remarks: "A Christian, therefore, is the highest character which any human being can bear upon earth; and to receive it from God, as those appear to have done, how glorious the title."

III. In this view of the subject, we see a remarkable accomplishment of a prophecy of Isaiah: The Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. And again, The Lord shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name. Doubtless, this is the same name that Christ promised to give to them who overcome. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a NEW NAME written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. He that overcometh I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and I will write upon him It is evident that Isaiah and John have my NEW NAME. reference to the same name. Isaiah says, that the Lord shall call his servants by a new name; John, that Christ will write upon them who overcome his new name; and we are informed by Luke, that the disciples were called Christians by divine appointment. From the united testimony of these inspired witnesses, it is evident that this new name was that of Christian, and that it was given by the direction of God.

IV. Names, as they are calculated to give just or false representations of the nature of things, are of the first importance; so that the affixing one to discriminate the followers of Christ in every age, seems not to be unworthy of divine appointment. This name is significant. The proper import of this name is a follower of Christ-it denotes one who, from a mature deliberation and an unbiased judg ment, cordially embraces the religion of Christ, receives his doctrine, believes his promises, and makes it his chief and constant care to regulate his life according to the precepts and example of our common Lord. The Christian and man of the world are the most opposite characters; for it is the chief part of our Saviour's design, and the great scope of his religion, to redeem us from this present evil world. A Christian possesses the mind and spirit of Christ, and imitates his example. He has attained such a practical knowledge of Christ, as enables him to walk even as he walked. The rules by which he lives are the words of Christ-his example is the model after which he copies-the happiness to which he aspires is that of forever being with the Lord, for in his presence there is fulness of joy, and at his right hand pleasures forever more.

Multitudes assume the name of Christian, to whom it is, in strict propriety, wholly inapplicable. Educated in a country where Christianity is the received religion, they acquiesce in its truth. But to whatever distinguishes the real Christian-his faith, his hope, his charity, his love-to whatever relates to a spiritual union with Christ -faith in his Messiahship, delight in his person, or an animating hope of his appearance to recompense the just, they remain total and contented strangers. They have never participated in these

things, neither are they dissatisfied at the consciousness of not possessing them. They feel no scruple of associating the name of Christ with many of the vices, and with all the spirit of the world. This assumption of the name of Christ, while we are destitute of his spirit, and without aspiring to the least resemblance of his character, has done inconceivable injury to the interests of religion. It is this that emboldens the scoffer, encourages the infidel, the profligate, and the votaries of Paganism. It is this that seals the eyes of the impenitent in every nation in deeper and more deathlike slumber :The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. The time is at hand when the Lord Jesus will vindicate that name, which wicked men have disgraced. It had been better for them not to have named the name of Christ, than, having named it, not to depart from iniquity. For they have now added deceit and hypocrisy to guilt; therefore, the greater will be their condemnation, when God shall render a righteous retribution to moral conduct.

V. It may be considered a patronymic name, pointing out Christ as the Father and Founder of the Christian system. It has been usual in the schools of philosophy, from the earliest periods, to give to the partisans the name of the founder. Thus the Pythagorians were so styled from Pythagoras, the Platonists from Plato, the Aristotelians from Aristotle, and the Sadduceans from Zadoc. The propriety of the followers of Christ taking their name from him, was still more obvious and striking. The respective leaders we have mentioned, merely communicated their opinions to their disciples, and after they departed this life, had no further control or influence over them. But with the disciples of Christ, it is far otherwise; he is now as much as ever their living head; he lives in them, and they live by him. To them he still retains the same relation as the natural head to the body; giving life and energy to all its several parts. The union that subsists between Christ and 'his followers, is not a civil but a vital-not a temporary, but a perpetual and eternal union. By a sacred and a mysterious influence, he imparts his very spirit and image to his followers; and by a continued supply of his grace and mercy, this spirit and image are preserved in the midst of abounding wickedness and depravity; and it is surely fit they should receive their name from him, from whom they have derived spirit and temper.

We profess to acknowledge Christ as our only Master, both in doctrine and practice; therefore, we receive his name and reject all others. We think that they pay an extravagant, and even an idolatrous compliment, to his subordinate officers and ministers, who take their denomination from them. We highly esteem those eminent reformers who have distinguished themselves in restoring the church to the purity and faith of the gospel for their work's sake, and for the eminent services they have rendered Christianity. We feel grateful to them for the errors which they have detected

and exposed, and cheerfully renounce them. We also hail with pleasure and delight the truth which they have elicited, and gladly embrace it. Indeed, we endeavor to avail ourselves of the labors of all, and profit by them. It should also be recollected that the most eminent reformers are but men, and even men subject to like passions as we are—they are under the same liability to be swerved by passion, prejudice, or interest-to be misguided by the spirit of the age in which they live, or the circumstances by which they are surrounded-to be controlled by the force of education, or by particular modes of thinking which they have adopted. The sources of error are innumerable, and he who claims infallibility merely possesses a false confidence in his own powers; a confidence which he assumes for the purpose of elevating himself among his fellows, and gaining an ascendency over the minds of the confiding. We should be slow in yielding to the spiritual claims which any man. may set up over his brethren, with whatever apparent sincerity and confidence they may be urged; for all men are fallible, and, therefore, liable to err. We are under no obligations to embrace the errors, or copy the sins of any man. Jesus Christ himself claims our implicit faith and obedience, and has directed us to call no man Master. No man can take the crown from the head of Jesus, and place it upon the head of another, without giving offence to him; for in so doing he must renounce his allegiance to Christ, and surrender himself up to the dictation of man.

