The Catechizing of Families, Chapter 36
CHAP. XXXVI. Of the Third Commandement.
Qu. 1. WHat are the words of the Third Commandement?
A. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain,; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taket… his Name in vain.
Q. 2. What is it that is specially here forbidden?
A. Prophaneness: that is, The unholy using of Gods holy Name, and holy things; especially▪ by Perjury or any other entitling him to falshood or to any of the sins of men, as if he were the Author or approver of them.
Q. 3. What is meant by the Name of God?
A. Those words or other signs by which he is described, denominated, or otherwise notified to man; which I opened so fully on the first Petition of the Lords Prayer, that to avoid repetition I must referre you thereto.
Q. 4. What is meant by taking the Name of God in vain?
A. Using it Prophanely, and specially falsely; it is contrary to the Hallowing of Gods Name, which is mentioned in the Lords Prayer.
In the Scripture, 1. The Creature is called Vanity, as being but a Shadow and untrusty thing, and to use Gods Name and Holy things in a common manner, as we use the Creatures, is to Profane his Name, and take it vainly.
2. And Falshood and Lyes are usually called Vanity, for Vanity is that Shadowyness which seemeth something and is nothing, and so deceiveth men: A Lye is that which deceiveth him that trusteth it; so Idols are called Vanity and Lyes, for their Falshood and deceit; and all men are said to be Lyars, that is, Untrusty and deceitful.
Q. 5. What is an Oath?
A. I have said heretofore as others, that it's but an Appeal to God as the Witness of the Truth, and the Avenger of a Lye; but on further Thoughts I find that the common nature of an Oath is to [Pawn some greater thing in attesting of the truth of our words,] or [to take some grievous thing on our selves as a penalty if we Lye,] or [to make some certain Truth a pledge of the truth of what we say;] And to Swear by our Faith, or Truth, or Honesty, by the Temple, the Altar, the Fire, the Sun, is as much as to say [If this be not true, then I have no Faith, Truth, Honesty; there is no Temple, Altar, Fire, Sun] or [let me be taken for one that denyeth that I have any Faith, that there is any Sun, Fire, &c.] or [it is as true as that this is Fire, Sun, &c.] so to Swear by God, is to say [It is as true as that there is a God, or as God liveth, &c.] or [If I Lye, take me for one that denyeth God to be God] (and consequently it is an Appeal to him as the Avenger:) so [By the Life of Pharaoh] was [As true as Pharaoh liveth] or [else take me for one that denyeth the life of Pharaoh;] So that there is somewhat of an Imprecation or Self-reproach as the penalty of a Lye in every Oath, but more dreadfully of Divine Revenge when we Swear by God, and of Idolatry when men Swear by an Idol as if it were a God.
Q. 6. Which be the chief wayes of taking Gods Name in vain?
A. 1. Fathering on him false Doctrine, Revelations or Laws; saying as false Prophets, God sent me, and Thus saith the Lord, when it is false; saying, This Doctrine or this Prophecy Gods Spirit revealed to me, when it is not so; therefore all Christians must be very fearful of false Revelations and Prophecies, and see that they believe not every Spirit, nor pretend to Revelations; and to take heed of taking the Suggestions of Satan, or their crazed melancholy Fancies, for the Revelations of God.
2. So also Gathering false Doctrines out of Scripture by false Expositions, and fathering these on God. And therefore all men should in dark and doubtful cases, rather suspend their judgments till they have overcome their doubts by solid Evidence, than rashly to conclude, and confidently and fiercely dispute for Errour. It's a great prophanation to father Lies on God, who is the Hater of them, when Lying is the Devils work and character.
3. The same I may say of a rash and false Interpretation of Gods Providences.
4. And also of fathering false Laws on God, and saying that he either commandeth or forbiddeth what he doth not: To make Sins and Duties which God never made, and say he made them, is to father falshood on him, and corrupt his Government.
5. Another way is by false Worship. 1. If men say that God commanded such Worship which he commanded not, it is the sin last mentioned. 2. If they worship him with their own Inventions without his Command (Particular or General) they prophane his Name, by offering him that which is unholy, common and unclean.
6. Another way is by false pretending that God gave them that Authority which he never gave them; Like counterfeiting a Commission from the King. …f Princes should pretend that God gave them Authority to oppose his Truth, to persecute Godliness, …njustly to silence faithful Ministers of Christ, to …aise unnecessary Warres, to oppress the Innocent; This were a heinous taking of God's Name in vain. …f Priests shall pretend that God gave them Authority to make themselves Pastors of the Flocks that are unwilling of them, without a just Call, or to make Laws for any that are not rightfully their Subjects, and to impose their Dictates, Words and Forms, and unnecessary Inventions, as Conditions of Ministration or Communion, without true right, and to make themselves the Rule of other mens words and actions by usurpation; this is all taking Gods Name in vain. And so it is, if they Preach false Doctrine in his Name, and if they pronounce false Excommunications and Absolutions, and justifie the wicked, and condemn, reproach and slander the Just, and brand unjustly the Servants of Christ as Hypocrites, Schismaticks, or Hereticks, and this as by Ministerial Power from Christ: especially if they silence Christs Ministers, impose Wolves or incompetent men, scatter the Flocks, and suppress serious Godliness, and all this in the Name of Christ. Much more if any pretend, as the Pope or his pretended general Councils, to be Christs Vicar General, or Head, or Supream unifying Governour over all the Church on Earth, and to make Lawes for the whole Church: Or if they corrupt Gods Worship with imposed Superstitions, Falshoods, or Prophanations, and say God hath Authorized them to do this; It is hainous Prophaning God's Name by a Lie; such doing brought up the Proverb, In nomine Domini incipit omne malum: When all their Abuses began with [In the Name of God, Amen.]
And they that make new Church-forms which God made not, either Papal, Universal Aristocracy, Patriarchal, and such like, and either pretend that God made them, or gave them, or such other power to make them, must prove what they say, lest they prophane Gods Name by falshood.
But the highest Prophanation is, when they pre…end that God hath made them Absolute Governours, and set them so far above his own Laws, and Judgment, and himself, as that whatever they say, is the Word of God, or the Sence of the Scripture, though never so falsly, must be taken for such by all: and whatever they command or forbid, they must be obeyed, though Gods Word command or forbid the contrary: And that God hath given power (to Popes or Councils) to forbid men the Worship which God commandeth; yea, to Interdict whole Kingdoms, and excommunicate and depose Kings; and that from these as a Supream Power no man must appeal to the Scripture, or to God and his final Judgment. This is by prophane Lying to use God's Name, to the destroying of Souls, the Church, and the Laws and Government of God himself.aIer. 14. 14. & 23. 32. & 37. 14. Mar. 13. 22. 2 Cor. 11. 13. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Ier. 27. 15. & …9. 9, 10. 31. 1 Ioh. 4. 1, 2.
7. Another way of taking God's Name in vain, is by Heresies; that is, embodying in separated Parties or Churches against the Church and Truth of God, for the propagating of some dangerous false Doctrine which they father on God, and so militate in his Name against his Church. If men, as aforesaid, do but promote false Doctrine in the Church without Separation, it is bad; But to gather an Army against the Truth and Church, and feign Christ to be the Leader of it, is worse.bAct. 20. 30. Ro. …6. 16, 17. Eph. 4. 14.
8. Another way is by Perjury, appealing to God or abusing his name as the Witness and owner of a Lye.
9. Another way is by false Vows made to God himself. When men either Vow to God, to do that which he abhorreth or hath forbidden: Or when they Vow that which is good with a false deceitful Heart, and as Ananias and Sapphira with false reserves; or when they Vow and pay not, but wilfully break the Vows which they have made. The breach of Covenants between Princes, or between them and Subjects, or between Husband and Wife confirmed by appeal to God, is a dreadful sin; But the violation of the great Baptismal Vow in which we are all solemnly devoted and obliged to God, is one of the hainousest sins in the World: When it is not about a lesser duty, but even our Oath of Allegiance to God, by solemn Vow taking him for our God, our Saviour and Sanctifier, and giving up our selves to him accordingly, renouncing the contrary, and laying on this Covenant all our Hopes of Grace and Glory, Pardon and Salvation, what can be more hainous than to be false to such a Vow and Covenant?cIer. 4. 2. & 5. 2. & 7. 9. Mal. 3. 5. Psal. 15. 4. Zech. 5. 3, 4. Ier. 23. 10. Hos. 4. 2. & 10. 4.
10. And Hypocrisie it self is a hainous taking Gods name in Vain. When we offer God the dead Carkass of Religious acts without the Life and Soul; and present him with Ceremony, self-exalting Pomp, meer heartless words, an artificial Image of Religion, that hath not the Spiritual Nature, Life, or serious desire of the Heart; This is seeking to mock God, or making him like an Idol that seeth not the Heart, and knows not what is offered him. Alas! how much of the Preaching, Hearing, Praying and Sacraments of many is a taking God's Name in vain, as if he did accept a Lye?
11. Another way of this Prophanation is making Gods Name and acts of Religion an engagement to wickedness: As when men bind themselves to Treason, Murder or any sin, by taking the Sacrament. As many, Alas, (which I unwillingly Name) have done …n a blind zeal for the Roman Usurpation, being told …hat it pleaseth God and Saint Peter, and meriteth …alvation, to destroy the Enemies of the Church, that …s, of the Pope and his Clergy. And those that …ound themselves with an Oath to kill Paul, thought God accepted the Oath and deed. And the General Council at Laterane under Innocent the 3. which bound Temporal Lords to take an Oath to Exterminate such as they called Hereticks, fathered the work on God by that Oath. And the Pope (and Council of Trent) which hath brought in on all the Clergy a new Oath to many new and sinful things, by that Oath make God the approver of all. And the Mahometans that give liberty of Religion, yet think …t pleaseth God and meriteth Heaven to kill the Enemies of Mahomet. And Christ saith, They that kill you shall think they do God good service. And is …t not prophaning the Name of God, to make him the Author of the murder of his Servants?
