priests; why, consider him, O my soul! this gospel high-priest is well wor thy indeed of thy consideration.

6. Consider of the properties of Christ's intercession; is it not heav enly and glorious, effectual and prevailing, and of all other, the transac tions of our salvation whilst this world lasts, the most perfective and con. summate? O! give me the intercession of Christ above all the interces. sions of men or angels. I know the saints on earth pray mutually one for another, but they play not in their own names, or for their own merits, but in the name and for the merits of Jesus Christ; and as for the saints and angels in heaven, *Cyprian and Jerome seem to grant, that they pray for the state of the church militant; but if so, they do it only of charity as brethren, not of office as mediators; they do it only for the church in gen eral, and not for any particular man or member of the militant church; such an intercession as this, so heavenly, so effectual, so perfective of our salvation, so authoritative and public, founded upon the satisfactory merits of the person interceding, is proper only to Christ. I would be glad of the prayers of all the churches of Christ; O that there were not a saint on the earth, but that I were by name in his morning and evening prayer, (who. soever thou art that readest it, I beseech thee pray for me) but above all let me have a property in those prayers and intercessions that are proper only to Christ; I am sure then I should never miscarry; Christ's prayers are heavenly, glorious, and very effectual.

7. Consider of the particulars, wherein more especially Christ's intercession consists; Is it not in the presenting of his person, blood, prayers, interpellations? Is it not in the presenting of our persons, perform. ances, pleas or answers to the accusations of Satan? Men little think how busy ur Mediator, sponsor, solicitor, and advocate, is now in heaven for us; men little think that Christ is appearing, and his blood is crying, and his prayers are ascending, and his robe of righteousness is covering us, and the iniquity of our holy things: O my soul! look up, consider Jesus thy Saviour in these respects! I am persuaded, if thou didst but know, if thou couldst but see what a deal of work Christ hath in hand, and how he carries it on for thy salvation, it would melt thy heart into very tears of joy. Whilst Christ was on earth and his mother had lost him, he could then say, "Wist ye not that I must go about my Father's business?" Luke 2:49. Now Christ is in heaven, he is about the same business still; all his employment in heaven is to intercede for us, that we may be saved: very true, there is much in this intercession of Jesus Christ, it is a tree of many branches, and every branch fruitful; so that if thou wouldst enlarge thy meditation in this wide ocean of delights; there is room enough; but herein I must leave thee in the duty, for I can but point at the several particulars whereon thou mayest enlarge: O think on it, that Christ, and Christ's blood, and Christ's prayers should be all at work! that Christ should play the advocate, and plead thy cause, and per fume thy duties with his incense, and take thy person in an unperceivable way to God his Father, and cry there, "O my Father be merciful to this sinner, pardon his sin, and save his soul for the sake of Jesus! O blessed mediation! O blessed is the man! that on this blessed object knows how to meditate both day and night.

8. Consider of the power and prevalency of Christ's intercessions with his Father. Is he not to this purpose a priest to God, and called thereto by God? Is he not the Son of God, yea, God himself! Is he not God's

Cyprian Epist. Hierome Lib. advers. vigil.

darling, God's commander, as well as petitioner? Nay, is not the hand of God himself in this design? Is not the Father's heart as much towards us and our salvation as Christ's own heart? As sure then as Christ is gone into heaven with thy name engraven on his heart, so sure shalt thou foilow him, and be with him where he is, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? Who is he that condemneth?" Where Christ becomes patron to defend against the sentence of damnation, it is in vain for sin, or law, or Satan, to attempt any thing; for as an innocent person is safe so long as he hath his learned advocate to answer all objections, so it is with believers, who have Christ himself both judge and advocate; a sure advocate, he ever prevails in whatsoever he undertakes; he was never yet cast in any suit; he hath for these sixteen hundred years carried away all the causes of hundreds, thousands, and millions of souls; why, he is so dear, and near to his Father, that he can work him to any thing he will. And, O my soul! if thou hast any relation to Jesus Christ, Is not here comfort? I dare, in the name of Christ, be thy warrant, and give it under my hand, That if Christ pray for thee, Christ will be sure to save thee; he never yet failed, he never will fail in any of his suits to God. Oh! consider of this.

9. Consider of the reasons of Christ's intercession. Many are given, but this may be sufficient, it is God's own ordinance; the very wisdom of God found out this way to save our souls, viz. That an high-priest should be appointed, who should die for sinners, and afterwards present his death to his Father, by way of intercession in their behalf. Some may look upon this as needless; what, could not God have pardoned our sins, and saved our souls without a priest? I shall not dispute God's power, but if any will, let such an one tell me, what way could his own wisdom have found out to heaven, between the wrath of God, and the sin of man! I be. lieve it would have posed all the wisdom of the world, (of men and angels) to have reconciled God's mercy in the salvation of man, and his justice in the condemnation of sin: to have poured out hell upon the sin, and yet to have bestowed heaven upon the sinner; now then if God himself did study to find out this way, and that he hath said, "This is my pleasure, that Christ my Son should be a priest, and that he shall offer himself, and present himself and his offering, and his prayer to me for my people." O! no, soul rest on this as the very ordination of God; admire at the contrivance of God: say, O the depth! question no farther, only meditate, and ponder, and consider of it, till thou feelest Christ's intercession datting its influence and efficacy on thy sin-sick soul.

