A Glimpse of God, Part 4
A Diſcourſe ſhewing, What GOD is.
Exod. 6. 3. And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Iſaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty; but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them.
CHAP. I.
HAving already proved there is a God, and but one God, and in the Divivine Eſſence that there are Three Perſons, I am now to ſhew what God is, and here I can ſhew no more then he hath revealed to us, even his back parts, his titles, and his names: As for his Eſſence never ſhall Angels or men know with a comprehenſive knowledge; we come to the knowlede of God four waies.
1. Per viam negationis: by way of of negation: He is not this or that therefore this. S. Paul laboureth to convince the idolatrous Athenians, out of ſome of their own Poets, that we are the off-ſpring of God, and for that reaſon we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or ſilver, or ſtone engraven by Art, or man's device, but God was he that made the World and all things therein, Lord of heaven and earth, and not dwelling in Temples made with hands; who is not Worſhipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, ſeeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things, Acts, 17. 24, 25. 29.
2 Per viam eminenti…; by way ofIn perfectionibu… datur ſupr…mum in qu…eſt ſtatus. Eminency: There are creatures Eminent in ſome one or other perfection, but God is moſt Eminent: There is wiſdome, power, ſtrength, juſtice, goodneſſe, holineſſe in the Scriptures, but God is moſt wiſe, powerful, juſt, good; and therefore 'tis uſual with Scripture, ſpeaking of excellent creatures to call them Gods things: Mountains are called the Mountains of God, Numb. 10. 33. The tall Cedars are called God's Cedars, Pſal. 80. 11. Sometimes the Scripture compounds names with the name of God, as Ariel, the ſtrong Lion of God, teaching us, that when we behold any excellency in the creature, we ſhould lift up our minds, tanquam per ſcalam, to the Infinite Excellencies that are in God.
3. We know God Per remotionem, by removing all imperfections and defects from God; as when we ſay God is Infinite, Immortall, Immutable, we remove all defects from God: he is moſt wiſe, there is no ſhadow of folly in him, he is moſt good, there is no ſhadow of evil in him.
4. Per viam cauſationis, by his Efficiency; this ſheweth that there is a God; the other three ſhew what God is, Et qualis Deus, what manner of God he is.
The Scripture make's known God to us all thoſe waies, but eſpecially by his titles or names, and by his Attributes: Concerning God's titles which ſhew his Nature to us, I will ſhew them here, and his Atributes hereafter.
That his titles and names declare what God is, this text is plain for it, and nomen rei eſt notificatio rei, And I appeared, &c.
For the coherence of the words briefly this is to be conſidered.
Moſes being ſent to deliver Iſrael out of Egypt, was an occaſion of their ſorer labour, for Pharaoh and his mercileſſe ſervants did redouble their tasks and ſlavery: The children of Iſrael were much grieved at it, and with a murmuring reproof did ſharply rebuke Moſes and Aaron, as appeareth, Exod. 5. 20, 21. Saying to them, the Lord look upon you, and judge, becauſe you have made our ſavour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his ſervants, to put a ſword in their hand to ſlay us. Now in ver. 22, and 23. Moſes made his and their condition known to the Lord, how the People were more vexed then formerly; Moſes ſaid to the Lord, Wherefore haſt thou ſo evil intreated this People? Why is it that thou haſt ſent me? for ſince I came to Pharaoh to ſpeak in thy name, he hath done evil to this People, neither haſt thou delivered thy People at all. In this Chapter God anſwereth Moſes in two things.
1. That Pharaoh ſhould be compell'd to let Iſrael go: The Lord ſaid to Moſes, now ſhalt thou ſee what I will do to Pharaoh, for with a ſtrong hand ſhall he let them go, and with a ſtrong hand ſhall he drive them out of his Land, ver. 1.
2. For confirmation of Moſes faith, and to calm the murmuring ſpirits of the diſtreſſed Iſraelites, God declareth what a God he is, and hath been to their Fathers of old, and what a God he will be to them, ver. 2, 3. And God ſpake unto Moſes, and ſaid unto him; I am the Lord; And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Iſaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them,
Here it may be demanded how is itQueſt. ſaid, that God did not make himſelf known to Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, by his n…me Jehovah?
Nomen, the name Jehovah wasSol. 1. known to A…raham, Iſaac; and Jacob, but not myſterium nominis, the myſtery of the Name, this was revealed to Moſes from God, and from Moſes to the People: It is meant of the perform…nce of his great promiſes made to Abraham: God did promiſe to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's Seed for an inheritance, which promiſe was not performed to him, but to his Seed after him: So that this is the meaning: God appeared to Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, El Shaddai, God Almighty, in protecting, delivering and rewarding them, but by his name Jehovah he was not known to them, God did not perform his promiſe made to Abraham, unto Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, but unto their Seed and poſterity after them.
CHAP. II.
HEnce I obſerve, that God makesObſerv. himſelf known what a God he is to his people by his name and titles: Gods names are agreeable to his nature, and divine properties, as he hath a being from himſelf, and gives being to all, ſo he is Jehovah, and called I AM; as his nature is omnipotent, ſo he is called El, Elohim, and Elohah, powerfull; as he is All-ſufficient, ſo he is called Shaddai.
In the handling of his glorious names; I will firſt, give to you all his names, and the meaning of them; ſecondly, I will inſiſt principally upon the name Jehovah, becauſe it is his moſt eſſential name.
The Hebrews have reckoned up many names of God, and all of them expreſs God to us.
1. The firſt, is here in the Text, El Shaddai, God almighty; I ſhall ſpeak nothing of the derivation of this word Shaddai in this place, becauſe I intend to ſpeak more largely of it hereafter; it intimates that God is All-ſufficient, he wanteth nothing, but is infinitely bleſſed with the infinite perfections of his glorious being: by this name God makes himſelf▪ known to be ſelf-ſufficient, all-ſufficient, abſoutely perfect.
