Page:Sermons on the Lord's Prayer.djvu/32

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it: and the very original reason of this order and Divine style is, that God himself is the First of all things, and at the same time includes all things, for all things in his creation are derived from him, and he is omnipresent in them.

But now, in the second place, we have to consider the meaning of the words "Hallowed be thy name," in another and more confined sense. In this sense, by the name of God, is signified, the Holy Word, and at the same time, all things which the Church teaches from the Word, and from which the Lord is worshiped. That the Divine Word is in a certain sense the name of God, may be seen in this view:—By the name of God, as before said, is meant his quality, his nature, and whatever proceeds from him; for what proceeds from him is but himself going forth. Now, the Holy Word is the very Divine Proceeding itself; it is essential Divine Truth and Goodness, filling the heavens and the earth; it is, indeed, the Lord himself going forth to enlighten and bless his creatures. As we read, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God:" thus, in truth, the Word is God himself, and therefore is essentially his Divine quality or nature, and thus his name. Indeed, that it is his very name, may be seen from that sublime passage in the Apocalypse,[1] in which the Lord is called the Word: "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth