2. He is our advocate, ' We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.' There are several terms by which Christ's plead- ing his merit for us, and going between us and God, are set forth, and they have all their proper use. We shall compare them with this term of an advocate. The general word is ' mediator.' Christ is a mediator both in respect of his person and office, but an advocate only in respect of his office. A mediator, as a middle person indifferently disposed between two parties, that hath a mutual interest in both parties : Job ix. 33, ' Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.' One that mindeth the concernments of both, and could value the honour of God and the sins and misery of man. A mediator in respect of all his offices, but an advocate in respect of his priestly office. A mediator, as he doth deal with God for man, and with man for God, pacifying God towards man, and bringing man to God ; but an advocate as interceding with God and pleading our cause in heaven : ' We have an advocate with the Father.' Another word is 'intercessor.' Intercession doth more of itself look like a friendly entreaty ; as Jonathan interceded for« David : 1 Sam. xix. 4, ' And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because his works have been to thee-wards very good.' And Joab for Absalom's re- turn, after he had suborned the woman of Tekoah : 2 Sam. xiv. 22, 'And Joab said. To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, 0 king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.' But advocate is verhum forense, a judicial word ; it noteth Christ's undertaking the cause of a believer in a legal and judicial way ; not to solicit our pardon, but plead it, and make it out in a judicial way. Once more, Christ is noi fair onus, a word used in the civil law, but advocatus. A patron or defender is one that under taketh to justify
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the fact, but an intercessor or advocate is one that pleadeth to prevent the punishment, that doth not defend the fault, but intercedeth for the remission of the offence.
Now in what manner this intercession is managed, and how Christ acts the part of an advocate for us, needeth a little to be cleared.
It will not be enough to say that his merit and sufferings do continue to deserve such things for us, as if his pleading were only the virtue of his merit, which figuratively may be said to plead good for his people. So the apostle telleth us, 'The blood of sprinkling doth yet speak,' Heb. xii. 24. As the blood of Abel against Cain, so his blood for us. To grant no more than this would quite overturn the great act of Christ's intercession. And yet, on the other side, it cannot be thought that he intercedeth with such gestures and verbal expressions as men use with men, or as he himself did in the days of his flesh, when he offered up prayers with strong cries and tears, Heb. v. 7, which did become the state of his humiliation, but not his glorification. These are the two extremes.
Let us now see what it is.
[1.] This intercession of his may lie conceived to consist in his appearing in heaven in our name, whereby the Son of God, being now man, presenteth himself as ready to answer for such and such sinners. His very being there in our nature speaketh his purpose in reference to this end, and God accepteth of it according to appointment : Heb. ix. 24, ' For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.' He presenteth himself as one that hath made satisfaction for our offences, hath performed his sacrifice without the camp, and bringeth blood before the mercy-seat.
[2.] It may be supposed also to include a declared willingness and desire in our behalf to have such requests granted, such sinners par- doned. This was a part of his intercession : John xvii. 24, ' Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.' ' Father, I will' He declareth this to be his will ; it was his interceding to have it accomplished. The like may be conceived in heaven. Thus far Aquinas explaineth it : Inierpellat autem pro nobis, primo, humaniiatem, quam pro nobis assumpsit, representando ; item animce suce sanctissimce desiderium, quod de salute nostra habuit, exprimendo — he intercedes for us by pre- senting his human nature, which he took for us ; and also by expressing the desire of his most holy soul for our salvation.
But is there not more? Certain it is that a proper and formal prayer is not contrary to the human nature of Christ in that glorious estate in which it now is, neither as hypostatically united to the Godhead, nor as glorified. Not the first, for that he had in via, in which he made prayers and strong cries, Heb. v. 7. Not the second ; still it is a creature, inferior to God, therefore capable of prayer. Indeed, when lie was in the form of a servant, there was more subjection than now in heaven ; but still he prayeth. Therefore —