THE NAME OF JESUS.

"And thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins!"

WOULD we read, or write, or speak, or think, what subject so lovely, what name so sweet as this? Would we read? What illumined page ever presented a title so illustrious, what volume ever glowed with a history so wonderful as his? Would we speak?

What name so dear, whether it tremble on the lisping tongue of infancy, or whether it sound with the ardour of matured devotion from the lip of three score years and ten. Well has it been described as "softer than the fanning of a seraph's wing, more soothing than the melody of an angel's harp."

Would we think? Oh what a volume of instruction, what a mine of treasure, what a heaven of happiness lies hid in the name of Jesus! It is the language of heavenly love to an alien earth-it is glory to God in heaven and peace to man on earthit is mercy from the throne to the "spirits in prison." Oh the blessedness that hangs upon "faith in that name." It is meditation on Jesus that animates every grace,-it is the wing of the dove on which, even while "in the world," we may flee away and be at rest above the world.

And would we write. Oh for the pen of a ready writer! The language of inspiration alone can con

vey some adequate idea of Jesus. Yet we may hear and see and tell even in our own tongue the wonderful works of God. And here upon this world of ours stood Deity manifest, yet man not annihilated! before him devils trembled, yet man had but to "look unto him and be saved." Here stood the vindicator of God's majesty, and the sacrifice for manʼs sin,— here beat a heart that was to bleed in justice while every drop opened the channel of mercy. Oh well may angels and archangels continually praise theewell may the holy church throughout all the world adore thee. We do acknowledge thee indeed to be the Lord thou art our hope for ever, in thee we trust and in thee we can never be confounded-thou art all our salvation and all our desire-whom have we in heaven but thee, and what is there on earth that we desire in comparison with thee!

There are among the learned and the wise and the noble those who pretend to discover God in the harmony and adaptation of his works, but why do they overlook the adaptation of a Saviour to the wants of man? Why omit the sun of the system? They grope in the dark among creatures, and never turn for a ray of light from that countenance which is the true index of the mind of the Creator. There is no want that Jesus cannot supply-there is no desire that he cannot more than satisfy.

How beautifully he fits the vacant place in the heart of man: he can fill a void that no human sympathy can touch-bis life was one continued illustration of his perfect suitableness to human wants. He went about doing good-his footsteps ever turned where his presence was a blessing. Was a sinner to be arrested in her progress to ruin? Was a stray

sheep to be won to the true fold? Jesus went where she might be found, and sat down by the well side to await her coming-she came thoughtless, she returned reflecting-she came empty, she bore away the living waters of eternal life! she came poor, she returned rich, for the treasury of heaven was at the well side that day.

Did a poor blind man sit by the way side begging? His eye closed against the light of the natural world? Jesus, the compassionate Jesus was sure to walk that way, and the cry of faith was heard. He said, let it be, and it was: the eye so long dim opened its first glad glance upon the light of the spiritual world; Jesus of Nazareth stood before him, and the blind man looked, and loved and followed him.

Was there a mourning group seen issuing from the gates of Nain? A widow bearing to the tomb the remains of an only son. All she had loved and lived for, deaf to the voice of consolation, blind through tears to the passers by. Jesus would enter the city at that moment-the bier must be arrested-the 66 weep not" of Jesus must be obeyed, the breath of life must reanimate the prostrate clay, and the widow's heart shall once more leap with joy.

Do the waves of a stormy sea beat around a frail little bark in the depth of night? her trembling crew toiling and rowing against a contrary wind-hope yielding to despair-an awful death before them. Oh, is there no help at hand? Yes! A bright figure treads with majestic step, the troubled sea.— -A soft voice clear and calm floats above the rush of waters, and the roar of winds, breathing its peace-bestowing power over the beating hearts of the anxious crew, "It is I-be not afraid," that well known voice is

safety--the winds are hushed, the waves subside for the Lord of heaven and earth and sea hath spoken!

Is there a spectacle of woe beneath the porches of Bethesda? A malady of eight and thirty years is healed by a word from Jesus.

Do mothers place their infants in his way, longing for the light of his smile to rest upon their offspring? Behold he takes them in his arms, and the happy parents receive them from the very bosom, and blessed by the lips of Jesus.—Oh, there's not a wish too humble for his notice, there's not a deed too mighty for his power-for-once more

Is there a planet in distress? Has one once beautiful world lost its power of reflecting back the light of its Creator? has it wandered from its orbit of holiness, and become lost in the blackness of darkness of sin? Yes, one of the spangles of the firmament has lost its beauty, the fine gold has become dim, and a sin-stained mass of blasphemy and woe is the only vestige of that lovely earth, which the voice of a Holy God once called " very good." Ah, here is a work for one whose love exceeds a world's iniquity" Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound.”—And Jesus the ready executor of purposes of mercy, leaves the glory which he had with his Father before this wandering world was made, and descends to retrieve the ruin sin had wrought. He bears the blow, he shields the earth. And a day is coming when he will restore righteousness, and cast out sin for ever, and when this planet restored to its purity, and polished into a perfect reflector of his likeness shall furnish a theme on which the morning stars may once more sing together, and the sons of God again shout for joy!

Oh! it is indeed a sweet name that is above every name. Wonderful Jesus-teach us to love theehelp us to anticipate thy coming kingdom, when every knee shall bow before the once "despised and rejected" One.

Oh, draw closer still those cords of love which bind our hearts to thine, snap the chains which hold us here below, and give us grace to yield ourselves to thee, that we may even while here live with thee, like thee, for thee!.

Ah, words are too weak, language supplies no expression adequate to tell of Jesus. And when he shall stand in his glory on a renovated earth, when on his head are many crowns, when risen saints salute him as their king, when mourning Jews behold their great Messiah, when all creation proclaims that the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,there, amidst the splendour of those mighty titles, amidst the dazzling wonders of the throne of glory, even there amidst the laurels of the conqueror's brow in the soft light of everlasting love still shines the name most dear to the sharer of his triumph, his bride the Church. "Jesus-The Saviour, for He has saved his people from their sins.”