+I. The privilege of access unto the Father.+--That God is the proper object of worship is implied in our text, and more explicitly declared in other portions of the sacred writings. According to the nature of the blessings desired, prayer may be addressed to any of the three Persons in the Godhead; but the Bible teaches that prayer generally is to be presented to the Father through Christ and by the Holy Spirit. And so appropriate are the offices of the Persons in the Trinity that we cannot speak otherwise. We cannot say that through the Spirit and by the Father we have access to Christ, or through the Father and by Christ we have access to the Spirit. We must observe the apostle's order--through Christ and by the Spirit we have access to the Father. Access unto the Father implies:-- 1. _His sympathy with us._--God is our Creator and Sovereign, but His authority is not harsh or arbitrary. He does not even deal with us according to the stern dictates of untempered justice. On the contrary, in love and sympathy He has for our benefit made His throne accessible. He will listen to our penitential confessions, our vows of obedience, our statements of want. He has sympathy with us. 2. _His ability to help us._--That access is permitted to us, taken in connection with God's perfections, prove this. He raises no hope to disappoint, does not encourage that He may repel, but permits access that He may help and bless. 3. _His permission to speak freely._--There is nothing contracted in God's method of blessing. We are introduced to His presence not to stand dumb before Him, nor to speak under the influence of slavish fear. We have such liberty as those enjoy who are introduced to the presence of a prince by a distinguished favourite, or such freedom as children have in addressing a father. We are brought into the presence of our King by His Own Son; to our heavenly Father by Christ, our elder Brother. The results of this access to ourselves: 1. It teaches dependence; 2. Excites gratitude; 3. Produces comfort; 4. Promotes growth in grace. +II. The medium of access.+--Under the law the high priest was the mediator through whom the people drew near to God. He went into the "holiest of all, once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people" (Heb. ix. 7). Under the new covenant "boldness to enter into the holiest" is "by the blood of Jesus" (Heb. x. 19). But as the mediation of the Jewish high priest, though "done away in Christ," was typical, it may serve to teach us how we are to come to God. He sprinkled the blood of the sin-offering on the mercy-seat and burnt incense within the veil (Lev. xvi.), thus symbolising the sacrifice and intercession of Christ. 1. _We, then, have access to God through Christ as a sacrifice._--"Without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. ix. 22). But, "that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," we could never, as suppliants, have found acceptance with God.