PATRIARCHS***


Transcribed from the 1811 R. Thomas edition, email ccx074@pglaf.org  Many
thanks to the Bodleian Library for allowing their copy to be consulted.

                   [Picture: Public domain book cover]





                                   THE
                              Thirteen Names
                                  OF THE
                            FIRST PATRIARCHS,


                     CONSIDERED AS FIGURATIVE OF THE

                 _Progressive Influences of the Spirit_.

                          BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF

                               TWO SERMONS,

            Preached on Wednesday March 24, and April 3, 1811,

                          At the Obelisk Chapel,

                                * * * * *

                              BY J. CHURCH,
                         MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL.

                                * * * * *

                    Interspersed with some Account of

                         THE AUTHOR’S EXPERIENCE.

                                * * * * *

                          Published by Request.

                                * * * * *

     What are the Names of the Men that make this Building?  EZRA iv, 5.
      If it be a Question of Names and Words, look ye to it.—ACTS xviii.
                                     15.
    Thine Age shall be clearer than the noon Day; thou shalt shine forth,
                     and be as the Morning.  JOB xi. 17.

                                * * * * *

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   Printed by R. THOMAS, Red Lion Street, St. MARGARET’s HILL, Borough.

                                * * * * *

                       Sold at the Obelisk Chapel.

                                * * * * *




_To Mrs. A—_.


DEAR MADAM,

_Agreeable to your request I have endeavoured to recollect the parts of
the Sermons_, _and present them to the Church of God_, _which is the
pillar and ground of the truth_.  _My mind has been fixed on the
important subject of the Work of the Spirit_—_for what are Doctrines and
Practice without this_?—_I have spoken a little freely of the dealings of
God with my own soul_, _of which I shall never be ashamed_; _this may_,
_indeed_, _expose me to the censure of those who are strangers to this
work_, _and_, _of course_, _may ridicule it as enthusiasm_—_but the
way-faring men_, _redeemed by Jesus_, _will not err therein_, _as I have
endeavoured to point out the truth clearly_, _though feebly_.  _I have
not aimed at elegance_, _it being beyond my reach_; _but to set forth the
truth in a plain style_, _and now commit it to God_—_humbly hoping your
pious desire in the publication may be abundantly answered_, _in the
consolation of Israel and the honour of Israel’s God_.  _Encouraged by
the following command_, _I send this Sermon into the world_—“_Give strong
drink to them who are ready to perish_, _and wine to those that be heavy
of heart_;” _and surely tasting the old wine of the kingdom_, _God’s
everlasting love_, _covenant grace_, _finished salvation_, _with the
sovereign agency of his Spirit_, _in his efficacious operations_,
_sanctifying_, _witnessing_, _and comforting influences_, _we desire no
better_.—_May this animate your heart_; _so prays_,

                                 _Madam_,

                                                  _Your’s affectionately_,
                                                      _For Christ’s sake_,
                                         [Picture: Signature of J. Church]




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

SETH.  This word is rendered by some _put_—by others, _appointed_—by
others it signifies _foundation_.  Consider the word in either sense it
still seems expressive that God’s elect, though fallen in Adam, are
_put_, or _appointed_ to be partakers of covenant grace in their hearts.
God would lay a foundation in the divine operations of the Spirit, for
every good word and work; the new man is the foundation of every good
desire—this new man is formed at once; it is not done by piece-meal, but
it is done the moment the divine Spirit takes up his abode in the soul;
the train of graces always follows the blessed Spirit of all grace, in
the temples of the souls of his elect; his train fills the temple.  This
new man is the image of Christ; this is that which is _born of God_, _and
sinneth not_, _neither can it commit sin_—it is Spirit, it is the kingdom
of God within us, that does not come by observation, it chiefly consists
in light, life, and love: and this new man, though often hid from its
possessor, and always opposed, from a body of sin and death, yet it shall
reign, through righteousness, to everlasting life—a troop may overcome,
but _it_ shall overcome at last.—We shall now trace it in its various
operations and blessed effects; this leads us to the Name of

