e Name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of
Israel neither in truth, nor in righteousness" [Is. 48:1]; that
is, they did it not in the true faith and confidence, which is
the real truth and righteousness, but trusted in themselves,
their works and powers, and yet called upon God's Name and
praised Him, two things which do not fit together.

XXI. The first work of this Commandment then is, to praise God in
all His benefits, which are innumerable, so that such praise and
thanksgiving ought also of right never to cease or end. For who
can praise Him perfectly for the gift of natural life, not to
mention all other temporal and eternal blessings? And so through
this one part of the Commandment man is overwhelmed with good and
precious works; if he do these in true faith, he has indeed not
lived in vain. And in this matter none sin so much as the most
resplendent saints, who are pleased with themselves and like to
praise themselves or to hear themselves praised, honored and
glorified before men.

[Sidenote: Avoiding the Praise of Self]

Therefore the second work of this Commandment is, to be on one's
guard, to flee from and to avoid all temporal honor and praise,
and never to seek a name for oneself, or fame and a great
reputation, that every one sing of him and tell of him; which is
an exceedingly dangerous sin, and yet the most common of all,
and, alas! little regarded. Every one wants to be of importance
and not to be the least, however small he may be; so deeply is
nature sunk in the evil of its own conceit and in its
self-confidence contrary to these two first Commandments.

Now the world regards this terrible vice as the highest virtue,
and this makes it exceedingly dangerous for those who do not
understand and have not had experience of God's Commandments and
the histories of the Holy Scriptures, to read or hear the heathen
books and histories. For all heathen books are poisoned through
and through with this striving after praise and honor; in them
men are taught by blind reason that they were not nor could be
men of power and worth, who are not moved by praise and honor;
but those are counted the best, who disregard body and life,
friend and property and everything in the effort to win praise
and honor. All the holy Fathers have complained of this vice and
with one mind conclude that it is the very last vice to be
overcome, St, Augustine says: "All other vices are practised in
evil works; only honor and