may behold the glory which thou hast given me." The meaning is, not that I peremptorily demand, or authoritatively will it, but I desire and request it. It has been made a question, Whether the Saviour's intercession be vocal; that is, whether he employs words in conducting it? The scripture does not enable us to decide the question with absolute certainty; but the opinion that he conducts it through the instrumentality of articulate and audible language, involves nothing incredible or improbable. It is true, that words are not necessary to inform the Father of the wants and circumstances of the saints, or to predispose him to bestow blessings upon them; and neither are silent wishes, or unexpressed petitions. But, it may be presumed, that the intercession of Christ is conducted, in part at least, with a view to the benefit of the heavenly inhabitants; and if words, as seems probable, would render it more intelligible and impressive to them, why may we not suppose that words are employed?

While we are not to determine peremptorily whether the Saviour's intercession be or be not vocal, of this we are absolutely certain, that it is most earnest and fervent. As the Jewish high priest bore on his breast-plate the names of all the twelve tribes of Israel, so the "apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus," bears on his heart the names of all who belong to the true and spiritual Israel. Precious are their souls in his sight. Not a sorrow can pierce the heart of any one of them, but it awakens his tender sympathy; and not a blessing do they need, but he is ready to ask it for them. As his intercession is earnest and fervent, so it is prevalent and successful. How can it be otherwise, considering the character of the intercessor, and the character of him to whom intercession is made? Is it mentioned as a thing wonderful, and

almost unexampled in the history of the divine procedure, that a case occurred in which the intercessions of Noah, and Daniel, and Job, would have been unavailing? Did the Almighty feel himself, as it were, so far overpowered and vanquished by the entreaties of Moses, as to request him to desist, saying, "Let me alone?" What, then, must be the efficacy of the prayers and pleadings of Jesus Christ the righteous one. Think of the unparalleled dignity and purity of his character; of the ineffable love with which the Father regards him; of the infinite value of the sacrifice on the basis of which he pleads; and of the readiness and eagerness of the Father to hear prayers, and to confer blessings,— and you will be prepared to admit that his intercession must be irresistibly successful. Even on earth, and prior to his death, he could say to the Father, "I know that thou hearest me alway;" and will the Father be less ready to hear him now, when he has "put away sin by the sacrifice of himself," and when the Father has said to him," Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?" No, surely. Can we forbear to add, what a plenitude of blessings might the saints confidently expect were it not for some obstacle created by themselves! But it is a principle which regulates, and which in obvious propriety ought to regulate that part of the divine procedure, that the quantity of blessings bestowed on them depends, in part, on their own supplications. The general rule is, Go to the Father. "Ask and ye shall receive." Now, when we recollect the coldness and sluggishness of our prayers, can we wonder that blessings are but scantily conferred? "Ye have not, because ye ask not." "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss." Were it not for that grand obstacle, the windows of heaven would be opened, and blessings showered down on earth,

till there was not room to receive them. What reproof does this consideration address to us! What an argument to pray with frequency, fervour, and faith! "Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."

III. A third branch of the intercession of Christ, is his presenting to the Father the prayers and the other religious services of his people. Of this part of his work, you will find a symbolical but instructive representation in Rev. viii. 3, 4. "And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it, with the prayers of all saints, upon the golden altar, which is before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God, out of the angel's hand."

To the saints this part, like every other part of the Saviour's intercession, is replete with consolation and encouragement. When they reflect on their personal guilt and unworthiness-when they consider that their prayers and their praises, and all their acts both of worship and obedience, are stained by an admixture of improper motives, by a deficiency of faith and fervour, and by numberless other imperfections and sins,-they must feel that in themselves they are utterly unworthy to appear before a God of infinite majesty and purity, and that their holiest services are altogether undeserving of his acceptance. What a comfort to them, then, to be assured that they have an intercessor of infinite dignity and excellence, who appears for them before the throne on high, who enforces their petitions by his own prayers, and who purifies and hallows all their services, sprinkling them with the blood of his sacrifice, perfuming them, by the merit of his obedience,-with the incense of his intercession, and presenting them, when thus sprinkled and perfumed, unto the Father.

At this stage of our progress we may pause for a moment to remark, that such being the character and functions of our High Priest, how insulting to him, and how unnecessary and preposterous in itself, is the conduct of the blinded adherents of the church of Rome, who have recourse to the mediation of angels, and of glorified saints, and of other intercessors. These beings are probably ignorant of our affairs, and they are certainly less disposed to sympathize with us than Christ is. "There is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus."

Take care to make the right practical use of this important doctrine. Recollect that you need not the melancholy language used by the desponding patriarch, when he said,-"Neither is there any daysman betwixt us that might lay his hand upon us both." Recollect that you have "a messenger with the Most High, an interpreter, one among a thousand." Recollect, however, that unless your elder brother be with you, you cannot see the face of the King,-the Lord of Hosts. But if he be with you, you need no other mediator to introduce you to Jehovah, or to ensure the success of your supplications. "Seeing, then, that you have a great High Priest, who is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,-come boldly to the throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

IV. It is usually mentioned, as a fourth constituent of the Saviour's intercession, that he answers the accusations which are brought against his people; but this department of it is involved in considerable obscurity. In the book of Job we read that "there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them;" and it is farther stated that Satan preferred insinuations

to the prejudice of Job, and "moved God against him to destroy him without cause." In the prophecies of Zechariah, ch. iii. 1-4, we meet with the following remarkable vision :-" He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel" that is doubtless the angel Jehovah, the Messenger of the Covenant. "And the angel answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment." And in the book of Revelation, ch. xii. 10, John tells us that he "heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before. our God day and night."

It is extremely difficult to give a clear and satisfactory explanation of these remarkable passages. That they are not to be received in the most literal sense seems evident, not only because they occur in representations, which are manifestly figurative and symbolical, but because it is altogether incredible that Satan should be permitted to appear personally, or visibly, in the court of heaven, and to prefer a formal indictment against a saint. But though symbolical, these expressions are not unmeaning. They seem evidently to imply, that in some way unknown to us Satan is ever ready to insinuate charges against the saints; and they imply that their great Patron and Advocate is ever ready

VOL. II.

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