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

EVANGELISTA. The Lord in this 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.

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

EVANGELISTA. By thinking, conceiving, speaking, and writing holily, reverently, and spiritually of his titles, Lord and God, (Deut 28:58). 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 5:22).

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

EVANGELISTA. By thinking, conceiving, speaking, and writing holily, reverently, and spiritually of his power, wisdom, justice, mercy, and patience, (Psa 104:1, 103:6,8). 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, (Psa 37:30).

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

EVANGELISTA. 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.

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

EVANGELISTA. 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, (Psa 25:1); and pour them out unto him, (Psa 62:8); and when we pray with spirit, and with understanding also, (1 Cor 14:15); and with humility, (Gen 18:27, 32:10, Luke 18:13); and with fervency of spirit, (James 5:16); and out of a sense of our own wants, (James 1:5) and with a special faith in the promises of God, (Matt 21:22).

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

EVANGELISTA. We are to sanctify the name of the Lord in our hearts, and with our tongues, in preaching after a holy, reverent, and spiritual manner; and this we do when the word is preached, not only outwardly, by the body, but also inwardly with the heart and soul: 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 2:4); and in sincerity, (2 Cor 2:17); and faithfully without respect of persons, (Deut 33:9); and with judgment and discretion, (Matt 24:49); and with authority and power, (Matt 7:29); and with zeal to God's glory, (John 7:18); and with a desire of the people's salvation, (2 Cor 11:2).

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

EVANGELISTA. 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 yourselves in the presence of God, (Acts 10:33); and when you look upon the minister as God's messenger or ambassador, (2 Cor 5:20), and so hear the word as the word of God, and not as the word of man, (1 Thess 2:13); with reverence and fear, (Isa 66:2); and with a ready desire to learn, (Acts 17:11); and with attention, (Acts 8:6); and with alacrity, without wearisomeness or sleepiness, (Acts 20:9).

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

EVANGELISTA. 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 26:26); to the faithful in profession at least, (1 Cor 10:16); and with a hearty desire that may become profitable to the receivers.

NEOPHYTUS. And how are we to sanctify the name of the Lord in receiving the sacraments?

EVANGELISTA. This we do when we rightly and seriously examine ourselves aforehand, (1 Cor 11); and rightly and seriously mind and consider of the sacramental union of the sign, and the thing signified, and do in our hearts perform those inward actions which are signified by the outward actions. (Acts 8:37,38, 1 Cor 10:6)

NEOPHYTUS. And how are we to sanctify the name of the Lord in regard of his works?

EVANGELISTA. In thinking and speaking of them after a wise, reverent, and spiritual manner; and this we do when we meditate and make mention, in our speeches and writings, of the inward works of God's eternal election and reprobation, with wonderful admiration of the unsearchable depths thereof, (Rom 11:33,34); and when we meditate in our hearts of the works of God's creation and administration, and make mention of them in our words and writings, so as that we acknowledge therein his wisdom, power, and goodness, (Rom 1:19,20, Psa 19:1); and acknowledging the workmanship of God therein, do speak honourably of the same, (Psa 139:14, Gen 1:31).

NEOPHYTUS. And how are we to sanctify the name of the Lord in regard of his religion?

EVANGELISTA. By holy profession of his true religion, and a conversation answerable thereunto, to the glory of God, the good of ourselves and others, (Matt 5:16, 1 Peter 2:12).

NEOPHYTUS. And, sir, are we not also to sanctify the name of God by swearing thereby?

EVANGELISTA. Yea, indeed, that was well remembered; we are to sanctify the name of the Lord in our hearts, and with our tongues in swearing thereby, after a holy, religious, and spiritual manner; and this we do when the magistrate requires an oath of us by the order of justice, that is, not against piety or charity, (Gen 43:3, 1 Sam 24:21,22); and when we swear in truth, (Jer 4:2); that is, when we are persuaded in our conscience the thing we swear is truth, and swear simply and plainly, without fraud or deceit, (Psa 15:4, 24:4); and when we swear in judgment, that is, when we swear with deliberation, well considering both the nature and greatness of an oath, viz: that God is thereby called to witness the truth, and judge and punish us if we swear falsely, (Gal 1:20, 2 Cor 1:23); and when we swear in righteousness, that is, when the thing we swear is lawful and just, and when our swearing is, that God may be glorified, (Josh 7:19); our neighbour satisfied, controversies ended, (Heb 6:16); our own innocency cleared, (Exo 22:11); and our duty discharged, (1 Kings 8:31).

NEOPHYTUS. Well, sir, now I pray you, proceed to the negative part, and tell us what the Lord forbiddeth in this commandment.

EVANGELISTA. As the Lord in the affirmative part of this 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, and religion; so doth he in the negative part thereof forbid the profanation of his name, by doing the contrary.

NEOPHYTUS. Well then, sir, I pray you first tell us how the titles of God are profanely abused.