If God be All-ſufficient, then ſhallUſe. that man want nothing that hath God for his God, he that loſeth all for God, ſhall find all in God. When Hannah complained for want of children, Elkanah ſaid unto her, Am not I better to thee then ten ſons? why weepeſt thou? So the Lord ſaith, I am God All-ſufficient, and am not I better then all riches, honours, lands and friends? I am more ſufficient to reward thee, then millions of worlds, of creatures can do.
2. The ſecond name by which God expreſſeth his nature, is Elohim & Eloha; this name denote's the power and ſtrength of God, to denote unto us, that God is ſtrong and powerful.
If God be Elohim, a ſtrong powerfullUſe 1. God, then he can do great and difficult matters for his Church and people.
2. If God be ſtrong and powerful, then it is in vain to oppoſe him, to rebel, to rage againſt him and his Church; God is too ſtrong for all enemies, too powerful for all the powers of hell.
3. If God hath named himſelf Elohim, ſtrong and powerfull, then fear not thou worm Jacob; though the Church be as worms in the eſteem of their enemies, yet they need not fear, becauſe God is their ſtrong and powerful God.
3. The third name of God by which he makes himſelf known is Adonai, Dominus, Lord; ſome derive the Word from a Word in the Hebrew, that ſignifies judicare to judg, becauſe God is Judg of all the world. Others derive it from a word which ſignifieth Baſis, foreigna foundation, intimating that God is the upholder of all things; as the foundation of an houſe is the ſupport of the whole building, ſo God is the upholder of the world, he upholdeth all things by the word of his power.
If God hath named himſelf Lord, Uſe.and that becauſe he upholdeth all things, we may infer this comfort for the Church, he will uphold Jeruſalem in all dangerous times and troubles, his Church is more dear to him than the World, and his people than all other creatures which he doth uphold.
2. Then acknowledg him to be Lord, by paying ſervice to him, by obeying him; obey him and he will uphold you: how did he uphold Daniel in the midſt of a Den of Lions, becauſe he obeyed him?
4. Another name by which God hath expreſſed himſelf, is the Creator, the Maker of heaven …ne earth. Iſa. 45. 11. 12. This ſets forth God as the Author and …ountain of all our Being out of nothing.
5. Another name is, the high and lofty one, Iſa. 57. 15. called ſo, reſpectu loci & dignitatis, in reſpect of place and dignity; the higheſt heaven is his lofty throne on which he ſits to judg the world: therefore God is called altiſſimus, Luk. 1. the higheſt.
If God be the high and lofty one,Uſe 1. then let the great ones tremble before him, and that becauſe God is higher then they Eccl. 5.
2. This ſheweth who it is, that brings the proud ones in their proud attempts againſt his people down with ſhame and diſhonour, ſc. the high and lofty one who is above them in all things wherein they deal moſt proudly.
3. See the love of God to broken hearts, in that the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, who dwelleth in the high and holy place, will vouchſafe to dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite ſpirit, to revive the ſpirit of the humble, and to revive the ſpirit of the contrite ones. Iſa. 57. 15.
6. Another name is, Jehovah Tſebaoth, the Lord God of Hoſts, his name is called by the name of The Lord of Hoſts, that dwelleth between the Cherubims. 2. Sam. 6. 2. He is called the Lord of Hoſts for two reaſons.
1. To ſhew that he is the ſole commander of all creatures in heaven and in earth: The Angels, they are his Hoſt: A multitude of the heavenly Hoſt, Luke 2. 12. The Sun, Moon, and all the Stars are called his Hoſts: all creatures in the World are the Lord's Hoſt's.
2. To ſhew that God is inſtar exercituum omnium, inſtead of all Hoſts and Armies.
Then be ye all exhorted to be onUſe 1. God's ſide, for his ſide is the ſtrongeſt and will be the conquering ſide; he will give an Eternall overthrow to all his enemies.
2. Then let the Enemies of God be horribly afraid, becauſe every day they walk in the midſt of God's Armies: take heed you ſcoffers at Religion, ye perſecutours of his Righteous Iſaac's; Take heed ye Drunkards, how ye provoke God to anger; For if he give a commiſſion to any of his Armies, and command the leaſt creature in his Hoſts to fall upon you, ye are deſtroyed for ever.
7. God nameth himſelf foreign the Holy One, the Holy One of Iſrael, Pſal. 71. 22.
If God be Holy: then he cannotUſe. 1. endure any Sin; he muſt needs hate Sin, and Sinners. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, and canſt not look on iniquity. Habak. 1. 13. Thou art not a God, that haſt pleaſure in wickedneſſe, neither ſhall evil dwell with thee: the fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in thy ſight, and thou hateſt all workers of iniquity, Pſal. 5. 4, 5.
2. Labour to be Holy, as he is Holy: As he which hath called you is Holy, ſo be ye Holy in all manner of Converſation; Becauſe it is written, Be ye Holy, for I am Holy, 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. God is free from all vice. There are three other names, whereby God hath made himſelf known and they are called his Eſſential names, becauſe they do denoteforeign his being and all from one root, havah, or hadiah, eſſe, to be:
The firſt is Exod. 3. 14. Eheje I am that I am, or I will be what I will be, ſome make this name to be Gods extraordinary name; That of our Saviour, Rev. 1. 8. (I am he which is, and which was, and which is to come,) is the Interpretation of this name. Damaſcene ſaith, this nameDamaſc. containeth all things in it, like a vaſt and infinite Ocean, without bounds.
The reaſon why God nameth himſelf, I am that I am, or, I will be that I will be, is becauſe he is the Being of Beings, ſubſiſting by himſelf, as if he ſhould ſay; I am my Being, I am my Eſſence; my Exiſtence differeth not from my Eſſence, becauſe I am that I am: and as I am, ſo I will be to all Eternity, the ſame yeſterday, to day, and for ever; there is no ſhadow of change, no variableneſſe at all in Me.
