【英文读物】The Thirteen Names of the First Patriarchs.docx

【英文读物】The Thirteen Names of the First PatriarchsTo Mrs. A. DEAR MADAM, Agreeable to your request I have endeavoured to recollect the parts of the Sermons, and present them to the Church of God, which is the pillar and ground of the truth. My mind has been fixed on the important subject of the Work of the Spiritfor what are Doctrines and Practice without this?I have spoken a little freely of the dealings of God with my own soul, of which I shall never be ashamed; this may, indeed, expose me to the censure of those who are strangers to this work, and, of course, may ridicule it as enthusiasmbut the way-faring men, redeemed by Jesus, will not err therein, as I have endeavoured to point out the truth clearly, though feebly. I have not aimed at elegance, it being beyond my reach; but to set forth the truth in a plain style, p. 4and now commit it to Godhumbly hoping your pious desire in the publication may be abundantly answered, in the consolation of Israel and the honour of Israels God. Encouraged by the following command, I send this Sermon into the world“Give strong drink to them who are ready to perish, and wine to those that be heavy of heart;” and surely tasting the old wine of the kingdom, Gods everlasting love, covenant grace, finished salvation, with the sovereign agency of his Spirit, in his efficacious operations, sanctifying, witnessing, and comforting influences, we desire no better.May this animate your heart; so prays, Madam, Yours affectionately,For Christs sake, Signature of J. ChurchA SERMON. 1 Chron. 1st Chap. 4 first Verses. Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, Henoch, Noah, Shem, Ham, & Japheth. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, (says the great Apostle) and is profitable for doctrineto declare and confirm the truthfor reproofto convince men of sin and confute errorsfor correctionto reform the life, upon convictionand for instruction in righteousness, in the obedience of God our Saviour, as the only justifying righteousness of his Church. Every part of the sacred writings has an importance, a dignity, and a spirituality, becoming their divine authorand they are designed by God the Holy Ghost, to exhibit the glorious character of God our Father, as engaged in a covenant of redemption with his dear SonLikewise, to hold forth the precious Person and finished work of God our Redeemer, as the only foundation and joy of poor guilty men, convinced p. 6of sin, and seeking his salvation. They likewise maintain the nature and necessity of a divine change, through the operation of God the Spirit upon the souls of his elect, to make known to them the suitableness of Jesus and his salvation; to persuade the mind of its interest in him; and to witness to their renewed consciences they belong to God.These, with many other grand truths, are everywhere set forth in Gods most holy word; sometimes in very plain and clear language, so that he who runs may read; at other times the same truths are couched in Parables, Allegories, and dark Sayings: this shews what a pleasing variety there is in Gods most holy word, to entertain an enlightened mind. As God, our Covenant Father, has made nothing in vain, so he has revealed nothing in vain; his peculiar wisdom is seen even in giving names, or causing such and such names to be given to various characters, either in allusion to some circumstance attending their birth, or prophetical of what they were to beor, as holding forth something of importance, either to themselves or to others. It is not from a desire of singularity, nor an affectation of novelty, that I have read this text; but would proceed with caution and humility. I apprehend the first design of the text is to point out the Genealogies of the tribes of Israel, and is supposed to have been wrote by Ezra, and put into p. 7their hands, soon after the return from Babylon, as the captivity for seventy years, had thrown every thing in confusion.The second design is to shew the Pedigree of the Messiah, that it might appear that our dear Lord was, according to the prophecies that went before him, the Son of David, the Son of Joseph, the Son of Adamthis the Evangelists, in the New Testament, have shewn. There still appears one more worthy our observation; that the first thirteen Names in this Chapter have a signification in them, as they are Hebrew Names, and appear to be expressive of a Work of Grace in its commencement, carrying on, and completion, in the happy departure of the soul to glory. I pretend to no learning myself, of course must be indebted to Hebrew scholars for the translation of themto God the divine Spirit, I am entirely indebted for the knowledge of the great things these Names express. On each I shall write but little, as it would swell this Sermon to a volume if I were to write all that I apprehend; I will only give the out-lines, and hope the reader will be entertained, and, above all, instructed, comforted, and built up on his most holy faith. The Names, as they stand before us, are thus in their signification: Adam, EarthSeth, FoundationEnosh, WeaknessKenan, MourningMahalaleel, Illumination of GodJared, ReigningEnoch, dedicatedMethuselah, sending forth Death.Lamech, cutting downNoah, Rest, or Consolationp. 