Part 3

HAM, which signifies _Warmth_ or _Heat_. This, in one sense, distinguishes the mere nominal professor and the real professor; one may have some light, be in the judgment clear, and like a frosty night, clear, but very cold; but God has promised to his children these two should go together—_a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning_. When we are favored with peculiar seasons of holy familiarity with God our covenant Father, when divine love is shed abroad, and flows out to Jesus, in sweet return—when we meet with a brother in Christ, and he gives a sweet account of the Lord’s gracious dealings with him—when we are particularly blest under the word, or impressed with grand and precious ideas of Jesus, these things kindle a holy flame in the spirit. Or when we fall in company with the enemies to Jesus, to the Father or the Spirit, or to any of the leading Doctrines of the Gospel, we may be silent a little, while musing on their errors, boldness, and effrontery; but while we are silent his word is as a fire shut up in our bones; we are weary with forbearing, and at last, speak we must; the fire of holy zeal is kindled in the heart, and though we can say but little, yet we must plead for our master’s honour, his perfection, and his saints. This zeal is discovered, at times, by the enemies of truth, and by them called Bigotry, or a bad spirit. But holy zeal is tempered with love to God and truth, and springing from a real spiritual knowledge, can never be a bad spirit.—The many storms a child of God meets with from Satan, the world, a body of sin and death, persecution, and infirmities, these wean him from the world, while the love of God sweetly operating upon his mind, he longs to be dissolved and be with Christ, which is far better for him. His soul feels at times like a bird in a cage; it beats its pinions, and longs for enlargements. This leads me to the last name,

JAPHETH—this signifies _Enlargement_. Hence the Promise and Prophecy, _God shall enlarge Japheth_, _and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem_. This is a sweet hint dropped of the salvation of the Gentiles, and a gracious promise of a Saviour—_he_, (that is) _God_, shall dwell in the tents of Shem.—This was verified when the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and when the Gentiles were fellow heirs with the believing Jews, in a Gospel Church State. This name was figurative of that enlargement the souls of God’s dear people experience in life, and in the article of death, when the spirit is freed from its cumberance. Perhaps the greatest part of a believer’s life is in a state of bondage; this comes from various quarters, and on many accounts; this makes him sigh, for in this we groan being burdened; and feeling this we exclaim, _Bring my soul out of prison_, _that I may praise thy name_. While the Gospel is a proclamation of liberty to the captive, the holy Spirit brings that enlargement to the mind; and every child of God is sensible when he is in liberty and when in bondage—when shut up and when at large. Perhaps the frequent enlargements with which we are favored, are the earnests of our entire discharge from earth to heaven. ’Tis blessed to notice these enlargements in our own experience, and compare them with what the saints of old have experienced; the Apostle Paul knew these things, and at one time speaks of being straitened—at another he says, Our mouth is opened unto you, our heart is enlarged. I must confess I am glad these were the feelings of an Apostle, as I have felt them so frequently—in many sermons, alas, how I have been shut up—often in prayer—in the company of God’s people, and in the presence of his adversaries. At other times I have felt sweet liberty in speaking of the glory of God’s kingdom, and talking of his power. So, also, in the defence of truth, God has given me a mouth and wisdom, that no adversary could gainsay or resist. The first enlargement I found was when God led my mind to Jesus, as my Surety, Advocate, Ransom, Righteousness, and Remedy. When he shed abroad his love, I lost that kind of fear that tormented me, and I could say, _O thou whom my soul loveth_—and in sweet confidence—he loved me; my mouth was enlarged to pray, to praise, and bless my God—his ways were pleasantness, and his paths peace, and I could run the way of his commandments, while his love enlarged my heart—though many things have too often occurred to bring me into bondage again, which has raised the cry in my soul, _Restore unto me the joys of thy salvation_—and the piteous moan of one of old, _He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass_, _and he hath set darkness in my paths_; while I sensibly, at times, felt a backwardness to all that was good—no pleasure in the Bible—reluctantly going to a throne of grace—fit for no company—ordinances very dry to me—my love cold, hope low, faith weak, and every thing God did, my heart fretted against him for it, so that I was ready to cry out to all the people of God I was acquainted with—

Ye that love the Lord, indeed, Tell me—is it so with you?

