The Whole Duty of Man Epitomized, Part 4
PARTITION IV.
Honour due to God's Name; Sin's againſt it, Blaſphemy, Swearing, of Aſſertory, Promiſſory, unlawful Oaths, of Perjury, vain Oaths, and the Sin of them.
THE laſt thing Honour due to God's Name.wherein we are to expreſs a Reverence to God is in honouring his Name, and what this is, will be beſt underſtood by conſidering what are the Things by which it is chiefly diſhonoured.
The firſt Sin againſt the Honour of God's Sins againſt it Blaſphemy and Swearing.Name is Blaſphemy, the higheſt Degree of which is Curſing him either by our Words or in our Thoughts, and next to that, Swearing either by falſe Oaths or elſe by raſh and light ones.
A falſe Oath may be of two kinds; as Aſſertory Oaths and Promiſſory.Firſt, That by which I affirm ſome thing; or, Secondly, That by which I Promiſe; the one we call an… Aſſertory, and the other a Promiſſory Oath, and are both a very great diſhonour to God's Name, when they are not taken with Sincerity and Truth, and perform'd with reality.
An Oath is the ſtrongeſt Tie that can Ʋnlawful Oaths.be between Man and Man, but yet if it be unlawful in it ſelf and contradictory, and impracticable in the Nature of it, in ſuch a Caſe, though the breach even of ſuch an Oath be a very great Sin, yet 'tis better to repent heartily of our Folly and Wickedneſs in making ſuch a ſinful and inconſiderate Oath, then to attempt with greater Sin and Danger in the performance of it.
There is nothing God greatly diſhonoured by Perjury, and the Puniſhments of it.by which the Name of God is more diſhonoured then by Perjury, 'tis the higheſt affront can be offer'd to him, and indeed we find him reſenting nothing with more juſt ſeverity, then this kind of Violation of his Honour, He will not hold him guiltleſs, he has declar'd that taketh his Name in vain, which is ſo dreadful a menace, that methinks it ſhould engage every one that has any value for his Salvation, to keep them moſt ſtrictly from this Sin.
All vain and light Oaths, ſuch as are ſ… Vain Oaths and the Sin of them.common in our Diſcourſes, are likewiſe … very high offence againſt the Majeſty of the Name … God. Our Saviour has forbidde… us to ſwear, even by mere Creatures, to ſhew us, I preſume the Reverence we ought to have fo… the Name of their Creator; and ſure whatever this prophane Ag… may think of it, there is nothing does more argue a Contempt o… God, then to hear his Name intermix'd in every Period of looſe Diſcourſe. and violated every Momen… with horrid and impertinent Oaths.
This ſort of vain and raſh Swearin… They lead to Perjury, and are liable to no Temptation.leads directly to Perjury, we grow at la… ſo Familiar with th… Name of God, tha… at length we can uſ… it upon any occaſion, without conſidering whether we ſware true … falſe to things doubtful or certain beſide this too there is no manner of Temptation for this ſort of leud Swearing, there is no kind of Pleaſure or Profit in it, nor any thing elſe to recommend it, and ſo conſequenely 'tis a baſe Sin, which we wilfully commit without any manner of excuſe or Pretence.
'Tis a dangerous Vice, and therefore The Neceſſity of abſtaining from them; the means; the Sence of the Guilt and Danger.every Man that values the Salvation of his Soul, ought to renounce it with the greateſt Caution and Concern; the means are always ready before him, viz. the Sence of the Guilt and Danger of it, when he conſiders the great diſhonour that his raſh Oaths offer to the Name of God, and that Eternal Miſery muſt be his Puniſhment; unleſs he repents, he muſt needs ſure be toucht with a Sence of his Guilt and Danger, and theſe muſt certainly argue very ſtrongly with him to renounce 'em.
Speaking Truth is likewiſe a very great Truth in ſpeaking, forſaking occaſions.means to reſtrain us from raſh Oaths when Men once come to be obſervable fo… their Truth and Integrity, there … no need of an Oath to confirm th… Veracity of what they ſay; we ought alſo to avoid all occaſions that are moſt liable to betray us to this Vice, to preſerve conſtantly a deep and profound Veneration for the Reverence to God.Name of God, which we ſhould never mention without Reſpect, and that wil… be an excellent means to prevent us againſt the prophaning it with ou… Oaths.
Another great means to reſtrain us from raſh Oaths, is to keep … ſtrict and conſta… Watch over o… Watchfulneſs and Prayer.Words, and then t… uſe the great remedy of all Prayer, tha… God would enable thee to avoid … overcome this wicked Cuſtom. And thus by theſe ſeveral ways of diſhonouring God's Name, we may eaſily perceive what it is to Honour it, What it is to Honour God's Name.which is all founded upon an awful Reſpect and Reverence, which is due to that ſacred Name, …hat is Great, Wonderful and Ho…y.