Discourses on Divers Texts of Scripture, Discourses 1 · Sermon 2

Discourses on Divers Texts of Scripture · Discourses 1 · Sermon 2

p. 12THE Mat. 6. 9. Luke 11. 2.Matt 6:9Luke 11:2SANCTIFICATION OF GODS NAME.

MATTH. 6. 9. LUKE 11. 2.

Sanctificetur nomen tuum.

Sanctified, or hallowed be thy Name.

ALthough I make no question, but that which we so often repeat unto Almighty God in our daily prayers, is for the generall meaning thereof, by the most of us, in some competent measure understood: Yet because by a more full and distinct explication, the knowledge of some may be improved, and the meditations of others occasioned to a further search: I hope I shall not doe amisse, nor be thought to have chosen a theame, either needlesse, or not so fit for this Auditory; if I shall inquire what that is we pray for, in this first Petition of the prayer our Lord hath taught us, when we desire, That Gods Name may be p. 13sanctified: For perhaps we shall find more contained therein, then is commonly taken notice of.

The words are few, and therefore shall need no other Analyse, then what their very number presents unto us, viz. Gods Name, and the sanctifying thereof; Sanctificetur Nomen tuum. I will begin first with the last in order, but first in nature, Nomen tuum, Gods Name. By which, according to the style of holy Scripture, we are to understand in this place, first of all, God himself, or his sacred Deity, to wit, abstractly expressed, according to the style of eminency and dignity; …. Dei foreign, The Divine Majesty; as we are wont for the King, to say His Majesty, or the Kings Majesty, and of other persons of honour and eminency, Their Highnesse, Their Honour, His Excellency, and the like; So of God His Name, and sometimes with the selfsame meaning, His Glory, as Ier. 2. 11. Hath any Nation changed their Gods, which yet are no Gods? but my people have changed their Glory (i. their God) for that which is good for nought. So Psalme 106. 20. of the Calf made in the Wildernesse: They changed their Glorie into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grasse. And S. Paul, Rom. 1. 23. They changed the Glory (i. the Majesty) of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man, &c. Such is the notion; but much more frequent, of Gods Name. In a word, Nomen Del, in this kinde of use, is nothing else but Divinum Numen. Whence it is, that in Scripture, To call upon the Name of God, To blaspheme the Name of God, To love his Name, To sweare by his Name, To build a Temple to his Name, for his Name to dwell there: And in the New Testament, To beleeve in the Name of the Lord Iesus, p. 14To call upon the Name of the Lord Iesus; these I say, and the like expressions, have no other meaning, then to doe these things to the Divine Majesty, to the Lord Jesus, whose is that Name above every Name, where at every knee must bow. Accordingly here, Sanctificetur Nomen tuum, Hallowed be thy Name, is as much as to say, Sanctificetur Numen tuum, Sanctified be thy Divine Majesty.

Secondly, under the Name of God here to be sanctified or hallowed, understand, besides the Majesty of his Godhead, that also super quod invocatum est Nomen ejus, whereupon his Name is called; or that which is called by his Name, (as we in our Bibles commonly expresse this phrase of Scripture;) that is, all whatsoever is Gods, or God is the Lord and owner of by a peculiar right; such as are things sacred, whether they be persons, or whether things by distinction so called, or Times, or Places, which have upon them a relation of peculiarnesse towards God. For such as these are said in Scripture, To have the Name of God called upon them, or To be called by his Name; that is, To be His. Thus we read in Scripture, of an House which had the Name of God upon it, or which was called by his Name, that is, of Gods House, (1 Kings 8. 43. Ier. 7. 10. &c.) Of a City upon which the Name of God was called or named, to wit, the Holy City, Jerusalem the City of the great King, the Lord of hosts, (Ier. 25. 29. Dan. 9. 18.) Of an Ark upon which the Name of God the Lord was called (1 Chro. 13. 6. 2 Sam. 6. 2.) that is, the Lords Ark, or the Ark of his Covenant, as it is elsewhere named. Of a people upon which the Name of the Lord was called, or which p. 15were called by his Name (Deut. 28. 10. Dan. 9. 19. and elsewhere) that is, were his peculiar and holy people; as is said in like manner, and with like meaning of the Church of the New Testament; Iames 2. 7. Acts 15 17. I represent not these places of Scripture at large, because I know that every eare that is acquainted with Scripture, can beare witness unto them. And for the meaning of this expression of Gods Name to be called upon a thing, or a thing to be called by his Name, that it is all one as to say it to be His, (besides the evidence of the matter wherabout it is used) appeares by the same phrase used in two other places, of the like relation of men to that which is theirs, as Gen. 48 16. Where Iacob blessing Iosephs sons saith The Angell which redeemed me from all evil, blesse the lads, and let my name be called upon them; That is, let them be mine, namely, as Reuben and Simeon are mine, as he saith a little before; for they are words of adoption. Again in the fourth of Esay, where it is said, That seven women should take hold of one man, and say, We will eat our own bread, and weare our own apparel; onelyonly let thy Name be called upon us to take away our reproach; That is Doe thou own us, or let us be thine, that it may not be a reproach unto us, that we have no husband. The Ancients were wont to set the Names of the Owners upon their houses, and other possessions; wh…ch they called Tituli, Titles: Chrysologus Serm. 145. Sicut dominos praediorum liminibus affixi Tituli proloquuntur. S. Augustine in Psal. 21. Quando potens aliquis invenerit Titulos suos, nonne jure rem sibi vendicat, & dicit, Non ponere… titulos meos, nisi res mea esset? Whether this p. 16phrase of Scripture, of Gods Name to be called or named upon a thing, hath reference unto any such custome, I cannot affirme, but surely the meaning is the same; to wit, that God is the Lord and Proprietar of them. And thus ye have heard what is this Name of God we pray here to be sanctified; to wit, a twofold Name: First, His Name and Majesty which we call upon; Secondly, that also which is called by his Name: The first we may call his Personall, the other his Denominative or participated Name.

Having learned what Nomen Dei importeth, and so cleared the object of what we pray for, let us next enquire, What that is, which the word Sanctifie, or To be sanctified, implieth, being that which our vote witnesseth, ought to be done thereunto. And this I intended for the main and principall Argument of my present Discourse, being a matter not so well traced as the former, and perhaps not altogether freed of obscurity and difficulty to be understood. For our more certain and assured discovery whereof, we will first examine the abstract thereof, Sanctity, & find out the notion of it; namely, what is the ratio formalis, the formall state, or nature of that which the Scripture entitleth in the generall, foreign or foreign, that is, Holy; not regarding what notion the Greeks or Latines had respect to in their Languages; but what the holy Scripture properly intendeth under that name: For because to be Sanctified can have but these two senses, either To be made holy, or To be used and done unto according to, or as becometh its Holinesse; and that the Majesty of God, which is the prime object of this Act, is not capable of the first sense (viz. to p. 17be made holy,) but of the second onelyonly: if we therefore once rightly understand what is the condition and property of Sanctity, according to the notion of Scripture, we shall not be long ignorant, what it is either for the Name or Majesty of God, or that which is called by his Name to be hallowed or Sanctified, namely, to be done unto according to their Holinesse.

Now R. David Kimchi upon the 56 of Esay, ver. 2 [Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it] hath these words, The sanctification of the Sabbath (saith he) foreign to separate or distinguish it from other dayes: because every word of Sanctity foreign imports a thing separated or divided from other things, by way of preeminence or excellency. Thus the Rabbi. And that this which he saith is true, namely, that sanctity consists in discretion and distinction from other things, by way of exaltation and preeminence, may appeare by these instances and examples, which I shall now produce out of Scripture.

