16

SCRIPTURE NAMES OF CHRIST.

By John the Baptist he is spoken of, as "He that taketh the sins of the world;"1 and, as away The Baptizer with the Holy Ghost, and with fire."-By Paul, as A Sacrifice for Sin."3- Some mention "Reproof for Sin."+-Some speak of "His Spiritual Work to purge out the corruption, and restore to a state of holiness."5-He is also called "Emanuel,"6 'Wisdom, the power of God and life," "Faithful and true witness,” “A bright and morning star."9

And yet the various parts of this his work, as treated of in Scripture, are all applicable to Christ and his Spirit, though under many differing expressions, divers of which may be occasionally touched in the following pages.

Next, as lately hinted by Moses, by whom he is called the Word, "The word nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it."10 In which expression, although Moses doth so recommend them to the inward knowledge of it, yet that is no derogation to the value of the outward counsel or commands that have flowed, or do flow, from the word within.

So that their accusations have been vain, who have pretended that our being recommended to the word within, tended to the slighting or undervaluing the words without, which have been given forth from it. No, no; it is by the virtue of the Word within we come to fulfil the words without.

As David saith, "Thy word have I hid in my heart,

(1) John i, 29. (2) Matt iii, 11. (3) 1 Cor. v, 7; Heb. ix, 14, and x, 12. (4) Psalm 1, 21; John xvi, 8; Rom. viii, 3. (5) Isaiah iv, 4; Matthew iii, 12; Luke iii, 16; (6) Isa. vii, 14. (7) Heb. i, 3. (8) Rev. iii, 14. 16. (10) Deut. xxx, 11 to 14.

Titus ii, 15. (9) Rev. xxii,

SCRIPTURE NAMES OF CHRIST.

17

that I might not sin against thee;" and for confirmation hereof, lest any shall apply this to the law outward, the Apostle distinguishes very plainly, repeating the words of Moses, The man that doth those things shall live by them, but [saith he] the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven (that is to bring Christ down from above.) The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith, which we preach."2 And they did not preach another word than Christ the Word nigh in the heart; all these that receive Christ there, can “believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth, that God hath raised him from the dead, and so be saved by him."3

Isaiah treats of his redeeming work; and the Apostle saith, "He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity."5 Here is plainly imported our captivity, and His being our ransom, that we might be delivered from sin, as the Apostle words it, "There shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob."

"16

And yet this work of God will not admit of idleness in man; for, as the prophet lays it down, those that enjoy this redemption are they that "turn from transgression in Jacob."

Indeed these excellent enjoyments (which the best of wordly things cannot equal) are not the attainments of unactive sloth; but, as Canaan lay at a distance from the Land of Egypt. so are these spiritual blessings much remote from the Egyptian servitude.in sin;

(1) Psalm cxix, 11. (2) Rom. x, 5, 6, 8. (3) John i, i; Rom. x, 9. (4) Isaiah lix, 20. (5) Titus ii, 14. (6) Rom. xi, 26. (7) Isaiah lix, 20.

18

CHRIST OUR LIGHT.

1

whoever, therefore, would attain thereto, must go through travel from the land of bondage; 1 from under the power of the spiritual Pharoah, the god of this world, who rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience.

And, as it was said of old, "Out of Egypt have I called my Son," which was fulfilled of Christ in the days of his flesh; so all that claim to be Christians, would do well to consider, whether they have not been in spiritual Egypt, and whether they are come out thereof.

I scarcely doubt but that the generality of men, on serious consideration, may lay their hands upon their hearts, and confess, with sorrow, that the god of this world hath too long ruled in their minds, and by subjecting the mind ruled the whole man.

CHAPTER IX.

Christ treated of as our Light.

AND this was the depraved state of the Jews, when they departed from God, and had broken covenant with him ;-"Yet saith the Lord, I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and this shall be the covenant that I will make, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and I will be their God;"2" And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes."s

Again, that gospel-prophet Isaiah, when he prophesies of salvation by Christ to the Gentiles, thus

(1) Exodus xx, 1. (2) Jer. xxxi, 31, 33. (3) Ezek. xxxvi, 27.

CHRIST OUR LIGHT.

19

writes of him," I will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles;" and again,

.

I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation to the end of the earth."1 And as Christ was thus treated of under the name Light, before his coming in the flesh, so also at his coming, as we have it in the testimony of good old Simeon," Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." And this manner of preaching Christ is noted by the Evangelist, concerning John the Baptist, that he came for a witness,—"To be a witness of the light, the true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world; he was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not."3

Some, indeed, refer Christ's being our light only to his holy example and excellent doctrine preached by him in the days of his flesh; but divers wellesteemed writers have (as we do) applied these Scriptures to his divinely enlightening the souls of men.

As Gell says;-"The Lord himself is that living principle of light, life, power, and might, by whom the people of God perform all their works; which he is therefore said to do in them, yea, without whom, being separated (xwels iμs) as vine branches from the stock, we can do nothing."4

Whom the Father gives for a light unto the Gentiles ;”5 φῶς εἰς ἀποκάλυψιν ἐθνῶν, a light for the uncovering of the Gentiles.”6

(1) Isaiah xlii, 6; xlix, 6; Zach. i. (2) Luke ii, 29 to 32; Isa. xxxv. (3) John i, 6 to 9, 10. (4) John xv, 5. (5) Gell's Essay. (6) Isaiah xlix, 6.

20

CHRIST OUR LIFE.

Also, Matthew Hale remarks,-"As to the illumination of the understanding, certainly what the sun is to the sentient eye, that and much more is Almighty God to the mind of man."1 "In thy light shall we see light.". This [saith he] is the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world."2

And the Evangelist also shews that it is the life of Christ that is the light of men;-" In him was life, and the life was the light of men."3 We have not

only Christ for our light, but by him have also life he that enlightens us, also quickens or enlivens us, to do the work and will of God.

CHAPTER X.

Christ treated of under the name Life.

THUS as the spiritual manifestation of Christ, and his inward work in order to our salvation, was testified of by the name Light, before, at, and after his coming in the flesh; so also did John, in his Epistle, treat of him under the term Life :-"The life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us."4 So that this manifestation of Christ within, though variously expressed in holy Scripture, according to its several excelling properties and operations, as experienced or foretold by the holy men of old, may well be treated of by the said author as an operative Spirit or principle, and denominated

(1) Judge Hale's Contemplation on the Magnet. (2) Psalm xxxvi, 9; John i, 9. (3) John i, 3. (4) 1 John i, 2.