SECT. III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect.

3. LET us desire after Jesus, carrying on this work of our salvation in his intercession. I cannot but wonder what a dullness seizeth on my heart, and on all the hearts of the song of men, that we have no more longing after Christ, whose heart is ever panting and longing after us. Surely we do not set ourselves to find out experimentally the sweetness that is in Christ; if there were not another object to think upon, but only this one of Christ's intercession, is not here enough to put us all into a teem. ing, longing frame? O my soul, rouse up, and set this blessed object before thy face! take a full view of it until thy affections begin to warm, and thou beginnest to cry, "Oh, for my part in Christ's intercession! Oh, I would not be left out of Christ's heavenly prayers for ten thousand worlds!" Coine and be serious, the object is admirably sweet and precious; long for it, pant after it! God understands the rhetoric of thy breathings as well

as of thy cry. But what is there in Christ's intercession that is so desirable? I answer,—

1. In Christ's intercession, lies the present transaction of our soul's salvation. Such passages as hitherto we have spoken of are done and past; the transactions of eternity were at an end when time began; the transactions of Christ promised, had their period when Christ was incarmate; the transactions of Christ's birth, and life, and death, and resurrection, and ascension, are now above a thousand and six hundred years old: I know the virtue and influence of all these transactions continue, and will continue for ever and ever; but the several actings had their periods, and only Christ's session and mission of his Spirit, and his blessed interces. sion, both were, and now are the very present employment of Jesus Christ. If it were possible that we could see into heaven: if with Stephen, we could look up steadfastly, and see the heavens opened; if our eyes, by an extraordinary power, were carried through the azure sky, and through all till we come to the holy of holies, and to Jesus Christ in his glory; what should we see but Christ interceding, Christ busy with his Father in his poor saints' behalf? Now he prays, now he presents his person, merits, intercession, interpellation, q. d. "Father, here are a company of rebels, justly fallen under thy displeasure, they deserve to be set at an eternal distance from thee; but I must needs have them pardoned, and received into thy bosom; come, make thine own terms, let justice require never so great satisfaction, I have paid a price sufficient for all, and effectual for them, give them what laws thou pleasest, I will undertake they shall observe them; and to this purpose, away, away, Holy Spirit, go to such and such souls, enable them to their duties, yea, enable them in duty, and sanctify them throughout, in souls, bodies, and spirits. Why, this is the present transaction of Jesus Christ, and therefore most desirable: methinks I long to know what Christ is now a-doing in heaven for my soul. And is it not thus? Is not all his time spent either in reading pardons for redeemed ones, or in presenting petitions for them, and pleading for them? Surely he is still interceding every day, it is his present work for our souls; O desirable work!

2. In this present transaction lies the application of all Christ's former actings, whether of his habitual righteousness, or of his active and passive obedience. All those passages of Christ's incarnation, conception, circumcision, birth, life, and death, which more especially we look upon as the meritorious causes of our salvation, had been nothing to us, if they had not been applied by Christ: they were the means of impetration, but Christ's intercession is the means of application; Christ purchased salva tion by those precedaneous acts, but he possesseth us of our salvation by this perfective and consummate act of his intercession. The order of this is laid down by the apostle, in that first, "He learned obedience, by the things which he suffered, and then being made perfect, he became the author (or applying cause) of eternal salvation to all them that obey him; being to this purpose, called of God an high-priest, after the order of Melchisedec," Heb. 5:8,9,10. Now, is not this the desirable act above all other acts? Alas! what am I the better for a mine of gold, in such, or such, or such a field, in which I have no propriety at all? I am thorough ly convinced, that Christ's merits are most precious merits, but, Oh that they were mine! Oh that Christ's intercessions would bring the salve, and lay it to my sore; Oh that I could hear that voice from heaven! "My son, I was incarnate for thee, and conceived for thee, and born for thee, and circumcised for thee, and I did the law, and suffered the penalty for thee;

and now I am interceding that thy very soul may have the benefit of all my doings, and of all my sufferings." Why, if Christ's intercession be the applying cause, if it bring home to my soul all the former transactions of Christ, saying, "All these are thine, even thine:" Oh how desirable must this intercession be?