And first from that Law touching the holy oyle, Exod. 30. 31. where, after the composition thereof described; This (saith the Lord) shall be an holy anointing oyl unto me. what is that? it follows, VponUpon mans flesh shal it not be poured, neither shal ye make any other like it, after the composition thereof. It is Holy, therefore it shall be Holy unto you: that is, As this Oyle is Holy and discrete from other Oyles, so shall it accordingly by you be used with difference and discrimination: For the Text goes on; Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or putteth any of it p. 18upon a stranger, (that is, upon any besides those it was appropriated to) shall be cut off from his people. What else means all this, but that this Oyle should be a singular or peculiar Oyle, set apart and distinguished from all other Oyles, both in its composition and use, and that to be such, was to be Holy or Sacred?

The like we shall finde in the 35. verse of the same Chapter, concerning the Holy perfume there described: Thou shalt make it, saith he, (to wit, with the the ingredients he afore mentioned) a perfume, a confection, after the art of the Apothecary, tempered together, pure and Holy. verse 37. You shall not make to your selves (i. not for your own use) according to the composition thereof. It shall be unto you holy for the Lord. ver. 38. Whosoever shall make the like unto it, to smell thereto, shall be cut off from his people.

But above all others this notion of sanctity or holinesse is most expressely intimated and taught us in those divine periphrases or circumlocutions, which the Lord himself more then once makes of an Holy People, as Lev. 20. 24. speaking on this manner; I am the Lord your God which have separated you from other people.—And ye shall be Holy unto me: for I the Lord am Holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. Mark here, that to separate is to make Holy, and that to be Holy is to be separated from others of the same rank. Again, Deut. 26. 18, 19. The Lord hath avouched thee (to wit, Israel) this day to be his peculiar (or appropriate) people, as he hath promised thee.—And to make thee high above all Nations, which he hath made, in praise, in name, and in honour; p. 19namely, that thou maist be an Holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken. What is this but Rabbi Kimchi's definition almost verbatim? That to bee sacred or Holy is to be separated or set apart from other things by way of excellence; or which is all one, To be set in some state of singularity, or appropriatednesse, whereby it is advanced above the common condition of things of the same order. He that will, may compare also two other passages, Deut. 7. 6. & 14. 2. parallels to those I have produced; where to be an holy, and to be a peculiar people, are made one and the same, or the one expounded by the other.

It may be yet further confirmed by comparing Deut. 19. 2, 7. with Ioshuah 20. 7. For whereas in the former of these places it is said, concerning the Cities of refuge: Thou shalt separate, foreign, three Cities for thee, in the midst of thee: In Ioshuah, where this commandement is put in execution, we read in stead of separated, foreign, they sanctified three Cities, Kedesh, Shechem, and Hebron. Where that the one is equivalent to the other, the Septuagint so well understood, that even in this place of Ioshuah, for foreign, which is, Sanctificarunt, they rendred **By which they are wont otherwise to render the verb, foreign. or foreign.foreign, separarunt, or discreverunt.

The same notion of Holinesse may be gathered also from the Antithesis, or opposite thereunto, to wit, unholy, or unclean, which the Scripture is wont to expresse by the name of Common. So S. Peter in his Vision, Acts 10. Lord, saith he, I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean, foreign. For know, because that which is Holy ought to be kept pure and clean, or rather, because p. 20cleannesse imports a separation from filth, as Holinesse doth from common, thence clean and holy, & so also unholy and unclean are used the one for the other: whence 1 Cor. 7. 14. Unclean and Holy are opposed. But to goe on; The voice from heaven answers S. Peter in the same language: What God hath cleansed (that is, sanctified) foreign, account not thou common. So in 1 Mac. Chap. 1. foreign are unclean beasts, and foreign, to eate unclean things.

The like Antithesis of holy and common is to bee found Heb. 10. 29. where the Apostle saith of a Beleever or Christian that lives an ungodly and wicked life; He hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified, foreign, as a common thing; that is, he hath profaned it. Our translation rendreth it an unholy thing, the opposition thereof to sanctified, witnessing that to be the meaning. Now then, if to be unholy or unclean be to be common, surely it follows by the Law of opposition, that to be holy, is to be separated from the common, and to be singular and appropriate in some manner or other.

Lastly, it is to be observed, that whereas in the Law given Numbers 6. concerning the Vow of Nazarisme (which signifies separation, of Nazar, to separate) the words, To separate, and separation come very often in As the 70. once or twice in this place, and elsewhere sometimes render the same word.the Text; the vulgar Latine renders for them above ten times, Consecrare, consecratio, sanctificare, and sanctificatio: which shews, that this notion, namely, that Holinesse consists in a state of separation, is no new conceit, but such as Antiquity took notice of.

p. 21The nature of Holinesse, wherein it consisteth, according to the idiome of Scripture being thus found out and cleared, that which was aimed at in this inquisition, to wit, what the same meaneth by To sanctifie, and to be sanctified, will be no hard matter to resolve. For sanctity, and to sanctifie being Conjugates, or Denominatives, as Logicians call them, the one openeth the way to the knowledge of the other. If therefore Sanctity or Holinesse be a condition of discretion and distinction from other things, as we have shewed it to be; then To sanctifie must either be to put a thing into that state, which we call, To consecrate; or if it be such already, To use, and doe unto it, as becomes the sanctity thereof; that is Habere cum discrine, to put a difference between it and other things by way of excellency, or in a dignifying wise, by appropriating and severing it in the use thereof from things of ordinary and common rank: or, which is all one, To use it singularly, appropriately, and in a word, uncommonly. For not to use it so, it being such, were to abuse it; which the Scripture cals to prophane; to sanctifie, and to prophane being opposites. Whence Ezek. 22. 26. To prophane, is expounded by not putting a difference: The Priests (saith the Lord) have violated my Law, and have prophaned my holy things, they have put no difference between the holy and prophane.

This to be to sanctifie, all the places almost which I have alledged out of the Law, for the notion and nature of sanctity, doe apparently proclaim: for the one is so nearly linked to the other, that they could not well be separated. Thus was Israel, Gods holy p. 22people, to sanctifie themselves by a discriminative manner of living, or usance, because the Lord their God had discriminated or separated them from other people. So Lev. 20. 24, 25, &c. I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people. Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls, and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. But ye shall be holy unto me; for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

After the same manner were the Holy Ointment, and Holy Perfume or Incense to be sanctified by a discriminative, singular, appropriate usance of them, and not to be used as other Ointments and Perfumes: to wit, the one not to be poured upon mans flesh, nor the other used for mans smelling unto; yea none of the like composition to the one or the other, to be made for any prophane or common use, upon pain of his being cut off from his people, who should dare to doe it. That is, not the particular or Individuum onelyonly, but even the whole kinde of that composition was to be accounted sacred; otherwise this caution needed not, since for the Individuall, all sacred things ought to be appropriate and incommunicable in their use.

And to this notion it is not altogether improbable, but the Apostle may allude, 1 Cor. 11. 29. when he expresseth the prophanation of the Holy Supper in comming to it, and using it as a common banquet, by foreign, by not differencing the Lords p. 23body; i. not sanctifying it, or using it, as became so holy a thing.

