JESUS CHRIST AS ADVOCATE – CHAPTER 5 – John Bunyan
FOR WHOM THIS OFFICE IS EXERCISED.
ISHALL come now to the third head, namely, to show you more particularly who they are that have Jesus Christ for their Advocate:
In my handling of this head, I shall show, 1. That this office of an Advocate differeth from that of a Priest, and how. 2. I shall show you how far Christ extendeth this his office of advocateship; I mean in matters concerning the people of God. And then, 3. I shall come more directly to show who they are that have Christ, for their Advocate. 1. For the first of these, That this office of Christ, as an Advocate, differeth from that of a Priest. That he is a Priest, a priest for ever, I heartily acknowledge; but that his priesthood and advocateship should be one and the same, I cannot believe.
Because, first, they differ in name. We may as well say a father (as such) is a son, or that father and son is the selfsame relation, as say a priest and an advocate, as to office, are but one and the same thing. They differ in name as much as Priest and Sacrifice do: a priest is one, and a sacrifice is another; and though Christ is Priest and Sacrifice too, yet as a priest he is not a sacrifice, nor as a sacrifice a priest.
As they differ in name, so they. differ in the nature of office. A priest is to slay a sacrifice; an advocate is to plead a cause; a priest is to offer his sacrifice, to the end that by the merit thereof he may appease; an advocate is to plead, to plead according to law; a priest is to make intercession by virtue of his sacrifice; an advocate is to plead law, because amends are made.
As they differ in name and nature, so they also differ as to their extent. The priesthood of Christ extendeth itself to the whole of God’s elect, whether called, or in their sins; but Christ, as Advocate, pleadeth only for the children.
As they differ in name, nature, and extent, so they differ as to the persons with whom they have to do. We read not any where that Christ, as Priest, has to do with the devil as an antagonist; but as an Advocate, he hath.
As they differ in these, so they differ as to the matters about which they are employed. Christ, as Priest, concerns himself with every wrong thought, and also with the least imperfection or infirmity, that attends our most holy things; but Christ, as Advocate, doth not so, as I have already showed.
So that Christ as Priest goes before, and Christ as Advocate comes after.
Christ as Priest continually intercedes; Christ as Advocate, in case of great transgressions, pleads. Christ as Priest, has need to act always; but Christ as Advocate, sometimes only. Christ as Priest acts in times of peace; but Christ as Advocate, in times of broils, turmoil’s, and sharp contentions.
Wherefore Christ as Advocate, is, as I may call him, a reserve; and his time is then to arise, to stand up and plead, when his, are clothed with some filthy sin that of late they have fallen into, as David, Joshua, or Peter. When some such thing is committed by them, as ministereth to the enemy a show of ground to question the truth of their graces; or when it is a question, and to be debated, whether it can stand with the laws of heaven, with the merits of Christ, and the honor of God, that such a one should be saved — now let an Advocate come forth, now let him have time to plead, for this is a fit occasion for the saints’ Advocate to stand up to plead for the salvation of his people. But, 2. I come next to show you how far this office of an Advocate is extended.
I hinted at this before, so now I shall be the more brief.
By this office he offers no sacrifice; he only as to matter of justice pleads the sacrifice offered.
By this office he obtains the conversion of none; he only thereby secureth the converted from the damnation which their adversary, for sins after light and profession, endeavoreth to bring them to.
By this office he prevents not temporal punishment; but by it he preserves the soul from hell.
By this office he brings in no justifying righteousness for us; he only thereby prevails to have the disposal of that brought in by himself as Priest, for the justifying of those by a new and fresh act, who had made their justification doubtful by new falls into sin. And this is plain in the history of our Joshua, ( Zechariah 3) so often mentioned before.
As Priest he hath obtained eternal redemption for us; and as Advocate, he, by law, maintains our right thereto against the devil and his angels. 3. I come now to show you who they are, that have Jesus Christ for their Advocate. And this I shall do, first, more generally, and then shall be more particular and distinct about it.
First. More generally. They are all the truly gracious — those that are the children of God by adoption. And this the text affirmeth. “I write unto you, little children, that you sin not; and if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” They are then the children by adoption that are the persons concerned in the advocateship of Jesus Christ. The priesthood of Christ extendeth itself to the whole body of the elect, but the advocateship of Christ doth not so. This is further cleared by this apostle, and that in this very text, if you consider what immediately follows: “We have an Advocate,” (says he) and he is also “the propitiation for our sins.” He is our Advocate and also our Priest. As an Advocate, ours only; but as a propitiation, not ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world: to be sure for the elect throughout the world; and they that will extend it further, let them.
