merely to denote, but to describe: they are not mere arbitrary signs of person, but descriptions of character. Hence it is that the inspired narrative lays so much stress on Adam's giving names to all the creatures which God brought to him to see what he would call them, and on the names he then gave being adopted and thereby ratified: because his naming them at first sight was an evidence of the perfection of his powers; a proof of the intuitive sagacity with which at a glance he discovered their most striking characteristics, and of the command of language with which he expressed those characteristics in appropriate terms. And thus the names of most eminent men throughout the Old Testament, as you are aware, do in effect succinctly describe some prominent feature of their character and circumstances. To take the patriarchs for instance: the name of Abraham was given him, we are told, by God himself, to signify the multitude of his posterity'; the name of Isaac, which denotes laughter, was given for the purpose of alluding to and perpetuating the remembrance of that laugh of incredulity on Sarah's part, which God by fulfilling his marvellous promise, afterwards turned into a laugh of joy2; the name of Jacob means a supplanter, thus graphically representing the unfairness with which, on several occasions, he gained advantages over others. Nor is this usage confined to those early times: descending to a far later age, we find in the name of David, which means 2 Gen. xviii. 12, and xxi. 6. 3. Gen. xxvii. 36.

1 Gen. xvii. 5.

"the beloved," an admirable characteristic of the prominent feature of the life of the man whom Jonathan loved, with a love exceeding that of women, in spite of all his father could say to incense him against his rival1; whom his own tribe clung to with obstinate fidelity throughout the most terrible reverses2, and who, above all, was the man after God's own heart, in spite of numerous and deadly sins, because his piety was throughout genuine, and his repentance thorough and sincere; whilst again, the name Solomon, which means, "the peaceful," conveys in one word that trait of his character and life which renders him peculiarly emblematic of Him who is emphatically styled "the Prince of Peace." These examples, which might easily be multiplied indefinitely, will suffice to explain the peculiar importance attached to names in Holy Writ; and prepare us to expect that when we hear of the name of God, we are not to consider it a mere sign by which to denote him, but as a description of his nature, or a disclosure of his relation to ourselves. And though the actual names which the Almighty bears in Holy Writ are thus descriptive of his nature, the name Jehova denoting the self-existent eternal being, whose very essence is life, whilst the name Elohim means the object of highest reverence; yet we should unduly narrow the application of the word "name" with reference to God, if we supposed it to be confined to any one or all of these particular descriptive signs. "The name of God" is, in fact, in Scriptural usage, a compendious term denot1 1 Sam. xx. 20.

2 2 Sam. xx. 2.

ing all we know of God by revelation; in other words, "the name of God" means "God in so far as he is revealed to us." This definition explains at once a multitude of texts. Thus when we hear of the patriarchs at each stage of their wanderings "calling on the name of the Lord," we are thereby to understand that they invoked God, not as the abstract Deity, not as the first great though unknown cause of all things, (as the light of nature might exhibit him ;) but as their God, who had been pleased to reveal himself to them, to enter into certain relations with them, and to discover to them his Holy Will. And hence the stress laid by the prophet Joel, as quoted by St Peter (Acts ii. 21), on men's calling on the name of the Lord, and the assurance that as many as did so should be saved in that great and terrible day; inasmuch as by doing so, they would testify their faith, not only in the God of natural, but in the God of revealed religion; and would declare their reliance on the promises which in that Revelation he had given them. Hence too the importance attributed by the same Apostle to the name of Jesus when he declared to the angry Sanhedrim (Acts iv. 12), "that in no other name is there salvation: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved;" the name of Jesus here, as you perceive, plainly denoting not the mere word Jesus, but that revelation of God which is included in the person and in the work of Jesus. Hence also, when St Paul declares (Phil. ii. 9), that God

"hath exalted Jesus, and given him that name," (for so it ought undoubtedly to be translated1,) “that name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth," we gather assuredly that he means nothing less than that God hath revealed his Son, the Man Christ Jesus, as invested with all the perfections of divinity, equal to the Father as touching his Godhead, and equally entitled to every sentiment and every mark of worship; "so that," as he proceeds, "every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord," Lord Jehova, "to the glory of God the Father."

These instances, besides being in themselves important, may enable us more fully to conceive the meaning of the petition "Hallowed be Thy name." They shew. that far more than mere external deference to the Name of God is intended to be petitioned for; far more than any mere avoidance of profanity or blasphemy or perjury; outward decency or inward respect is but at the threshhold of this petition. To "hallow God's name," implies nothing less than to reverence God as he has revealed himself to us, and to act on every occasion of life accordingly. And as, to go no farther than this very prayer, He hath been pleased to reveal himself to us by His blessed Son, as "Our Father which is in heaven,” Our Father not merely in name but in nature, not merely in affection but in relation,-in order duly to hallow Him in this His revealed parental character, we must love and

1 See note at end of Sermon.

reverence and obey and trust Him as duteous children would love and reverence and obey and trust an earthly parent all whose acts they knew were dictated by affection and intended for their benefit: but in far higher degree than any earthly parent can be loved and reverenced, inasmuch as our heavenly Father's love to us infinitely transcends the possible affection of any earthly parent, whilst His acts are all directed by unerring wisdom to our real and not merely to our apparent good. God loves us indeed with all the energy of Deity-with an omnipotence of love: the very uttermost sacrifice He volunteered to make that He might rescue us from the necessities of His absolute justice: for this world, sunk as it was in sin, corrupt and abominable as it was in the sight of Him who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, He yet so loved as to give his only-begotten Son, to the end that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life1. This, brethren, is the name of God we petition may be hallowed :-God revealed to us as our Father and our Saviour; God who hath given us His own Son as a pledge that with Him he will truly give us all things; God who hath declared by His holy Apostle Paul, that if we but love him sincerely, however imperfectly, all things shall work together for our good 2; God who thus announces that all the resources of boundless power, directed by unfailing wisdom, are continually employed in controlling the complex system of this

1 John iii. 16.

2 Rom. viii. 28.

C