Thus I generally remained till the application of a promise—one sweet word under a sermon—or a part of an hymn—or opening the mind to plead the promises at a throne of grace—or a sweet ray of light let in upon the mind, that led me to review the way I was led—this brought enlargement again—the above I have experienced many times. ’Tis this makes our life a warfare; while our inbred sins gaining the ascendancy, brings the mind into sad bondage—this even works for our good, leads us to hate self, see the malice of Satan, the need of divine keeping, and constrains us from necessity to pray, _Hold thou me up and I shall be safe_. This warfare must be accomplished, this combat must have an end, the sooner the better; our happy release must come, we must soon be put in possession of that glory which we are favored with the earnest of, even eternal light, life, and love. Feeling, knowing, and enjoying these things, we shall have the glorious fruition of them by and by; the way to it is painful, and much dreaded by the best of men, but God has always been better to them than their fears, they have been made willing to go; nature has shuddered, but faith has gained the victory; their fears and unbelief has often suggested, _Who shall roll away the stone from the door_?—but lo, the angel of the Lord descends in time, to roll it away; hence the Redeemer says, _I will come again and receive you to myself_, _that where I am ye may be also_. _Thou shalt come to thy grave in full age_, _like a shock of corn_, _fully ripe_, _that cometh in his season_—the wicked is driven away in his wickedness, but the other comes to his grave, or like a lily full blown; for, _My beloved_ (says the Church) _has gone down to his garden to gather lillies_—and as sure as we are gathered from the world, gathered into his Church by effectual calling, so surely shall we be gathered into his garner. O what an enlargement!—now safe arrives the heavenly mariner; the battering storm, the hurricane of life, all dies away in one eternal calm.

With joy divine, and transport in his breast, He gains the port of everlasting rest.

This will be an enlargement, or freedom from sin, from all temptations to it, from its dominion, from the commission of it, from the very inbeing of it. Now shall that promise have its accomplishment, _There shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord_—from Satan and his temptations, from evil men, they that offend will be gathered out of this kingdom, from bodily afflictions; _the Inhabitants shall no more say I am sick_—here we shall be at liberty, enjoy Father, Son, and Spirit; hold fellowship with him without interruption, be favored with clear apprehensions of his perfections and glory, as they shine in Christ. Then we shall see, love, admire, and adore the Lamb in the midst of the throne—see the glory of his person, with the eyes of the soul, and his body with our bodily eyes—the glory of his human nature: see him in that nature that bore our sins, wearing the very marks and scars he received for us; that dear head that was once crowned with thorns! that dear face that was once marred more than any! those dear hands, feet, and side, that were wounded! We shall then see him in all his glory—_This is the joy set before us_, for which we endure the cross; we shall see him as he is, and be like him for ever—_This is the glory to be revealed in the saints_, beyond all comparison; this will be a joy unspeakable, and full of glory. How sweet the promise, _The ransomed of the Lord shall return_, _and come to Zion with songs_, _and everlasting joy upon their heads_; _they shall obtain joy and gladness_, _and sorrow and sighing shall flee away_! This shall be the high priviledge of every vessel of mercy.

I close this Sermon with an excellent quotation from Mr. _Huntington’s_ “Spiritual Sea Voyage;” which book has often entertained me.

“Free grace and her crew all arrived at last, No sailor was miss’d, when the muster was past; By thousands and millions the angels appear’d, And welcomed us with the anthems we heard. We sung of Redemption, in Jesus the Lord— Of sovereign Love, and how we were restor’d— The dangers we met, and the helps that appear’d— Of infinite Wisdom, by which we were steer’d. Delightful the Union, and great was the throng, The melody charming, delightful the song: An order came forth for ascending the throne, And when we were seated the judgment came on.”

Thus, christian reader, I have shewn my opinion of the _Names of the Patriarchs_. I have not written all I wished, lest it should swell this Sermon to a volume. I have noticed some of the Lord’s dealings with my own soul—every minister ought to give some account of a Work of Grace upon his own heart; I have not made myself all in all, rather nothing at all; I only aimed at the exaltation of that grace it is God’s delight to display. I have chosen this method of sending it into the world, because, as I went over these Names, various parts of my own experience appeared so clear I could not forbear mentioning them, to the honour of God. I originally intended to publish an Account of the Dealings of the Lord with me, in a Series of Letters, when I could have been more explicit and regular in my Narrative; but as I intend those Letters, only for a few thoughts on some interesting passages of Scripture, I have made mention of the above in this Sermon; this will no doubt procure me much more opposition from friend and foe; however, what I have written is the truth; to the God of all truth I commit it, hoping it will be blessed to the friends of truth—remembering divine Love, or Charity, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, hopeth all things, _endureth all things_.

FINIS.

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The Author wishes to inform his friends, that, he has some remaining Copies left (Price 1s.) of the SERMON entitled,

_Spiritual Victories_, _or the Sword of the Lord & of Gideon_.

Likewise, shortly will be published, a SERMON,

_On the Difference the Lord has put between the Egyptians and the Israelites_.—_From Exodus xi_, 7.

The Reader will please to observe the following Errata.

Title Page. Instead of thine Eye; read thine Age. And in the last line of Page 7 (after Enoch) introduce,

METHUSELAH, sending forth Death.—LAMECH, cutting down.

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Thomas, Printer, Red Lion St. Borough.