passe that much of Gods honor and glory fell to the ground vnrespected of the Prophet but then God is dishonored when he is not honored in that measure as the meanes affoord and our grace may permit Hauing hitherto intreated how Gods name is inwardly profaned in our mindes and hearts Prophane speeches dishonor God it followeth now in the next place to speake how by our words and actions we dishonor God and for our speeches which is the fourth generall head we must remember that they are especially of sâ—xe kindes Frst to speake of Gods workes or word without reuerence and feare and attentiue respect to the matter 1 Vnreuerent â—peeâ—â— of Gods vvord or vvorkes dishonor God 1. Cor. 24.13 whether it be in prayer or preaching or conference or howsoeuer else for Gods word being so reuerend and honorable a name of God must with proportionable reuerence and honor be handled and therefore the Apostle would haue Preachers so deliuer the word as that the matter and words be of the same nature for sanctified matter must haue sanctified words and spirituall matter spirituall speeches otherwise the matter is dishonored by the words therefore the Scriptures phrase and rhetoricke is to be obserued of Preachers that their sermons may sauor of them as much as is possible Here also they are to be reprooued that make prayer a lip-labor onely for they speake to God of his word and adde no attention and reuerence which is to dishonor that graue and solemne exercise of inuocation Hither also appertaine those curious schoole-disputes interlaced with philosophicall quiddities whereby Gods word is miserably stretcht and rackt and rent in peeces and disfigured as Christ was vpon the crosse by the souldiers in summe whatsoeuer vndecent homely and vnmannerly metaphors or comparisons whatsoeuer false glozes and expositions whatsoeuer railings and reuilings shall be vsed in disputations sermons or tractats vpon the word fall within the compasse of abusing the holy word of God and the Apostles counsell is reiected who willeth 1. Pet 4.10 that if any man speake he should speake as the words of God 2 Approbation o◠〈…〉 writing dishonoreth God Next to vnreuerent speech are such as giue approbation to error or false worship whether by word or writing as subscription to poperie Mahometisme or any other false doctrine or superstition For if it be alleadged that though they by word or writing may seeme to approoue that profession whereto they subscribe yet they keepe a pure heart free from any assent or allowance thereto The answere is 1. Cor. 6.20 Ioh. 4.24 1. Cor. 8.10.11 that God will be glorified with the whole man and not with the spirit onely though that be chiefely regarded of him himselfe being a spirit as Christ teacheth the Samaritane The reason which the Apostle vseth to disswade the Christian Corinthians from presenting their bodies at idolatrous feasts least thereby the weake be enboldned to doe so likewise is sufficient to enforce this conclusion that no outward approbation must be giuen to superstition least others be deceiued thereby and so Christ be dishonored For that which may be alleadged of Elishâ—es approbation to Naaman the Syrian 2. King 5.18 is altogether impertinent if the place be truely translated for Naaman doth not desire indulgence from God for idolatrie which he purposeth to commit as though hee spake in the future tense but for that idolatrie which he had formerly committed for indeede the words may aswell be translated in the time past and so they are directly in the originall So then whatsoeuer may be alledged to the contrarie it is manifest that all outward approbation of false doctrine or worship by word or deede is dishonorable and scandalous to our weake brethren Let vs take heede therefore how wee receiue the marke of the beast in our foreheads Apoc. 13.16 or our right hands that is that we by our gestures or subscription doe not approue the doctrine and superstition of the Pope or the Turke Vers 3. least by this meanes we worshipping the beasts and dishonoring God our names be not found in the booke of life After superstitious subscription or approbation of false worship 3 Scoffing speecâ—â—s about Gods wo d or wâ—rkes d shonor God follow mocking and iesting at or with Gods workes or word a thing very common now adayes for euery wittie or rather indeede witles braine wil be deuising and belching out the scum of their wit in iesting and scoffing at Gods workes or with Gods word or other holy writings agreeable to the word and consecrated to the worship of God These men in truth mocke God himselfe in that they mocke Gods workemanship for the disgrace of the worke tendeth to the dishonor of the workeman for the world hath Nick-names for euey one that hath either a great head or wry necke or long nose or crooked backe or lame legge or that wanteth a hand or an eye or so forth these deformities should stirre vp in vs humiliation as being so many prints of Gods wrath in man and if we be free from them to acknowledge with thankfull