commandment, in these words, "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them, nor worship them," Exod. xx. 5. And the worshipping of the true God is implied and expressed in these words, Matth. iv. 10, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

Nom. But sir, how do you prove that these duties which you have named are parts of God's worship?

Evan. For answer hereunto, I pray you consider, that to worship God, is to render up that homage and respect that is due from a creature to a Creator; now, in prayer we are said to render up this homage unto him, and to manifest our profession of dependence upon him for all the good we have, and acknowledge him to be the Author of all good; and indeed prayer is such a great part of God's worship, that sometimes in Scripture it is put for the whole worship of God. "He that calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," Rom. x. 13; that is, be that worships God aright; Jer. x. 25, "Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that know thee not, and on the families that call not upon thy name," that do not pray, that do not worship God.

And that hearing the word is a part of God's worship is manifest; because that in hearing we do manifest our dependence upon him, for knowing his mind, and the way to eternal life, every time we come to hear the word of God, if we know what we do, we do thus much, we profess that we depend upon the Lord God for the knowing of his mind, and the way and rule to eternal life; and besides, herein we also come to wait upon God in the way of an ordinance, to have that good conveyed unto us by way of an ordinance, beyond what the thing itself is able to do, and therefore this is worship. And that the receiving the sacrament is a part of God's worship, is manifest, in that when we come to receive these holy sigus and seals, we come to present ourselves before God, and come to God for a blessing in communicating unto us some higher good than possibly those creatures that we have to deal with are able of themselves to convey to us; we come to God to have communion with him, and that we might have the blessing of the covenant of grace conveyed unto us through these things; and therefore when we come to be exercised in them, we come to worship God. The like we might say of the rest of the duties before mentioned, but I hope this may suffice to satisfy you that they are parts of God's worship.

Nom. But, sir, you know that in this commandment there is nothing expressly forbidden but the making and worshipping of ima ges, and therefore I question whether all those other sins that you have named be likewise forbidden.

Evan. But you must know, that when the Lord condemneth the chief, or greatest and most evident kind of false worship, namely, the worship of God at, or by images, it is manifest that he forbids also the other kinds of false worship, seeing this is the head and fountain of all the rest; wherefore, whatsoever worships are instituted by men, or do any way hinder God's true worship, they are contrary to this commandment.

Nom. Well, sir, though that these things be so, yet for all that I am persuaded I go very near the keeping of this commandment; for I do constantly perform the most of these duties, and am not guilty of doing the contrary.

Evan. But thou must know, that for the worshipping of God aright, it is not only required that we do the good which he commands, and avoid the evil which he forbids, but also, that we do it in obedience to God, to show that we acknowledge him alone to be the true God, who has willed this worship to be thus done unto him; so that, as I told you before, the word of God must not only be the rule of our actions, but also the reason of them: we must do all things which are delivered and prescribed in the ten commandments, even for the love we bear to God, and for the desire we have to worship him; for except we so do them, we do them not according to the sentence and prescript of the law, neither do we please God therein. Wherefore, though you have prayed and heard the word of God and received the sacrament, and done all the rest of the forenamed duties, yea, and though you have not done the contrary, yet if all this has been either because the laws of the kingdom require it, or in mere obedience to any superior, or to gain the praise and esteem of men, or if you have any way made yourself your highest end, you have not obeyed nor worshipped God therein; for, says a judicious writer, "If any man shall observe these things in mere obedience to the king's laws, or thereby to please holy men, and not through an immediate reverence of that heavenly Majesty who has commanded them, that man's obedience is non-obedience; his keeping of these laws is no keeping them;" because the main thing here intended is neglected, which is the setting up God in his heart; and that which is most of all abhorred is practised, viz. the "fear of God taught by the precepts of men," Isa. xxix. 13. And to this purpose that worthy man of God has this saying, "Take heed, (says he) that the praises of men be not the highest end that thou aimest at; for if it be, thou worshippest men, thou dost make the praise of men to be thy god; for whatsoever thou dost lift up in the highest place, that is thy god, whatsoever it be; wherefore, if thou liftest up the praise of men, and makest that thy end, thou makest that thy god, and so thou art a worshipper of men, but not a worshipper of God."

Again, says he, "Take heed of making self thy end. That is, take heed of aiming at thine own peace, and satisfying thine own conscience in the performance of duties." It is true, says he, when we perform duties of God's worship we may be encouraged thereunto by the expectations of good to ourselves, yet we must look higher, we must look at the honour and praise of God; it is not enough to do it, merely to satisfy conscience; thy main end must be, that thou mayst, by the performance of the duty be fitted to honour the name of God, otherwise we do them not for God but for ourselves, which the Lord condemns, Zech. vii. 5, 6. And now, neighbour Nomologista, I pray you, let me ask you once again, whether you think you keep this commandment perfectly or no?

Nom. No, believe me, sir, I do now begin to fear I do not.