The ſecond Name is Jah: Sing unto God, ſing praiſes to his Name, extol him that rideth upon the Heavens by his name Jah, and rejoyce before foreignhim, Pſal. 68. 4. Now this name Jah; is but the contract of Jehovah, Jah nihil eſt aliud quam nomen foreign decurtatum; quod Ebraice doctiſſimi viri judicant, idque per ſ…ncopen, qua aliquid è medio dictionis eximitur▪ contractio autem ſyncopica apud Ebraeos ſi…ri ſoleat reducta vo…ali conſonantis ſequentis ad antecedentem, ut cum hac in unam vocem coaleſcat: …ndè e…iam ſequi vocales illas eſſe nomini foreign proprias, & camets ter…am eſſe camquè propriam Tetragrammati vocalem, Rivet. exercit. 14. in Geneſ.and ſignifieth the ſame, or foreign, he is▪
The laſt name, is here in the Text foreign Jehovah: this is his memoriall to all generations. Jehovah Eloha Abraham, the Lord God of Abraham, Exod. 3. 15. This name was uſed always when the Prieſt bleſſed the people, Num. 6. 24, 25▪ 26. The Lord, or Jehovah bleſs thee, and keep thee. Jehovah make his face to ſhine upon thee, and be gracious to thee: Jehovah lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace; It was thrice repeated. And this Name they were commanded to ſwear by: Thou ſhalt fear Jehovah thy God, and ſwear by his Name, Deut. 6. 13. The Jews had many groſſe conceits of this name, and fearing to uſe it, ſay for it Adonai; ſcarce any but the Prieſt uſed it; they call it, Nomen Dei Zanch. de …ib. Eloham. lib. 1. cap. 12.ineffabile: but this name Jehovah is not unſpeakable in regard of the Name; but in regard of the Eſſence of God ſet forth by it, as Zanchy noteth.
The Jews obſerve, that in God's Name Jehovah the Trinity is implied: Je ſignifies the Preſent-tenſe, Ho the Praeter-perfect tenſe, Vah the Future; and S. John alludes to this name, Rev. 1. 8. Which was, which is, and is to come. The Jews alſo obſerve, that in this name Jehovah, all the Hebrew letters are literae quieſcentes, that denote reſt, implying, that in God and from God is all our reſt: every godly man is like Noah's Dove; he can find no reſt nor ſatisfaction in any creature but in God; God is the godly mans Ark of reſt and ſafety.
CHAP. III.
HEre I will do two things: Firſt, I will ſhew what this Name implieth, and then draw ſome obſervations from it.
1. It implieth his Eternity, which is excellently interpreted, Rev. 1. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the ending, ſaith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come.
2. It implieth, that God hath Being from himſelf, and ſubſiſteth alone by himſelf, that he is abſolutely an independent Being; he onelyonly is foreign
3. That he is ens entium, the efficient Being of all things; he giveth to all creatures their Being, to Angels their ſpiritual and intellectual being, and to men their being: In him we live, move, and have our being▪ Act. 17. 28.
4 It denoteth, that God is moſt true, conſtant, and faithful in his promiſes, as here in the Text: Your Fathers knew me by the Name Almighty, or, El Shaddai; that I am a God Allſufficient: that I am a rich God by giving them riches, a ſtrong God by protecting and defending them, and helping them in their ſtraits and extremities: 'Tis true! I did promiſe to deliver them out of the land of Egypt, to give them the land of Canaan for their poſſeſſion, to take them for my peculiar people from among the nations, but they ſaw not the fulfilling of theſe promiſes as now you that are their ſeed ſhall ſee: for you ſhall ſee that I am a God conſtant and faithful in all my promiſes made to your Fathers, for I will make them good to you becauſe I am Jehovah.
CHAP. IV.
THe points that I would draw from hence, and handle, ſhall be only theſe two.
1. That the Lord Jehovah doth onlyObſer. 1. ſubſiſt of himſelf, and all things ſubſiſt by him.
2. That the Lord will make good all his promiſes, becauſe he is Jehova…. For the firſt: God only ſubſiſteth, to ſpeak properly; no creature can ſay, I AM, abſolutely; no creature can ſay, I will be; but onelyonly God can ſay, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which Was, and which Is, and is to come.
I will ſhew the difference between God's ſubſiſtence and ours. The difference lieth in theſe things that follow.
God's ſubſiſtence is eternal: Thou Differ. 1.art God from everlaſting to everlaſting; Pſal. 90. 2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the Earth and the World were formed, God had a ſubſiſtence; and he can ſubſiſt if all the world were diſſolved again into nothing: our ſubſiſtence is in time: Angels and men that ſhall live to eternity, yet are not from eternity: all other ſu…ſiſtent beings ſhall be turned into nothing.
God ſubſiſteth independently: heDiffer. 2. depends upon no ſecond cauſes, nor former cauſes: he is All-ſufficient, his own eſſence is his own happineſs: but creatures depend on ſecondary cauſes; Angels and men and all other creatures depend on him, 'tis he that continueth all created beings in their being; in him we live, move, and have our being; if he command, Return ye children of men into duſt, he turneth them to deſtruction, and they are ſwallowed up of the grave; if he ſay, come again, all things ſhall ſtand and live before him.
God ſubſiſteth immutably: MyDiffer. 3. name, ſaith he, is, I AM, that is, I am the ſame from eternity to eternity: the ſame yeſterday, to day, and for ever; there is not ſo much as a ſhadow of change in God.
There is no encreaſe or decay in God; but he is as holy, as juſt, as powerful, as merciful, as perfect and bleſſed as ever he was: he is God merciful from everlaſting to everlaſting: now the ſubſiſtence of the creature is mutable: We know there was a mutation among Angels; ſome of them kept not their firſt eſtate, but left their own habitation: Jude v. 6. Man alſo is a very mutable creature, he is ſubject to many changes: we ſee how all ſublunary creatures continue not at one ſtay; but like the Moon, ſometimes they are in the increaſe, ſometimes in the full, ſometimes in the decreaſe: ſome creatures (as Angels) become immutable by participation: God keeps and preſerves them in their immutable condition: God can put an end to all the perfections in the creatures, and then change them again.
