A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion/Chapter 12
XII The Lord.
WE have already treated of the being and unity of God, who, as the unsearchable fountain of all life, is called Jehovah, or I Am, in the Sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament. We have likewise seen, that the same Divine Being is not only the Creator of all worlds, but that in due time he became also the Redeemer and Saviour of mankind, by descending upon this earth, assuming our nature, and therein and thereby delivering his creatures from the overwhelming power of evil. It is further observable, that in the Scriptures of the New Testament he is no where distinguished by his name Jehovah, as he had been in times antecedent to the incarnation: which is a circumstance that doubtless must have for it's foundation or cause (independent of it's reference to Jewish prejudices) some new condition of the divine existence, or some new relation opened between the Creator and the creature, by the assumption of Humanity.
While men were in the habit of receiving communications from heaven through the medium of prophets, no apparent violence was offered to their reason, nor were they placed in any danger of profanation, by being informed in plain terms, that the revelations so given were dictated by the great Jehovah himself. But when he actually made his appearance in the world in the form of a Man, inasmuch as he was regarded by the people in no other character than that of a mere human being like themselves, had he openly and constantly announced himself as Jehovah, as that very God of their fathers, who in ancient times had commissioned Moses and others to make known his will to them, it would have been impossible for them to have received him in such a high character, impossible to have acknowledged him as the Creator and Preserver of the universe. On the contrary, they would have treated him with still greater contempt, than they generally did; they would have disdained his conversation; and with one consent would have pronounced, what only some amongst them ventured to assert, that "he had a devil, and was mad."
It was therefore a dictate of divine mercy and love, on the part of Jehovah when in the flesh, not only towards the Jewish people, but towards all others, who, by reason of his appearing in the form of a Man, too hastily conclude that he was in reality no more, that, instead of the name Jehovah, he took that of Lord, and instead of Father, that of Son. For this reason, and because it was not lawful for the Jews to pronounce the word Jehovah, whenever any passage of the Old Testament, containing the name, is referred to in the New, instead of Jehovah, the term Lord is substituted; evidently implying, that the latter is tantamount to the former, yet with this additional signification, that the title of Lord is used to denote Jehovah in the Humanity, or God Incarnate.
But another reason may also be stated, why the name Jehovah is no where used in the Gospels, and even why the appellation Lord, it's direct substitute, does not always distinguish Jesus, he being frequently called Master and Christ, as well as Lord. During his abode in the world, or before his glorification, though he was indeed Jehovah in the Humanity, yet he was not in all respects Jehovah as to the Humanity: for in the first state he was still subject to the infirmities derived from the mother; but in the last he was wholly exempt from every thing of the kind. Again, in the first state he more particularly sustained the character of divine truth; and on this account he is often called Christ and Master, these expressions having more immediate reference to divine truth, than to divine good. But on his becoming one with the Father, even as to the Humanity, that is, on his entering upon the entire character of divine good, which is superior to that of divine truth, (John xiv. 28.) as was the case fully after his resurrection, the title of Lord is then more uniformly ascribed to him by his disciples, and most emphatically by Thomas, who in the ardour of his faith exclaims, "My Lord and my God!" John xx. 28.
In confirmation of the sentiments above expressed first, in respect to the danger of profanation, which many would have incurred, had the Lord spoken to the multitude otherwise than in parabolical or allegorical language, we read, that Jesus said to his disciples, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but to others in parables, that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand," Luke viii. 10. Again, "Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they who see not, might see; and that they who see, might be made blind, John ix. 39. And even to his disciples, who could not as yet comprehend the purport of his sayings, nor discern the high character which he really sustained, he observed, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now," John xvi. 12.
In the next place, in reference to the term Lord being substituted for the name Jehovah, we find, that Jesus, when quoting the first commandment, "Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah," &c. Deut. vi. 4, expresses it thus, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord," &c. Mark xii. 29. And where in Ps. ex. 1, it is written, "Jehovah said unto my Lord," &c. Jesus quotes the passage in these terms, "The Lord said unto my Lord," &c. Matt, xxii. 44. Again, The arm of Jehovah, Isa. liii. 1, is called the arm of the Lord, John xii. 38; and so plainly refers to the miraculous power of Jesus, that no doubt can be entertained of his being the true Jehovah of the Old Testament, while he is acknowledged as the sole Lord of the New.
By the term Lord, therefore, wheresoever it occurs in the Sacred Scriptures, as an appellation of Deity, we are uniformly to understand Jehovah in the Humanity, or in other words, the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, who hath all power in heaven and in earth, Matt, xxviii. 18; who is one and the same with the Father, John xiv. 7 to 11; and who therefore says to his disciples, "Ye call me Master, and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am," John xiii. 13.
It may be further remarked concerning the appellation Lord, that it implies a nearer and dearer relation to man, than is suggested either by the name Jehovah, or by the term God, or by both in conjunction; while at the same time it involves every divine attribute and perfection belonging to the Deity. Hence it will in general be found, that whenever a member of the true church has occasion to speak of the Supreme Being, especially if addressing himself to another member of the same church, he will readily and spontaneously make mention of him by the approved title or appellation of Lord. But, on the other hand, whenever a person, who may be considered in a state of separation from the church, or even one who is yet only in it's externals, is similarly circumstanced, he will as readily and spontaneously use the term God. Sometimes indeed a member of the true internal church will also use this latter term: but it will be found in general to be either in the way of accommodation to the states of others, or in reference to some subject that does not immediately involve the identity of Jesus with Jehovah. The former expression, viz. Lord, arises from an interior perception and acknowledgment of the Divine Presence in a Human Form, accompanied with a degree of confidence in his providence and protection: but the latter expression, viz. God, for the most part announces, on the part of those who habitually use it, a vague, distant, and obscure idea of the Being so denominated.
We conclude this article with a quotation from Paul, which, singular as it may appear, yet does credit to the discernment even of an apostle: "I give you to understand, (says he.) that no man can say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit," 1 Cor. xii. 3. The Holy Spirit is divine truth.
