Of fanctifying God's name,
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechism. ſecretly by and for ourſelves, but alſo with and for others ;
Eph. vi . 18. Praying always, with all prayer and fupplication inthe Spirit, andwatchingthereunto with all perſeverance, and fupplication for allfaints.
Q. 9. Why is God ſaid here tobe in heaven ?
A. It is to note his fovereign power and dominion over all, as a ground-work offaith in prayer .
Q. 10. What elſedoth it import?
A. The great diſtance between Godand us,which ſhould fillour hearts with an holy awe of him ; Ecclef. v. 2 .------God is inheaven,andthouupon earth: therefore let thywords be few.
Q. 11. What is the firſt inference fromhence ?
A. It ſhews us, what a fad caſe all thoſe are in, that have no ſpecial intereſt inGod as a Father.
Q. 12. What is the ſecond inference from hence?
A. It ſhews us what a glorious privilege the Lord Jeſus Chrifthath purchased for, and ſettledonhis people ; Heb. iv.
15, 16. For we have not an high-prieſt, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities ; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin.
Let us thereforecome boldly unto the throne ofgrace, that we may obtain mercy, and findgrace to help intime ofneed.
Q. 13. What is the laſt inference from hence ?
A. That feeing believers have a Father in heaven, they ſhould never fear wants while they live, nor be afraid to die, fince death brings themto heaven, their Father's houſe.
Offanctifying God's Name.
W Hat do we prayfor inthe firſt petition?
Queſt. 101.
A. In thefirst petition, which is, [Hallowedbethyname, we pray, that God would enable us, and others, to glorify him in all that whereby he makethhimselfknown, and that he woulddifpofe allthings to hisown glory.
Q. 1. Is there anyword fullenough, perfectly toexpreſs what God is?
A. No, his name is ſecret ; Judges xiii. 18. And the angel of the Lord faid unto him, Why aſkeſt thou thus after my name, feeing it is ſecret ? Aname which none cantell ; Prov. xxx. 4.
What is his name, and what is his Son's name, ifthou canst tell ? A name above every name ; Phil. ii. 9.
Wherefore God alſo hath highly exalted him, and givenhim a namewhich is above every name. But thenamebywhich he more eſpecially manifeſts himself, is the name I AM
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism.
Exod. iii. 14. AndGod faid unto Mofes, I AM THAT I AM: Andhe said,Thus ſhalt thou fay unto the children of Ifrael, I AM hath fent me unto you.
Q. 2. Whatdoth the name ofGod,IAM, fignify tous ?
A. It fignifies to us, firſt, The reality of his being, in oppoſition to idols,which are but imaginary and fantaſtic things;
1 Cor. viii . 4.
We know that an idol is nothing in the world, 6. God is not only the moſt perfect being, butthe rootof all otherbeings.
Q. 3. What elſedoththisname IAM import ?
A. It imports both the perfection and eternity of God's being.
I AM implies, he hath not that now, which he had not formerly; andthat he ſhall not afterwards have, whathe hath notnow : and that there is neitherbeginning, end, or fucceffion withGod,whoſe name is I AM.
Q.4. Butwhat arewehere to understandbythe nameofGod?
A. All thoſe things are hereintended,bywhichhe manifeſts himſelfto the creature ; as his word, works, and ordinances, but eſpecially his glorious attributes ; Exod. xxxiv. 5, 6.The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering, and abundant in goodneſs and truth.
Q. 5. What is it to hallow, or ſanctify his name ?
A. Not to infuſe any holiness into him,which he hadnot before; ſo he fanctifies us; but to manifeſt andacknowledge the holiness of God ; Ifa. xxix. 23. But when he feeth his children, the work ofmyhands in the midst ofhim, they ſhall fanctify my name, and fanctifythe holy One of Jacob, and ſhall fear the God of Ifrael .
Q. 6. Why hallowed or fanctified, rather than glorified ?
Why that word, rather than this ?
A. Becauſe his holineſs is the beauty and luftre ofhis other attributes . His greatneſs appears inhis holiness ; Ifa. xii. 6.Great is theholy One of Ifrael in the midst ofthee.
Sodoth his power ; Luke i. 49. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things, andholy is his name. And therefore his holineſs is that attribute,which angels ſingle out eſpecially to celebrate ; Ifa. vi.3. And one cried unto another, and faid,
Holy,holy, holy is the Lord ofhoſts, &c.
And ſodo men alſo,asit is the cauſewhy they ſhouldglorify him ; Exod. xv.
11.-Who is like thee, glorious in holineſs, &c.
Q.7.What is the firstthingwe areto intend inthispetition?
A. The meaning is, that God would ſo difpofe and order all things in the world, as may beſt promote andadvance the glory ofhisname; on which accountwe maypray for the
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism. defeat of God's enemies ; Pfalm lxxxiii. 16, 17, 18. Fill their faces with ſhame, thatthey mayseek thy name,O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever ; yea, let them be put to ſhame, and perish; that men may know that thou, whoſe name alone is Jehovah, art the moſt High over all the earth. Andthe deliverance of his church andpeople ; Pfalm lxxix. 9. Help us,O God ofour falvation, forthe glory ofthy name ; anddeliver us, and purge away our fins for thyname's fake.
Q. 8. What is the ſecond thingwe areto intend in it ?
A. 'That God would fit us for, and uſe us in the moſt ferviceable capacity for the glorifying of his name ; Pfalm lxvii.
1, 2, 3. Godbe merciful unto us, and bleſs us, and cauſe his face to ſhine upon us : That thy way may be known upon earth, thy ſaving health among all nations.
Let the people praiſe thee, O God, let allthe people praiſe thee.
Q. 9. What is thethird thing intended inthis petition ?
A. That God maynot only glorify his ownname, and uſe us to glorify it, but that it ſhould be our endeavour and joy to have it glorified by others all the world over ; Pfalm cxlv.
4, 5, 6. One generation ſhallpraiſe thy works to another, and ſhall declare thy mighty acts.
I will ſpeak ofthe glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. Andmen ſhallſpeakofthe might ofthy terrible acts ; and Iwill declare thygreatneſs.
Q. 10. Why muſt our hearts be ſo intently ſet uponthe -fanctification of God's name ?
A. Becauſe this is the ultimate end ofour own, and every other being ; Rom. xi. 36. For ofhim, and through him, and to him, are all things ; to whom be glory for ever, Amen.
Andthe particular end ofGod in our effectual calling ; 1 Pet. ii. 9. But ye are achofen generation, a royal priesthood, an holynation, a peculiar people, that ye ſhould ſhew forth the praiſes of him who hath called you out of darkneſs into his marvellous light.
Q. 11. What is the firſt inference from hence ?
A. That the dishonour of God's name must needs be a cutting affliction to a gracious ſoul; Pfalm xlii. 10. As with a fword in my bones my enemies reproach me; while they ſay dailyunto me, Where is thyGod?
Q.12. What is the fecond inference from hence ?
A. That it is a dreadful infatuation, and ſpiritualjudgment upon thoſe men that think they glorifyGod in doing hoſe things which his foul hateth; Ifa. Ixvi. 5. Hear the word of