nature of things, are ftrictly and inseparably connected and united, become divided by the folly and corruption of man, and are confidered as incompatible, as two distinct and oppofite pursuits, of which both are not attainable; and it is plain to be seen by the practice of the world, how much weight the glory of God will have with us, and how far it will influence our actions, when once it comes to be confidered as inconsistent with, and oppofite to, what we imagine to be our happiness.

The greater part of mankind calling inclination reason, and corruption happiness, direct their course to fome diftant goal, where imaginary happiness takes up her abode ; whilft the wifer and the happier few pursue the road which leads to the glory of God, and to the only true, folid, and lafting happiness of man.

Our wife Creator, well acquainted with the nature of the Creature which he had made, contrived to implant in us a principle

more

more quick and powerful to advance his glory than gratitude itfelf, when he made the fame means which conduced to his glory, neceffary to our own happiness; and that man who leads a religious and Chriftian life, doth at the fame time give glory to God, which is the one end of his creation, and procure happiness to himself, which is the other.

Thus much obferved in general, I proceed more particularly, to confider the petition before us, and fhall fhew,

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

Secondly, How we are are to Hallow.it.

By the Name of God we are to understand in the first and most important fenfe of the word, his all-perfect nature. Names are imposed on things to diftinguish them from each other, by conveying to us as clear an I apprehenfion

apprehenfion as poffible of their nature. But God is a Being fo infinitely transcendent 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 fet forth to us under feveral 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 muft 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

places fet apart for his fervice, thofe holy writings in which are contained the revelations of his will; the perfons appointed to minifter 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 fignify to confer any holiness upon 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 those things which bear fome peculiar relation to God, are holy merely upon that account, and not according to the opinion which men may 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 qualifi

cation 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 a& agreeably to fuch acknowledgment, viewing and adoring at a distance 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 ftand foremost in our hearts, as it doth in the petitions of this prayer, then do we hallow as we ought the name of God, as it fignifies his nature.

When we esteem thofe 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