But he had previously placed Moses in a cUft of the rock in Horeb^; which rock was a very eminent type of Christ '^: and I doubt not but that this was intended to shew, that iu Christ alone he could be so viewed by fallen man. It is in Christ alone that all these perfections unite and harmonize; and in Christ alone can God be called " a just God and a Saviour"^." Now, to apprehend God aright, we must have a view of him as revealed in the person of his Son, who is " the image of the invisible God*^," the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person *"." It is in his face alone that all the glory of the Deity shines forth s.]
2. In all his diversified dispensations —
[A view of God's dispensations is |;ar^ic?</ar/?/ marked in my text, as necessary to a just estimate of his character: " They that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." In truth, it is from the history of God's deahngs with his people, far more than from any abstract descriptions of him in the sacred writings, that we learn to estimate his character aright. When did he ever forsake one who sought him ? " When did he ever say to any. Seek ye my face in vain'^?" Never did he reject one mourning penitent, or abandon one who humbly and steadfastly rehed upon him. His compassion to the penitent, and his fidelity to the believing soul, have never failed. From the beginning of the world has he been, in these respects, " without variableness or shadow of turning'." This we learn from the Prophet Samuel : " The Lord will not forsake his people, because it has pleased him to make you his people '^." True, he may chastise his people for their offences ; but yet he will not utterly forsake them^ He may even " forsake them for a time ; but he will surely return to them in tender mercy," at the appointed season *". His assertions on this head are as strong as it is possible for language to express. He has said to every beheving soul, " I will never leave thee; I will never, never forsake thee"." Now, it is a view of God's character in these respects, illustrated and confirmed by his actual dispen- sations ; it is this, I say, which properly constitutes " the knowledge of his name."]
Having ascertained what this knowledge is, I pro- ceed to shew,
II. How it will evince its existence in the soul —
b Exod. xxxiii. 19—23. « i Cor. x. 4.
Q Isai. xlv. 21. Rom. iii. 26. e Col. i. 15.
f Heb. i. 3. e 2 Cor. iv. 6. ^ Isai. xlv. 19.
i Jam. i. 17. ''I Sam. xii. 22. i Ps. Ixxxix. 30 — 36.
m Isai. liv. 7, 8. " Heb. xiii. 5. See the Greek.