expectation. A just man will be grateful to fo eminent a benefactor; and he hath no other way of expreffing this his gratitude to God, but by wishing that his name may be honour'd, and his intereft promoted. So generous wishes as these are the only returns that can be made to an infinite Being, and as more than this cannot be paid, so less than this will not be accepted.

This is no more than that grateful justice, which every good man is ready to fhew thofe who have oblig'd him. We reckon that a narrow mind that is fo confin'd to itself as not to receive fome pleasure from the fatisfaction of thofe that are nearly allied to him. An honeft man will make the intereft of his benefactor his own, and will be earnest for that fuccefs in which he hath no fhare, but what his friendship and good nature give him.

This generous juftice therefore, that we fhew to a common friend, fhould be withal practis'd to that more deferving and important one, our heavenly Father; and we fhould act upon as good a principle in Religion, as we do in common life. If fimall favours (and fuch are all the favours of mortals) call for fo difinterested inclination, as to make us fharers in their joys and their griefs, their

6

their fame and their reproaches; how much more is this inclination due to God, who gives us both this friendship of our fellow creatures and every thing elfe befides? Hereupon David proves it. as an inftance of his fincerity (and it is most certainly the best that can be given) that he made God's Glory the measure of his affections: Do not IPf.cxxxi hate them, O Lord, that hate thee; and am not I grieved at those that rise up against thee?

لهم

The love of God fo expreft is that dispo fition that Religion defigns for its end, and is well qualify'd to effect. This generous affection of mind for God's fervice, is not an extravagant notion, above the capacity or the duty of Chriftians, but arifeth from a thorough fenfe of the redemption. The greatest heights of Religion are founded in gratitude; and that gratitude is the neceffary confequence of fincerely believing the Chriftian faith; we need only ferioufly to reflect upon the mercies in Chrift Jefus, to be mov'd with this warmth of affection; and if we, with a true meaning, call God our Father, we fhall with in the next place that his name may be hallowed.

In short, this petition more efpecially fets, forth the duty, and fpeaks the language of Ε a Chris

21.

a Chriftian; and by its ardent wishes for God's Glory, very much recommends those other following petitions that we fend up for ourselves.

The fecond practical use that may be drawn from this petition, is, that the fuccefs of it tends to our own advantage.

All the several methods of hallowing God's Name promote the virtue, and by that the happiness of mankind. If they honour him by this first and neceffary method of advancing the knowledge of him, they thereby become better acquainted with the evidence and extent of their hope, and improve their joy and their faith together. If they go on to honour him by a refpect to facred things, they grow by every expreffion of this respect into an habitual devotion; which as it is the beginning of the next life's perfection, so it is the best pledge of its enjoyment. If, laftly, they promote God's Glory by a regular behaviour, they have here also their reward; every step they take in holiness is in the road to life eternal, and they by low and undeferving performances purchase a cheap admiffion into the joy of their Lord.

The question in Job appears from hence Job xxii. very reasonable; Can a man be profitable to God, as he that is wife is profitable to him

2.

Self?

felf? Is it a favour to the Almighty that thou art righteous, and is there any profit to him that thou makeft thy way perfect? Our Saviour for this reafon teacheth us, after we have done all, to think ourselves unprofitable Servants, fince all our fervice of God only

terminates in ourselves.

The homage of worshippers adds no more to the divine Majefty, than fo many beholders to the Sun. They themselves enjoy that incenfe of worship which they send up, and should be thankful for the opportunities of doing fo. God wants not this low fruitlefs tribute of fervice, but he demands it to bring us the nearer to himself. All the manifestations of his Glory are merciful, and his creatures are the better for them, in being thereby both more enabled and encourag'd to purchase happiness by ferving him. For this reason in the office after the Communion, which is the antienteft and indeed the fublimest part of any extant Liturgy, we give thanks to God for his great Glory, confeffing by this that all the manifestations of it are fo many bleffings to mankind.

In short, the fanctification of God's name is not only by pofitive inftitution the condition of eternal happiness, but is withal a natural and proper means to improve us in fpiri

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fpiritual perfection; and therefore whenfoever we pray, that God's name may be hallow'd, we must think it is as true an expreffion of concern for ourselves, as of duty to our hea venly Father.

Thirdly, and laftly, This petition obliges us to avoid all occafions of giving offence.

If our hearts go with our tongues in this Prayer, we profefs herein that caution in our behaviour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blafphem'd. This profeffion of ballowing God's Name abridgeth thofe who use it, not only of all criminal, but even indecent liberties, and obligeth them to fuit their whole behaviour to the credit of Religion.

There is fomething more than a bare moral conduct requir'de of the difciples of Chrift Jefus, who are commanded to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation. :: The honour of that Master whofe name a Chriftian here obliges himself to fanctify, is reproach'd in every open or even fufpected irregularity; and he is not true to his duty in this point, who, tho' innocent, yet takes not care to avoid (as far as he may) the fufpicions of guilt. He muft, for the fake of his most holy profeffion, juftify his example to the world, and for that reafon muft not only abstain from