WHAT IS MEANT BY NAMING THE NAME OF CHRIST.

I. As to the first: What is meant by naming the name of Christ? -It is evident that it cannot be understood of a bare speaking of the word "Christ," sounding the letters of which it is made, which Pagans and Mahometans may do, and the wicked Jews often did; but by "naming the name of Christ," is understood, a making some special use of it, or of him that is signified by it. We must therefore consider,

That wheresoever there is any thing of divine revelation, there man's fall and misery are manifested. For though by natural light it could be perceived that all was not well with man; (hence the many complaints, that nature dealt very hardly with man, the noblest visible creature, that had rule and command over the rest of the creation ;) yet that he was so short-lived, so full of misery and trouble, which seemed as natural to him, 'as for "sparks" to "fly upward; (Job v. 7;) this was for a lamentation amongst the very Heathen; but wobey κακα, "whence all this mischief came," they knew not. In scripture only we find the cause of our disease, and the remedy against it; and here, Ubi invenitur venenum, juxta latus ejus nascitur antidotus: "Where we may discover the malady, we may seek for and discover the remedy."

In the word of God we have means prescribed, institutions appointed, which being used and observed will help and recover us.

In the former economy and dispensation, they were veiled under shadows and types. The " wages of sin" being "death," (Rom. vi. 23,) every transgressor of the law forfeits his life; (Gen. ii. 17;) and his sin cannot be expiated but by blood: it might justly have been his own blood, and no other's; but the Lawgiver being graciously pleased to accept of animam vicariam, "another's blood or life," such as he should appoint, he did for a while accept of the sacrificing of beasts in the stead of the sinners, till the fulness of time was come, in which he sent his Son (this Christ whom the text mentions) to make full satisfaction to his offended justice, and by his death to expiate for all the sins of them that by faith apply themselves unto him. Hence it is said, he was "made sin for us," (2 Cor. v. 21,) and that "he was bruised for our iniquities," and that "the chastisement of our peace was upon him." (Isai. liii. 5.)

But as under the law the transgressor was to lay his hand upon the beast to be sacrificed, thereby acknowledging that he was the creature that had deserved to die, and desiring that the death of the beast to be sacrificed might be accepted in his stead; (Lev. iii. 2; iv. 4;) so under the gospel we must apply to Christ with a due sense of our sins, and our deserving of death for them, and be accordingly affected with them.

Yet, more when all the outward ceremonies were performed, the sacrificed beast accepted and slain, though the law according to the letter was satisfied, and a legal expiation did ensue, and a legal atonement was made; yet if the person that brought the sacrifice did not

mortify his sin, as well as the priest kill the sacrifice, his conscience inwardly remained defiled, and God still provoked and incensed. Nay, if the sinner had done one without the other,-killed his beast, and spared his sin alive,-God looked upon it as a double iniquity; for so indeed it was, to acknowledge he had offended God, and to pretend that he desired to be reconciled unto him, and yet to go on in provoking of him. Hence God did forbid and reject their sacrifices, though of his own appointment: "I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goat out of thy fold;" (Psalm 1. 9 ;) nay, he declares that, in such a case, "he that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol;" (Isai. lxvi. 3;) and elsewhere, "Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me." (Isai. i. 13.)

Now that all sacrifices were types of Christ, through whom only they had their virtue and efficacy, is confessed by all Christians. Thus Christ was a "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;" (Rev. xiii. 8;) and the Christian, when affected with his sin, and desirous to be reconciled to God, whom by his sin he hath provoked, lays the hand of his faith upon Christ, and humbly begs that Christ's death for him may be accepted instead of his own, which he had deserved. But now, to give a further illustration of my text and subject, if he pleads (though for Christ's sake) for pardon of sin, and yet retains a love and liking to his sin; if he desires never so earnestly that he may not die for sin, and yet is willing that his sin may live; these are vain oblations, vain prayers, but most real and dreadful provocations. There is a ηριον εν ήμιν, a beast within us," which we must kill; I mean, every corruption; or no sacrifice, no, not of the Lamb of God himself, will be accepted for us. Habes in te quod occidas: "Every man hath some sin or other within him," nay, a whole "body of sin," "which he must slay" by at least a sincere, continued endeavour, or all legal and gospel sacrifices too in the world will not avail him: we must "mortify the deeds of the flesh," or we cannot live. (Rom. viii. 13.)