Evan. If you make any question of it, I would intreat you to consider with yourself, whether you have not gone to the church on the Lord's day to hear the word of God, and to receive the sacrament, and do other duties, because the laws of the kingdom require it, or because your parents and masters have required it, or because it is a custom to do so, or because you conceive it to be a credit for you to do so. And I pray you also consider, whether you have not abstained from worshipping images, and other such idolatrous and superstitious actions which the Papists use, merely because the laws of the land wherein you live do condemn such things. And I pray you also consider whether you have not been sometimes zealous in prayer in the presence and company of others, to gain their praise and approbation; have you not desired that they should think you to be a man of good gifts and parts? And have you not in that regard endeavoured to enlarge yourself? And have you not sometimes performed duties merely because otherwise conscience would not let you be quiet? And have you not sometimes fasted and prayed, merely or chiefly in hopes that the Lord would, for your so doing, prevent or remove some judgment from you, or grant you some good thing which you desire. Now, I beseech you, answer me truly and plainly, whether you do not think you have done so ? Nom. Yea, believe me, sir, I think I have.

Evan Then have you in all these things honoured and worshipped your parents, your masters, your magistrates, your neighbours, your friends, and yourself, as so many false gods, instead of the true God; and therein have been guilty of a breach of the second commandment.

Neo. I pray you, sir, proceed to speak of the third commandment, as you have done of the first and second; and first, tell us how the second and third commandment differ.

COMMANDMENT III.

Evan. Why, as the Lord in the second commandment doth require that we worship him alone by true means, so does he in the third commandment require that we use the means of his worship after a right manner, that so they may not be used in vain, Matt. xv. 9. And in this commandment likewise, there is a negative part expressed in these words, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." And that is, Thou shalt not profane it, by using my titles, attributes, ordinances, or works, ignorantly, irrevently, or after a formal, superstitious manner. And an affirmative part, included in these words, "But thou shalt sanctify my name, Isa. viii. 13; by using my titles, attributes, ordinances, works, and religion, with knowledge, reverence, and after a spiritual manner, John iv. 24.

Neo. I pray you, sir, begin with the affirmative part, and first tell us what the Lord requires in this commandment.

Evan. The Lord in his commandment doth require, that we sanctify his name in our hearts, with our tongues, and in our lives, by thinking, conceiving, speaking, writing, and walking, so as becomes the excellency of his titles, attributes, ordinances, works, and religion.

Neo. And how are we to sanctify the name of the Lord in regard of his titles ?

Evan. By thinking, conceiving, speaking, and writing holily, reverently, and spiritually of his titles, Lord and God, Deut. xxviii. 58. And this we do when we meditate on them, and use them in our speeches and writings with an inward spiritual fear and trembling, to the glory of God and good of men, Jer. v. 22.

Neo. And how are we to sanctify the name of the Lord, in regard of his attributes?

Evan. By thinking, conceiving, speaking, and writing holily, reverently, and spiritually of his power, wisdom, justice, mercy, and patience, Psalm civ. 1, and ciii. 6, 8. And this we do when we think, speak, and write of them after a careful, reverent, and spiritual manner, and apply them to such good uses for which the Lord has made them known, Psalm xxxvii. 30.

Neo. And in which of God's ordinances are we to sanctify his name?

Evan. In every one of his ordinances, and especially in the three great ordinances, prayer, preaching, and hearing the word, and administering and receiving the sacraments.

Neo. And how are we to sanctify the name of the Lord in prayer?

Evan. In prayer we are to sanctify the name of the Lord in our hearts, and with our tongues, in calling upon his name after a holy, reverent, and spiritual manner; and this we do when our prayers are the speech of our souls, and not of our mouths only; and that is, when in prayer we lift up our hearts unto God, Psalm xxv. 1; and pour them out unto him, Psalm lxii. 8; and when we pray with spirit, and with understanding also, 1 Cor. viv. 15; and with humility, Gen. xviii. 27; and xxxii. 10; Luke xviii. 13; and with fervency of spirit, James v. 16; and out of a sense of our own wants, James i. 5; and with a special faith in the promises of God, Matt. xxi. 22.

Neo. And how are your ministers to sanctify the name of the Lord in preaching his word?

Evan. We are to sanctify the name of the Lord in our hearts, and with our tongues, in preaching after a holy, reverent, and spitual manner; and this we do when the word is preached, not only outwardly, by the body, but also inwardly with the heart and soul; and when the heart and soul preaches, then is the ministry of the word, on the minister's part, used after an holy and spiritual manner, and that is, when we preach in demonstration of the Spirit, 1 Cor. iii. 27; and in sincerity, 2 Cor. ii. 17; and faithfully without respect of persons, Deut. xxxiii. 9; and with judgment and discretion, Matt. xxiv. 49; and with authority and power, Matt. vii. 29; and with zeal to God's glory, John vii. 18; and with a desire of the people's salvation, 2 Cor. xi. 2.

Neo. And how are we hearers to sanctify the name of the Lord in hearing his word?

Enan. In hearing it after an holy, reverent, and spiritual manner; and this you do when your heart and soul hears the word of God; and that is when you set yourself in the presence of God, Acts x. 33; and when you look upon the minister as God's messenger or ambassador, 2 Cor. v. 20, and so hear the word as the word of God, and not as the word of man, 1 Thess. ii. 13; with reverence and fear, Isa. lxvi. 2; and with a ready desire to learn, Acts xvii. 11; and with attention, Acts viii. 6; and with alacrity without wearisomeness or sleepiness, Acts xx. 9.

Neo. And how are you ministers to sanctify the name of the Lord in administering the sacraments?

Evan. By administering them after an holy, reverent, and spiritual manner; and that is, when we administer them with our hearts or souls, according to Christ's institution, Matt. xxvi. 26; to the faithful in profession at least, 1 Cor. x. 16; and with a hearty desire that may become profitable to the receivers.