ENOS, signifying _Weakness_.  This is one of the sad effects of the Fall;
but an experimental acquaintance with it is an evidence of grace—a branch
of that knowledge God has promised to give his people—_all thy children
shall be taught of God_.  Our blessed Jesus is revealed in the Word as
the strength of his saints; and has promised we shall say for ourselves,
_in the Lord have I righteousness and strength_—this can be of no use to
a sinner till he is first convinced of his criminality and weakness; we
learn the former much sooner than the latter—we soon find our
criminality, and feel wretched in consequence, but we do not soon learn
our strength is perfect weakness.  We soon believe we have violated the
Law, but we are some time learning to cease from our vain labour and rest
alone in Jesus; to work we generally go, with all our might, quite
forgetting that it is written, _to him that worketh not_, _but
believeth_, _is the reward reckoned_.  We strive to keep the Law; I can
truly say I did: I began first with the fourth commandment; then I vowed
to set a watch over my thoughts, but, alas! I found Sin and Satan too
strong for me: in the next place I saw the law was _spiritual_, and
cursed me for every sinful thought! this threw down my Babel building.  I
strove to pacify my conscience with many prayers, and to please God with
vows; to conquer sin by my own arm; by watchfulness, by reading more
prayers, performing my duty with greater diligence.  I read the Whole
Duty of Man; on my knees I said over all the prayers in it—still sin
overturned the whole of my performances; God still appeared angry; the
Law cursed me, and the fears of death, the prospect of future judgment,
and the horrid idea of standing at the bar of God, overcame me, till I
wished I never had been born.  I can truly say that I envied the brute
creation; begged of God to annihilate me; my heart rose in awful
rebellion against him in all his dealing.  Often have I said, in the
language of Dr. _Watts’s_ Songs for Children,

    And must the crimes that I have done
       Be read and publish’d there;
    Be all expos’d before the Sun,
       While men and angels hear!

    Lord! at thy feet asham’d I lie—
       Upward I dare not look;
    Pardon my sins before I die,
       And blot them from thy book.

These words exactly suited my case; in these things I have, and do feel
my native weakness—in keeping the Law, in pleasing God with human
performances, in pacifying conscience with mere vows, in conquering sin,
in my own strength, and in keeping up my own animal spirits, under
desertion, darkness, guilt, and trouble.  O! what a mercy it is to have a
burden-bearer! if it was not for this I must sink! and what a privilege
to be taught how to cast our burthen on him who careth for us.  Under the
conviction of our native weakness, the character of Jesus, as the
strength of our hearts, is exceeding precious; while we daily learn by
constant experience, that as fallen sinners we are weak as we are wicked;
the blessed Spirit convincing us of this, always produces the next name,

KENAN, _Mourning_.  This generally stands connected with deep-rooted
spiritual convictions of our state, as fallen, depraved, guilty, and
helpless.  We mourn on various accounts; sometimes because of our
depravity, our guilt, and weakness; that do what we can, we are no
better—still God is angry with us; the rebellion we feel, which must be
God-provoking.  We are grieved we ever sinned against him, because it has
exposed us to his wrath.  All this mourning comes from a legal spirit;
but there is a godly mourning, or a mourning after God—this comes from
every sweet view we have of Jesus, as held forth in the Gospel; as the
Saviour, Surety, Righteousness, and atoning Sacrifice—the soul is
following after him—we want the happy enjoyment of him in our souls.
With pleasure we listen to the Gospel, which exhibits his charms; the
soul is filled with longing desires after him—a moving in the mind
towards him—a venturing near to him—a longing for the day of his
espousals—to read its part and lot in him.  I am sure that the above was
my case; I ran to the house of God, in hopes that every sermon I was
going to hear, would be the time, and O how grieved was I when I had to
return, and my beloved had not appeared in the way and manner I expected
him.  I find through all my pilgrimage, that the Lord always works in his
own time and way.  This, however, was mourning after him; this is
certainly some small proof of love.  Sometimes I longed to see my part
and lot in him, from a principle of fear; sometimes from a principle of
love, the going out of affection to him; hearing so much of him, and
having an inward spiritual perception of his suitableness and glory.  Two
passages of scripture often did me good; the one says, _By faith Noah was
moved with fear_, _prepared himself an Ark_: the other says, _Whom having
not seen we love_; _and though now we see him not_, _yet_, _believing_,
_we rejoice_.—But as I must be brief, I will mention the next Patriarch’s
name,

