Lectures Upon Exodus 20, Lecture 3
¶The thirde Lecture vponupon the ſeuenthe verſe
7 Thou ſhalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine: for the Lord wil not holde him guiltleſſe that taketh his name in vaine.
IT is manifeſte in the Scriptures, that by the name of GOD, is ment the lawe and commaundement of God. For the Lorde wil be honoured and get a name among his people, by tranſforming their affections and deedes, into the obedience of his lawe. In Leuiticus it is thus written:Leuit. 22.31. Yee ſhall keepe my commaundementes, and doe them: for I am the Lorde. Neither ſhall ye pollute my holie name: declaring that his name is prophaned, taken in vaine, and polluted, when his commaundementes are not regarded.
1. Tim. 6.1.It is alſo to bee ſeene in the Epiſtle to Timothie, that the name of GOD is taken for the doctrine and woorde of God. Let Seruants (ſayth the Apoſtle) account their maiſters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not euill ſpoken of: ioyning the name and doctrine of God together, as wordes that importe all one matter. For the name of GOD cannot but be diſhonoured and euil ſpoken of through vsus, when ſuche lawes (as all men knowe he hath appointed for vsus to walke in) are without regarde neglected and contemned of vsus.
If it bee required, why the Lorde ſpeaking of his lawe giueth it the title of his name, wee muſt vnderſtand the reaſon of his ſo doeing, to be very good & forceable to procure obedience. For what can be more deare vntounto vsus, than the name and glorie of our GOD? Or what can binde our obedience vntounto more dutifulneſſe, than when we vnderſtand he hath committed his owne name and honour into our handes: beeing content to abide without all name and glorie heere in earth, if hee may not hauehave it of his, by their obedience to his lawe? And therefore as the louelove of GOD muſte cauſe vsus to begin all dueties, ſo the end wee looke at in all of them, muſt bee by the doeing thereof to get honour and glorie to our God.
For it is written to the Corinthes:1. Cor. 10.31 Whether yee eate or drinke, or what ſoeuer ye doe, doe all to the glorie of GOD. Heerevppon it commeth, that workes commaunded are reiected of the Lorde, when they are done to be ſeene of men for the prayſe of our ſelues, and not with a carefull heart to glorifie the Lorde, and procure his prayſe thereby. Take heede (ſaith our Sauiour Chriſt) that ye giuegive not your almes before men to be ſeene of them, or elſe yee ſhall hauehave no rewarde of your father whiche is in heauen. The Lorde him ſelfe often vſeth the credite and glorie of his name not onelyonly in commaunding, but alſo in forbidding things to be done:Leuit. 19. as in Leuiticus 19. almoſt through the whole chapter, when he forbiddeth any thing, he addeth theſe wordes immediatly, I am the Lord thy God: becauſe the contempt and breach of his commaundement, doth reach to the ſtayning & polluting of his name. For he hath entred couenant with vsus to be our God, in cauſing vsus to walke in his wayes, that he thereby may be magnified and aduanced: as it is written in Deuteronomie,Deut. 26.17. Thou haſte ſet vp the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walke in his wayes, and to keepe his ordinaunces, his commaundements, and his lawes, and to harken vntounto his voyce: as if the obſeruing of ye law were the placing of him in his ſeate of glorie. Now that we hauehave learned what is ment by this worde Name, it remaineth to vnderſtand, what it is to take his name in vaine.
This name is ſaide to be taken in vaine, when there is not diligent care, watchfull obſeruing, and greate regarde had to the commaundementes of GOD to doe them. It is written in Deuteronomie,Deut. 28.58 If thou ſhalt not obſerue to doe (for ſo is the trueth of the Hebrue text) all the wordes of the law, that is, If thou wilt not diligently marke this law for to doe it, and feare this glorious and fearefull name, the Lorde thy GOD, then the Lord wil make thy plagues woonderfull, &c. Careleſſe ſecuritie, when men hauehave no carefull minde of the worde of God to liue thereafter, is that which is forbidden by this taking of his name in vaine or vainely. For in this place the holie ghoſt expoundeth the obſeruing and taking heede to doe al the commandementes of the lawe, to be the fearing of this glorious name, The Lorde thy God: whiche feare of his name is contrarie to the taking of it in vaine, and eſteeming of it as a vaine thing.
