Sermon 67

_Isaiah 53:12. Verse 12._—And made intercession for the transgressors.

O! That sinners were seriously considering how much they are obliged to Christ; He has in the former words poured out his soul to death, for sinners, and was wounded for transgressors, and yet that was not all, though sin was our Lord's death, he has not cast out with sinners, but having gotten the victory over all enemies, and sat down at the right hand of God; He makes intercession, and to make it the more full; It's said, He makes intercession for transgressors: All his offices have an eye to sin, and sinners, and this part of his office among others.

We began to speak of a use of comfort that flows from this; and truly, if any doctrine be comfortable this is; That sinners have an Advocate with the Father; what would sinners do, when their peace is broken, and there is a door shut between God and them, and his back is turned on them, and the conscience is wakened, and they cannot think on God but it's troublesome to them, if they had not a friend in Court, with whom the Father cannot but be well pleased?

This consolation being a main part of the use of this doctrine, and the ground of believers' boldness with God: In the following of it forth, we proposed five things to be spoken to. 1. To show the largeness and extent of the consolation that flows from this ground, and of this we spoke. 2. The particular advantages that the Scripture attributes to Christ's intercession, and the consolation that is in them. 3. The particular times, when especially believers are called to make use of this consolation. 4. Some grounds warranting them to make use of it. and 5. Some caveats, or advisements to them that would warrantably comfort themselves from it.

To proceed now, and to speak to these last four things. 1. The particular advantages that the Scriptures attribute to Christ's intercession, and if we look through them, we will find that there is nothing, that may be useful to a believer, either as to a particular or public mercy, but it's knit to Christ's intercession.

