11. He assigns as a reason, why he claims the desire of his soul for his disciples, viz.: That the Father loved him before the foundation of the world. No doubt he alludes to the covenant between him and the Father in which the redeemed were given him, as the apostle assures us, "they were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world."

12. His last request is, that the Father would cause his Divine love to remain in them, and for Christ to be in them, so as to secure the desired end.

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In view of such a prayer from our Mediator, what can hinder the believer enjoying all that is prayed for? Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, (he is writing to the Church) how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is he that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is ever at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."See following verses, Rom. 8: 30, &c.

The prayer which has just been considered was offered to God while Christ was upon the earth. But we should remember that he ever lives to make intercession for his people. Of this he gives his disciples assurance in John's Gospel, 14: 16, 17—“ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you forever-even the Spi

rit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but'ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." And in chap. 11: 42, in praying for the restoration of Lazarus to life, to witness before his enemies of his true Messiahship, he assures us that his prayers are always heard. The text reads thus: "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me; and I know that thou hearest me always." And about the time that Christ was to be taken by his enemies, and knowing that Peter would deny him, he addressed Peter in this manner: Luke 22: 31, 32-"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not," i.e., Christ prayed that Peter's faith might not utterly fail, so as to make a final shipwreck of it; and the result shows, that though Satan desired to destroy him, or at least to severely try him by his evil suggestions; yet, by the look of him who had prayed for him, he was kept from final apostacy, and was afterwards the bold and successful Apostle who suffered the most distressing death that a martyr could endure, for the cause of his once forsaken Savior.

If Christ be within us, and if he ever intercedes for us to secure the favor of the Father, and if his prayers never fail to be heard and answered, and if the Holy Spirit always abide with us, who can be against us, and prevail? Are not the united persons of the Holy Trinity pledged to accomplish our eternal salvation? We will then take courage, and, with Paul, commit to God the keeping of our souls unto

the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who careth for us, and as the good Shepherd who will not suffer any of his sheep to wander away into irrecoverable disgrace.

LECTURE VII.

GENERAL SCRIPTURE TESTIMONY, EMBRACING THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE SACRED WRITERS.

Isa. 8: 20. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” -2 Cor. 13: 1. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."

THE first of these texts, 1, makes an appeal to the law and testimony of God; 2, it affirms that all words which are spoken by men, must be according to that law, or be the words of darkness-i. e., they cannot be true. The second text assures us that two or three competent witnesses are sufficient to confirm a truth. And as all will admit that the law and testimony of God-i. e., his Word-is true, and that all his witnesses of that Word are also true, so too must that be true what they affirm, whether it have respect to the law or to their own experience.

It must then be a matter of great consolation to the believer to know that God has left on record an abundant assurance to lighten his burden, as he pursues his way to the land of promise. Christ and the apostles have been jointly concerned in the heavenly employment of supplying the Church with the exceedingly great and precious promises and testimonies of the Gospel, so well calculated to confirm them in the hope set before them, and to lead them to renewed action in the cause of truth and holiness

Christ says to his disciples in John 5: 24"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth in Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation." Chap. 6 37, 39, 57-" All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in nowise cast out. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." Chapter 10: 27-30-" My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.” Rom. 8 35-39-" Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor death, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 1 Cor. 1: 8-" Who shall also confirm you unto the blameless in the day of our 1 Peter 1: 5-"Who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time." Psalm 37: 23, 24-" The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly

end, that ye may be Lord Jesus Christ."