A godly and learned treatise of prayer which both conteineth in it the doctrine of prayer, and also sheweth the practice of it in the exposition of the Lords prayer: by that faithfull and painfull servant of God George Downame, Doctr of Divinity, and late L. Bishop of Dery in the realm of Ireland.

Duties in our lives.

To be thankfull to God for his benefits; To expresse our thankfulnesse, by thanksgiving, by referring them to the glory of God, by repentance; To rejoyce with others; To glori∣fie God in them; To make right use of his cha∣stisements on our selves and others. Other∣wise, if we shall be proud of those good things which we have, as though we had not received them, not giving God the glory, nor referring them to his glory and the good of others, but contrariwise abusing them to the dishonour of God and the hurt of others, as many do their learning, wit, riches, strength, &c. If we shall deprave Gods mercies in others, or envie them; If in the judgements of God upon our selves we shall harden our hearts with Pharaoh; If we shall impatiently bear them, and murmure against the severity of God; If with Bel∣teshazzar we shall not be moved with the example of others, Dan. 5. 22. If we shall make a sport of other mens calamities; we are farre from that desire of sanctifying Gods name which in this prayer we pretend.

Secondly, in these words we pray that the Lord would sanctifie his name. The which petition we are the rather to make, because his glory is so little regarded amongst men. And in this sense our prayer

is the same with that of our Saviour, John 12. 28. Father, glorifie thy name; or with that of David, Psal. 57. 6, 11. Be tho•…•… exalted, Lord, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth; or that, Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, &c.

The Lord doth sanctifie his name, I. When he* 1.1 doth shew forth and manifest the excellencie and glory of his name, that is, of his attributes and per∣fections, as wisdome, power, &c. but especially by making manifest the glory of his mercy and justice. Of mercy; by preserving his Church, and multiplying his blessings upon the faithfull, Ezech. 36. 21. For the glory of his own name he preserved his Church amongst the heathen, and promised to reduce them into their own countrey: not for their sakes, but his holy names sake, v. 22. and then v. 23. I will sanctifie my great name, which was polluted a∣mongst the heathen (namely, because of the affliction of his people) v. 20. and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sancti∣fied in you before their eyes, &c. So 2. Thess. 1. 12. Of his justice and power; in executing his judge∣ments on transgressours and on the wicked, and overthrowing the enemies of his Church. When Nadab and Abihu had offered strange fire contrary to the commandment of God, and were destroyed by fire from heaven, he said, I will be sanctified in them that come near me; (that is, By executing judge∣ment even against those that are near to me, I will make manifest the glory of my justice) and before all the people will I be glorified, Levit. 10. 3. Isai. 5. 15, 16. By the judgements of God executed upon the

wicked it is said that man shall be humbled and brought low, but the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgement, and the holy God shall be sanctified in justice. Ezech. 28. 22. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I come against thee, Sidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have executed judgements in her, and shall be sanctified in her: For I will send into her pestilence, &c. And chap. 38. 22, 23. he threatneth to rain fire and brimstone upon Gog and Magog, that is, both the open and secret enemies of the Church, &c. Thus, saith he, will I be magnified and sanctified and known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

II. God doth sanctifie and glorifie his name, when he doth remove the impediments of his glo∣ry, as idolatry & worshipping of false gods, supersti∣tion,* 1.2 ignorance, and giveth a free passage to his Gospel, when he taketh away the wicked, Psal. 104. 35.

III. By freeing it from the abuses & pollutions of men, and mainteining his own glory. When Moses and Aaron at the waters of Strife did not sanctifie the Lord by believing and acknowledging his omnipotent power, then the Lord did sanctifie his name himself, Num. 20. 12, 13. Lev. 22. 32. Neither shall ye pollute my holy name; but I will be hal∣lowed amongst the people of Israel. So when Herod would not give the glory to God, the Lord glorifi∣ed himself in his destruction. In the second place therefore we pray in zeal of Gods' glory, That howsoever men pollute and profane his holy name,

yet he would glorifie it, and manifest the praise both of his mercy in blessing and preserving his Church, and also of his justice in executing his judgements upon the wicked and enemies of his Church, by removing the impediments, by freeing it from the pollution of men, and mainteining his glory.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How God sanctifieth his name.
• * 1.2

  2. Thess. 3. 1.