MAHALALEEL.  This signifies the _Descending_, or the _Illumination of
God_—and follows the other name with great propriety.  It is written,
_Seek_, _and ye shall find_; _knock_, _and it shall be opened to you_;
you shall find Christ the pearl of great price.—While the prison doors of
unbelief and sin, horrors and gloomy fears are opened, the Lord Jesus
descends to those who look for him, wait for him and expect him, for
there shall be a reward, and thine expectation shall not be cut off; the
blessed Spirit that has once operated upon the mind, as a reprover,
convincer, and begotten the soul to an hope, will answer to his lovely
character, the _Comforter_.  If he communicates life to feel after God,
to desire Christ above all, to keep up a constant hoping-for a smile from
God, he will never, no, never disappoint it.  Take courage, then, ye
fearing characters, look to _his_ word and faithfulness, who has said,
_Shall I bring to the birth_, _and not cause to bring forth_?  _He is
faithful that promised_, _who also will perform it_—_If we believe not_,
_he abideth faithful_, _he cannot deny himself_, nor of course his
people, who are part of himself.  This kept up my mind in looking for a
deliverance.  Sometimes I vowed I would give it up altogether, but God
would not, did not give me up.  Sometimes my heart fainted within me,
lest I should never see the Lord in the land of the living, especially
after waiting long, and praying much.  I well understood that text in the
Proverbs, _Hope deferred makes the heart_ (full of expectation) _sick_.
When I could get out to hear the Word, I ran to Providence Chapel; heard
the Word greedily, and kept watching for something that might be said, as
a voice to me, or some sweet sight of a smiling God; but I returned again
and again, sadly disappointed; and being under a legal spirit, began to
quarrel with myself, and said, Ah! God has not appeared propitious yet,
because I am such a sinner: Oh, if I was more diligent, more watchful and
less sinful, then, indeed, I might rest assured he would shew my sins
forgiven, and smile upon me.  Thus I wanted, fool-like, to take a price
in my hand, to set wisdom.  Sometimes my rebellious heart would quarrel
with God himself; when I had been remarkably devout, then my expectations
were great, and I was still disappointed; so that I have often been led
to see that God acts from no motive, but in himself; all his operations
of providence and grace, are to display his sovereignty—it is not of him
that willeth, nor him that runneth, for I did both; all must be solved
here, _Even so Father_, _it seemeth good in thy sight_.  Not but we are
still to be found in the use of means, for he purposed from everlasting
to save his people; he promised the same in his word; all is made sure to
us; yet he will be enquired of to do these things for his people.
However, we are to subscribe with the hand, to the God of Jacob, or, in
New Testament language, _to set to our seal he is true_.  This work, or
spiritual building, must go on; _I will work and who shall let it_?  God
begins it with a view to carry it on, and who can frustrate the designs
of Jehovah to Sion’s mourners?  To Sinners, weak, worthless, and
mourning, God has sent his dear Son: here is God descending, and the Holy
Spirit bearing an internal clear testimony to the soul, _that it is born
of God_; leading us to see him, and sweetly persuading the soul to say,
_Father_!—while he shines into the heart, and gives us the light of the
knowledge of his glory.  This is illumination indeed!  His glory is seen
in pardoning sin, displaying his free grace, and exalting a precious
Jesus!  The knowledge of this we get under the Word, but the light of the
knowledge is the clear shining of it in our own personal experience; by
the witness of the Spirit—an holy joy in God—solid peace in the
conscience—access to the throne of God—a full persuasion of our interest
in the love and covenant God of our salvation: this is scriptural,
experimental, heart-felt religion; this is God descending, and such
appearances are always attended with divine illumination—in his light we
see light; in his light we saw darkness before—now we see God as our God;
and God is light—we see Jesus, and can exclaim, _The Lord is my
light_.—All this is manifested to us by the teachings, the clear
persuasions of God the Spirit; thus we see the religion that comes from
God always leads to God again.  The light of the hypocrite makes him
proud, puffs him up; but this leads us out of self, to admire, enjoy, and
adore the glorious undivided Trinity in Unity, the center of our
happiness, the source of our joy: this is the nature of true joy in the
Lord, whether experienced at our first conversion, or in all our after
renewings—all joy which does not center in God, will go out; it is the
lamp of the foolish Virgins, that will expire.  On this part of the
subject I would say a few words on the way the Lord led me.  It must ever
be remembered by us, that the Holy Spirit is a Sovereign in all his
dispensaries; so his sovereignty is particularly discerned in the manner
of his operations upon his people—the way in which they are called—the
more gentle leadings, and the awful storms that others experience; with
the manner of introducing the soul into the liberty of the sons of God,
appears to manifest that the Almighty Minister in the Church does as he
please—_for there are diversities of operations_, _but it is the same
Spirit_.—I find the Work of the Spirit is the same in its nature and
tendency, on all God’s elect.  But there is a material difference in the
way in which this Work is begun and carried on: Paul and Lydia were in
possessions of this Work, yet the way they were brought into it was very
different—the grand end was answered, namely, in bringing them to Jesus.
This is the covenant Work of the Spirit upon all—many are driven by
fearful horrors; others are led on very gradually—I must confess the
latter was my case, yet I have often wished it had been the former,
because, then I think the deliverance would have been the more
conspicuous; but my convictions were gentle, and my deliverance was
gradual; not that I was without fears, horrors, or terrible ideas—I saw
God was angry with me for sin; I tried to please him, but in vain—the Law
came home to my heart, and much bondage, legal striving, and awful
rebellion did I feel; the fears of death and dread of hell I was seldom
free from for years together.  I have often thought my case was very
singular.  It is said in the Book of Psalms, _The entrance of thy Word
givith Light_.  Now I know the first time I ever felt or saw the light,
was at the age of fifteen.  Being naturally an enemy to God’s Saints,
Word, and Ministers, and living in an enemy’s house, that enmity, through
native blindness, was increased.  Being apprenticed in the neighbourhood
of Providence Chapel, I heard much of, and joined in the ridicule against
Mr. _Huntington_.  One evening going of an errand, the Chapel being
opened, I thought I would go in to hear what the babbler had to say, that
I might have a little sport the next day.  As soon as the text was read,
the words came home to my mind in such a way as I cannot describe, only
by the idea of a candle brought a light into a dark room!  This overcame
me, melted my heart, and I went out of the Chapel a few minutes after.
From that moment I was led to feel my need of a Saviour.  This light was
attended afterwards with love, with desire, hopes, and a turning my feet
to God’s testimonies.  I loved the people, minister, and word I before
hated—I now saw with new eyes; I had many convictions before, but no
desires after an interest in the Saviour—they were doubtless from God,
though they were legal, but from this period I believe they were
spiritual.  My mind was set to seek the Lord—great pleasure I found in
the ways of the Lord.  I now had clearer convictions than ever of my
ruined state, and they were attended with eager desires after a sense of
my part and lot in Christ.  Sometimes I thought I should be favored with
it—othertimes not.  The next very clear entrance of light was more
visionary on the mind—I was hearing a minister on the Sufferings of
Christ but felt an unusual indifference to all that he said.  When the
Sermon was ended the grand Hymn was gave out,

