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，obediencetoHislawsthatis，inthiscasetothelawsofnatureisthegreatestworshipofall。ForasobedienceismoreacceptabletoGodthansacrifice；soalsotosetlightbyHiscommandmentsisthegreatestofallcontumelies。Andthesearethelawsofthatdivineworshipwhichnaturalreasondictatethtoprivatemen。
ButseeingaCommonwealthisbutoneperson，itoughtalsotoexhibittoGodbutoneworship；whichthenitdothwhenitcommandethittobeexhibitedbyprivatemen，publicly。Andthisispublicworship，thepropertywhereofistobeuniform：forthoseactionsthataredonedifferentlybydifferentmencannotsaidtobeapublicworship。Andtherefore，wheremanysortsofworshipbeallowed，proceedingfromthedifferentreligionsofprivatemen，itcannotbesaidthereisanypublicworship，northattheCommonwealthisofanyreligionatall。
AndbecausewordsandconsequentlytheattributesofGodhavetheirsignificationbyagreementandconstitutionofmen，thoseattributesaretobeheldsignificativeofhonourthatmenintendshallsobe；andwhatsoevermaybedonebythewillsofparticularmen，wherethereisnolawbutreason，maybedonebythewilloftheCommonwealthbylawscivil。AndbecauseaCommonwealthhathnowill，normakesnolawsbutthosethataremadebythewillofhimorthemthathavethesovereignpower，itfolloweththatthoseattributeswhichthesovereignordainethintheworshipofGodforsignsofhonouroughttobetakenandusedforsuchbyprivatemenintheirpublicworship。
Butbecausenotallactionsaresignsbyconstitution，butsomearenaturallysignsofhonour，othersofcontumely，theselatter，whicharethosethatmenareashamedtodointhesightofthemtheyreverence，cannotbemadebyhumanpowerapartofdivineworship；northeformer，suchasaredecent，modest，humblebehaviour，everbeseparatedfromit。Butwhereastherebeaninfinitenumberofactionsandgesturesofanindifferentnature，suchofthemastheCommonwealthshallordaintobepubliclyanduniversallyinuse，assignsofhonourandpartofGod’sworship，aretobetakenandusedforsuchbythesubjects。AndthatwhichissaidintheScripture，“ItisbettertoobeyGodthanman，“hathplaceinthekingdomofGodbypact，andnotbynature。
HavingthusbrieflyspokenofthenaturalkingdomofGod，andHisnaturallaws，IwilladdonlytothischapterashortdeclarationofHisnaturalpunishments。Thereisnoactionofmaninthislifethatisnotthebeginningofsolongachainofconsequencesasnohumanprovidenceishighenoughtogiveamanaprospecttotheend。Andinthischaintherearelinkedtogetherbothpleasingandunpleasingevents；insuchmannerashethatwilldoanythingforhispleasure，mustengagehimselftosufferallthepainsannexedtoit；andthesepainsarethenaturalpunishmentsofthoseactionswhicharethebeginningofmoreharmthangood。Andherebyitcomestopassthatintemperanceisnaturallypunishedwithdiseases；rashness，withmischances；injustice，withtheviolenceofenemies；pride，withruin；
cowardice，withoppression；negligentgovernmentofprinces，withrebellion；andrebellion，withslaughter。Forseeingpunishmentsareconsequenttothebreachoflaws，naturalpunishmentsmustbenaturallyconsequenttothebreachofthelawsofnature，andthereforefollowthemastheirnatural，notarbitrary，effects。
Andthusfarconcerningtheconstitution，nature，andrightofsovereigns，andconcerningthedutyofsubjects，derivedfromtheprinciplesofnaturalreason。Andnow，consideringhowdifferentthisdoctrineisfromthepracticeofthegreatestpartoftheworld，especiallyofthesewesternpartsthathavereceivedtheirmorallearningfromRomeandAthens，andhowmuchdepthofmoralphilosophyisrequiredinthemthathavetheadministrationofthesovereignpower，IamatthepointofbelievingthismylabourasuselessastheCommonwealthofPlato：forhealsoisofopinionthatitisimpossibleforthedisordersofstate，andchangeofgovernmentsbycivilwar，evertobetakenawaytillsovereignsbephilosophers。