VI. It is a name of appropriation, signifying that we are the property of Christ, and his peculiar people. We are not our own, we are bought with a price-we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, and, therefore, belong to him as servants to a master. We should acknowledge his name, cherish his Spirit, submit to his authority, and live to his glory. Let him that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. We are not the servants of men; we are not to make their will and pleasure the standard of our faith and conduct; it is, therefore, highly improper to be called by their names. Jesus Christ is clothed with authority to exercise dominion over our faith and practice in all religious matters; and we are to be subject to him, and to him only, in all the concerns of that spiritual life which he has imparted to our souls. God has set his King upon his holy hill in Zion, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and of things in earth, and of things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. As the willing and obedient subjects of this King of kings, and Lord of lords, we are to receive his name and acknowledge his authority; and we cannot do this in its full extent while we prefer the name of another, and are guided by his counsel and direction. Christ and his church are often designated in the Sacred Oracles by the endearing appellation of husband and wife; and there is much pro

priety in a woman's being called by the name of her husband, seeing that they are no more twain but one flesh. Would it not be a matter of jealousy if a woman should refuse to be called by the name of her husband, or wish to be known by the name of any other man, especially if the person whose name she preferred should be a base character? What would any man think of his wife, should she choose to carry the name of one of his servants in her forehead, that is, publicly, by which she might be known, and the name of her husband in her hand, that is, privately? Would he not suppose her to be insane? or concluded that she loved another man more than himself? He would, undoubtedly, consider himself robbed of his due honor, as her head and husband. Now God is a jealous God, and his glory he will not give to another. Let those members of his family who choose to be called by so many different names, which the mouth of the Lord has not named, and who even glory in their names, make the application; it is easy and natural.

VII. As the members of this family are the peculiar property of Christ, so they all have been baptized into his name. A party spirit, in the apostolic age, was excited in the Corinthian church. Some of the Corinthians were not satisfied to be merely called Christians, but began to assume the names of the apostles. Some wished to be called after the name of Paul, others after Apollos, and others after Cephas. Had the apostles encouraged this spirit, how soon the Corinthian church would have been divided into sects and parties; and that leader who was the most popular, would have had the greatest number of followers; and might have triumphed over the others, branded them with heresy, and excommunicated them from the church. But the noble soul of the great apostle of the Gentiles, abhorred the idea; he endeavored to nip the poisonous weed in the bud, by telling them they were carnal, and urged these pungent questions: Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized into the name of Paul? Who then is Paul, or who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed? If they had been baptized into the name of Paul, they would have had grounds for saying they were of Paul, as bearing his name. They would have been Paulites, and so of the other apostles. But as they had been all baptized into Christ, they should all be called Christians. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. The argument of the apostle to do away sectarian names, may be urged with the same force and propriety now, as in the days of his flesh; for all believers are still baptized into the name of Christ, and, therefore, under the most solemn obligations to assume it. As they have not been baptized into the name of any man, consequently, they are not under any obligation to be called after the names of men. As all believers, therefore, have been baptized into the name of Christ, they should

be known and designated as his disciples; they should be called Christians.

VIII. The name Christian, was given to the disciples of Christ to bury all party distinctions, and to unite his followers in one body. All other names are divergent, and calculated to divide and scatter the flock of Christ. Thus, the name of Jew was odious to the Gentiles, and the name of Gentile was odious to the Jews. The name of Christian swallowed up both in one common and agreeable appellation. He who has taken down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile, has also taken away party names, and united all his followers in his own name as a common denomination: For now, says the apostle, there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. And ye are all one in Christ Jesus. According to the declaration of the prophet Zechariah-The Lord shall be king over all the earth, and in that day there shall be one Lord, and his name one. The most powerful obstacles to union among the followers of Christ are here removed, and the strongest motives are presented to unite and bind them together. And as party names only serve to divide and separate the disciples of Christ, whoever introduces them, or uses them after they are introduced, must be guilty of a great moral offence; for he lays a stumblingblock in the way of God's people.

IX. It was for bearing the name of Christian, that the primitive disciples were reproached and persecuted in the early ages of the gospel. Do they not blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called? If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed. It is well known that the edicts of the persecuting emperors of Rome were passed and enforced against those who bore the name of Christians. Hence, in those times of persecution, the only question asked of such as were arraigned at the tribunal of the magistrate was, "Are you a Christian ?" To answer this question in the affirmative, was regarded as a sufficient cause to justify proceeding to the utmost extremities. And in the midst of the sharpest torments, the martyrs found relief and refreshment in repeating, at each pause of the agony, "I am a Christian." Such persons received the high commendation of the Lord Jesus in his address to the persecuted churches: For my name's sake thou hast labored, and hast not fainted. Thou holdest fast my name. Thou hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. The primitive disciples seem to have adhered to the name of Christ with the same tenacity they did to his religion, and to have regarded a renunciation of his name the same as abandoning his religion. They, therefore, held it fast, and their enemies were unable, either by the terrors of persecution or the frowns of death, to drive them from their purpose. They remained faithful to Christ and to his cause, and urged their way onward in the midst of difficulties the most severe and com