HITHERTO I have considered the words of my Text apart: but now let us put them again together, and see, how the Name of God ought to bee Sanctified, in the manner now specified, both in it self, and in the things which it is called upon; as in the beginning I distinguished. For the better understanding of which, we are to take notice of a twofold Holinesse; One originall, absolute and essentiall in God; the other derived or relative in the things which are His, properly (according to the use of the Latine) called Sacr…, Sacred things. Both these have their severall and distinct Sanctifications belonging unto them: for whatsoever is Holy, ought to be sanctified, according to the condition and proportion of the Holinesse it hath.

To speak of them distinctly; The first, originall or absolute Holinesse is nothing else, but the incommunicable eminency of the divine Majesty, exalted above all, and divided from all other foreign, or Eminences whatsoever. For that which a man takes to be, and makes account of, as his God, (whether it be such indeed, or by him fancied onelyonly) he ascribes unto it, in so doing, a condition of eminency, above, and distinct from all other eminencies whatsoever, that is of Holinesse. Hence it comes, that we find the LORD the God of Israel, and the onelyonly true God, in Scripture so often styled Sanctus Israelis, The Holy One of Israel, that is, Israels most eminent and incommunicable one, or which is all one, His God: as namely Psal. 89. 18. The Lord is our defence, the HOLY ONE p. 24of Israel is our King. Esay 17. 7. At that day shall a man look unto his MAKER, and his eyes shall have respect to the HOLY ONE of …srael. Habak. 1. 12. Art not thou from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine HOLY ONE? Agreeably whereunto the Lord is said also now and then, To swear by his HOLINESS, that is, by himself: as in the Psalm before alledged v. 35. Once have I sworn by my HOLINESS, that I will not lie unto David, &c. Amos 4. 2. The Lord God hath sworn by his HOLINESS, that lo, the days shall come upon you that he will take you away with …ooks, &c. According to this sense I suppose also that of Amos 8. 7. is to be understood: The LORD hath sworn by the Excellency See Es…y 24. 14. Micah 4. 3.Mic 4:3of Iacob, (that is, Jacobs most eminent and incommunicable One, or by Iacobs HOLY ONE) Surely I will never forget any of their works, &c. For indeed the Gods of the Nations were not properly and truly Holy, because but partially and respectively onelyonly; Forasmuchas the Divine eminency, which they were supposed to have, was, even in the opinion of those who worshipped them, common to others with them, and so not discriminated from, nor exalted above all. But the God of Israel was simply and absolutely such, both in himself and to them ward who worshipped him, as who might acknowledge no other; and therefore foreign, and by way of distinction from all other Gods called Sanctus Israelis, The Holy One of Israel; i. That sole, absolute, and onelyonly incommunicable One, or foreign (as the Author of the Book of Wisdome cals him chap. 14. v. 21.) that God exalted above all, and divided from all, without pareil, there being no other such besides him. There is p. 25none Holy as the Lord (saith Hannah) for there is none besides thee, [The Septuagint, none Holy besides thee] neither is there any ROC… like our God. Wherefore it 1. S…m. 2. 2is to be observed, that although the Scripture every where vouchsafes the Gentiles Daemons the name of Gods, yet it never, I think, cals them Holy Ones, as indeed they were not. Thus you see that as Holinesse in generall imports a state of eminency and separation, so this of God, as I have described it, disagrees not from that generall notion, when I affirm it to consist in a state of peerlesse or incommunicable Majesty: for that which is such, includes both the one and the other. But would you understand it yet better? Apply it then to his attributes whereby he is known unto us, and know that The Lord is Holy, is as much to say. He is a Majesty of peerlesse Power, of peerlesse Wisdome, of peerlesse Goodnesse, and so of the rest. Such a one is our God, and such is his Holinesse.

Now then to Sanctifie this peerlesse Name or Majesty of his, must be by doing unto him according to that which his Holinesse challengeth in respect of the double importance thereof: namely, To serve and glorifie him; because of his eminency; and to doe it with a singular, separate and incommunicated worship, because He is Holy. Not to doe the former is Irreligion and Atheisme, as not to acknowledge God to be the chief and Soveraign eminency: not to observe the second is Idolatry. For as the Lord our God is a singular and peerlesse Majesty, distinguished from, and exalted above all things and eminencies else whatsoever; so must his worship be singular, incommunicable and proper to him alone. Otherwise (saith Ioshuah p. 26to the people) You cannot serve the Lord. Why? For (saith he) He is an Holy God: he is a jealous God (that can endure no corrivall,) he will not forgive Iosh. 24. 19Josh 24:19your transgressions nor your sins, if ye forsake the Lord and serve strange gods, &c.

Whence in Scripture, those who communicate the worship given unto him with any besides him, or together with him, by way of Object, that is, whether immediately, or but mediately, are deemed to deny his incomparable Sanctity, and therefore said to prophane his Holy Name: See Ezek. 20. 39. 43. 7, 8.

In a word, all that whole immediate Duty and service, which we owe unto God, whether inward or outward, contained under the name of Divine worship, (when either we confesse, praise, pray unto; call upon or swear by his Name) yea all the worship both of men and Angels, is nothing else but to acknowledge in thought, word, and work this peerlesse preheminence of his power, of his wisdome, of his goodnesse and other attributes, that is, His Holinesse; by ascribing and giving unto him that which we give and ascribe to none besides him, that is, To sanctifie his most Holy Name: This is that the Holy Ghost would teach us, when describing how the Seraphims worship and glorifie God, …sa. 6. he brings them in crying one unto another Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory; that is, Sanctifying him. From whence is derived that which we repeat every day in the Hymne: To thee all Angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the powers therein; To thee Cherubim and S…raphim continually doe cry. Ho ly, Holy, Holy Lord God of Sabaoth; Heaven and p. 27earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory.

And because the pattern of Gods holy worship is not to be taken from earth, but from heaven; the same Spirit therefore in the Apocalypse expresseth the worship of God in the new Testament with the same form of hallowing or holying his Name which the heavenly Hoste useth. For so the 4. Animalia representing the Apoc. 4.Rev 4Catholique Church of Christ in the four quarters of the world, are said when they give glory, honour and thanks to him that sitteth upon the throne and liveth for ever and ever, to doe it by singing day and night this Trisagium; Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come: that is, the summe of all that they did was but to agnize his Sanctity or Holinesse, or which is all one, to Sanctifie his holy Name. When therefore the same 4. Animalia are afterwards brought in chanting; Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, riches, wisdome, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing And again; Blessing, honour, glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever: all is to bee understood, as comprehended within this generall Doxologie, as being but an exemplification thereof; and therefore the Elogies or blazons As Gen. 31. 42, 43. Psal. 76. 11. So the Chaldee uses their foreign, and more then once …enders I A H the name of God by itGen 31:42Gen 31:43Ps 76:11mentioned therein to be taken, according to the style of Holinesse, in an exclusive sense, of such prerogatives as are peculiar to God alone.

And according to this notion of sanctifying Gods name which I contend for, would the Lord have his Name Sanctified Esa. 8. 13. when he saith; Fear ye not their Fear; (that is, the Idolaters foreign or Gods; for so Fear here signifies, to wit, the thing p. 28feared) neither dread ye it: But Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your Fear, and let him be your Dread; that is, your God. Again chap. 29. 23. They shall sanctifie my Name, (saith he) even Sanctifie the holy One of Iacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. The latter words shew the meaning of the former.

The like we have in the first Epist. of S. Peter ch. 3. v. 15. foreign OBON foreign (i. Gentilium) foreign, &c. Fear ye not their Fear, nor be in dread thereof, that is, Fear not nor dread ye the gods of the Gentiles which persecute you) but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts, that is, Fear and worship him with your whole hearts. For that this passage (howsoever we are wont to expound it) ought to be construed in the same sense with that of Esay 8. before alledged, and the words to be rendred sutably; I take it to bee apparent for this reason, because they are verbatim taken from thence, as he that shall compare the Greek words of S. Peter with the Septuagint in that place of Esay, will be forced to confesse.

