fhould be done to God, and horrible Danger incurr'd by Perjury of either fort. 2. Oaths are profaned by fwearing to do Things impoffible, or to do Things finful, by both which we greatly difhonour the Name of God, efpecially by the latter, in as much as by fwearing that we will do what is unlawful, we make God a Witness of our Purpose and Refolution to offend against him. Not that in this Cafe there is any Obligation contracted by fuch Oaths, but to Repentance, and to feek God's Pardon heartily for having difhonoured his Name in this manner. 3. An Oath is to be hallowed, by refer ving it for great and weighty Cafes, as for the Ends of publick Peace and Justice. But upon every trifling Occafion to make use of the greatest Pledge of our Sincerity and Truth that can be given, as it is a Reproach to our felves, fo it is very dishonourable to God. An Oath ought never to be used but in Matters of moment, and then when no other Affurance can reafonably be relied on. But to appeal to the great God at every Turn, as the Common Swearer doth, thus to make bold with the Divine Majefty, is fo fenfless a Piece of Impudence, that we may well be aftonifhed that Men of ordihary Wit, much more they that make any Pretence to Religion, fhould be guilty of it; And yet, God knows, too many are. But most most certainly whofoever fwear in this fafhion, do declare that they have no Reverence of an Oath, otherwife they durft nog fwear fo lightly. And thus much concerning hallowing God's Name by a reverent Use of Oaths. 2dly, This may be applied to the Matter of Vows too, which are folemn Promifes made to God, wherein we do appeal to his Knowledge of our Hearts, and invoke his Juftice. Now concerning this, I fay, that the Matter of a Vow must be always fome Part of our Duty, or fomething that may ferve to keep us more ftrictly to it, and to secure us in the Performance of it; for by vowing any thing elfe, we make a Vow too cheap, as a common Swearer doth his Oath. But when we have vowed to the Lord, the Matter of the Vow being just and lawful, we must not defer to pay it for this were the fame Profanenefs with Perjury, only with this Aggravation, that a Vow is a Promise made to God, whereas a promiffory Oath is made to Man: And fhall we be falfe to our Maker, and deal untruly with God? This fhould make us seriously look back upon our Baptismal Covenant with God, and the Promises we have made to God in our Prayers, and the Promises we have made upon our fick Beds, or in any Time of Diftrefs, or at the Lord's Table, all which are fo many Vows, and withal Promises of what we had been obliged to if we had never vowed, and therefore the more ftrictly to be performed, if we intend to hallow the Name of God, and not bring upon our felves the dreadful Guilt of trifling with and mocking his facred Majefty. Lastly, Even all Chriftians, all Baptized Perfons, are holy to the Lord, feparated and called out of the World for the Service of God, according to the Rules of holy Living; and therefore we are to ufe our felves as holy Perfons, by having no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness, Eph. 5. 11. by not polluting our felves with any Uncleannefs or Wickednefs, by using our felves as becomes thofe whom God hath drawn nearer to himself. Hence it is that the Apoftle fo often exhorts Chriftians to walk war. thy of their holy Calling, and of the Gofpel, fince they were not Aliens, and Strangers from God, but made nigh by the Blood of Christ, Eph. 2. 13. It is not for nothing that in the New Teftament the Union betwixt Chrift and his Church is described by that of the Vine and the Branches, the Husband and the Wife, the Head and the Members; that we are all called the Children of God, the Houshold of Faith, and the like; all which Expreffions denote Fohn 15. 5. 30, 32. and 6. 10. 107 a very near Relation to God, to which he hath been pleased to admit us. And I doubt not but this is one Account why the Catholick Church in the Creed is called holy, that is, because it is relatively holy, as being called out of the World for the Service of God, and to have a Fellowship and Communion with him. And from hence it is plain, that every wilful Sin in a Chriftian, whofe Name is given to God, is an Act of Profaneness properly fo called, tho' it might not be fo in an Heathen; 'tis an alienating of himself from that Use to which God hath feparated him; it is to bring that into God's House and Family which is difhonourable to him. And therefore the Apoftle calls a Believer God's Temple, because he is dedicated to God's Service. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God? fays he to the Corinthians. And fo he calls them to make them afraid of polluting themselves with Fornication, or any fuch unclean Practice, because thus doing they should defile the Temple of God. And if any Man defile the Temple of God, him fhall God deftroy: for, fays he, the Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are, 1 Cor. 3. 16, 17. And now having thus fhewn what it is to hallow the Name of God, you may easily fee, What Kind of Persons they are that can with any Seriousness or Senfe say this Peti tion,Hallowed be thy Name; To be fure, Not thofe that have no Fear or Reverence of God in their Hearts, and fhew none in their Lives; Not thofe that neglect and contemn his outward Worfhip, and have no Regard to holy Things; Not the facrilegious Inva der upon his Rights; Not the profane Abufer of his Word in idle Talk; Not the perjured Man; Not the vain Common Swearer; Not he that lives in the Violation of Promifes and Vows made to God; Nor indeed any profefs'd Chriftian whatsoever that lives in the Practice of known Sin. Therefore were any Such well aware what they say when they fay the Lord's Prayer, that is, when they fav, hallowed be thy Name, and if they confidered well the Senfe and Meaning of thefe Words, their Confciences would ftop their Mouths, and make them ashamed to put up that Petition to God, which they live in a direct Contradi&tion to. In fhort, the Particulars contained under this Petition are fuch as thefe. "Let us ever remember, O God, that "thou art our great Creator, our absolute "Sovereign, our great Benefactor, our mer"ciful Saviour, and our all-feeing Judge; "and whilst we do thus acknowledge thee, may we ftand in awe of thine Almighty Power, thine all-feeing Providence, and |