God ſubſiſteth immediately by himſelf,Differ. 4. without means: we do ſubſiſt by means, and by his bleſſing upon the means, we muſt eat, drink, ſleep, or we cannot long ſubſiſt, and have a Being in the world:
The Reaſon is, becauſe the Lord Jehovah hath being from himſelf, therefore he ſubſiſteth by himſelf, and not by any other, yea he was from eternity, becauſe from no cauſe; therefore independently and immutably, becauſe from no firſt cauſe: but we ſubſiſt in time, dependently and mutably, becauſe we depend on him as the firſt cauſe; and therefore as God will, ſo we ſubſiſt, or not ſubſiſt. According to the preſence of the ſun ſo is the light continued in the air; if the Sun withdraws his light, then darkneſs covereth the earth, becauſe light in the air ſubſiſteth by the preſence of the ſun: ſo becauſe our life, health, ſtrength, and all the comforts we do enjoy, do depend on God, and ſubſiſt by him; according to his preſence they ſtand; if he withdraw they ſoon fall: when the ſea floweth, the rivers ſwell, when the ſeas ebb the rivers fall: ſo it is with creatures, according to the preſence or abſence of God.
CHAP. V.
THis diſcovers the folly of all ſuch,Ʋſe 1. as ſet their hearts upon any thing but God; that ſet their hearts upon riches, which cannot ſubſiſt, but take to themſelves wings, and flie away as an Eagle toward heaven, Prov. 23. 5. And as Birds do flye from this tree to that tree, ſo do riches from this houſe to that houſe, from this man to that man. It likewiſe ſheweth the folly of thoſe that ſet their hearts upon pleaſures, which are tranſient, and periſh in the very uſe; and of thoſe that make fleſh their arm, put confidence in friends, or in the favours of men, ſeeing none of theſe ſubſiſt of themſelves, but on a ſuddain periſh. We ſee that men do not ſubſiſt always; ſometime their wealth decayeth, ſometime their favour and love decayeth, ſometime their beauty decayeth: ſurely, then all thoſe that depend upon them, do decay with them: all outward things are but ſandy foundations for us to build all our hopes and comforts upon: look over all the creatures, and ſee what creature can ſay, I am that I am, I will be what I will be: Riches, honours, pleaſures, preferments, friends cannot ſay ſo: and therefore it is the greateſt folly in the world, to ſet up the creatures that cannot ſubſiſt, and to neglect God: There is a curſe pronounced againſt all thoſe that truſt in an arm of fleſh, and do idolize and deifie creatures, and neglect God.
This may exhort you to truſt in theUſe 2. Lord Jehovah, who onelyonly is, and ſubſiſteth by himſelf, who hath ſaid, He will never leave thee, nor forſake thee. Now conſider theſe Motives.
1. The Lord Jehovah can give being, and doth give being to all things; he can create peace, comforts, mercies, health, ſtrength, friends, grace, and every good thing: he can command loving kindneſſe, he can command comfort and deliverance to Jacob; when he ſpeaks the word, all things ſhall ſubſiſt according to thy deſire: ſo then, let thy condition be what it will, if God be thy confidence, he can proportion all things to thy condition: Art thou in want? he can make plenty ſubſiſt. Art thou poor? he can make riches ſubſiſt. Art thou friendleſs? he can make friends to ſubſiſt again? Art thou in terrours fears and doubts? God can make pardon, grace, and full aſſurance of faith to ſubſiſt.
2 Becauſe God Jehovah, as he ſubſiſts and gives being, ſo he can continue the being and ſubſiſtence of all mercies, as far and as long as they ſhall make for thy good: he can make thy health to ſubſiſt, thy riches to ſubſiſt, thy ſtrength, thy friends, thy life it ſelf to ſubſiſt, all comforts inward and outward, ſpiritual and temporal to ſubſiſt: for it is God that bears up the world and all the creatures, and according to his will and pleaſure, ſo ſhall thy comforts ſubſiſt.
3. When outward things decay, God will ſubſiſt, God wil ſubſiſt immutably, when there is a change of conditions fals out (as all outward things are periſhing, unconſtant, and mutable) Jehovah ſaith, I the Lord change not: when riches decay, God ſaith, I Jehovah am riches, &c. I AM, that is my name; ſo that all decays are made up in Gods ſubſiſtence, whoſe name is, I am, I will be.
4. When all things ſhall come to nought, friends, riches, health, ſtrength, life and all, and ſhall ſubſiſt no longer in thy ſelf; then God will ſubſiſt, and make thee to ſubſiſt in eternal glory, then will he ſay, I am that I am, thy reward to eternity, thy happineſs to eternity, thy eternal comforter, thy eternal God.
This ſheweth the happineſs of allUſe 3. Gods ſervants, becauſe God doth ever ſubſiſt to direct them in all their ways, to protect them in all their dangers, to comfort them in all their tribulations, and abundantly to reward them, though they run thorow a thouſand changes, yet the Lord ſubſiſteth the ſame to them, and carries them thorow as upon Eagles wings: let a chriſtians condition change, yet God will never leave him nor forſake him.
Then extol the name of this greatUſe 4. Jehovah. Pſal. 68. 4. that is, acknowledg that God onelyonly is foreign, is of himſelf, and ſubſiſteth by himſelf; that God onelyonly is: Riches are not. Prov. 23. 5. honours, pleaſures are not; but God onelyonly is; by him thou doſt ſubſiſt.
CHAP. VI.
A Second point I draw from this (that the Lord is Jehovah) ſhall be this.
That the Lord will make good all Obſerv.his promiſes to his Church and people, becauſe he is Jehovah. 'Tis ſaid, that now to them he will be made known by his name Jehovah; that he is a God giving being to his promiſes, commanding a full and due accompliſhment of them. In the handling this point, I will do theſe four things. 1. I ſhall ſhew the meaning of being made known by the name Jehovah. Then 2. I will prove the point by Scripture, then by reaſon. 3. I will give the Rules concerning Gods fulfilling of promiſes; 4. Then make Application.