memorie the mercie of God to vs that haue desâ—â—ued as much that so wee might glorifie God in his iustice and mercie also the world and especially the stage which is a little world of wickednes is full of Scripture iests it would cause a mans hayre to stand vpright to heare how some please themselues in this kinde of Rhetoricke which the diuel deuised and suggested into the mindes and mouthes of mocke-gods 2. King 1.24 We reade how seuerely God punished young children that mockt the Prophet for his infirmitie of baldnes and his ministerie of prophecie and the Apostles condemneth iesting which notwithstanding the heathen man counted a morall vertue Now if it be a fault for one man to mocke another it is likewise a fault and much more for a man to mocke with the word of God it is a great sinne also for vs to make our selues merâ—y with the simplicitie of a naturall borne fooles in all which Gods workes and word and so God himselfe is dishonored 4 Vaine swearing dishonoreth God Furthermore vaine oathes diminish Gods glory when men vpon no necessitie hauing no calling in vaine toyes vsurpe the name of God or the name of Gods workes as by this light fire salt bread or the name of false gods or worship as the Masse our Lady Saint Anne c. In al which God is dishonored either directly or immediatly Matth. 5.34 as in vsing Gods titles or attributes or the parts of Christs body or soule Matth. 23.16.17.18.19 20.21.22 Psal 16.4 Exod. 23.13 idlely and fruitlesly or indirectly and by consequence in calling to witnes the workes of God which are so many memorials and testimonies of God as faith troth c. Or lastly in calling to witnes false gods or false worship which is to rob God of his honor and giue it to another which
the next place to be considered and they are opposite to the things wee pray for and they may be referred to fiue heads also which are these following First ignorance and errors Secondly vanitie of minde Thirdly a prophane heart Fourthly prophane speeches Lastly prophane actions all which are so many meanes to obscure or deface or abolish the glorious name of God out of the world Of these in order Ignorance dishonoreth God First ignorance either of Gods workes or word is the cause of prophaning Gods name for as pearles cast before swine or dogs so are the works and word of God amoÌ„g ignorant persons swine or dogs will trample pearles vnder their feete in the durt but skilfull Lapidaries will vse them carefully and set them in gold and costly garments so the ignorant people that know not the works or word of God wil contemne reiect or at least neglect the excellent instructions and documents of Gods glorie therein exhibited and so prophane the name of God but they that know them may vse them aright and glorifie God in them The dunghill Cocke as the fable moralizeth regardeth a barly corne more than a pretious pearle knowing the profit of the one but not the price of the other so the blind dunghill people of the world Atheistlike through light estimation because of their ignorance preferre the dirtie commodities of this life before the glorious footsteps of Gods Maiestie imprinted in his workes and word thereby marueilously disparaging the Lord himselfe and dishonouring his name Againe Error dishonoreth God Matth. 22. Ioh. 4. ignorance being the cause of superstition and errors as Christ teacheth saying Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures and ye worship ye know not what therefore it must needes bee a maine cause of blemishing Gods glorious names and memorials for errors and heresies are so many lies against the truth of God charging false and slanderous imputations vpon God making him the author of that which he abhorreth and condemneth and as it is blasphemous to make God the cause of sinne so is it of error for it is to call God by a false name and to belie God which is a great dishonour to God For as it is a disgrace to a Prince to bee belied or blasphemed or backbited so is it much more inglorious and dishonourable to God to make him the master and teacher of lies for it is customable with false teachers and their followers to father their doctrines vpon Gods word which God himselfe inspired to his Church and so by necessarie consequent in that they are found liers against the truth of God they shamefully dishonour God In the second place also we are to marke how vanitie of minde prophaneth the name of God Vanitie of minde prophaneth Gods name Rom. 1. The Apostle defineth this sinne to be the withholding of the truth of God in a lie that is to make a false consequent or vse from a true doctrine to know God and not to glorifie him as God for example to know God to bee inuisible and yet to make an image of him to know God to bee incorruptible and yet to resemble him to corruptible creatures as beasts birds creeping things c. and thus the Gentiles thinking themselues to bee wise hauing some truths of God became starke fooles in deducing foolish consequents from that truth so through their vanity of mind