt to appear at this bar themselves
to plead their own cause before this Judge and against this accuser;
for if they could or durst do this, what need they have an advocate?
for an advocate is of use to them whose cause themselves neither can
nor dare appear to plead. Thus Job prayed for an advocate to plead his
cause with God (Job 16:21); and David cries out, “Enter not into
judgment with thy servant,” O God, “for in thy sight shall no man
living be justified” (Psa 143:2). Wherefore, it is evident that saints
neither can nor dare adventure to plead their cause. Alas! the Judge is
the almighty and eternal God; the law broken is the holy and perfect
rule of God, in itself a consuming fire. The sin is so odious, and a
thing so abominable, that it is enough to make all the angels blush to
hear it but so much as once mentioned in so holy a place as that is
where this great God doth sit to judge. This sin now hangs about the
neck of him that hath committed it; yea, it covereth him as doth a
mantle. The adversary is bold, cunning, and audacious, and can word a
thousand of us into an utter silence in less than half a quarter of an
hour. What, then, should the sinner, if he could come there, do at this
bar to plead? Nothing; nothing for his own advantage. But now comes in
his mercy-he has an Advocate to plead his cause-“If any man sin, we
have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” That is
the fourth thing. But again,
5. The apostle also supposeth by the text there is an aptness in
Christians when they have sinned, to forget that they “have an Advocate
with the Father”; wherefore this is written to put them in
remembrance-“If any may sin, [let him remember] we have an Advocate.”
We can think of all other things well enough-namely, that God is a just
judge, that the law is perfectly holy, that my sin is a horrible and an
abominable thing, and that I am certainly thereof accused before God by
Satan.
These things, I say, we readily think of, and forget them not. Our
conscience puts us in mind of these, our guilt puts us in mind of
these, the devil puts us in mind of these, and our reason and sense
hold the knowledge and remembrance of these close to us. All that we
forget is, that we have an Advocate, “an Advocate with the Father”-that
is, one that is appointed to take in hand in open court, before all the
angels of heaven, my cause, and to plead it by such law and arguments
as will certainly fetch me off, though I am clothed with filthy
garments; but this, I say, we are apt to forget, as Job when he said,
“O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his
neighbour!” (Job 16:21). Such an one Job had, but he had almost at this
time forgot it; as he seems to intimate also where he wisheth for a
daysman that might lay his hand upon them both (Job 9:33). But our
mercy is, we have one to plead our cause, “an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous,” who will not suffer our soul to be spilt
and spoiled before the throne, but will surely plead our cause.
6. Another thing that the apostle would have us learn from the words is
this, that to remember and to believe that Jesus Christ is an Advocate
for us when we have sinned, is the next way to support and strengthen
our faith and hope. Faith and hope are very apt to faint when our sins
in their guilt do return upon us; nor is there any more proper way to
relieve our souls than to understand that the Son of God is our
Advocate in heaven. True, Christ died for our sins as a sacrifice, and
as a priest he sprinkleth with his blood the mercyseat; ay, but here is
one that has sinned after profession of faith, that has sinned
grievously, so grievously that his sins are come up before God; yea,
are at his bar pleaded against him by the accuser of the brethren, by
the enemy of the godly. What shall he do now? Why, let him believe in
Christ. Believe, that is true; but how now must he conceive in his mind
of Christ for the encouraging of him so to do? Why, let him call to
mind that Jesus Christ is an Advocate with the Father, and as such he
meeteth the accuser at the bar of God, pleads for this man that has
sinned against this accuser, and prevaileth for ever against him. Here
now, though Satan be turned lawyer, though he accuseth, yea, though his
charge against us is true, (for suppose that we have sinned,) “yet our
Advocate is with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 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; especially if you consider,
7. That the apostle doth also 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 God’s judgment-seat, to
our joy, and the 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 supposes a
man has sinned, as any man among the godly ever did; for 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, though 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.
Further, methinks by these words the apostle seems to triumph in his
Christ, saying, My brethren, I would have you study to be holy; but if
your adversary the devil should get the advantage of you, and besmear
you with the filth of sin, you have yet, besides all that you have
heard already, “an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous,” who is as to his person, in interest with God, his wisdom
and worth, able to bring you off, to the comforting of your souls.
Let me, therefore, for a conclusion as to this, give you an exhortation
to believe, to hope, and expect, that though you have sinned, (for now
I speak to the fallen saint) that Jesus Christ will make a good end
with thee—‘Trust,’ I say, ‘in him, and he shall bring it to pass.’ I
know I put thee upon a hard and difficult task for believing and
expecting good, when my guilty conscience doth nothing but clog,
burden, and terrify me with the justice of God, the greatness of thy
sins, and the burning torments is hard and sweating work. But it must
be; the text calls for it, thy case calls for it, and thou must do it,
if thou wouldst glorify Christ; and this is the way to hasten the issue
of thy cause in hand, for believing daunts the devil, pleaseth Christ,
and will help thee beforehand to sing that song of the church, saying,
‘O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my
life’ (Lam 3:58). Yea, believe, and hear thy pleading Lord say to thee,
‘Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of
his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of
trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more
drink it again’ (Isa 51:22). I am not here discoursing of the sweetness
of Christ’s nature, but of the excellency of his offices, and of his
office of advocateship in particular, which, as a lawyer for his
client, he is to execute in the presence of God for us. Love may be
where there is no office, and so where no power is to do us good; but
now, when love and office shall meet, they will surely both combine in
Christ to do the fallen Christian good. But of his love we have treated
elsewhere; we will here discourse of the office of this loving one. And
for thy further information, let me tell thee that God thy Father
counteth that thou wilt be, when compared with his law, but a poor one
all thy days; yea, the apostle tells thee so, in that he saith there is
an Advocate provided for thee. When a father provides crutches for his
child, he doth as good as say, I count that my child will be yet
infirm; and when God shall provide an Advocate, he doth as good as say,
My people are subject to infirmities. Do not, therefore, think of
thyself above what, by plain texts, and fair inferences drawn from
Christ’s offices, thou are bound to think. What doth it bespeak
concerning thee that Christ is always a priest in heaven, and there
ever lives to make intercession for thee (Heb 7:24), but this, that
thou art at the best in thyself, yea, and in thy best exercising of all
thy graces too, but a poor, pitiful, sorry, sinful man; a man that
would, when yet most holy, be certainly cast away, did not thy high
priest take away for thee the iniquity of thy holy things. The age we
live in is a wanton age; the godly are not so humble, and low, and base
in their own eyes as they should, though their daily experience calls
for it, and the priesthood of Jesus Christ too.