hovah? The reafon is, because that was the name God gave himself in the folemn confirmation of the cove. nant with Abraham, Gen. xvii. 1. (Heb)I am Elfhaddai, God Almighty, God all fufficient. And when Ifaac would pray for the bleffing or the covenant on Jacob, he makes use of that name, Gen. xxviii. 3. God Almighty bless thee. He invocates that name of God which was engaged in the covenant made with his father Abraham, and himself. That therefore we may, with full affurance, reft on the name of God, it is not only neceflary, that God reveal that name to be his, but al fo that he give it out unto us for that end and purpose, that we might know him thereby, and place our trust and confidence in him, according unto what that name of his imports. And this was the cafe wherever he revealed himself unto any in a peculiar manner, by an efpecial name. So he did unto Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 13. I am the God of Abraham and Ifaac; affuring him, that as he dealt faithfully in his covenant with his fathers Abraham and Ifaac, fo alfo he would deal with him And Gen. xxxi 13. I am the God of Bethel; he who appeared unto thee there, and bleffed thee, and, will continue fo to do. But when the fame Jacob.comes to ask after another name of God, he answers him not, as it were commanding him to live by faith on what he was pleased to reveal. Now then, God had not made himself known to Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob by his name Jehovah, because he had not peculiarly called himself unto them by that name, nor had engaged it in his covenant with them, although it were otherwife known unto them. They lived and refted on the name of God Almighty, as fuited to their fupportinent and confolation in their wandering, helpless condition, before the promife was to be accomplished: But now, when God came to fulfil his promifes, and to bring the people, by vertue of his covenant, into the land of Canaan,, he reveals himself unto them by, and renews his covenant with them, in the name of Jehovah. And hereby did God declare, that he came to give stability

and

and accomplishment unto his promifes; to which end they were now to live upon this name of Jehovah, in an expectation of the fulfilling of the promises, as their fathers did on that of God Almighty, in an expectation of protection from him in their wandering ftate and condition. Hence this name became the foundation of the Judaical church, and ground of the faith of them who did fincerely believe in God therein. And it is strangely fallen out in the providence of God, that fince the Jews have rejected the covenant of their fathers, and are caft out of the covenant of their unbelief that they have utterly forgotten the name of God. No Jew in the world knows what it is, nor how to pronounce it, or make mention of it. I know, themselves and others pretend ftrange mysteries in the letters and Vowels of that name, which make it ineffable: But the truth is, being caft out of that covenant, which was built and established on that name, in the just judgment of God, through their own blindness and fuperftition, they are no more able to make mention of it, or to take it into their mouths. It is required then, that the name of God be given unto us as engaged in covenant, to fecure our expectation, that he will be unto us according to his name..

3. All the whole gracious name of God, every title that he hath given himself, every afcription of honour unto himself that he hath owned, is confirmed unto us (unto as many as believe) in Jefus Chrift. For as he hath declared unto us the whole name of God, John xvii. 6. fo not this or thar promife of God, but all the promises of God are in him, yea and amen. So that, as of old, every particular promife that God made unto the people, ferved especially for the particular occafion on which it was given, and each name of God was to be rested on, as to that difpenfation whereunto it was fuited to give relief and confidence ; as the name of Elhaddai to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and the name Jehovah to Mofes and the people; fo now, by Jefus Chrift and in him, every particular promife belongs

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unto believers in all their occafions; and every name of God whatever, is theirs alfo, at all times, to rest upon, and put their truft in. Thus the particular promife made unto Joshua, at his entrance into Canaan, to encourage and ftrengthen hin in that great enterprize of conquering the land, is by the apoftle applied unto all believers, in all their occafions whatever; I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee, Heb. xiii. 5. So likewise doth every name of God belong now unto us, as if it had in a particular manner been engaged in covenant unto us; and that becaufe the whole covenant is ratified and confirmed unto us by Jefus Chrift, 2 Cor. vi. 18. chap. vii. 1. This then abfolutely fecures upto us an intereft in the name of God infifted on, the God of forgiveness, as if it had been given unto every one of us, to affure us thereof.