1. My name Jehovah implies theſe things in reference to his promiſes.
1. That I the Lord am faithful in my promiſes, will not deceive thoſe that put their truſt in me: Let men believe what my mouth hath ſpoken, and my power ſhall make my word to come to paſs.
2. That I the Lord am true in myUſe 1. promiſes: God is not as man, or as the ſon of man, he cannot lie; promiſe one thing, and mean another; but what the Lord promiſeth, he decreeth to do. Gods actions ſhall be, and are as good as his words: Hath the Lord promiſed deliverance from all trouble, pardon of ſins, peace of Conſcience, grace and glory, every good thing? you ſhall ſee him true in all, failing in none, but all ſhall be made good to his Church and people.
3. That I the Lord am conſtant in my promiſes. Hath the Lord promiſed this or that mercy to his Church and people? he will never repent of his promiſes: Men often waver after promiſes made; he will not waver, nor breed ſuſpicion in our hearts: the Lord will firmly ſtand to his word. I the Lord have made promiſes of mercy to my people; the word is gone out of my mouth, I will never go back from my word, all the mercies and good things promiſed ſhall accompany my word. The Lord hath ſaid of his name Jehovah, This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations, Exod. 3. 15. A memorial, of what things? It is a memorial of Gods faithfulneſs, truth and conſtancy in his promiſes, that all ſucceeding generations ſhall ſee and acknowledge God to be faithful, true, and conſtant in keeping promiſes, in full and due accompliſhment of them, I will ever be known to my Church and people by the name Jehovah.
CHAP. VII.
Sect. 1.
NOw for proof of the Point, firſt by Scripture.
The Lord glorieth in this title, a God keeping Covenant: what! doth bind himſelf by promiſe in a Covenant? he will not fail in one condition on his part, he is circumſtantially punctual. Behold what he ſpeaks of his Faithfulneſs in keeping Covenant, Jer. 31. 35, 36. Thus ſaith the Lord, which giveth the Sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the Moon, and of the Stars for a light by night; which divideth the Sea, when the waves thereof roar, the Lord of Hoſts is his name: If thoſe ordinances depart from before me, ſaith the Lord, then the ſeed of Iſrael alſo ſhall ceaſe from being a Nation before me for ever: That look as the ordinances of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, of Day and Night remain firm, unalterable; ſo ſhall his Promiſes and Covenant made to his Church and People, be as firm and unalterable. And v. 37. he addeth, If Heaven above can be meaſured, and the foundation of the Earth ſearched out beneath, I will alſo caſt off all the ſeed of Iſrael, for all that they have done, ſaith the Lord. As he proveth the immutability of his Covenant and Promiſes, from the immutability of the natural ordinances; ſo here he proveth it from an impoſſible thing: As 'tis impoſſible to meaſure Heaven, to ſearch the Earth to its center; ſo it is impoſſible, that ever the Cov…nant between God and his People ſhould be broken. All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, Pſal. 25. 10. Theſe two are coupled together, becauſe God truly performeth what he promiſeth to his People, ſc. his mercies; his promiſes of pardon of ſins, ſanctification, life eternal, direction of his people in the way to eternal life, this is his way of mercy: His way of truth, is, to fulfil theſe promiſes, to command theſe loving kindneſſes to come to all his people, this is his way of truth. Now theſe are called the ways of Jehovah; becauſe it is Gods conſtant and faithful courſe, truly to per…orm his promiſes of Mercy. S. Paul tells us, 2 Tim. 2. 13. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himſelf. Though men ſhould miſtruſt the fidelity of his Word, and give no credit to him, yet God abides faithful and conſtant in his Promiſes, he cannot lie, he will not deny himſelf. Now God will perform all his promiſes, becauſe his Name is Jehovah. It is obſerved by Zanchy, that as often as God in his Prophets doth promiſe any great Mercy, or threaten any grievous Judgment, he makes mention of this Name Jehovah; I am the Lord, or Jehovah.
Take ſome inſtances for all: Jer. 31. 31, 32, 33, 34. a place full of federal Promiſes to his Church, concerning his putting his Law into their inward parts, and writing it on their hearts, of enlightening their minds, and pardoning the ſins of his people, and ſuch like; there he mentioneth this name divers time: Thus ſaith the Lord, or Jehovah: Thus ſaith Jehovah, I will make a new Covenant with them: Thus ſaith Jehovah, I will put my Law in their inward parts, &c. Thus ſaith Jehovah, I will forgive their iniquities, &c. to ſhew that he will make good his promiſes; they ſhall ſurely be pardoned, they ſhall be ſanctified, they ſhall obey me. The fifth Chapter of Ezekiel is full of ſevere threatnings of fearful Judgments; and that thoſe threatnings ſhall be accompliſhed, the wicked ſhall ſee him as true and faithful in his Judgments and vengeance, as in Mercy and Peace. It is ſaid, verſ. 13. They ſhall know that I am Jehovah, that I am a God who will give and command a being to my threatnings as well as to my Promiſes; that I will create evil for the deſtruction of godleſs wretches, as create good for the peace, ſafety, and ſalvation of them that fear me.
Sect. 2.
Having proved the Point by Scripture, I will alſo prove it by reaſon.
Becauſe all the promiſes made toReaſ. 1. his church and people, are the very expreſſions of his efficacious will, to ſhew them mercy, to ſupply their wants with deſirable comforts: what the Lord efficaciouſly willeth and intendeth, ſhall undoubtedly come to paſs.
All the works of God are but the effects of his will: 'Tis ſaid, God ſaid let there be light, and there was light: let the earth bring forth herbs, let the trees bring forth fruit, according to their kind, and they did ſo: Gods ſaying is nothing elſe but his efficacious willing of the things, and as he willed things, ſo they came to paſ ſo his promiſes in the covenant of grace are nothing elſe but his will to pardon, to ſanctifie, to comfort, to deliver to give grace and glory: let mercy embrace ſuch a ſoul; let pardon be aſſur'd to ſuch a ſinner, let ſuch luſts be mortifyed, let ſuch deliverance betide ſuch a perſon, and all cometh to paſs, becauſe he willeth the things, his promiſes are the expreſſions of his will. 'Tis an obſervable phraſe uſed in Scripture command deliverance for Jacob, and command loving kindneſs, to ſhew to his people the efficacy of his will in making good his promiſes: he hath promiſed deliverance, loving kindneſſe, let it be to ſuch a ſoul.
