*

Hence fignifieth the first Effence of a Thing, or Authority. When it is abfolutely given to God, it answereth to the Hebrew Name Jehovah, and is fo tranflated by the Seventy Interpreters; for God is fo a Lord, that he is of himself Lord of all. This Name fhould always put us in Remembrance to obey his Commandments, and to fear his Judg ments, and fubmit our felves to his bleffed Will and Pleasure; faying with Eli, It is the Lord, let him do what feemeth him good, 1 Sam. 3. 18.

The Fifth is Os God, Six Hundred times used in the New Teftament, and the prophane Writers commonly. It is derived ||rò dev: Because he runs through, and Compaffeth all Things; or and raider, which fignifieth to burn and kindle; for God is Light, and the Author both of Heat, Light, and Life in all Creatures, either immedi ately of himself, or mediately by Secondary Causes. This Name is used either improperly, or proper ly. Improperly, when it is given either figuratively to Magiftrates, or falfly to Idols. But when it is properly and abfolutely taken, it fignifieth the eternal Efence of God, being above all Things, and thro' all things; giving Life and Light to all Creatures, and preferving and governing them in their wonderful Frame and Order. God feeth all in all Places; let us therefore every where take Heed what we do in his Sight.

Thus far of the Names which fignifie God's Effence.

*alorie. Polan. Synt. Theol., 1. 2. c. 6. † Mal. 1.6. Plato in Cratil. Hinc illud Virgil. Deum namque ire per omnes Terraf que tractufque maris. Zanch. § Deus eft lux aried.

: The

The Name which fignifieth the Perfons in the Effence, is chiefly one, * Elohim.

Elohim fignifieth the mighty Judges: It is a Name of the plural Number, to exprefs the Trinity of Perfons in † Unity of Effence. And to this purpose the Holy Ghoft beginneth the Holy Bible with this plural Name of God, joyned with a Verb of the fingular Number, as Elohim Bara, Dii creavit || The mighty Gods, or rather all the Three Perfons in the Godhead created. The Jews alfo note in the Verb Bara confifting of Three Letters, the Mystery of the Trinity, By a Beth, Ben, the Son; by Refh, Ruach the Spirit; by Aleph ab the Father. But this holy Mystery is more clearly taught by Mofes, Gen. 3. 23. And Jehovah Elohim faid, Behold the Man is become as one of us. And Gen. 19. 24. Jehovah rained upon. Sodom and upon Gomorrah, Brimstone and Fire from Jehovah out of Heaven; that is God the Son, from God the Father, who hath committed all Judgment unto the Son, John 5. 22. See Pfal. 33. 6. Ifa. 6. 8, 9, 10. The fingular Number of Elohim is Eloab, derived of Alah, he fwore; because that in all weighty Caufes, when Neceffity requireth an Oath to decide the Truth, we are only to fwear by the Name of God; which is the great and righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth.

This Name Eloah is but feldom ufed, as Habak. 3.3. Job 4.9. & Fob 12.4.& 15.8,36,2. Pfal. 18. 32.

*Nomen Elohim eft perfonarum aneiTinov. Alfied. † Quum EZobim de unâ perfonâ dicitur, Synecdochicè dictum eft propter Effentiæ unitatem. Jun. The like you may read Deut. 6.4. Joh. 24.19. § Sic marcus Arethufius in Smyrnenfi Concilio fanctè expofuit. Socrat, Ecclef. Hift. l. 2. c. 30.

C 2

Pfal.

Pfal. 114.7. Once it hath a Noun plural joyned to it, Job 35.10.* None faith, where is Eloah Gofai, the Almighty my maker? To note the Mystery of the eternal Trinity. Many times alfo Elohim the plural number is joyned with a Verb fingluar, to exprefs more emphatically this Myftery, Gen.35.7.2 Sam. 7.23.† Fosb. 24.19. Jer.10.10. Elohim is also fometime Tropically given to Magiftrates, because they are God's Vicegerents; as to Mofes, Exod.7.1. Jehovah faid unto Mofes, I have made thee Elohim to Pharaoh. that is, I have appointed thee an Ambaffador to represent the Perfon of the true three-one God, and to deliver his Meffage and Will unto Pharaoh. As oft therefore as we read, or hear this Name Elohim, it should put us in Mind to confider, that in one Divine Effence there are Three diftinct Perfons, and that God is Jehovah Elohim.

