Secondly, What is meant by the Lord’s recording his name
Secondly, What is meant by the Lord’s recording his name
Or causing it to he remembered; for so the words may he rendered, Where I make mention of my name, or where I cause to remember my name; or, you to remember it; that is, cause it to he remembered, or refresh the memories of men with it: which is done by appointing and setting up memorials of it.
1st, Under the legal dispensation, this was done by ordering the ark, mercy-scat, and cherubim, to be made, and to he placed first in the tabernacle, and then in the temple. These were symbols of the divine presence; here the Shekinah, or the divine Majesty, took up its abode: from hence God communed with men, and gave them intimations of his mind and will; by which they were put in mind of him, and directed where to apply to him, in every time of need; and so possessed were the Israelites of this notion, that God was where these were, that they would sometimes take the ark with them when they went to battle; promising themselves thereby protection, safety, and victory. And these were each of them, the ark and the mercy-seat, memorials of Christ, and served to put such as had knowledge of the Messiah, true faith in him, and expectation of his coming, in mind of him.
The ark was a type of Christ, in the matter, form, and use of it; it was made of Shittim wood, and overlayed with pure gold, denoting the incorruption, purity, glory, excellency, and duration of Christ; its principle use was, to contain in it the testimony of the will of God, the two tables of stone, with the law of the ten commandments on them; which were renewed by the Lord, after they were broken by falling out of the hands of Moses, as he came down from the mount, when the people had sinned, and transgressed this law. The putting of that into the ark, signified the law being not only in the hands, but in the heart of Christ; his voluntary subjection to it; his perfect fulfillment of it, whereby it was magnified and made honorable; all its demands being answered by him, its precepts obeyed, and its sanction yielded to; and in whom it is preserved and continued, in all its perfection and lustre, and remains in full force, to answer the purposes for which it was given.
The mercy-seat is also a type of Christ, and a memorial of him; bringing him to remembrance, and refreshing the minds of true believers in him; leading them to some delightful views of the grace and mercy of God, as displayed in him. The same word which the Greek interpreters render the Hebrew word by, for the mercy-seat, is used by the apostle Paul concerning Christ, when he says of him, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, (Romans 3:25) “a mercy seat.” This was over the ark, in which the law was, a cover to it; and of the same length and breadth with it; shewing that Christ’s obedience and propitiatory sacrifice, are commensurate to the law, and its requirements, and a covering of all the sins of God’s people, for whom this sacrifice is offered, which are transgressions of the law, and through which God is gracious and merciful to sinners; for though he has proclaimed his name, a God gracious and merciful, it is only in Christ; the special mercy of God is only communicated through Christ; there is no mercy to be expected but by him; the poor publican was in the right, when he prayed, God be merciful, or be propitious, or shew mercy through the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, to me a sinner. (Luke 18:13) The stores of mercy are laid up in Christ; it is for him, for his sake, and with him, that he keeps his mercy, his covenant-grace and mercy, for evermore : (Psalm 89:28) he is the throne of grace, or the mercy-seat, to which the saints should have recourse in all their times of need; and where, and where only, they may expect to find grace and obtain mercy; (Hebrews 4:16) yea, it is to this mercy-seat, to the mercy of one Lord Jesus Christ, and for it., and to the mercy of God, displayed in him, they are to look for, and unto eternal life. (Jude 21)
Moreover the altar, and the sacrifices offered on it, were typical of Christ, and memorials of him, and the means of recording the name of the Lord, and causing it to be remembered; the altar was a type of Christ, as before observed; both the altar of burnt offering, and the altar of incense; the one served to put believers in mind of the sacrifice and satisfaction of Christ for sin; and the dolorous sufferings he underwent on that account, under a sense of the wrath of God, and to deliver, his people from it, by bearing it in their room and stead, when he became a whole burnt-offering for them; and the other was of use, to observe unto them the intercession of Christ, founded on his propitiatory sacrifice; through whose much incense, or all prevailing mediation, the prayers of the saints become acceptable unto God, and the blessings of grace are brought down upon them, and applied to them. The various sacrifices offered at the Jewish altar, were typical of the sacrifice of Christ; and were designed to put the sacrificers in mind of it, and to lead their faith to it, without which theirs were unacceptable to God. The lambs of the daily sacrifice, in the morning and evening, were remembrancers of Christ the Lamb of God, who taketh, continually takes away the sins of men, committed by them. So the slaying of the passover-lamb, the burning of the red heifer, with all other sacrifices, whether offered every day, every month, or every year; they all pointed at Christ, and his sacrifice, whereby he has put away sin, and perfected for ever them that are sanctified : and now, by appointing and continuing these, Jehovah caused his name to he remembered; whose perfections were displayed and glorified in the sacrifice of his Son; to which the faith of his people were by these directed.