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And now we may easily understand who they are that name the name of Christ, and to what purpose. For our Saviour is he who is so called, (the same with Messias,) from his being anointed by God to those offices of King, Priest, and Prophet to his church.

ALL CHRISTIANS NAME THE NAME OF CHRIST.

Now those that apply themselves unto him for life and salvation, are necessitated to name his name: and so they do,

I. IN THEIR PROFESSION.

In their profession.-Hence we are called Christians; and we own the name, and rejoice and glory in it, as a name divinely imposed on the disciples of the blessed Jesus, by God himself; for so xpnuatioai does import. (Acts xi. 26.) And in our baptism we agree to be

listed amongst his soldiers, and to fight under his banner; nay, we name Christ's name, and it is our ambition to be called by it.

1. Owning him as our Father.-By whose Spirit we are born again through his word;" (1 Peter i. 23;) and as Jacob would have his name named on the children of Joseph, thereby owning and respecting of them as if they were his own children; (Gen. xlviii. 16;) so does Christ look upon all believers as his children, and condescends to have his name named on them; nay, he names them his children, when he says, "Here am I, and the children which thou hast given me." (Heb. ii. 13; Isai. viii. 18.)

2. Looking upon Christ as our Husband. (2 Cor. xi. 2.)-To whom this apostle tells us that we are espoused." It is as ancient as the prophet Isaiah's time to have the wife called by the name of her husband; which is the meaning of their desire, "Let us be called by thy name;" (Isai. iv. 1;) that is, that, being married, they might change their names for that of their husbands: and this was the custom amongst many of the Romans, as still amongst us: Ubi tu Caius, ibi ego Caia,*

And thus all that look upon Christ as their Father, and hope for the inheritance [which] he hath so dearly bought for them; or whosoever behold him as their Husband, and esteem his love, and long for the enjoying of him; are concerned in this obligation, to "depart from iniquity." As also,

II. IN THEIR PETITION.

In their petition naming Christ.—In every prayer, to be sure, they name the name of Christ, in that they ask all in his name, that is, in his strength, and for his sake. So indeed runs the promise: "Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name;" (John xiv. 13;) and in the next verse, (14,) "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." Especially after our Saviour's ascension, when he had paid the price for his people, and for all the pardons and graces, strength or comfort, they should want, he bids them expressly to mention his name, relying on his merit for the obtaining of them. He told them a little before his going to suffer for them, "Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name;" (John xvi. 24;) though doubtless they had prayed, according as they were commanded, the Lord's Prayer, (Luke xi. 2-4;) day by day, and, implicitly at least, desired all those mercies through a Mediator. They knew that the high priest was to appear with the names of God's Israel, and to offer up incense for them; yet

[In the 30th of his "Roman Questions," Plutarch gives the following account of this nuptial formula: "Why do the bridemen, that bring-in the bride, [and lift her over the threshold,] require her to say, Where thou art CAIUS, there am I CAIA? What, if the reason be, that, by mutual agreement, she enters presently upon participation of all things, even to share in the government of the household? And this is the meaning of it: Where thou art the lord and master of the family, there am I also the dame and mistress.' Or is it that Caia Cæcilia, an honest and good woman, being married to one of Tarquin's sons, had her statue of brass erected in the temple of Ancus Martius, on which in ancient times were hung sandals and spindles, as a significant memorial of her housewifery and industry?"-CHAUNCY'S Translation.]

clearly and explicitly Christ's own apostles did not enjoy this great privilege. And doubtless some new advantages have accrued to the disciples of Christ, since that prayer was recommended or commanded, by his death and resurrection. Now the explicit naming of Christ is a very great encouragement in prayer, whether in those or any other words.

More particularly, pardon and acceptance, justification and peace with God, must especially be desired in the name of Christ, and for his sake only; for he was "made a curse for us," and, by being a curse for us, hath redeemed us from the curse. (Gal. iii. 13.) He was as accursed in our stead, and did bear what the curse did threaten to transgressors. Which being done, and God's justice and the law satisfied, it follows that in him God is "well-pleased;" (Matt. iii. 17; xvii. 5 ;) which words are not only mentioned by the other evangelists, but repeated again in that extraordinary voice at his transfiguration; and are the more remarkable, in that it is not said, that Christ was God's beloved Son, with whom God was pleased; (though that was a truth from all eternity;) but, that God is pleased in him, that is, that God is wellpleased with all that are by faith united to him, and are as it were ingrafted in him. Hence we are said to be "justified freely by the grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" (Rom. iii. 24) so that all who are liable to condemnation have no other remedy, no hope or help, but in Christ Jesus; and "there is no other name 99 by which they can be saved, but by "the name of Christ;" for we "are justified" by faith in his "name." (Acts iv. 12; 1 Cor. vi. 11.)

