man from that guilt and misery, under which he had brought himself. The
terms of reconciliation and salvation, were such as tended to secure the
glory of his justice; and therefore he insisted on a satisfaction to be
given, without making the least abatement of any part of the debt of
punishment that was due for our sin; and accordingly _he spared not his
own Son_, Rom. viii. 32. but delivered him over unto death, and obliged
him to drink the bitterest part of that cup which was most formidable to
nature, and which, had it been possible, he would fain have been excused
from drinking; therefore he is represented, by one of the evangelists,
as praying, that God the Father would _take this cup from him_, Mark
xiv. 35, 36. and by another, that he would _save him from this hour_,
John xii. 27. Nevertheless, he expresses the utmost resignation to the
divine will; and being sensible that this was an expedient to glorify
the holiness of God, he does, as it were, give a check to the voice of
nature, and submits to bear the punishment he came into the world to
suffer, how terrible soever it might be; and therefore says, _Father
glorify thy name_, q. d. ver. 28. take what method is most expedient to
demonstrate the glory of thy holiness let the whole debt be exacted on
me, I am willing to pay the utmost farthing: Upon this God says, by a
voice from heaven, _I have glorified it, and will glorify it again_;
that is, in every step that has been, or shall be taken, in order to the
bringing about the work of redemption, I have hallowed my name, and will
do it hereafter. And, in this respect, God’s holiness was glorified in
finishing transgression, making an end of sin, bringing in everlasting
righteousness, and also in the impetration of redemption, by our great
Mediator and Surety.
3. God has sanctified his name in all the methods which he has taken in
the application of redemption, in the various dispensations of his
providence and grace towards his church and people; and in order
hereunto, he has determined, that _if_ his _children forsake_ his _law,
and walk not in_ his _judgements; if they break_ his _statutes and keep
not_ his _commandments, he will visit their transgression with the rod,
and their iniquity with stripes_, Psal. lxxxix. 30, 32. And this is done
to manifest the glory of his holiness: Though he is pleased to pardon
their iniquity for the sake of Christ’s righteousness; yet they shall
know, by experience, that he hates it; and therefore, whatever be his
designs of grace, with respect to his redeemed ones, as to the event
thereof, they shall, notwithstanding, find that their sin shall not
altogether go unpunished, though this punishment be not of the same kind
with that which was suffered by Christ, from the hand of vindictive
justice demanding satisfaction. Moreover, God has sanctified his name,
in that he has connected sanctification with salvation; therefore he has
said, _Without holiness no man shall see the Lord_, Heb. xii. 14. He
first makes his people holy, and then happy; every mercy that he
bestows, is a motive or inducement to holiness; and all the ordinances
and means of grace are made subservient to answer this end.
Here we may take occasion to observe the various methods, whereby God
has sanctified his name, in all his dealings with his church, in the
various ages thereof, both before and since our Saviour’s incarnation;
(1.) Under the legal dispensation. The people, whom he chose out of all
the nations of the earth, and called them by his name; among whom he
designed to magnify his perfections in such a way, as argued them to be
the peculiar objects of his regard above all others, as he designed to
make them high in name, in praise, and in honour; these are styled _an
holy people_, Deut. xxvi. 19. and elsewhere, _holiness unto the Lord_,
Jer. ii. 3. and the wonderful things that he did for them in destroying
their enemies, when he brought them out of Egyptian bondage, gave them
occasion to celebrate his name, as a God _glorious in holiness, fearful
in praises, doing wonders_, Exod. xv. 11. and the worship that he
established among them was such, in which he expressly required
holiness, both in heart and life; and when, at any time, they cast a
reproach on his perfections, or defiled and debased his holy
institutions, he testified his displeasure against them in the highest
degree: Of this we have various instances in the judgments which he has
executed on particular persons for not performing what he had commanded,
with the greatest exactness, in those things which related to his
worship: Thus when Nadab and Abihu _offered strange fire_, they were
_devoured, before the Lord, by fire from heaven_, Lev. x. 1, 2. And,
when David was bringing the ark of God to Jerusalem, we read, that Uzzah
put forth his hand to take hold of it to prevent its falling, when
shaken by the oxen, which he, doubtless, did with a good design, and it
is therefore called an _error_, rather than a presumptuous sin; yet it
is said, that _the anger of the Lord was kindled against him, so that he
