Exposition Upon the Ten Commandments, Exposition 2 · Commandment 3
The 3. Commaundement.
And this is in the charge and the reason or sanction. The charge is, Thou shalt not take, &c. Wherein is forbidden the taking of the name of the Lord in vaine, Gods name is himself, and he is his name, so often hauehave wee in the scriptures hallowed bee thy name, that is thy selfe, call vponupon the name of the Lord that is himselfe.
And it setteth out vntounto vsus his essence and diuine being, his titles or surnames are God, Father, Sonne, & holy Ghost. Lord Iesus Christ all his attributes are omnipotent, mercifull &c. His word written, read, spoken, heard, his workes of first creation, of gouernment in iustice or in merciemercy: any of his holy ordinances, &c.
Thou shalt not take, Thou, that is man shalt not, that is maiest not, as before, take is a borrowed kinde of speech frō burthens or heauy things, which we had need of good strength to take vp, and hauehave need of wisedom to vse, so as that we had need to vse all the helpe we can to take them vp in the best maner.
This taking vp is either in word or deede: In word and that either by swearing or bare speaking. In deede, some other way.
Now it is not simply vnlawfull to vse the name of God, but onelyonly in vaine. In vain is not seemly or vnworthily, or otherwise then one should, this is.
1 First when one vseth the name of God without iust and sufficient cause or occasion.
2 Secondly, when he doth not vse in due maner as he should in fear and reuerence.
3 Thirdly when not the right end that he ought which is to the glory of God, Gods glorie is his excellency aknowledged eueryevery way while it is, knowne creatures being conuinced of their owne nothing, ascribe all to God.
Gods name is daily vsed in mouth.
1 First when there is sufficient cause to take an oath. An oath is a religious calling of God to witnesse, in a thing which if it be not true, we desire God to plague and curse vsus.
There is sufficient cause thus to do when a lawfull magistrate requireth it of vsus lawfully according to the word of God, and good lawes for our countrey, and when it is behouefull so to do for the glorie of God & some great good of man.
2 Secondly, when it is truely taken.
3 Thirdly, when reuerently.
4 Fourthly, when by the true God and nothing else.
And here sundrie countries hauehave diuers customes for outward maner. Abraham made his seruant lay his hand on his thigh. The ancient Iewes were wont to lift vp their handes to heauen: we lay our hand vponupon some part of the scripture and kisse it: these and such like are but ceremonies which shewe that in all these we swear by God, so as none neede to be scrupulous, if the ceremony bee not wicked when the taking of God to witnes is vsed.
Quest. What may wee thinke of these speeches by the life of Pharao, as thy soule liueth, by our reioicings, &c,
Ans. They be rather earnest vouching of things then an oath.
5 When one sweareth plainely and to the mind of him that exacteth the oath.
6 When for the glorie of God: otherwise wee abuse Gods name in swearing: yea, we breake this Commandement if wee sweare not when we should. In speech without an oath Gods name is not vsed in vaine, whē none of that which before was saide, to be contained vnderunder his name is vsed, rashly, lightly, and iestingly, &c. Indeede men vse it wel when they referre all that they do to the glorie of God. 1. Cor. 10.
And here it is necessarie that wee knowe the vses whereto God hath ordained.
1 First all things which we vse, to wit, to helpe vsus in the knowledge & worship of God.
2 Secondly, wee must apply all things to their proper ends.
3 Thirdly, in applying of them we must seeke God glorie.
4 Fourthly, this seeking must bee earnest and zealous.
By all this the contrarie parts may be easily perceiued. This is the charge the sanction or reason followeth. For the Lord will not, &c.
All this is punishments which abusers of Gods name shall suffer this punishment is a great deale more gently set out then it deserueth as. 1. Cor. 5.6. not good that is starke naught.
So as the breach of this Commandement is hainous, and the more as the glorie of God is most deare to himselfe and good reason: for if sinfull men respect this reputatiō ought not God much more?
The punishment which God threatneth is not to holde the partie offending guiltlesse, that is faultlesse, the contrarie whereto is counted happinesse, Psal. 32.1. Rom. 4.
And though no perticular punishment should followe yet impunitie is punishment enough, so as a man may be grieuously punished and not feele it, how grieuously God punisheth this sinne looke. Zac. 5.2.4. Leui. 24. and 16. Numb. 5.27.
The certainety of the punishment appeareth by the maner of speech, he Will not hold him guiltlesse: That is at noe hand will he hold guiltlesse.
Besides in the threatning of punishment no time is prefixed, that offenders may feare alwayes for indeede sodenly doth God come vponupon the wicked. 2. Pet. 2.3. As to Sodom and Gomorah. To Balthasar. Dan. 5. Herod. Acts. 12.25. To Ananias and Saphira. Acts. 5. &c.
Furthermore no kind of punishment is named, as beefore, that wee may looke for at all.
Last of all there is no acception of persons, eueryevery one offending shall be punished: hereupon we might do well to take neede we do not offende in this kinde. The most vsuall crosse of offending here is by vnlawfull swearing.
Forswearing, is swearing to a thing which is not true and that most commonly against a mans owne knowledge. This wee may the better take heede of.
1 First if we vse not to lie, hee that will often lie will forsweare.
2 Secondly, if wee accustome not our solues to sweare vainely.
3 Thirdly, if we remember that in verie false oathes wee curse our selues
4 Fourthly if we bethinke of the grieuous iudgementes which befall periured persons.
Vaine swearing is though the thing be true, yet it be not vponupon iust occasion. This we may auoide.
1 First if we keepe our mouthes as with bit and bridle.
2 Secondly, pray against our custome of swearing.
3 Thirdly if we forbeare it to day we may better forbeare it to morrow.
4 Fourthly, get some to admonish you when you sweare.
5 Fiftly, vse your tongue to the praise of God
Quest. Some may say they will not beleeue me may I not sweare then?
Ans. Vse to speake grauely alwaies, they will beleeue you: our light and iesting speeches lesseneth our credit, but if they will not beleeue it is their sinne, into fellow shippe whereof by swearing you must not be drawne.
Men like wise offend which is not so much marked in all vse to the dishonour of God, of other creatures & ordinances of God, the which are comprised vnderunder this name.
1 First, wherefore it is good to do all we can by the direction of the word.
2 Secondly, with out it not to bee hastie,
3 Thirdly, in no case to do only as the common people do.
4 Fourthly, and if any should bee imitated, they are the most wise and godly.
5 Fiftly, marke what vsage is more to & which the knowledge and worshippe of God, cleaue to that, others auoide.
Thus much for the end of worshipping God, now followeth the time & place in the Fourth Commaundement: Which is touching keeping holy the Sabboth day, wherein is the preparation to it and the Commaundement it selfe. The preparation in the word remember, this remember in the Hebrew is such a word as may signifie to call to mind somwhat be efore, or to keepe in mind somewhat for after: and sometimes both as it may here in this place be taken, for this ordinance of God was longe before and was to last for afterward.