labour in God's service; and then when you sin, you have no accuser
within, or such an one as you suppress, and suffer not to plead it out
against you or cite you before God's tribunal. I say unto you, (and,
alas! many of you are such) you do not, you cannot know, that you have an
interest in this Advocate. You can have no benefit or saving advantage
from Christ's pleading, while you remain thus in your sins. Alas! poor
souls, what will ye do? Can you manage your own cause alone? Though you
defraud and deceive your own consciences now, though ye offer violence to
them, do ye think so to carry it above? Nay, persuade yourselves you must
one day appear, and none to speak for you, God your Judge, your conscience
your accuser, and Satan, your tormentor, standing by, and then woe to him
that is alone, when the Advocate becomes Judge. In that day blessed are
all those that have trusted in him, and used him formerly as an Advocate
against sin and Satan, but woe to those for ever, who would never suffer
this cause to be pleaded, while there was an Advocate!

Sermon XXVII.

1 John ii. 2.--"And he is the propitiation," &c.

Here is the strength of Christ's plea, and ground of his advocation, that
"he is the propitiation." The advocate is the priest, and the priest is
the sacrifice, and such efficacy this sacrifice hath, that the
propitiatory sacrifice may be called the very propitiation and
pacification for sin. Here is the marrow of the gospel, and these are the
breasts of consolation which any poor sinner might draw by faith, and
bring out soul refreshment. But truly, it comes not out but by drawing,
and there is nothing fit for that but the heart, that alone can suck out
of these breasts the milk of consolation. The well of salvation in the
word is deep, and many of you have nothing to draw with, you want the
bucket that should be let down, that is, the affectionate meditation and
consideration of the heart, and therefore you go away empty. You come
full of other cares, and desires, and delights, no empty room in your
hearts for this, no soul longings and thirstings after the righteousness
of God, and therefore you return as you came, empty of all solid and true
refreshment. Oh, that we could draw it forth to you, and then drop it into
your hearts, and make it descend into your consciences!

In these words, you may consider more distinctly, who this is, and then,
for whom he is made a sacrifice, an