Besides this evident and expresse use of the word Sanctifie, in the notion of religious and holy worship and fear of the Divine Majesty; there is yet another expression sometimes used in holy Scripture, which implieth the self-same thing: that namely, to worship God with that which wee call holy and divine worship, is all one with to agnize his holiness, or to sanctifie his Name. Those speeches I mean, wherein we are exhorted to worship the Lord, because he is Holy. As Psal. 99. 5. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his foot-stoole, for he is holy. Again, in the end of the Psalm: Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy p. 29hill, for the Lord our God is holy. The same meaning is yet more emphatically expressed by those that sing the song of victory over the Beast, Apoc. 15. Great (say they) and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, thou King of Nations. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name? foreign **So Editio Complu. Andreas, & exempl. 15.foreign, (for that I beleeve is the true reading, not foreign) for thou onelyonly art Holy; therefore all the Nations shall come and worship before thee: i. they shall relinquish their Idols and plurality of Gods, and worship thee as God onelyonly. For this was the Doctrine both of Moses in the Old Testament, and of Christ Jesus the Lamb of God in the New; That one God onelyonly, that made the heaven and the earth, was to be acknowledged and worshipped, and with an incommunicable worship: In respect whereof, as I take it, these Victors are there said to sing the Song of Moses, & the Lamb; that is, a gratulatory Song of the worship of one God; After that his **foreign, …ra.Ordinances were made manifest. For otherwise the Ditty is borrowed from the 86. Psalm, the 8, 9, & 10. verses, where wee reade, Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord, neither are there any works like unto thy works. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord, and shall glorifie thy Name. For thou art great, and dost wondrous works: Thou art God alone; that is, Thou onelyonly art Holy. Compare Ier. 10. ver. 6, 7.

I have one thing more to adde, before I finish this part of my Discourse, lest I might leave unsatisfied that which may perhaps seem to some to weaken this my explication of the sanctification of Gods Name. p. 30For the word, to sanctifie, or be sanctified, is sometimes used of God in a more generall sense then that I have hitherto specified, namely, as signifying any way to be glorified, or to glorifie; as when he saith, He will bee sanctified in the destruction of his enemies, or in the deliverance of his people, and that before the Heathen, and the like; that is, he would purchase him glory, or be glorified thereby. I answer, it is true, that to be sanctified is in these passages, to be glorified; but yet always to be glorified as God, and not otherwise. Namely, when God by the works of his power, of his mercy, or justice extorts from men the confession of his great and holy Godhead; he is then said to sanctifie, or make himself to be sanctified amongst them; that is, to be glorified and honoured by their conviction and acknowledgement of his power and Godhead. For although men may be also said to glorifie, or purchase honour unto themselves, when by their noble acts they make their abilities and worth known unto the world: yet, for such respect, to be said to be sanctified, is peculiar unto him alone, whose Glory is his Holinesse; i. unto God.

THUS we have learned how the Name or Majesty of God is to be sanctified personally, or in it self; which is the chiefest thing we pray for, and ought so to be in our endeavour; namely, to worship and glorifie him incommunicably, according to his most eminent & unparalleld Holiness: and so, O Lord, Hallowed be thy Name. But there is another sanctification or hallowing of Gods Name yet behind, which must be joyned therewith; which is, To sanctifie him also in the things which have his Name upon them; that is, are p. 31separate and dedicate to his service, or in a word, which are His, namely, by a peculiar relation. For otherwise it is true: The whole earth is the Lords, and the fulnesse thereof, the World and those that dwell therein. But there are some things his, not as other things are, and so as they are no longer ours, such as according to the style of Scripture (as I have already noted) are said, to be called by his Name, or to have his Name called upon them. These are things sacred. Therefore I told you before of a twofold sanctity or Holinesse: The one originall, absolute, and essentiall in God: the other derived, or relative in that which is set apart to be in a peculiar and appropriate manner His. For whatsoever belongeth unto him in this manner, is divided from other things with preeminence, whether they be things or persons which are so separated. For in such separation we shewed the nature of sanctity in generall to consist. Now as the Divine Majesty it self is separate and holy, so know, it is a part of that honour we owe unto his most Sacred Name, that the things whereby, and wherewith he is served, should not be promiscuous and common, but appropriate and set apart to that sacred end. It is an honour which in some degree of resemblance we afford unto Kings, Princes, and other persons of dignity, (of infinite lesse eminency then God is) to interdict the use of that to others, which they are wont to use; sometimes the whole kinde, sometimes the individuall onelyonly. As we know in former times, to wear purple, to subscribe with the Ink called Encaustum, of a purple colour, and other the like, which the diligent may finde, were appropriate to the use of Kings and Emperours p. 32onelyonly. In the Book of the Kings, we reade of the Kings Mule, so appropriate to his use, as to ride upon him was to be made King, 1 Kings 1. 33, 34. In the Book of Esther, Chap. 6. v. 8. of the Horse that King Ahasuerus used to ride upon, put in the same rank with the Crown and royall apparell, which none but the King might weare. And of individuall Utensils thus appropriated, and as it were dedicated to the alone use of persons of eminency, our own times want not examples. Whence naturall instinct may seem to prompt unto us, that such appropriation is a testimony of honour and respect. Sure I am, that Almighty God hath revealed it to be a part of that honour we owe unto him. Thus all the Utensils of the Tabernacle and Temple were sacred and set apart to that use; and not the Utensils of the Altar onelyonly, but even the instruments of musick, which David ordained to praise the Lord with in the Temple, were not common, but consecrated unto God for that end, whence they are called, 1 Chron. 16. 42. foreign Instrumenta musica Dei, The musicall instruments of God; that is, sacred ones: And 2 Chron. 7. 6. foreign, The musicall Instruments of the LORD. Agreeably whereunto those who sung the fore-alledged song of victory over the Beast, are said to have had in their hands, foreign, The harps of God, that is, not prophane or common, but sacred Harps, Apoc. 15.Rev 15the Harps of the Temple, for there they sung this their Antheme, standing upon the great Laver or Sea of glasse which was therein.

Nay, our blessed Saviour, Mark 11. would not suffer a profane or common vessell to be so much as carried p. 33through his Fathers House, accounting it as great a profanation, as to buy and sell there. And yet was not this abuse (which is a thing well to be marked) within those Septs of the Temple, which the Jew… accounted sacred, but in the outmost. Court called Atrium gentium & immandorum, the place in which together with such as were unclean, the Gentiles, and uncircumcised were admitted to pray; as that of the Prophet cited by our Saviour, rightly rendred, intimates, My house shall be called a house of prayer, to (or for) ALL NATIONS. Consider Esay 56. 6, 7. This Court therefore the Jews made no other account of, then as of a prophane place; but our Saviour proved by Scripture, that this Gentiles Oratory was also part of his Fathers house, and accordingly not to be prophaned with common use. Lastly, there was never any age of the Christian Church (till of late) wherein it was not commonly beleeved, that God was to bee honoured by such appropriation or consecration as we speak of; that is, that Gods Name was in this manner to be sanctified. But are there any (will you say) now that deny it? Yes, there are some in our age so far carried away into a contrary extreme to that they flie from, that they hold that no oblation or consecration of things unto God, by the devotion of men, in the New Testament, whether of Utensils, goods, times, or places, ought to be esteemed lawfull; but that all distinction between sacred and prophane in externall things, by vertue of such consecration (excepting only the Sacraments) is flat superstition: Yet to him that seriously considers it, it cannot chuse, me thinks, but seem strange and absurd to affirm, (as this p. 34assertion doth) that men now in the time of the Gospel, are exempted and freed from agnizing God to be Lord of the creature, by giving some part thereof unto him; then which no part of Divine Worship is more naturall, and which hath been used by mankinde ever since the beginning of the world. Yea, in the state of Paradise, among all the trees in the Garden, which God gave man freely to enjoy, one tree was Noli me tangere, and reserved to God as holy, in token he was Lord of the Garden. So that the first sin of Mankinde, for the species of the fact, was Sacriledge, in prophaning that which God had made holy.