smote him that he died_ by it, 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7. this being contrary to
an express law which God had given, that the sons of Kohath should _bear
the ark, but they should not touch it, or any holy thing_ that was
covered, _lest they die_, Numb. iv. 15. And elsewhere we read, that some
of the men of Bethshemesh, because they had _looked into the ark of the
Lord, were smitten, so that fifty thousand, and threescore and ten of
them died_, 1 Sam. vi. 19. inasmuch as God had forbidden that any should
indulge their curiosity, so far as to look on the holy things on pain of
death, Numb. iv. 20. And he also threatened the children of Israel with
death, if any of them who were not appointed to minister in holy things,
came nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, so as to perform that
service which they were not sanctified or called to, since this was
reckoned no other than an instance of profaneness in them. And if Aaron
himself, whose office was to go into the holiest of all to perform the
yearly service, in which he was to make atonement for the sins of the
whole congregation, presumed to do this, at any other time but that day
which God had appointed, he was to be punished with death, Lev. xvi. 2.
And, when any thing was brought into the worship of God, contrary to
what he had instituted, which was reckoned no other than a profaning it,
God hallowed his own name, by pouring forth his wrath on those who gave
occasion to, or complied with it. Thus when Jeroboam, set up calves in
Bethel and Dan, _made priests of the lowest of the people, which were
not of the sons of Levi, ordained feasts_ like those which God had
appointed; and, in many other instances, corrupted his worship, whereby
the people, who complied with him herein, were led aside from God, it is
said, _This became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off,
and to destroy it from off the face of the earth_, 1 Kings xii. 29-33.
compared with chap. xiii. 34. And when Ahaz _erected an altar, according
to the pattern of that which he saw at Damascus, and sacrificed to the
gods of the people_, from whom he had took the pattern thereof, this
brought _ruin_ on him and his kingdom, 2 Kings xvi. 10. compared with 2
Chron. xxviii. 23. And when Uzziah usurped the priest’s office, by
offering incense in the temple, God immediately testified his
displeasure against him, by _smiting him with leprosy_; whereby he was
separated from the congregation of the Lord, and rendered unfit to
govern his people to the day of his death, 2 Chron. xxvi. 16, 20, 21.
And when holy men, in any instance, have not sanctified his name in the
eyes of the people, God has highly resented it: Thus when Moses and
Aaron _spake unadvisedly with their lips_, upon which account they are
said _not to sanctify the name of God at the waters of Meribah_ he tells
them, that therefore they should not _bring the children of Israel into
the land of Canaan, but should die in the wilderness_, Numb. xx. 12.
And, as we have many instances of the judgments of God on particular
persons, for not sanctifying his name; so we have a public and visible
display of his holiness, in his dealings with the whole nation of
Israel, after their many revolts from him, when they served other gods,
and not only corrupted, but laid aside his institutions, and were guilty
of those vile abominations, which were inconsistent with the least
pretensions to holiness; God sanctified his own name, not only by
reproving them by the prophets, but sending those many judgments which
were the forerunners of that desolation, which they had reason to
expect, and then by delivering them into the hand of those who carried
them captive, Israel into Assyria, and Judah into Babylon. This leads us
to consider,
(3.) How God has, and still continues to sanctify his name, under the
gospel-dispensation. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Head and Saviour
of his church, has, in his whole administration, set forth the glory of
God’s holiness. This appears,
[1.] In that he came into the world, with a commission from his
Father, to engage in the work of our redemption; and accordingly he
is said to have been _sanctified and sent into_ it for this very
purpose, John x. 36. And, when he entered on his public ministry, he
produced his commission, and gave undeniable proofs that he was the
Messiah, the person whom God the Father had _sealed_, and set over
his house to manage this great affair. Every miracle which he
wrought, was a divine testimony for the confirmation of this truth,
that the gospel-dispensation took its rise from Christ our great
Mediator, and was a glorious display of the holiness of God; and the
world could not have the least ground to think they were imposed on,
when they concluded that this Jesus was he that was to come into the
world (according to the predictions of all the holy prophets that
went before him) to erect that dispensation in which his own and his
Father’s glory were eminently to shine forth, and thereby the name
of God was to be hallowed in a greater degree than it had ever been
before.
