so many while the VVorld continues Oh lay up this Word of God in your hearts our God is a Faithful God 1 Cor. 10.13 God is Faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it The faithfulness of God is as much ingaged in his Peoples sufferings as any other of His Attributes In His Peoples Sufferings His Faithfulness is engaged Three ways First that their Sufferings shall not exceed 1. His Precepts to them 2. Other Saints before them 3. The strength he gives them Secondly His Faithfulness is engaged that in their Sufferings for Him He will stand by them own them and be with them Thirdly His Faithfulness is ingaged to make good his Promises to them in delivering and freeing them from troubles Oh Christians are your troubles and Sufferings great and like to be greater and you are even ready to sink under them well remember your Gods Name I AM THAT I AM He is the Faithful God as Faithful now as ever Psal 36.5 Thy Mercy O Lord is in the Heavens and thy faithfulness reacheth to the clouds This Scripture holds forth the multitude or abundance of Gods Faithfulness that it reacheth to the clouds As wicked mens sins when they are multitudes and numerous they are said to reach up to Heaven so the Faithfulness of God is so continued to his that it even reacheth up to the clouds Psal 119.90 Thy Faithfulness is to all generations This also is a precious Scripture that no soul in no age though in the last days and in the latter end of the World when wickedness will abound and strange and dark Providences with desmal dispensations will be seen in the earth yet Gods faithfulness abides still it endures unto all generations therefore no soul in what age or state soever should be cast down or troubled but to mind the Name of God I AM THAT I AM the Faithful God Oh that Christians in all their troubles and sufferings would have an eye to the Faithfulness of God and unfeignedly believe it for it 's of mighty use to bear up your hearts in the midst of troubles and truly I am perswaded that when God sent Moses with his Name I AM to his afflicted People he had thus much in his eye and upon his heart His Faithfulness in keeping Covenant with them and performing His Promises to them The Faithfulness of God is one of his principal Attributes and the great splendor and beauty of his Name though all the Attributes of God are Perfect What were it if I may speak with holy reverence for God to be Powerful and Wise if not Faithful The Faithfulness of God is the great Bulwark of his People in their Troubles Consider that in no age there was no Saint whatsoever to whom God was unfaithful If some say there may be some one or other shew me that man or woman what is their Name where dwell they when was it or where was it that God was not Faithful I dare engage my soul and its eternal welfare that God is not unfaithful to any of his Far be it from me or any to think that there is unfaithfulness in God His People may be unfaithful to Him but He will not be so to them If there be any of Gods Promises not performed it 's not His fault but His Peoples His Promises being Conditional they breaking or not keeping the Condition and so miss of the Promise to which the Condition is annexed They break their Words and Promises with the Lord but as for God Let Him be true and every man a liar nay it 's impossible for God to lye Thus much for the Third thing A Fourth thing concerning Gods Name is His Justice God is very Just and Righteous and that is in rendering punishment on his Enemies Dear Friends your Enemies are great and they are many and their malice cruelty and oppression is very much and increased Well be not troubled remember you the Name of your God I AM He is Just yea and as Just now as ever in punishing his enemies Turn to the Testimony Psal 9.16 The Lord is known by the Judgments which he executeth the wicked are ensnared in the work of their hands Higgaion Selah This is a Scripture of great weight There are two ways whereby he is known to the World 1. By His Mercies 2. By His Judgements And they that will not know Him the former way shall know him the latter But what shall the wicked know of God by his Judgements that he is a Just God a Righteous God and saith the Spirit of God The wicked are ensnared in the work of their own hands This is a certain and assured truth That wicked mens handy-works or their actions prove their own ensnaring This was true in Ahithophel Haman and Judas and therefore the Lord writes upon this Scripture Higgaion Selah that is to be often Observing and diligently Meditating on it to see the Justice and Equity of God to the wicked in that their own works should ensnare them Job 34.17 God is called there most Just exactly and compleatly Just as God is faithful in rewarding His People so he is as faithful and Just in punishing