answered that King We are not carefull to answer thee our God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs. 10. To praise God Psal 150. 2. Praise him for his mightie acts Vnto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly Eph. 3. 20 21. be glorie c. 11. To hope well of such as are weake Rom. 14. 4. God is able to make them stand 12. To be bountifull to such as need 2. Cor 9. 8. God is able to make all graces abound c. §. 214. Of the comfort arising from Gods power Q. VVHat comfort ariseth from the consideration of Gods power A. Assurance of the accomplishment of Gods promises To strengthen the Prophets faith in the promise which God had made of returning the captiuitie of the Iewes God giueth him this answer Ier. 32. 27. Behold I am the Lord th◠God of all flesh is there anything too hard for me To exemplifie this the holy Ghost putteth vs in mind of Gods power to strengthen our faith in these promises following 1. The alteration of our corrupt nature Mar. 10. 23. c. Though to man it be as easie to make a Camel to go through the eye of a needle as a rich man to enter into heauen yet to God that is not impossible For with God all things are possible 2. The vocation of the Iewes Rom. 11. 23. For God is able to graffe them in againe 3. All needfull grace 2. Cor. 9. 8. God is able to make all grace abound 4. Perseuerance to the end No man shall plucke Christs sheepe out of his hand Ioh. 10. 28 29. For his Father which gaue him them is greater then all 5. Supply of all necessities Phil. 4. 19. God that is able will supply them 6. Assistance in all trouble Vpon this ground that God hath a mightie arme Psal 89. 13 21 22 23. and strong hand assurance is giuen to Dauid of sufficient protection 7. Deliuerance out of all euill Isa 50. 2. For assurance hereof with great emphasis doth the Prophet presse the power of God 8. The resurrection of our bodies Eph. 1. 19 20. For assurance hereof the Apostle doth much amplifie the power of God 9. Eternall glorification Phil. 3. 21. Christ shall change our vile bodie that it maybe fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby he is able euen to subdue all things to himselfe Hitherto of Gods Kingdome and Power The third property is his Glory set downe in these words AND THE GLORY §. 215. Of Gods glory What it is Q. VVHat is ment by Gods Glorie A. That Excellencie which is in him For the Excellencie of a thing that which causeth it to bee in high esteeme and procureth a name fame and renoune vnto it is the Glory of it The a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Cal. grau◠fuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gloriosus fuit Inde nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grauitas gloria Hebrew word signifieth that which is weighty and of worth The b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fama gloria Greeke word signifieth both fame and glory For glory causeth fame In Scripture glory and excellency are put for one and the same thing and that in relation both to creatures and to the Creator as where the Prophet speaking of the glory of the Church saith c Isa 35. 2. the GLORY of Lebanon shall be giuen vnto it the EXCELLENCY of Carmel and Sharon The shall see the GLORY of the Lord and the EXCELLENCY of our God On this ground where the excelency of our God is set forth glory is attributed to him and he is stiled d Act. 7. 2. God of glory e Psal 24 8. King of Glory f Eph. 1. 17. Father of glory And his Name Habitation Throne and Gospell because of the excellency of them are stiled g Neh. 9. 5. a name of glory h Isa 63. 15. an habitation of glory i Ier. 14. 21. a throne of glory k 1 Tim. 1. 11. a Gospell of glory Yea for the same end Glory is also prefixed before the things of God as l Isa 2. 10. Glory of Maiesty m Psal 145. 11. Glory of Kingdome n Ephes 1. 6. Glory of Grace o 2 Thes 1. 9. Glory of Power §. 216. Of the Incomprehensiblenesse of Gods Glorie Q. MAy Gods glory be comprehended by Man A. No. 1 Tim. 6. 16. It is incomprehensible It is a light which no man can approach vnto For as all other properties of God are his very essence so is his glory which is the excellency of all When Moses desired God to shew him his glory Exod. 33. 18 20. the Lord answered Thou canst not see my FACE for there shall no man see MEE and liue By this answer it appeareth that Gods glory is his face and his face is himselfe For these three phrases applied to God glory face me are all put for one and the same thing And that all these are incomprehensible this phrase sheweth Thou canst not see my face Yet God being willing to gratifie him so farre as he was capable shewed him his Backe-parts some glimps of his glory §. 