The institution of Christian religion, vvrytten in Latine by maister Ihon Caluin, and translated into Englysh according to the authors last edition. Seen and allowed according to the order appointed in the Quenes maiesties iniunctions

[ 22] The third Commaundement.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vayne.

The end of this cōmaundement is, y^t his will is to haue the maie∣stie of his name to be holy among vs. Therfore the summe shalbe, that we do not defile it with contemptuously & irreuerently vsing it. With whiche prohibition the cōmaundement hangeth orderly together, that we take studie and care godlily to reuerence it. Therefore we ought so to order our selues both in our mindes & our tonges, that we ney∣ther thinke nor speake any thing of God himself or his misteries, but

reuerently & with much sobrietie: that in weyeng his workes, we con∣ceiue nothing but honorable toward him. These three things I say, it behoueth vs not negligently to marke, that what so euer our minde conceiueth of him, what so euer our tong vttereth, it may sauour of his excellēcie, & maye agree with the holy hyghnesse of his name: and fi∣nally may serue to aduaūce his magnificence. That we do not rashly or disorderly abuse his holy worde & reuerēd misteries either to am∣bition, or to couetousnesse, or to our owne triflinges: but that as they beare the dignitie of his name emprinted in thē, so thei may kepe their honour & estimation among vs. Last of al, that we do not carp against or speake euel of his workes, as these wretched men are wont to bab∣ble reprochefully against them: but that what so euer we reherse done by him, we report it with wordes of praise of his wisedom, righteous∣nesse and goodnesse. That is to sanctifie the name of God. Where o∣therwise is done, it is defiled with vaine and peruerse abuse, bicause it is violently carried frō the right vse wherunto only it was apointed: and though there be no other hurt done, yet it is spoyled of his digni∣tie, and by litle and litle brought to contempt. Now, if there be so much euel in this rash redinesse to vse the name of God out of season, much more mischief is in this, if it be employed to euell vses, as they do that make it to serue the superstitions of Necromancie, cruell execrations, vnlawfull cōiurations, & other wicked enchauntementes. But swea∣ryng is chiefly mentioned in the cōmaundement, as the thing wherin the peruerse abuse of Gods name is most detestable, that thereby we may be the better altogether frayed awaye from all defilyng thereof. But that here is commaundement geuē of the worship of God, and of the reuerence of his name, and not of the truthe and equitie that is to be kept among men, appereth by that that he afterward in the second table condemneth periurie and false witnesse, wherby hurt is done to the felowship of mē: but it were in vaine to repete it agayne, if this cō∣maundement, entreated of the dutie of charitie. And also the diuisiō of the law itself requireth it, bicause as it is said, God did not in vaine apoint two tables for his law, wherby is gathered y^t in this cōmaun∣dement he chalengeth his owne right to himself, & defendeth the holy∣nesse of his name, and teacheth not what men owe to men.

First is to be learned what is an othe. It is a takyng of God to [ 23] witnesse, to confirme the truthe of that whiche we speake. For those cursed speaches that cōteine manifest reproches against God, are vn∣worthy to be reckened among othes. That suche takyng to witnesse, whan it is rightly done, is a kinde of worshippyng of God, is shewed in diuerse places of the Scripture.* 1.1 As whē Esaye prophecieth of the calling of the Assyrians and Egyptians into felowship of the couenāt w^t Israel, They shal speake (sayth he) in the tong of Chanaan, & shal swere in the name of the Lord. That is to say, in sweryng by the name of the Lord,* 1.2 they shall yelde a confession of his religion. Againe when he speaketh of the enlargemēt of his kingdome, he sayth: Whosoeuer shall blesse himself, shall blesse in the God of the faythfull: and he that shal swere in the land, shal swere in the true God. Hieremie sayth,* 1.3 Yf they shal teach y^e people to swere in my name as thei haue taught thē to swere by Baal, they shalbe buylded vp in the middes of my house.