the Wicked I will make a little Use of this and so hasten Fret not your selves at the Prosperity and welfare of the wicked your enemies neither do you seek after revenging your cause on them commit that to the Lord Vengeance is His and he is both Mighty and Able to deal with your adversaries and He will do it in His due time For He will plead the controversies of His People against their enemies And believe it the Lord is cutting short the work and hastening the ruine and destruction of his enemies by their filling up the measure of their iniquities and ripening their sins and the deliverance of His People draweth nigh by his casting them into the Furnace of Affliction to purge and purifie them that they may come forth like Gold Again The Fifth and last thing relating to the Name of God I AM. He is the God of all comforts and consolation Oh this Name I AM is a precious Name there is exceeding great Comforts and Cordials in God for the refreshing of his poor Peoples Spirits 2 Cor. 1.3 Blessed the God the God of our Lord Jesus the Father of Mercies and God of all Comforts There is in our God such a Store-house and Fountain of Mercies and Comforts that is able to supply all His Peoples wants and necessities Zechariah 1.17 The Lord shall yet Comfort Zion Notwithstanding the great discouragements and distresses of Gods People yet Comforts God hath in store for poor bleeding and languishing Sion 2 Cor. 7.6 Nevertheless God that Comforteth those that are cast down Comforteth us Oh the choice Comforts that God hath for his dejected People Though God hath in all ages been open handed and hearted
of this Subject I. What Gods Name is and the Duration of it This Name of God I AM THAT I AM is wrapt and bound up in His most glorious Attributes See that notable Text in Exod. 34.5 6. And proclaimed the Name of the Lord Now what was the Name of the Lord See and you shall find it declared and held forth in His Attributes The Lord the Lord God Long-suffering Merciful and Gracious Here is the Mercy of God keeping Mercy for thousands for giving iniquity transgression and sin Here is the Faithfulness of God and by no means clearing the guilty Here is the Justice of God Now that the Name of God endures see Psal 102.26 27. They shall perish but thou shalt endure thou art the same and thy years shall have no end Here you see that this God who hath declared himself I AM is of continuance he endures he is the same and changes not Oh it 's a blessed thing to consider that God is now the same that ever he was His Name is I AM and this is his Name for Ever Psal 72.17 His Name shall endure for Ever His Name shall be continued as long as the Sun and Men shall be blessed in him Oh this Name of God I AM is the Name that shall continue and endure and whereby men shall be blessed Mal. 3.6 For I am the Lord I change not From hence you may see the nature of Gods Name to his People He is the same and changes not Psal 135.3 Thy Name O Lord endureth for ever and thy Memorial O Lord unto all generations From hence you may observe the sweet harmony and joynt-agreement the Spirit of God hath here with my Text the self same language expressed But Secondly take notice with what Zeal and Affection and Cordial desire the Prophet Declares the Name of the Lord. Oh Lord saith he thy Name endures for ever and when he speakeh of Gods Mememorial O Lord saith he it endures to all generations he fals as is were into admiration of the Name of God The next Verse declares part of Gods Name First His Faithfulness He will judge His People or plead for them Secondly His Mercy And He will repent Himself concerning His servants and that is in keeping back the intended evil and giving them the promised good One text more and then I have done with this Isaiah 63.15 16. The People and Church of God at that time as it is now were in a very miserable and deplorable state as may be discerned by their expressions in their requests Look down from Heaven and behold from the habitation of Thy Holiness and Glory And the Church seems to remind the Lord of some remisness in some things as if God had been wanting to some of his distressed People and so had forsaken them and therefore in vehement sorrow saith Where is Thy zeal Thy strength the sounding of Thy bowels and of Thy mercies are they restrained As if this poor People should say Ah Lord Our Condition is sad our State miserable and Thou seemest to be a stranger Where is Thy zeal Thy affection to Us How doth that seem to decline and decay Where is Thy strength that should be most helpful to us now Oh where is the sounding of Thy bowels and mercies where is that yearning of bowels that sympathizing that compassionate melting commiserating of thy Peoples miseries Ah Lord say they are they restrained are they bound up art Thou grown obdurate