    When I survey the wond’rous cross,
    On which the Prince of Glory died—

This was attended in a moment with such an affecting view of the
Sufferings of Jesus as is impossible to describe: I saw him clearly on
the Cross, in great agonies—this deeply affected me—I covered my face
lest any one should see my tears.  This was followed with a thought that
every sin of mine “did cost his heart a groan!”—The Lord now led me on to
seek him more than ever, and to know that he actually died for me; for
the above vision was only on the mind; it did not shine into the heart
with any assurance, therefore I could not rest on it.  I told a good
woman of it who attended Providence Chapel, and she assured me it was a
token from the Lord, that I should be brought into glorious liberty, and,
perhaps, preach a crucified Christ: Though this at the time appeared very
unlikely, yet so it came to pass.

The next clear light manifested to my mind in a sensible way, was in
hearing Mr. H. on—_Go forth_, _O ye daughters of Zion_, _and behold King
Solomon_.  This was sweet, clear, and precious indeed.  Under that Sermon
I had very blessed discoveries of Jesus, in the Suitableness of his
Person, and the Love of his Heart, yet could not say he was mine.  The
Lord the Spirit continued my teacher, and many encouraging seasons I
experienced.  Sometimes full of doubts and fears—shut up in
unbelief—overcome at times with besetting sin, which brought on all my
horrors again; and while expecting to be cut off and sent to hell, was,
on the contrary, many a time melted with his forbearing and tender
mercy.—Thus I was kept, hoping and depending, looking for a deliverance
and often disappointed.  These words of Mr. _Toplady_, the first time I
saw them, was very sweet to me, at a time when I was particularly low;

    Yet, Lord, if thou ne’er had’st design’d
       No covenant blessing for me;
    Ah, tell me how is it I find
       Such sweetness in waiting for thee.