217. Of the meanes of manifesting Gods Glorie Q. HOw is Gods glory manifested A. By such meanes as it pleaseth him to afford For meanes he hath afforded in all ages to that purpose THese meanes haue beene of seuerall sorts Some extraordinary others ordinary Some more obscure others more bright Extraordinary meanes were such particular representations of Gods glory as at sundry times were shewed to sonnes of men as a Exo. 16. 10. A brightnesse in that cloud wherein God was wont to manifest his presence and that b Ezek. 1. 28 29 Apparition or vision which was shewed to Ezekiel Ordinary meanes were the c Psal 26. 8. Tabernacle and the d 1 Sam. 4. 21 22 Arke Other more cleere and bright meanes are his Word Works and Image Both parts of Gods Word the Law and Gospell doe clearely set out the glory of God The Law the glory of his Iustice the Gospell the glory of his Mercy Glory therefore is attributed to them both The Apostle e 2 Cor. 39. where hee stileth the Law a ministration of condemnation attributeth glory to it But the Gospel which he stileth a ministration of righteousnesse hee affirmeth to exceede in glory This is f 2 Cor. 3. 18. that glasse wherein with open face wee behold the glory of God All Gods works declare his glory As his workes of g Psal 19 1. Rom. 1. 20. Creation and h Psal 97. 6. Preseruation or prouidence But among the works of God they which are more then ordinary workes of wonder as all manner of i Num. 14. 22. Ioh. 2. 11. Miracles k Exod. 15. 11. Extraordinary iudgements on the wicked l Psal 85. 9. Extraordinary deliuerances of his people and
man Perfectly and infinitely holy he is and yet vouchsafeth to bee hallowed Ought not this gratious acceptation of God to moue vs to desire and to do the things wherein and whereby God is hallowed §. 24. Of the excellencie of Holinesse Q. VVHat is taught vs by the expresse mention of hallowing in this Petion A. Gods chiefest glorie consisteth in his holinesse Reade the Scriptures obseruantly and ye shall find this attribute most vsually applied to him They who best know how most to glorifie God do resound this one to another Holy Holy Holy is the Lord. Isa 6. 3. 40. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea by a propertie and excellencie is God stiled the Holy one Take heed therefore that no thought which may any way impeach Gods Holinesse passe from you but let your heart giue assent Rev. 4. 8. and your tongue say Amen to this diuine dittie of that heauenly Quire Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almightie So acknowledge him to be in all his counsels 1. Pet. 1. 15 16. Fieri diciâ—ur sancta gloria dei cum in sanctitate glorisicatur à nobis Bern. in Quadrages Serm. 6. words and workes and for a more euident demonstration thereof As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conuersation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy §. 25. Of the extent of mans desire to haue Gods name hallowed Q. VVHat learne we from the manner of setting downe this dutie in the third person indefinitely thus hallowed be A. Our desire of hauing Gods name hallowed must be beyond that which we are able to do by our selues The extent of our desire in this respect must reach to all creatures in all places at all times For this purpose reade Psal 113. 2 3 4. and the whole 148. Psalme This sheweth that in this our desire we simply aime at Gods glorie and that we respect the honour of God more then the reward that may redound to vs thereby If our desire were restrained to our selues that we onely might hallow the name of God not caring whether it were hallowed by others or no it might iustly be thought that the chiefe Exod. 32. 32. if not the onely end of our desire were some recompence which from thence we expected to our selues Moses manifested a pure zeale of Gods glorie when he could haue bene contented to be blotted out of Gods booke rather then Gods name should be dishonoured §. 26. Of mans disabilitie to hallow Gods Name Q. VVHy is this set downe by Petition thus hallowed be rather then by promise thus hallowed shall be A. Because it is not in our power to do it of our selues For we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues 2. Cor. 3. 5. Nulla sacit homo bona quae non deus praestat vt faciat homo Arans Concil cap. 10. our sufficiencie is of God God therefore worketh in man that abilitie mind and will which he hath to hallow Gods name so as in truth it is God that in and by vs halloweth his owne name §. 