pur son is given: but the accomplishment is announced, by the celestial messengers, "Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 99 But, at the river Jordan, he stands, more fully confessed, by his forerunner, as the Lamb of God— By the dove-like descent of the Spirit upon him-and by a voice from the excellent glory, saying, "This is my beloved son." Although then, the ancient prophecies, predicted the time, place, and circumstances of his birth-the actions and events of his life-the manner and purpose of his death, they were not, and could not be applied to him, in his new and proper character, until his appearance in the flesh. Indeed, we find, even those who were waiting for the consolation of Israel, had no proper conception of his character or work. But, what is still more to the pose, and indeed, would itself decide the question; if the belief of the ancient prophets, or singing the ancient psalms, constituted an acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Messiah, the Jews were certainly entitled to the credit of owning him; for they did both: but, as their enmity was undisguised, it is obvious, that, in doing any thing in his name, something more was intended, than could be expressed by ceremonial observances of any kind. It is moreover, abundantly evident, that the apostles viewed the difference, as not only great, but essentially important, between an acknowledgment of the ancient prophesies, or the use of the ancient psalms, and an acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the true and proper Messiah, of whom the prophets spake. "Believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest." Yet he believed not in Christ. If by the use of the ancient prophets, or psalms, they owned the Messiah, and approached God by him, what was the use of a large proportion of the New Testament? or why were the gospels or the epistles written? Was not the great object of their writings, to prove to the Jews, by the psalms and prophets, which they owned, that, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom they disowned, was the great object of those prophesies? How then can Mr. M'Master, or any other person, persuade himself, that, in the use of these prophesies, or psalms, they perform any act of worship, in the name of Christ, when they only act in common with the Jews, who hated that name? That Christ was to come, they believed; but, that JESUS was the Christ, they denied, and to prove that Jesus was the very Christ, the apostles preached, and wrought miracles, and wrote gospels and epistles. The application, therefore, of the prophesies, to Jesus Christ, is a peculiarity of christianity. Indeed, it required no exertion, or self denial, in the Jews, to believe in the Messiah of the prophets and Psalms, as every one could form their own opinion of his person and character; but to believe that the DESPISED NAZARENE was he, required many and great exercises of self denial and humility. Considering, therefore, the prépossessions of the Jews, it was absolutely necessary, that an acknowledgment of Christ-an approach to him in worship-and a coming to God by him, should contain an express acknowledgment of him, by those names, and titles, by which the messengers from heaven, announced him to the world. His name shall be called JESUs, not has been; he is, therefore, to be owned and worshipped, by this new name. Says the apostle, "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Why in the name of the Lord Jesus? Because the angel Gabriel declared from heaven, that his name shall be called Jesus, and the apostle requires us to do all in this name; but why will not Saviour and Redeemer answer the same purpose as they are of the same import, and are found in the prophets and in the Psalms? Reader, take your choice of the directions, whether you will follow Gabriel and Paul, in offering your praises expressly in his name or those who teach you to perform it by ceremonial allusions. But, perhaps, the manner in which other duties and exercises were performed, in the name of Christ, will aid us, in ascertaining the manner, in which his name ought to be used, in the exercise of praise. 1st. Confessing Christ, was made the test of discipleship, by the Saviour himself. "Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is. in heaven," Math. x. 32, 33; Luke xii. 8, 9. The very reverse was the test of Judaism-" The Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue," John, ix. 32. Is there any thing more necessary to demonstrate, that singing former psalms was not at all considered, as, either confessing Jesus as the Messiah, or performing their devotions in his name; neither did they constitute that confession of sin, which christianity required. The Jews with all their belief in the prophesies and use of the Psalms, denied him; but the disciples, and the multitudes, in the use of their new hosannas and praises, confessed him. But to confess Christ signifies also to praise him, and when the apostle requires all to be done by him, to him, and in his name, there is no exception respecting praise. Indeed, this was the very subject, on which he principally expatiated, when he required so explicit a recognition of him, in our devotions.. Praise, as every one knows, who has the least acquaintance with the original languages of scripture, is taken from a word that signifies, to confess. Hence, Jude or Juda, Jah Jah, I will confess Jehovah, therefore, she called his name Judah, that is praise. See Gen. xxix. 25,* “Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing unto thy name;" is, by the apostle rendered;"For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name." Compare, 2d Sam. xxii. 50, Ps. xviii. 