[2.] God sanctifies his own name under the gospel-dispensation, in
raising Christ from the dead, after he had finished the work which he
came into the world about; in which respect it may be said of him,
that _for_, or after _the suffering of death, he was crowned with
glory and honour_, Heb. ii. 9. and put into a capacity of applying the
redemption which he had purchased, so that God the Father _glorified
the Son, that the Son also might glorify him_, John xvii. 1. That this
was not done till he had made a full satisfaction to the justice of
God, and thereby glorified his holiness to the utmost, has been
already considered; after this he entered upon his glory; and from
that time the gospel-dispensation might, by way of eminency, be said
to begin, upon which occasion we may apply the words of the Psalmist,
‘Sing unto the Lord ye saints of his, and give thanks at the
remembrance of his holiness,’ Psal. xxx. 4.
[3.] God sanctified or hallowed his name in the method which he took in
his dealings with the Jewish nation, after Christ’s ascension into
heaven, which made way for the establishment of the gospel-church, and
was in itself an awful display of his holiness. It must be supposed,
that the treatment, which our Saviour met with from that nation, who
might be said herein to fill up the measure of their iniquities to the
utmost, would be followed with some terrible displays of divine
vengeance; and thus it was, as appeared by the utter ruin of their civil
and religious liberties, which were the immediate consequence thereof;
and this is a visible proof of the truth of the Christian religion, and
a very awful instance of God’s being sanctified in them.
[4.] The holiness of God farther appears in the methods which he took to
propagate his gospel through the world, which was not to be done by
might or power, nor by those methods of secular policy, whereby civil
states are advanced; but by his Spirit, whereby they who were called,
were sufficiently qualified for this important work; who preached the
gospel to all nations, according to the commission that was given them,
confirmed it by miracles, and were instrumental in gathering a people
out of the world, that yielded themselves willing subjects to Christ, a
people called by his name, and subjected and entirely devoted to him.
[5.] The holiness of God appears in all those doctrines which were
preached, on which the faith of the church is built, and those
ordinances in which they were to express their subjection to Christ, and
hope of salvation by him.
_1st_, The doctrines of the gospel are all pure and holy; their great
design is to set forth the harmony of the divine perfections, as
displayed in the method of salvation by Jesus Christ; and to induce
those who are made partakers thereof, to serve him in holiness and
righteousness; and there is no gospel-doctrine that gives the least
countenance, or leads to licentiousness. None have a right to claim an
interest in Christ’s righteousness, or to hope for that salvation which
he has purchased, but they who believe, and none can be said to believe,
to the saving of the soul, but they who are enabled to perform all those
duties, whereby it will appear, that they are an holy, as well as an
happy people.
_2dly_, All those ordinances which Christ has instituted in the gospel,
have a tendency to set forth the holiness of God. What these are, has
been considered under foregoing answers; as also, that they were
instituted by Christ, and that no creature has a right to invent any
modes of worship, or make any additions to his institutions, without
incurring the guilt of depraving and sullying the beauty of
gospel-worship[114]; and therefore all that I shall add under this head,
is, that as these are set apart, and sanctified by God, to be means of
grace, and pledges of his presence; so they, who engage herein, are to
do it with this view, that they may be made holy in all conversation, as
he who hath called them is holy; and hereby God sanctifies his own name
in the dispensations of his providence and grace.