And for good cause it is sayde, that when we call vpon the name of the Lorde to witnesse, we doe witnesse our religion towarde him. For so wee confesse that he is the eternall and vnchaungeable truthe, whome we call vpon, not onely as a moste substantiall witnesse of truthe aboue all other but also as the only defense thereof, whiche is able to bryng forth hidden thynges into light, & then as the knowet of heartes. For where testimonies of menne doe ••ayle, there we f••ee to God for witnesse, specially where any thynge is to be proued that lieth secrete in conscience. For whyche cause the Lorde is bitterly angry with them that sweare by strange gods, and he iudgeth that manner of swearyng to be a manifest of manifest fallyng from his allegeance:* 1.4 Thy sonnes haue forsaken me, and do swere by them that are no gods. And he declareth the haynousnesse of this offense by threatenyng of punishment:* 1.5 I will destroye them that sweare by the name of the Lord, and swere by Melchan.

[ 24] Nowe when we vnderstande that it is the Lordes will that there be in our othes a worshippe of his name: so muche the more diligent hede is to be taken, that in stede of worshippyng they doe not conteine dishonour, contempt or abacement of it. For it is no small disho∣nour, when periurie is committed in swearyng by him, wherefore it is called in the lawe,* 1.6 Profanation. For what is lefte to the Lorde when he is spoyled of his truthe? he shall then ceasse to be God. But truely he is spoyled thereof, when he is made an affirmer and ap∣prouer of falshod.* 1.7 Wherefore, when Iosua minded to dryue Alchan to confesse the truthe, he sayd: My Sonne, geue glorie to the Lord of Israell. meanyng thereby, that the Lorde is greuously dishonored yf a manne sweare falsly by hym. And no maruell. For we doe as much as in vs lieth, in a manner, to stayne his holy name with a lye. And that this manner of speache was vsed amonge the Iewes so ofte as any was called to take an othe, appereth by the like protestation, that the Pharisees vse in the Gospell of Iohn.* 1.8 To this heedefulnesse the formes of othes that are vsed in the Scriptures doe instructe vs: The Lorde lyueth, The Lorde doe these thinges vnto me, and adde these thynges, The Lorde be witnesse vpon my soule. Whyche doe proue, that we can not call God for witnesse of our sayenges, but that we also wishe him to take vengeance of our periurie, if we speake deceyptfully.

[ 25] The name of the Lorde is made vile and common, when it is vsed in superfluous othes, although they bee true. For in suche case it is also taken in vayne. Wherefore it shall not be sufficient to absteyne from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 caring falsly, vnlesse we do also remember, that swearing was suffred and ordeined not for luste or pleasure, but for necessities sake: and therfore they goe beyond the lawfull vse thereof, that applye it to thinges not necessarie. And there can no other necessitie be preten∣ded, but where it is to serue eyther religion or charitie, wherein at this daye menne doe to muche licentiously offende, and so muche the more intolerably, for that by very custome it hath cessed to be reckened for any offense af all, whiche yet before the iudgement sea••e of God is not s••lenderly weyed. For euery where wythout regarde, the

name of God ys defiled in triflynge talkes, and yt ys not thought that they do euel, bicause by long suffred and vnpunished boldenesse, they are come to rest as it were in possession of so great wickedne••••e. But the cōmanndement of the Lord remayneth in ••orce, the penaltie abideth in strength, and shall one daye haue his effect, whereby there is a certayne speciall reuenge proclaymed agaynst them that vse his name in vayne. This commaundement is also transgressed in an o∣ther poynt, that in our othes we put the holy seruantes of God in the place of God, with manifest vngodlynesse, for so we trāsferre the glo∣rie of his godhed to them.* 1.9 Neyther is it without cause, that the Lorde hath geuen speciall commaundement to swere by his name, and by speciall prohibition forbidden, that we should not be heard swere by any strange gods. And the Apostle euidently testifieth the same, when he writeth, that men in swearyng do call vpon a hier than themselues, and that God whiche had none greater than his owne glory to swere by, did swere by himselfe.