12. Another way of taking Gods Name prophane…, and pleading it for Vanity and Lyes, is by making God the determining first Cause of all the acts of men in the World, as …pecified by their objects and circumstances; that is, of all the Lyes and all th… other sins that are done in the World: As if Go… had given no such free-will to men or Devils, b… which they can Lye, Murder, hate God or commit any sin, till God move their Wills, Tongue and Hands to do it, by an unavoidable predetermining Efficiency. This is so much to prophane a… take in vain Gods Name, as that it maketh him … Chief cause of all the Devils Works.
13 Another way of vain abuse and prophanat… of Gods Name, is by Blasphemy and contempt a… scorn of God; or of the Word or wayes of Go… And, Alas, who would think that this should … so common among men, when even the Devils b… lieve and tremble! I hope Posterity will account so odious as hardly to believe, that ever there we… m…n, and so many men, even in England, who … to deride the Name, Word, Providence and Worsh… of God, and make serious regard of God and Re… gion the common scorn; and familiarly to wish … way of Imprecation as a by-word [God damn me, and to swear by the Name, the Wounds, and Bloo… of God.
14. Lastly, another way of taking Gods Name vain, is by an unholy, unreverent tossing of it in co… mon talk in jest, and on every Ludicrous occasio… Playes and Play-books use it: It's made an ordina… accident to all Common and Prophane discours… Beggers prophanely begg by it: Children cry by … [O God, and O Lord], is become an Interjection.
Q. 7. Why do we take ordinary light Swearing, s… cially by God or by Sacred things, to be a sure sign a wicked man?
A. Because it sheweth a predominant habit Prophaneness; that the man liveth without the reverence of Gods Holiness, Majesty, Knowledge and Presence, and is hardened into a senselesness or contempt of God and of his dreadful judgment, as if he derided God or dared him; or as if he did believe that there is no God that heareth him. To …ive in the fear of God, and Subjection to his Government, is the property of every godly man.
Q. 8. What is meant by the words [The Lord will not hold him guiltless?]
A. God will not leave him unpunished, nor account this as a small offence: He himself will be …venged for this sin.
Q. 9. Why is this threatning annexed more to this Commandement than to others?
A. Because this sin is, 1. An immediate injury to God; while it expresly fathereth Lyes and other sin on him, it doth as we may say, engage him to vindicate himself. When Rulers or Usurpers pretend that God authorizeth them to do mischief and fight against himself; when Persecutors and Corrupters of Religion, pretend Gods Interest and Will for all; that it is for Order, Unity, Government and Obedience for the Church, that they corrupt, destroy, silence and tyrannize; they invite God to cast the Lye and Cruelty back on them, which they would father upon him; and to turn their Canons, Prisons, and …nquisitions and other devilish plagues of the world, upon the Author, in disowning them himself.
2. And they that by Perjury, Hypocrisie, false Doctrine and the rest of the forementioned sins, do Appeal to God and make him openly the Author of …ll, do thereby as it were Summon God to revenge. …s they said to Paul, Hast thou appealed to Caesar? To Caesar shalt thou go: so it may be said to the Perjured, the Hypocrite, the Usurper, the false Judge, &c. Hast you appealed to God, and do yo… father on him your Lyes, Cruelties, Tyrannies, and Usurpations, and false Doctrines? To God shall yo… go, who will undertake the Cause which you ca… upon him; and will judge the secrets of mens Hear… as he did Ananias and Saphira's: If men sin unde… the Laws of men, God requireth Magistrates to judge them: But if they appeal to God, or by falshoo… escape the judgment of man, they more immediately cast themselves on the Justice of God; And it … a fearful thing to fall into his hands who is a cons… ming fire: God is the avenger specially on such.dDeu. 32. 43. 1 Thes. 4. 6. Rom. 12. 19. H… ▪ 10. 30. Hab. 12. 29. Isa. 35. 4. & 47. 3. & 6… ▪ 2. & 63. 4. & 1. 24. Luk. 18. 7, 8.
Q. 10. Is it meant of Gods vengeance in this Lif… or in the next?
A. In both: Usually Prophanation of Gods Na… and Holy things, especially by Perjury, and by … thering Cruelty and Wickedness on God, is mo… notably punished by him in this life; Though suc… may seem to prosper for a while, God usually overt… keth them here, and their sins do find them out: But … they escape such▪ Bodily punishment here, they are usually more dreadfully forsaken of Grace than other me… and heap up wrath against the day of wrath.
I will only adde in the conclusion, that even tr… Christians should take great care, lest their v… Thoughts of God, and their Prayers and speaking … him, should be customary, and dead, and like th… Thoughts and talk of Common things, and in some degree, of Taking of Gods Name in vain.