EVANGELISTA. They are profanely abused divers ways; as first, by thinking irreverently of them, or using them in our common talk, or in our writings, after a rash, careless and irreverent manner, (Psa 50:22, Rom 1:21); as when in foolish admiration we say, Good God! Good Lord! Lord have mercy on us, what a thing is this? and the like; or when by the way of idle wishes or imprecations we say, "The Lord be my judge!" (Gen 16:5); or, I pray God I may never stir, if such a thing be not so, and the like; or when by way of vain swearing, we mingle our speeches, and fill up our sentences with needless oaths, as, Not so, by my faith! and the like, (Matt 5:34, James 5:12); or when by way of jesting, or after a formal manner we say, God be thanked, God speed, God's name be praised, and the like, (2 Sam 23:21).

NEOPHYTUS. And I pray you, sir, how are the attributes of God profanely abused?

EVANGELISTA. The attribute of God's power is profanely abused, either by calling it into question, (2 Kings 7:2), or by thinking, speaking, or writing of it carnally, carelessly, or contemptuously, (Psa 12:4, Exo 5:2). And the attribute of God's providence is abused either by murmuring thereat in our hearts, (Deut 15:9), or by speaking grudgingly against it under the name of fortune or chance, in saying, What a misfortune was this! What a mischance was that! and the like. (Deut 1:27, 1 Sam 6:9) And the attribute of God's justice is profanely abused, either by thinking or saying, that God likes sin or wicked sinners, (Psa 50:21, Mal 3:15). And the attribute of God's mercy is profanely abused, either in presuming to sin, upon hopes that God will be merciful, or by speaking basely and contemptuously thereof, as when we say, speaking of some trifling thing, It is not worth God-a-mercy. And the attribute of God's patience is profanely abused by thinking or saying upon occasion of his forbearance to punish for a time, that he will neither call us to an account, nor punish us for our sins. (Rom 2:4)

NEOPHYTUS. Now, sir, I pray you proceed to show how God's name is profanely abused in his ordinances; and first of all begin with prayer.

EVANGELISTA. God's name is profanely abused in prayer, either by praying ignorantly, without the true knowledge of God and his will, (Acts 17:23, Matt 20:22); or when we pray with the mouth only, and not with the desires of our hearts agreeing with our words, (Hosea 3:14, Psa 78:36); and when we pray drowsily and heavily without fervency of spirit, (Matt 26:41); and when we pray with wandering worldly thoughts, (Rom 12:12); and when we pray with any conceit of our own worthiness, (Luke 18:9,11); and when we pray without faith in the promises of God, (James 1:6).

NEOPHYTUS. And how is God's name profanely abused in hearing or reading his word?

EVANGELISTA. God's name is hereby abused, when we hear it or read it, and do not understand it, (Acts 8:30); and when we hear it only with the outward ears of our bodies, and not also with the inward ears of our heart and soul; and this we do when we read it or hear it with our hearts full of wandering thoughts, (Eze 33:30); and we read it, or hear it with dull, drowsy, and sleepy spirits; and when in hearing of it we rather conceive it to be the word of a mortal man that delivers it; than the word of the great God of heaven and earth, (1 Thess 2:13); and when we do not with our hearts believe every part and portion of that word which we read or hear, (Heb 4:2); and when we do not humbly and heartily subject ourselves to what we read or hear, (2 Kings 22:19, Isa 62:2).

NEOPHYTUS. And how is the Lord's name profanely abused in receiving the sacrament of the Lord's supper?

EVANGELISTA. This we do when we either through want of knowledge cannot examine ourselves, or through our own negligence do not examine ourselves, before we eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, (1 Cor 11:28); and when we, in the act of receiving, do not mind the spiritual signification of the sacrament, but do either terminate our thoughts in the elements themselves, or else suffer them to rove and run out to some other object, (Luke 22:19); and when, after receiving, we do not examine ourselves what communion we have had with Christ in that ordinance, nor what virtue we have found flowing out from Christ into our own souls, by means of that ordinance, (2 Cor 13:5).

NEOPHYTUS. And how is the name of the Lord profanely abused in taking of an oath?

EVANGELISTA. This we do, when we call the Lord to be a witness of vain and frivolous things, by our usual swearing in our common talk, (Hosea 4:2, Jer 23:10); and when we call God to be a witness of our furious anger and wicked purpose, as when we swear we will be revenged on such a man, and the like, (1 Sam 14:39, 25:34); and when we call God to be a witness to our swearing falsely, (Lev 19:12, Zech 5:4); and when we swear by the mass, or by our faith, or troth, or by the rood, or by anything else that is not God, (Jer 5:7, Matt 5:34-37).

NEOPHYTUS. And how is the name of God profanely abused as touching his works?

EVANGELISTA. When we either take no notice of his works at all, or when we think and speak otherwise of them than we have warrant from his word to do; as when we do not speak of the inward works of God's election and reprobation, and are called thereunto, and when we murmur and cavil thereat, (Rom 9:20); and when we either do not at all mind the works of his creation and administration, or do not take occasion thereby to glorify the name of God, (Psa 19:1, Rom 1:21).

NEOPHYTUS. And how is the name of God profanely abused in respect of his religion?