27. Of the force of this word THY in the first Petition Q. TO whom is this particle THY to hereferred A. To him that is described in the Preface Q. What doth it note out A. 1. A reason of the Petition 2. A restraint of the Petition 3. An emphasis of the Petition Q. How a reason A. As it hath relation to the two properties of him that is described God to be hallowed because he is good and great He is Our Father and he is in heauen a good and a great God a gratious and a glorious Lord. Is there not then good and great reason that his name be hallowed Q. How a restraint God onely to be hallowed A. By implying that Gods name onely is to be hallowed Psal 148. 13. I am the Lord Isa 42. 8. saith this God that is my name and my glorie will I not giue to another And as God will not so neither must we giue that which is due to him to our selues or others on which ground the Psalmist thus prayeth Psal 115. 1. Not vnto vs Ezec. 28 2 7. ô Lord Dan. 5. 20 21. not vnto vs Acts 12. 22 23. but vnto thy name giue glorie Tyrus Nebuchadnetzar Herod and many others haue bene seuerely reuenged for vsurping that glorie to themselues which was due to God Q. How doth this particle THY God to be hallowed aboue all set out an emphasis A. By implying that the name of God is to be aduanced aboue all names As if we thus said Thy name be hallowed as becometh so great a name Psal 113. 4. whose glorie is aboue the heauens Thus this particle THY directing our heart to our Father in heauen maketh it to soare aloft and extendeth the desire thereof §. 28. Of mans honouring God because God honoureth him Q. VVHat is to be obserued about the order of the first Petition A. 1. The fit inference of it vpon the Preface 2. The due precedence which it hath before all other Petitions Q. What learne we from the inference of it vpon the Preface A. 1. The honour which God vouchsafeth to man should moue man to seeke the honour of God 2. Sonnes of God ought especially to seeke the honour of God The first of these is a generall Doctrine Digna prorsus â—o qui eum patrem appellauit oratio nihil omnino prius quam pro illius gloria supplicare Chrys in Mat. 6. Hom. 20. arising from that prerogatiue which God in heauen vouchsafeth to men on earth namely to be their Father Whence is inferred as a dutie their desire of hallowing Gods name To this end is a like Preface prefixed before the Decalogue In that Preface are laid downe the fauours of God to his people and thereupon obedience to all Gods commandements whereby God is much honoured is required This dutie of honouring God vpon the forenamed ground of Gods honouring man is much inculcated by Moses and the Prophets Both Iustice and Gratitude require as much Iustice because it is a due debt Gratitude because it is a rcall acknowledgment of kindnesse receiued We ought therefore to take notice of those speciall fauours and honours which God doth to vs that our hearts may be the more stirred vp thereby to seeke his honour §. 29. Of Saints honouring God because they are sonnes THe other Doctrine ariseth from the particular kinde of honour noted in the Preface which is to be sonnes of him that is in heauen Because he is our Father and we his sonnes therefore we especially ought to seeke his honour Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father saith he where is mine honour God doth most expect it at his sonnes hands as of right he may For they are honoured with the greatest honour that can be Can there be a greater honour conferred on sonnes of men
may be hallowed §. 32. Of the particulars for which thankes is to be giuen vnder the first Petition Q. TO what heads may those particulars for which by reason of the first Petition we ought to giue thankes be referred A. To the same that the particulars which we ought to pray for were referred which are 1. All things whereby we our selues are enabled to hallow Gods Name whether in our soule as the a Ephes 1. 3. gifts and graces thereof or in our bodie as b Isa 38. 19 20. health strength agilitie and dexteritie to any thing that maketh to that end 1. Tim. 1. 12. or in our calling 1. Chro. 29. 12 13. whether it appertaine to c Rom. 1. 8. Church Common-wealth or familie or in our outward estate 2. All things whereby others are enabled to hallow Gods Name 1. King 10. 9. and that in their soule bodie calling or estate 3. All euents that any way make by the ouer-ruling prouidence of God to the hallowing of his name as 1. All manner of blessings bestowed on his Churches and children Psal 147. 1 c. 2. Iudgements executed on his or their enemies Exod. 15. 1 c. 3. Prouidence manifested in and vpon any creatures Psal 145. 1 15. §. 