A glimpse of God, or, A treatise proving that there is a God discovering the grounds of atheism, with arguments of divers sorts against atheists : shewing also, the unity of the Godhead, and the trinity of the persons ... / by ... Mr. Thomas Byrdall ...

CHAP. II.

HEnce I observe, that God makes himself known what a God he is

to his people by his name and titles: Gods names are agreeable to his na∣ture, and divine properties, as he hath a being from himself, and gives being to all, so he is Jehovah, and called I AM; as his nature is omnipotent, so he is called El, Elohim, and Elo∣hah, powerfull; as he is All-sufficient, so he is called Shaddai.

In the handling of his glorious names; I will first, give to you all his names, and the meaning of them; se∣condly, I will insist principally upon the name Jehovah, because it is his most essential name.

The Hebrews have reckoned up many names of God, and all of them express God to us.

1. The first, is here in the Text, El Shaddai, God almighty; I shall speak nothing of the derivation of this word Shaddai in this place, because I intend to speak more largely of it hereafter; it intimates that God is All-suffici∣ent, he wanteth nothing, but is in∣finitely blessed with the infinite per∣fections

of his glorious being: by this name God makes himself▪ known to be self-sufficient, all-sufficient, absoute∣ly perfect.

If God be All-sufficient, then shall that man want nothing that hath God for his God, he that loseth all for God, shall find all in God. When Hannah complained for want of chil∣dren, Elkanah said unto her, Am not I better to thee then ten sons? why weepest thou? So the Lord saith, I am God All-sufficient, and am not I bet∣ter then all riches, honours, lands and friends? I am more sufficient to reward thee, then millions of worlds, of creatures can do.

2. The second name by which God expresseth his nature, is Elohim & Eloha; this name denote's the power and strength of God, to denote un∣to us, that God is strong and pow∣erful.

If God be Elohim, a strong power∣full God, then he can do great and difficult matters for his Church and people.

2. If God be strong and powerful, then it is in vain to oppose him, to rebel, to rage against him and his Church; God is too strong for all enemies, too powerful for all the powers of hell.

3. If God hath named himself E∣lohim, strong and powerfull, then fear not thou worm Jacob; though the Church be as worms in the esteem of their enemies, yet they need not fear, because God is their strong and pow∣erful God.

3. The third name of God by which he makes himself known is Adonai, Do∣minus, Lord; some derive the Word from a Word in the Hebrew, that sig∣nifies judicare to judg, because God is Judg of all the world. Others derive it from a word which signifieth Basis, a foundation, intimating that God is the upholder of all things; as the foundation of an house is the support of the whole building, so God is the upholder of the world, he upholdeth all things by the word of his power.

If God hath named himself Lord,

and that because he upholdeth all things, we may infer this comfort for the Church, he will uphold Jerusa∣lem in all dangerous times and trou∣bles, his Church is more dear to him than the World, and his people than all other creatures which he doth uphold.

2. Then acknowledg him to be Lord, by paying service to him, by obeying him; obey him and he will uphold you: how did he uphold Da∣niel in the midst of a Den of Lions, be∣cause he obeyed him?

4. Another name by which God hath expressed himself, is the Creator, the Maker of heaven ••ne earth. Isa. 45. 11. 12. This sets forth God as the Author and ••ountain of all our Being out of nothing.

5. Another name is, the high and lofty one, Isa. 57. 15. called so, re∣spectu loci & dignitatis, in respect of place and dignity; the highest heaven is his lofty throne on which he sits to judg the world: therefore God is cal∣led altissimus, Luk. 1. the highest.

If God be the high and lofty one, then let the great ones tremble be∣fore him, and that because God is higher then they Eccl. 5.

2. This sheweth who it is, that brings the proud ones in their proud attempts against his people down with shame and dishonour, sc. the high and lofty one who is above them in all things wherein they deal most proudly.

3. See the love of God to broken hearts, in that the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity, who dwell∣eth in the high and holy place, will vouchsafe to dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the spirit of the contrite ones. Isa. 57. 15.

6. Another name is, Jehovah Tse∣baoth, the Lord God of Hosts, his name is called by the name of The Lord of Hosts, that dwelleth between the Cherubims. 2. Sam. 6. 2. He is called the Lord of Hosts for two rea∣sons.

1. To shew that he is the sole com∣mander of all creatures in heaven and in earth: The Angels, they are his Host: A multitude of the heavenly Host, Luke 2. 12. The Sun, Moon, and all the Stars are called his Hosts: all creatures in the World are the Lord's Host's.