For I often found it blessed to be waiting upon, and waiting for God.  I
often envied the felicity of those who could say, _My God_.—When I was a
little indisposed in body I was much afraid I should die in the pit—this
made me in a hurry to get out of it.  I think such a state is described
by _Isaiah_—_The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed_, _lest he
should die in the pit_, _and that his bread should fail_.  Here such a
case is exactly set forth; and fast held we are—I felt it so—held by the
chains of sin, the iron bars of unbelief, the curses of the Law, the
fears of death, and the dread of future judgement.  Sometimes I got very
cold and indifferent about it—then that text would make me
tremble—_Ephraim is joined to idols_; _let him alone_!  This made me
chuse my burden, for I was always afraid of ease, or losing my burden I
knew not how.  Sometimes I got sweetly refreshed under the word; then my
hope was busy, expecting greater things than those—at other times I got
cut up, root and branch; this made me go away, groaning in spirit, yet
obliged to go to the same place where I had been wounded, and there God
generally healed me.  I felt great liberty at times, in reading some of
Mr. _Huntington’s_ Works, namely, the Letters to the late tried Mr.
_Jenkins_—one Passage especially, which is rather too long to transcribe,
was particularly blessed to me, in the first volume of the “Living
Testimonies,” page 61—the latter part of the Sermons on “The Dimensions
of Eternal Love,” and “The Law established by Faith.”  These were marrow
and fatness to my soul; but after waiting, seeking, longing, desiring,
fearing, desponding, and praying, the Lord descended to give me a clearer
illumination of mind—it shone into my heart, lifted me up with joy,
overcame me with love, made me cry, my Father! my God! my Beloved! my
Portion! my All!—I wondered, I rejoiced, I wept, I was completely
absorbed in love, wonder, and joy.  One Day at work, thinking over my
state, and inwardly fretting in my heart, the Lord suddenly whispered,
with peculiar power, and clothed it with much light—_the Son of Man is
come to save that __which was lost_!  There was such a peculiar emphasis
upon the word, that I stood still; I was, for a few moments, quite
confused, but presently I felt a sweet sensation of gratitude, love, and
joy.  I was enabled to see my sins were forgiven, my soul justified in
Christ, God well pleased with me, and a throne of grace open to me.  I
humbly conceive this was the _Joy_ of Faith, God had blest me with the
_Grace_ of it before—now I had the _Joy_ of it—I was happy in Christ.
This pleasure of mind gradually abated.  On the following Sunday morning
I went, as usual, to Providence Chapel.  Mr. _Huntington_ preached on,
_Cast out the bond-woman and her son_.  When the text was read I thought
there would be nothing for me—but O! the sweet surprize! God spoke almost
every word of the Sermon to me.  The preacher was led to describe bondage
and liberty; the latter he shewed was gradual—in some cases sudden; in
short, it was the making my _new birth_ clear to me; nor have I had the
fears of death and dread of hell, in that legal, horrid manner, come upon
me ever since.  Thus the light came—light of the knowledge of his glory.
This has been often renewed to me since, but never in so glorious a
manner—God has led my faith often to make use of the same precious truth
that was so directly applied to my heart.  This experience is described
by _John_—_perfect love casteth out fear_—this love leads up the mind to
Jesus; and it being attended with sweet views of him in his offices, and
those offices exercised in our hearts—his prophetic office, in the
teachings of his word and Spirit; his priestly office, in the application
of pardon; we are made his willing subjects, while he reigns king in our
affections.—This leads to the name

JERED, which signifies _Reigning_.  Christ’s spiritual reign in the soul;
his reign in the Church, as his holy hill; and our reigning with him.
Much is said in Scripture about the Saints’ reign—hence they are called
Kings; Christ reigns in them; their hearts are his throne for ever—as
Christ reigns in their hearts so do they in his, and they shall overcome
and sit down with him in his throne.  This is accomplished in some
degree, in a time state, when we are led to the Atonement, and Faith
receives it; all the while we enjoy the blessing of it we shout victory
through his blood.  Faith in Jesus overcomes the world, the fears of
death, and our own inbred corruptions—_they overcame by the blood of the
Lamb_—and being favored with victory, we are crowned—we take our rest in
the love of God; this is the throne on which we sit, and shall reign for
ever—we shall likewise reign in the new heaven and earth a thousand
years—_Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth_—we shall
reign on the earth; _and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand
years_; this last reign is as sure to us as we are crowned conquerors
now.  As Christ lives in us and reigns king in our affections, so he
gives us grace to swear eternal allegiance to him.  Thus we are led to
the next name,