against Thy poor People Now do but observe what Arguments this poor afflicted People use and from thence draws comfort First The Interest they had in God Donbtless say they without all doubt Thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and thou art our Father though Israel acknowledge us not From hence you may observe three Things 1. That Saints in the greatest of miseries have an eye to the Interest they have in God 2. Interest in God is of great support to Saints in times of greatest straits This hath born up the Spirit of Gods People in their trials and sufferings what if all the men of the World were mine enemies and all the malice and envy of men my accusers and all the devils my tormentors yet if God be my Father if I have an Interest in Him I have all unspeakable Help Relief and Support 3. The certain assured knowledge of the Interest in God affords great Comfort Satisfaction and Contentment to such though others know it not or be ignorant of it Though Abraham be ignorant of us yet thou art our Father A Second Argument that these People sucked Comfort from was the remembrance of Gods Name and therefore saith Thy Name is from Everlasting as if the Church should say though I am afflicted and suffer yet the Name of my God remains yea it is from everlasting Hence observe That Gods everlasting Name afords lasting comfort to his People The third Argument was the Relation they had to God and that is in the last Verse We are Thine Thy peculiar People in Covenant with Thee and Thou never rulest over the heathen Thou never hadst that rule and reign in their hearts and consciences as thou didst over and in us and we are called by Thy Name we do represent Thee to the World Thus much shall suffice for the first thing premised Now I come to the Second thing proposed and that was to Declare how or wherein Gods Name I AM is the same to his People in all ages and that this Truth is of such weight and concernment that it 's able to comfort and consolate the hearts and spirits of Gods People in the midst of their troubles and sufferings In the proof of this I shall indeavour to shew wherein Gods Name is the same to his People And first as touching Gods Power His power and strength is very great that let the troubles be never so many and never so great yet Gods Power is as great yea greater We will first consult with some Scriptures that speakes aloud to this Truth and then apply it Nahum 1.3 The Lord is great in Power Oh believe this Truth and it will administer comforts in your Straits Are your sufferings great remember The Lord is great in Power Deut. 9.29 Speaking of the Children of Israel saith Thou broughtest them out by thy mighty Power as God hath Mighty Power so it is ingaged for the good of His People Luke 9.43 And they were all amazed at the mighty Power of God Gods Power is so Mighty that it amazes the very Adversaries of his People Psal 147.5 Great is our Lord and of great Power We have a peculiar Relation to Him that hath this great Power He is our Lord Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect God hath here declared himself to be the Almighty God the Alsufficient God able to answer and supply all wants and necessities as if God should say to Abraham Walk thou before me and
be thou perfect Now lest he should object and say Ah Lord They that do walk perfectly before thee will meet with many troubles be exposed to many hardships and losses well saith God matter it not I am the Almighty God the Alsufficient God Let the Troubles of his People be never so great yet the Lord is Almighty great in Power and strength Now seriously consider this first thing as part of the Name of God remember Gods Name I AM He is the same now as ever he was as Powerful as ever as Strong as ever as Mighty as ever This is his Name for Ever and his Memorial unto all generations Oh suffering Christians give me leave to tell you that your Fathers Power is your greatest Pillar of support in times of difficulties See that pretious Text in 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of those whose hearts are perfect towards him From hence note That there is Mighty Power and strength in God handed forth and exercised for the good of his People This truth really believed how mightily would it caution the Lords People to take heed of fears and to live above them One word of Use and I conclude this Oh let us sing Songs of praise of our Gods Power it is true Gods Power is matter of fear and terror to the wicked but its matter of comfort and joy to the Saints Psal 59.16 I will sing of thy Power when the soul is in great troubles and sufferings and consider what God is what his Name is that he is the Mighty Powerful God and then consider that he is the same His Name is I AM that the poor soul is ready to sing forth of Gods Power Believe it fellow Christians you are in the hand of God Deut. 33.3 Observe all his Saints are in his hand not some but all oh you be safe enough there is none can pluck you out of your fathers hand and besides he hath all Power in his hand 2 Chron. 