EVIDENCES OF rOJGIVENESS. 189 consist l Why, in the revelation and declaration of this name of God, "The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gra- cious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity,, transgression, and sin," chap. 31 : 6, 7. To be known by this name, to be honored, . feared, believed, as that declares him, is the great gloryof God. And shall this fail us l Can we be deceived in trusting in it, or in ex -. pecting that we shall .find him to be what his name de- clares'? God forbid. Let us lay together these considerations, and we shall find that they will give us another stable foundation of the truth insisted on'; and a great encouragement to poor sinful souls to drawnigh to. God in Christ for par- don. God hath no name but what he gives unto him- self. Nor is it lawful to know him or call him other- wise ; as he calls himself, so is he What his name im- ports, so is.,his nature. Everyname, also, of God is en- gaged in Jesus Christ in the covenant, and is proposed to us to place our trust and confidence in Now this is his name and his memorial, even the God of forgive- ness. By this he distinguishes himself from all others, and expresses it as the principal title of his honor,: or his peculiar glory. According to this name, therefore, all that believe shall assuredly find`" there is forgiveness with him." XI. The consideration of THE ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES OF THE - NATURE OF Gon, and what is required to the'mani- festation of them, will afford us further assurance of his forgiveness. And here we observe, 1. God being absolutely perfect and . absolutely self- sufficient, was eternally .glorious; and satisfied ir_ his own holy excellences and perfections, before, and without the creation of any thing, by the exercise of his al-
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