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
of the Bush had called to Moses He said in the seventh Verse I have surely seen the Affliction of my People in Egypt Hence observe That God takes notice of his Peoples Affliction yea special notice I have surely seen saith God Oh suffering Souls your Consolations are not small the Eyes of Heaven are upon you and your sufferings the Eye of Love and the Eye of Pity is not onely President over you but Present with you be you never so remote or obscure in Suffering that Eye of Divine Majesty that runs to and fro throughout the whole Earth will be first on you I have saith God surely seen the Affliction of my People in Egypt This is a sweet Word of God My People though Afflicted yet Mine though Oppressed and Hated yet My People It 's not their Sufferings their Miseries their Afflictions that can un-people them that can break that great cord of Union and Relation between God and his People My People though Oppressed and Persecuted yet My People They are never the more Unlovely in my Eyes never the more Uncomely though they are trampled upon as dirt and made as the off-scouring of the World yet I am not ashamed to own them I am not ashamed to acknowledge them to be My People and therefore I will own them and stand by them They are indeed by their Oppressors and Persecutors having the rod of the wicked over them making surrows upon them represented very Unlovely very Uncomely very Despicable and Contemptible yet nevertheless there is not a tittle of my Affection and Love that I bear to them abated or diminished they are My People yea and in Egypt God doth not onely own his People in the worst of Conditions but in the worst of Places also And therefore he saith I have surely seen the Affliction of my People in Egypt Egypt was called The House of Bondage The Nation of their Oppression The Land wherein they were Slaves and Strangers Yet there God owns them My People in Egypt It is not Places that makes God at all Disaffected with his People though they be thrown into Newgate or elsewhere the shamfullest of Goals by his cruelty whose tender mercies are no better nor nothing else yet there will God own them the loathsomest Dungeons shall not at all keep God from Communion with his People He will own them though in Egyt and saith God I know their Sorrows Know their Sorrows he doth and will he not remedie it Yea surely As if the Lord should say I am acquainted with all their Griefs I am concerned in all their sufferings Oh Christians believe this Truth That God sees all the Afflictions of his People and knows their Sorrows God sees for this end and knows for this end that he might the better communicate seasonable good to his People And in Verse 10. saith God Come now therefore that thou mayest bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt Come now saith God now is my Time now is my Opportunity now is my fit Season to Deliver My People God's Time of working Deliverance for his People is when they are in the midst of the greatest straits and sufferings Now the Lord is imploying and sending Moses with a Message both to Pharaoh and to his People Moses very much opposeth it and with the Lord pleads two things 1. His own Unworthiness Who am I saith he that I should go to Pharaoh that I should be imployed in the service of the great God of Heaven The Lord takes off this Objection by Answering I will be with thee The Worthiness of Gods assisting Presence will far surmount and exceed Moses his Unworthiness One thing here you have worth observing and that is That it is not the Meanness Lowness Unworthiness simply considered of poor creatures that doth exclude or exempt them from Gods service or acceptance but sin will hinder from both A Second thing that Moses pleads against his being imployed is Ignorance of Gods Name He did not know what Name of God he should carry to his poor suffering People This God answers and declares and so I come to my Text. I AM THAT I AM I AM hath sent unto them this is my Name for Ever and my memorial unto all generations In which Words you have Three things 1. A Description or Discovery of the Name of God I AM THAT I AM or what I ever was 2. The Perpetuity and Continuance of His Name This is my Name for EVER 3. The use of it to his People This is my Memorial unto all generations From the Occasion of the Words you have this Observation That God Proportions out Sutable and Seasonable Mercies and Comforts to his Peoples State and Condition You may see that this Truth ariseth naturally from the occasion of these Words if you consider that these were a People under great Promises from the Lord and also from Men under great Sufferings and Oppressions Now to this Afflicted Oppressed People God sends this Message this errand I AM THAT I AM No Name of God had been so Sutable so Seasonable as this I AM the same that ever I was I shall shew anon in due place how Seasonable how Sutable this Name of God is to his Suffering People If God had sent to his People his Name Jah or Jehovah it had been something but it had not been so seasonable as I AM. God usually stays and delays Deliverance that it may come most Seasonable and Sutable to his Peoples Conditions Why must they be four hundred years in Affliction May not two hundred years serve No at the end of four hundred years is Gods time for Deliverance then will his Mercies come most Seasonable And truly this I am perswaded is the very Reason why God seems to keep away deliverance from his People they are not yet come to the greatest of straits the Mercy will not come so Seasonable and Sutable as God would have it I might be large upon this Point but I shall not at this time though it is a Truth of great concernment I shall only prove it with an Instance or two with some Reasons and then proceed to what remains which is much upon my heart See Gen. 21. from vers 15. to 21. Poor Agar was in great distress she and the Babe was like to perish for want of water she was in the greatest of Straits gave her self and babe over for death past all hope of life Oh then was Gods time then was his time to appear and that with a Sutable and Seasonabe Mercy to her State and Condition and pray What was that Her condition was such that she had like to have died with Drought want of Drink for she was in a Remote and barren Wilderness behold God communicates to her a Well of Water From hence see That God proportions out Seasonable and Sutable Mercies Comforts to his Peoples Wants Necessities From this Remarkable instance in Agar you have many considerable things 1. That
