pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you. Matt. v. 44. Luke vi. 28. Many of the curses in Scripture, as those in Deut. xxvii. 15, 16, and Josh. vi. 26, were either ordained by God against those who should commit certain sins, or were predictions of what evils should happen. They were not the effects of passion or revenge, as the curses of men are. What is further forbidden by this Commandment? 6. Want of reverence in our devotions, and attendance upon religious ordinances, saying prayers and reading the Scriptures without attention and a solemn sense of what we are doing. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God. Eccl. v. 2. Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, &c. Therefore-the wisdom of their wise men shall perish. Isa. xxix. 13, 14. Matt. xv. 8. We are taught to pray "Hallowed be thy name;" we should therefore endeavour always to approach and think of God with the utmost reverence. 7. All rash and unlawful vows, like that of the Jews, who bound themselves under a curse to kill Paul. Acts xxiii. 12, 14. These various methods of breaking this commandment are so common, that it is to be feared many make the practice of others an excuse for their own misconduct. But the commonness of the offence does not make it less heinous, nor can the multitude of transgressors prevent the terrible vengeance of God from overtaking them. There were few in the old world that belonged to God, yet the sinners were punished, notwithstanding their numbersthe flood swept them all away. Are all oaths then forbidden? No: on solemn and just occasions, we may appeal to God for the truth of what we say. Art. 39. “As we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ, and James his apostle; so we judge that Christian religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the prophet's teaching, in justice. Abraham's oath with Abimelech. Gen. xxi. 24. 31. Isaac's oath with Abimelech. Gen. xxvi. 31. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. Gen. xxxi. 53. Jonathan and David swear to each other. 1 Sam. xx. 11—17. And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, &c. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them. 2 Cor. xv. 14, 15. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. Ps. xv. 4. Every one that sweareth by Him shall glory. Ps. Ixiii. 11. He that sweareth in the earth, shall swear by the God of truth. Isa. Ixv. 16. And thou shalt swear, "The Lord liveth," &c. Jer. iv. 2. I call God for a record upon my soul. 2 Cor. i. 23. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 2 Cor. xi. 31. God is my record, how greatly I long after you all. Phil. i. 8. For men verily swear by the greater; and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Heb. vi. 16. The Lord sware, and will not repent. Heb. vii. 21. What is required in this Commandment? An awful reverence, and holy fear, whenever we speak of, 1. The name of God. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name. Ps. xxix. 2; xcvi. 8. 2. The attributes of God. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, &c. And Moses bowed his head towards the earth, and worshipped. Exod. xxxiv. 6--8. 3. The ordinances of God. I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me. Lev. x. 3. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. Ps. lxxxix. 7. 4. The word of God. Whosoever will not hearken unto my words, I will require of him. Deut. xviii. 19. My heart standeth in awe of thy word. Ps. cxix. 161. Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. cxxxviii. 2. Ps. The word of our God shall stand for ever. Isa. xl. 8. My word that goeth forth out of my mouth, shall not return unto me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isa. Iv. 11. To him will I look, that trembleth at my word. Isa. lxvi. 2. Hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them. Ezek. xxxiii. 31. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. John xii. 48. When ye received the word of God, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God. 1 Thess. ii. 13. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, &c., how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Heb. ii. 1-3. The word of God is quick and powerful, &c. Heb. iv. 12. What is the sanction of this Commandment? The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. It is a terrible thing to stand unpardoned before an angry God. Well might David say, "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." But He will by no means clear the guilty. Exod. xxxiv. 7. The sentence may be prevented by timely repentance; but we cannot hope to escape, if we are determined to continue our sinful practices. Delay is no security. Divine vengeance may slumber, but will fall on the transgressor at last. There was a famine in the days of David three years, because Saul slew the Gibeonites, who had made a league with Israel confirmed by an oath in the days of Joshua. 2 Sam. xxi. 1, 2. Jehoiakin, king of Judah, revolted from the king of Babylon, despising the oath, by breaking the covenant:-Therefore thus saith the Lord God, As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. Ezek. xvii. 13-19. He that blasphemeth shall surely be put to death. Lev. xxiv. 16. There are many instances of men being struck dead with oaths in their mouths. Hope not to escape punishment, you who make no scruple of swearing, and cursing, and taking God's name in vain. Be sure your sin will find you out. A sinner's conscience may not trouble him, being hardened by the frequent commission of sin, and lulled to sleep by a false security but at the great day, when all secrets shall b revealed, and men will be judged according to their word and actions, God will ask, "Wherefore hast thou despise Wherein does the sinfulness of this sin appear? An habitual irreverent use of God's name shows a person to be totally destitute of that holy fear and reverential love which is the essence of true religion. Beware, then, how you follow the example of those who break this commandment. Don't say you do it in sport. He who made you, who gave his Son for you, and who can destroy both soul and body in hell,-cannot surely be a subject of sport. 66 Remember also, that such expressions as "O Lord," "Good God," "O Christ," "God bless me," "Lord have mercy upon me,' &c. are all forms of prayer, and that to make use of them is the same as saying, "O thou Being, most mighty, holy, wise, and glorious!" Surely the thought of addressing such a Being should impress us with solemnity. "Bless me!" is praying for mercy: and is the mercy of God a subject to be trifled with? Are the words in which we ask it, to be upon our lips on every trivial occasion? The devils can tell what mercy is, and if they might dare to ask for it, they would not do it in a trifling way. What if God should withhold his blessing, as a punishment for your irreverence! Some leave out the word God, and say, "Bless my heart or soul," "Mercy on my soul," which is not any better. The swearer who calls out for damnation will no doubt receive the answer to his prayer, if he die without repentance; and a person who profanes God's name in common conversation, in the manner above mentioned, is scarcely guilty of a less crime. Neither is in earnest, but both will find that God is in earnest. One prays for damnation in a blasphemous, and the other for mercy in an irreverent manner, and both are guilty of taking God's name in vain. Nor do we comply with all the requirements of this commandment, when we merely avoid those open and glaring offences against it, which so many are guilty of. Take heed lest you suffer your thoughts to wander, or lest you in any respect behave irreverently, when you come into the presence of God, in public or in private. And do not read his holy word as you would other books, in a careless, trifling manner; but whenever you open it, or Holy Spirit to help you to understand it, and lead you to profit by it. Remember him, also, when you look upon his works, or think upon his providence. In short, let an habitual sense of his presence dwell upon your mind, and let his fear be always before your eyes. 2d Sunday after Trinity.-Make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy name. ON THE COMMANDMENTS. $5. FOURTH COMMANDMENT. WHAT is the fourth Commandment? "Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day; six days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt do no manner of work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, thy cattle, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it." What is meant by the Sabbath-day? A day of rest. Sabbath means rest. To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath. Exod. xvi. 23. The seventh day shall be a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. Exod. It shall be a Sabbath of rest unto you. Lev. xvi. 31. What do you mean by the Lord's hallowing it? That he has set it apart to be kept holy for the purpose of divine worship. Ye shall keep the Sabbath; for it is holy unto you. Exod. xxxi. 14. Ye shall keep my Sabbaths. I am the Lord. Lev. xix. 3.30; xxvi. 2. It shall be a holy convocation unto you. Lev. xxiii. 36. The Sabbath-breaker was commanded to be stoned to death. Num. xv. 35. Keep the Sabbath-day to sanctify it. Deut. v. 12. Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it. |