The Anabaptistes not contented wyth this moderation of swea∣ryng, [ 26] do detest all othes without exceptiō, bycause the prohibition of Christ is generall:* 1.10 I saye vnto ye, swere not at all, but let your tale be yea yea, and nay nay, what so euer is more than this, is of euell. But by this meane, they do without consideration stumble agaynst Christ: while they make him aduersarye to his father, and as if he had come downe from heauen to repeale his fathers decrees. For the e∣ternall God doth in the lawe not only permit swearyng as a thyng lawfull,* 1.11 whiche were enough: but also in necessitie doth commaunde it. But Christ affirmeth that he is all one with his father: that he brin∣geth no other thyng, but that whiche his father commaunded him, that his doctrine is not of himself, &c. What then? wil they make God contrarie to himself, whiche shal afterwarde forbidde and condemne the same thing ••n mens behauiours, whiche he hath before allowed by cōmaunding it? But bycause there is some difficultie in the wordes of Christ, let vs a litle weye them. But herein we shall neuer atteyne the truthe, vnlesse we bende our eyes vnto the entent of Christ, and take heede vnto the purpose that he there goeth about. His purpose is not eyther to release or restreyne the lawe, but to reduce it to the true and naturall vnderstandyng, whiche had ben very muche depra∣ued by the false gloses of the Scribes and Pharisees. This •••• we holde in minde, we shall not thinke that Christ dyd vtterly condemne othes, but onely those othes whiche doe transgresse the rule of the lawe. Thereby it appereth, that the people at that time did forbeare no manner of swearyng but periuries, whereas the lawe dothe not only forbidde periuries, but also all idle and superstitous othes. The Lorde therefore the most sure expositour of the lawe,* 1.12 doth admonish them, that it is not only euell to forswere, but also to sweare. But howe to sweare? in vaine. But as for these othes that are commen∣ded in the lawe, he leaueth them safe and at libertie. They seme to fight somewhat more strongly when they take earnest holde of this worde At all, whiche yet is not referred to the worde Sweare, but to the formes of swearyng that are after rehersed. For this was also parte of their errour, that when they did sweare by heauē and earth,

they thought that they did not touch the name of God. Therfore after the principall kinde of offense against this commaundement, the lord doth also cut of from them all bye shiftes, that they should not thinke that they haue escaped, if not speakyng of the name of God they call heauen and earth to witnesse. For here by the way it is also to be no∣ted, that although the name of God be not expressed, yet men by indi∣rect formes do sweare by him, as if they sweare by the liuely light, by the bread that they eate, by their Baptisme, or other tokens of gods liberalitie toward them. Neither doth Christ in that place where he forbiddeth them to sweare by heauen and earth & Hierusalem, speake it to correct superstition, as some men falsly thinke, but he rather con∣futeth their sophisticall sutt••ltie, whiche thought it no faulte bab∣blingly to throwe our indirect othes, as though they spared the holy name of God, whiche is engrauen in all his benefites. But otherwise it is, where either a mortal man, or a dead man, or an Angel, is put in the place of God: as amonge the prophane nations flatterie deuised that stinkyng forme of sweryng by the life or soule of the Kyng: for then the false making of gods doth obscure and minish y^• glory of the one only God. But when we meane only, to procure credit to our say∣enges by the holy name of God, although the same be indirectly done, yet in al such triflyng othes his maiestie is offended. Christ taketh frō this licentiousnesse, all pretense of excuse, in this that he forbiddeth to sweare at al.* 1.13 And Iames tendeth to the same purpose, recityng the same wordes of Christ whiche I haue before alleged, bycause that same rash boldenesse hath alwaye ben in the world, whiche is a pro∣phane misuse of the name of God. For if ye referre this worde. At all, to the substance, as it without any exceptiō it were altogether vnlaw∣full to sweare: wherefore serueth that exposition whiche is added af∣terward: Neyther by heauen nor by earth, &c? Whereby it sufficiently appereth that those cauillatiōs are met withall, by which the Iewes thought their fault to be excused.

