ing, and of a distinct and inferior nature from his Father; for he and the Father are one, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.' "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one." So then, I say, the name of God in Christ, is just God himself; and this will farther appear, from what is to follow. And therefore,—

2. God's name is his titles that are peculiar to himself; and these we find in scripture are every where ascribed to Christ, the Angel of the covenant. To mention a few; his name is JEHOVAH. This is a name peculiar to the self-existent, supreme, and independent God, who hath his being of himself, without depending upon another, even "him who is, and was, and is to come." "Thy name alone is JEHOVAH, most high over all the earth." This great name we find frequently ascribed to Christ, with some additional epithets. To encourage your faith, he is sometimes designated JEHOVAH-ZABAOTH, "the Lord of hosts," to show his absolute authority, that he has all power in heaven and in earth, and the armies of both under his command. Sometimes he is called JEHOVAH-ROPHI, because he heals the broken in heart, and binds up all their wounds. Sometimes JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU, "the Lord our righteousness," because he brings in an everlasting righteousness for the justification of condemned sinners. Sometimes JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH, "the Lord is there," because he is with his people always, unto the end of the world. Sometimes JEHOVAH-JIREH, "the Lord will see or provide," because, when the poor and needy seek water, he will hear, help, and supply. Sometimes JEHOVAH-NISSI, because he gives a "banner unto them that fear him, that it may be displayed because of truth."

3. God's name is his word; for by it he makes his mind known to the children of men. And this name of his is in Christ: hence he is called, by way of eminence, "the Word of God," John i. 1-3, 14; Rev. xix. 13: " his name is called, The Word of God." Hence, when the Word of God, or the precious truths of the gospel are held, Christ reckons his name held. Rev. ii. 13, says the Lord to the church of Pergamos, "I know thy works, that thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith." Thou holdest fast my name; that is, thou retainest the gospel in its purity. The whole word of God, and all the truths of it, are in Christ; he is the great oracle of Heaven that reveals them: Rev. v. no man was found able to open the book with the seven seals, till the Lion of the tribe of Judah did it. All the commands of the law of God, are issued to us in and through him; hence says the Lord here to Israel, "Beware of him, and obey his voice." He is constituted the King and Lawgiver of the

church, and whatever laws do not bear the stamp of his authority, and are touched with his royal sceptre, they should have no regard paid to them in the church of God. And as all the laws, so all the promises of God are in him, and in him they are "yea and amen;" they are just the articles of his latter will and testament. He is the marrow and substance of the whole revelation, and of all the truths of it, they meet in him as their centre; hence we read of "knowing the truth as it is in Jesus." And whatever doctrines or sermons do not hang upon and quadrate with this foundation God hath laid in Zion, are but hay and stubble that are to be burned; the sweetness of every truth lies in the connexion that it bears to him, and in its being a vehicle to convey the grace that is in Christ to our souls. So that, I say, this name of God is in Christ.

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4. God's works are his name: Psal. viii. 1. David there, viewing the glory of God, as it is expressed in his works, cries, "How excellent is thy name in all the earth!" Now, this name of his is in Christ. Is his name the Creator of all things, that stretched out the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth? Why, this name of his is in Christ: John i. 3: “Without him was not any thing made that was made." Psal. xxxiii. 6:"By the word of the Lord," namely, of Christ, as the context clears, 66 were the heavens made: and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth." Is the name of God, the glorious Preserver and Governer of all things? Why, this name is in Christ: Heb. i. 3: "He upholdeth all things by the word of his power;" and Col. i. 16, 17, there we see both the works of creation and providence ascribed to him, " By him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

5. God's name is his worship: Exod. xx. 24: " In all places where I record my name, there will I come unto you, and will bless you." This is a glory that he will not give to another; it is idolatry to make any thing or person in heaven or in earth the object of worship and adoration, but God alone, Is. xlii. 8, Matth. iv. 10. And therefore we find that when divine worship is offered to angels, they reject it as a thing not due to them, Rev. xix. 10, and xxii. 9. And when it was offered to Paul and Barnabas, they rejected it with horror and indignation, Acts xiv. 14, 15. But though this crown of glory, this name, the object of worship, cannot fit any created head, yet it suits the head of our Immanuel: John v. 23: "This is the will of him that sent me, that all men should honour the

Son, even as they honour the Father." Accordingly, the church, Psal. xlv., is commanded to adore him; "He is thy Lord, and worship thou him:" the powers of the earth are commanded to "kiss the Son (that is, to worship him, lest he be angry, and they perish from the way :" yea, all the angels in heaven are commanded to worship him, Heb. i. 6: "When he bringeth in his first-begotten into the world, he saith, Let all the angels of God worship him;" and, accordingly, we find all the ransomed in glory paying the tribute of worship to him equally with the eternal Father, Rev. v.: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

6. His perfections and excellencies are his name; and all these are really and originally in Christ, as they are in the Father. To instance in a few. God's wisdom is his name: "Wise in heart, and mighty in counsel." And this is in Christ: "Christ the wisdom of God: In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." His power is his name: "The Lord God Almighty." This name is in Christ: "Christ the power of God; and, The Almighty," Rev. xix. Hence called "the arm of the Lord, and the man of God's right hand, whom he has made strong for himself." By the power of God in him, he "spoiled principalities and powers." The holiness of God is his name, frequently called "the holy One of Israel." And this attribute shines so brightly in our Immanuel, in the eyes of the angels, that they fall down with covered faces before his throne, crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory." The justice of God is his name: "The Lord is a rock; and his work is perfect; a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he." And this name of his is in Christ, in its greatest lustre: it shines more eminently in him than in all the torments of the damned in hell. Never did the justice of God appear in such a lustre, as when he cried, "Awake, O sword, against the man that is my fellow:" he has fulfilled the command, and borne the penalty of the law as our surety, and so has obtained that name of "Jesus Christ the righteous; and the Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake." The love of God is his name; for God is love. But it is in Christ that he is so to sinners: John iii. 16: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life. The mercy of God is his name, Exod. xxxiv. 6. But it is through Christ that his mercy vents towards us sinners of Adam's family: hence, Cant v.: "his belly" or bowels are said to be as "bright

ivory overlaid with sapphires." His grace is his name, Exod. xxxiv. 6: "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious." But it is only through Christ that his grace reigns towards unworthy sinners, Rom. v., at the close; "That grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord." His name is "the Lord pardoning iniquity, transgression, and sin." This name is in him, as you see in the context; and when he was here in a state of humiliation, he acted frequently as one that had power to forgive sin: “Go in peace, thy sins are forgiven thee." His name is his truth; "a God of truth, and 'without iniquity." Our Immanuel wears this name; hence called the truth itself, John xiv. 6: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; the Amen, the faithful and true Witness." I might tell you of many other names that are peculiar to God, every one of which is in Christ. His name is the everlasting God, Is. xl., at the close: "From everlasting to everlasting thou art God." You may see this name of God in Christ, Rev. i.: "The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come." His name is the unchangeable God, without any "variableness, or shadow of turning." See this name in Christ, Heb. xiii. 8: "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." His name is the omniscient God, that "searcheth the hearts, and trieth the reins." See this name in Christ, John ii., at the close, "He needs not that any should testify of man; for he knows what is in man.” Rev. i.: "His eyes are as a flame of fire;" he searches the heart, and tries the reins, and knoweth all the works of the church. His name is "the God of salvation:" "Our God is the God of salvation." And this name is in Christ hence, old Simeon, when he gets him in his arms, blesses God, and cries, "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." From all which, I think the truth of the doctrine abundantly evident, that the name of God is in Christ.

II. The second thing proposed was, to give you some of the properties, or qualities, of the name of God as it is in Christ. 1. Then, his name in Christ is a glorious name. His essèntial glory, instead of being darkened, is illuminated by being set in Christ, for Christ is "God manifested in the flesh;" plainly implying, that God out of Christ is an unknown God to sinners, but God in Christ is a God whose glory is manifested or displayed to our view. Never did the glory of God shine so as in Christ; hence he is called "the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person." So that, I say, the name of God in Christ is a glorious name :

Psal. lxxii., at the close, "Now blessed be his glorious name; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory." His name is the glory of the church militant, for " in him shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory;" and the glory of the church triumphant, for "the Lord God, and the Lamb, are the light" of the place.

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2. This name that is in Christ is a transcendent and incomparable name, a name above every name that can be named, whether in this world, or in that which is to come, Eph. i., at the close. His name is more excellent than the names of all the great powers of the earth; for "who among the sons of the mighty can be compared unto him?" This is one of his royal titles, "The Prince of the kings of the earth, the King of kings, and Lord of lords." His name transcends the name of the angels in heaven: Heb. i. 4: “ Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."

3. The name of God in Christ is a most powerful name. Such power or authority is in this name, that "every knee must bow, and every tongue must confess, that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the praise and glory of his eternal Father," Phil. ii. 9-11. Such power or strength there is in this name, that devils were cast out, the dead were raised, the eyes of the blind, and the ears of the deaf, were opened, and all manner of diseases were healed by the power or virtue of this name, in the infancy of Christianity; as we read in the histories of the Acts of the Apostles. Such power is there in the name of a God in Christ, that when prayers and petitions are put up to heaven with this name upon them, they prevail and obtain any thing: "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, I will give it," John xiv. 13, 14; Mark vii. 26,

&c.

4. His name in Christ is a most helpful and saving name: "Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth." If a poor soul can but, by the eye of faith, read the name of God in Christ, immediately he reads his own salvation in it: Is. xlv. 22: "Look unto me, and be ye saved:" Why, how comes this about? "For I am God, and there is none else." It takes every burden off the back to see this name in Christ; Psal. xxxiv. 5: "They looked unto him, and were lightened;" and no wonder, for whenever God's name is taken up as in Christ, it is seen to be " the God of peace." God in Christ is a "God reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them."

5. His name in Christ is a wonderful and a secret name: "His name shall be called Wonderful;" and why wonderful, but because the "child born unto us," and the "son given