2. Becauſe God is as able as he is willing: his name is Jehovah; it is the Lord that gives Being to all that have being, therefore he is able to give being to his promiſes as to his creatures, to give a being to promiſed mercy, to promiſed pardon, to promiſed grace and glory, and whatſoever good he hath promiſed. See what arguments God uſeth to encourage his people to ask of him things to come. Iſa. 45. 12. I have made the earth, and created men upon it: I, even my hands have ſtretched out the heavens, and all their hoſt have I commanded; he created man and all creatures, therefore he can create all good which he hath promiſed to his Church: therefore put God in mind of his promiſes to his Church, and importunately urge him with his promiſes. Say to him, Lord thou haſt commanded man to keep his promiſe, to be faithfull of his word, thou haſt promiſed this and that mercy, thou canſt not deny thy ſelf, being moſt faithfull, command this and that mercy. The Prophet Malachy ſpeaking of the creation of wom…n. Malac. 2. 15. ſaith, did not he make one? yet had he the reſidue of the Spirit, that is, he made but one woman for Adam; he could have made more, becauſe of his abundance of Spirit: the Lord hath abundance of ſpirit, he hath made good his promiſes to others, and can make them good to all that ſhall truſt in him.
3. Becauſe Gods performing his promiſes to his Church and people is God's memorial, it is an everlaſting memorial of him to all generations: ſucceeding generations come to know what God is, by his performance of promiſes, God is known by his name Jehovah, his mindfulneſs of his Covenant and promiſes makes us mindfull of God. As God performing his promiſe of remiſſion of ſins, makes men in all ages to know that he is Jehovah, that pardoneth iniquity, transgreſſions and ſins, and they from their own experience will make God known to be a God pardoning iniquity: ſo the accompliſhment of promiſes of deliverance, promiſes of comfort in trouble accompliſhed, promiſes of the things of this life, and and of the life that is to come accompliſhed, makes him known to be faithfull and conſtant in his promiſes, that he is a God that cannot lie, nor deny himſelf, but abideth faithful to all generations.
CHAP. VIII.
Sect. 1.
IN the third place, I willlay down the Rules concerning God's performing of his promiſes; and in the firſt place I muſt premiſe theſe diſtinctions.
1. That there are promiſes which concern Church in general, and there are promiſes which concern the members of the Church, each particular godly man, there are promiſes made to Jeruſalem and promiſes made to the daughters of Jeruſalem.
2. There are promiſes of temporal good things▪ and promiſes of ſpiritual good things, of ſpiritual bleſſings.
3. There are promiſes of grace it ſelf, and mercy it ſelf, and there are promiſes of the meaſure of grace.
The obſervable rules are theſe.
The promiſes to the Church in general are propheticall promiſes, they are prophecies as well as promiſes: ſo the accompliſhment of them is to be prayed for, it ſhall be in Gods appointed time.
The Jews prayed for the comming of the Meſſiah, long before his comming, yet he came not in the fleſh till the fulneſs of the determinate time came: no queſtion but the ſeed of Jacob prayed for the poſſeſſion of Canaan, yet no poſſeſſion till the years were expired, wherein God promiſed to give them Canaan: The Church in many ages hath prayed for the ſubverſion of the Kingdome of Antichriſt, yet Babylon the great is not fallen: the Church hath likewiſe prayed for the converſion of the Jews, and the bringing in of the fulneſſe of the Gentiles, yet the one is not converted, neither is the fulneſſe of the other brought in: yet the Lord Jehovah will make good theſe and ſuch like promiſes in his own time, then ſhall the bleſſings of the promiſes, and the prayers of all Saints fall into the Churches lap. We muſt pray, and we may expect the accompliſhment of the promiſes in due time, becauſe we have the promiſes and the prophecies: but 'tis curioſity to calculate a ſet time, as to ſay poſitively, that in ſuch a year Antichriſt ſhall be overthrown; we are ignorant of the times and ſeaſons when God will accompliſh his promiſes to his Church, they are not clearly revealed unto us.
Sect. 2.
Now as touching thoſe Promiſes that concern each particular member of the Church: Firſt, concerning Promiſes about Grace, and ſpiritual Mercies, we are to obſerve theſe Rules.
1. That God will make good hisRule 1. Promiſes to all Believers, concerning pardon of ſin, ſanctification, adoption, perſeverance, life eternal; and a Believer may be confident, that God will beſtow theſe things undoubtedly upon him: by this name Jehovah he will be made known to all, and for theſe things thou mayeſt abſolutely pray.
2. That God will give ſuch a meaſure of grace, of comfort, and aſſiſtance, as he knowerh to be fit for thee, not ſuch and ſuch a meaſure of grace and aſſiſtance as thou thinkeſt needful. Your heavenly Father knoweth what grace, what comfort, what aſſiſtance you moſt need: Be ſure, what the Lord Jehovah doth fot thee, it is for the beſt.
3. That the Lord performeth his Promiſes in his own time, not in times that we preſcribe to him; Heb. 4. 16. He will give grace and mercy in a time of need, foreign, in opportunum auxilium, for a ſeaſonable aid. It is ſaid, 2 Cor. 6. 2. In a time accepted have I heard thee, and in the day of ſalvation have I ſuccoured thee. Therefore bleſſed is the man that waiteth always; when Gods time begins to dawn, then mercy ſhall ſhine forth. The Iſraelites did endure a long and ſore bondage in Egypt, did groan heavily; yet Moſes came not to deliver them, till the appointed time came.
