God in three persons; and, if they were not bound to serve the Son, they were not bound to serve the Father. Baptism signifies a full and eternal consecration of the person baptized to the service and honour of that Being in whose name it is administered. This consecration can, of course, never be made to a creature:-the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are not creatures, but the Creator:three persons united in one essence.-True, this union is in a manner we can not understand, but it is revealed. In the course of the New Testament, it is frequently mentioned, that persons, who were Jews, were baptized into the name of Jesus-* baptized into the name of the Messiah-consecrated to the service of Christ for time and for eternity. The blessing pronounced so frequently by the apostle, or, in other words, the prayer of fered up for a benediction, is, in the same manner, instructive on this great subject. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all."+t-The prayer so continually of. fered for grace to be bestowed by Jesus, is a plain declaration that He knoweth all things, and that in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead. The same prayer is offered to the *Acts xix. 5. &c. †2 Cor. xiii. 14. Father and to the Spirit, but not more to them than to Him. It is a prayer to the Godhead in three persons. John says, speaking concerning Christ, "This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and, if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."* Here the will of the Lord Jesus is the measure of our success, and the power of the Lord Jesus is represented as equal to His will. There are abundant proofs that it is the duty of all to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, with every variety of homage. Inspiration is certainly a safe instructor on this subject. Not only did the apostles know from observation, and the instructions of their Lord, they were "guided into all truth. He that in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of mentServants be obedient to them that are your masters, according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ: not with eye-service, as men pleasers, but as servants of Christ-doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men; knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be * 1 John v. 14, 15. Rom. xiv. 17, 18. bond or free."* Not only is the Lord Christ put in contrast with meu, as the ultimate object of all service, but as He who shall reward every man according to his work. "Ye serve the Lord Christ:"+ again says the Apostle." I thank Christ Jesus our Lord," says Paal, "who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry."‡ The invocations, too, to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to the three united persons, are very frequent. More than twenty times does Paul repeat the prayer to Christ, for grace and love." Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father-comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word, and work. Grace to you and peace fromthe Lord Jesus Christ." And he expresses the perfect, well assured confidence, as one who knew he was reposing on an Almighty arm, "The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory forever and ever." Nor is this all; in prospect of martyrdom his triumphant spirit exclaims "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous JUDGE, shall give me at that day."¶ * Ephes. vi. 5-8. † Col. iii. 24. 1 Timi. 12. 2 Tim. iv. 8. Nor is Paul the only inspired Apostle who utters these prayers, and expresses this confidence: John, also, the disciple who leaned on Jesus's breast, and was distinguished with peculiar revelations- Grace," says he, in the fulness of his affectionate heart, anxious for the good of his people, "Grace be with you, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father.* Grace be unto you and peace-from Jesus Christ. Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood,-to him be glory and dominion forever and ever."† "Peter commenced his ministry with prayer to Christ- Thou Lord which knowest the hearts of all men;"‡ and closed it with praise, "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”|| These multiplied invocations were not in vain."The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved." We, who have been consecrated by baptism to the service of Jesus, and accustomed to pray to Him for grace, should delight to be numbered with those Christians in the time of the Apostles, characterized as "all that in * 2 John 3. † Rev. i. 4-6. Acts i. 24. 2 Pet. iii, 18. ¿ Rom. x. 12, 13. every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's."* We believe that Jesus Christ is God, because we are told "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." And, that we may know He did not act with delegated authority, we are informed "all things were created for him."‡ In the Proverbs, Jehovah says, He made all things for Himself.|| Who, then, is Jesus Christ but Jehovah? The ascription of praise recorded in the Book of Psalms, and by the Apostle Paul applied to the Lord Jesus Christ, need not surprise us, for it becomes all approaching the foot-stool of the Redeemer to say, "Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the Heavens are the works of thine hands. They shall perish; but thou remainest: and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thon fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. By him," indeed, "were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created 1 Cor. i. 2.-See references at the end of the volume. † John i. 3. Col. i. 16. | Prov. xvi. 4. § Heb. i. 10-12. |