And I say again, had he not intended that there should have been a straiter limit put to the advocateship of Christ than he would have us put to his priestly office, what needeth he, when he speaketh of the propitiation which relates to Christ as Priest, have added, “and not for ours only.” As an Advocate then he engageth for us that are children; and as a Priest too he hath appeased God’s wrath for our sins: but as an Advocate, his offices are confined to the children only; as a Priest he is not so. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only. The sense therefore of the apostle must, I think be this: That Christ, as a Priest, hath offered a propitiatory sacrifice for all; but as an Advocate, he pleadeth only for the children; we have an Advocate to ourselves, and he is also our Priest; but as a Priest he is not ours only, but maketh, as such, amends for all that shall be saved. The elect therefore have the Lord Jesus for their Advocate then, when they are by calling put among the children, because as Advocate he is entirely the children’s: “My little children — we have an Advocate.” Objection. 1. ‘But he also saith; “If any man sin, we have an Advocate.”
Any man that sinneth seems by the text, notwithstanding what you say, to have an Advocate with the Father.‘ Answer. By “any man,” must not be meant any of the world, nor any of the elect, but any man in faith and grace: for he still limits this term “any man,” with this restriction “we;” children, “if any man sin, we have an Advocate.” We; any man of us. And this is yet further made appear, since he saith, that it is to them he writes, not only here, but further in this chapter: “I write unto you little children — I write unto you fathers — I write unto you young men,” verses 12-14. These are the persons intended in the text. For under these three heads, are comprehended all men; for they are either children, and so men in nature; or young men, and so men in strength; or else they are fathers, and so aged and of experience. Add to this, that by “any man” the apostle intended not to enlarge himself beyond the persons that are in grace, but to supply what was wanting by the term “little children;” for since the strongest saint may have need of an Advocate, as well as the most feeble of the flock, why should the apostle leave it to be understood, as if the children, and they only, had an interest in that office? Wherefore, after he had said, “My little children, I write unto you that ye sin not;” he then adds with enlargement, “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father.” Yet the little children may well be mentioned first, since they most want the knowledge of it, are most feeble, and so by sin may be forced most frequently to act faith on Christ as Advocate. Besides, they are most ready, through temptation, to question whether they have so good a right to Christ and all his offices, as have better and more well grown saints; therefore they, in this the apostle’s salutation, are first set down. “My little children, I write unto you that ye sin not; and if any man sin, we have an Advocate,” etc. So then the children of God are they who have the Lord Jesus an Advocate for them with the Father.
Since then the children of God have Christ for their Advocate, Art thou a child? Art thou “begotten of God by his word?” James 1:18. Hast thou in thee “the Spirit of adoption?” Galatians 4:6. Canst thou in faith say, Father, Father, to God? Then is Christ thy Advocate, “now to appear in the presence of God for thee.” Hebrews 9:24.
To appear there, and to plead there, in the face of the court of heaven, for thee; to plead there against thine adversary whose accusations are dreadful, whose subtilty is great, whose malice is inconceivable, and whose rage is intolerable; to plead there before a just God, a righteous God, before whose face thou wouldst die, if thou wast to show thyself at his bar, to plead thine own cause.
But, there is a difference in children, some are bigger than some; there are children, and little children. “My little children, I write unto you.” Little children;’ some of the little children can neither say, ‘Father,’ nor so much as know that they themselves are children.
This is true in nature, and so it is in grace. Wherefore, notwithstanding what was said under the first head, it doth not follow, that if I be a child I must certainly know it, and also am able to call God, Father. Let the first then serve to poise and balance the confident ones, and let this be for the relief of those more feeble; for they that are children, whether they know it or no, have Jesus Christ for their Advocate, for Christ is assigned to be our Advocate by the Judge, by the King, by our God and Father, though we have not known it. True, at present there can come from hence to them that are thus concerned in the advocateship of Christ, but little comfort; but yet it yields them great security. They have “an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” God knows this; the devil feels this; and the children shall have the comfort of it afterwards. I say, the time is coming when they shall know, that even then, when they knew it not, they had an Advocate with the Father; an Advocate who was neither loath, afraid, nor ashamed, to plead for their defence against the proudest foe.
