a Name appropriate to JEHOVAH. Indeed there is a confequential, fubordinate and fecondary Notion, in which the Term may be us'd fometimes, viz. that of a Ruler and Benefactor; for thefe Characters are neceffarily included in the Idea of God Almighty: And by way of Analogy even Creatures, Angels and Men, are in that View of the Word fometimes called Elobim. But however, it primarily imports the OMNIPOTENT, the Supreme and Firft Cause: and is a Name not communicable to any Creature, but in a lax, inferential, and metaphorical Ufe of the Word. JEHOVAH, even He alone is GOD, in the proper Application and ftrict Senfe of the Term. None other are Gods by Nature; but are falfely fo called, or figuratively, allufively, and in the confequential Notion of the Word: for none are really and properly Gods, if not fo by Nature. Unto us there is but One God; but one Being that is effentially and truly God: Yet this ONE is (ineffably) fomehow THREE, variously denominated, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost. (1 Joh. 5. 7.) Natural Rea fon is capable of ftrongly arguing the UNITY of the Godhead: but fupernatural Revelation makes the further Discovery of a TRINITY in Unity. The holy Scripture makes thofe Perfonal Attributions to the facred THREE, which manifeftly infer their different Modes of Subfiftence: and yet it afcribes all Divine Perfections and Honours equally to them all, which as manifeftly infers their being One in Effence. Not only the Father, but the Son and the Spirit likewife, are called GOD in the genuine, abfolute, fublime Senfe of the Word, without any special Limitation, without any Signatures of a figurative Ufe, or a diminutive and imperfect Senfe defign'd. All the effential Characters of GOD are attributed to the Son and boly Ghoft, in the fame Heights of Language as to the Father, without any apparent Marks of Diftinction; even thofe peculiar Glories, which the fupreme Being has ever challeng'd

as

as his fole Prerogatives, whereby He will be known and diftinguifh'd from all that is called God befides, whether in Heaven or Earth. Rev. 1. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, faith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. When therefore the Law of the LORD faith, Thou shalt bave no other gods before me, it is to be interpreted as exclufive of Idols, and every mere Creature, but ftill as inclufive of the Son and holy Spirit, who together with the Father are the one Object of Faith, Devotion and Obedience. "Know ye, that the LORD, He is GOD. "This is the true God and eternal Life." There is none good but One, that is GOD and if thou wilt enter into Life, keep his Com mandments. "Behold, the Lord God faith, I come quickly, and my Reward is with Me. "I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Firft and the Laft. "I Jefus have fent mine Angel to teftify unto You these Things in the Churches. And fince we hear thefe Things, let it not be faid of us, as it is of fome, Rom. 1. 21. That when they knew GOD, they glorified Him not as GOD, neither were thankful.

I come now to obferve,

2. Elifba afferts Elijah's Intereft in JEHOVAH, and fpecial Relation to Him, as the Lord his GOD, Where is the Lord God of Elijah?

For Explication of this it must be noted: Since the very Names Jehovah Elobim carry in them an Idea of abfolute Perfection, of eternal Power, and of infi nite Goodnefs and Happinefs, hence when the fupreme Being is faid to be Jehovah Elohim to a Perfon or Peo ple, it means his being That unto them, which He is in Himfelf, his fhewing them his Glory, caufing his Goodnefs to pats before them, and giving them to fee and enjoy Him as GOD.- They that make the Term God a mere Term of Office and Relation, have contriv'd to fix their narrow and low Idea on the

Word with a View to the weakning and eluding an eminent Scripture-Argument for the true and proper. Divinity of our Saviour and the holy Spirit,, from one Place and another where they are exprefly called God. But now if we attend to the conftant univerfal Ufe of the Word in Scripture, as apply'd to the First Caufe we fhall find it an effential Name, and carrying nothing more of Relation or Office in it, than there is in the Name Jehovah. Words indeed of an abfoJute Signification may put on a relative Form, by be ing connected with Pronouns poffeffive, as My, Thy, &c. But ftill the primary Signification is retain'd and is well confiftent with this Ufe of the Words. Thus, when God faith, "I will be thy God, it means (Ero tibi in Deum) I will exprefs the GOD to thee: which is but in other Words to fay, I will be to thee the Almighty, the All-fufficient (I will fhew my felf JEHOVAH ELOHIM to thee) will act the Part of the Lord God Omnipotent towards thee, in performing my Promifes to thee, and fecuring to thee a perfect Hap pinefs in the way of the Gofpel-Covenant. Accordingly, when the Lord is call'd the God of any, it intimates his being their Covenant-God, in and through Jefus Chrift the Mediator, and his fetting his Heart as the Heart of GOD upon them, his exhibiting the Divine Nature to them in agreable and bleffed Effects, his difplaying the Character of GOD (an infinitely and immutable perfect and mighty Being) in his tender Care of them, and wife and powerful Operations for their Benefit and his own Glory from them, according to the Tenour of that gracious Covenant, into which He has taken them; and on their part, it implies their being under Covenant-Obligations to Him, owning Him in the e Character of GOD, revering his Perfections, pay, ing due Acknowledgements to Him, and feeking their Happiness in Him, as God, who is above all, bleffed for evermore. Thus, the LORD GOD of Elijah

