3. Command . vpon the Commandements. 31 and commaundements or his doarine and worde are vftáally f gnified by it,. to make vs more careful! to attend vpon them,as things whereupon depend the honour, glo. ry and name ofGod. Quefl. what isitto rate the nameof God inväine -? Anfw. Surely either to fpeake or thinke of it without moll high reuerence, and ef- pecially to fweare by it ótherwife than we ought. Alfo to calf behind vs the diligent care of his Commaundements. Queft. Of the latter we /hall fpeake hereafter, now in the mean time how prone you that wemsflcuery way vfe reuerently the name of God? Anfw. To name but one place of many, it is proued euidently by therewordes of the Lawe : IfthouJbalt not fèare this glorious and fearful! name, The Lord thy God, then Doit. 28.5 will the Lord makf thy plagues wonderful c7'c. That is, ifthou doff not with moil great feare and reuerence vfe the name of God stall times, and fhewe the fame by keeping and doing all the wordesof this Lawc, then will I plague thectotheexampleofall others, euen in thy felfe and in thy feed, with great plagues andofcontinuance,. and fore verf. 19 difeafes and of long durance. Quçfl How pro ise yore that ne fwearing I mug vfe his name reeterently ? Anfw. By neceffary confequence. For if I muff euer vfe it reuerently, then wheti I fweare by it. Quefl. The Argument is very good, if it were lawful! to fweare at all, hut the Scripture feemerh to denye al!fwearing, fling : Sweare not at all, but let your communication be Math. 533í yea,yea, and nay, nayratvhere vpon the Anabaptifis houe thought this Lawe a Ceremonial! lam, ;.n x. Lawe, and now a6rogatéd. Anfw. Thofe places you name, are tobevnderßood either o f common talke,orof fwearing by creatures, and they doe not in generali condemns all fwearing. Of this judgement isAugrefiine, who faith, In norm Te/lamento diflumc/l, neomnino;uremue, non quia iurare elkpeccatum, fed mtia peierareefl immane peccatum. That is, In the neve Teftament we are forbidden to,fweare at all, not becaufe all fwearing is a finne, but becaufe forfwearing is an horrible (inne. And loan other place, Admenitio noniurandi conferuarioofl a peccatoperiurq. The admonition in Scripture not to fweare,is a prefer. nation from falfe and wrongful! fwearing. Quaff, Isit then lawfull rofiveorc? Anf. Yea, it is both lawfull and a glory to God. weft: Firfi how proueyou itis lawful!? Anfw. God in his Law expreffely commaundeth vs, faying : Thou ffiait feare the Deut.6. r; Lord thy God andferue loom, and /halt f veare by bis name, therfore it is lawful!. Secondly, cap, r o. so. God himfelfe and all his Children (as occatïon fettled) haue vied to doe it, and there - fore lawful!. God himfelfe (as we read) Becaufe be had not a greater to fweare by, fware Heb. 6. by himfelfe. And the Patriarches, Prophets, and Apofiles, did honour God with this a.Cor.r.13 feruicc. We fee it, Luefl. How prôuey000 that itis honour to Gad? Anfw. By teftimoniea before cited we cuidently fee, that the thing we fweare by; we make it the greateß of all other, we make it the witnes and difcerner of our trueth we meant., and the reucnger offalfhood andour fault, if we doe not as we fweare, all which to be giuen to the Lord by fwearing onely by him, is a glory to him, and con- trary wife, a difhonour to him to afcribe them ells where, fnce indeed they are not incident to any creature. Ouefl. But beak/Wearers by the name of god ,honour God infodoing? .Anfw. O no, vnlcff a we fweare as we ought,. we difhonour him greatly. uefl. How is tbat? Anfw. Firß, the matter muff be true, to Gods honour, and the benefit of ourbroò ther. Secondly, before the Maiefirate when we are lawfully called. Thirdly, the name of God mull onely be vied... And laßly , our affebiron ought to be good. The firfl is proued by the Oath offófua his efpyes .made to Rahab. Againfl which it 2,Iofua, to fhould be an offence venue- fearful!, if men betting the places ofludges,Iuftices, &c fhould
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