Justification, properly speaking, is not the making of any righteous or holy; (though none are justified, who are not also sanctified;) but it is the accepting of any person who duly comes in the name of Christ, as righteous and holy; for so he is in God's sight, Christ's righteousness being imputed unto him; and for Christ's sake he becomes one of those blessed ones unto whom the Lord does not impute sin, as the Psalmist expresses it in those very words. (Psalm xxxii. 2.)

Whatsoever the import of the Latin word, from whence our English word "justification," may seem to be,* the words dixaiovv and dixarovoda used by the apostle, are juridical words, and relate to a court of judicature; where when the accused party upon sufficient ground is acquitted, he is said to be justified; and justification or absolution is the proper antitheton to condemnation, as by the whole of St. Paul to the Romans, viii. 33, may appear.

Now we must suppose that the convinced sinner sets himself as in God's sight; and having seriously considered what the law threatens, dreading that curse and wrath to come, hearing his conscience pleading guilty to the accusations of the law against him, he seems to hear the Judge asking of him what he hath to say for himself, why the sentence of death should not pass upon him. Here it is that he • En Græcis bonis Latina fecere non bona.-TERTULLIANUS. "See how they have rendered the good and expressive Greek words into very indifferent Latin."-EDIT.

names Christ, and remembers in prayer unto God what the blessed Jesus did and suffered unto the utmost for him. He became sin for him; he could not be a sinner, but he was dealt withal as if he had been one, because he was in the sinner's stead. Now the convinced sinner urges God's promise and covenant with Christ, that he should

see of the travail of his soul," &c. (Isai. liii. 11.) Thus the name of Christ is the soul's "strong tower;" he "runneth unto it, and is safe;" (Prov. xviii. 10;) and in Christ, who is also the Lord Jehovah, he hath "righteousness and strength." (Isai. xlv. 24.)

Again: Is the penitent sinner so oppressed that words fail him, only sighs and groans (which in his case are never wanting) are frequent with him? The name of Christ upholds him; for he knows, as God said of Aaron, "that he can speak well;" (Exod. iv. 14;) and "he ever liveth to make intercession for him." (Heb. vii. 25.)

I do not wonder that our being thus made whole only through the name of Christ should be by so many gainsayed and ridiculed; for it is hard to bring our thoughts into subjection unto the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. x. 5.) And when I read it so often called the "righteousness of God" in scripture, (Rom. x. 3; 2 Cor. v. 21,) (as surely he alone could find out the ransom, &c.,) I know it must be something beyond the ordinary apprehension of man; for "no man knows the things of God, but the Spirit of God;" (1 Cor. ii. 11;) and nil diurnum nox capit.*

HE WHO THUS NAMES THE NAME OF CHRIST IS SPECIALLY

OBLIGED TO DEPART FROM INIQUITY.

II. May this suffice concerning the subject of my text, namely, he "that nameth the name of Christ." We must now speak of THE INJUNCTION that is laid upon him, or the direction given unto him, Let every such an one depart from iniquity.-In which we shall have cause to inquire how it consists with the naming of Christ, especially for our justification, as I have explained it; and these four particulars I shall offer to your consideration :

1. That departing from iniquity (or holiness) is no cause of our justification, properly taken: notwithstanding,

2. Holiness hath an influence upon our salvation; and also, 3. Holiness is indispensably necessary to all justified persons.

4. Nay, more: Free justification, or justification by God's free grace in Jesus Christ, is the best and most forcible incentive unto holiness.

I. DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY IS NO CAUSE OF JUSTIFICATION.

It will appear that holiness is no cause of our justification: it did neither move God, when foreseen, to choose us; nor, when actually existing, to justify us.

REASON I. Mercy is only from something in God.

For all God's works of mercy arise from something in God himself, -Who is the "Fountain of" mercy, or of "living waters; (Jer.

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• "The night comprehends nothing which belongs to the day."-Edit.