3. In this application lies that communion and fellowship which we have with the Father and the Son, “I pray for these, that as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us," John 17:21. Understand this soberly, we cannot think that there should be that one. ness in equality betwixt God and us, as betwixt God and Christ; no, no, but there is oneness in similitude and reality, even in this life; by virtue of Christ's intercession we have oneness with God and Christ, not only in comforts, but also in graces; I pray you mark this, when I speak of communion with God in this life: I mean especially the communication of grace between God and the soul; on God's part there is a special influence of grace and favor to man; and on man's part there is a special return of grace and honor to God. Some trembling souls are apt to think, that all communion with God and Christ, consists only in the comforts of the Holy Spirit, whereas Christians may as really and advantageously have communion with God in secret conveyances of grace, in inward supports, in a concealed acception of service, in the hidden drawings of the soul Godward; as in the more open and comfortable manifestations of God unto the soul; communion with God is a familiar friendship, (I speak it in an holy, humble sense,) now, do we not as usually go to a friend for counsel and advice, as for comfort and cheering? in a friend's bosom we intrust our sorrows, as well as our joys. Suppose a soul, even spiritually overwhelmed and ready to break, betaking itself unto God, and venting itself before the Lord; now, if afterwards the soul hath no more ease than by the bare lancing of the sore, if God pours in no balms at all, but only gives support; shall we say that this soul, in this case, hath no communion with God! O yes! in God's secret visits of the soul, and in the soul's restless groping after God, though nothing but darkness he apprehended, yet that soul lives in the light of God's countenance; the sun shines, though a cloud interposeth; God smiles, though the soul do not perceive it; o certainly thou hast his strengthening supporting presence, if not his shining; now, this is the fruit of Christ's blessed intercession, and this is the subject matter of Christ's intercession, "O! my Father, that these may be one in us, I in them, and thou in me," John 17:23. I in them by the influence and power of my Spirit, and thou in me by the fulness and power of the Godhead." And is not this a most desirable thing?

4. In this communion lies the vision and fruition of Jesus Christ in glory; grace brings to glory; if communion here, we shall have communion hereafter; and this also is a part of Christ's prayer and intercession, “Father, I will, that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me," John 17:24. Jesus Christ cannot be in heaven long without his saints, indeed, it is impossible that Christ should be in heaven, and that pieces and bits of Christ mystical should be in hell, or yet long on earth, Christ will draw in his legs and members on earth up nearer to the head; certainly Christ, and you that are believers, must be under one roof ere long. Is he not gone before to prepare a place, yea, many mansions for you? John 14:2. We think them happy on earth that have their many stately halls and palaces, their summer and their winter houses; O Christians! how happy will you be, when you come to be lords and heirs of many stately mansions iu

the streets of heaven? But what speak I of mansions, now I am naming Christ? Mansions are nothing, many mansions are but little, yea, "many mansions in Christ's Father's home," are but created chips of happiness, in comparison, of that communion, which by virtue of Christ's intercession we shall have with Christ. It is the saying of an eminently learned holy divine, *"I should refuse heaven, (saith he) if Christ were not there; take Christ away from heaven, and it is but a poor, dark, heartless dwelling; heaven without Christ would look as the direful land of death." And therefore, after Christ had spoken of many mansions, and of a place that he would prepare for his saints; he adds farther, to increase their joy, "I will come again, (saith he) and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also," John 14:3. Mansions are but as places of briers and thorns without Jesus Christ, and therefore I would have heaven for Christ, and not have Christ for heaven; O! this communion with Christ is above all desirable, and this is the subject matter of Christ's prayer," Father, I would have the saints to be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." Why, this is the communion which the saints shall have with Christ, never will their eyes be off him, never will their thoughts wander after any other subjects; oh! the intimacy that will be then betwixt Christ and Christians! Oh! what communication of glory will there be to each other!" These shall walk with me, (saith Christ,) for they are worthy," Rev. 3:4.

Ŏ my soul! if this be the business of Christ's intercession, if all these particulars are contained in the bowels of this one transaction, how is it that thou art not in a fainting swoon? How is it that thou art not gasping, groaning, sick unto death with the vehement thirst after thy part and portion in Christ's intercession? If there be such a thing as the passion of desire in this heart of mine, O that now it would break out! Oh! that it would vent itself with mighty longings and infinite aspirings after this blessed object! why, Lord, I desire, but help thou my faint desires; blow on my dying spark, it is but little; and if I know any thing of my heart, I would have it more; Oh! that my spark would flame! Why, Lord, I desire that I might desire; Oh! breathe it into me, and I will desire after thee!

SECT. IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that respect.

4. LET us hope in Jesus, carrying on this work of our salvation in his intercession," It is good that a man should hope," Lam. 3:26. Indeed, if it were not for hope the heart would not hold: only look that our hope be true hope; very hypocrites have a kind of hope, but if God's word be true, "The hope of the unjust men shall perish, Prov. 11:7-What is the hope of the hypocrite? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?" Job 27:8,9. No, no, "The hypocrite's hope shall perish, his hope shall be cut off, and his trust shall be as a spider's web," Job 8:13,14. O my soul! hope in Jesus, but rest not till thou canst give a reason of thy hope, till thou canst prove that they are the hopes which grace and not only nature hath wrought; that they are grounded upon scripture promises and sound evidences; that they purify the heart; that the more thou hopest the less thou sinnest; that they depend upon sure and infallible causes, as on the truth, power and mercy of God; on the merits, mediation, and intercession of Jesus Christ; what, is this last amongst the rest (I mean the intercession of Christ) the spring of thy hope? Canst thou

*Mr. Samuel Rutherford.