8Shem, a NameHam, WarmthJapheth, Enlargement. There is a beautiful gradation in them, and we shall consider them in order, and enlarge particularly on some. Adam. This word signifies Earth; some read it red Earth, to shew our originalformed of the dust of the earth, and in consequence of sin, to dust we must return! This is an humbling thought to proud mortals. Adam was a striking figure of our blessed Jesus, in many instances; at present we only view him in his origin. God displayed his sovereignty in creating man, and setting him up as the head of all mankind. He viewed him as the figure in which our blessed Jesus should hereafter appear. He viewed all the elect in him, ordained the fall through him, for the grand purpose of displaying the riches of his grace, and the exaltation of our nature, through its union to Jesus: so the elect, as fallen in Adam, and actual transgressors, are become earthly, sensual, and devilish! Almighty grace appears, in its sovereignty, passing by fallen angels, and raising such earthly creatures as we are! Here, believer, admire and adore the God who loved your nature so well as to chuse it, and redeem it, and afterwards, by the gracious inhabitation of God the Spirit, to make it his holy, living temple.This leads me to notice the name Seth. This word is rendered by some putp. 9by others, appointedby others it signifies foundation. Consider the word in either sense it still seems expressive that Gods elect, though fallen in Adam, are put, or appointed to be partakers of covenant grace in their hearts. God would lay a foundation in the divine operations of the Spirit, for every good word and work; the new man is the foundation of every good desirethis new man is formed at once; it is not done by piece-meal, but it is done the moment the divine Spirit takes up his abode in the soul; the train of graces always follows the blessed Spirit of all grace, in the temples of the souls of his elect; his train fills the temple. This new man is the image of Christ; this is that which is born of God, and sinneth not, neither can it commit sinit is Spirit, it is the kingdom of God within us, that does not come by observation, it chiefly consists in light, life, and love: and this new man, though often hid from its possessor, and always opposed, from a body of sin and death, yet it shall reign, through righteousness, to everlasting lifea troop may overcome, but it shall overcome at last.We shall now trace it in its various operations and blessed effects; this leads us to the Name of Enos, signifying Weakness. This is one of the sad effects of the Fall; but an experimental acquaintance with it is an evidence of gracea branch of that knowledge God has promised to give his p. 10peopleall thy children shall be taught of God. Our blessed Jesus is revealed in the Word as the strength of his saints; and has promised we shall say for ourselves, in the Lord have I righteousness and strengththis can be of no use to a sinner till he is first convinced of his criminality and weakness; we learn the former much sooner than the latterwe soon find our criminality, and feel wretched in consequence, but we do not soon learn our strength is perfect weakness. We soon believe we have violated the Law, but we are some time learning to cease from our vain labour and rest alone in Jesus; to work we generally go, with all our might, quite forgetting that it is written, to him that worketh not, but believeth, is the reward reckoned. We strive to keep the Law; I can truly say I did: I began first with the fourth commandment; then I vowed to set a watch over my thoughts, but, alas! I found Sin and Satan too strong for me: in the next place I saw the law was spiritual, and cursed me for every sinful thought! this threw down my Babel building. I strove to pacify my conscience with many prayers, and to please God with vows; to conquer sin by my own arm; by watchfulness, by reading more prayers, performing my duty with greater diligence. I read the Whole Duty of Man; on my knees I said over all the prayers in itstill sin overturned the whole of my performances; God still appeared angry; the Law cursed me, and the fears of death, the prospect of future judgment, and p. 11the horrid idea of standing at the bar of God, overcame me, till I wished I never had been born. I can truly say that I envied the brute creation; begged of God to annihilate me; my heart rose in awful rebellion against him in all his dealing. Often have I said, in the language of Dr. Wattss Songs for Children, And must the crimes that I have done Be