But that is not all ; it is not enough we discover that, but also our submission to his wise and powerful government, when we refer the matter to his disposal, and can see that he can work out his own ends
Mat. VI. 9.] the lord's prayer. 81
out of all the confusions which liappen there ; out of sins, errors, wars, blood : Ps. Ixxvi. 10, ' The wrath of man shall praise thee ; the re- mainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.' In the Septuagint it is, tlie wrath of man shall keep holy day to thee, shall increase a festival for thee. God many times gets up in the world upon Satan's slioulders. When matters are ravelled and disordered, he can find out the right end of the thread, and how to disentangle us again ; and when we have spoiled a business, he can dispose it for good, and make an advan- tage of those things which seem to obscure the glory of his name.
By the way, both these must go together, our love to his glory, and our submission to his providence. Our love to his glory ; for we should not be altogether reckless and careless how things go ; and yet not carking, because of the wisdom and power of his providence. The truth is, we should be more solicitous about duties than events. The glory of events belongeth to Grod himself, and we are not to take his work out of his hand, but mind him in it. Look, as some would learn their schoolfellows' lesson better than their own ; so we would have things carried thus and thus. And so by murmuring we tax provi- dence, rather than adore it, and we eclipse the glory of God. Yet we must be sensible of the reproaches cast upon God, and must pray to the Lord to vindicate and right his name, to take the way and means into his own hands.
Thus you have seen the necessity of putting up such a request to God, ' Hallowed be thy name.'
Use 1. Is for information. It informs us that "wlxatever we be- stow upon God, we have it from God at first: 1 Chron. xxix. 11, ' Of thine own have we given thee.' The King of all the earth, we cannot pay him any tribute but out of his own exchequer. When we are best affected to God's interest, and pray for God's concernments, we must beg the grace which maketli us to do so. It is his own gift. It is he must enable and incline us, quicken and direct us. So that in all things he is Alpha and Omega — we begin in him, whenever we end in him. And when we do most for God, we have all from him.
Use 2. For direction in the matter of glorifying God, in four pro- positions.
[1.] This life is not to be valued, but as ityieldeth us opportunities for this end and purpose, to glorify God. We were not sent into the world to live for ourselves, but for God. If we could make ourselves, then we could live to ourselves. If we could be our own cause, then we might be our own end. But God made us for himself, and sent us into the world for himself Christ saith : John xvii. 4, ' Father, I have glorified thee on earth,' &c. It is not our duty only to glorify God in heaven, to join in concert with the angels in their hallelujahs above, where we may glorify him without distraction, weariness, and weakness ; but here on earth, in the midst of difhculties and tempta- tions. There are none sent into the world to be idle, or to ' bring forth fruit to themselves,' Hosea x. 1 ; to improve their pains ^ and strength, to promote merely their own interest ; but God's glory must be our chief work and aim while we are here upon earth, — this must be the purpose and intent of our lives.
^ Qu. ' ^ains ' ? — Ed.
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82 AN EXPOSITION OF [MaT. VI. 9.
[2.] Every man, besides his general calling, hath his own work and course of service whereby to glorify and honour God: John xvii. 4, 'I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.' As in a great house one hath one employment, one another : so God hath designed to every man his work he hath to do, and the calling he must be in ; some in one calling, and some in another ; but they all have their ser- vice and work given them to do for God's glory.
[3.] In discharge of this work, as they must do all for God, so they can do nothing without God. Every morning we should revive the sense of it upon ourselves, as the care of our work and aim, so the sense of our impotency. This day I am to live with God ; but how un- able am I, and how easily shall I dishonour him ! ' The way of man is not in himself,' Jer. x. 23. When a Christian goeth abroad in the morning, he must remember he is at Christ's dispose ; he is not to do as he pleaseth, but to be guided by rule, and act for God's glory, and fetch in strength from Christ : Col. iii. 17, ' Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.' Not only in our duties or immediate converses with God, but in our sports, busi- ness, recreation. What is it to do things in the name of Christ, — that is, to do it according to Christ's will and command ? He hath allowed us time for recreation, for conversing with God, and calling in Christ's help, and aiming at his glory. If we have anything to do for God, we must do it in his own strength, in every word and deed.