1. For private mercies. 1. Look to the beginning and growth of our spiritual life, and to the pouring out of the Spirit, it is made the fruit of Christ's intercession (John 14:16): "I will pray the Father, and he shall send the Comforter"; and (John 16): "If I go not away the Comforter will not come." This is the consolation of a believer laboring under deadness of spirit, barrenness, and unfruitfulness — that the pouring out of the Spirit is a remedy of that, and the pouring out of the Spirit is a fruit of Christ's intercession. It is this that procures the first conviction of the Spirit to an elect lying in nature; it is this that continues their convictions, and procures the Spirit's quickening of them (John 16:8). If it should then be asked, how a person lying in black nature gets any good? it is answered, that it is Christ's intercession that does the work. 2. [reconstructed: It is from Christ's intercession that we are] kept from many [illegible], or when they assault, that they prevail not utterly over us. The Devil lies always at the way and we are often secure; but our Lord Jesus, (to say so) [reconstructed: watches] in the store, or rebound of the temptation, and [illegible] it off as to the designed prejudice (Luke 22:32): "Simon, Simon, Satan has desired that he may have you, that he may winnow you, but I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not." There are many temptations that he keeps off, that they beat not on us, and when they assault us, he breaks the power of them, that the believer succumbs not under them. Hence it is, that we are kept on our feet — otherwise what would become of us? When David fell in adultery, and Peter denied his Master, what would have become of them, had it not been for this? There would be no living for us, in the multitude of temptations, if he were not interceding for us. What could we foresee of Satan's snares? What strength have weak and witless we to resist temptations? What could we do with the spear of corruption, when it rises like a flood upon us, and Satan enforces his assaults upon us, as if he were speaking with man's voice, or mouth, bidding us do this and that? But there is an Intercessor that pleads our cause. 3. We have by this intercession the preventing of many judgments temporal and spiritual. When the ax is laid to the root of the tree, and it is found barren and justice cries and the command comes out: "Cut it down, why cumbers it the ground?" — how comes it, that the ax strikes not? Why is it not hewed down? There is an efficacy in Christ's intercession for sparing it a while longer, as it is (Luke 13:6): the dresser of the vineyard says, "Spare it for this year"; and it is granted. O but we would have a most sinful and miserable life, if there were not an Intercessor at God's right hand. 4. Disposition for duty, and help in the performance of duty flows from his intercession. It is this that makes us pray, and that gives us boldness in prayer, and in other duties, that there is such a high Priest over the house of God, as it is (Hebrews 10:19-21). It is this that gives us ground of approaching to God, and to expect a hearing; and as it is (Luke 13:7-8), it is his digging and pains that makes the barren fig tree fruitful. 5. It flows from this, that our prayers are heard, though there be much infirmity in them; and that they are not cast back in our faces as dung, but are made savory to God — it is through the efficacy of his intercession. We have a type of this (Revelation 8:4-5), where John sees an Angel come and stand at the Altar, having a golden censer, and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer it up, with the prayers of all saints, and the smoke of the incense which came up, with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God. It was savory and acceptable to God and made the prayers of all saints acceptable, for the weight of God's accepting their prayers is laid on the smoke of his incense. It is he that takes the [illegible] and half-formed prayers of his people, and presents them to God; and when they would be cast back, as the supplication of an enemy, he as great Master of Requests through the acceptance that he has with God, makes them acceptable. We should have no ground to pray with confidence, nor acceptance to be heard, if there were not a golden censer in his hand. 6. We have from his intercession, an answer to all challenges. There is much debt on our score, the law pursues hard, and curses us for our habitual enmity, and all the particular acts of it — and his intercession is the last defense, on which the triumph of faith rises, by the other steps (Romans 8:33): "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" Is it because they want a charge? No, for there is the Devil, the law, and the conscience to charge them. But it is God that justifies — who shall condemn? It is Christ that died, yes, rather is risen again, who is at the right hand of God, and makes intercession for us. We have a high Priest there, that has paid our debt, and pleads that the application of his purchase may be made forthcoming; and who, I pray, will lay any thing to our charge in that court, where God is judge, and Christ is advocate? 7. More particularly, our Lord, by his intercession, takes away the guilt of our holy things, for when we approach to God in worship, there is a carnalness, and pollutedness in the best things we do, much irreverence, much unbelief, much want of humility, zeal, sincerity, and tenderness; so that all our righteousnesses are but as filthy rags. But the high Priest (Exodus 28:38) has on his forehead, "Holiness to the Lord"; and his office is, to bear the iniquity of the holy things of the children of Israel, that they may be accepted before the Lord. And in this he was a type of Christ the great high Priest going in to Heaven, to make intercession for his people; who bears not only their iniquities, but the iniquity of their holy things. Aaron answers for them, as the type; our Lord Jesus as the antitype — he being eminently holiness to the Lord, and having holiness on his forehead, and being so well pleasing to the Father. However our prayers, and praises, and other parts of service, be but little worth, yet he makes them acceptable, and procures that they be not rejected, when he is, for this end, employed and made use of. 8. We will find that strength to bear through under a cross, and a good outgate from under the cross comes from him as Intercessor. O, so attentive as he is, when his own are under the cross; his bowels are then moved, though not as they were on earth, yet certainly they want not their own holy motion, suitable to the glorious estate to which he is exalted. Therefore (Acts 9) he cries from Heaven, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" And Stephen, when being stoned to death, sees him standing at the right hand of God, executing this part of his priestly office. One part of which is to keep off a cross, and another part of which is to help to get it honorably borne, and to a victory over it. 9. Our perseverance in the faith, and perfect glorification is a fruit of Christ's intercession, so that his own cannot but persevere and be glorified, because he intercedes for them. This is what is spoken to several times (John 17), especially verses 15 and 24. In verse 15: "I pray for them that they may be kept from the evil" — he prays for them, that they may be kept from the evil of sin especially; he prays for them that they may be kept, that they fall not from the truth. And verse 24: "Father, I will that these whom you have given me, be where I am, to behold my glory." That longing and effectual desire and will of his, presented by him in heaven, is continuing still effectual for all the saints in the church militant. There is ground of quietness, and comfort from his intercession; and by virtue of it to have hope, that not only present but coming snares and temptations shall not prevail. Therefore the Apostle (Romans 8:38), to his speaking of Christ's intercession, subjoins his highest triumph: "I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, principalities, nor powers, things present nor things to come" — and because it is impossible to number all things — he says, "nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Now, if all these be put together, beside many more, that may be gathered from Scripture, what wants a believer for his own private and particular consolation, which this one word — that Christ is an Intercessor — does not answer?