Now when we pray, _Hallowed be thy name_, with a particular view to what
God does in order hereunto, we adore him with an holy trembling, when we
behold the displays of his vindictive justice in punishing sin; and if
he sees it necessary to secure his own honour as the governor of the
world, so that without it he would not appear to be an holy God, nor the
glory of his truth in those threatenings which he has denounced against
sin, discovered, we are fully satisfied that all his ways are right, as
acquiescing in his providence; and when his judgments are made manifest,
we say, _Hallowed be thy name_.
However, when we put up this petition, with a particular view to God’s
executing his threatened vengeance on his enemies, several cautions are
to be used. As,
_1st_, We are to take heed that we do not do this out of hatred to the
persons of any, for even they who are the monuments of divine justice,
in whom God will be glorified as a sin-revenging judge, are the objects
of our compassion, as they are miserable, how much soever that sin,
which is the cause thereof, is to be hated and detested by us.
_2dly_, We must always pray, that God would rather convert than destroy
his enemies, were it consistent with his purpose, which must be
accomplished.
_3dly_, We are never called to pray expressly for the damnation of any
one, how great an enemy soever he may have been to God or us; but
rather, on the other hand, that God would glorify his name in his
salvation by Jesus Christ.
_4thly_, If we pray that God would prevent those evils, which his church
is exposed to, through the power or malice of its enemies, and, in order
thereunto, that he would remove them out of the way, that they may not
be able to hurt them; this is to be considered only as an expedient for
their safety, so that if one of the two must suffer ruin, we rather
desire that it may be his enemies than his people. We should be glad if
God would be pleased to bring about the welfare of his church some other
way; but if not, when we pray that his name herein may be hallowed, it
is principally with submission to his will, and an humble acknowledgment
that all his judgments are right. Thus concerning God’s sanctifying his
own name, as the subject-matter of our prayer in this petition.
II. When we pray, _Hallowed be thy name_, we signify our desire that we
may be enabled to glorify God in every thing whereby he makes himself
known: In which there is something supposed, namely, that all men are
utterly unable and disinclined, of themselves, to honour God aright, or
to improve the various displays of his glory, which we behold in his
word and works: This arises from the sinfulness of our nature, our
alienation from, and opposition to an holy God; so that without the
assistance of his Spirit, we are not able to do any thing that is good;
and therefore we pray that God would make us holy, by rendering the
means of grace conducive thereunto, that we may give him the glory due
to his name.
But the thing more especially prayed for, with respect to ourselves and
others is, that we may be enabled to act suitably to the discoveries
which God has made of his divine perfections; that we may adore his
wisdom, power, and goodness in all he does, and worship him in all
ordinances in an holy manner, or, as the Psalmist expresses it, _Worship
the Lord in the beauty of holiness_, Psal. xxix. 2. We are also to
desire that all his holy institutions may be made means of grace to us,
that we may be sanctified by his truth, that beholding, as in a glass,
the glory of the Lord, we may be transformed into his image, consisting
of holiness and righteousness, that we may have an high esteem of every
thing whereby he makes himself known, and glorify him in thought, word,
and deed.
1. That we may never think or speak of the divine perfections, but with
a becoming reverence, and suitable acts of faith, agreeably thereunto;
that when he discovers himself as a God of infinite wisdom, we may not
only admire the traces and footsteps thereof, as they are visible in all
his works, but desire that we may thereby be made wise unto salvation.