And will not this, when they know it, yield them comfort; doubtless it will, yea more, and of a better kind than that which flows from the knowledge that one is born to crowns and kingdoms.
Again: As he is an Advocate for the children, so he is also, as was before hinted, for the strong and experienced; for no strength in this world secureth from the rage of hell, nor can any experience, while we are here, fortify us against his assaults. There is also an incidency in the best to sin; and the bigger man, the bigger the fall; for the more hurt, the greater damage. Wherefore it is of absolute necessity that an advocate be provided for the strong as for the weak. “Any man;” he that is most holy, most reformed, most refined, and most purified, may as soon be in the dirt as the weakest Christian; and so far as I can see, Satan’s design is against them most. I am sure the greatest sins have been committed by the biggest saints; for this wayfaring man came to David’s house; and when he stood up against Israel, he provoked David to number the people. 2 Samuel 12:4,7; 1 Chronicles 21:1. Wherefore they have as much need of an Advocate as the youngest and feeblest of the flock. What a mind had he to try a fall with Peter? And how quickly did he break the neck of Judas? The like, without doubt, he had done to Peter, had not Jesus, by stepping in, prevented. As long as sin is in our flesh, there is danger. Indeed he saith of the young men, that they are strong, and that they have overcome the wicked one; but he does not say they have killed him. As long as the devil is alive, there is danger: and though a strong Christian may be too hard for, and may overcome him in one thing, he may be too hard for, yea, and may overcome him two for one afterwards. Thus he served David, and thus he served Peter, and thus he in our day has served many more. The strongest are weak, the wisest are fools, when suffered to be sifted as wheat in Satan’s sieve; yea, and have often been so proved, to the wounding of their great hearts, and the dishonor of religion.
To conclude this: God of his mercy hath sufficiently declared him Advocate, for the strongest and most sanctified, as well as for the least, weakest, and most feeble saint. “My little children, I write unto you, that ye sin not; and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Objection 2. But some may object, That what has been said as to discovering for whom Christ is an Advocate, has been too general, and, therefore, would have me come more to particulars, else they can get no comfort. Answer. Well, Inquiring soul, so I will; and, therefore, hearken to what I say. 1. Wouldst thou know whether Christ is thine Advocate or no? I ask, Hast thou entertained him so to be? When men have suits of law depending in any of the king’s courts above, they entertain their attorney or advocate to plead their cause; and so he pleads for them. I say, Hast thou entertained Jesus Christ for thy Lawyer, to plead thy cause? “Plead my cause, O Lord,” said David. Psalm 35:1. And again, “Lord, plead thou my cause. Psalm 43:1. This, therefore, is the first thing that I would propound to thee: Hast thou with David entertained him for thy Lawyer; or with good Hezekiah cried out, “O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me?” Isaiah 38:14. What sayest thou, soul? Hast thou been with him, and prayed him to plead thy cause, and cried unto him to undertake for thee?
This I call entertaining him to be thy Advocate; and I choose to follow the similitude, both because the scriptures seem to smile upon such a way of discourse, and because the question doth naturally lead me to it.
Wherefore, I ask again, Hast thou been with him? Hast thou entertained him, or desired him to plead thy cause? Question. Thou wilt say unto me, ‘How should I know that I have done so?’ Answer. I answer, Art thou sensible that thou hast an action commenced against thee in that high court of justice that is above? I say, Art thou sensible of this? For the defendants (and all God’s people are defendants) do not use to entertain their lawyers, but from knowledge that an action either is, or may be, commenced against them before the God of heaven. If thou sayest yea, then I ask, Who told thee that thou standest accused for transgression before the judgment-seat of God? I say who told thee so?
Hath the Holy Ghost, hath the word, or hath thy conscience? For nothing else, as I know of, can bring such tidings to thy soul.
Again, hast thou found a failure in all others that might have been entertained to plead thy cause! Some make their sighs, their tears, their prayers, and their reformations, their advocates; hast thou tried these, and found them wanting?
Hast thou seen thy state to be desperate, if the Lord Jesus doth not undertake to plead thy cause? For Jesus is not entertained, so long as men can make shift without him. But when it comes to this point, ‘I perish for ever, notwithstanding the help of all, if the Lord Jesus steps not in;’ then ‘Lord Jesus, good Lord Jesus, undertake for me!’
