GOD IN CHRIST WITH US. 29 enjoyment of God in glory. This is the salvation of JEHOVAH Jesus, which He has provided, purchased, and applies to all who believe in Him. And this He did by taking upon himself our guilt. For, being God-man, he could bear the weight, and give ample satisfaction to Divine Justice for our sins. For Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. By his obedience righteousness comes upon all men to justification of life, and grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life. Hence the Apostle is able to say, "God is in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." This salvation is applied, as our theologians say, initially in this life, and perfectly in the world to come. Believers have the first-fruits here, and the full harvest in the future life. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and is saved by hope." JESUS lives now as the Intercessor with the Father. By His Spirit in the ministry of His Word, He calls, invites, and draws to himself His people. They are born again, are penitent, regenerated, and believing, and made heirs of glory. And at death He receives the soul immediately into His kingdom above. JESUS fulfils the meaning of His Name, then, by procuring salvation for His people and applying it to them. But to receive this salvation, we must receive Him. This is the "commandment of God, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ." There is but one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Nor is there any other Mediator. There is no other Saviour. "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour." "For God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." Phil. ii. 9, 10. In the person of Jesus Christ we have the God-man. God the Son is here, and man is here, with a reasonable soul and a true human body, and thus God and man meet. This is proof of man's restoration to the image in which he was created. And this is proof also that there is a God, a truly living personal God, in contradistinction to the dead god of deism, the far-off indifferent god of heathenism, or the impersonal force or power, or natura naturans, of unbelieving Science and of German transcendentalism, or pantheism, which is atheism. The necessities of my nature are such that God must come down to me, or I can never glorify and enjoy him. He must take pity on me, and, self-moved, come down to me and seek me, or I can never go up to Him. The cravings and aspirings of the great universal heart of suffering humanity plead for just such a Jehovah Jesus as is our Lord Christ. The poor heathen could not live without gods, but while they made their heroes gods, they remained themselves as base as their vilest gods. But Christianity reveals God to us, and reveals His Son Jesus Christ in us, that we may become partakers of His nature and live with Him forever. Since, then, such is the precious import of the Name of Jesus, ought we not seriously to ask ourselves, Do we really "believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord ?" It is not enough that we have heard of Him, and can tell who is the Redeemer of God's elect. It is not enough that we have never formally renounced Him. We must believe that Jesus is Christ, and believe this with the PRAYER FOR LIGHT. 31 heart unto righteousness. Do you really know the meaning of the Name, the precious Name Jesus? If so, you know there is no other name to be compared with it. As the sun in the firmament darkens all the stars, so the glory of Christ's sufficiency, as seen by the eye of an appropriating faith, eclipses the lustre of all other objects. As salvation is found in Jesus alone, what are honors and riches without Him? If you are a merchant, and all your property is on board a ship, would you not feel anxious about bringing it safely into port? How much more anxious should you be to come to Jesus and lay up your salvation in Him. It is wonderful how strongly many of the early Christians expressed their affection for Jesus. In the first ages of the Church, Christians seem to have had such a believing, loving soul-such strong affection for the person of Jesus, that no other creed or profession was needed. It was enough to know Jesus. Many of them, like Bernard in his celebrated Hymn to the Lord Jesus, could say: "MOST blessed Jesus, dearest friend, Hope of my longing, panting mind, O Jesus, cordial to the heart, Who light and life dost still impart, A living fountain, full and fresh, Surpassing every joy and wish. When on my heart Thou'rt pleased to shine, My soul is cheered with truth divine; All I contemn but things above; My bosom glows with heavenly love. Jesus, my chief and lasting GOOD, My Saviour, strength, and precious food, Thy boundless love cause me to know." O everlasting Truth, Incarnate Wisdom of the Father, hear us when we call upon Thee. Prostrate in spirit at the footstool of Thy Majesty, we adore Thine infinite perfections, rendering all glory and benediction to Thee. We come to Thee in search of Thine Own Self, the Eternal Verity, to catch a ray from Thee, the light of the world; to walk in Thee, who art the Way; to live in Thee, who art the Life. Open Thou our hearts, to attend to that which Thou hast revealed of Thyself, of Thine Everlasting Father, and Thy Blessed Spirit. And as by Thine Incarnation new light has come to us, lighten Thou our eyes, that we may see Thee, and let memory, will, and understanding, all bow down before Thee, that Thou mayest be all in all.* Amen. *Slightly altered from Bishop Forbes. BELIEVING ON THE NAME CHRIST. II. BELIEVING ON THE NAME CHRIST. 33 "And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this JESUS, whom I preach unto you, is CHRIST.” "And testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ". . . . "showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ."—ACTs xvii. 2, 3; xviii. 5, 28. THE Only authority we acknowledge in matters of faith is the Word of God. The authority of Creeds and Articles and Confessions of Faith is derived from Holy Scripture alone. And the best guides for the interpretation of them are, First, the natural, literal, grammatical meaning of their text. Secondly, a knowledge of the controversies prevailing at the time these creeds and confessions were drawn up, and which made it necessary to have such articulated formularies of faith. Thirdly, the doctrines of the primitive Church which it was the intention of these formularies to embody, defend, and follow. Fourthly, the writings and known opinions of the eminent men who drew up these formularies, or who |