read and publishd there;Be all exposd before the Sun, While men and angels hear! Lord! at thy feet ashamd I lie Upward I dare not look;Pardon my sins before I die, And blot them from thy book. These words exactly suited my case; in these things I have, and do feel my native weaknessin keeping the Law, in pleasing God with human performances, in pacifying conscience with mere vows, in conquering sin, in my own strength, and in keeping up my own animal spirits, under desertion, darkness, guilt, and trouble. O! what a mercy it is to have a burden-bearer! if it was not for this I must sink! and what a privilege to be taught how to cast our burthen on him who careth for us. Under the conviction of our native weakness, the character of Jesus, as the strength of our hearts, is exceeding precious; while we daily learn by constant experience, p. 12that as fallen sinners we are weak as we are wicked; the blessed Spirit convincing us of this, always produces the next name, Kenan, Mourning. This generally stands connected with deep-rooted spiritual convictions of our state, as fallen, depraved, guilty, and helpless. We mourn on various accounts; sometimes because of our depravity, our guilt, and weakness; that do what we can, we are no betterstill God is angry with us; the rebellion we feel, which must be God-provoking. We are grieved we ever sinned against him, because it has exposed us to his wrath. All this mourning comes from a legal spirit; but there is a godly mourning, or a mourning after Godthis comes from every sweet view we have of Jesus, as held forth in the Gospel; as the Saviour, Surety, Righteousness, and atoning Sacrificethe soul is following after himwe want the happy enjoyment of him in our souls. With pleasure we listen to the Gospel, which exhibits his charms; the soul is filled with longing desires after hima moving in the mind towards hima venturing near to hima longing for the day of his espousalsto read its part and lot in him. I am sure that the above was my case; I ran to the house of God, in hopes that every sermon I was going to hear, would be the time, and O how grieved was I when I had to return, and my beloved had not appeared in the way and manner I expected him. I find through all p. 13my pilgrimage, that the Lord always works in his own time and way. This, however, was mourning after him; this is certainly some small proof of love. Sometimes I longed to see my part and lot in him, from a principle of fear; sometimes from a principle of love, the going out of affection to him; hearing so much of him, and having an inward spiritual perception of his suitableness and glory. Two passages of scripture often did me good; the one says, By faith Noah was moved with fear, prepared himself an Ark: the other says, Whom having not seen we love; and though now we see him not, yet, believing, we rejoice.But as I must be brief, I will mention the next Patriarchs name, Mahalaleel. This signifies the Descending, or the Illumination of Godand follows the other name with great propriety. It is written, Seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you; you shall find Christ the pearl of great price.While the prison doors of unbelief and sin, horrors and gloomy fears are opened, the Lord Jesus descends to those who look for him, wait for him and expect him, for there shall be a reward, and thine expectation shall not be cut off; the blessed Spirit that has once operated upon the mind, as a reprover, convincer, and begotten the soul to an hope, will answer to his lovely character, the Comforter. If he communicates life to feel after God, to desire Christ above all, to keep up a constant hoping-for p. 14a smile from God, he will never, no, never disappoint it. Take courage, then, ye fearing characters, look to his word and faithfulness, who has said, Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? He is faithful that promised, who also will perform itIf we believe not, he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself, nor of course his people, who are part of himself. This kept up my mind in looking for a deliverance. Sometimes I vowed I would give it up altogether, but God would not, did not give me up. Sometimes my heart fainted within me, lest I should never see the Lord in the land of the living, especially after waiting long, and praying much. I well understood that text in the Proverbs, Hope deferred makes the heart (full of expectation) sick. When I could get out to hear the Word, I ran to Providence Chapel; heard the Word greedily, and kept watching for something that might be said, as a voice to me, or some sweet sight of a smiling God; but I returned again and again, sadly disappointed; and being under a legal spirit, began to quarrel with myself, and said, Ah! God has not appeared propitious yet, because I am such a sinner: Oh, if I was more diligent, more watchful and less sinful, then, indeed, I might rest assured he