The similar phrase 'Worldly Christianity' is one used by Bonhoeffer. It's J Gresham Machen that I want to line up most closely with. See his Christianity and culture here. Having done commentaries on Proverbs (Heavenly Wisdom) and Song of Songs (Heavenly Love), a matching title for Ecclesiastes would be Heavenly Worldliness. For my stance on worldliness, see 3 posts here.

Beddome on what Jesus is doing now

Spotted this quotation (to late for my book) from Benjamin Beddome the other day.
It is from his sermon Christ the subject of prayer on Psalm 72:15 in Sermons, with a brief memoir of the author which is available online.


Christ is our advocate with the Father. His presenting his spotless sacrifice before the throne, is a powerful intercession. He also presents the prayers and supplications of the saints, without which, instead of being received with complacency, they must be rejected with abhorrence. But besides this, is there not a vocal intercession? The Scripture leads me to think that there is. Christ was that angel who pleaded for Judah and Jerusalem. "In the days of his flesh he prayed for Peter, that his faith might not fail" and he assured him, and the rest of the disciples, that he would perform the same office for them in heaven: "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter." And as Job evidently speaks of Christ as a Redeemer in one place, so it is not at all improbable that he refers to him as an advocate in another: "O that one" says he, "might plead for a man with God as a man pleadeth for his neighbour." "It is," says Dr Owen, "no ways unbecoming the human nature of Christ, in its glorious exaltation, to pray to God; for this seems to be one condition of the advancement of his interest as mediator." "Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." I have made the two last remarks chiefly because some translate the words of my text,—"Prayer shall be made by him, or through him, continually."

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