EXPLANATION

OF THE

THIRD COMMANDMENT.

XXXVI. LORD'S DAY.

Exodus xx. 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Question 99. What is required in the third command?

Answer. That we, not only by cursing or perjury, but also by rash swearing, must not profane or abuse the name of God; nor by silence or connivance be partakers of these horrible sins in others; and briefly, that we use the name of God no otherwise, than with fear and reverence, so that he may be rightly confessed and worshipped by us, and glorified in all our words and works.

Q. 100. Is then the profaning of God's name by swearing and cursing so heinous a sin, that his wrath is kindled against those, who do not endeavour as much as in them lies to prevent and forbid such cursing and swearing?

A. It undoubtedly is, for there is no sin greater, or more provoking to God, than the profaning of his name; and therefore he has commanded this sin to be punished with death.

GREAT

REAT personages excite in those who are meaner than they, reverence and respect. A mean man, when speaking to his superior, will sometimes not know what to say, and will be so abashed, that he will not be able to utter his words distinctly. When Job "went out to the gate, through the city, when he prepared his seat in the street, the young men hid themselves; and the aged arose and stood up. The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand upon their mouth. The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth," Job xxix. 7-10. It is also proper, that men should have a moderate reverence for their superi ours; for if there be aught in any person that renders him more worthy than ourselves, we ought to a knowledge it. The Lord God himself requires that we should "rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man," Lev, xix. 32. Is this proper, it is still more becoming that we should bow down with profound reverence before the high God. See Isaiah vi. 1-5, how "the Seraphs cover" with a holy reverence "their faces and feet," and proclaim the awful holiness of the Lord, and how the holy prophet shrinks in his own eyes on account of it. Indeed, whatever is wor thy of honour in any creature is from the Lord. He is higher than the highest, and is worthy on his on account to be feared: "For asmuch as there is none like him, therefore he is great, and great is his name in might. Who would not then fear him? for to him doth it appertain," as the prophet saith, Jer. x. 6, 7. Doth not the sinner fear God, he will "correct him on account of his wickedness," as he saith, Jer. ii 19. Even those who do not use his name with a holy reverence and respect, but take it in vain, he will not hold guiltless, as he declared from Sinai amidst dreadful thunderings, and fearful lightnings, in the third commandment. He did not judge it sufficient to enjoin in the first commandment, that we should worship him only; and in the second commandment, that we should worship him according to his word, in spirit and in truth, without images; but he also ordains in this third commandment, according to his sovereign excellency, and with a severe threatening, that we should worship him with fear and reverence.

We must speak here of three particulars,

I. What the name of God is.

II. That we may not take it in vain, and

HI. The nature of the threatening, with which this command is enforced.

1. Although there is none like the Lord, and he therefore doth not need a name to distinguish him from others; nevertheless since the inventors and promoters of idolatry have wished to impose those who were like him on the world, and since a name serves to make a person better known to others, therefore the Lord, in order to distinguish himself the better from the intruded idols, and to make himself known to his people, hath revealed himself by a name. But as the Lord is infinitely excellent, it is impossible to express his excellency by a single name, and therefore the name of God intimates several particulars. The name of God signifieth sometimes God himself, so far as he makes himself, his perfections and excellencies known to his reasonable creatures, by his words and works. Therefore Moses saith, Deut. xxviii. 58, that Israel ought "to fear that glorious and fearful name, the Lord their God." God being asked what his name was, said, "I AM THAT I AM," Exod. iii. 13, 14. But inasmuch as the essence of God, as it is in itself, cannot be expressed by any name, since he surpasseth every conception and expression, therefore the name of God doth not denote God, as he is in himself, but as he makes himself known in his perfections and excellencies, and particularly, as the God of the sinner, by which he reveals himself in the most glorious manner with respect to his excellencies and perfections. When he was willing, upon the intercession of Moses, to forgive the sin of Israel, he declared his name, proclaiming, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth," Exod xxxiv. 5, 6. 7. For this end he gave his Son, "in the midst of whom is his name," Exod. xxiii. 21. And who by his words, works, sufferings and glory, "manifested his Father's name unto the men whom the Father had given him," John xvii. 6. For this end he gives also his word and instituted worship, in which his people "walk, as in the name of the Lord their God," Mich. iv. 5. So also the great works of the Lord make him known as his name. David having respect to this, begins and concludes his eighth psalm with the words, “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!" And therefore we must understand by the name of God all those particulars by which he reveals and makes himself known; as also certain nouns, to wit, Lord, God, of which there are several in Hebrew and Greek, as we have shown on the eighth Lord's day.