But 2. There is not only consolation for a believer's particular condition from this ground, but also in reference to the public case of God's Church: There are four things especially, that seem very heavy to the Church, and public work of God; in reference to all which we will find consolation from this ground. The 1. is the fear of a scarcity, or weakness of the public ministry; that being the great gift which he has given, for the edifying of his body, and it being a prejudice to the Church, when she has not pastors, according to God's own heart: But compare Psalm 68:18 with Ephesians 4:8, 12-14, and we will find that his intercession answers that fear; In the Psalm, it is said, You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive, you have received gifts for men; which supposes his seeking of or making suit for them; or as the word is, you have received gifts in the man, that is, being in our nature, he procured them: And, Ephesians 4, it is said, he gave gifts to men; and compare these two places with a third; to wit, Acts 1:4, where he bids his apostles tarry at Jerusalem till he send the promised Spirit; and immediately, after his ascension, as it is, Acts 2, he poured it out, which abode on them, in the likeness of cloven tongues of fire: It is likewise said, John 11:39, that the Spirit was not given, for Jesus was not yet glorified; All which show an influence that Christ's ascension has on the pouring out of the Spirit, and on the gifts given to men, whether ministers, or others. There is nothing among men readily less cared for, than a ministry; some would have none at all; others would have them of such a stamp, as would please and humor them; But our Lord has received gifts to give to men; And he that poured out such gifts on the apostles and others, has what gifts he pleases, and sees needful for his Church's edification yet to give; And that he gives such gifts to men, that his people are not praying much for, from where is it, but from his intercession? Therefore, Revelation 1, we will find that he delights in this property, as a piece of his spiritual state, and grand honor, that he holds the stars in his right hand: such is his respect to them, and his it is to dispose of them. 2. It is a greatly exercising difficulty to the Church of God; to think of the mighty opposition that is made by enemies: Mahomet, heathens, Antichrist, false brethren, threatening to swallow up the little flock, the Church of Christ, which is like a bush burning with fire, and not consumed: But for this there is a consolation in Christ's intercession; according to that word, Hebrews 10:13, he sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting, till his enemies be made his footstool; He has this for his suit at the Father's bar, and is backing it; upon this it followed, and as a fruit of it, that all the first persecutions were broken; On this it has come to pass, that Antichrist's kingdom is tottering; and it is on this ground, that his bearing down, and utter breaking will be accomplished; Hence it is most emphatically said, 1 Corinthians 15:24, that he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet: According to the promise made by Jehovah to him (Psalm 110:1), The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool. He cannot be an intercessor, but his enemies must down; For who, I pray, will be able to stand, when he gives in his complaint against them? who will plead Antichrist's, and other persecutors' cause when he appears against them? And he is so certain of his enemies being made his footstool, that he is waiting till he see it done; he must reign till then, despite all the malice and might of devils, and men.

3. It's a difficulty to the Church and people of God, to think on such great confusions as are in the world; there are but few judicatories that are for Christ; but few governors higher or lower that do consult his honor or regard him; It's others that have the throne and court, and the guiding of things, their friends and favorers of his interest, for most part; But here the consolation lies; that there is a court in heaven that gives out orders, where the Church has an agent constantly lying; where the Devil and the world has none: Jesus Christ is the Church's agent, and Intercessor there: Daniel 10:13 has a word to this purpose; The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael the chief prince came to help me: And verse 21, There is none in all the court of Persia that holds with me in these things, but Michael your Prince: The great Intercessor was at court, looking that nothing went wrong, seeing that no decree were passed to the prejudice of the people of God, and his work; in the time when they were building the temple, He, (Zechariah 6:13) is said to build the temple of the Lord, to bear the glory, and to be a Priest, sitting and ruling on his throne; having the government committed to him; what hazard then is there here, when heaven guides all, when the Church has an agent at the court to see (as I said) that nothing go wrong, when Michael the Prince is there, and sees all the acts and decrees of the court, and reads them, yea draws them, and looks well that there be nothing in them hurtful to his Church: And, O! may we not, and should we not thank God for this? 4. A fourth thing that troubles the Church of God, is the abounding of offenses in herself, and the spreading of error, which like a flood threatens to drown the Church; and great stormy winds come, that are like to blow down the house of God; offenses and stumblings abound; and error which (I just now said) as a flood is like to drown all, when the Devil is put from the throne, and gets not violence [reconstructed: enacted], he turns about, and falls on another way, and opens out this flood of error, to devour the woman and her child; But our Lord has a voice here also: After the persecution of the heathens is over, (Revelation 7:1-2) John sees an angel ascending from the east, the great Lord Keeper, or Chancellor of the Father's council; the supreme deputy over all under officers, that has the keeping of the great seal of the living God, and there is nothing relevant, nor valid till it be sealed by him; And mark the time when he appears: It's when the winds are held, and ready to blow, as verse 1, but he cries with a loud voice, Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of God in the foreheads: Stay, says he, a little; before these winds blow, that will take the most part off their feet, before that delusion go forward, there are some servants of God that must be marked; and put without the reach of the hazard; and then the wind shall get leave to blow: what reason then of anxiety is there, or could be here, if the solid, and lively faith of this Intercessor, and Advocate, his being in heaven, and thus interceding, were in our hearts?

