This is ever available to the Father for us; he is our priest before the throne, carrying on the work of manifestatives. Salvation, the great sacrifice, once offered, has infinitely more voices for us before God, than all our sins can have against us. His blood is said to speak for us; it cries aloud to the God of justice for the church; yea, for every sensible sinner, that mercy might be shewn, and pardon enjoyed by him upon the ground of strict justice, truth, holiness, righteousness, and judgment; it speaks _for_ us to God--and _to_ us from God--"I have loved thee, I have redeemed thee, I have called thee, thou art mine." Our great high priest bears all the names of his dear people upon his heart, and though exalted above all principalities and powers, he cannot forget his poor relations on earth. The days of his _passion_ are ended, but not of his _compassion_. Our spiritual Joseph, though Lord of all, is not ashamed to own his brethren, the poor. Many, when exalted, forget their former poor acquaintances; but our ever-living, ever-loving, everlasting friend, has sworn by himself as the living God--"I will not forget you;" he lives in heaven for his people; by his death he paid the debt; by his resurrection he came out of prison; and by his ascension he shews himself openly to God, the creditor, and pleads satisfaction; he in acting in heaven as our advocate with the Father; he is the faithful friend at the bar of justice, answering all the charges that sin, natural conscience, and Satan, can accuse us of. Hence, for his people, he gives the challenge--"who is mine adversary, let him come near," and by the apostle asks, "who shall lay any thing (unpardoned) to the charge of God's elect, seeing he maketh intercession with God," and this precious portion has warned and cheered thousands. "My little children, I write these things unto you, that you sin not; but if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father," and such an advocate must carry the cause; he has never failed--and demands no fee, but _the fruit of the lips giving thanks to his name_; and while his personal appearance in heaven has any virtue before God, his mourning disciples are safe, to whom he has said, "and because I live, ye shall live also."