for Him ere He came. We further
call on the name of Christ the Anointed, on whom the whole fulness of
the Divine Spirit dwelt in order that, calling upon Him, that fulness
may in its measure be granted to us.

So the name of the Lord Jesus Christ brings to view the divine, the
human, the Messiah, the anointed Lord of the Spirit, and Giver of the
divine life. To call on His name is to be blessed, to be made pure
and strong, joyous and immortal. 'The name of the Lord is a strong
tower, the righteous runneth into it and is safe.' Call on His name
in the day of trouble and ye shall be heard and helped.

III. Lastly, this text suggests what a Christian life should be.

We have already remarked that to call on the name of Jesus was the
distinctive peculiarity of the early believers, which marked them off
as a people by themselves. Would it be a true designation of the bulk
of so-called Christians now? You do not object to profess yourself a
Christian, or, perhaps, even to say that you are a disciple of
Christ, or even to go the length of calling yourself a follower and
imitator. But are you a worshipper of Him? In your life have you
the habit of meditating on Him as Lord, as Jesus, as Christ, and of
refreshing and gladdening dusty days and fainting strength by the
living water, drawn from the one unfailing stream from these triple
fountains? Is the invocation of His aid habitual with you?

There needs no long elaborate supplication to secure His aid. How
much has been done in the Church's history by short bursts of prayer,
as 'Lord, help me!' spoken or unspoken in the moment of extremity!
'They cried unto God in the battle.' They would not have time for
very lengthy petitions then, would they? They would not give much
heed to elegant arrangement of them or suiting them to the canons of
human eloquence. 'They cried unto God in the battle'; whilst the
enemy's swords were flashing and the arrows whistling about their
ears. These were circumstances to make a prayer a 'cry'; no composed
and stately utterance of an elegantly modulated voice, nor a languid
utterance without earnestness, but a short, sharp, loud call, such as
danger presses from panting lungs and parched throats. Therefore the
cry was answered, 'and He was entreated of them.' 'Lord, save us, we
perish!' was a very brief prayer, but it brought its answer. And so
we, in like manner, may go through our warfare and work, and day by
day as we encounter sudden bursts o