Secondly, as to the particular times and occasions when the people of God should more especially make use of this ground of consolation, and comfort themselves in it — (I speak not of Christ's Intercession simply, but of the consolation that flows from it) — first, in their most languid and lifeless conditions; when the body of death comes in on them, like a wave of the sea, and is ready as it were to drown them; they ought to comfort themselves in this, that they have an intercessor that can rebuke that. When temptation is violent, and a person fears he is undone, he has a grip here to hold himself by: Jesus Christ is intercessor; he prays that my graces fail not; that my faith and patience be not undone; that the Devil get not his will of me. The man would be desperate, if he were not in heaven and interceding; but he gathers confidence from this ground, and says, I shall not die, but live, and see the salvation of God. For he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. And therefore, although I cannot win out of the grips of this temptation, yet he can rebuke it, and break the force of it. And hence is that comfortable word (Hebrews 2, last verse): "For that he himself suffered, and was tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." Sometimes it will not meet with a believer's condition, that Christ suffered, but this does; when he comes on and finds that he was tempted. It is true, there was no corruption in him, and temptations had no sinful influence on him, and the more comfort to us; he is the stronger to overcome in us. Yet he was set on and assaulted by the temptation, he was tempted, and that is a consolation. When Joshua the high Priest is in his duty (Zechariah 3), and the Devil is at his right hand to resist him and mar him in it, and he can do or say little himself, he asserts his authority against the Devil marring his servant in his work. A great consolation it is, when the temptation is strong and we weak; when the Devil is violent and we are despairing to resist him; that there is a high Priest at hand whose office is to do it. A second time is, when challenges are very fresh, when the charge of one's debt given in is long and large, and the law is severe in exacting, and justice in pressing hard, and the conscience cannot deny nor resist; and the man has nothing to pay his debt, and he is like to be dragged to the prison, and there is none to undertake for him. There comes in that word (1 John 2:1-2): "I write these things to you, that you sin not — I give not a dispensation to sin — but if any [reconstructed: man] sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." And this is the ground of Paul's triumph so often mentioned (Romans 8:34): "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies," etc. Though the charge should be given in, what is the matter — there is a way to be freed of it; there is an Advocate at the right hand of God in heaven, who became guarantor for and paid the elect's debt, and is now interceding for them. And who can lose the cause when he pleads it? And here he quiets and comforts himself, giving a defiance to challenges and all that can be charged against him. A third time and occasion is, under a cross-condition, when Christians have the world in their tops, and there is confusion in public things, and there is darkness and indistinctness in our private condition — it ought to comfort us that we have an Advocate in heaven, who pleads our cause and will not despise the suit of the poor and needy. A fourth time is, when we ourselves cannot intercede for ourselves, when we pray but our prayers are much mangled and little worth, and we think shame to look upon them. We would then look on what account our prayers are put up — if on the account of Christ's Intercession, a sigh, a groan, a broken word, no — a breathing will be accepted; the Intercessor has his own incense to perfume it with, and it is accepted on the weight that it has from him. And though our prayer be but as the shadow of a prayer, if there be honesty in it, it is a comfort — it will be accepted on that account. "Whatever you shall ask the Father, in my name I will do." And (Revelation 8) he accepts the prayers of all saints, the weakest as well as the best; for the best goes not up but by his censer and incense, and the weakest goes up that same way. And there is in some respect no distinction of believers, and of their fervent or not fervent prayers there, if honest; the fervor of Christ's Intercession and the favor of his incense makes all go up and be accepted. Because the reason of God's hearing of our prayers is not in us — else he should hear none of them — but it is in his intercession, which is of equal worth and extent to all honest prayers of sound believers. He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through him, though there be no ability nor worth in themselves, because he lives forever to make intercession for them; but the two last things will clear this yet more.

