ing eye beheld us in our lost and ruined state, and He stood up in the ancient council, He engaged in the everlasting covenant to save us. He pledged Himself to be our substitute, he undertook as our surety; and in the volume of the book of God's eternal decrees it was written of Him, that He would assume our nature-answer for our trespasses-atone for our guilt-satisfy all the demands of stern justice-magnify the righteous law-harmonise all the perfections of Deity-and honour the moral government of God, in the salvation of His people. He undertook the charge of their persons, He became responsible for them, and pledged Himself to present them before His Father's throne, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. He gave His word to His Father, and it was accepted; and the bond being accepted, it was decreed that His name should be called Jesus, because He should save His people from their sins. Precious, most precious name!

"His name was called JESUS," for He came into the world to save. Having undertaken in the name of His people, He assumed their nature. He became man. He was born of a virgin. He was brought up in a carpenter's cottage at Nazareth. He wrought with that village carpenter at his trade, and was subject to him and his honoured wife. But all the time His eye and His heart were set upon the salvation of His people. This was his Father's business. This was His proper VO

cation. And at length He came forth from His obscurity, was baptized by John, received the Holy Spirit from His Father, wrestled with and conquered Satan in the desert, proclaimed the good news of the coming kingdom, wrought many mighty works, and actively fulfilled all the requirements of the holy law. What He did, He did as God's righteous servant; what He did, He did as man's substitute and surety; what He did, He did to merit and deserve the name He wore, even Jesus, the Saviour of His people from their sins. When he had finished His active obedience, He presented himself before His Father's omniscient eye, and with meek countenance, honest heart and humble voice, said: "Father, the hour is come, glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee. I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do."

"He was called JESUS," for He died to save. All His tremendous and unparalleled sufferings, which terminated in His death on the accursed tree, were the desert of our sins. Our sins were imputed to Him according to the arrangements of the everlasting covenant, and being imputed to Him, He was punished for them. Our desert was put into a cup; that cup was presented to Him by His Father; in taking it his nature shuddered, His soul was troubled, His body was baptised in its own blood, and He feared

death in the garden before He came to the cross. He offered up strong crying and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared. An angel strengthened Him, by suggesting to Him the promises of His Father, and the glorious prospects which were opening before Him. He arose from the ground, reproved His disciples, surrendered Himself to his foes, and was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep, which is dumb before its shearers, so He opened not His mouth. He was condemned to die. He was treated as the vilest malefactor. He was tormented, deserted, insulted, and put to death. He died with a broken heart, and yet He conquered when He fell. He made a full atonement, He gave perfect satisfaction to Divine justice, He redeemed the pledge He had given in the ancient council; and thus became actually Jesus, the Saviour of His people from their sins.

"He was called JESUS," for He lives to save. He is gone into heaven. He is at His Father's right hand. He has carried His blood into the holiest, to sprinkle the mercyseat. He lives to intercede for all that come unto God through Him. He lives to advocate the cause of all that trust in Him. Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for He came to earth, and stooped to the lowest depth of humiliation, that He might

us.

be Jesus. He is gone into heaven, and is exalted far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, that He might be Jesus. Blessed, for ever blessed be His dear name; He died for our sins, rose for our justification, and is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high, pleading our cause. He

was determined to save, therefore He undertook to be all, to do all, to provide all, and secure all in consequence of which He became man, made atonement, wrought out an everlasting righteousness, obtained the gift of the Holy Spirit, acquired all power in heaven and in earth, and is now in heaven to plead our cause. If when we were enemies we were recoiled to God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

"He was called JESUS," for He intends to come again, a second time, without sin unto salvation. At His first coming He put on sackcloth and ashes, He appeared in the gar ments of humiliation, as the servant of His Father; at His second coming He will be robed in majesty, and crowned with glory, as the King of kings, and Judge of all. He is coming to open the graves of His saints, to collect into one glorious, compact, and happy body, all for whom He became responsible; and to present us without fault unto His glorious Father. This will be the finishing stroke, the completion of His undertaking, the end of His engagement. Oh, how glo

rious to see the church, the Lamb's bride, complete in number, perfect in character, glorious in holiness! How sweet, how_precious, how glorious will be the name of Jesus then! He will wear it for ever, for He richly deserves it. It will be His honour, His glory, His brightest crown, for ever. O Jesus, my soul longs to see Thee descend in the cloud to be glorified in Thy saints, and to be admired in all them that believe!

"Call his name JESUS," for He delights to save, He glories in His work. Never was there delight like that which Jesus realizes in the salvation of His people. Never did any one glory in anything he valued, or which brought him wealth or honour, as Jesus glories in saving sinners from their sins. And to gratify the infinite love of God; to confound all the devices of Satan; to rescue from endless torments, and fill with eternal joy; to uplift from deepest degradation, and raise to highest honours an innumerable multitude of Adam's base posterity, must be the greatest glory that can be acquired or won. Jesus, Thou hast acquired that honour, and Thou shalt wear it as thy crown, for ever and ever! At this moment, heaven rings with Thy beloved name! At this moment, thousands of human hearts glow with love to Thee. And through eternity we will cast our crowns at Thy feet, ring our harps to Thy praise, and raise our voices to Thy honour. It shall be Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! for ever and ever! Amen.