Hast thou, therefore, been with Jesus Christ as concerned in thy soul, as heartily concerned about the action that thou perceivest to be commenced against thee? Question. You will say, ‘How should I know that?’ Answer 1. I answer, Hast thou well considered the nature of the crime wherewith thou standest charged at the bar of God? Hast thou also considered the justice of the Judge? Again I ask, Hast thou considered what truth, as to matter of fact, there is in the things whereof thou standest accused? Also, hast thou considered the cunning, the malice, and diligence of thy adversary, with the greatness of the loss thou art to sustain, shouldst thou with Ahab, in the book of Kings, ( 1 Kings 22:17-23;) or with the hypocrites in Isaiah, ( Isaiah 6:1-10;) have the verdict of the Lord God go out from the throne against thee? I ask thee these questions, because if thou art not in the knowledge of these things to see, or if thou art not deeply concerned about the greatness of the damage that will certainly overtake thee, and that for ever, (shouldst thou be indeed accused before God, and have none to plead thy cause,) thou hast not, nor canst not, let what will come upon thee, have been with Jesus Christ to plead thy cause; and so, let thy case be ever so desperate, thou standest alone, and hast no helper; ( Job 30:13;) or if thou hast, they not being the advocates of God’s appointing, must needs fall with thee, and with thy burden.
Wherefore, consider this seriously, and return thy answer to God, who can tell if truth shall be found in thy answers, better by far than any; for it is he that tries the reins and the heart, and, therefore, to him I refer thee. But, 2. Wouldst thou know whether Jesus Christ is thine Advocate? Then I ask again, Hast thou revealed thy cause unto him? I say, hast thou revealed thy cause unto him? For he that goes to law for his right, must not only go to a lawyer, and say, ‘Sir, I am in trouble, and am to have a trial at law with mine enemy; pray undertake my cause;’ but he must also reveal to his lawyer his cause. He must go to him, and tell him what is the matter, how things stand, where the shoe pinches, and so.
Thus did the church of old, and thus doth every true Christian now; for though nothing can be hid from him, yet he will have things out of thy own mouth; he will have thee to reveal thy matters unto him. Matthew 20:31. “O Lord of hosts, (said Jeremiah,) that judgest righteously and triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance upon them, for unto thee have I revealed my cause.” Jeremiah 11:20.
And again, “But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them, for unto thee have I opened my cause.” Jeremiah 20:12.
Seest thou here, how saints of old were wont to do; how they not only in a general way intreat Christ to plead their cause, but in a particular way go to him and reveal or open their cause unto him?
Oh! it is excellent to behold how some sinners will do this when they get Christ and themselves in a closet alone; when they upon their knees are pouring out their souls before him; or, like the woman in the gospel, telling him all the truth. ‘O Lord,’ saith the soul, ‘I come to thee upon an earnest business. I am arrested by Satan; the bailiff was my own conscience; and I am like to be accused before the judgment-seat of God. My salvation lies at stake. I am questioned for my interest in heaven; I am afraid of the Judge; my heart condemns me. 1 John 3:20. My enemy is subtile, and wants not malice to prosecute me to death, and then to hell. Also, Lord, I am sensible that the law is against me; for, indeed, I have horribly sinned, and thus and thus have I done. Here I lie open to law, and there I lie open to law; here I have given the adversary advantage, and there he will surely have a hank against me. Lord, I am distressed; undertake for me.’
And there are some things that thou must be acquainted with about thine Advocate, before thou wilt venture to go thus far with him. As, 1. Thou must know him to be a friend, and not an enemy, to whom thou openest thy heart; and until thou comest to know that Christ is a friend to thee, or to souls in thy condition, thou wilt never reveal thy cause unto him, not thy whole cause. And it is from this that so many that have soul-causes hourly depending before the throne of God, and are in danger every day of eternal damnation, forbear to entertain Jesus Christ for their Advocate, and so wickedly conceal their matters from him. But “He that hideth his sins shall not prosper.” Proverbs 28:13.
This therefore must first be believed by thee, before thou wilt reveal thy cause unto him. 2. A man, when his estate is called in question, (I mean his right and title thereto,) will be very cautious, especially if he also questions his title to it himself, to whom he reveals that affair. He must know him to be one that is not only friendly, but faithful, to whom he reveals such a secret as this. Why, thus it is with Christ and the soul. If the soul is not somewhat persuaded of the faithfulness of Christ, namely, that if he can do him no good he will do him no harm, he will never reveal his cause unto him, but will seek to hide his counsel from the Lord. This therefore is another thing by which thou mayst know thou hast Christ for thy Advocate, if thou hast heartily and in very deed revealed thy cause unto him.