Thirdly, though this may seem strange; yet it is true, if we consider the grounds warranting us to make use of his intercession, and to draw this consolation from it. And they are four. 1. That his intercession supposes a defect in us, a libel and charge given in against us; else what needed we to have an advocate and intercessor? If our plea were just and good as from ourselves we needed not one to undertake for us; the Judge would absolve us, but the defects that are in us give access to this part of his office; which supposes us to have infirmities, else we needed not a high priest, if we were like Adam in his innocence, for he needed not an intercessor. And therefore in the text, it is for the transgressors that he makes intercession; and (1 John 2:2): If any man sin, we have an advocate, etc. 2. All the weight of Christ's intercession, and the grounds on which he pleads, are in himself; and therefore none need to stand back, because there is nothing in themselves. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation; Christ has in him a fullness to pay the debt himself, and he pleads on that, and on nothing in the creature. He says not, let them be pardoned, because they have not sinned, nor because they have such and such qualifications, but because I have been a propitiation for them, I have paid their debt. Therefore he is called the righteous, because he has reason for that which he seeks. He has paid for what he seeks, and therefore it cannot but be granted. 3. There is a freedom in the application of all; the application is free grace every way, and that is clear from the parable of the barren fig tree. What could the tree say, when justice pleaded it should be cut down? There is nothing in it to procure a delay; but the Gardener stands up and bids spare it, and he will take pains on it, and apply what is needful. Causes are not here cast back, because the party is poor, nor because he has much debt on his score. No, if any man sin he has an advocate; the thing is obtained without money, and without price. Would you then have a priest that suits you well? You shall have him, and have him freely; if you employ him to undertake for you, he will do it freely, and it is his honor so to do. 4. It is free and effectual; it cannot miscarry; for who pleads? Is it not the Son? Before whom does he plead? It is before his own Father, who hears him always. For whom does he plead? It is for them who are the Father's own elect, and his also; yours they were, and you gave them to me; and all mine are yours, and yours are mine. It is for them whom the Father loves as well as he. What does he seek and plead for? For that which is covenanted; and he pleads for it, according to the terms of the covenant. Therefore it is sure, that though heaven and earth may be mixed and overturned, yet none can loosen a link here. It is impossible, but what he intercedes for, he must obtain; and for whom he intercedes, he prevails, and that is for all that employ him.

Fourthly, for advertisement, or caveat; it may be asked here, may all comfort themselves in Christ's intercession? Some will think that were good, but in truth it would make the consolation of all unsure. Therefore there are four qualifications of a person that may, and only may, warrantably take the consolation of which we have spoken. 1. It is a person that has betaken himself to Christ's satisfaction; for there are two parts of the priestly office, his satisfaction and his intercession, and there is no dividing of them; nor making use of them, but in the right order: first he satisfies, and then he intercedes; and he must be taken, and made use of in this order. 1. In his satisfaction to divine justice, and it is on this ground that we must found our righteousness, and plead for absolution, and whoever has [reconstructed: taken] this [reconstructed: benefit] of his satisfaction may [reconstructed: comfort] themselves in his [reconstructed: intercession, grounded] on his satisfaction (1 John [illegible]); he intercedes for these — he is a [reconstructed: propitiation], and he is a propitiation for all who by [reconstructed: faith] have betaken themselves to him. This is the very hinge of our consolation, [reconstructed: agreeing] to take with our debt, and to betake [reconstructed: our] selves to him, according to the [reconstructed: gospel], trusting for salvation on that ground. [reconstructed: 2]. It is these who are essaying and practicing themselves in the duties of holiness, wrestling with a body of death, and exercising themselves to godliness, that they may warrantably comfort themselves in Christ's intercession; as Paul, who, in Romans 7, being put to it in the conflict with his corruption, comforts himself thus: I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Though they be sorely harassed with a corrupt nature, yet they may expect a way out, through virtue of his intercession. Therefore, in Revelation 8, Christ's incense (as I have often said) and the saints' prayers go, and go up, together. Laziness and security has not this consolation, but if a person be praying, and be serious though weak in it, he has an Advocate, who, when it comes to be asked, what shall be thought of such a one's sacrifice? — pleads that it may be accepted. 3. It is the person that not only is aiming and attempting to do duty; but is denied to it, laying no weight on it, despairing ever to get victory over corruption in his own strength, or to come by the hearing of his prayers through any worth that is in them, and not daring to step forward alone; but leaving all he does at Christ's feet, to make it acceptable. Which leads to the fourth thing requisite, namely, when persons, whether their doing and duties be of worth or not, Jesus Christ is made by them the upshot of all; they lay weight on him to get them done; and to get them accepted when they are done; and without him all would be desperate in their esteem. This was typified in the people's giving the sacrifices to the priest to be offered, and though it were but two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, they were brought to the priest, as well as other sacrifices. But such as consider not the enmity and sinfulness that is in themselves, and venture to step into God without him, cannot lay claim to this consolation; which runs always on this ground: Hebrews 7:25: He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. Is there not then ground of consolation here? And such as there is reason to bestow a preaching upon it, to teach us how to clear ourselves in it, and make use of it, and how to cheer ourselves in it. You that exclude yourselves from this consolation — O, but you spoil and mar a good life to yourselves; and hazard your own cause, that will most certainly go against you; because you put it not in the right hand. Which the Lord give you wisdom to amend; and give us all the right use of this through Jesus Christ.