4. When God's determinate time is come, then he will be made known by his Name Jehovah: the Lord is very punctual in the obſervation of moments, days, and years: as the deliverance of Iſrael out of Egypt was at the end of 430. years determined before, and then Moſes came: at the fulneſs of time Chriſt came in the fleſh: ſo in the fulneſs of time, pardon of ſin, peace of conſcience, comfort and deliverance ſhall come, or whatſoever it be thou ſtandeſt in need of. When we would have things done in our time, the Lord anſwers us, as Chriſt did his Mother, complaining there was no Wine; Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. Joh. 2. 4. When his hour was come, then he turned Water into Wine: So, when thou art in affliction, thou prayeſt, Lord, comfort now, ſend deliverance now, ſend aſſurance now; our Saviour anſwereth, My time is not yet come; when that is come, then will I turn thy Water into Wine, then be it unto thee according to thy faith.
5. Now the Rule for temporal Promiſes is; though godlineſs hath an intereſt, title and claim to all the Promiſes of this life, yet the Lord performeth not all the promiſes of this life to all that are Godly; but gives to all that which is good for them▪ Now the goodneſs of an outward thing lies not in the nature of a mercy, as in the conveniency and fitneſs of the mercy to thy heart.
Though godly men can lay claim to all Promiſes, yet all godly men have not fit hearts for all Promiſes. As for inſtance; Every godly man hath the promiſes of Riches, of Honours, of Long-life; but every godly man hath not an heart fit for Riches or Honours: Should God give them Riches, they would perhaps wax proud, careleſs, looſe, wanton, and their hearts, being puffed up, would make them kick and ſpurn againſt God; therefore God in his wiſdome debarreth them from Riches. When godly men put temporal promiſes in ſuit in the Court of Requeſt, God anſwereth them as our Saviour anſwered the Mother of Zebedee's children, that deſi…ed, that her two ſons might ſit, one at his right hand, the other at his left hand in his Kingdome; Ye know not what ye ask; can ye be baptized with the baptiſm that I am baptized with? So ye may ask for Honours and Riches, but ye know not what ye ask, ſaith our Saviour; can ye be poor? can ye be contented? can ye be meek and lowly? can ye endure tribulation and perſecution for righteouſneſs ſake?
CHAP. IX.
NOw I proceed to make Application of the Point.
The firſt Uſe ſhall be for terrour toƲſe 1. all ſuch as go on in their ſins, hearing what the juſt and faithful God doth threaten. The Lord Jehovah is as true, faithful and conſtant in his threatnings, as in his promiſes: what he hath ſpoken, ſhall undoubtedly fall upon the generation of the ungodly; he will be made known to the wicked by his name Jehovah, in the full execution of his threatnings, as in the full performance of his promiſes to the godly, and both in due time.
As in Heaven, all the Saints will put their ſeals to the Lord's truth and faithfulneſs in his promiſes: ſo in Hell, all the damned will put to their ſeals, that God is true in his threatnings. Lay your ears a while to the gates of Hell, and hearken to the howling outcries that the damned Drunkards make, crying out to thoſe that were their potcompanions, that are yet upon the face of the earth: Oh ye ſwiniſh Drunkards that are yet living, believe what your faithful Miniſters ſay unto you from God; it is moſt true what you have been told, that no Drunkard ſhall inherit the Kingdome of God; God hath made himſelf known to us to be Jehovah, & faithful in his threatnings to us poor creatures. Attend to the howling of the damned in Hell, and may ye not hear them cry out to you; Hearken, ye proud wretches; will ye, proud creatures, ſee that God reſiſteth the proud? oh look upon us that are turn'd into hell for our pride; we ſee we feel now the curſed fruits of our pride. Then will the adulterer and the luſtful wanton cry out to their companions here upon earth, that went with them to harlots Houſes; Oh we burned in luſt, and now we ſuffer the vengeance of eternal fire; the Lord hath now made good his threatnings againſt us. Conſider what God ſpeaks of his threatnings in Ezek. 5. 13. 15. Then ſhall mine anger be accompliſhed, and I will cauſe my fury to reſt upon them, and I will be comforted: and they ſhall know that I the Lord, (or Jehovah) have ſpoken it in my zeal, when I have accompliſhed my fury in them: ſo it ſhall be a reproach, and a taunt; an inſtruction, and an aſtoniſhment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I ſhall execute judgments in thee in anger, and in fury, and in furious rebukes, then he confirmeth it thus: I Jehovah have ſpoken it.
Thre… things I will commend to the conſideration of all perſons concerning Gods threatnings.
1. Conſider ſeriouſly; the Lord who threatens thee, he is not a man that he will repent; he cannot lie; but what his mouth hath uttered, ſhall come to paſ if he hath threatned damnation to thee O impenitent ſinner, damnation ſhall be thy portion; if God hath ſpoken againſt ſuch a Nation, People, or Pe…ſon, that they ſhall be pluck't up and deſtroyed, it ſhall certainly come to paſs, except they repent.
2. Conſider how God hath threatned, and alſo executed judgment acco…ding to his thre…tnings upon the wo…ld: the old world was drowned according to his threatenings, by his name Jehovah he was made known unto them: He hath infl…cted his judgments upon the Church, the vequinteſſence of the whole world: Jeruſalem was threatened, Jeruſalem was accordingly plagued: he hath inflicted Judgments according to his threatnings upon his own children, the very quinteſſence of his Church: David a man after Gods own heart, felt the force of his threatnings: And as for particular perſons; let drunkards look upon Belſhazzer, let Adulterers look upon Zimry, let all profane perſons look upon Eſau, let Worldlings conſider Judas, and as our Saviour ſaid to the Jews, ſpeaking of the death of thoſe men, upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell, except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh: ſo ſay I to all Drunkards, and all profane perſons, Except ye repent ye ſhall likewiſe periſh; becauſe God is Jehovah, true and faithful in all his threatnings.
3. Conſider thine own ſins, and what God hath threatned againſt thee; if thou perſiſteſt in thy Sins; Art thou a drunkard? conſider what God hath ſpoken againſt this ſin, and go home and tremble, leſt the Lord Jehovah bring that evil upon you: hath God ſaid, that all the wicked ſhall be turned into hell? then let all wicked, wretches fear and tremble, leſt God indeed turn them into hell; for he is the Lord Jehovah.