2dly, Under the gospel-dispensation, God records his name by the ministry of the word, and by the administration of ordinances.
1. By the word, and by the ministers of it whose descriptive character is, that make mention of the Lord; (Isaiah 62:6) or cause him to be remembered, or are his remembrancers which is much the same phrase that is here used: a principal part of their business is, to admonish; to be the monitors of men; to put them in mind, as the word used signifies; (1 Thessalonians 5:12) to put them in mind of their privileges and duties; to put them in mind of the grace of God, and the blessings of it of Christ, his person, offices, and grace, and of the several doctrines of the everlasting gospel, for their comfort and edification. So the apostle Peter determined, whilst he was in this tabernacle, in the body, in the present state of things, so long as he remained in the world, to stir up the saints, by putting them in remembrance of these things, though they knew them, and were established in them; (2 Peter 1:12, 13) and then may the ministers of the gospel be said to record the name of the Lord, and the Lord to record it, by them; or cause it to he remembered, when,
(1.) They put those in mind, to whom they minister, of the love, grace, and mercy of God, displayed in salvation by Jesus Christ; when, as God has proclaimed his name, “a God gracious and merciful, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin; ” they also publish and proclaim the same grace and mercy of his, as it is shewn forth in the several parts and branches of salvation; or, in other words, when they ascribe salvation, both in whole and in part, to the free grace and sovereign mercy of God in Christ. For instance, when they declare, that God’s choice of men to holiness here, and happiness hereafter, is wholly owing to his everlasting love, and sovereign will and pleasure; when they assert there is such an act in God; and that this is eternal; that it passed before men had done either good or evil, and had no respect to either; that the moving cause of it, is not the faith, or holiness, or obedience, and good works of men; nor the foresight of any, or either of them; that it does not stand upon the works of man, but upon the will of God; and therefore truly called the election of grace and which the apostle most clearly evinces, by arguing in such a strong and nervous manner about it; if by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace; but if it be of work’s, then is it no more grace; otherwise work is no more work. (Romans 11:5, 6) Likewise, when they attribute the mission of Christ into this world, in order to obtain salvation for men, purely to the good-will, grace, and mercy of God, as the scriptures do; which assure us, that it is owing to the tender mercy of our God, his bowels of compassion to sinful, miserable creatures, that the day-spring from on high, the Messiah, the Son of righteousness, whose rising and coming here, made the glorious gospel-day, has visited us; (Luke 1:78) by the beamings-forth of his love and grace, in the assumption of our nature; by sending forth the light of truth abroad in the world; and dispelling the darkness of error, ignorance, and infidelity; the design of whose appearance was not merely to deliver a system of doctrines, and to recommend them by his own example, but to suffer and die for us; and, by so doing, redeem us from sin and death, and everlasting ruin and, his coming on such an errand, is entirely the fruit and effect of divine love; God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, and sent him into the world, to be the propitiation, Saviour, and Redeemer; and in this the love of God is manifested to us; herein is love; (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9, 10) this is a full proof and demonstration of it; and it appears the more illustrious and free, when it is observed, the persons that God gave his Son for, into the hands of justice, and death, and Christ died for, are represented, not only as without strength, but as ungodly, sinners, and enemies in their minds, by wicked works. Now, when the love, grace, and mercy of God, in this instance, are published, then is the name of the Lord proclaimed and recorded, as a God gracious and merciful. Also, when the blessings of justification, and pardon of sin, are referred to the same source and origin, spring and fountain, even the unmerited grace of God in Christ; for, though upon the account of the righteousness of Christ, and the imputation of it, God is just, whilst he is the justifier of him that believes in Jesus; and as justification proceeds upon, and through the redemption that is in Christ; yet this hinders not but that is freely by the grace of God; (26) for it is grace that provided this righteousness, accepts of it, and imputes it; and it is the free gift of God to man; and so is faith itself, which receives it; ungodly men are justified by it; and this is imputed, without works, unto them and then is the grace of God, in this article, exalted and magnified, when it is roundly declared, for which there is the greatest authority, that by the deeds of the law, no man is, or can be justified; but that justification is by faith in Christ’s righteousness, without the works of it. And so pardon of sin, though through the blood of Christ, which was shed for it, it is an act of justice in God to forgive it: and he is just and faithful in doing it on that account; yet it is according to the riches of his grace, and the multitude of his tender mercies, (1 John 1:9; Ephesians 1:7; Psalm 51:1) that he forgives sin, even for Christ’s sake, and then is the name of the Lord recorded, when forgiveness of sin is preached in the name of Christ; and the name of God is published and proclaimed, a God forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, freely and fully, on his account. In short, this is done, when salvation is asserted to he not according to men’s works, but according to the purpose and grace of God; when it is affirmed, that it is not by works of righteousness the best men have done, and in the best manner, they are saved; but by the abundant mercy of God, through Christ; that it is by grace alone that salvation is, and not by works, lest any should boast; and that it is through faith; and that not of ourselves, for it is the gift of God. In a word; the name of God is recorded, when not the merits of men, but the mercy of God, is magnified; when not free-will, but free grace, is preached; when salvation is said to be, not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God, that sheweth mercy; when regeneration is ascribed, not to the might and power of man, but to the Spirit of the Lord of hosts; when men are taught to attribute all they have, and are, and do, to the grace of God; and to say with the apostle, by the grace of God, I am what I am; (1 Corinthians 15:10) and when it is the drift of the ministry, and the concern of those in it, to display the riches of divine grace, and the glory of it; which is the ultimate end of God, in the predestination, redemption, and salvation of men.