4. God takes this name, the God of forgiveness, to be his in a peculiar manner, as that whereby he will be diftinguished and known. He appropriates it to himfelf, as expreffing that which the power and goodness of no other can extend unto. There are lords many, and gods many faith the apoftle; y fome that are called fo; fuch as fome account fo to be. How is the true God diftinguifhed from thefe gods by reputation? He is fo by this name, he is the God of pardons, Mic. vii. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity? This is his prerogative; herein none is equal to him, like him, or a fharer with him. Who is a God like unto thee, that may be called a God of pardons. The vanities of the nations cannot give them this rain; they have no refreshing fhowers of mercy. and pardon in their power. Neither angels, nor faints, nor images, nor popes, can pardon fin. By this name doth he diftinguish himself from them all.

5. To be known by this name, is the great glory of God in this world. When Mofes defired to fee the gloryof God, the Lord tells him, that he could not fee bis face, Exod. xxxiii. 18, 20. The face of God, or the

glorious

glorious majefty of his being, his effential glory, is not to be feen of any in this life; we can not fee him as he is. But the glorious manifeftation of himself we may be hold and contemplate. This we may fee as the backparts of God; that shadow of his excellencies which he cafteth forth in his paffing by us in his works and difpenfations. This Mofes fhall fee. And wherein did it confift? Why, in the revelation and declaration of this name of God, chap. xxxiv. 6, 7. The Lord passeth by before him, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, fong-fuffering, and abundant in goodness and in truth, keeping mercy for thousands, for giving iniquity, tranfgreffions, and fin. To be known by this name, to be honoured, feared, "believed, as that declares him, is the great glory of God. And fhall this fail us? Can we be deceived trufting in it, or expecting that we fhall find him to be what his name declares? God forbid.

Let us lay together thefe confiderations, and we shall find that they will give us another stable foundation of the truth infifted on; and a great encouragement to poor finful fouls to draw nigh to God in Chrift for pardon. God hath no name but what he gives unto himfelf. Nor is it lawful to know him, or call him otherwife; as he calls himself, fo is he. What his name imports, fo is his nature. Every name alfo of God is engaged in Jefus Chrift in the covenant, and is propofed unto us to place our truft and confidence in. Now, this is his name and his memorial, even the God of forgiveness. By this he diftinguisheth himself from all others, and expreffeth it as the principle title of his honour, or his peculiar glory. According to this name therefore, all that believe fhall affuredly find, There is forgivenefs with him.

XI. The confideration of the effential properties of the Nature of God, and what is required to the manifeftation of them, will afford us further affurance hereof. Let us to this end take in the enfuing obfevations.

First, God being abfolutely perfect, and abfolutely felf-fufficient, was eternally glorious, and fatisfied with and in his own holy excellencies and perfections, before, and without the creation of all or any thing, by the putting forth, or the exercise of his almighty power. The making therefore of all things depends on a mere fovereign act of the will and pleasure of God. So the whole creation makes its acknowledgement, Rev. iv. II. chap. v. 12 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honour and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. God could have omitted all this great work, without the least impeachment of his glory. Not one holy property of his nature would have been diminifhed or abated in its eternal glory by that omiffion. This then depended on a ure act of his will and choice.

Secondly, On fuppofition that God would work ad extra, by his power produce any thing without himself, it was abfolutely neceffary that himself should be the end of his fo doing. For, as before the production of all things, there was nothing that could be the end why any of them fhould be brought forth out of nothing, or towards which they fhould be difpofed; fo God being an infinite agent, in wisdom and understanding and power, he could have no end in his actings, but that alfo which is infinite. It is therefore natural and neceffary unto God to do all things for himfelf. It is impoffible he should have any other end; and he hath lone fo accordingly, Prov. xvi. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself. He aimed at himfelf in all that he did, there being no other infinite good for him to make his object, and his end, but himfelf alone.

Thirdly, This doing things, all things for himself, cannot intend an addition or acruement thereby of any new real good unto himfelt, his abfolute eternal perfection and all fufficiency render this impoffible. God doth not becouse more powerful, great, wife, juft, holy, good or gracious by any of his works, by any thing

that