(in our Text): means the fupreme Being confider'd as Elijah's Covenant-God, his chofen Portion, his avouched Sovereign, and the Object of his Worship, Faith and Hope, in Oppofition to Baal, and the Creature, which others ferv'd; or as having acted the Gon towards Elijah, taken him into Communion with Him. felf, own'd and honour'd him as his Servant, reveal'd Himfelf to him, fpoken by him, call'd and furnish'd him to the Office of a Prophet, protected and fucceeded him in it, and finally crown'd him with a glorious Reward. In thefe Regards the bleffed God is call'd the Gon of Elijah. Not that He is fo call'd in Exclufion of all others, as if this were Elijah's peculiar Privilege: for the Scripture puts the fame Honour on many befides. Thus we hear God call'd the Lord God of Shem, the God of Abraham, &c. importing the like near Relati on and endeared Affection between God and them, as in the prefent Cafe. But it is to be understood as fpo ken in Exclufion of the Worshippers of Baal, and of ungodly Sinners in general.

Indeed in a very large Senfe Jehovah may be call'd the God of all Flef, the God of the whole Earth, as He is God unto all in fome Regards; difplaying the Powers and Perfections of the Deity in their Creation and Prefervation, and doing thofe Things for every one, in common, which none but GoD moft high can accomplish: and as He is the only rightful Object of religi, ous Worfhip, unto all, and their alone fatisfying Por tion and Happiness. But there is a tranfcendent and very peculiar Senfe in which Jehovah is call'd the Gop of Elijah, with other the faithful Saints and Servants of the Lord.

Here we may diftinguish, and fay briefly,

(1.) Confider Elijah merely as an Ifraelite, knowing and owning the true Religion, JEHOVAH might be call'd his Gop; tho' but in Common with the rest of the profeffing Hebrews. Tho there was a very gene

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ral Apoftafy in this Prophet's Day, infomuch that Elijah thought himself almoft left alone; yet there was a Remnant of fome Thousands, in fecret Corners of the Land, who had not bow'd the Knee to Baal. These were together with him under the external Adminiftration of the Covenant of Grace, separated for a peculiar People, under a fpecial Care of Divine Providence; and stood vifibly intitled to the Lord as their God. He is frequently call'd the Lord God of the Hebrews, of all Ifrael in Common. And the Cafe is the fame with every Chriftian People under the present Difpenfation. Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? which in times paft have not believed God, yet have now obtained Mercy through their Unbelief. They that in former Ages were not a People, are now the People of God and Children of the Promife, to whom pertaineth the Adoption, and the Glory, equally as to Ifrael of old. And God is vifibly their GOD; He is in the midft of every Chriftian People, by the external Symbols of his gracious Prefence, and by his holy Spirit ftriving with them: while other Nations that have not known the true Religion, and are without Chrift, are reprefented as having no Hope, and being without GOD in the World.O let us admire the Condefcention of the bleffed God in taking any of the fallen Children of Men into a Covenant of Grace, and affording them the Signs of his favourable Prefence and Means of Salvation. What is Man, O LORD, that thou art mindful of him! and what the Son of Man, that Thou vifiteft him! And let us adore His Sovereignty, in the vifible Diftinctions of His Grace, while He difcovers Himself in His Gofpel to one Perfon or People, and hides his Face from others,Let us tremble at the Apprehenfions of our awful ftanding in God's holy Covenant, mourn our Sins as peculiarly aggravated, and refolve upon a future Care of keeping Covenant with God, at the fame time em bracing