personal union and oneness of the Lord Jesus Christ with our nature. And under such high encouragement and authority, I confess, that I feel a disposition, upon every occasion to adopt it, considering it the peculiar privilege of all true believers in Christ, to bring it into constant use, whenever they draw nigh to a throne of grace. See AMMI.

ABEDNEGO.

This name was given to Azariah, by the Chaldeans. See Daniel i. 7. I should not have thought it necessary, in a work of this kind, to have noticed the change of name, neither perhaps the name itself, more than many others to be met with in scripture, which I shall pass by, had it not been for the purpose of making an observation upon it; and which I hope will not be found improper or unprofitable. I humbly conceive, that the motive with the Chaldeans, for changing the names of the children of the captivity, was somewhat more than the naturalizing of them. The Hebrew, and the Chaldee language, were very similar. The Chaldeans perfectly understood the Hebrew names. And they no less knew how tenacious Hebrew parents were to give names to their children, which bore some relation to the Lord God of their fathers. In changing their names therefore, they not only designed to make them forget their beloved city Jerusalem, but the yet more beloved God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And what a change they wrought here in the instance of this man! Azariah, or more properly speaking Azar-JAH, meant, as the words themselves indeed express: the Lord is my help, from Azar,—assistance; and JAH,-Lord. But Abed-nego, means the servant of Nego; Abed, or Obed being the Chaldea for servant. And Nego most probably was one of the dunghill idols of Babylon. So that from Azariah, to remind him, as often as he heard himself called, he might remember that Jehovah was his help: he is brought into

remembrance whenever he now heard his name that he was the servant of an idol, in whom there is no help. Lord! keep thy people from mingling with the heathen, and learning their works, Psalm cvi. 35.

ABEL.

The second son of Adam and Eve. His name is mentioned by the Holy Ghost, with peculiar honor, in that illustrious list of old Testament saints, who all died, as they had lived, by faith, Heb. xi. 4. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." By which we derive full authority to conclude, that Abel's faith in Christ the promised seed, gave a blessedness in the acceptance of his sacrifice, which Cain's had not. Abel came to the Lord as a sinner; and by the lamb he offered in sacrifice, testified the sense he had of sin, and his hopes of salvation by Christ. Cain came to the Lord, not under the apprehension of sin, but to present an offering of tribute. He therefore slighted the promised seed, and redemption by Christ: and stands in the front of the Bible, the first deist the world ever knew, Gen. iv. 3, 4, 5. It may not be amis to add, that the word Abel, signifies vanity, a vapor, emptiness, and the like.

ABEL-BETH MAACHAH.

We meet with this name, 2 Sam. xx. 15. And as Abel meens vanity, mourning, and emptiness; so Beth, an house; and therefore the whole taken together implies, vanity or mourning to the house of Maachah.

ABEL-MAIM.

The mourning of the waters, 2 Chron. xvi. 4.

ABEL-MEHOLAH.

The mourning of sickness, Judges vii. 22.

ABEL-MIZ RAIM.

This name was given at the floor of Atad, on the occasion of the funeral of Jacob. The margin of the Bible renders it: the mourning of the Egyptians, Gen. 1. 11.

ABEL-SHITTIM.

A place in the encampments of Israel; meaning the mourning of Shittim, in the plains of Moab, Numb. xxxiii. 49.

ABIB.

See MONTH.

ABIDE.

To abide, in the language of Scripture, means something more than merely the remaining in one place. It implies an adherence to a thing; or an union with, or connexion with it. Thus Jesus said, (John xv. 4.) "Abide in me, and I in you." So speaking of the Holy Ghost, he saith, he shall abide with you for ever," John xiv. 16. And his servants the apostles use similar expressions in the same sense. The apostles Paul and John describe the indwelling residence of the Holy Ghost; and a vital union with Christ, under this character of abiding. ́ See 2 Tim. ii. 13; 1 John ii. 27, 28. It is a blessed consideration in the view of this doctrine, that when Jesus saith "abide in me, and I in you," and a little after," continue ye in my love;" (John xv. 4,9,) it is not a mere precept, without imparting with it ability. But it is, willing them into an ability, by virtue of a oneness with them, as the head of efficiency, to the members of his body. He directs the thing to be done, and he enables them to do it; according to that blessed promise: Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Psalm cx. 3.

ABIEZER.

We read of several of this name in the scriptures, Joshua, xvii. 2; Judges vi. 34; 2 Sam. xxiii. 27. The name is interesting, signifying my father (God) is my help; from Ab, father; and Hazer, to help.

:

ABIGAIL.

A memorable name in scripture, whom the Lord in his providence, made instrumental to save David from bloodshedding. See the history, 1 Sam. xxv. 2-35. Her name is as remarkable, for the event the Lord enabled her to accomplish; for it means, the joy of the Father from Gul, to rejoice; and Ab, father. I have often admired the sweet and gracious conclusion, which David made, on occasion of the sin preventing providence, the Lord accomplished on the patriarch's inind, through the instrumentality of this woman. He saw the hand of the Lord in the appointment; and first, he blessed God; and next, he blessed her advice and next, he blessed her; for all came in for a blessing, since the Lord had wrought deliverance by such means from sin. "Blessed," said he, " be the Lord; and blessed be thy advice; and blessed be thou that hast kept me this day from shedding blood." 1 Sam. xxv. 32, 33.

ABIHU.

Son of Aaron, whose awful death, by the immediate judgment of the Lord, with his brother Nadab, is recorded, Lev. x. 2. I refer the reader to that history, for the particulars of this visitation. Some have thought, that they were drunken, when they thus ministered in their priestly office; and so forgot to take the sacred tire in their censers. And they have formed this opinion, on the precept in the ninth verse: where it is said to Aaron; "Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die." But it should rather

seem, that it was the act of taking strange fire, which was their offence, and for which the Lord snote them. Strange fire: not the fire which was appointed, and which was always burning upon the altar; and which typified Christ's fiery sufferings. And if so, what an awful view it affords, to shew the danger of all offerings void of an eye of faith in Christ! Isaiah 1. 11. The name of Abihu means, he is my father.

ABIJAH.

We meet with many of this name in scripture. And it is not to be wondered at; for it is a very blessed one, compounded of Ab, father; JAH, Lord; and I, my. Sweet appellation, when a child of God can say, Jehovah is my Father! For this is what the Lord himself provided for his people. "But I said," saith the Lord, how shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations ? And I said, thou shalt call me my Father! and shalt not turn away from me." Jer. iii. 19. For the several persons in scripture, called Abijah, I refer to the several chapters, Ì Kings xiv. 1; I Chron. xxiv. 10; 2 Chron. xxix. 1; Nehem. x. 7.

ABIMELECH.

There are several of this name in the word of God. And it must be confessed, that it is a goodly name, compounded of Melech, king; and Abi, my father; meaning the king is my father. There were two kings of Gerar of this name, father and son, in the days of Abraham and Isaac, Gen. xx. 2; Gen. xxvi. 1. There was also an Abimelech the son of Gideon, Judges ix. 1. And also an Abimelech among the priests of the Lord, in the days of David, 1 Sam. xxi, 1.

ABINADAB.

There were several of this name in the Old Testament.