They say, It is true, that in the Old Testament, this way of honouring and acknowledging God was warranted by the Divine Law: but in the New wee finde no precept given concerning it nor confirmation of that which was before. Now God is not to bee worshipped with any worship, but what he hath himself prescribed in his Word. I answer, What though there be no particular pr…cept in the New Testament for this, no more then for divers other duties, which a Christian is bound to; yet if a generall warrant be, the particular needs not. But our Saviour saith in his Gospel, in that Euangelicall Sermon hee preached upon the Mount, That hee came not to dissolve the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill or perfect them. Think not (saith he) that I am come to dissolve the Law and the Prophets [that is, to take away the obligation of that rule of the duty of man to God and his neighbour, given first by Moses in the Law, and afterwards repeated and inculcated by the Prophets; for so Prophets are here to p. 35be According as in that Mat. …2. 40. On these two Commandements [viz To love God above all, & our neighbour as our selves] hang all the Law & the Prophets; and in that Luk. 16. 29 They have Moses and the Prophets.Matt 2:40Luke 16:29understood, and not of predictions] foreign ▪ but to fulfill them, that is, to supply, accomplish, or perfect those rules and doctrines of just and unjust contained in them, by a more ample interpretation, and other improvement befitting the state of the Gospel. For surely, this must be the meaning of this speech of our Saviour, if we be more willing (as we should) to take a sense from Scripture, then to bring one to it. Doth not the whole context following evince it? Indeed the Law, that is, the Legall Covenant, or Covenant of works (as Law is oft taken in the New Testament) together with all the rites depending thereon, is dissolved by the comming of Christ; and a better Covenant with new rites established in stead thereof: But the Law, that is, the Doctrine and Rule of life given by God contradistinct from those ordinances, which were onelyonly appendages of that Covenant, (though these were also in some sense perfected by bringing the truth and substance, in stead of the figure and shadow thereof) is not disannulled, but confirmed and perfected by him, in such manner as became the condition of the Covenant of the Gospel. For that this confirmation is not to bee restrained to the Decalogue onelyonly, is manifest; because our Savior in the following words, insists upon other precepts besides it. If it be said, they are reducible thereto; this will not serve the turn, for so are all the rest of Gods Commandements. Unlesse therefore it can be shewn, that to honour God by an oblation of his creature, is no part of the Law here confirmed by our Saviour: Let no man be so daringly bold, as to exempt himself and others from the obligation thereof; p. 36unlesse he means to be one of them of whom our Saviour speaks immediately, saying, Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these Commandements, and shall teach men so to do, (mark it) he shall be called (i. he shall be) the least in the Kingdome of heaven. The word is foreign, i. loose, or dis-binde, as he doth, both that abrogates, and that observes it not; much more, he that affirmeth it unlawfull to be observed.

Nay how dare we disbind or loose our selves from the tie of that way of agnizing and honouring God, which the Christian Church from her first beginnings durst not doe? Irenaeus, witnesse of that age which next succeeded the Apostles, is plain. Lib. 4. c. 34 Offerre oportet Deo (saith he) primitias creaturae ejus; sicut & Moses ait, Non apparebis vacuus ante conspectum Domini Dei tui.—Et non genus oblationum reprobatum est: oblationes enim & illic, (sc. in V. T.) oblationes autem & hic; sacrificia in populo, sacrificia & in Ecclesia: sed species immutata est tantum; quippe cum jam non à servis, sed à liberis offeratur. Vnus enim & idem Dominus; proprium autem character servilis oblationis, & proprium liberorum, uti & per oblationes ostendatur indicium libertatis.—It behoveth us (saith he) to offer unto God a present of his creature; as also Moses saith, Thou shalt not appear before the Lord thy God empty.—For offerings in the generall are not reprobated: there were offerings there, (viz. in the Old Test.) there are also offerings here in the Church: but the specification only is changed; For asmuch as offerings now are not made by bond, but free men. For there is one and the p. 37same Lord still; but there is a proper character of a bond or servile offering, and a proper character of freemens; that so even the Offerings may shew forth the tokens of freedome. —Now where in Scripture he beleeved this doctrine and practise to be grounded, he lets us know in the XXVII. chap. of the same Book: Et quia Dominus naturalia legis, per quae homo justificatur, (quae etiam ante legisdationem custodiebant, qui fide justificabantur, & placebant Deo) non dissolvit, sed extendit, sed & implevit, ex sermonibus ejus ostenditur. i. That our Lord dissolved not, but enlarged and perfected the naturall precepts of the Law, whereby a man is just, which also before the Law was given they observed, who were justified by faith and pleased God, is evident by his words. Then hee cites some of the passages of that his Sermon upon the Mount Mat. V. 20. &c. And a little after addes: Necesse fuit auferre quidem vincula servitutis, quibus jam homo assueverat, & sine vinculis sequi Deum, superextendi verò decreta libertatis, & augeri subjectionem quae est ad Regem, ut non retrorsus quis renitens indignus appareat ei qui se liberavit.—Et propter hoc Dominus, pro eo quod est, Non moechaberis, nec concupiscere praecepit; & pro eo quod est, Non occides, neque irasci quidem; & pro eo quod est Decimare, omnia quae sunt pauperibus dividere. i. It was needful, that those bonds of servitude, which man had before been inured to, should be taken off, that so he might without Gives follow God: but that the laws and ordinances of freedome should be extended, and his subjection to the King encreased, lest that drawing backward he might appear unworthy of him that freed p. 38him.—And for this reason, our Lord in stead of, Thou shalt not commit adultery, commands not so much as to lust: in stead of, Thou shalt not kill, not so much as to be angry: in stead of to Tith, to distribute all we have to the poore, &c. All which saith he, in the same place, are not solventis legem, sed adimplentis, & extendentis & dilatantis, not of one that dissolves the Law, but fulfils, extends and enlarges it: alluding still to that in our Saviours Sermon upon the Mount.

Besides, those who are acquainted with Antiquity can tell, that the Primitive Christians understood the holy Eucharist, to be, A commemoration of the sacrifice of Christs death upon the crosse, in an oblation of bread and wine. Tis witnessed by the Fathers of those first ages generally. Whereupon the same Irenaeus also affirmeth, That our Saviour by the institution of the Eucharist had confirmed oblations in the new Testament. Namely, to thanksgive or blesse a thing in way to a sacred use, he took to be an offering of it unto God. And was not Davids Benediction and thanksgiving at the preparation for the Temple an Offertory? Where note well that as he, upon that occasion, blessed the Lord, saying: Thine, O LORD, is the greatnesse, the power and the glory—all that is in heaven and earth is thine, thine is the Kingdome—Both riches and honour come of thee—Ergo, because all things come of thee, of thine own have we given thee. So doe Christs redeemed in their Euangelicall Song, Ap…. 5. ascribe no lesse unto him, saying, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdome, and strength, and honour, and glory, and …g. Yea, the 24. Elders, which are the Christian p. 39Presbytery, expressing (ch. 4. ult.) the very argument and summe of that Hymnology which the Primitive Church used at the offering of bread and wine for the Eucharist, worship God, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord▪ to receive glory, and honour, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created.