In ſaying He wil not holde them guiltleſſe: he doth aſſure them of puniſhment, that are careleſſe in keping of his commaundementes: wherevppon his name and honour hangeth: as it is written in Leuiticus, If ye ſhall deſpiſe mine ordinaunces, Leuit. 26.15.either if your ſoule abhorre my lawes, ſo that yee will not doe all my commaundementes, but breake my couenaunte, then will I appoint ouer you fearefulneſſe, a Conſumption, &c, threatening (as appeareth in that Chapter) to proceed in puniſhment, vntill their vncircumciſed heart bee humbled to the carefull keeping of his commaundements. For thoſe who minde his commaundementes to doe them, are they to whome onelie his mercies are promiſed in the 103, Pſalme,Pſalm. 103.17.18. The louing kindeneſſe of the Lorde indureth for euer, vppon them that feare him, and think vppon his commandements to do them.
The puniſhmente of theſe that hauehave no carefull regard of the worde to doe it, is threatened in the 28. of Deuteronomie, beginning at the 15. verſe,Deut. 28.15. in the which verſe it is to be noted that there is the ſame phraſe of ſpeeche in the Hebrue whiche I ſpake of before (that is, not obſeruing to doe all the commaundements) which importeth this want of care in doing, pointing out by that ſpeache, ſecure men that take no greate care of the worde for to doe it.
The ſame wordes (Obſerue to do) are vſed in the firſt verſe of the ſame Chapter, and therefore not lightlie to be regarded of vsus, beeing ſo often noted by the holie ghoſte. If wee peruſe the iudgementes of God throughout the whole Bible, wee ſhal eaſily perceiue, that when the people ceaſſed to be carefull how to pleaſe God, then was ſome one puniſhmente or other let in vppon them, to awake them out of that daungerous ſleepe of ſecuritie.
Send away this care, by good life to honour God, and then aſſure thy ſelfe, puniſhment will not be long abſent, if thou be not a baſtarde, ouer whome he hath no fatherly regarde. And no meruaile: for in very deed God hath no ſeruice in trueth, where this godly care is wanting: it is no prayer that is not a careful prayer: he neuer obteyneth, that hath no deſire to obteine. When workes (of them ſelues good) are done without any great care to hauehave them doone, the ſame may hauehave prayſe for doeing, but the heart can claime nothing for any carefull purpoſing.
The ſcripture therefore is plentiful in teaching vsus that a Chriſtians life muſte bee a carefull life, comparing Chriſtianitie to a trade or occupation that muſte be applyed thoroughly,2. Tim. 2. verſ. 5.6. or elſe there is no good to bee doone in it. If any man ſtriue for a maiſterie, (ſaith the holie Ghoſte) hee is not crowned except he ſtriue as he ought to do. The huſbandman muſt laboure, before he receiueth the fruite: ſending vsus to learne at huſbandry, the care and trauail of Chriſtianitie.
EueryEvery man that proueth maiſteries (ſayth Saincte Paule) abſteyneth from all things: 1. Cor. 9.25.and they doe it to obteyne a corruptible crowne: but we for an vncorruptible. This commaundement therefore, excludeth all feigned, careleſſe, and hypocriticall walking in the wayes of the Lord: and telleth vsus that the Lorde looketh vntounto them (as he ſayth by the Prophete) that doe tremble at his worde.Eſai. 66.2.
It is not lightlie to be paſſed ouer, that requiring this care to be had of Gods glorie, he ioyneth to the name of the Lorde thoſe two wordes, Thy GOD: whiche ſignifieth, that louelove to him, becauſe he is our God, muſt bring foorth the care of his glorie, and this obſeruing of his commaundementes to doe them.
For heerein is the care and feare of a ſeruaunt diſtinguiſhed and diſcerned from the care and feare of a Sonne, that the ſonnes care and feare he hath of his Father is ioyned with louelove, and aryſeth thereof, and proceedeth thereby to pleaſe him: The Seruauntes care and feare aryſeth in reſpecte of puniſhment if hee diſpleaſe his maiſter, or elſe from the hope of wages if happily hee may pleaſe him in his ſeruice. So that euen the true feare and care of GOD is mingled with the louelove of him, becauſe he is our God. And is not that which wreſtleth with the conſcience and proceedeth to doing onelyonly for this cauſe, to get eaſe thereof, not hauing any reſpect to glorifie his good God: not, but that the Lorde hath ſuch beginning euen of his beſt children, but that it is not right, before it be ſeaſoned with the louelove of his merciemercy. For the feare of GOD is neuer true in vsus, till wee be drawen vntounto him by his goodneſſe, where through he allureth vsus: as it is written in the Pſalme,Pſal. 130.4 MercieMercy is with thee that thou maiſt be feared.
