EVIDENCES OF FORGIVENE .S. 185 have that accomplished towards them which that name imports. God did not, under the Old Testament, reveal himself to anyby the name of the "Father of Jesus Christ," or the " Son .incarnate," because the grace- of it was not to be accomplished to them, "God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect,' they were not entrusted with the full revelation of God by all his blessed names.. Neither doth God call us to trust in any name of :his, however declared or revealed, unless he gives it us in an especial manner, by way of covenant, to 'rest upon. So be speaks, Exod,: 6 : 3. "I" appeared untoAbra- ham, unto Isaac, and to Jacob, in the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known unto them." It is certain that both these names of God, El-shaddai and Jehovah, were known among his people before. In the first mention we have of Abra'- ham's addressing himself to the worship of God, he makes use of the name Jehovah, " He built an altar un- to Jehovah," Gen. .12: 7, and so afterwards, not only does Moses make use of that name in the repetitionof the story, but it was also of frequent use among them. Whence, then, is it said that God appeared to them by the name of El- shaddai, but not by the name of Je- hovah l The reason is, because that was the name which God gave himself in the solemn confirmation of the covenant with Abraham. Gen. 17 : 1. " I am El- shaddai, God Almighty," God All- sufficient. And when Isaac would pray for the blessing of the covenant on Jacob, he makes use of that name, " God Almighty' bless thee." Gen. 28 : 3. He invokes that name of God which was engaged in the covenant made with his father Abraham and himself. That therefore we may, with full assurance, rest on the name of God, it is not . only necessary that God reveal that name tobe his, but
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