TAKING therefore for granted, that which the practise of the Church of God in all ages; yea, I think, I may say the consent of mankinde from the beginning of the world, beareth witnesse to; that among those duties of the Sanctification of Gods Name, wherewith his Divine Majesty is immediately and personally glorified (of which I have before spoken) this is one, and a principall one; to agnize and confesse his peerlesse Soveraignty and dominion over the creature, by yeelding him some part thereof toward his worship and service, of which we renounce the propriety our selves; and that accordingly there are both things and persons now in the Gospel (as well as were before the Law was given) in this manner lawfully and acceptably set apart and separated, by the devotion of men, unto the Divine Majesty, and consequently relatively Holy (which is nothing else, but to be Gods by a peculiar right:) I say, that these are likewise to be done unto according to their degree of sanctity, in honour of him, whose they are: Not to be worshipped with divine worship, or the worship which we give unto God, communicated to them, (farre be it from us, to deferre to any creature the honour due unto the Divine Majesty, either together with him, or without him;) but yet Habenda cum discrimine, p. 40To be regarded with a worthy and discriminative usance, that is, used with a select, and differing respect from other things: as namely, if Places, not as other places; if Times, not as other times; if Things by way of distinction so called, not as other things; if Persons set apart unto the service and worship of God, neither to be used by others, nor they to carry themselves in their fashion of life, as other persons, (for that which in other things sacred is their use; in persons sacred is their conversation, demeanour or carriage of themselves) but all to be sanctified with a select, appropriate, or uncommon usage; that as they are Gods by peculiar relation, and have his Name called upon them, so to be separate, as far as they are capable, from common use, and imployed as instruments and circumstances of his worship and service: which is the highest and most singular honour that any creature is capable of. Nay, (as I have said before) even this is to the honour of God, that as himself is that singular, incommunicable, and absolutely Holy One, and his service and worship therefore incommunicable: so should that also which hath his Name thereon, or is consecrated to his service, be in some proportion incommunicably used, and not promiscuously and commonly as other things are. They are the words of Maymonides the Jew, but such as will not misbecome a Christian to make use of, concerning that Law, Levit. V. 15. If a soule commit a trespasse; and sin through ignorance in the holy things of the LORD: then he shall bring unto the Lord for his trespasse, a Ram, &c. Behold, saith hee, how great weight there is in the Law, touching sacrilegious p. 41transgression And what though they be wood, and stone, and dust and ashes? when the Name of the Lord of all the world is called upon things, they are sanctified (i. made holy.) And who so useth them to common use, he transgresseth therein; and though he doe it through ignorance, he must needs bring his atonement. Yea, it is a thing worthy to be taken speciall notice of, that, that so presumptuous, and most dreadfully vindicated sin of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their company, in offering incense unto the Lord being not called thereunto, did not discharge their Censers of this discriminative respect due unto things Sacred. For thus the Lord said unto Moses, after that fire from heaven had consumed them for their impiety: Speak unto Eleazar the Son of Aaron the Priest, that he take up the Censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder, for they are hallowed: The Censers of these Sinners against their own souls, let them make of them broad plates for a covering of the Altar: for they offered them before the Lord, therefore they are hallowed, or holy. Num. 16. 37, 38.

Now that by this discriminative usance or sanctification of things sacred, the Name of God is honoured and sanctified, according to the tenour of our petition; is apparent, not onelyonly from reason, which tels us that the honour and respect had unto ought that belongs unto another, because it is his, redounds unto the owner and Master; but from Scripture, which tels us, that by the contrary use of them, his name is prophaned. Hear himself, Lev. XXII. 2. Speak unto Aaron, (saith he) and his Sons; that they separate themselves from the Holy things of the children of Israel, p. 42and that they prophane not my Holy Name in the things which they hallow unto me. Also in the Chapter next before, v. 6. The Priest that should not discriminate himself according to those singular observations, or differing rules there prescribed, is said, To prophane the Name of his God. Again, Ezek. XXII. 26. When the Priests prophaned Gods holy things, by putting no difference between the Holy and Prophane: I (saith the Lord) am prophaned amongst them. Likewise Chap. XLIII. ver. 7. together with other abominations there mentioned, the Lord saith, that his Holy Name had been polluted, or prophaned, by the carkasses of their Kings, that is, of Manasse and Amon buried in the Kings Garden hard by the walls of the Temple: for so by the Hebrews, and others that place is understood. See 2 Kings XXI. ver. 18, 26. by the pollution of the Temple, the Lord esteemed his own Name prophaned. Take in also if you will, that of Malachi Cha. 1. where the Lord says of those, who despised and dishonoured his Table, or Altar by offering thereon for sacrifice, the lame, the blinde, and sick, which the Law had made unclean and polluted, that they had prophaned his Holy Name. But if the Name of God be prophaned by the disesteem and misusage of the things it is called upon, then surely it is sanctified, when the same are worthily and discriminatively used, that is, as becommeth the relation they have to him.

I have already specified the severall kinds of Sacred things which are thus to be sanctified: yet lest something contained under some of them might not be taken notice of, by so generall an intimation, it will not p. 43be amisse a little more fully and particularly to explicate them, then I have yet done. Remember therefore that I ranged all sacred things under four heads. 1. Of Persons Sacred; such as were the Priests and Levites in the Old Testament, and now in the New, the Christian Clergy, or Clerus; so called from the beginning of Christian Antiquity, either because they are the Lords foreign, or Portion, which the Church dedicateth unto him out of her self, (namely, as the Num. X. 11Num 10:11Levites were an offering of the Children of Israel, which they offered unto him out of their Tribes,) or because their inheritance and livelihood is the Lords portion. I preferre the first; yet either of both will give their Order the title of Holinesse, as doth also more especially their descent which they derive from the Apostles; that is, from those, for whom their Lord and Master prayed unto his Father, saying, Father, foreign, [foreign for foreign] Sanctifie Joh. 17. 17, 18, 19.John 17:17John 17:18John 17:19them unto, or for thy Truth: thy Word is Truth; that is, Separate them unto the Ministery of thy Truth, the word of thy Gospel, which is the truth and verification of the promises of God. It follows, As thou hast sent me into the world, so have I also sent them into the world, (this is the key which unlocks the meaning of that before and after.) And for their sakes I sanctifie my self, that they might be sanctified for thy Truth; that is, And for as much as they cannot be consecrated to such an Office, without some sacrifice, to atone and purifie them; therefore for their consecration to this holy function of ministration of the new Covenant, I offer my self a Sacrifice unto thee for them, in lieu of those legall and typicall ones, wherewith Aaron p. 44and his sons first, and then the whole Tribe of Levi were consecrated unto thy service in the old. An Ellipsis of the first Substantive in Scripture is frequent. So here foreign onelyonly, is put for foreign, Truth, for the Ministery of Truth.

