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,
[1.] We are to pray, that God would prevent and remove atheism. When persons not only act as though there were no God, but, with blasphemy, and daring insolence, express this in words: These are generally hardened in their iniquities, and bid defiance to his justice; as though they were, as it is said of the Leviathan, made without fear, Job xii. 33. and were not apprehensive of any ill consequences that will ensue hereupon. These are not to be convinced by arguments, though there is nothing that occurs in the works of creation and providence, but what might confute and put them to silence, did they duly attend to it: Therefore we are to pray, that God would assert his divine being and perfections, and give them some convincing proof thereof, by impressing the dread and terror of his wrath upon their consciences, that hereby they may learn not to blaspheme; or that he would give them that internal light, by which they may be brought to adore and sanctify his name. And whereas there are multitudes of practical atheists, who behave themselves as though there were no God to observe what they do, or punish them for it, therefore they presumptuously conclude, that they may rebel without being called to an account; we are to pray, that God, by his grace, would prevent and fence against prevailing impiety, by working a thorough reformation in the hearts of men, to the end that practical godliness may be promoted, and thereby he may be glorified.
[2.] We are to pray, that God would prevent and remove that ignorance which is inconsistent with persons sanctifying his name. This respects, more especially the not knowing or enquiring into those great doctrines, which are of the highest importance, and more directly tend to the advancing the glory of God, and the obtaining eternal life. In these who are destitute of divine revelation, this ignorance is invincible; therefore, with respect to such, we are to pray, that God would grant to them the means of grace, by sending his gospel among them; that they who sit in darkness, and in the region and shadow of death, may have a glorious light shining about them, whereby they may be made acquainted with the way of salvation by Jesus Christ: But there are others who sit under the sound of the gospel, and yet remain strangers to the great doctrines thereof, who have no love to the truth, and act as though it did not belong to them, to study the scriptures; these are wilfully ignorant, like those who are said to hate knowledge, and not to choose the fear of the Lord, Prov. i. 29. We are to pray, with regard to such, that in order to their sanctifying the name of God, they may be led into the knowledge of those great doctrines, in which the glory of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is set forth, as it is in the work of redemption by Christ, together with the way in which righteousness and life may be attained; and that they may know what are those graces which are inseparably connected with, and necessary to salvation.