Now follow the Names, which fignifie God's Effential Works, which are thefe Five efpecially.

EL

which is as much as the eftrong God, and teacheth us, that God is not only moft ftrong, and Fortitude it felf, in his own Effence, but also that it is he that giveth all Strength and Power to all other Creatures. Therefore Chrift is called, Ifa.9.6. El Gibbor, the strong, moft mighty God. Let not God's Children fear the power of Enemies, for El, our God is ftronger than they.

*This place well urged had grinded Arius in pieces. +Elohim Kedofchim Hii, dii fancti ipfe. Hence Eli in Hebrew, as Matth.27.46. and Elo; in Syriaċ, as Mark 15.31. doth signifie, my God, 2 Chron.32.8. 2. Shaddai,

2. Shaddai, * that is, Omnipotent. By this Name God usually ftyled himself to the Patriarchs, I am El Shaddai, The Strong God Almighty. Because he is perfectly able to defend his Servants from all Evil; to bless them with all spiritual and temporal Bleffings; and to perform all his Promises which he hath made unto them for this Life, and that which is to come. This Name belongeth only to the Godhead, and to no Creature, no not to the Humanity of Chrift. This may teach us with the Patriarchs to put our whole Confidence in God, and not to doubt of the true Performance of his Promises.

3. † Adonai, My Lord, this Name as the Mafforets note, is found One Hundred and Thirty Four times in the old Teftament; and Logically it is gi ven to Creatures, but properly it belongeth to God alone. It is used Mal. 1. 6. in the plural Number, to note the Mystery of the Holy Trinity. If I be Adonim, Lords, where is my Fear? Adoni, the fingular; Adonim the plural Number. This Name is given to Chrift, Dan. 9. 16. Caufe thy Face to fhine upon thy Sanctuary, that is defolate, for Adoni (the Lord Chrift) his fake.

The hearing of this holy Name, may teach eve

The LXX turn it wavlonews. It is derived of Dai, fufficien cy, and the Relative W, the fame that dulaguns, or of Shad, a dug, because God feeds his Children with fufficiency of all Grace, as the loving Mother the Child with the Milk of her Breafts. † A Name compounded of Ai, My, and Adon, Lord Adon derivatur ab Eden, bafis, quia Deus eft fundamentum & fuftentator omnium creatu rarum. Hinc Adon, Dominus, cui rei domefticæ cura incumbit, & ei tanquam columnæ innititur. Quando de creaturis ufurpatur Adonai, eft Jod cum patach: Sed de Creatore cum çametz. Ab Adonai manâffe videtur Ethnicorum 'Auva.

·

ry Man to obey God's Commandments, to fear him alone, to fuffer none befides him to reign in his Confcience, to lay hold (by a particular Hand of Faith) upon his Word and Promise, and to challenge God in Chrift to be his God, that he may fay with Thomas, Thou art my Lord and my God.

*

4. Helion, that is most High, Pfal. 9. 2. & 91. 9. &92.9. Dan.4.17,24,25,34. Acts 7.48. This Name Gabriel giveth unto God, telling the Virgin Mary that the Child which fhould be born of her, fhould be the Son of the most High, Luke 1.32. This teacheth, that God in his Effence and Glory exceedeth infinitely all Creatures in Heaven and Earth. Secondly, That no Man should be proud of any earthly Honour or Greatness. Thirdly, If

we defire true Dignity, to labour to have Communion with God in Grace and Glory.

5. Abba, a Syriac Name, fignifying Father, Rom. 8.15. This is fometimes us'd Effentially, as in the Lord's Prayer; Secondly, Perfonally, as Matt.11.25. For God is Chrift's Father by Nature, and Chriftians by Adoption and Grace. Chrift is call'd the everlasting Father, Ifa.9.6. because he regenerates us under the New Teftament. God is alfo call'd the Father of Lights, Jam. 1.17. because God dwelleth in inacceffible Light, 1 Tim.6.16. and is the Author, not only of the Sun's Light, but also of all the light, both of natural Reafon, and fuper-natural Grace, which lighteneth every Man that cometh into the