Now, they that do honestly reveal their cause to their lawyer, will endeavor to possess him, as I hinted before, with the worst; they will with words make it as bad as they can; for (think they) ‘By that means I shall prepare him for the worst that my enemy can do.’ And thus souls deal with Jesus Christ. See Psalms 51 and Psalms 38 with several others that might be named, and see if God’s people have not done so. “I said,” saith David, “that I would confess my transgressions against myself, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” But, 3. Hast thou Jesus Christ for thy Advocate? or wouldst thou know if thou hast? Then I ask again, Hast thou committed thy cause to him? When a man retains his lawyer to stand for him and plead his cause, he doth not only reveal, but commits his cause to him. “I would seek unto him (says Eliphaz to Job,)and unto him would I commit my cause.” Job 5:8. Now there is a difference betwixt revealing my cause and committing it to a man. To reveal my cause, is to open it to one; and to commit it to him, is to trust it in his hand. Many a man will reveal his cause to him unto whom he will yet be afraid to commit it; but he that retains a lawyer to plead his cause, doth not only reveal, but commit his cause unto him. As, suppose the right to his estate was called in question, why then he not only reveals his cause to his lawyer, but puts into his hands his evidences, deeds, leases, mortgages, bonds, or what else he hath, to show a title to his estate. And thus do Christians deal with Christ. They deliver up all to him, namely, all their evidences, promises, and assurances, which they have thought they had for heaven and the salvation of their souls, and desire him to peruse, to search and try them every one. <19D923> Psalm 139:23. “And see if there be any iniquity in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” This is committing thy cause to Christ; and this is the hardest task of all. For the man that doth thus, trusteth Christ with all; and it implieth, that he will live or die, stand or fall, lose or win, according as Christ manages the business. Thus did Paul, ( 1 Timothy 1:12,) and thus Peter admonishes us to do.
Now he that doth this must be convinced, 1. Of the ability of Jesus Christ to defend him. For a man will not commit so great a concern as his all is, to his friend; no; not to his friend, be he ever so faithful, if he perceives not in him ability to save him, and to preserve what he hath against all the cavils of an enemy.
And hence it is that the ability of Jesus Christ, as to the saving of his people, is so much insisted on in the scripture; as, “I have laid help on one that is mighty;” ( Psalm 89:19.) “I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save,” ( Isaiah 63:1;) and again, “I will send them a Savior and a great one.” Isaiah 19:20. 2. As they must be convinced of his ability to help them, so they must, of his courage. A man that has parts sufficient, may yet fail his friend for want of courage. Wherefore the courage and greatness of Christ’s spirit, as to the undertaking of the cause of his people, is also amply set out in Scripture; “He shall not fail, nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth; until he hath brought judgment to victory.” Isaiah 42:4; Matthew 12:20. 3. They must also be convinced of his willingness to do this for them.
For though one be able, and of courage sufficient, yet if he is not willing to undertake one’s cause, what is it the better? Wherefore he declareth his willingness also, and how ready he is to stand up to plead the cause of the poor, and them that are in want. “The Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.” Proverbs 22:23.
They must also be convinced of this, that Christ is tender, and will not be offended at the dullness of his client. Some men can reveal their cause to their lawyers better than some others, and are more serviceable and handy in that affair than others. But, saith the Christian, ‘I am dull and stupid that way; will not Christ be very shy of me because of this?’ Honest heart! he hath a supply for thy defects in himself; and knoweth what thou wantest, and where the shoe pinches, though thou art not able distinctly to open matters to him. The child is pricked with a pin, and lies crying in the mother’s lap, but cannot show its mother where the pin is. But there is pity enough in the mother to supply this defect of the child. Wherefore she undresses it, opens it, searches every clout from head to foot of the child, and thus finds where the pin is. Thus will thy lawyer do; he will search and find out thy difficulties; and where Satan seeketh an advantage over thee, accordingly will provide his remedy. Question. ‘O but will he not be weary? The prophet complains of some, that they weary God, ( Isaiah 7:13;) and mine is a very cross and intricate cause. I have wearied many a good man while I have been telling my tale to him, and I am afraid I shall also weary Jesus Christ.‘ Answer. Soul, he suffered and did bear with the manners of Israel forty years in the wilderness, ( Acts 13:18,) and hast thou tried him half so long? The good souls that have gone before, thee have found him a tried stone, a sure one to be depended on as to this. And the prophet saith positively, that he fainteth not, neither is weary; and that there is no searching of his understanding. Isaiah 40:28. Let all these things prevail with thee to believe, that if thou hast committed thy cause unto him, he will bring it to pass, to a good pass; to so good a pass as will glorify God, honor Christ, save thee, and shame the devil. 4. Wouldst thou know whether Jesus Christ is thine Advocate, whether he has taken in hand to plead thy cause? Then I ask, Dost thou (together with what has been mentioned before) wait upon him according to his counsel, till things shall come to a legal issue? Thus must clients do. There are a great many turnings and windings about suits and trials at law: the enemy also, with his supersedeas, cavils, and motions, often defers a speedy issue; wherefore the man whose the concern is, must wait. As the prophet said, “I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation.” But how long, Prophet, wilt thou wait? Why, says he, “until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me.” Micah 7:7-10.
