Chap·J.ScCl·4· j!.oolttng unto 'jjefu.s. Book IlL i 3 and 7acob? no, no, faith God; by my name JehovahwM I net k!to•vn to thtm. . This bath occaJioned a queftion, how can this be? do we not read exprelly that God fa1d to Abra– ham I am the Lord that bro!Joht thee out of Ur of th' Cald<es? and again , I am the lord G"od, 1 f Ali>raham thy father, 'and the God ofifaac? how then is it faid that by, his name G<n. 15 . 1 ; Jrhovah he was not known unto them? This place bath perplexed many_of the learned; but Gen.•s., ;r-. the meaning feems to be tlus, that though he was kno1yn to the Pamarchs by .h•s name [ehovah, as it con~Jftsofletters, fyllables, an? founds; yet he ':"as not experzmenrally· known unto themm Ius conftancy to perform tliS prom1fe mbnngmg.them out of the land ofEgypt umil now. This nam~ [ehovah denotes both his b~ing in himfelf, and his ·giving of being or performance to Ius word, and promJfe; thusmdeed ne was not known' or manifdtecl to the Patriarchs; they only were fufl:ained by faith in Gods almighty power, without receiving tile thing promifed ; it is faid ofAbraham, that while he was yet ali¥e, Alls 7· $• God gavehim noir.heritance in Canaan, no not fo much .u to Jet hi• foot on , yet hepr~mi(ed that he wouldgive it to him(or a poJ!effion, and to hu feed after htm ; .and now when h1s feed came to receive the prom1fe, and to havefull knowledge and expenence of b1s power and goodnefs, then they knew the efficacy of his name [ehovah. So upon performance of further prom1fes,. he fatth, they fhall know !urn to be Jehovah, and thoujhalt /znow that I If•· 49: '• J• am the Lord.-- therefore my peoplejha/1 b-(IOlV my name, they]hall /zo1owin that day that I lCJ. 5:. <5. am hethat dothlfeqk, beho!d it;. I. . . . . , 2 • I am {ehovah Elohim, this denotes the pluraltty of perfons; God mdehvenng ofthe law, doth not only IJJ<w his being, but the manner of his being; that is , the three manners offubfi(\ing in that one fimple and eternal being; or the Trinity of perfons in that Unity ofelfence, the word .fignifies ftrong, potent, mighty ; or if .we exprefs it piu-' rally, itlignifies the Almighties, or Almighty powers_; bene: the Scriptures apply the general name, God, to the perfons feverally 1 the Father IS God, Heb. I. I, 2, the Son is God, AEI. 20. 28. and the holy Ghoft is God, AEI. 5· ~, 4; Now God is faid to be Author of thefe laws delivered in a covenant-way by Mofes, that fo the greater authority may be procured to them; and hence all law-givers have endeavoured to per– fwade the people, "that they had their laws from God. 3. I am the Lord thy God; herein is the propriety, and indeed here is the mercy, that God fpeaks thus to every faithful foul, I am thy God. By this appropriation God gives us a right ifl him, yea, a polfellion of him. I. A right in him; as the woman may fay of him to whomlhe ismarried, this man is my husband, fo may every faithful foul fay of the Lord, he is my God . 2. A polfelllon of him; God doth not only ll~ew himfelf unto us, but he doth COfl_lmunicate himfelf unto us in his holinefs, mercy, truth, grace, and 1 John '·l• i goodnefs; !Jence rns fa1d, we have fe!lowjlnp wtth the Father and with hu Son Jejiu Chrift, Rev. 3. 20. and Chrifl: is faid to come, and[up with t/6 ; and to ki(s m with the kjjJesof hu mouth; and C•nt. r. r, ,, to be ttear to''" in all that we call upo~ him for; furely this is the higheft happinefs of the Dcur. 4• 7• Saints, that God is their God; when they can fay this, they have enough; if we could fay, this houfe is mine, this Town, this City, this Kingdom, this world is mine, what is all this? 0 but when a Chriflian comes at length, and fayes , this God that mad: all the world is mine, this is enough, indeed this is the greatefl: pr<Jmife that ever was made or ever can be made to any creature, Angels, or Men; herein (if we obferve it) God gives himfelf to be wholly ours, confider God elfemially, or perfonally; Confider [ehovah Elohim, all is ours; God in his dTence, and glorious attributes communicates himfelf to usfor good; and God perfonally confidered,as Father, Son, and Holy Ghofi,they all enter into covenant with us. . I . The Fathrr enters into covenant with us; he promifeth to be aFather to us; hence . fatththeLord, ljrael u my fan my firftborn; and again, u Ephraim my dear fon.? u F.xod. 4; ,,; he a plea(anr chdd.? the Lord fpeaketh as though he were fond of his children .. as l('j 3r. ' 0 • ddighting in them, for fo it is faid, the Lordtnktth pl•afure in them that fear him : ~r as ~r"! ~~·-':', pttymg ofthem; for fo itis faid likewife, lik£ ao a father pitieth hu children, fo the Lord a' ,. J• pmeth them that (ear him. 2. The Son is in covenant with us, and fpeaks to us in this languagt, thou art mine. u 3 1 how comes that about? why, I have redeemed thee, I have called thee, by thy name: •· 4 · ' and therefore thou art mine , this is (hrifts covenant wit\t us ; he brings us back to his Father' from whofe prefence we were banillted and fets us before his face for ever . he undertakes for us to take up all controver!ies which may fall out between God and us :. he prom1feth to reftore us to the Adoption of fons; and not only to the title, but to the in• helltance offons, thac we might be where he is. . john.r 7 ., 4 ; L 3. The
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