ENOCH, _dedicated_.  Our souls and bodies are his, by the eternal gift of
the Father—_he purchased the Church with his own blood_—and having
conquered our hearts with his love, we are his willing subjects—made
willing to be, to do, and suffer any thing and every thing he calls us
to, and gives us grace for.  We wish him to have the whole heart, without
a rival—our time and talents we would give to him, who has done such
great things for us; not that we must for a moment, think we can do any
thing for God, no; he must work all in us, and do all for us; and by
all-powerful grace keep us in the good ways of God.  This operation of
light, and reign of love, is always attended with a devotedness of spirit
to God; hence the Apostle says, _None of us should live to himself_, _but
to God_—and again, _I beseech you_, _brethren_, _by the mercies you have
received_, _that you present yourselves a living sacrifice_, _holy and
acceptable unto God_, _which is your reasonable service_.  The Apostle
here addresses converted men, who have received Christ, the mercy
promised, and all blessings in him.  These blessings are communicated to
the soul, and manifested in the exercises of faith and love.  _Life_—this
makes us a _living_—a _new nature_—this makes us a _holy_, sacrifice.  It
is our desire to be the Lord’s for ever; to enjoy him in all, to see him
in all, to be dependent on him, and to praise him for all, in life,
death, and eternity; while, as it respects the Church and the World, we
wish to walk as he walked; this is summed up in that striking
passage—_that we_, _being delivered from our enemies_, _might serve him
without fear_, (servile, slavish fear) _in holiness and righteousness all
our days_—this, arising from love, is the _service in the spirit_, _and
not in the oldness of the letter_—not from a fear of death and judgment,
or from the pride of the heart, hoping to bring in God a debtor; but from
the influence of sovereign love—

    ’Tis love that makes our willing feet
    In swift obedience move—

Thus we run the way of God’s commandments, as he enlarges the heart with
the influence and full persuasion of his love.  This is highly commended
of the Lord; hence he says, _I remember thee_, _the kindness of thy
youth_, _and the love of thine espousals_, _when thou wentest after me in
a land that was not sown_.  So he complains of others, _that they had
left their first love_.  With respect to this willingness to serve the
Lord, I am sure, as I felt this love, so I was anxious to spread the
savour of it in every place; and though entirely destitute of human
learning, eloquence, and oratory, yet the Lord went before me, opening my
mouth, and opening doors in his providence for me, giving testimony to
the word of his grace; some were convinced, others comforted, some
brought into sweet liberty, some were brought out of damnable errors, and
many sweetly instructed in the grand plan of a sinner’s salvation; and I
bless God there are many witnesses to these things to this day.  This
incurred the displeasure of the Devil, of the Citizens of a barren
country, and those Preachers who knew nothing of the power of God in
their souls, and of course never were the instruments of communicating it
to others.  Though in this Work I have discerned in myself too much a
savoring of flesh and blood—a willingness to cry, _a confederacy_, to
any—and I have sorely smarted for my folly, though I never gave up an
inch of truth to please any; yet being naturally facile, and filled with
zeal, with but little knowledge, perhaps, in many instances, I have not
acted so decidedly as I ought to have done—I hope my Lord has forgiven me
this wrong, and of the Church I must beg pardon, while I must plead youth
and inexperience—but by many scourges, reproaches, temptations, and
trials, I have been since a little better informed, and now understand
the meaning of that singular text in the Proverbs—_A whip for the horse_,
_a bridle for the ass_, _and a rod for the fool’s back_.  It is now my
most sincere desire to glorify God, to speak good of his name, to be of
use to his dear people, and to make manifest the savoriness of divine
truth in every place; but this cannot be done, either by a minister or
private believer, without opposition.  This leads me to the following
names, which in the experience of God’s saints are inseparable—

