First, What we are to understand by God's Name. And,

Secondly, How we are to Hallow it.

By the Name of God we are to understand, in the first and most important sense of the word, his all-perfect nature. Names are imposed on things to distinguish them from each other, by conveying to us as clear an apprehenfion as poffible of their nature. But God is a Being fo infinitely tranfcendent above all other, that no one name can give us any adequate conception of him, and the whole force of words is infufficient to fet before us God in that fullness of glory which dwells effentially in him. To raise our thoughts, however, as near as poffible to the Deity, he is in Scripture set forth to us under several titles, expreffive of the feveral ways in which his all-perfect nature difplays itself to man. Could any one word convey to us a proper notion of God's nature, that would be his name; but as this is impoffible, we must

by

by his name neceffarily understand whatever perfections we know to be effential to him, whether manifested in his works, or revealed to us in his word, under how many different titles foever.

By the name of God in a fecondary sense, we are to understand whatever hath an immediate relation to him; as the times and places fet apart for his fervice, thofe holy writings in which are contained the revelations of his will; the perfons appointed to minister in his fervice, and the revenues allotted for their maintenance.

To hallow the name of God, in which foever of thefe fenfes we take it, cannot it. In holinefs, as in his other adorable perfections, God is infinite; nor is it in our power to diminish therefrom, or make any addition thereto; and thofe things which bear fome peculiar relation to God, are holy merely upon that account, and not according to the opinion which men may

fignify to confer any holiness holiness upon

have,

have, or the uses they may make of them. It is not therefore for his own fake, or any advantage, any fresh increase of glory and holiness accruing thereby to him, that God hath made the hallowing his name our duty, but for a proof of our love, gratitude, and obedience, and as a neceffary qualification to prepare us for being fubjects of his kingdom. When therefore, we entertain high and worthy notions of God's nature; when we acknowledge his infinite perfections, and act agreeably to fuch acknowledgments, viewing and adoring at a diftance his natural attributes, approaching to and imitating his moral, when we keep our mouths from profane curfing and fwearing, and never mention the name of the high and holy One but with awe and reverence, piety and devotion; when we make God's glory the first principle, the chief end of all our thoughts, words, and actions, and let the defire of hallowing his holy name stand foremost in our hearts, as it doth in the petitions of this prayer, then

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do we hallow as we ought the name of God, as it fignifies his nature.

When we esteem those things which bear any relation to God according to the dignity of him to whom they belong, and apply them to the purposes for which they were defigned, when we rightly confider them as appointed by God to receive part of that reverence which we owe to him, and which he looks upon as paid to himself, when we hallow the times and places fet apart for his fervice by a constant attendance and devout behaviour; the Scriptures, by defending them on all occafions against the cavils and objections of infidels or evil-minded brethren, by esteeming them the word of God containing all things neceffary to falvation, by diligently and devoutly reading and meditating on them, and by giving them all honour in our conversation, forbearing to make a jest of them, which is the practice of unbelievers, or to take a jeft out of them, which is the practice of many who gratify what they call wit

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at the expence of decency and religion, when we hallow the perfons appointed to minifter in his fervice by a proper regard of their function, a due attention to their instructions, and a practical observance of them, and their revenues by a cheerful and punctual payment of them whenever they are due, we do then hallow as we ought the name of God, according to the fecondary explication here given of it.

Was it in our power to make any addition to the Holinefs of God's Nature, or to add to his effential Glory in any respect whatsoever, certainly in point of gratitude we ought to do it, nay should be exceeding glad that we are able to make some return for the mercies we have received at his hands. As there is no pleasure which is more fincere, no virtue which conveys greater delight along with it than the returning of obligations, unless it is the conferring them, what a delightful piece of service must it be to a generous foul to indulge her gratitude to God, and in