49, and Rom. xv. 9. In like manner the Greek word which is translated giving thanks, in several places signifies also, to confess. Thus in Heb. xiii. 15, "Giving thanks to his name;" is, in the margin, rendered confessing to. In whatever way then, we confess, whether by our praises or otherwise, we are to use his name explicitly, without any ceremonial disguise. Indeed, the writings of the apostles are examples for our imitation, in respect to this use of his name, as the repetitions are so frequent, on every subject, as to show how full they were, and we ought to be, of him-how much he ought to be in our hearts, in our tongues and in all our actions. *In this and in a few other places I would have given some quotations from the original languages, but we have no types in this place of those characters. It is, however, little to be regretted, as they would have been of little use to those for whom this book is principally intended, and others can examine for themselves. 2nd. That his name might be had in perpetual remenbrance among his people, particularly when they assemblefor his worship, the first day of the week was appointed for. his service, and called by his name. On it be arose from the dead, on it the spirit decended, on it the disciples metin their religious assemblies, and for him they called it the Lord's day." 3rd. With similar views, the sacraments were instituted. The eucharist is called, the Lord's supper, and is observed with the express design of preserving a suitable remembrance of him, and that too by his own special requirement. them. 4th. In like manner, by him baptism was instituted, of which one important design was, that it might form a public profession of discipleship, and be a standing mark by, which to distinguish his followers, from the world around. This ordinance, was commanded to be administered in his name: 66 Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ," Acts ii. 38. It is, perhaps, too, worthy of remark, that while this ordinance in its in-. stitution, was directed to be administered in the name of the. Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, the apostle, in his discourse, mentions only the name of Jesus. Christ, because, the owning or confessing of the Father and Spirit, was a matter of course with the Jews; but, the confessing of Jesus Christ was specially demanded, as a renunciation of their former enmity, and an avowal of their belief, that he was indeed the Messiah that should come. 5th. In working miracles too, there was an uniform and, explicit mention of his name. "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk-And his name, through faith in his name, hath made this man strong," Acts iii. 6, 16. 6th. In the name, which is put upon his disciples, there is an explicit recognition of his name. As his name has been given to his day, so it has been conferred on his people. "And thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name," Is. xii. 2. 66 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen for the Lord God-shall slay thee, and call his servant by another "Is. lxv. 15. And the disciples were called christians first at Antioch," Acts xi. 26. This was a manifest fulfilment of the former promise, and preserves a name, : perpetual, but much abused, memorial of the name of the Messiah. 7th. But finally. In the exercise of prayer, this requirement is, if possible, still more apparent. Mr. M’M. inquires, as we have already quoted, "Was not Messiah, since the fall of man, the only way to the Father?” I answer, as our author himself would reply: certainly. He again inquires, Who of them was ever, in person or im worship, accepted through any name but that of Christ? Again, I answer, with him, None. But what now are the proper and necessary conclusions "No man hath seen God at any time;" but the second person of the glorious trinity had, from the beginning, "rejoiced in the habitable parts of the earth, and his delights were with the sons of men. "" All the Divine appearances, therefore, which the patriarchs enjoyed, are to be ascribed to him, in anticipation of his incarnation, and he was at all times since the fall the only way to the Father. But, after all this, what are his own words? Hitherto have ye asked notheing in my name," John xvi. 24. Now, how are we to reconcile this, with the sentiment that he was always the way unto the Father, but by adverting to the necessity of using, in their petitions, the names, by which the celestial messengers announced him to the world. JESUS CHRIST, THE LORD, AND THE SON OF GOD. Luke i. 31, 35 ii. 11. Does not this prove, that, instead of ancient figures, being a sufficient confession of Christ, that, by the names through which he is now known to his people, their minds are to be led from those shadowy and obscure representations of him, to those clearer discoveries which the gospel affords. If any one then, is still prepared to maintain, that with all these evidences of the plain literal use of his name being required, in all their acts of worship, and in whatever. they do in word or deed, that we have only to sing the 45, 47, 64, and 102, &c. psalms, and that so far as the act of praise is concerned, they have really presented it in the name of the Lord Jesus, they must be proof against conviction. If all, before Christ's crucifixion, had asked nothing in his name, the same may be said of their praises; and as the command to offer up their prayers in his name, to the Father, is not more express, than it is to present their songs of praise in the same manner, the one |