2. Since now man, especially an Israelite, is directly subject to "the Lord his God," and hath the greatest concern in him, therefore he must use his name. The word Nasa, which occurs here in

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the original, and is rendered by our translators, " to use," signifieth to take, to take up, to lift up and bear, to wit, in order to make use of the name of God; as is done by calling ourselves after that name, which we do, when we enter into covenant with God: "We are called by thy name," saith the church to the Lord, Jer. xiv. 9. Or by private contemplations and meditations, like David, whose "meditation of the Lord was sweet," Psalm civ. 34. Or by words, "speaking" with ourselves" of the works of his hands," Psalm cxi. iii. 5, and "exalting his name," in the presence of others, Psalm xxxiv. 3. Or by religious exercises, as "men began at the time of the birth of Enos, to call on the name of the Lord," Gen. iv. 26. Or by our whole conversation, that, as the apostle saith to the Thessalonians, 2 Thess. i. ii. "the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him." Therefore when the Lawgiver saith that we must not take his name in vain, he commands, according to the explanation of the instructor," that we should use the holy name of God no otherwise than with fear and reverence." And so this command requires that holy fear, and that profound reverence for God. by which we "fear that glorious and fearful name," Deut. xxviii. 38, so that we sanctify the Lord of hosts, and make him our fear and our dread," as the prophet admonisheth, Isaiah viii. 13. Surely not with a slavish fear," which terrifies the sinner, and surprises him with fearfulness, as it were for a devouring fire, and for everlasting burnings," Isaiah xxxiii. 14, but with a childlike fear, which causeth us to love and fear the Lord as our God, according to the covenant of grace; therefore the Lawgiver speaks of himself as of the God of Israel, thou shalt take the name of the Lord thy God." And so we must, with such a holy reverence and fear for him, (1) enter into covenant with him, that we may be called by his name, and may "say, yea, subscribe with our hand, I am the Lord's," according to Isaiah xliv. 5. To do this rashly and unadvisedly, only with words, making merely an outward confession, and a bodily use of the signs of the covenant, is hateful in the sight of God. To such persons "God saith, What hast thou to do to take my covenant in thy mouth?" Psalm 1. 16. The children of Israel will enter in a better manner into the covenant in the latter days, when, according to the prophecy, Hosea iii. 5. "They will return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; for they will come with fear to the Lord, and to his goodness." (2) Neither may we think of the Lord, or of aught that pertains to him,

* The Datch translation hath use instead of take.

except with a holy trembling. David prayed for this, when he said to the Lord," Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins. Let the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight," Psalm xix. 14. "How precious are thy thoughts unto me. O God !" Psalm cxxxix. 14-18. He spake thus, when he considered that "he was fearfully and wonderfully made." (5) When we speak of, and to God, we must not only "say to him, how terrible art thou in thy works!" as the Psalmist requireth, Psalm lxvi. 3, but we must also humbly account ourselves, as dust and ashes before the Lord, with Abraham, Gen. xviii. 27. "We must not be rash with our mouths, nor let our hearts be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and we on earth; therefore our words must be few," as Solomon admonisheth, Eccl. v 2. If we shall "teach others the fear of the Lord," with David, Psalm xxxiv. ii. we must then never speak of the Lord, but with reverence. When Elihu spake to Job concerning the great works of the Lord, he said, Job Xxxvii. 1. "At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place." (4) When we call on the name of the Lord and perform any kind of religious worship, (for calling upon God denotes religious worship in general, Joci ii. 32.) we must do it with a holy fear for God: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling," saith David, Psalm ix. ii. His son Solomon saith, Eccl. v. i. "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God." When we either read or hear the word of God, we should "tremble at it," Isaiah Ixvi. 2. If we will worship the Lord with David, Psalm v. 7, "we must worship in his fear toward his holy temple." Doth an opportunity offer, and are we called to it, we must also rightly and reverently confess him," that is, profess him; "Be ready always," as Peter saith, 1 Peter iii. 15, " to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." (f) Yea, we ought so to order our whole conversation in a holy fear for God, "that his name may not be blasphemed on our account, but honoured and praised," as the catechism saith. Our countenance, our words, gestures, clothing, discourse and whole behaviour ought to be grave, humble and modest, that every one may see that we have God before our eyes, and that we fear him. See what Solomon enjoineth on us with respect to our whole outward behaviour, Prov. iv. 24-27. But hear also how Paul requires that the Philippians should be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. among whom they shine as lights in the world," Philip. ii. 15.