Nom. Sir, to tell you the truth, I had not hought that the name of God had fignified any more than his titles, Lord and God. Evan. Ay, but you are to know that the name of God in fcripture, fignifieth all those things (a) hat are affirmed of God, or any thing whatsoewer it is, (b) whereby the Lord makes himself known to men. Nom. Then believe me, Sir, I have come far fhort of keeping this commandment perfectly, and fo doth every man elfe, I am perfuaded. Evan. I am of your mind, for where is the man that hath and doth fo meditate on God's titles, and use them in his fpeeches and writings, with such reverence, fear, and trembling as he ought? Or what man is he that can truly fay, he never in all his life thought on them, nor ufed them in his common talk, either rafhly, carelefly, or irreverently. I am fure, for mine own part, I cannot fay fo, for alas! in the time of mine ignorance, 1 ufed many times to fay, by way of foolish admiration, Good Lord, good God, Lord have mercy on us! What a thing is this? Yea, and I alfo many times used to fay, I pray God I may never ftir if fuch a thing be not fo. Yea, and I have divers times faid, The Lord be with you, and Speed you, and the Lord's name be praised, after a formal coursary manner, my thoughts being exercised about fomething elfe all the while. And where is the man that hath always thought, conceived, fpoken, and written fo holily, reverently, and fpiritually, of the Lord's D4 (2) Urfin. Cat. Page 556. power, Part power, wisdom, juftice, mercy, and patience, a he ought? Nay, what man is he that can truly fay, he never in all his life called the attribute of G the Lord's power into queftion, nor never mur mured at any act or paffage of God's providence, nor never prefumed to fin, upon hopes, that God would be merciful unto him? I am fure I can not truly fay fo. And where can we find the man that can truly fay, he hath always read and heard the word of God, after a holy, reverent, and spiritual manner? Nay, where is the man that hath not some times both heard it, and read it, after a formal curiory and unprofitable manner? Is there any man that can truly fay, he hath always perfectly! understood, whatfoever he hath read and heard? and that hath not fometimes heard more with the outward ears of his body, than with the inward ears of his heart and foul? and that was never dull and drowfy, if not fleepy, in the time of hearing and reading? and that had never worldly, nor wandering thought came in at that time? and that never had the leaft doubting or queftioning the truth of what he hath read or heard? I am fure, for mine own part, I have 1 been faulty many of thefe ways. And is it poffible to find a man that can truly fay, he hath always called upon the name of the Lord after a holy, reverent, and fpiritual manner? or hath not rather many times prayed after a carnal, unholy, or finful manner? Where is the man that hath always had a perfect knowledge of God, and of his will, in prayer? and whofe heart hath always gone along with his words in prayer? and that never was drowsy nor heavy, nor never had wandering thoughts in pray er and that never had the leaft conceit that God would grant him any thing for his prayer's fake? and that never had the leaft doubting or questioning in his heart, whether God would grant him the thing he afked in prayer? I am fure, for mine own part, I can fcarce clear myfelf from any of these. And can any man truly fay, he hath always received the facrament, after a holy, reverent, and spiritual manner? Nay, hath not every man Father cause to acknowledge the contrary? Is there a man to be found that hath always ferioufly and rightly examined himself before-hand, and that hath always rightly, with his heart, performed all thofe inward actions, that are fignified by the outward; or hath not every man and woman rather caufe to confefs, that either for want of knowledge, or through their own negligence they have not fo examined themselves as they ought? nor fo actuated their faith, nor minded the fpiritual fignification of the outward elements, in the time of receiving the facrament as they ought? nor fo examined themfelves, after receiving, what benefit they have got to their fouls thereby? I am fure, I have cause to confefs all this. And where fhall we find a man that hath always fanctified the name of the Lord in his heart, and with his tongue, by fwearing after a holy, religious and fpiritual manner? or rather have not most men that have been called to take an path, profaned the name of the Lord, either by fwearing ignorantly, falfely, malicioufly, or for fome bafe and wicked end? And I think it is somewhat fomewhat hard to find a man that never in all his life did fwear, either by his faith, or by his troth, by the mafs, or by the rood, I am fure I am not the man: and he is a rare man that can truly fay, he hath always fanctified the name of God in his heart, and with his tongue, by admiring and acknowledging the wifdom, 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 elfe do think and speak of them otherwise than the word of God warrants them to do, I am fure I am one of these most. And he is a precious man that hath always fo fanctified the name of the Lord by a holy and unblameable converfation as he ought; for alas! many profeffors of religion by their fruitless and offenfive walking, do either caufe the enemies of God to fpeak evil of the ways of God, or elle do thereby cause their weak brother to ftumble: it is well if I never did fo, and thus have I also endeavoured to fatisfy your defires concerning the third commandment. Neo. I beseech you, Sir, proceed to speak to the fourth commandment as you have done of the other three. COMMANDMENT IV. 1 Evan. Well then, I pray you confider, that, as the Lord in the third commandment doth prefcribe the right manner how he will be worshipped, fo doth he in the fourth commandment, fet down the time when he will be most folemnly worshipped, after the right manner, and in this commandment commandment there is an affirmative part expreffed in these words, "Remember the fab bath day to keep it holy," &c. That is, "Remember that a leventh day" (a) in every week be set apart from worldly things and bufineffes, (b) and be confecrated to God by holy and heavenly employments: and a negative part expreffed alfo in these words, "In it thou fhalt not do any work," &c. That is, thou shalt not on that day do any fuch thing or work as doth any way hinder thee from keeping an holy reft unto God. Neo. I pray you, Sir, begin with the affirma-.. tive part, and firft tell us what the Lord requir eth-of us in this commandment. Evan. In this fourth commandment the Lord requireth that we finifh all our works in the fpace of fix days, Deut. v. 13. and think on the feventh day before it come, and prepare for it, Luke xxiii. 54. and rife early on that day in the morning, Pfal. xcii. 2. Mark. i. 35, 38, 39. Yea, and the Lord requireth that we fit ourselves for the public exercifes, by prayer, reading and meditation, Eccl. v. 1. Ifa. vii. 10. and that we join with the minifter and people publickly af fembled, with affent of mind, and fervency of affection in prayer, Acts ii. 42. in hearing the word read and preached, Acts xiii. 14, 15, 44. in finging of pfalms, 1 Cor. xiv, 15, 16. Col. iii. 16. in the facrament of baptifm, Luke i. 58, 59. and in the facrament of the Lord's fupper, fo often as it fhall be adminiftred in that congregation whereof we are members, 1 Cor. xi. 26. Then (a) Exod. xxiii. 12. (b) Elton on the Com. Page 87, |