A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.

Hallowed be thy Name.]

1. The Coherence.

THus much of the preface: now follow the petitions. They be sixe in num∣ber, the three first concerne God, the three last our selues. The three for∣mer petitions are again deuided into two parts: the first concernes Gods glo∣rie it selfe; the other two, the meanes whereby Gods glorie is manifested and inlarged among men. For Gods name is glorified among men when his king∣dome doth come, and his will is done.

Quest. Why is this petition, Hallowed be thy name, set in the first place? Ans. Because Gods glorie must be preferred before all things, because it is the end of all creatures and of all the counsels of God. Prov. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake: yea euen the wicked for the day of euill. And from the order of the petitions here ariseth a worthie instruction, namely, that euery one in all things they take in hand, are to propound to themselues and to intend the glorie of God. The reason is this: The ende which God hath ap∣pointed to all our doings, we are to propound to our selues: but God hath ap∣pointed that the highest ende of all his doings should be his glorie: therefore our hearts must be set to seeke it first of all. That God will haue his name glo∣rified by vs, appeareth in this; that he punisheth those which of obstinacie set themselues to dishonour him, or by negligence did not sanctifie him, when they should haue done so. Herod sitting in his royaltie, made such an oration, that the people cried, The voice of a god, and not of a man: and immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him, because he gaue not glorie to God, Act. 12. 12. And Moses because he did not sanctifie the Lord in the presence of the children of Israel, therefore he came not into the land of promise; yet he did not altogether faile in doing of it. Thus we may see by these punishments, and also by the order of the petitions, that it is our duties to preferre the glorie of God before all thing els.

Quest. Whether are we to preferre the glorie of God before the saluation of our soules? Ans. If the cause stand thus that Gods name must be dishono••∣red, or our soules condemned, we must account the glorie of God more pre∣tious

then the saluation of our soules. This is manifest in the order of the pe∣titions. The petitions that concerne Gods glorie is first, and the petitions that concerne directly our saluation are the fift and sixt. Whereby we are taught, that before God should want any part of his glorie, we must let bodie and soule and all goe, that God may haue all his glorie. This affection had Moses, Exod. 32.32. when he said, Either forgiue them, or if thou wilt not, blot my name out of thy booke.

In this petition as also in the rest, we must obserue three things: the first is the meaning of the wordes: the second, the wants which men must learne to bewaile: the third, the graces of God which are to be desired.

2. The meaning.

VEry few among the people can giue the right meaning of the wordes of this prayer. They pretend, that seeing God knowes their good meaning, it is sufficient for them to say the wordes and to meane well. But faith beeing one of the grounds of praier, and there beeing no faith without knowledge, neither can there be praier without knowledge, and therefore ignorant men are to learne the right meaning of the words.