In the Booke of Kinges, Solomon prayeth that the ſtraunger (who is not one of the people of Iſrael,1. Reg. 8. c. 41.42.43 but commeth to the houſe of GOD) hearing of his woonderfull workes, may hauehave his prayers graunted, that al people may feare GOD, as doeth the people of Iſrael: acknowledging his true feare to ſpring of his goodneſſe. The feare of GOD becauſe it ariſeth of his goodneſſe, draweth vsus alwayes vntounto God: and in the Scripture therfore argumentes and reaſons are drawen from his feare to bringe vsus toward him, in ſome one or other duetie: as in the Pſalme, Yee that feare the Lorde, Pſalm. 22. verſe. 23.prayſe him: and the reaſon is taken from his goodneſſe, in the next verſe following: For he hath not deſpiſed the affliction of the poore, but when he called vntounto him he hearde. Alſo in the 115. Pſalme, Ye that feare the Lorde, Pſalm. 115.11.truſt in the Lord, for he is their helper and their ſheelde, &c, proſecuting his goodneſſe as before. In the next verſe following it is ſaide, The Lord hath bene mindeful of vsus, he will bleſſe vsus, he wil bleſſe the houſe of Iſrael. &c. Wee do plainely ſe then by theſe teſtimonies, that they doe not truely feare him, that are not drawen by his goodneſſe to the carefull louing and honouring of him.
This commaundement then toucheth al thoſe that paſſe ouer their time careleſſly without a lawe & feare of the Lord, as if there were nothing leſſe belonging vntounto them then by obſeruing his wil to get honour to their God: or as if their vngodlie and ſecure life, ſhoulde neuer a whit impeache the glorie of his name. By this commaundement we learne, that not onelyonly Atheiſts and godles perſons hauehave to feare the iudgementes of God, but alſo all thoſe that are not touched with care and great deſire by their good life to glorifie God. For he will not hold thē guiltleſſe that take his name in vaine, not regarding his honour by careful attending vppon his pleaſure.
Hereby alſo we are taught to ceaſſe to meruaile at the afflictions of thoſe men, in whoſe liues we hauehave eſpied no great outwarde offence. For here we ſee the want of care to his glorie, though it bee coupled with no outward euil, hath matter in it ſufficient to prouoke the iudgements of God againſt vsus. Doeth not that maiſter who at his comming home findeth the worke he had inioyned his ſeruant careleſſlie loked vntounto, thinke there is occaſion ſufficient offered him to proceede to the correction of his ſeruant, notwithſtanding hee hath no other matter to charge him withall?