Gods People in their greatest Straits and Wants make their recourse by Prayer to God this good Agar did The times of tribulation ought especially then to be the times of supplication Christs Suffering hour was his praying hour Times of Afflictions puts Saints upon Petitions at the Throne of Grace 2. Strange and unexpected ways and means of Deliverance hath God for his People This is a glorious Truth but I must but name it Little did poor Agar think to find Supplies in the Wilderness no visible means attainable 3. Observe That there are such Bowels of Mercy and Love in God towards his that he usually yea frequently not onely grants their Desires but gives them more yea over and above Poor Agar begs a little Water of God to preserve the life of her and her little babe and lo God gives her a Well of Water So Solomon asked for Wisdome God did not onely give him That but Riches and Honour also I must proceed A Second notable Instance you have is concerning Sampson Judg. 15.18 19. He having a very great thirst like to die the Lord in a miraculous maner preserved him and communicated a Sutable Mercy to him and gave him Water out of the Jaw-bone of an Ass One thing here I shall mind unto you that is Sometimes I have marvelled at the exceeding Drought and Thirst that came upon Sampson immediately after the Deliverance obtained by the help of the Lord against his Enemies I suppose that his great Thirst came not by reason of his great Fighting He might be thirsty but not upon that account unto death considering the Lord helped him But now for him to be by thirst near death there lies something in it and therefore I humbly judge that this thirst was sent as a Judgement from the Lord and that upon two accounts 1. His too much Vaunting Applauding and Praising of himself for this Victory See his high proud Words With the Jaw of an Ass have I slain a thousand men 2. Not returning the Praise and Honour to whom it was due and therefore the Lord might be angry displeased with him to shew him his own weakness frailty and infirmity that he might not glory in himself but to see that without the Lords assistance he was but a dead man therefore I conceive this thirst came And then betook himself to prayer and though after mercy received he was unmindful of his duty yet now his great wants and straits make him mind his duty and help and when Sampson had tasted of Gods anger then you shall have him acknowledge God having a hand in the Deliverance but not before So likewise the Prophet having fled into the Wilderness being driven to great wants the Lord administred food to him by Ravens and so the Lord communicated Sutable Comforts to his Servant I might name many more but I would hasten and briefly now give you the Reasons of it I shall at present name but two Why God proportions out Sutable Mercies to his Peoples Conditions The First is To enlarge their Experiences of Him Not a Sutable Mercy or Comfort comes to us from God but it is to stock us with Experience for Experience of God's goodness is of great use to a dependance on God Secondly It is To heighten our Praises to Him that we may much be carried forth in new Songs of Praises to the Lord. A word of Use to this and so proceed and come to the thing I aim at Seeing God doth proportion out Sutable Comforts to his Peoples Conditions then be Exhorted To walk Sutable to such a God as this is be perswaded to walk answerable to a God of such Sutable Comforts and seasonable Mercies Oh the Sutable Comforts that his poor Servants have enjoyed in their Bonds and Sufferings that when all the World shall frown then to have the God of Heaven smile that when the World strips us of all outward Injoyments then to have them made up with inward and special Injoyments when the men of the World put a bitter cup into our hands then for our Father to sweeten it for us when we hear the worst news from Earth we can then have the best news from Heaven Oh this is Seasonable and Sutable Comfort It 's true we want our Liberties but yet we have the blessed Liberty of the Sons of God It 's true we are in Bonds under Restraint Oh but yet our souls are not in bonds our Consciences are not captivated to sins and lusts it 's true we are in the hands of cruel and unreasonable men but yet we are in the hands of a faithful Creator Fellow-sufferers consider it and believe it you that experience Gods goodness in Sutable Comforts to you know that he expects that it should work rare effects in you and produce eminent and sutable walkings towards him Thus much for the first thing being occasional from the Words I shall now come to the chief thing I aime at I AM THAT I AM this is my Name for Ever and my Memorial unto all Generations The Doctrine Conclusion or wholsome Truth which arises from these Words is this That the great and serious Consideration of Gods Name I AM being the same to his People in all ages is of mighty use and benefit to Comfort and Consolate the hearts and spirits of his People in the midst of all their Troubles and Sufferings This is a great and weighty Truth and there lieth much sap and marrow in it and therefore I do earnestly desire that it may dwell in the hearts of all the Suffering sons of Sion this day and this Truth I judge ariseth naturally from the Words for in the Doctrine you may observe these several Branches 1. That Gods Name is I AM. 2. That it is so for EVER to his People 3. That the serious consideration thereof is of use to Comfort and Consolate the People of God in their Sufferings Now consider well the Text and you shall find this Truth couched in it And consider the Persons to whom it was communicated being the People of the Lord under great Sufferings and Troubles and you may plainly perceive that the great aime and designe of God here is that his People through a serious Consideration of his Name I AM THAT I AM should be much consolated and refreshed in the midst of their Troubles and Sufferings In the managing of this weighty Truth I shall lay down Four Things I. Prove it to you and shew you what is Gods Name and how it endures for Ever II. Declare how and wherein Gods Name I AM is the same to his People in all ages and shew you that this Truth is of mighty use and benefit to bear up their hearts in Suffering III. Give you the Reasons of this Truth which are very considerable Why the Lords Name I AM THAT I AM is his Name for EVER and continued to his People to all Generations IV. Give you the wholsome and seasonable Uses and Conclusions
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