[ 27] Therefore it can not nowe be doubtefull to sounde iudgementes, that the Lorde in that place did onely reproue those othes that were forbidden by the lawe. For he himselfe whiche shewed in his life an examplar of the perfection that he taught, did not sticke to sweare when occasion required. And his disciples, whoe (we doubte not) did obeye theyr maister in all thinges, folowed the same example: whoe dare saye that Paule wold haue sworne, yf swearing had ben vtterly forbidden? but when matter so required, he sware without any stic∣king at it, yea somtime adding an execration. But this question is not yet ended, bicause some do think that only publike othes are excepted out of this prohibitiō, as those othes y^t we take when the Magistrate doth offer them to vs & require them of vs. And such as Princes vse to take in stablishing of leagues, or y^• people when thei sweare allegeāce to their Prince, or y^e Soldiar whē he is put to an othe for his true ser∣uice in y^t warre, & such like. And to this sort thei adioyne, & that right∣fully, such othes,* 1.14 as are in Paule to cōfirme y^e dignitie of y^• gospell, for asmuch as y^• Apostles in their office ar not priuate mē but publike mi∣nisters of god. And truely I denie not y^t those are y^• safest othes, bicause thei ar defended w^t soūdest testimonies of scripture. The magistrate is

cōmaunded in a doubtful case to driue the witnesse to an othe. & he ot•• the other side to answer by othe: & the Apostle sayth, that mēs contro∣uersies are by this meane ended. In this cōmaundement bothe these haue a perfect allowance of their offices. Yea & we maye note, that a∣mong the old heathen men, the publike and solemne othe was had in great reuerēce, but cōmon othes that were vsually spoken without consideration, were either nothing or very litle regarded, bicause they thought that in these they had not to do with the maiestie of God at al. But yet it were to much dangerous to condemne priuate othes, that are in necessarie cases soberly, holyly, & reuerently taken, whiche are mainteined both by reason & examples. For if it be lawfull for priuate men in a weighty & earnest matter to appele to God as iudge betwene them, much more is it lawefull to call hym to witnesse. Put the case: thy brother will accuse thee of false breache of faith, thou endeuorest to purge thy self accordyng to the dutie of charitie, & he by no meanes will suffer himself to be satisfied. If thy good name come in perill by his obstinate maliciousnesse, thou shalt without offense appele to the iudgement of God, that it will please him in time to make thine inno∣cency knowen. Now if the weight of the wordes be considered, it is a lesse matter to call him to witnesse. Therefore I see not why in this case we should affirme, that the callyng hym to witnesse is vnlawful. And we are not without many examples therof. For though the othe of Abraham and Isaac with Abimelech be sayde not to serue for our purpose,* 1.15 bycause it was made in the name of a publike companie, yet Iacob and Laban were priuate mē, which stablished a couenant with mutuall othe betwene themselues. Booz was a priuate man, whiche by the same meane cōfirmed his promise of mariage to Ruth. Abdias was a priuate man, a iuste manne and fearyng God, whiche affirmed vnto Elias by othe, the thing that he meant to persuade him. There∣fore I haue no better rule, but that othes be so tempered, that they be not vnaduised, that they be not common without regard, that they be not vsed of ragyng lust, nor triflyng, but that they serue iuste necessi∣tie, as where the Lordes glorie is to be mainteyned, or the edification of our brother furthered, to whiche ende the commaundement of the lawe tendeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esa. xix.xviij.
• * 1.2

  Esa. lxv.xvi.
• * 1.3

  Iere. xij.xvi.
• * 1.4

  Ier. v.vij.
• * 1.5

  Soph. i.v.
• * 1.6

  Leu••. xix.xij.
• * 1.7

  Iosue. vij.xix.
• * 1.8

  Iohn. ix.xxiiii. i. Sa. xiiii ii. Reg. vi xxxi. ii. Cor. i.xiiii.
• * 1.9

  Deut. vi.xiii. & x.xx. Exod. xxiii xiii.
• * 1.10

  Malt. v. Iac. v.
• * 1.11

  Exod. xxii.xi. Iohn. vii.xvi.
• * 1.12

  Matth. v.xxxiiii.
• * 1.13

  Iac. v.xii.
• * 1.14

  Hebr. vi.xvi.
• * 1.15

  Gen. xxi.xxiiij. and▪ xxvi.xxxi. •• xxxi.liij. Ruth. iij.xiij. i. Re. xviii, x.