(2.) Then do ministers of the word record, make mention of, and cause to be remembered, the name of the Lord; and God does it by them, when they preach Christ, and him crucified, as God’s alone way of salvation. This was the course the first ministers of the gospel steered; they preached not themselves; as they did not seek themselves, so neither did they exalt themselves and others; they did not preach up the purity of human nature, the power of man’s free-will, the sufficiency of good works to justify before God, and to render acceptable in his sight; but Christ Jesus the Lord, (2 Corinthians 4:5) as the only redeemer and saviour of lost sinners. Particularly, this was the resolution and determination of the great apostle of the Gentiles: for so he says, writing to the Corinthians, I determined to know, that is, to make known, nothing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified; (1 Corinthians 2:2) meaning, in the great affair and business of salvation; and this determination he abode by, notwithstanding all the opposition made unto him, and contempt that was cast on him for it: We preach, says he, Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness. (1 Corinthians 1:23) Thus did he, and other preachers of the gospel, record the name of the Lord to good purpose wherever they came; and so do all such who make mention in their ministry of the glorious person of Christ, as God over all blessed for ever, as the true God and eternal life; as the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person; whose glory is the glory of the only-begotten of the Father; being in the glorious form, and having all the glorious perfections of deity in him. When they describe him as the God-man, as white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousands, and altogether lovely in his person and offices; when they speak of him, and direct unto him as the only mediator between God and man; in whom the saints are blessed with all spiritual blessings; through whom they have a participation of all grace here, and have both a right unto, and meetness for, eternal glory hereafter; who is now the way of access to the father, and of acceptance with him; and by whom all the sacrifices of prayer and praise are to be offered to God, and become acceptable to him; as well as he will be the medium of all that glory that shall he enjoyed hereafter: then also do they record the name of the Lord, and he by them, when they declare there is no other name given among men whereby they must be saved, thanthe name of Christ; that there is salvation in none but him; that it is in vain to hope for it in the multitude of hills and mountains, or from men’s works, be they ever so many; even though they were piled up as mountains aiming at heaven, and seeking to reach it: and when this is the subject of their ministry, the faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; of whom, says the apostle, I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15) When also they make mention of the righteousness of Christ, and him only, as the matter of a sinner’s justification before God; when they preach, that through Christ and his righteousness believers are justified from all things they could not be by the law of Moses, and obedience to it: and then may they be said to turn many to righteousness; (Daniel 7:3) or to justify many, that is, by guiding and directing them alone to Christ for righteousness: likewise when they speak well of the precious blood of Christ, and direct souls to deal with it, for the remission of their sins and shew that both justification and sanctification are through it; that peace and reconciliation are made by it; and a way is opened by means of it, into the holy of holies: moreover, when they exalt the sacrifice of Christ, and observe that all others, let them be of what nature they will among men, yet are insufficient to atone for sin; even thousands of rams, or ten thousand rivers of oil; yea, though the first-born should he given for transgression, and the fruit of the body for the sin of the soul; and that Christ’s sacrifice alone has taken away sin: made an end of it, and made reconciliation for it; and that Christ, the Lamb of God, is only to be looked unto as the sin-bearing, and sin-atoning Saviour: To which may he added, that this is the case, when the advocacy of Christ is preached up; or he is represented as the advocate with the Father; who appears in the presence of God and ever lives to make intercession for his people; introduces their persons into the presence of his Father; presents their petitions, and pleads for the blessing’s of grace to be applied to them they want; and the supplies of grace to be granted them they stand in need of. To say no more, then do faithful dispensers of the word record the name of the Lord, and he by them, when they preach the pure gospel of Christ free, unmixed, and unadulterated; when they do not corrupt the word, but sincerely preach it, as in the sight of God and Christ; when their ministry is not yea and nay, but all of a piece; consistent with itself, and with the word of God; when the trumpet does not give an uncertain sound; when only the joyful sound is heard; peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation, are clearly, openly, without reserve or disguise, published and proclaimed.
