because if it doth not, inveterate evils demand a rougher cure. Accordingly, here the Israelites are forewarned, that if they fell into idolatry, they and their children would fall, by means of it, into all sorts of abomination; and not only these would of course produce many mischiefs to both, but God would chastise the following generations with heavier strokes, for not taking warning, as they ought to have done, by the misbehaviour and sufferings of the former. Denouncing this intention beforehand, must influence them, if any thing could; because it must give them a concern, both for themselves and their descendants too; for whom, next to themselves, if not equally, men are always interested. And, therefore, visiting sins upon them to the third and fourth generation, seems to be mentioned; because either the life, or, however, the solicitude, of a person may be supposed to extend thus far, and seldom further. The threatening, therefore, was not only just, but wise and kind, on the supposition, which, in general, it was reasonable to make, that in such matters children would imitate their wicked progenitors. And whenever any did not, either their innocence would avert the impending evils, or they would be abundantly rewarded in a future life, for what the sins of others had brought upon them in the present. But if God hath threatened to punish the breach of this precept, "to the third and fourth genera"tion," he hath promised to "show mercy unto "thousands;" that is, so long as the world shall endure, to "them that love him, and keep his "commandments." To the Jews he fulfilled this engagement, as far as they gave him opportunity, by temporal blessings. And amongst Christians there is ordinarily a fair prospect, that a nation, or a family, pious and virtuous through successive ages, will be recompensed with increasing happi ness in every age; which is a powerful motive, both for worshipping God in purity ourselves, and educating those who are placed under our care, to do so too. Yet, it must be acknowledged, that neither the rewards foretold, nor the punishments denounced in this Commandment, are so constantly distributed on earth under the Gospel dispensation, as they were under that of the law. But still our Maker as certainly requires, as ever he did, since he "is a Spirit, to be worshipped in spirit and in truth;"1 and the inducement to it is abundantly sufficient, that the idolators, amongst other sinners, "shall have their part in the lake, "which burneth with fire and brimstone."2 Not that we are to be forward in applying so dreadful a sentence to the case of those, whether Christians or others, who in this, or any respect, offend through such ignorance or mistake, as, for aught we can tell, is excusable. May our heavenly "Father forgive them; for they know not what they do."3 But we should be very thankful to him for the light which he hath caused to shine upon us; and very careful to walk in it as becomes the "the children of light, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness."4 (1) John iv. 24. (2) Rev. xxi. 8. (3) Luke xxiii. 34. LECTURE XX. Third Commandment. THE first Commandment having provided that we should worship only the one true God; the second prohibited worshipping him in a manner so unworthy and dangerous, as by images; the third proceeds to direct, that we preserve a due reverence to him in our whole conversation and behaviour. "Thou shalt not take the name of "the Lord thy God in vain." Under these words are forbidden several things which differ in their degrees of guilt. 1. The first and highest offence is, when we swear by the name of God falsely. For vanity, in Scripture, frequently means something which is not what it would appear. And hence, using God's name in vain, or to vanity, principally sig nifies, applying it to confirm a falsehood. Doing this deliberately, is one of the most shocking crimes of which we can be guilty. For, taking an oath, is declaring solemnly, that we know ourselves to be in the presence of God, and him to be witness of what we speak; it is appealing to him, that our words express the very truth of our hearts; and renouncing all title to his mercy, if they do not. This it is to swear; and think, then, what it must be to swear falsely. In other sins men endeavour to forget God; but perjury is daring and braving the Almighty to his very face; bidding him take notice of the falsehood that we utter, and do his worst. Now, of this dreadful crime we are guilty, if ever we swear, that we do not know or believe, what, indeed, we do; or that we do know or believe, what, indeed, we do not; if ever, being upon our oaths, we mislead those whom we ought to inform; and give any other than the exactest and fairest account that we can, of any matter concerning which we are examined. Again, if we promise upon oath to do a thing, without firmly designing to do it; or if we promise not to do a thing, without firmly designing to abstain from it; this, also, is forswearing ourselves. Nay, further, provided the thing which we promise be lawful, if we do not ever after take all the care that can be reasonably expected, to make our promise good, we are guilty of perjury; and of living in it, so long as we live in that neglect. If, indeed, a person hath sworn to do what he thought he could have done, and it proves, afterwards, unexpectedly, that he cannot, such a one is chargeable only with mistake, or inconsiderateness at most. And if we either promise or threaten any thing, which we cannot lawfully do, making such a promise is a sin; but keeping it would be another, perhaps a greater sin; and, therefore, it innocently may, and in conscience ought to be, broken. But if we have promised what we may lawfully, but only cannot conveniently, perform, we are, by no means, on that account, released from our engagement; unless either we are unqualified to promise, or were deceived into promising-or the person to whom we have engaged, voluntarily sets us at liberty-or the circumstances of the case be plainly and confessedly such, that our promise was not originally designed to bind us in them. You see, then, what is perjury. And you must see, it is not only the strictest and grossest affront to God-for which reason it is forbidden in the first table of the Ten Commandments-but the most pernicious injury to our fellow-creatures; on which account you will find it again forbidden in the second table. If persons will assert falsely upon oath, no one knows what to believe; no one's property or life is safe. And if persons will promise falsely upon oath, no one can know whom to trust; all security of government, and human society-all mutual confidence in trade and commerce, in every relation and condition, is utterly at an end. With the greatest reason, therefore, are perjured wretches abhorred of all the world. And no interest of our own-no kindness or compassion for other persons-no turn or purpose, of whatever sort, to be served by it, can ever justify our swerving at all from truth, either in giving evidence, or entering into engagements. Nor must we think, in such cases, to come off with equivocations, evasions, and quibbles; and imagine it innocent to deceive this way. On the contrary, the more artful and cunning our falsehoods are, the more deliberate and mischievous, and, therefore, the wickeder they are. "Be not deceived; God is "not mocked:" and the following are the declarations of his sacred word to the upright man : "Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle, and "rest upon thy holy hill? He that speaketh the "truth from his heart, and hath used no deceit "with his tongue; he that sweareth unto his neighbour, and disappointeth him not, though "it were to his own hindrance."2 But to the perjured: "seeing he despised the oath, by breaking the covenant; thus saith the Lord God: "As I live, surely mine oath that he hath de66 spised, and my covenant that he hath broken, I "will recompense it upon his head."3 66 66 Let us all stand in awe of so dreadful a threatening, and avoid so horrible a guilt. Particularly at present, let all who have sworn allegiance to the king, faithfully "keep it, and that in regard "to the oath of God."4 And let those who have (1) Gal. vi. 7. (2) Psal. xv. 1, 2, 3, 5. (3) Ezek. xvii. 18, 19. (4) Eccl. viii. 2. |