METHUSELAH, which signifies _the sending forth of Death_—and LAMECH, _the
cutting down_.  Indeed what was death ever sent for but to cut down?
Death penal, temporal, spiritual, or eternal.  It appears the above
characters were the father and grand-father of _Noah_, and seem to be
prophetic of the Flood which should destroy an ungodly world; that at the
death, or soon after the death of _Methuselah_ the Flood would break out,
and cut or sweep away the old world, which was soon accomplished.  But,
to carry on the figure, as expressive of the Work of the Spirit, may not
these Names set forth that internal war which every convinced, mourning,
illuminated believer experiences in his own soul?  There is a warfare
before we know our part and lot in Jesus; and there is a perpetual one
after—the one before, is between hope and despair; the life, or salvation
of the soul, hanging in doubt for years together; but upon the
accomplishment of this warfare, through the application of pardon, and
receiving the double exchange of _Beauty for ashes_, _the oil of joy for
mourning_, _and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness_, as
the light of God’s countenance and his glory shines upon the soul—this is
the sending forth of death, to cut down the old man with his deeds; and
as the new man receives and enjoys the above blessings, so the old man is
put off, nor can our weaker passions dare consent to sin, for God is
there.  But is it not a truth in the experience of God’s elect, in a
greater or less degree, that they are weaned from the milk, and drawn
from the breast, that they must be conformed to their Covenant Head in
suffering?—that as our blessed Jesus, after his glorious baptism, was led
into the Wilderness, to be tempted of the Devil, so must his followers,
else what is the use of the spiritual armoury, whereon there hangs a
thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men—the very idea of conquest
must, of course, imply a war; and this is carried on between the flesh
and the spirit, the old man and the new; these are yet like the
Philistines and Israelites—we are in the field, with our spiritual David,
and Goliah, the Devil, at the head of each—army, against army—the flesh
lusteth, warreth against the spirit, the spirit warreth against the
flesh—these are contrary, the one to the other, as light and darkness,
sin and grace, God and the Devil can be.  He that has sent forth light to
see and enjoy God’s salvation, sends forth death to the old man—so the
Apostle says, _We are dead to sin by the body of Christ_; sin is not dead
to us, though we die to it, through an application of the atonement; and
as we live upon it from day to day, this leads us to long for the time
when we shall get entirely rid of it.  But into the field of battle we
are led, to prove our spiritual armour; to make use of the helmet of
salvation, the shield of faith, the breast plate of righteousness, the
sword of the Spirit, and the iron shoes of Gospel peace; all of which
centre in one word, and that is CHRIST—this is the Captain of our
salvation; he heads the train of graces, for they are all given to us, to
be exercised on Christ and his finished salvation; and as they are
exercised on him so they are a death blow to all that oppose, both within
and without, and we rejoice in hope that as he has bruised the Devil’s
head on the cross, and in our hearts, he has dethroned him; so he will,
shortly, bruise Satan under our feet this is our prospect, nor shall we
be disappointed—our way to the kingdom is hard and rugged, through the
corruptions of the human heart and the wiles of the Devil; he has the
impudence, at times, to dispute every inch of ground.  We have been
brought to raise up some sin in our nature, to oppose some grace in the
new man; this I find in my own experience—and if any tried, benighted
travellers can get any comfort from my afflictions they are welcome to
it; but the true state of the case is this, _I find a law in my members_,
_warring against the law in my mind_, always trying _to bring me into
captivity_ to the power of _sin_ and _death_—but I am happy at times that
Christ has engaged that _grace shall reign_, nor do I wish a greater
felicity in death than to be enabled to exclaim, _Grace reigns_!  Faith
and Unbelief strive in their turns for the mastery—Hope and Despondency,
Love and Hatred, Joy and Sorrow, Patience and Murmuring, Resignation and
Complaints, Carnality and Spirituality—sometimes I am really overcome by
this troop; but as soon as Jesus puts fresh strength in these graces, the
enemy is routed, and I can sing, _Nay_, _in all these things we are more
than conquerors_, _through him that hath loved us_—his appearance cuts
down all my foes; as soon as he is gone they all come again, and vex my
soul.  As he shines upon my faith, leads forth my love, and invigorates
my hope, I die to the world, to sin, to self, to the creature, and live
only to, as I live only upon, a precious Saviour!  This is a little of
what I do know of the subject, but must not enlarge here, only remark,
that as this world is not our rest, nor the arm of the creature our
strength, so the blessed Sprit by this warfare, leads us to see the
vanity of the world, the emptiness of the creature, the vast importance
of a Work of Grace upon the heart, and the malice of the Devil, the
deceitfulness of our own hearts, and all this, that we may highly prize,
make much of, and find rest and consolation only in Jesus.  This leads us
to the Name,

NOAH, _Rest_ or _Consolation_.—This only is to be found in Christ; hence
David said, upon the reflection of his sad troubles, _Return unto thy
rest_, _O my soul_!—the learned say in the original it is _Noah_, perhaps
in allusion to the Dove, who was sent out of the Ark, but could find no
rest for the soul of its foot, till it returned.  So we find it,
experimentally, in all seasons of worldly-mindedness, carnality, and
backsliding; we are truly miserable, we are out of our element; we can
get no consolation, no rest, till we have a sweet, cordial reception from
our dear Lord again—the Spirit has engaged to glorify Jesus, and he does
it in presenting him in his beauty and glory to the mind, by bringing us
to enjoy him, to prize him, and keep near him; hence the command, _Abide
in me_.  So the blessed Spirit carrying on the Work of Faith in our
minds, by exercising it on the Person, Work, and Love of Jesus, here we
find rest; _we which believe do enter into rest_; Christ is our rest—here
we cease from legal striving, and find a Sabath rest in Christ
alone:—hence he is called _the consolation of Israel_, and we want him,
as such, all the way to glory.—Considering the sins, the trials, the
crosses, losses, and disappointments of God’s children, no doubt sent on
purpose to keep us near the Saviour, and that we might make up all our
happiness in him; hence he says, _Cease ye from man_, _whose breath is in
his nostrils_.  We must learn to cease from the best of men—God often
tries his people with his people; perhaps this made the Prophet exclaim,
_the best of them is a briar_, _the most upright it sharper than a thorn
edge_.  How wisely has our English poet expressed it—

    I can not on earth; ’twill pierce thee to the heart!
    A broken reed at best, but oft a spear;
    On its sharp point Peace bleeds and Hope expires!