2. Under the gospel-dispensation God records ins name, by appointing ordinances, and by the administration of them, as memorials of his love and grace; and particularly the ordinance of the Lord’s-supper; and where that is truly administered, and carefully attended to, and the design of it answered, there the name of the Lord is caused to be remembered; and the memories of men are sweetly and comfortably refreshed with it. This ordinance is a commemorative ordinance, causing to remember, or bringing to remembrance. The design of it is to put in mind of the love of God in Christ; of the love of God in the gift of his Son, and of the love of Christ in the gift of himself; and it is hard to say which is the greatest instance of love, for God to give his Son, his only begotten Son, or for Christ to give himself, his soul and body, and both in union with his divine person; to lay down his life, to shed his blood, to offer himself a sacrifice unto God for us. The ordinance of the supper brings to our remembrance the love of the Father in providing his Son a lamb for a burnt-offering; in sending him into this world to be a Saviour of his people; in not sparing him, but delivering him up into the hands of justice and death for us all; and all this, when and while we were sinners. It refreshes our memories with the love in of Christ, in giving himself an offering and a sacrifice unto God, of a sweet-smelling savour. It is not a reiteration of the sacrifice, an offering up again the body and blood of Christ; but a commemoration of it, and of the love of Christ in it: Hereby we perceive his love to us. It is very plain and evident that he laid down his life for us; it leads us to observe it has such an instance of love that is not to be found among men. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) But Christ has shewn greater love than this, by laying down his life for his enemies. Now, the elements or symbols in the Lord’s-supper, the bread and wine, are memorials of what Christ has done and suffered for his people; of his body being bruised and broken for them; of his blood being shed, and his soul poured out unto death on their account: and of his being stricken and smitten for their transgressions, and wounded for their sins; and of his bearing them and the punishment due unto them: and when the bread is eaten and the wine drank; they are both to be done by our Lord’s direction, in remembrance of him, and of the above things, and of his love in all: and then is his name recorded, when his love is remembered more than wine; (Song of Solomon 1:3) when saints call upon their souls, and all within them, to bless his holy name, and not forget his benefits; (4) especially the redemption of their lives from destruction by him. Now,
Thirdly, The places which God has a regard to, and where his people should meet and worship him, are where his name is recorded: This appears from what has been said. They are such where his free grace is set forth, magnified and exalted in the salvation of men; where Christ crucified is preached, and the ordinances are truly and faithfully administered: and when this is the case, it matters not what or where they are. Under the former dispensation there were particular places for worship, namely, wherever the tabernacle and ark were, and especially the city of Jerusalem, where the temple was built. But now we are not obliged to go to Shiloh, or Gilgal, or Jerusalem. The only descriptive character which points out a place to us, and directs us where to go and worship, is where the Lord records his name; or his ministers record it, by faithfully preaching his gospel, and administering his ordinances: and these are not limited and restrained to any place. It matters not whether the edifice we worship in, is greater or smaller, built in a less or more pompous manner; nor what names it is called by; whether a meeting-house, church or chapel; a conventicle, or a cathedral: the only point is, is the name of the Lord recorded there? For we find under the gospel dispensation, the word has been used to be preached indifferently any where. Thus we may observe at one time, that our Lord sat upon a mountain, and delivered those excellent discourses contained in the fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew. At another time he sat in a ship, and taught the multitude as they stood on the shore. And elsewhere we read of him preaching in a private house; as well as he sometimes went into the temple, the then public place of worship; and sat and taught there. (Matthew 5:1 and 13:3; Mark 2:1, 2; John 8:2) And so his apostles and disciples not only preached in the synagogues of the Jews as they had opportunity, but in other places not used before for religious worship. The apostle Paul disputed and discoursed in the school of Tyrannus, and continued this practice for the space of two years there; so that all Asia had the opportunity of hearing the word of the Lord: And he also was two other whole years in his own hired house at Rome, preaching the kingdom ofGod, and the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 19:9 and 28:30, 31) I should now have entered on the second general head, but the consideration of that must be left to the afternoon.