yl. 6. We hallow and sanctify God's name, when we give him an holy and spiritual worship : \st. When we give him the same kind of worship that he hath appointed: Lev. X. 3., " I will be sanctified in them that come nigh to me :" that is, I will be sanctified with that very worship I have ap- pointed. It is the purity of worship God loves better than the pomp. It is a disho- nouring of God's name, to bring any thing into his worship which he hath not insti- tuted : as if God were not wise enough to appoint the manner how he will be served. Men will go to jirescribe him, and super- add their inventions: this God looks upon as offering strange fire, and it is an high provocation. 2d. When we give God the same heart devotion in worship as he hath appointed, Rom. xii. 1 1. " Fervent in spi- rit, serving the Lord." The word for Jer- vciit, is a metaphor that alludes to water that seeths and bolls over ; so our afToctions should boil over in holy duties. To give God outside worship, and not tlie devotion of the heart, is, instead of hallowing and sanctifying him in an ordinance, to abuse him: as if one calls for wine, and you give him an empty glass ; it is to deal with God, as Prometheus did with Jujuter, who did eat the flesh and present Juj)iter with no- thini: but bones covered over with skin.
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OF THE FIRST PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
Tlien we hallow God's name, and sanctify him in an ordinance, when we give him the vitals of religion, and an heart flaming with zeal.
A. 7. We hallow and sanctify God's name, when we hallow his day, Jer. xvii. 22., " Hallow ye the sahbath-clay." Our Chris- tian sabbath — which comes in the room of the Jews' sabbath — is called the Lord's day, Rev. i. 10. This was anciently called dies lucis, — a day of light, wherein Christ the Sun of Righteousness shines in an extra- ordinary manner. It is an honour done to God, to hallow his sabbath. \st. We must rest on this day from all secular works, Jer. xvii. 22. Bear no burden on the sab- bath-day. As Joseph, when he would speak with his brethren, thrust out the Egyptians, so when we would have couA-erse with God on this day, we must thrust out all earthly employments. It ife observable, Mary Mag- dalene refused to anoint Christ's dead body on the sabbath-day, Luke xxiii. 56. ; she had before prepared her ointment and spices, hut came not to the sepulchre till the sab- bath was past ; she rested on that day from civil work, though it were a commendable and glorious work, the anointing of Christ's dead body. 2d. We must in a solemn man- ner devote ourselves to God on this day ; we must spend this whole day with God. Some will hear the word, but leave all their religion at church ; they do nothing at home, they do not pray or repeat the word in their houses, and so they rob God of a part of his day. It is bewailing to see how God's day is profaned ! Let no man think God's name is hallowed while his sabbath is broken.
A. 8. We hallow and sanctify God's name, when we ascribe the honour of all we do to liim, Ps. xcvi. 8., " Give nnto the Lord the glory due unto his name." Herod, in- stead of hallowing God's name, stained the honour of his name, in assuming that praise to himself which was due to (iod, Acts xii. 23. We ought to take the honour from ourselves and give it U\ (iod, 1 Cor. xv. 10., " I laboured more abnndantlv lliau they all." One would think this had sa- voured of pride, but the aj)(>sth' pulls the crown from his o\\'n head, and sets it upon the liead of free grace : " Yet not I, but
the grace of God which was with me." If a Christian hath any assistance in duty, or victory over temptation, he rears up a pillar, and writes upon it, Hucusqiie adju- vavii Deus, — hitherto the Lord hath helped me. John Baptist transferred all the ho- nour from himself to Christ ; he was con- tent to be eclipsed that Christ might shine the more, John i. 15., " He that cometh af- ter me is preferred before me." I am but the herald, — the A'oice of one crying, — he is the prince; I am but a lesser star, — he is the sun ; I baptize only with water, — he with the Holy Ghost. This is an hallow- ing God's name when we translate all the honour from oiu'selves to God, Ps. ex v. ]., " Not unto ns, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory !' Tlie king of Sweden wrote that motto on the battle at Leipsic, — Isfa a J^om/no focfa sunf, the Lord hatli wrought tliis victory for us.