33. Of the duties required by reason of the first Petition Q. TO what heads may the duties which by reason of the first Petition we are bound vnto be referred A. Vnto two especially One whereof respecteth our selues The other respecteth others Q. What are we bound vnto in regard of our selues A. To make the best vse that we can of all the meanes which God affordeth to enable vs to ballow his Name by giuing vs knowledge of God bringing our wills in subiection to him drawing our hearts vnto him and breeding and increasing any of the forenamed graces in vs. For this end we ought 1. So to behold the creatures Behold God in his creatures and meditate on them as we may discerne the stamp of God in them and the euidences which they giue of his wisedome Iob 42. 5. power iustice mercie prouidence c. By this meanes did God bring Iob to a more full knowledge and a more reuerend respect of his diuine Maiestie then he had before Psal 8. 1. c. Dauid also by this meanes had his heart euen rauished with an holy admiration of God 2. To take more distinct notice of God in and by his word Know God by his word The Scriptures are they that testifie of God Ioh. 5. 39. And because for our helpe the Lord hath ordained and sanctified the preaching of his word a powerfull meanes to breed and increase in vs all those graces whereby we may be the better enabled to hallow Gods name we ought diligently to attend to it Speake of Gods glorie 3. To take all occasions of stirring vp our glory as Dauid stileth our tongue to speake of Psal 57. 8. and to spread abroad the glorie of Gods name Psal 40. 9 10. yea and to be willing to open our eares to them that are readie to speake of the same subiect and by our mutuall conference to minister more and more matter thereabouts 4. To order the whole course of our life Honour God by thy life Col. 1. 10. so as it may bee worthy of the Lord and a meanes to bring honour to his name Math. 5. 16. Q. What are we bound vnto in regard of others Bring others to honour God A. To do our vttermost endeauour to draw on others to hallow Gods name Psal 34 11. For this end we ought 1. Psal 22. 22. To instruct such as are ignorant of God in the knowledge of God Acts 18. 26. 2. To draw them to set their whole heart on God Deut. 6. 4 5. by commending to them the greatnesse and goodnesse of God so as they may be enamoured therewith 3. To encourage them to all good workes whereby God is glorified §. 34. Of the things to be bewailed in regard of the first Petition Q. VVHat are we to bewaile in regard of the first Petition A. 1. Whatsoeuer is any way defectiue and wanting to the honour of God so as if it were more compleate God might be more honoured thereby As the elder Iewes which had seene the first Temple built by Salomon Ezr. 3. 12. when they saw the foundation of the second Temple laid wept with a loud voice because that latter Temple was not so faire as the former Thus if the brightnesse of the Gospell shine not forth so brightly as it hath done formerly or if any other way the glorie of God be obscured it ministreth iust matter of much humiliation 2. Whatsoeuer bringeth dishonour to Gods glorious name as All manner of sinnes committed against any of the foure commandements of the first Table vnder which head may bee comprised a Psal 10. 4. 14. 1. 1. Atheisme which is an vtter denying of God 2. Ignorance of the true God b Gal. 4. 8. This makes men transferre the honour of God vpon others c 2. Thes 1. 8. Against such therefore will Christ come in flaming fire 3. Errors of God As when the vnitie of his nature â—rinitie of persons perfection of power mercie iustice wisedome truth or any other attributes are denied or when God is in any meane respect d Psal 50. 21. 1. Sam. 15. 29. made like to man or to any other creature 4. e 1. Sam. 2. 30. Light esteeme of God as when he is not trusted in feared loued obeyed with all the mind and might 5. f Mal. 1. 10. Neglect of due worship or yeelding false or carelesse seruice to him 6. g Deut. 28. 58. ler. 23. 10. Vndue vsing of his Name as abusing the same by rash swearing for-swearing blasphemie c. 7. h Psal 119. 136. Prophanesse and all manner of impietie 8. i 1. Sam. 8. 7. Contempt of his image in such as he hath set ouer vs. These and such like tend directly to his dishonour To this head may be referred all such sinnes as make men attribute to others or arrogate to themselues that which is due to God Base flatterie and foolish admiration make some to deifie others as the k Acts 12. 22. Tyreans did Herod Selfe-conceipt pride and arrogancie make others to deifie themselues â— l Ezek. 28. 2. as Tyrus did 3. m Dan. 9. 5. c. Ier. 9. 1 2. 3. 2. Sam. 12. 14 16 The sinnes of others especially of such as prosesse themselues members of the Church which cause the name of God to be blasphemed 4. The euill euents which follow from any of the troubles that befall the Church as n 2. Tim. 4. 16. feare of man more then of God denying the truth of God and Apostasie 5. All the aduantages that enemies of God and of his Saints do any way get