Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to winnow you as wheate, but I have prayed for thee, Luk. 22. 31, 32. As the high PriestExod. 28.21. went into the Sanctuary with the names of the twelve Tribes upon his breast: So Christ entred into the holiest of all with our persons in our behalfe, and doth carry all his people upon his breast, and presents his desires unto his Father for them.
It is also heavenly and glorious: for our Saviour doth not fall upon his knees or prostrate himselfe before his Father, as in the daies of his humiliation: for that is not agreeable to that glory he hath received, and to which he is exalted: but after a manner befitting his glory, doth present his good will and pleasure to his Father, that he may thereunto put his seale and consent. It is a praying not out of private charity, as the Saints pray one for another in this life, but out of publike office of mediation, by a publike person set up, not only to pray for the Church in generall, but to present the prayers of particular men to God in their behalfe; not out of humility, which is a proposing of requests for things unmerited, which we expect of meere grace, according to the free promise of God; but out of authority, which is the desiring of a thing so, as that he hath with all a right joyntly of bestowing it, who doth desire it.
True IntercessionQuia enim pijs perpetuò litigandum fit cum Satana, mundo & carne, ac etiam ipsa lege & ira Dei, ejusque probationibus ac mora in exaudiendo, ipse Spiritus S. illos consolatur & instituit, ut Advocatus in foro clientem. Dicitur ergo Paracletus, Advocatus & Patronus, qui suo clienti in periculo judicij adstat eum consolatur, instituit, pro eo etiam loquitur & denique omnibus modis illi patrocinatur. as it is a publike and authoritative act is founded upon the satisfactory merits of the person interceding: He cannot be a right Advocate, who is not a propitiation too. The Spirit is our Advocate by energie and operation, by instruction and assistance, as by his counsell, inspiration, and assistance he enableth the faithfull to pleade their own cause. But Christ is our Advocate by office, as he taketh upon himselfe the cause of his Church, in his owne person applieth his merits in heaven, and furthers the cause of our Salvation with his Father. The Spirit maketh interpellation for men in and by themselves, emboldening them in their feares, helping them in their infirmities, when they know not what to pray, and giving them accesse unto the Father, Ephes. 2. 18. Heb. 10. 15, 19. Rom. 8. 26. Ephes. 3. 16. and is their Advocate, as he leadeth them into all truth, and teacheth them so to pleade their cause, that they have wherewith to defend and comfort themselves, Joh. 14. 16. against the criminations and tyrannie of the world, Joh. 16. 7, 8. But Christ by his Intercession applieth his satisfaction made, and laies the salve to the very sore.And
