Madam,
Your’s affectionately,
For Christ’s sake,
A SERMON.
1 Chron. 1st Chap. 4 first Verses.
Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Methuselah, Henoch, Noah, Shem, Ham, & Japheth.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, (says the great Apostle) and is profitable for doctrine—to declare and confirm the truth—for reproof—to convince men of sin and confute errors—for correction—to reform the life, upon conviction—and for instruction in righteousness, in the obedience of God our Saviour, as the only justifying righteousness of his Church. Every part of the sacred writings has an importance, a dignity, and a spirituality, becoming their divine author—and they are designed by God the Holy Ghost, to exhibit the glorious character of God our Father, as engaged in a covenant of redemption with his dear Son—Likewise, to hold forth the precious Person and finished work of God our Redeemer, as the only foundation and joy of poor guilty men, convinced of sin, and seeking his salvation. They likewise maintain the nature and necessity of a divine change, through the operation of God the Spirit upon the souls of his elect, to make known to them the suitableness of Jesus and his salvation; to persuade the mind of its interest in him; and to witness to their renewed consciences they belong to God.—These, with many other grand truths, are everywhere set forth in God’s most holy word; sometimes in very plain and clear language, so that he who runs may read; at other times the same truths are couched in Parables, Allegories, and dark Sayings: this shews what a pleasing variety there is in God’s most holy word, to entertain an enlightened mind. As God, our Covenant Father, has made nothing in vain, so he has revealed nothing in vain; his peculiar wisdom is seen even in giving names, or causing such and such names to be given to various characters, either in allusion to some circumstance attending their birth, or prophetical of what they were to be—or, as holding forth something of importance, either to themselves or to others.
It is not from a desire of singularity, nor an affectation of novelty, that I have read this text; but would proceed with caution and humility.
I apprehend the first design of the text is to point out the Genealogies of the tribes of Israel, and is supposed to have been wrote by Ezra, and put into their hands, soon after the return from Babylon, as the captivity for seventy years, had thrown every thing in confusion.—The second design is to shew the Pedigree of the Messiah, that it might appear that our dear Lord was, according to the prophecies that went before him, the Son of David, the Son of Joseph, the Son of Adam—this the Evangelists, in the New Testament, have shewn. There still appears one more worthy our observation; that the first thirteen Names in this Chapter have a signification in them, as they are Hebrew Names, and appear to be expressive of a Work of Grace in its commencement, carrying on, and completion, in the happy departure of the soul to glory. I pretend to no learning myself, of course must be indebted to Hebrew scholars for the translation of them—to God the divine Spirit, I am entirely indebted for the knowledge of the great things these Names express. On each I shall write but little, as it would swell this Sermon to a volume if I were to write all that I apprehend; I will only give the out-lines, and hope the reader will be entertained, and, above all, instructed, comforted, and built up on his most holy faith.
The Names, as they stand before us, are thus in their signification: Adam, Earth—Seth, Foundation—Enosh, Weakness—Kenan, Mourning—Mahalaleel, Illumination of God—Jared, Reigning—Enoch, dedicated—Methuselah, sending forth Death.—Lamech, cutting down—Noah, Rest, or Consolation—Shem, a Name—Ham, Warmth—Japheth, Enlargement. There is a beautiful gradation in them, and we shall consider them in order, and enlarge particularly on some.
Adam. This word signifies Earth; some read it red Earth, to shew our original—formed of the dust of the earth, and in consequence of sin, to dust we must return! This is an humbling thought to proud mortals. Adam was a striking figure of our blessed Jesus, in many instances; at present we only view him in his origin. God displayed his sovereignty in creating man, and setting him up as the head of all mankind. He viewed him as the figure in which our blessed Jesus should hereafter appear. He viewed all the elect in him, ordained the fall through him, for the grand purpose of displaying the riches of his grace, and the exaltation of our nature, through its union to Jesus: so the elect, as fallen in Adam, and actual transgressors, are become earthly, sensual, and devilish! Almighty grace appears, in its sovereignty, passing by fallen angels, and raising such earthly creatures as we are! Here, believer, admire and adore the God who loved your nature so well as to chuse it, and redeem it, and afterwards, by the gracious inhabitation of God the Spirit, to make it his holy, living temple.—This leads me to notice the name