defaced that truth with a lie and this is a great indignitie offered to Gods truth For as a subiect knowing his Prince yet making as though he knew him not and so vsing himselfe vnreuerently before him doth disgrace the prince so they that know God and his workes and word yet notwithstanding doe not glorifie God but become vaine in their imaginations and discourses and conclusions from Gods word and workes thereby occasioning and encouraging themselues in licentious liuing and by their liues denying the power of their knowledge which otherwise might haue been auailable to their saluation do shamefully abuse their knowledge iniuriously dishonor the truth reuealed vnto them which they should haue glorified A prophane heart d shonoreth God As blindnes and vanitie of minde so prophanenes of heart also which in the third place commeth to be considered doth greatly dishonor God which is when mens affections are not stirred according to the qualitie of Gods workes or word his titles or attributes and that is especially of three sorts Atheisme dishonoreth God The first is an Atheists heart which is the extinguishing of al affections in respect of God for as an Atheist laboreth for a perswasion that there is no God so also he desireth that the feare of God may be cleane taken away also that the loue of God the hatred of sinne the loue of vertue and of the word of God may be put out and that he may liue as he list without any conscience or difference of good and euill which is to bury the memorie of God and to banish his name out of the world which is the greatest indignitie that may be VVorldlines dishonoreth God The second is a worldly heart when a man is so estranged from heauenly matters and so wholy possessed with the loue and liking of worldly things as that he careth not for God nor any goodnes further than he may gaine thereby which men doe greatly dishonor God and his truth making it a meanes of compassing the world whereas indeede we should make the world a meanes of religion for to this purpose hath God created and bestowed the world vpon man that thereby they might be the better prouoked and furthered to the worship and glory of God hither are to be referred all couetous persons that minde nothing but their goods all proud persons that minde nothing but the trimming of themselues gay apparrell and the credit of the world all wanton persons that minde nothing but the pleasures of the flesh generally all such as dishonor God by presuming any thing in their estimation and affection before God for seeing God is the chiefest good and the most high he therefore ought to bee the chiefest and mosâ— highly esteemed of vs otherwise we honor the creature more than the Creator Rom. 1.25 and dishonor God by communicating his glory to another The third is a secure heart Securitie dishonoreth God when men that haue the grace of God in them notwithstanding doe not so carefully and diligently â—â—irre vp the grace of God in the meditation and application of Go is workes and word as the condition thereof doth require for sometime it falleth out that euen Gods children slumber and sleepe Cant. 5.23 2. Sam. 12. so we reade that the Church in the Canticles complaineth or excuseth her sluggish disposition so we reade that Dauid slept in securitie almost a whole yeere in which time no doubt hee vsed the word of God and the rest of Gods worship though with dulnes and great flatnes of spirit whereby it came to
if we loue any thing more than him wherefore this order insinuateth this selfe-deniall which is opposed to selfe-loue Secondly this order teacheth zeale to Gods glory for procuring whereof we are to spend our selues and all we haue The light account wherof deserueth a very sharpe reproofe Apoc. 16.21 Matth. 24.12 Iohn the Diuine prophesieth of a great haile which like talents shall fall from heauen vpon men and Christ he prophesieth that because iniquitie shall abound the loue of men shall waxe colde this colde haile and colde loue is now apparant in the world it is marueilous to see how furiously the world flameth with contention about worldly profits and preferments and yet how frozen their affections are to the obedience of Gods will the enlarging of his kingdome and the aduancement of his glorie whereas indeede the zeale of Gods glory should so possesse vs as that in comparison thereof our care for daily bread should occupie a very meane place Lastly this order teacheth vs the end of our daily bread remission of sinne and strength in temptation namely the obedience kingdome and glory of God for to this purpose doth God bestow vpon vs riches honor gifts and graces that we might imploy them to the best aduantage of God who gaue them The rich man must so vse his wealth as that thereby God may gaine glory the honorable personage must account it his chiefe honor to honor God the man of learning and speech and counsell in like manner and so forth of the rest Exod. 22.29 Leuit. 