EVANGELISTA. When our conversation is not agreeable to our profession, (2 Tim 3:5); and that either when in respect of God it is but hypocrisy, or in respect of men we walk offensively; for if we live scandalously in the profession of religion, we cause the name of God to be profaned by them that are without, (Rom 2:24), and become stumbling blocks to our weak brethren, (Rom 14:13).

And now, neighbour Nomologista, I pray you, tell me whether you think you keep this commandment perfectly or no.

NOMOLOGISTA. Sir, to tell you the truth, I had not thought that the name of God had signified any more than his titles, Lord and God.

EVANGELISTA. Aye, but you are to know that the name of God in Scripture signifies all those things that are affirmed of God, or any thing whatsoever it is, whereby the Lord makes himself known to men.

NOMOLOGISTA. Then believe me, sir, I have come far short of keeping this commandment perfectly, and so does every man else, I am persuaded.

EVANGELISTA. I am of your mind, for where is the man that hath and doth so meditate on God's titles, and use them in his speeches and writings, with such reverence, fear and trembling, as he ought? Or what man is he that can truly say, he never in all his life thought on them, or used them in his common talk, either rashly, carelessly, or irreverently? I am sure, for my own part, I cannot say so; for, alas! in the time of mine ignorance, I used many times to say, by way of foolish admiration, Good Lord! Good God! Lord have mercy on me, what a things is this? Yea, and I also many times used to say, I pray God I may never stir if such a thing be not so! Yea, and I have divers times said, The Lord be with you, and speed you! and, The Lord's name be praised! after a formal cursory manner, my thoughts being exercised about something else all the while.

And where is the man that has always thought, conceived, spoken, and written so holily, reverently, and spiritually, of the Lord's power, wisdom, justice, mercy, and patience, as he ought? Nay, what man is he that can truly say, he never in all his life called the attribute of the Lord's power into question, nor ever murmured at any act or passage of God's providence, nor ever presumed to sin, upon hopes that God would be merciful unto him? I am sure I cannot truly say so.

And where can we find the man that can truly say, he has always read and heard the word of God after a holy, reverent, and spiritual manner? Nay, where is the man that has not sometimes both heard it and read it after a formal, cursory, and unprofitable manner? Is there any man that can truly say he has always perfectly understood whatsoever he has read and heard_and that has not sometimes heard more with the outward ears of his body, than with the inward ears of his heart and soul_and that was never dull and drowsy, if not sleepy, in the time of hearing and reading_and that had never a worldly, nor wandering thought to come in at that time_and that never had the least doubting or questioning the truth of what he had read or heard? I am sure, for my own part, I have been faulty many of these ways.

And is it possible to find a man that can truly say, he has always called upon the name of the Lord after a holy, reverent, and spiritual manner, or has not rather many times prayed after a carnal, unholy, or sinful manner? Where is the man that has always had a perfect knowledge of God and of his will in prayer, and whose heart has always gone along with his words in prayer, and that never was drowsy nor heavy, never had wandering thoughts in prayer, and that never had the least conceit that God would grant him anything for his prayer's sake, and that never had the least doubting or question in his heart, whether God would grant him the thing he asked in prayer. I am sure, for my own part, I can scarce clear myself from any of these.

And can any man truly say he has always received the sacrament after a holy, reverent, and spiritual manner? Nay, has not every man rather cause to acknowledge the contrary? Is there a man to be found that has always seriously and rightly examined himself beforehand, and that has always, rightly, with his heart, performed all those inward actions that are signified by the outward; or has not every man and woman rather cause to confess, that either for want of knowledge, or through their own negligence, they have not so examined themselves as they ought, nor so actuated their faith, nor minded the spiritual signification of the outward elements, in the time of receiving the sacrament as they ought, nor so examined themselves, after receiving, what benefit they have got to their soul thereby? I am sure I have cause to confess all this.

And where shall we find a man that has always sanctified the name of the Lord in his heart, and with his tongue, by swearing after a holy, religious, and spiritual manner; or rather, have not most men that have been called to take an oath, profaned the name of the Lord, either by swearing ignorantly, falsely, maliciously, or from some base and wicked end? And I think it is somewhat hard to find a man that never in all his life did swear, either by his faith, or by his troth, by the mass, or by the rood. I am sure I am not the man; and he is a rare man that can truly say, he has always sanctified the name of God in his heart, and with his tongue, by admiring and acknowledging the wisdom, power, and goodness of God manifested in his works, for it is to be feared that most men do either take no notice at all of the works of God, or else do think and speak of them otherwise than the word of God warrants them to do. I am sure I am one of these most.

And he is a precious man that has always so sanctified the name of the Lord, by a holy and unblamable conversation as he ought; for, alas! many professors of religion, by their fruitless and offensive walking, do either cause the enemies of God to speak evil of the way of God, or else do thereby cause their weak brother to stumble: it is well if I never did so: and thus have I also endeavoured to satisfy your desires concerning the third commandment.

NEOPHYTUS. I beseech you, sir, proceed to speak of the fourth commandment as you have done of the other three.