2. The Use

Thus much of the preface: now follow the petitions. They be six in number, the three first concern God, the three last ourselves. The three former petitions are again divided into two parts: the first concerns God's glory itself; the other two, the means whereby God's glory is manifested and enlarged among men. For God's name is glorified among men when his kingdom does come, and his will is done.

Question. Why is this petition, Hallowed be your name, set in the first place? Answer. Because God's glory must be preferred before all things, because it is the end of all creatures and of all the counsels of God. Proverbs 16:4. The Lord has made all things for his own sake: indeed even the wicked for the day of evil. And from the order of the petitions here arises a worthy instruction, namely, that every one in all things they take in hand, are to propound to themselves and to intend the glory of God. The reason is this: The end which God has appointed to all our doings, we are to propound to ourselves: but God has appointed that the highest end of all his doings should be his glory: therefore our hearts must be set to seek it first of all. That God will have his name glorified by us, appears in this; that he punishes those which of obstinacy set themselves to dishonor him, or by negligence did not sanctify him, when they should have done so. Herod sitting in his royalty, 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 struck him, because he gave not glory to God (Acts 12:23). And Moses because he did not sanctify the Lord in the presence of the children of Israel, therefore he came not into the land of promise; yet he did not altogether fail 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 prefer the glory of God before all things else.

Question. Whether are we to prefer the glory of God before the salvation of our souls? Answer. If the cause stand thus that God's name must be dishonored, or our souls condemned, we must account the glory of God more precious than the salvation of our souls. This is manifest in the order of the petitions. The petitions that concern God's glory is first, and the petitions that concern directly our salvation are the fifth and sixth. Whereby we are taught, that before God should want any part of his glory, we must let body and soul and all go, that God may have all his glory. This affection had Moses (Exodus 32:32) when he said, Either forgive them, or if you will not, blot my name out of your book.

In this petition as also in the rest, we must observe three things: the first is the meaning of the words: the second, the wants which men must learn to bewail: the third, the graces of God which are to be desired.