ButwhenIconsideragainthatthescienceofnaturaljusticeistheonlysciencenecessaryforsovereignsandtheirprincipalministers，andthattheyneednotbechargedwiththesciencesmathematical，asbyPlatotheyare，furtherthanbygoodlawstoencouragementothestudyofthem；andthatneitherPlatonoranyotherphilosopherhithertohathputintoorder，andsufficientlyorprobablyprovedallthetheoremsofmoraldoctrine，thatmenmaylearntherebybothhowtogovernandhowtoobey，Irecoversomehopethatonetimeorotherthiswritingofminemayfallintothehandsofasovereignwhowillconsiderithimselfforitisshort，andIthinkclear
withoutthehelpofanyinterestedorenviousinterpreter；andbytheexerciseofentiresovereignty，inprotectingthepublicteachingofit，convertthistruthofspeculationintotheutilityofpractice。
IHAVEderivedtherightsofsovereignpower，andthedutyofsubjects，hithertofromtheprinciplesofnatureonly；suchasexperiencehasfoundtrue，orconsentconcerningtheuseofwordshasmadeso；thatistosay，fromthenatureofmen，knowntousbyexperience，andfromdefinitions，ofsuchwordsasareessentialtoallpoliticalreasoning，universallyagreedon。ButinthatIamnexttohandle，whichisthenatureandrightsofaChristianCommonwealth，whereoftheredependethmuchuponsupernaturalrevelationsofthewillofGod，thegroundofmydiscoursemustbenotonlythenaturalwordofGod，butalsotheprophetical。
Nevertheless，wearenottorenounceoursensesandexperience，northatwhichistheundoubtedwordofGod，ournaturalreason。Fortheyarethetalentswhichhehathputintoourhandstonegotiate，tillthecomingagainofourblessedSaviour；andthereforenottobefoldedupinthenapkinofanimplicitfaith，butemployedinthepurchaseofjustice，peace，andtruereligion。ForthoughtherebemanythingsinGod’swordabovereason；thatistosay，whichcannotbynaturalreasonbeeitherdemonstratedorconfuted；yetthereisnothingcontrarytoit；butwhenitseemethso，thefaultiseitherinourunskillfulinterpretation，orerroneousratiocination。
Therefore，whenanythingthereinwrittenistoohardforourexamination，wearebiddentocaptivateourunderstandingtothewords；andnottolabourinsiftingoutaphilosophicaltruthbylogicofsuchmysteriesasarenotcomprehensible，norfallunderanyruleofnaturalscience。Foritiswiththemysteriesofourreligionaswithwholesomepillsforthesick，whichswallowedwholehavethevirtuetocure，butchewed，areforthemostpartcastupagainwithouteffect。
Butbythecaptivityofourunderstandingisnotmeantasubmissionoftheintellectualfacultytotheopinionofanyotherman，butofthewilltoobediencewhereobedienceisdue。Forsense，memory，understanding，reason，andopinionarenotinourpowertochange；butalways，andnecessarilysuch，asthethingswesee，hear，andconsidersuggestuntous；andthereforearenoteffectsofourwill，butourwillofthem。Wethencaptivateourunderstandingandreasonwhenweforbearcontradiction；whenwesospeakas，bylawfulauthority，wearecommanded；andwhenweliveaccordingly；
which，insum，istrustandfaithreposedinhimthatspeaketh，thoughthemindbeincapableofanynotionatallfromthewordsspoken。
WhenGodspeakethtoman，itmustbeeitherimmediatelyorbymediationofanotherman，towhomHehadformerlyspokenbyHimselfimmediately。HowGodspeakethtoamanimmediatelymaybeunderstoodbythosewellenoughtowhomHehathsospoken；buthowthesameshouldbeunderstoodbyanotherishard，ifnotimpossible，toknow。
ForifamanpretendtomethatGodhathspokentohimsupernaturally，andimmediately，andImakedoubtofit，Icannoteasilyperceivewhatargumenthecanproducetoobligemetobelieveit。Itistruethatifhebemysovereign，hemayobligemetoobedience，soasnotbyactorwordtodeclareIbelievehimnot；butnottothinkanyotherwisethanmyreasonpersuadesme。Butifonethathathnotsuchauthorityovermeshallpretendthesame，thereisnothingthatexactetheitherbelieforobedience。