When we conceive of him as a God of infinite power, we are to desire
that he would enable us to have recourse to him, to work all that grace
in us which can be effected by none but him with whom all things are
possible. And, when he discovers himself as a God of infinite goodness
and mercy, that we may be encouraged to hope that we shall be made
partakers thereof, by his communicating to us the blessings that
accompany salvation. And when he reveals himself as a God of infinite
holiness, that we may be conformed to him, in some measure, so as to be
enabled to hate and fly from every thing which is contrary thereunto;
and that all sin, which contains in it a reflection on the purity of his
nature, as well as a contempt of his authority, may be abhorred and
detested by us. And when he discovers himself as a God of infinite
faithfulness, a God that keepeth covenant and mercy, to them that fear
him, who has made many promises respecting their salvation, and will
certainly accomplish them, that we may depend upon, and put our trust in
him; that he would remember his good word unto us, upon which he hath
caused us to hope. When he makes himself known as our Creator, he the
Potter, and we the clay, that we may be well pleased with all the
dispensations of his providence towards us, as considering that he has a
right to do what he will with his own. And when he reveals himself as
our Redeemer, we are to pray, that we may be able to conclude, that we
are bought with that invaluable price, which Christ gave for his elect:
And if we have a comfortable hope concerning our interest therein, that
we may walk as becomes those who are hereby laid under the highest
obligations to love him, and live to him.
2. That we may worship him in a right manner, in all his ordinances:
Accordingly, when he encourages us to attend to what he imparts therein,
as in hearing, or reading the word, we pray, that we may be enabled to
receive the truth in the love thereof, and improve it as that which is
not _the word of men, but of God, which effectually worketh in them that
believe_, 1 Thess. ii. 13. that we may esteem it as the only infallible
rule of faith and duty; that we may be enabled to _hide it in our
hearts, that we may not sin against him_, Psal. cxix. 11. And when we
should draw nigh to him in prayer, in which he requires, that we should
sanctify his name as a God all-sufficient, on whom we depend for the
supply of our wants; or when we bless and praise him for what we have
received, that the frame of our spirits may be suited to the
spirituality and importance of the duty we are engaged in, that we may
not be like those whom our Saviour speaks of, who _draw nigh to him with
their mouths, and honour him with their lips, while their heart is far
from him_, Matt. xv. 8.
3. As God makes himself known to us by his works, we are to beg of him,
that in the work of creation, we may see and admire his eternal power
and Godhead, and in his works of common providence, as upholding and
governing all things, we may take occasion to adore the manifold wisdom
of God, his almighty power, and the inexhaustible treasure of his
goodness which appears therein: But more especially when he discovers
himself in the gracious dispensations of his providence, in those things
which have an immediate reference to our salvation, we are to beg of
him, not only that he would enable us to look on them with admiration;
but, particularly, to express our love and thankfulness to Christ our
great Mediator and Advocate, as those who humbly trust and hope that we
have an interest in him by faith. Thus concerning our requesting these
things for ourselves.
We might here observe something concerning our doing it for others, for
whom we are to pray, that they may have the highest esteem for God in
all those respects and consequently that his name may be known
throughout the whole world, not barely as the God of nature, but as he
has revealed himself in his word; and therefore we are to pray, that the
way of salvation, by Christ, may be known, and his name adored and
magnified as a Redeemer and Saviour in those parts of the world, which
are, at present, destitute of gospel-light; and that, where the word is
preached, it may be received with faith and love, that they who are
called Christians may walk more becoming that relation which they stand
in to the blessed Jesus. Thus concerning the subject-matter of our
requests in this petition, respecting God’s enabling us and others, to
glorify him in every thing by which he makes himself known.
There are two things inferred from hence in the close of this answer.
(1.) That when we pray, that God would sanctify his name, it is, in
effect, to desire that he would prevent and remove every thing which is
dishonourable to it. Some things tend to cast so great a reproach on the
name of God, that sinners are hereby hardened in their opposition to
him; as David, by his sin, is said to have _given great occasion to the
enemies of the Lord to blaspheme_, 2 Sam. xii. 14. And God is highly
dishonoured by those open and scandalous sins which are committed by
such as make a profession of religion; whereby it appears that they are
strangers to the power thereof, and lay a stumbling-block in the way of
those who are too ready to take an estimate of the ways of God, from the
conversation of them, who in words profess, but in works deny him. Some
deny the very being, perfections and providence of God, or being
ignorant of him, worship they know not what; and there are others who
treat things sacred with profaneness and scurrility; and, instead of
sanctifying the name of God, openly blaspheme and cast a contempt on all
his sacred institutions. Therefore,