Cons. `'j.,{ he Cowi;?i:citton aC ?itljk the hìrea`i;; t Lc Con .CI'.2p. 4,. ' } judge ) their confiences, and the Devil accufing them at the Bar of his Ìuftice; where the evidence will be fo clear againf them, as he cannot but pronounce them guilty As in the fecond commandment God addsa threatning to the children as well as to the Parents, to the third and fourth Generation, to meet with that argument which fornemen might have for fallingdown before an Idol, when it is commanded by Authority, they will rather change their Religion, than run a hazard of undoing themfelves and their children, and bringing them to beggery, God meets with them, and tells them, neither they nor their children (hall fave any thing that way, but fare the worfc, for I will vilit faith he, this fin upon the third and fourth Generation fo here in this commandment he annexes a penalty to meet with the fin, becaufe force men may think they may get forne great gain, or profit fometimes by fwear- ing faifly, therefore God fets a great penalty upon this fin, tolet them know, they (hall gain nothing by the bargain. Here is a Frufira quad non Brit frufl-ra,.a taking of Gods name in vain, which will not prove in vain, for he will come in judgment againft them, when men think to fave themfelves from force danger by taking Gods name in vain, they {hall find, that thatfhall be their deftruEtion, which they thought would prefervethem. 2. Again ubi lapis of in proclivi, where one is apt to fall, ashere becaufe the tongue, as St. Augujine faith, pofita .eft in udo, is placed in a glib or flippery pGh r4áa 3, place, therefore God fets a lock upon our lips, to keep the door of our mouth; which lock is this threatning, Thou Ault not be held guiltlefs , If we take his name in vain, that is, If we take upon us the name of thriftians, and have onely a bare profeffron, we fruftrate Gods name, for everyone that calls upon the nameof Chrift, muff depart from inquiry; otherwife it may be faid to us, as thePfalmitt fpeaks, I_raid unto thefools deal notfomadly, and to the ungodlyfet not upyour horns on high. If you take upon you any other name ; if you defend not his word, or defend any thing oppolite to it ; if in difputations you maintain falfe doftrine ; if in your fpeech you bury the name of God, not making mention of it ; or if you talkof it foolifhly and vainlywithout fear and reverence; if in your talk you forget God, or fpeak evil of his name, by murmuring at his judgments on your felves, or en= vying his mercies upon others ; if when you (could biefs his name, you take it and apply it to witchcraft and forceries, or to prophane jellingand fcolfing; if whets you fhauld biefs others, you make ufe of it to curfe them by it; if in fwearing you take it in vain ; if you vow to him arid perform not; if by any of thefe wayes you pollute his name; confider what follows; God will not hold you guiltlefs. 3. And it is he or none thatmutt punifh this fin, Godwill not hold you guiltlefs; for the world will hold you guiltlefs, little or no punifhment is inflifted by men for takingGodsname If any impair another mans name, he may have better reme- dy for it, than if the name of Godbe blafphemed; thereforebecaufe Gods name is not fo much regarded by mans Law, God himfelf providing for it, you !hall nòt go fcot-frce, if you abufe my name. The Lord will take the matter into his own hands, becaufe men regard it fo little. Not tobe held guiltlefs is the threatning. But who is he there that (hall not fall into intollerable and endlefs trouble, if God holdhim not guiltlefs, for every marl is guilty before God : but whereas for fins of infirmity and ignorance, though a man be guilty, and contraft a guilt upon him, yet God holds him not guilty, but pardons it upon a general repentance; for this fin of taking Gods name in vain; he will not remit the guilt, but he will hold him guilty; for other fins theguilt is more eafily taken away : hic eft teirstfraElus, tot auferatur peccatiun, this is all the fruit, the rasing awayof fn; as the Prophet fpeaks, elfe we were of all menmoil miferable; but by this fin there is a fpecial guilt contra &cd which is not eafily taken off: Gadwill not hold himguiltlefs, he will punifh him both in this life, and in the life yedcoi eiwro to come : for Gods threatningsextend to both, and there is no precept given by 1'0 ble"ig rJ, God, for breach whereof fomany threatnings are denounced, and fo many fearful rñ judgments executed in all ages. I k The
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