27.30 32. Hence it is that in the olde Testament the Lord requireth the tenth of all the encrease whether of the earth or of cattell for the maintenance of his worship which by proportion must also be enlarged to whatsoeuer God bestoweth vpon vs as the tenth of our learning honor wit children and the rest if they were increaseable and communicable but beeing otherwise the Lord requireth and accepteth that which may bee had a carefull imployment of them all to the further enlarging of his praise in the world This may suffice in generall for the order of the petitions Now more specially the petitions which concerne God simply and meerely admit this distribution for they respect either the end or the meanes procuring the end Gods glory mentioned in the first petition is the end the kingdome and will of God mentioned in the second and third petitions are the meanes procuring the end for God is glorified when his kingdome is aduanced and his will fulfilled The first prayer Hallowed be thy name 1 The order of this petition The first thing to be obserued in this prayer is the order why the end is before the meanes why Gods glory is first prayed for seeing that the meanes are in nature before the end for it is impossible that God should be glorified except his kingdome come and his will be done and vpon the aduancing of his kingdome and the obedience of his wil his glory is purchased The reason of this order is to be fetcht from the Lords predestination and the Churches intention for the Lord in his eternall counsell first propounded his glory vttering as it were this euerlasting decree in the first place viz. I wil be glorified by the creature this being set downe the Lord in the next place predestinateth the meanes whereby this end must be atchieued thereupō he vttereth this second decree viz. I will aduance my kingdome and cause my subiects to obey my will that by this meanes I may be glorified by them And as this is the order of Gods predestination so Gods glory is first in the Churches intention who in all their actions and endeuors propound Gods glory whether it bee eating or drinking c. they doe all to the praise of God 1. Cor. 10.31 Which is the instruction that ariseth from this order whence this exhortation is to be deduced to all sorts of persons whether the publike officer of the common-wealth or Minister of the Church or the priuate man the Magistrate so ought to gouerne as Gods glory may best be procured and not to administer iustice for rewards Esa 5.23 or of affection whereby it sometime falleth out that the iust and righteous man hath his righteousnes taken from him and the wicked and vngodly are iustified and so Gods honor is obscured 1. Cor. 8.1 The Minister ought so to vse his gifts that God thereby may gaine glory and not to seeke himselfe by ostentation of knowledge which puffeth vp and edifieth little without loue Euery man in his place and calling must so demeane himselfe as that he may credit the Gospell and adorne his profession and that no aduantage be giuen to the aduersarie to blaspheme the name of God but we must so shine by our good workes Matth. 5.16 that God may be glorified in all things yea the man of trade and occupation in the exercising thereof must seeke to honor the Lord when as his worke and wares are such as may carry the commendation of honestie and truth yea euen in the iudgement of malice and testimony of enuie it selfe Thus much for the order of this petition 2 Sense of the first petition The next is the sense and meaning of the words they containe two things first the action secondly the obiect where about the action is conuersant or occupied the action appertaineth to vs the obiect of which action is the Lords for we must sanctifie and his name must be sanctified Gods name is any thing whereby he is knowne vnto man VVhat Gods name sinifieth as one man is knowne vnto another by his name for in the first institution of names whereof mention is made in the historie of the creation euery creature had his name out of his essence or essentiall properties Genes 2.19.20.23 as is very probable by the imposition of the name to the woman who is so called in the Hebrue of her matter as Adam also had his name by God of his matter the earth being the matter of the man the man of the woman So then although God is not nor cannot be knowne of vs by his essence yet he may be knowne of vs by his properties and actions which may be conceiued and seene of vs in some measure Now the things whereby God is knowne are his workes Gods vvorkes are his name and his word his workes manifest vnto vs diuers things of God as the Apostle teacheth namely Rom. 1.20 Gods vvord is his name Ioh. 5.39 his eternall power and God-head but his word doth fully and sufficiently discouer whatsoeuer is needful for vs to know of God and that which is darkely and imperfectly shrouded as it were vnder a curtaine in the creature the same cleerely and throughly is exposed to the view of all those that will search the Scripture Gods titles are his name now Gods word doth describe God generally by titles and attributes