This is designed to lead us to Jesus, as our consolation—Christ is set
before us as our rest, a resting and a dwelling place; and if I may
express a few words on this part of the subject, I must confess that I
have found, and do find rest alone in him; in his precious Atonement I
get rest from sin—in his imputed Righteousness, I cease from legal
striving and rest alone on it—in the witness of the Spirit I find rest
from doubts, fears, and the accusations of Satan, and a quickened
conscience—in point of felicity, I feel rest in the eternity of his love,
the unalterableness of his covenant, the immutability of his nature,
decrees, and purposes; and although that declaration made me tremble in
my first setting out, I rejoice in it now—he is in one mind and none can
turn him; this is our mercy and our rest; this is what Satan, by the
instrumentality of false preachers, labours to destroy—but if the
foundation be removed, what can the righteous do?  This warfare, and the
consolation we find in Jesus, proves to us our Adoption; _as this is a
path no fowl knoweth_, _and the Vulture’s eye hath not seen_, so, on the
contrary, the blessed Spirit leads his people into this path—a way of
holiness, and an highway.  This leading, teaching, and witnessing,
evidences we have a place in his heart, in his covenant, in his house,
and that we belong to God—hence the Apostle says, _As many as are led by
the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God_.  This naturally leads me to
the 11th Name,

SHEM.  This word signifies a _Name_ or _Renown_.  Are not God’s children
renowned—some for faith, others for love, for wisdom, for devotedness,
and above all, for objects of eternal discriminating grace?  Has not our
dear Lord given them a name, even that of Sons and Daughters—of
Children—of Beloved—of a Spouse?—and, to shew our Union to Christ, were
not the Disciples first called Christians at Antioch?  And no one has a
just right to this name who has not received the Spirit of Christ;—hence,
it was long before prophesied that they should be called by a new name,
which the mouth of the Lord should name.  So when God makes our eternal
election manifest, he says, _I know thee by name_.  He knew our persons,
and what names we should be called by, even literally, before the world
was made; and appointed all the circumstances which should bring about
our birth and name; and this he does in a very singular way, to many of
his people, to shew we are preserved in Christ Jesus, until called.
Perhaps many in infancy and youth, have met with great pain, poverty,
want, and cruelty, from parents, friends, and guardians; others have been
in deaths oft, yet could not be destroyed, for of such was the kingdom of
God to be composed; others have been forsaken of parents entirely, they
have forgot their sucking children, and left them to perish in helpless
infancy, either through want, shame, or cruelty.  I, myself, was so left,
forsaken by parents and friends, if report be true; and according to my
name I was left in a Church, as it is usual to name Foundlings where they
are found.  This was really the case with my brother, Moses, who was
found in the bulrushes by Pharoah’s daughter, and she called him Moses,
(_drawn out of the water_) because she took him out of the water.  Yes,
my parents, whoever they were, forsook me in infancy, and left me,
probably, to perish!

    Left on the world’s bleak waste, forlorn,
    In sin conceiv’d, to sorrow born;
    No guide the devious maze to tread,
    Above no friendly shelter spread.

But,

    When parents, deaf to nature’s voice,
    Their helpless charge forsook;
    Then, nature’s God, who heard my cries,
    Compassion on me took.

Thus I can testify to the truth of the Prophet, _In thee the fatherless
findeth mercy_; for _when my father and my mother forsook me_, _then the
Lord took me up_, and gave me the name he had appointed me from
eternity.—This is our mercy—adopted into his family as his Sons and his
Daughters, he has given a name, _Ye shall be called the children of
God_—and to be favored with the witness of our adoption in the soul, is
an unspeakable blessing indeed; every sweet view of this privilege is
calculated to warm the heart, animate the mind, fill it with holy
fervour, inflame the affection, and fill it with burning zeal.  This is
included in the 12th Name,

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.

                                * * * * *

   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.

                                * * * * *

                                    Thomas, Printer, Red Lion St. Borough.




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