第47章

Concerningtheactionsofdivineworship，itisamostgeneralpreceptofreasonthattheybesignsoftheintentiontohonourGod；

suchasare，first，prayers：fornotthecarvers，whentheymadeimages，werethoughttomakethemgods，butthepeoplethatprayedtothem。

Secondly，thanksgiving；whichdifferethfromprayerindivineworshipnootherwisethanthatprayersprecede，andthankssucceed，thebenefit，theendbothoftheoneandtheotherbeingtoacknowledgeGodforauthorofallbenefitsaswellpastasfuture。

Thirdly，gifts；thatistosay，sacrificesandoblations，iftheybeofthebest，aresignsofhonour，fortheyarethanksgivings。

Fourthly，nottoswearbyanybutGodisnaturallyasignofhonour，foritisaconfessionthatGodonlyknoweththeheartandthatnoman’switorstrengthcanprotectamanagainstGod’svengeanceontheperjured。

Fifthly，itisapartofrationalworshiptospeakconsideratelyofGod，foritarguesafearofHim，andfearisaconfessionofHispower。Hencefolloweth，thatthenameofGodisnottobeusedrashlyandtonopurpose；forthatisasmuchasinvain：anditistonopurposeunlessitbebywayofoath，andbyorderoftheCommonwealth，tomakejudgementscertain；orbetweenCommonwealths，toavoidwar。AndthatdisputingofGod’snatureiscontrarytoHishonour，foritissupposedthatinthisnaturalkingdomofGod，thereisnootherwaytoknowanythingbutbynaturalreason；thatis，fromtheprinciplesofnaturalscience；whicharesofarfromteachingusanythingofGod’snature，astheycannotteachusourownnature，northenatureofthesmallestcreatureliving。Andtherefore，whenmenoutoftheprinciplesofnaturalreasondisputeoftheattributesofGod，theybutdishonourHim：forintheattributeswhichwegivetoGod，wearenottoconsiderthesignificationofphilosophicaltruth，butthesignificationofpiousintentiontodoHimthegreatesthonourweareable。FromthewantofwhichconsiderationhaveproceededthevolumesofdisputationaboutthenatureofGodthattendnottoHishonour，buttothehonourofourownwitsandlearning；andarenothingelsebutinconsiderateandvainabusesofHissacredname。

Sixthly，inprayers，thanksgiving，offeringsandsacrifices，itisadictateofnaturalreasonthattheybeeveryoneinhiskindthebestandmostsignificantofhonour。As，forexample，thatprayersandthanksgivingbemadeinwordsandphrasesnotsudden，norlight，norplebeian，butbeautifulandwellcomposed；forelsewedonotGodasmuchhonouraswecan。Andthereforetheheathensdidabsurdlytoworshipimagesforgods，buttheirdoingitinverse，andwithmusic，bothofvoiceandinstruments，wasreasonable。Alsothatthebeaststheyofferedinsacrifice，andthegiftstheyoffered，andtheiractionsinworshipping，werefullofsubmission，andcommemorativeofbenefitsreceived，wasaccordingtoreason，asproceedingfromanintentiontohonourhim。

Seventhly，reasondirectethnotonlytoworshipGodinsecret，butalso，andespecially，inpublic，andinthesightofmen：forwithoutthat，thatwhichinhonourismostacceptable，theprocuringotherstohonourHimislost。

Lastly，obediencetoHislaws(thatis，inthiscasetothelawsofnature)isthegreatestworshipofall。ForasobedienceismoreacceptabletoGodthansacrifice；soalsotosetlightbyHiscommandmentsisthegreatestofallcontumelies。Andthesearethelawsofthatdivineworshipwhichnaturalreasondictatethtoprivatemen。

ButseeingaCommonwealthisbutoneperson，itoughtalsotoexhibittoGodbutoneworship；whichthenitdothwhenitcommandethittobeexhibitedbyprivatemen，publicly。Andthisispublicworship，thepropertywhereofistobeuniform：forthoseactionsthataredonedifferentlybydifferentmencannotsaidtobeapub