In this cōmaundement alſo is forbidden all ſwearing vainely or falſely: all ſwearing by thoſe things that are not God, as particular thinges againſt his word, and therfore againſt the glorie of his name. For if the commaundement forbid the neglect of his lawe generally, it muſt needes forbid ſeuerally and particularly that which is againſt ſome ſeuerall & particular cōmaundement. We hauehave learned that careleſſe contemning of his worde is reproued in this commaundement: and the reaſon is, becauſe the Lord doth communicate his name and his honour therevnto, whiche we may not take in vaine or without reuerence.Heb. 6. The ſame thing is to be ſaide for the vſe of his name, whiche he hath graunted vntounto vsus to decide controuerſies & doubtes of great importance withall: that becauſe there is in it the marke and print of his glorie, wee muſt hauehave the vſe of it in thoſe matters with reuerence accordingly. We deale not with the Lord in any communicating with his eſſence and euerlaſting beeing, that a man ſhould imagine yt hee can offer him no wrong vnleſſe he ruſh againſt the heauens, and violently run vponupon his perſon: he dealeth with vsus by his worde, and by his name: if there be any villany, wickedneſſe, nay want of reuerence yt way it toucheth his glorie & pearceth the honour of the higheſt. Blaſphemous mouthes therefore that cannot be ſtirred in their affections, but they wil by & by be reuenged of the Lorde, & caſt vp their choler in othes and blaſphemie againſt his maieſtie, hauehave heere wel to looke aboute them, and to remember that in ſuch outrage, they fight againſt ye honour of the liuing Lord, yt wil aduance ye ſame in the diſhonour & vtter confuſion of them. Is it not horrible blaſphemie, that a miſerable man ſhould ſeek to redeeme himſelfe from contēpt by bringing ye Lord vnderunder his foote, and treading his honoure in the duſt? I doe not meane that periured perſons, who hauehave put vponupon the Lord the perſon of Sathan, in making him a protector of lyes, be only theſe blaſphemous mouthes, that hauehave enterpriſed the defacing and diſhonouring of the Almightie, but thoſe common ſwearers alſo, in whoſe mouth the name of the Lord runneth ſo vſually & ſo vnreuerently in common ſpeeche. The Lord hath lent vsus the vſe of his name to determine our doutes, & decide our controuerſies that be of great importance, and cannot otherwiſe come to light: and that with ſuch reuerence as vntounto his honour apperteyneth. He hath not left it to wait vponupon our vaine words & talke of no importāce, to ſerue where our humor wil place it: ſo that men are alwayes guiltie of high treſon againſt his glorie in ye vſe of his name, vnles both ye weightines of the mater they hauehave in hand & their reuerēce in ye manner of dealing therin, ſhall excuſe them. A man can no way be vnreuerēt toward his name, but he ſhal in ſo doing be guiltie of his diſhonour: for thoſe things wherin he hath left ye marks of his glory, as his name, his word, and ſacramēts, by the vſe or abuſe of them, do truely witnes of the heart, how it ſtandeth affected towardes the honouring of him.
There was neuer man founde truely honouring God in his heart, whoſe tongue was defiled with vſuall ſwearing, and often vnreuerent vſing of his name. Neither was there euer founde man truelie fearing the Lord, that walked without all awe and reuerence of his worde. The excuſe therefore is vaine and vtterly vntrue, that ſwearing is but a cuſtome of the tongue, and that their heart ſtandeth reuerently affected towarde his name and glorie. For it is the want of reuerence in the heart to God, that fometh out ſuch filthyneſſe at the mouth: and the longe continuaunce of that impudencie in the heart, hath brought the fruit thereof into ye mouth: which witneſſeth ſufficiently the corruption that is ſettled inwardly in the heart. Let the common ſwearer then ceaſſe to ſeeke excuſe, by ſaying, It is but a foliſh cuſtome: For that long cuſtome of diſhonouring the Lord in his mouth, will proue that he hath had a cuſtome to diſhonour him in his heart of no leſſe continuaunce. Our communication muſt be yea, yea, nay, nay: that which is more commeth of euil. But it is commonly ſaid, Something muſt be added or els men ſhall not be beleeued. It is a pitiful thing that the credit of a Chriſtian ſhould be ſo little, that to borrow beliefe for his common talke, he muſt leaue no leſſe pawne and pleadge behinde him, then is his faithe and trueth, the greateſt treaſures and iewels that he hath receiued from the Lorde. If men would ſeeke credit by their wel dealing, they need not to bring foorth ſo great aſſurance for it in their ſpeaking.