2. To shew that God is instar exer∣cituum omnium, instead of all Hosts and Armies.

Then be ye all exhorted to be on God's side, for his side is the strongest and will be the conquering side; he will give an Eternall overthrow to all his enemies.

2. Then let the Enemies of God be horribly afraid, because every day they walk in the midst of God's Armies: take heed you scoffers at Religion, ye persecutours of his Righteous Isaac's; Take heed ye Drunkards, how ye pro∣voke God to anger; For if he give a commission to any of his Armies, and command the least creature in his Hosts to fall upon you, ye are destroy∣ed for ever.

7. God nameth himself 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Holy One, the Holy One of Israel, Psal. 71. 22.

If God be Holy: then he cannot endure any Sin; he must needs hate Sin, and Sinners. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity. Habak. 1. 13. Thou art not a God, that hast pleasure in wicked∣nesse, neither shall evil dwell with thee: the foolish shall not stand in thy sight, and thou hatest all workers of iniquity, Psal. 5. 4, 5.

2. Labour to be Holy, as he is Holy: As he which hath called you is Holy, so be ye Holy in all manner of Conversation; Because it is written, Be ye Holy, for I am Holy, 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. God is free from all vice. There are three other names, whereby God hath made him∣self known and they are called his Es∣sential names, because they do denote his being and all from one root, havah, or hadiah, esse, to be:

The first is Exod. 3. 14. Eheje I am that I am, or I will be what I will be,

some make this name to be Gods extraordinary name; That of our Saviour, Rev. 1. 8. (I am he which is, and which was, and which is to come,) is the Interpretation of this name. Damascene saith, this name containeth all things in it, like a vast and infinite Ocean, without bounds.

The reason why God nameth him∣self, I am that I am, or, I will be that I will be, is because he is the Being of Beings, subsisting by himself, as if he should say; I am my Being, I am my Essence; my Existence differeth not from my Essence, because I am that I am: and as I am, so I will be to all Eternity, the same yesterday, to day, and for ever; there is no shadow of change, no variablenesse at all in Me.

The second Name is Jah: Sing un∣to God, sing praises to his Name, ex∣tol him that rideth upon the Heavens by his name Jah, and rejoyce before him, Psal. 68. 4. Now this name

Jah; is but the contract of Jeho∣vah, and signifieth the same, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he is▪

The last name, is here in the Text 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Jehovah: this is his memoriall to all generations. Jehovah Eloha A∣braham, the Lord God of Abraham, Exod. 3. 15. This name was used al∣ways when the Priest blessed the peo∣ple, Num. 6. 24, 25▪ 26. The Lord, or Je∣hovah bless thee, and keep thee. Jehovah make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious to thee: Jehovah lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace; It was thrice repeated. And this Name they were commanded to swear by: Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God, and swear by his Name, Deut. 6. 13. The Jews had many grosse con∣ceits

of this name, and fearing to use it, say for it Adonai; scarce any but the Priest used it; they call it, Nomen Dei ineffabile: but this name Jehovah is not unspeakable in regard of the Name; but in regard of the Essence of God set forth by it, as Zanchy noteth.

The Jews observe, that in God's Name Jehovah the Trinity is implied: Je signifies the Present-tense, Ho the Praeter-perfect tense, Vah the Future; and S. John alludes to this name, Rev. 1. 8. Which was, which is, and is to come. The Jews also observe, that in this name Jehovah, all the Hebrew letters are literae quiescentes, that denote rest, implying, that in God and from God is all our rest: every godly man is like Noah's Dove; he can find no rest nor satisfaction in any creature but in God; God is the godly mans Ark of rest and safety.

Notes

• Observ.
• Use.
• Use 1.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• Use.
• Use 1.
• Use 1.
• Use. 1.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• Damasc.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• Jah ni∣hil est ali∣ud quam nomen 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 decurtatum; quod Ebraice doctissimi viri judicant, idque per s••ncopen, qua aliquid è medio dictionis eximitur▪ contractio autem syncopica apud Ebraeos si••ri soleat reducta vo••ali consonantis sequentis ad antecedentem, ut cum hac in u∣nam vocem coalescat: ••ndè e••iam sequi vocales illas esse nomi∣ni 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 proprias, & camets ter••••am esse camquè propriam Tetragrammati vocalem, Rivet. exercit. 14. in Genes.
• Zanch. de ••ib. Elo∣ham. lib. 1. cap. 12.