THE USE AND APPLICATION
(1.) Study it with reference to its peculiarities. It is for the children, and nobody else; for the children, little and great. This is children's bread; this is a mess for Benjamin; this is to be eaten in the holy place. Children used to make much of that which, by way of specialty, is by their relations bestowed on them: And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to thee" (I Kings 21:3). No, truly, I will not. Why so? Because it was my father's gift, not in common with all, but to me in particular.
(2.) Study this office in the nature of it; for therein lies the excellence of anything, even in the nature of it. Wrong thoughts of this or that abuse it and take its natural glory from it. Take heed, therefore, of misapprehending while thou art seeking to apprehend Christ as thy Advocate. Men judge Christ's offices while they are at too great a distance from them; but "let them come near," says God, "then let them speak" (Isa 41:1); or as Elihu said to his friends when he had seen them judge amiss, "Let us choose our judgment; let us know among ourselves what is good" (Job 34:4). So say I; study to know, rightly to know, the Advocate-Office of Jesus Christ. It is one of the easiest things in the world to miss the nature while we speak of the name and offices of Jesus Christ; therefore, look to it, that thou study the nature of the office of his advocateship, of his advocateship for, for so you ought to consider it. There is an Advocate for, not against, the children of God: Jesus Christ the righteous."
(3.) Study this office with reference to its efficacy and prevalence. Job says, "After my words, they spake not again" (Job 29:22). And when Christ stands up to plead, all must keep silent before him. True, Satan had the first word, but Christ the last, in the business of Joshua, and such a last as brought the poor man off well, though "clothed with filthy garments" (Zech 3). Satan must be speechless after a plea of our Advocate, how rampant soever he is afore; or, as Elihu has it, "They were amazed; they answered no more; they left off speaking." Shall he who speaks in righteousness give place, and he who has nothing but envy and deceit be admitted to stand his ground? Behold, the angels cover their faces when they speak of his glory; how then shall Satan not bend before him? In the days of his humiliation, he made him cringe and creep. How much more, then? Now he is exalted to glory, to glory to be an advocate for his people! "If any man sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."
(4.) Study the faithfulness of Christ in his execution of this office, for he will not fail nor forsake them that have entertained him for their Advocate: "He will thoroughly plead their cause" (Jer 50:34). Faithful and true is one of his titles, and you shall be faithfully served by him; you may boldly commit your cause unto him, nor shall the badness of it make him fail or discourage him in his work; for it is not the badness of a cause that can hinder him from prevailing, because he has wherewith to answer for all thy sins and a new law to plead by, through which he will make thee a conqueror. He is also for sticking to a man to the end if he once engages for him (John 13:1, 2). He will threaten and love, he will chastise and love, he will kill and love, and thou shalt find it so. And he will make this appear at the last, and Satan knows it is so now, for he finds the power of his repulses while he pleaded for him at the bar against him. And all this is done with great faithfulness.
(5.) Study also the need that thou hast of a share in the execution of the advocateship of Jesus Christ. Christians find that they have a need to wash in the blood of Christ and that they have a need to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ; they also find that they need Christ to make intercession for them and that, by necessity, they must approach God and present their prayers and services to him. Still, they do not see that they need Christ to also be their Advocate. And the reason thereof is this: they forget that their adversary makes it his business to accuse them before the throne of God; they consider not the long scrolls and many crimes wherewith he charges them in the presence of the angels of God.
I say this is the reason that the advocateship of Christ is so little considered in the churches; many who have been relieved by his office have not understood what he has thereby done for them. But perhaps this is to be kept from many till they come to behold his face, and till all things shall be revealed, that Christ might have glory given him in the next world for doing that for them, which they so little thought of in this. But do not be content with this ignorance, because the knowledge of his advocating it for you will yield you present relief. Study, therefore, thine own weakness, the holiness of the judge, the badness of thy cause, the subtlety, malice, and rage of the enemy, and be assured that whenever thou sinnest, by and by thou art for it accused before God at his judgment seat. These things will, as it were, by way of necessity, instill into thy heart the need that thou hast of an advocate, and will make thee look as to the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ to justify thee, so too Christ as an Advocate to plead thy cause, as did holy Job in his distresses (Job 16:21).
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