It is likewiſe vnlawfull to ſweare by creatures: in aſmuche as an othe giueth ſuperioritie vntounto that whereby they ſweare: and acknowledgeth it as a Iudge and diſcerner of ſecret & hid things, a bringer alſo of them vntounto iudgement, condemning the wicked in bringing his way vppon his heade, and iuſtifying the righteous in giuing him according to his righteouſneſſe. The giuing of this vntounto creatures entreth vppon the right of the Almightie, & intituleth creatures vntounto the honour of the creator who hath declared plainely,Eſa. 42.8. that hee will not giuegive his glorie to another. And therefore it is in ye higheſt degree of reproching, or rather blaſpheming the Lorde, in laying his chiefe honour open to the ſpoyle of a creature, bringing a contemptible creature, as it were to pray vppon the almightie creator. And if there be acknowledgement of ſuperioritie ouer vsus to the thing that we ſhal ſweare by (as is witneſſed by the holie Ghoſte,) then,Heb. 2.16. as we may not ſweare by Heauen, Earthe, or any other creature, muche leſſe may wee, by Maſſe, Mattens, Roode, or ſuch like, we will put the honour of the Almightie vponupon them, and take them as our God, who onelie hath ſuperioritie ouer vsus,1. Re. 8.31.32 to iuſtifie righteouſneſſe, and to bring the wickedneſſe of the wicked vponupon his head: whiche thing in our othe we do acknowledge to belong vntounto him by whōe we ſweare.Hoſ. 2.17. When Almightie God promiſeth by his Prophet Hoſea, to receiue the Iſraelites to fauour again after their affliction, he ſaith that he wil take away the names of their Idols out of their mouth, & thei ſhuld be no more remēbred by their names. Theſe things may ſuffice to teach vsus, yt the Lord cannot beare the diſhonour of his name, but will hauehave that vpholden in honour and reuerence, without ſuffering it either to lie open vntounto the cō tempt of godleſſe perſons, or vntounto the ſpoyle of Idolaters, who breaking it vponupon his glorie, do beautifie and ſet out his creatures with the ornamentes thereof. This commaundement likewiſe reacheth particularly to all of them, whiche neglecte any of thoſe meanes, that God hath commaunded vsus to vſe, either for the welfare of our ſoule, or bodie. For the wordes and workes of his wiſedome may not be refuſed as vaine & needeleſſe, but muſt with all humilitie be imbraced, that in our ſo doeing his wiſdome may be honoured, who hath appointed thoſe to be the meanes, whereby he will conueye his merciemercy towards vsus: the neglect whereof, chargeth the Lord with want of wiſedome in ordeyning them. Here falleth to the grounde the wicked and blaſphemous opinions of the Anabaptiſtes, Libertines, and the feigned Familie of louelove, who are growen to ſuche a magnifying of grace, brought as they ſay by the reuelation of the ſpirit, as the wiſdome of God in his worde is of ſmall or no account with them in deede: but as if it were a needeles matter or had no certeintie in it, it is wholy tranſformed into their ſpirite, & made to ſpeake accordingly. The nature of man is in this cōmandement corrupted, as in the reſt: doing the thinges which he doeth to God without all awe and feare of his word. It behoueth the man therfore that wil truely trie him ſelfe, to ſearche into his life, and wel to conſider what manifeſt contempte there hathe beene in him of the name and honour of God, in ſtubbernely ſtanding againſte the authoritie of his word, while he hath willingly neglected to be admoniſhed and aduiſed thereby: what contempt of his honour he hath giuen forth in common ſwearing and vſual oathes, that either directly or indirectly reach to the glorie of God, euen to ye wounding of him in ye ſame. Moreouer it behoueth him to conſider what careleſneſſe there hath beene and what little regard in his beſt doings, to hauehave them ſo ſoundly & throughly done, as vntounto the honour of God doth apperteine: where the diligent paines, carefull and through dealing in matters that touch his owne name, ſhalbe a ſufficient light to diſcloſe his halting with the Lord. For the corruption of mans heart is ſo great and ſo hidden, yt all meanes almoſt are to few to vtter it: therfore it is requiſite, that we vſe al the meanes we may in that behalfe. Let a man in this examination wel conſider, whether there hath beene any ſuche feare or care to auoide things forbidden, and to do things commanded him by the word, (wherein conſiſteth the glorie of God) as there hath ben while his own honor is in hand, and his owne name called to queſtion at any time: whether he hath delt in dueties appointed him by God with feare and care, leſt the Lorde through his infirmitie ſhuld be foyled, & his name diſhonoured, whiche coulde not hauehave beene wanting, if his owne eſtimation had beene in hazarde, that he may be brought to the ſight of his Sonne. For when it pleaſeth God to cal any to the hope of his