19.6 Oh then my dear Brethren be not hopeless for God leaves you not helpless What can harm you you have the Power of God to arm you then labour to undergo all here for you shall not onely be delivered from all but be conquerors over all This is the first thing A Second thing relating to Gods Name wherein he is the same now as ever and that is his Wisdom He is as Wise now as ever and as Prudent in managing his Peoples concernments as ever Oh the great Wisdom of our God in ordering our affaires it 's matter of great Comfort and Consolation But first we will see what the Scripture saith concerning Our Gods Wisdom Rom. 16.27 To God onely Wise be glory As God is Wise so He is onely Wise none like Him 1 Tim. 1.17 To the onely Wise God be glory Col. 2.3 In whom are hid all the treasures of VVisdom and Knowledge In our God are treasures of Wisdom Consider this dear friends is there any Trouble or Calamity befalls you that you know not how to come out of it or be rid of it well remember that your God hath Treasures of VVisdom and Knowledge Isa 40.28 There is no searching of the Lords Understanding it is so deep and large and therefore though that cannot be searched yet it can search all things God is the alone and onely VVise God now in 1 Cor. 1.25 there is a saying something strange that the Apostle speaks and some would be apt to conclude that it was something contradictory to what hath been said his words are that the foolishness of God is wiser then men intimating as if there were some Foolishness in God the Apostle doth not speak nor intend it in the least but he was speaking of upbraiding mens wisdom that to such the foolishness of God was wiser he doth not say the foolishness in God but of God but had allusion to the Saints whom as foolish things of God were chosen to confound the Wise Now God is so perfect in Wisdom that the very Angels he chargeth with folly and it 's said of the Lords Understanding that it is Infinite Now consider this seriously God is great in Wisdom and as he was always so he is now I AM THAT I AM that is His Name for Ever a Wise God that by his wise disposing of things can make all things work for good and can turn all your troubles and sufferings to the best advantage or profit that you shall reap the fruit thereof with great gain and increase He by His Wisdom can order the Saints troubles and sufferings to be further footings to glory and happiness that by his Wisdom can allure His People into the Wilderness and there speak comfortably to them Now what a comfort is it to consider that our Gods Name is I AM still the same to His People as ever He was A word to Apply this Is our God onely and alone Wise Then let us leave all our Concernments and affairs to his dispose Our Father knows what is best for us and what will conduce to our good and His glory Well to proceed to the Third thing and that is the Faithfulness of God Gods Faithfulness is of mighty weight and concernment that His Name is I AM the Faithful God as Faithful now as ever Gods Faithfulness consists chiefly in fulfilling and performing and making good all Promises and Prophesies See the voice of the Scripture concerning this Truth Deut. 7.8 9. But because the Lord God loved you here was the Mercy of God and because He would keep the Oath which he sware unto your Fathers here was the Faithfulness of God the Lord hath brought you out with a Mighty hand here is the Power of God and redeemed you from the house of bondmen and out of the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt here is declared the Justice of God Thus consider see and observe here you have His Name which he sent by Moses to his People I AM THAT I AM this is my Name for Ever See what the Lord saith further in the ninth Verse Know therefore that the Lord thy God He is God What God A Faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with those that love Him and keep His Commandments to a thousand generations The Lord is not onely exactly compleatly and perfectly Faithful but he is mighty large in his Faithfulness the extent of it reacheth to a thousand Generations Here the Lord includes and intends all his People that are or ever will be in the VVorld One Generation continues about a hundred years if not more Now it s not reasonable to imagine that there would be from that time these words were spoken to the end of the World a thousand Generations Onely this Scripture shews the large extent of the Faithfulness of God it reaches all Saints in all Ages even to a thousand Generations if it be possible there may be