Now that the Christian Church (for of the Jewish I shall need say nothing) hath always taken it for granted, that those of her Clergy ought, according to the separation and sanctity of their Order, to be distinguished, and differenced from other Christians, both passively in their usance from others, but especially actively, by a restrained conversation, and peculiarnesse in their manner of life, is manifest by her ancient Canons and Discipline. Yea, so deeply hath it been rooted in the minds of men, that the Order of Church-men binds them to some differing kinde of conversation and form of life from the Laity; that even those who are not willing to admit of the like discrimination due in other things, have still in their opinions some relique thereof remaining in this, though perhaps not altogether to be acquited of that imputation, which Tert…llian charged upon some in his time, to wit, Quod quum excellimur & inflamur De Monog…i…. ca. 2.adversus Clerum, tunc unum omnes sumus, tunc omnes Sacerdotes; quia Sacerdotes nos Deo & Patri fecit. Quum ad per equationem Disciplin… Sacerdotalis provocamur, deponimus infulas, & impares sumus. When we va…nt, and are puffed up against the Clergy, then we are all one, then we are all Priests; For he made us Priests to God and his Father. But when we are called upon, to equall in our lives the example of Priestly Discipline, then down goe our Mitres, and we are another sort of men.

p. 45Another sort of things sacred, which I named, was Sacred PLACES, to wit, Churches, and Oratori…s, as the Christian name foreign, implieth them to be, that is, The Lords. A third, Sacred-Times. i. dedicated and appointed for the solemne celebration of the worship of God, and Divine duties: such are with us, (for those of the Jews concern us not) foreign, our Lords days, with other our Christian Festivals, and holy days. Of the manner of the discrimination from common, or sanctifying both the one and the other, by actions some commanded, others interdicted to be done in them, the Canons and Constitutions of our Church will both inform, and direct us. For holy Times and holy Places are Twins (Time and Place being, as I may so speak, pair-circumstances of action) and therefore Lev. XIX. 30. And again XXVI. 2. they are joyned together, tanquam ejusdem ration…s: Keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary.

The fourth sort of Sacred things is of such as are neither Persons, Times, nor Places, but Things in a speciall sense, by way of distinction from them. And this sort containeth under it many particulars, which may be specified after this manner.

1. Sacred Revenue of what kinde soever: which in regard of the dedication thereof, as it must not bee prophaned by sacrilegious alienation, so ought to be sanctified by a different use and imployment from other Goods; namely such a one as becommeth that which is the Lords, and not mans. For that Primitive Christian Antiquity so esteemed them, appears by their calling them foreign, as they did their Place p. 46of Worship foreign, and their Holy day foreign; all of the Lord, as it were, Christening the old notion of Sacred, by a new name. So Can. Ap…stol. XL. Manifestae sint Episcopi res propriae (si quidem res habet proprias) & manifesta sint foreign, i. res Dominicae—Author Constitut. Apost. lib. 2. c. 28. al. 24. Episcopus ne utatur foreign, Dominicis rebus, tanquam alienis aut communibus, sed moderate. See also Balsamon in Can. 15. Concilii Ancyrani, and the Canon it self.

Secondly, Sacred Vtensils, as the Lords Table, Vessels of ministration, the Books of God, or Holy Scripture, and the like. Which that the Church, even in her better times, respected with an holy and discriminative usance, may be learned from the Story of that calumnious crimination, devised by the Arrian Faction against Athanasius, as a charge of no small impiety; namely, that in his Visitation of the Tract of Mareotis, Macarius, one of his Presbyters, by his command, or instinct, had entered into a Church of the Miletian Schismatiques, and there broken the Chalice, or Communion Cup, thrown down the Table, and burnt some of the Holy Books. All which argues, that in the generall opinion of Christians of that time, such acts were esteemed prophane and impious; otherwise they could never have hoped (as they did) to have blasted the reputation of the holy Bishop by such a slaunder.

Touching the Books of God, or holy Scripture, (which I referred to this title) especially those which are for the publique service of God in the Church, I adde this further; That under that name I would p. 47have comprehended the senses, words and phrases appropriated to the expression of Divine and Sacred things; which a Religious …are cannot endure to hear abused with prophane and scurrilous application.

Thirdly, under this fourth head of things Sacred I comprehend Sacred Acts; such as are the Acts of Gods holy worship and administration of his Sacraments. For albeit these Acts are duties of the first and personall Sanctification of Gods Name, whereof the immediate object is God; yet are the Acts themselves sacred things, and therefore have some sanctification due to them also, as other sacred things have: of which, although it be most true, that the unfained devotion of the heart (as before him who alone knoweth the hearts of the children of men) be the main and principall requisite; yet unlesse even in the outward performance, they be, for the manner and circumstances, discriminated from common acts, by a select accommodation befitting their holinesse, their sanctification is defective, and by such defect, if voluntary, Gods Name is prophaned, even then when wee are worshipping him. How much more, when our carriage therein commeth short even of that wonted reverence, wherewith we come before an earthly Potentate? May not God here justly use the same expostulation with us, that he did with those in the Prophet Malachi, who presented themselves before him with such an offering, as was in regard of the blemishes unworthy of, and unbefitting so great a Majesty, and therefore to be accounted rather an affront then an act of honour and worship? Yee p. 48have, saith he, despised and prophaned my Name— Offer it now unto thy Governour: will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person?—yet I am a Malac. c. 1. v. 6, 8, 12, 14.Mal 1:6Mal 1:8Mal 1:12Mal 1:14great King, saith the Lord of hosts. And this is the document or lesson, which this place naturally and unavoydably ministreth to us; That to come before the Divine Majesty, with lesse reverent and regardfull deportment, then we doe before earthly Kings and potentates, is to despise and prophane his holy Name. And not that, which some would shelter under this text, and lean too much upon; namely, That the acts of Gods externall worship ought to be wholly conform to the use of the semblable actions performed unto men, and not differ from them: and upon this ground charge the Christian Liturgies with absurdity in their forms of praying, and praising God with responsals, singing by turns, and speaking many together. For this principle is directly repugnant to the nature of Sanctification, which consists in discrimination and difference. And therefore, though the materiall of our gestures and other expressions vocall or visible, be borrowed from the use and custome of men; yet for the formality of them, not onelyonly they may, but ought to be differenced from them. Moreover, touching this reproof of the Prophet; take notice that it is grounded upon the Law, Levit. XXII. where we are taught, that when that is not observed concerning the Rites of Gods service which the sanctity of them requireth, as in other particulars, so in this of a not defective or unblemished offering, his Name is thereby prophaned. See v. 32. with the rest of the chapter foregoing it. And if so, then by the contrary it is sanctified.

p. 49Lastly, Unto this head of sacred Acts I reduce Oaths and sacred Covenants, that is, such as are made either with God, or between men; Gods Name being called upon, which therefore 1 Sam. 20. 8. are styled Covenants of the Lord: For that the observance due touching both is a sanctifying of them, as things upon which the Name of the Lord is called, is apparent; forasmuch as when they are violated by falshood, they are said to be prophaned, as Levit. 19. 12. Psal. 55. 20. Ier…m. 34. 15.

Thus together with my explication of these severall sorts of sacred things, I have briefly and in generall pointed at that also wherein the proper sanctification of each consisteth, which though far short of such a tractation as the matter requireth: yet if it may serve but to give occasion onelyonly to others who are better able, to bend their thoughts upon this argument (which perhaps the times call for) I shall fully attain the end I aimed at. For mine own part, to descend to particulars would be a task too high for me, and as I suspect, not very acceptable. For it is ten to one (if the grounds I have laid be true) but that the most of us would be found faulty in some things, and some of us in all. Well, the summe of my argumentation hath been this: Is there any thing in the New Test. Gods by a peculiar right? To say there is not, is absurd and against the perpetuall tradition of Christianity. If there be, then it is holy; if holy, then to be sanctified; if sanctified, then to be discriminated in the usance and respect thereof, from that which is of common condition.