Perhaps, when thy cause is tried, things for the present are upon this issue; — thy adversary indeed is cast, but whether thou shalt have an absolute discharge, as Peter had, or a conditional one, as David, and as the Corinthians had, that is the question. 2 Samuel 12:10,11,14; Corinthians 11:27-32. True, thou shalt be completely saved at last; — but yet, whether is it not best to leave thee a memento of God’s displeasure at thy sin, by awarding that the sword shall never depart from thy house; or that some sore sickness or other distresses shall haunt thee as long as thou livest; or perhaps that thou shalt walk without the light of God’s countenance for several years and a day. Now, if any of these three things happen to thee, thou must exercise patience, and wait. Thus did David, “I waited patiently;” and again, he exercises his soul in this virtue, saying, “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” Psalm 62:5.
For now “we are judged of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.” And by this judgment, though it sets us free from their damnation, yet we are involved in many troubles, and perhaps must wait many a day before we can know that (as to the main) the verdict hath gone on our side. Thus, therefore, in order to thy waiting on him without fainting, it is meet that thou shouldst know the methods of him that manages thy cause for thee in heaven; and suffer not distrust to break in and bear sway in thy soul, “for he will at length bring thee forth to light, and thou shalt behold his righteousness. She also that is thine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her that said unto thee, Where is thy God?” Objection. ‘But what is it to wait upon him according to his counsel?’ Answer. 1. To wait, is to be of good courage, to live in expectation, and to look for deliverance, though thou hast sinned against thy God. “Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14. 2. To wait upon him, is to keep his way, to walk humbly in his appointments. “Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land.” Psalm 37:34. 3. To wait upon him, is to observe and keep those directions which he giveth thee to observe, even while he stands up to plead thy cause; for without doing this a man may mar his cause in the hand of him that is to plead it. Wherefore keep far from an evil matter, have no correspondence with thy enemy, walk humbly for the wickedness thou hast committed, and loathe and abhor thyself for it in dust and ashes. To these things doth the Scripture every where direct us. 4. To wait, is to incline to hearken to those further directions thou mayest receive, from the mouth of thine Advocate, as to any fresh matters that may forward and expedite a good issue of thy affair in the court of heaven.
The want of this was the reason that the deliverance of Israel did linger so long. “O (says he) that my people had hearkened to me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned mine hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord should soon have submitted themselves; but their time should have endured for ever.” Psalm 81:13-15. 5. Also, if it tarry long, wait for it. Do not conclude that thy cause is lost, because at present thou dost not hear from court. Cry if thou wilt, ‘O when wilt thou come unto me?’ but never let such a wicked thought pass through thy heart, as to say, “This evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer.” 2 Kings 6:33. 6. But take heed that thou turn not thy waiting into sleeping. Wait thou must, and wait patiently too; but yet wait with much longing and earnestness of spirit, to see or hear how matters go above. You may observe, that when a man that dwells far down in the country, and has some business at the term, in this or another of the king’s courts, though he will wait his lawyer’s time and convenience, yet he will so wait, as still to inquire at the post-office, or at the carrier’s, or if a neighbor comes down from term, at his mouth, for letters, or any other intelligence, that he may know how his cause went, whether he or his adversary had the better. Thus thou must wait upon thy Advocate. His ordinances are his post-office, his ministers his carriers, where tidings from heaven are to be had, and where those that are to be sued in that court by the devil may, at one time or other, hear from their Lawyer or Advocate, how things are likely to go.