kingdome, hee letteth them ſee their corruption to be ſo great in theſe and ſuche other kindes of diſhonor that they hauehave done vntounto him, as that their harte is forced to appeale vntounto the merciemercy of God, faſtening themſelues to it, & vtterly giuing ouer their owne obedience. Whiche merciemercy of God they ſo ſtay vppon, and are ſo comfortable in, that it prouoketh them no longer to neglect the name and glorie of their God, but with all reuerence to ſubmit themſelues to the gouernement of his word, alwayes endeuouring to better their obedience towardes his lawe, becauſe it tendeth to the glorie of his name, wherein howe greate ſo euer their profiting be, yet this corruption whiche cleaueth ſo faſt vntounto them, cānot but continue in them ſtil an humbled and lowly harte, euen in all their bleſſings, while they clearely perceiue them (by the ſight of their corruption) to be the vndeſerued graces and gyftes of their God. Their offending alſo whatſoeuer, cannot be without the great grief of their hart, becauſe they ſee it to be with the diſhonour of him, who hath abaſed himſelfe to the deathe of the Croſſe, to worke the honour and aduauncement of them. We are therefore (brethren) diligently to learne to waxe wearie of thoſe wayes that would depart from the reuerence and honouring of the Lord, in not fearing to offend againſte his word:P…o. 3. verſ. 13. becauſe it is written, He that deſpiſeth the worde, he ſhalbe deſtroyed, but he that feareth the commandement, ſhalbe rewarded. Let vsus learne to become careful in the duties which are appointed vsus by the worde, for the Lorde will not holde them guiltleſſe that are ſecure therein. We can not beare good heart vntounto the Lord, if we let his honour fall to the ground among vsus: it is his merciemercy that doth vouchſafe vsus this fauour, to be truſted with his honour. Can it want then iuſt reproche, if we ſhalbe tried to be ſenſeleſſe in this point? It drewe teares from Dauid, that the wicked kept not his lawe: & can we ſee our owne liues, and the liues of thoſe committed vntounto vsus, wandring from the wayes of life, and hungerly (in the contempt of the worde) purſuing after death, and yet for all that neuer to be touched with it, eſpecially ſeeing the diſhonour of our God dependeth vponupon it? It ſhould vexe vsus, that the goſpell hathe beene ſo long time with ſo litle fruite among vsus: that the inſtruments of his grace, that hauehave gayned ſo many in former times vntounto God, ſhuld not only not preuail in many, but euen receiue diſcredite and diſhonour among men: and that the litle fruite appearing in our liues, ſhoulde call into queſtion the veritie of Gods goſpel, being in fruite and effect ſo vnlike in many, vntounto that it hathe beene in former times. A Chriſtian ſhould go to the dueties laide vponupon him by the word with the like minde, that a good ſouldiour goeth to the defence of that holde whiche being taken by the enimies, he is aſſured to receiue continuall ſhame and diſhonour.
The Lord will be honored, by hauing his word obeyed: if we doe not conſpire to mainteine his honour that way, we are guiltie of treaſon againſt his glorie: when we ſuffer ſathan to batter downe obedience in vsus to God and man, we are as well acceſſarie to the betraying of his glorie, as thoſe ſouldiers, that are quiet within the caſtle, while their enimies ſacke the ſame without. Let vsus therfore goe carefully aboute theſe matters of his honour, let our care and ſounde dealing be a recorde vntounto our hartes, that we are not conſpired with his enimies. There can be no better argument, that men do willingly conſent with ſathan, then to ſee them careleſſe of his aſſaultes: then neuer to ſee them ſtande vponupon their watche, eſpecially dealing with the enimie, who hath profeſſed that hee will neuer be at truce with them. And becauſe the Lord giueth ſo glorious a title to chriſtianitie, as to call it his glorie, making ſo neere a bonde betweene our ſaluation & his honour: let vsus not ſleepe in ſo earneſt matters, neither bring a ſlender and bare affection, where there is the aſſured hope of a double commoditie. Nowe let vsus pray vntounto our heauenly Father, that we may more be humbled, that wee hauehave ſo long liued to ſo litle honour of his name, not only that we may thereby truly acknowledge the mercy of Ieſus Chriſte, that hathe put vppe ſo great diſhonour at our handes, waſhing it away no otherwiſe than with his bloud, but alſo that in the remembraunce of ſo long time, wherein we hauehave diſhonoured him, we may bee whetted to beſtirre vsus this time, that we hauehave to liue, bothe to pull downe our affections, that would diſhonour him in the plaine contempte, or careleſſe regard of obedience, & alſo to bring forth that fruite of newe life, that may open the mouthes of many to ſpeake of his praiſe for it, whoſe workmanſhip it is.