The summe of Christian religion: deliuered by Zacharias Vrsinus in his lectures vpon the Catechism autorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolued the questions of whatsoeuer points of moment, which haue beene or are controuersed in diuinitie. Translated into English by Henrie Parrie, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supplie of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of diuinitie, and with correction of sundrie faults & imperfections, which ar [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latine.

THE FIRST PETITION.

HALLOWED be thy name.

This petition is set in the first place, because it is the end and scope of all the other petitions, or rather, because the end of all thinges must be gods glorie. Now the end is the first thing which is intended, & the last thing which is performed and exe∣quuted: like as also the end of the other petitions is first to be desired, if we will desire the rest aright. Mat 6.33. Seeke yee first the kingdome of God, and his righteousnesse, and all these thinges shall be ministred vnto you.

We are here to consider 1 What is called the name of God. 2 What is Holie. 3 What, to hallowe or sanctifie.

1 The name of God signifieth, 1 God himselfe. Ps. 116.13. J will call vpon the name of the Lorde. 2 Gods commandement & charge, his diuine will and authoritie. Mat. 28.19. Baptise them in the name of the Father, &c. 3 The properties and woorkes of God, in which signification the name of God is here taken, to wit, for his diuine woorkes, and all those thinges, which may be attributed vnto God.

2 Holie, signifieth, 1 All the properties of God. For al the vertues in God are Gods holinesse. So the Angels call god Holie. Isa. 6 3. Holie, Holie, Holie, Lord God of hosts. 2 That holi∣nesse which is in creatures, that is, their conformitie with God, which is begunne in the godly, and is perfect in the Angels. 3 The ordeining or appointing of thinges to holie vses. In this sense that is called holy, which is destined to some holy vse, as the Temple of Hierusalem. The word of Hallow∣ing is here taken in all three senses, as a little after we shall vnderstand.

3 To hallow or sanctifie, is in Scripture vsed after three waies. 1 Of vs. 2 Of God. 3 Of Christ. 1 Of vs it is affirmed after a double manner: first, when wee hallow and sanctifie our selues & others. And we sanctifie our selues and others, when (as touch∣ing externall and outward thinges) we prepare our selues and others to glorifie God. For there commeth some holi∣nesse vnto vs by glorifieng of God, but none to God. Se∣condlie, When we hallowe and sanctifie God. Now we sanctifie God, 1 When we acknowledge god to be holie: or when we ac∣knowledge

God to be such, as hee hath declared himselfe in his word and woorkes; that is, when we know and thinke the same of Gods Essence, of his wil, & works, of his omni∣potency, goodnesse, wisedome, and other his properties, which God in his woorde hath commaunded and reueiled that we should know and thinke of them. Secondly, When we professe God to be holie, and so magnifie him according to his will, that is, when our confession, whereby we confesse god to be holy, is agreeing with his diuine will. And then is it a∣greeing with his diuine will, when we professe the Holines of God both in minde, and woorde, and also in deede and woorkes. Thirdlie, When we refer the true doctrine, knowledge, and profession of Gods holinesse, and likewise our praiers and acti∣ons, and euen our whole life vnto that end, whereunto wee ought, and whither God hath commanded it to bee referred, namely, to the glorie and woorship of God himselfe. And so wee are said to sanctifie God after the selfesame three waies, after which a thing is saide to be holy. Wherefore, when we desire that the name of God may be hallowed or sanctified, wee desire, 1 That God would illighten vs with the knowledge of his holinesse. 2 That he would giue vs a minde to professe the same in wordes & deeds, or, that he would giue vs faith & repentance, whereby we may glorifie him, and whereby wee may seuer him from Idols and prophane things: or lastly, that he would regene∣rate vs; and this, first by knowledge, then by profession, and lastly, by conformitie, according to this his commandement. Be yee holie, euen as I also am holie. 3 That hee would giue vs a mind to professe that holinesse of his diuine Name to his own praise and glorie. Hither may be referred that of Austen: Giue what thou commaundest, and commaund what thou wilt, and then shalt thou not commaund in vaine.

Obiection. God is holie enough, there is no cause therefore why we should desire that he be hallowed or sanctified. Aunswere. God is holy in himselfe. But wee desire, that wee may ac∣knowledge him to be holy, and so magnifie him. He sancti∣fieth vs by making vs holy, wee sanctifie and hallow God himselfe, when we speake that of him, which he will haue vs to speake and knowe of him. Obiection 2. What be∣longeth vnto vs to do, that should we not desire another to doe. But it belongeth to vs to hallow and sanctifie the name of God. Answ.

What belongeth vnto vs to doe, that wee ought not to de∣sire another to doe, if so we be able by our selues, & by our own strength to perfourme it. But we are not able to doe this. Therefore we must desire of God, that he will giue vs strength, wherby his diuine name may be of vs hallowed & sanctified.

The worde hallowing is affirmed of God, not that hee hallow∣eth himself, or that another halloweth him, seeing he hath none aboue him, but because he halloweth and sanctifieth others. And others he sanctifieth inwardlie, and outwardly. Jn∣wardly by his holie spirit. Outwardlie by his woorde. Which he ef∣fectuateth, 1 By separating them from their sinnes. 2 By reui∣uing & quickning them by his holie spirit. 3 By the continuing of both.

3 The same worde is affirmed of Christ, two waies. Namely, both passiuely, and actiuelie. Passiuelie, 1 Because the Word was ordained and consecrated by the father to the office of the Me∣diatour. 2 Because the humane nature of Christ was cansecrated out of that whole lump or masse, that is, was selected from a∣mong all creatures to the vnion with the Worde. 3 Because his humane nature was preserued from sinne for the perfourmance of the Mediatourship. The same is also affirmed of him pas∣siuelie, because Christ is hallowed and sanctified of vs. Now it is vsed of him actiuely, because Christ sanctifieth both himselfe & others. He sanctifieth & halloweth himself, as he is the Word and Mediatour. The Word did sanctify with his Father that flesh, which he tooke, by preseruing the same from sinne, and by endowing it with al giftes, and this so, as the Father also himselfe preserued it from sinne, and would that christ shoulde become our Ransome. As he is Mediatour, he san∣ctified himselfe, by his voluntarie obedience towardes his father, in offering himselfe a sacrifice for vs. He sanctifieth vs, 1 By imputing his own righteousnesse. 2 By a reall communi∣cating of his holinesse, which is wrought by the holy ghost. Con∣cerning all these, read Zanch. de trib. Eloh. lib. 4. cap. 10. The same Zanchius in the same booke, cap. 3. pag. 89. & cap. 10. pag. 154. setteth downe three waies, whereby Christ sanctifieth vs. 1 The Jmputation of his righteousnesse, which is conside∣red in his whole humiliation, and obedience vnto death. 2 The Jmputation of his most perfect holinesse; for which he al∣leageth

the place of Paul, 1. Cor. 1.30. 3 The reall commu∣nicating thereof. But notwithstanding it is to bee obserued, that Zanchius, when he expoundeth the place of the Epi∣stle to the Hebrues, maketh that holinesse of Christ to cō∣sist in his voluntarie passion; in which sense if we take it, it seemeth not much to differ from the imputation of his iu∣stice and righteousnesse, which consisteth in obedience.