might be kept from evill, as he had kept Judas. Joh. 17. 12. Belike then Peter had no greater assurance of his recovery, nor the rest of the Apostles of their perseverance in the faith, then Judas had. Judas was given to Christ in respect of his office and ministery, but not as an heire of Salvation, or as the faithfull are said to be given; The particle translated But,ἐὰν μὴ in that clause (But the child of perdition) is not ever an exceptive, but an adversative in many places; as Gal. 2. 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Matth. 12. 4. Which was not lawfull for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, butεἰ μὴ only for the Priests. See Gal. 1. 7. 1 Cor. 7. 17. Rev. 9. 4. and 21. 27. And the Hebrew particle im loאם לא
כי אם and ki im, which the Septuagint turne ἐὰν μὴ, Gen. 22. 26. ἀλλά, Gen. 24. 38. Isai. 59. 2. and ἀλλ᾽, 2 King. 5. 17. is used adversatively.Psal. 1.2,4.
Gen. 18.15 And 
, which the Syriac Interpreter useth, is now and then put for an exceptive, in which sense usually 
followeth it, but without it, it is most commonly an adversative. For the Syr. is compounded of , εἰ vel ἐὰν, & 
, μὴ, and is the same with the Hebrew Im lo. And so in this place, Judas is opposed to them that were given unto Christ, and not excepted from that number, as if he had been given also. We may therefore conclude that our Saviour prayed for the certaine perseverance of them that were given unto him, or that they might be kept from evill, and that he was heard in that which he desired.
Fourthly, Christ being advanced at the right hand of his Father,Pro nobis unicus interpellat in coelo, praestat cum patre quod postularat à Patre: quia Mediator est & Creator: Mediator ut poscat, Creator ut tribuat. Smaragd. in Act. Apost. cap. 10. doth exercise his Kingly office, both for the comfort of his chosen, and the bridling and repressing of his and their enemies. This is noted by his sitting at the right hand of the Father: which was foretold by the Prophets, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole.See Deod. in Psal. 110.1. Psal. 110. 1. Act. 2. 34. Matth. 22. 43, 44. Luk. 20. 42. and by our Saviour himself: Ye shall see the Sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power. Mark 14. 62. And accordingly it was accomplished, This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes for ever, sate downe on the right hand of God. Heb. 10. 12. ἐκ δεξιῶν Thus Christ is said to stand at the right hand of God. Act. 7. 56.ἐν δεξία to be at the right hand of God. Rom. 8. 34. 1 Pet. 3. 22. to sit at the right hand ofGod.