Wherefore, I say, wait at the posts of Wisdom’s house; go to ordinances with expectation to hear from thy Advocate there; for he will send in due time. “Though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:1-3.
And now, soul, I have answered thy request; and let me hear what thou sayst unto me. Soul. ‘Truly,’ says the soul,’ by what you have said, methinks I may have this blessed Jesus to be my Advocate; for I think verily I have retained him to be my Advocate; I have also revealed my cause unto him, yea, committed both it and myself unto him; and, as you say, I wait, Oh! I wait! and my eyes fail with looking upward. Fain would I hear how my soul standeth in the sight of God, and whether my sins (which I have committed since light and grace were given unto me) be by my Advocate taken out of the hand of the devil, and by my Advocate removed as far from me as the ends of the earth are asunder; whether the verdict has gone on my side, and what a shout there was among the angels when they saw it went well with me! But alas! I have waited, and that a long time, and have, as you advise, run from ordinance to minister, and from minister to ordinance, or (as your phrase is) from the post to the carrier, and from the carrier to the postoffice, to see if I could hear aught from heaven, how matters went about my soul there. I have also asked those that pass by the way, if they saw him whom my soul loveth, and if they had any thing to communicate to me?
But nothing can I get or find but generals; as that I have an Advocate there, and that he pleadeth the cause of his people, and that he will thoroughly plead their cause; but what he has done for me, of that as yet I am ignorant. I doubt if my soul shall by him be effectually secured; or if it be, I fear that yet a conditional verdict will be awarded concerning me, that much bitter will be mixed with my sweet, and that I must drink gall and wormwood for my folly. For if David, Asa, Hezekiah, and such good men, were so served for their sins; why should I look for other dealing at the hand of God! But as to this, I will endeavor to bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, and shall count it an infinite mercy, if this judgment comes to me from him, that I may not be condemned with the world, Isaiah 39:3,8; 1 Corinthians 11:32. I know it is dreadful walking in darkness; but if that also should be the Lord’s lot upon me, I pray God I may have faith enough to stay upon him till death; for then will the clouds blow over, and I shall see him in the light of the living. ‘My enemy the devil, as you see, is of an inveigling temper; and though he has accused me before the judgment-seat of God, yet when he comes to me at any time, he glavers and flatters as if he never did mean me harm; but I think it is that he may get further advantage against me. So I carry it now at a greater distance than formerly; and O that I was at the remotest distance, not only from him, but also from that self of mine, that laboreth with him for my undoing! ‘But although I say these things now, and to you, yet I have my solitary hours, and in them I have other strange thoughts. For thus I think, — My cause is bad. I have sinned, and have been vile. I am ashamed myself of mine own doings, and have given mine enemy the best end of the staff. The law, and reason, and my conscience, plead for him against me, and all is true he puts into his charge against me, that I have sinned more times than there be hairs on my head. I know not any thing that ever I did in my life, but it had flaw, or wrinkle, or spot, or some such thing in it. Mine eyes have seen vileness in the best of my doings; what then, think you, must God needs see in them? Nor can I do any thing yet, (for all I know that I am accused by my enemy before the judgment-seat of God,) better than what already is imperfect. “I lie down in my shame, and my confusion covers me. I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men!” Jeremiah 3:24,25; Job 7:20. Reply. Well, soul, I have heard what thou hast said; and if all be true which thou hast said, it is good, and gives me ground of hope, that Jesus Christ is become thine Advocate; and if that be so, no doubt but thy trial will come to a good conclusion. And be not afraid, before that, of the holiness of God; for thine Advocate has this for his advantage, that he pleads before a Judge that is just, and against an enemy that is unholy and rejected. Nor let the thoughts of the badness of thy cause terrify thee over much. Cause thou hast indeed to be humble, and thou dost well to cover thy face with shame; and it is no matter how base and vile thou art in thine own eyes, provided it comes not by renewed acts of rebellion, but through a spiritual sight of thy imperfections. Only let me advise thee here to stop. Let not thy shame, nor thy self-abasing apprehension of thyself, drive thee from the firm and permanent ground of hope, which is the promise, and the doctrine of an Advocate with the Father. No; let not the apprehension of the badness of thy cause do it, forasmuch as he did never yet take cause in hand that was good, perfectly good, of itself; and his excellency is, to make a man stand that has a bad cause; yea, he can make a bad cause good, in a way of justice and righteousness!