NOW out of this discourse, which I have hitherto p. 50made, you may see and take notice, That (contrary to the vulgar opinion) the Prohibition of Idolatry and the discriminative observance of things sacred; not to prophane them by a promiscuous and common use; are derived both of them from one and same principle, sc. Gods Incommunicablenesse, which derives a shadow and resemblance upon the things which have his Name called upon them, to wit, a state of appropriatnesse and singularity. Wherefore the Apostle, Rom. 2. not without good reason, compares together the transgressions of the one and the other kinde, as parallel sins, or sins of affinity: Thou that hat…st Idols (saith he) doest thou commit Sacriledge? Where by Sacriledge understand not onelyonly the usurpation of things sacred, but the violation of that which is sacred, in generall: And it is as if he had said, thou hast mended the matter well indeed, for still thou dashest against the same principle. For it is one of the exemplifications of that he saith in the beginning of the Chapter: He that judgeth or condemneth another, and doth the same, or the like himself, is inexcusable. By this it appears how much they are mistaken, who under pretence of avoyding Idolatry and superstition, cannot endure that any distinction should be made between things sacred and common. Is not this to unhallow Gods Name one way, that so we might not prophane it another? Far be it from me to be a patron of idolatry or superstition in the least degree: yet I am afraid, lest we who have reformed the worship of God from that pollution (and blessed be his name therefore,) foreign, as S. Basil speaks, that is, by p. 51bending the crooked stick too much the other way, have run too far into the contrary extream, and taken away (some of us) all difference in a manner between Sacred and prophane; and by this our transgression in doing Gods work, made our selves liable to that upbraid of the Apostle; Tu qui idola abominaris sacrilegium (i. sacrarum …rum profanationem) admittis? Thou that abhorrest Idols, doest thou commit sacriledge? that is, prophanest thou Gods Name by violating that which is sacred?

Let no man think it strange or incredible, that such an enormity should be committed, or an occasion at least given thereof, in the manage of so holy and glorious a work: seeing the experience of all ages sufficiently witnesseth, how prone the nature of man is, in flying one extream, to run too far towards the other. Why then should we think it unlikely, or rather not think it very likely, that we also may have miscarried in the same manner? unlesse we will arrogate unto our selves that priviledge of infallibility, and freedom from errour, which we condemn as intolerable presumption in our Adversaries.

Besides, it is to be taken notice of, because of the prejudicate misprision of many to the contrary; That the measure of truth and falshood, best and worst, is not the greater or lesser distance from Popery, (forasmuch as Popery also containeth much of Christianity) nor that which is most destructive of the man of sin, alwayes most warrantable and safe to be embraced. If it were, there be some in the world, (whose religion we would be loth to admit p. 52of) that would be found more orthodox and better reformed Christians then any of us all.

Nay, give me leave, without offence, for the better awakening of some out of their deafnesse to whatsoever else may be said to this purpose, to propound such a Demand as this: Who knoweth, whether this transgression I speak of, be not a main and principall ingredient of that guilt, which the Divine Majesty admonisheth us to take notice of, in this his so long and so severe visitatioh of our neighbours and brethren? whether he doth not visibly, or, if some passages be considered, almost vocally, upbraid them; Thou that hatest Idols doest thou commit Sacriledge? I know right well, that rashly to assigne the particular causes of Gods judgements, without rule or precedent of Scripture, is a sin of presumption, and a bold intrusion into Gods secrets; and therefore I affirm not, but demand onelyonly, whether there be not here some cause which may minister such a suspicion. But whatsoever it be, the compassion of their wofull affliction calls upon me rather to pray for them, then to follow this harsh and unpleasant passage any further. OnelyOnly thus much, If that which the Apostle saith in particular of the things which befell the Israelites, Gods first people, in the Wildernesse; These things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come: If this be to be extended also unto those punishments and their analogy, which befell them afterwards: then may perhaps two things further not un…easonably be enquired into. First, for what other sins, it is p. 53remembred in Scripture, that God gave his people, during that his first Covenant (especially after they came to dwell in their own Land) under the sword of an externall enemy, or his worship thereby at any time to be trodden under foot; besides these two, Idolatry, and Prophanation of that which was holy, or Sacriledg…? Examples of the first who knows not? of the second, see the Story of Achan, Iosh. the vii. of Elies sons, 1 Sam. Chap. II. the punishment of the Sacriledge of the seventh, or Sabbaticall year, (2 Chron. XXXVI. and the parallel places) for by the Law every seventh year, not onelyonly the whole Land, but all servants and debts were holy unto the Lord, and therefore to be released, Levit. 25. 2, 4. Deut. 15. Exodus 21. Secondly, What was that Transgression, after the return from Babylon, mentioned in that Prophesie of Antiochus Epiphanes, Dan. 8. 12. for which it is there foretold, that An host should be given him against the daily Sacrifice, and that it should cast down the truth unto the ground, and practise and prosper? Perhaps the Story in the 2, 3, & 4. Chap. of the second Book of Maccabees will tell us.

To that which is commonly alledged, That such distinction and reverent regard of things Sacred, as we contend for, opens a way for Idolatry: I answer, No otherwise, then the eschewing of Idolatry, may also, through the perversenesse of men, be made a bridge to prophaneness, that is, by accident, not from it own towardnesse, but our distemper. Otherwise this Discrimination or distinction, if we would understand or heed the ground thereof, prompts the p. 54clean contrary; for we should reason thus: If the things which are Gods, …o nomine, in that name, and because they are His, are therefore to be held segregate in their use; then surely God himself, who is the Fountain of Holinesse, ought to have a prerogative of segregation in the most eminent and absolute manner; namely, such an one, as that the worship due unto him must not be communicated with any thing else besides him. And indeed, unlesse both be done, Gods Name is neither fully, nor rightly sanctified.

AND here I should now make an end, but that there is one thing yet behinde of principall consequence, which I have deferred hitherto, because I could not elsewhere bring it in conveniently without somewhat disturbing the coherence of my discourse. There is an eminent species, or kinde of Sanctification which I may seem all this while to have neglected, for as much as it seemeth not to be comprehended under this notion of discretion and separation, wherein I place the nature of Holinesse, and that is Sanctif…cation, or Holinesse of life. To which i answer, That all notions of Sanctity and Sanctification in Scripture are derived from discretion and separation, and that this now mentioned is likewise derived thence. For it is to be reduced to the Sanctification of Persons Sacred, and set apart unto God. By which, though in the strict and proper sense, are intended onelyonly Priests, and such as minister about Holy things, yet in a larger sense, and, as it were, by way of resemblance, the whole body of the People of God are a Royall P…i…sthood, and **foreign Symb. Apost.Holy Nation, p. 55which the Almighty hath selected unto himself, out of the rest of the world, and set apart to serve him in a peculiar and different manner, from the rest of men: For you have heard it is a requisite of that which is Holy, to be used in a peculiar and singular manner, and not as things common. Hence it is, that the observation of that peculiar and different from of life, which God hath commanded those, whom he hath called, and set apart from the world unto himself, in Scripture carries the name of Holinesse, or Sanctity, (especially in the New Testament) that is, such as becommeth those that are Holy unto God; According to that, Be ye Holy, as I am Holy.

And here, I might have a large discourse, to shew how the Name of God is sanctified by the lives of his Children, when they conform not themselves to the fashions of the world, but as the Apostle speaks, are crucified thereto, and keep themselves unspotted from the pollutions and vanities thereof. But this I leave, to be supplied by your meditations according to the generall intimation given thereof.