himself is vile and abominable, and hath need of some one to speak for him? If you can find a Man that hath never sinned, a Man who hath never done any unrighteousness, but always in every thing kept the whole law of GOD, without breaking it in any one single thing, such a one would be a righteous Man in himself, and such a Man would be the right one to speak for us with God and be our Advocate. But where will you find one Man who hath never sinned? There was once one, one such Man on earth, and only one: and that Man is now with GoD in Heaven: I mean-" the Man JESUS CHRIST." He only is " Righteous" and blessed are all they who can say from their hearts, "We have an Advocate with the Father, JESUS CHRIST the Righteous." The Righteous Man! the only Man who is Righteous of Himself: the only Man who never sinned! the only Man who can be the Advocate of Sinners!-We have found Him, and are glad!

7. Now there is yet another reason why we may well rejoice and be confident in the Lord JESUS as our "Advocate." Suppose there was a vow and promise and covenant betwixt two persons: for instance, between a father and his son. Suppose the son had promised and covenanted to do a certain thing for his father: and his father had covenanted to bless that son's servants and friends and children, even all that son's household for his sake. If the son had fulfilled his promise and fully kept the covenant, would not his father feel himself bound and engaged to fulfil his promise also, and to keep his part of the covenant? yes, assuredly and for the sake of his good and dear and faithful son he would most willingly, most gladly bless that son's family and remember the covenant.There is an everlasting covenant between God the father and His Son JESUS CHRIST. On CHRIST's part, the covenant was, that he should fulfil the will of God, and this the Man JESUS CHRIST

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did in every respect, and failed in no one thing. On God's part, the covenant was, that all CHRIST's servants, friends, children, even all His household, even the whole church of CHRIST should be for ever blessed for His sake. Therefore, brethren, if we be indeed of His church, of His favoured family, and if any of us "sin, we have an Advocate with the Father: " and that Father is most abundantly willing to bless with His pardon every one, for whom His dear Son also asks and pleads. For the Father rejoices to remember His holy promise and JESUS His servant! His "righteous servant." The Father forgetteth not His everlasting covenant. He loves that covenant and rejoices in it! He delights to shew mercy and love to all His dear Son's family,-to all who believe in JESUS. It was the Almighty Father's great love towards poor sinners, which moved Him for their good to enter into that covenant with His everlasting and only Son. For

"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Therefore when the righteous Saviour speaks for you, and is your Advocate with the Father, that Father loves to listen and loves to grant His Son's petition: for His Son speaks for such as are themselves dear to God and well beloved by GOD Himself. And why? Because GOD and CHRIST being one, all who are indeed CHRIST's servants are GOD's servants also,-all CHRIST'S friends are God's friends,-all CHRIST's children are God's children, -all CHRIST'S household are GOD's household,-all CHRIST's family are God's family,-all CHRIST's church. are God's church: as JEsUs said, "All Mine are Thine." So that if we by grace belong to CHRIST We by grace belong to GoD: and "he that hath the Son hath the Father also." So great is the benefit of thus belonging to CHRIST, that by reason of this union

and relationship with Him, we are invited, encouraged, and even commanded in the Scriptures, to pray ourselves unto GOD for ourselves in CHRIST'S name; and it is promised that the Father for His Son's sake will hear even our poor pleadings, our imperfect supplications, when so offered up to the throne of His grace! How wonderfully did JESUS encourage His disciples to pray themselves in His name to GOD the Father! "Hitherto (said He) ye have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and ye shall receive; that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in My name and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from GGD." Thus JESUS encouraged His dear people to learn to