CHAP. X.
VVIll God make good all hisƲſe 1. promiſes to his church and people, becauſe he is Jehovah? then if ever you deſire the accompliſhment of Gods promiſes, ſee that you get into Chriſt, for the Lord is onelyonly made known by his name Jehovah to ſuch as are in Chriſt: all the promiſes of God in him are yea, and in him Amen. 2. Cor. 1. 20. In Chriſt they are all Amen, ſo be it: Hath God promiſed deliverance, comfort, aſſurance, grace glory? whatſoever his promiſes be, they are all in Chriſt yea and Amen: let pardon be given to him that is in Chriſt, let comfort and aſſurance be given to him that is in Chriſt, &c. For God is Jehovah that makes all the promiſes, Chriſt is the meritorious cauſe of all the promiſes, he purchaſed both the making and the performance of them: Chriſt is the ratifier of all the promiſes, he confirmes them to us, his blood is the blood of the Covenant: Chriſt is the treaſurer of all God's promiſes, all are kept and lock't up within the breaſts of Chriſt, and none ſhall have any but from him: Chriſt is the fulfiller of all the promiſes; therefore if you expect grace, peace, aſſurance, pardon, as they are promiſed, ſee that ye be firſt in Chriſt by faith, faith is as inſtrumentally neceſſary, as Chriſt is meritoriouſly neceſſary: The Lord Jehovah anſwereth every believer that pleads promiſes; Be it unto thee according to thy faith: Doſt thou ask for pardon? doſt thou believe, is Jehovah's anſwer? if ſo then be it unto thee as thou wilt: A wicked man, out of Chriſt, may as ſoon pluck a ſtar out of the firmament, as the performance of one promiſe to himſelf.
CHAP. XI.
THis point ſpeaks comfort to allUſe 3. that are believers, what greater comfort can be to ſuch, than to have an intereſt in ſuch a God, who is not onelyonly All-ſufficient, but alſo Jehovah, and ſo can and will make good all his promiſes: Read over the book of God, and pick out all the promiſes that are, and apply theſe ſalves to every ſore of thine: God hath promiſed thee mercy and good according to thy condition; he will make good his promiſes to thee as far as they are good for thee: be confident thou ſhalt have any good thou needeſt in Gods due time: I have ſeen, I have ſeen the affliction of my people, ſaith God to Moſes, then he ſent him to fetch them out of the houſe of bondage, ſo God takes notice of all thy afflictions inward and outward and accordingly in due time he will command deliverance, comfort or whatſoever is good for thee.
That you may get comfort by the promiſes, obſerve theſe rules.
1. Be ſure to lay up all kinds of promiſes, we are liable to ſ…veral wants, ſtraits, dangers, miſeries; God hath fitted ſutable promiſes, as 'tis ſaid of the Virgin Mary, that ſhe did lay up his words in her heart; ſo do thou the promiſes againſt needful times: A promiſe in thy heart in time of need, is like a friend in the Court, will ſtand thee in pretious ſtead.
2. Acquaint thy heart with the nature of the promiſes. 1. Labour ſtrongly to apprehend the truth and faithfulneſs of the Lord Jehovah in his promiſes, that they are yea and Amen, he will undoubtedly perform what he hath ſpoken, he will never go back from his word. 2. Labour to underſtand their goodneſs, let thy thoughts dwell upon the promiſe, till thou haſt found out the riddle, digg into the bowels of a promiſe, as thou wouldſt digg into the bowels of the earth for ſilver: Ignorance or weak apprehenſions of the truth of the promiſes of Gods all-ſufficiency and faithfulneſs, is the ground of diſtruſtful, wavering and unbelieving thoughts: Ignorance of the good things in the promiſes is the ground of the not applying of the promiſes. 3. Labour to know to what ſpecial condition the promiſe is made, ſo thou mayſt rightly apply promiſes to thy ſpiritual maladies, the right ſalve to thy ſore.
3. When thou art acquainted with the nature of the promiſes, then ſet faith a work, rely upon God who is Jehovah, for the accompliſhing of the promiſes to thee, do thou hold faſt by the promiſe, and hold God to his word; ſay to him as Jacob did, when he wreſtled with him, I will not let thee go till thou haſt bleſſed me; I will never let thee go, till thou haſt made good this or that promiſe to me.
4. Labour to get a quiet and ſtill frame of heart to wait for the accompliſhment of the Promiſes: This is to live by Faith in a Promiſe, to walk by Faith; for God will not by and by make good his Promiſes, but for exerciſe of Faith, he defers execution of them. David would often call upon himſelf to wait upon the Lord, Wait on the Lord, O my ſoul; and would check himſelf for tumultuous and diſtruſtful thoughts; Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? why art thou diſquieted within me? wait on God: for the Lord Jehovah will certainly in his appointed time make good his promiſes to thee: if thou canſt live by Faith, delays will not be tedious; He that believeth will not make haſte, Iſa. 28. 16.
If the Lord will make his Promiſes good, becauſe he is Jehovah; thenUſe 4. anſwer all diſtruſtful and unbelieving temptations with this, God is Jehovah. A Believer ſhall find many ſtrong temptations to unbelief: As about the Promiſes of Juſtification, this temptation may ariſe; Can the Lord pardon ſuch a vile ſinner as I am? 'Tis true, I read how he is a God pardoning ſinners, but will he pardon me? Yes, God can pardon thee, becauſe he is Jehovah, and will make good all his Promiſes. So in temptations againſt perſeverance: I fear (ſaith a poor ſoul) I ſhall prove an Apoſtate, and fall away; and the Devil will be ready to ſecond it: Anſwer it by this, The Lord Jehovah hath promiſed to put his fear in my heart, that I ſhall not depart from him, Jer. 32. 40. and he being Jehovah, can make me to perſevere and hold out to the end.