SERMON IV. THE THIRD COMMANDMENT. EXODUS, XX. 5. Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain. To understand the full purport of the commandments, we must ever bear in mind, that their practical object is, the well-doing of man. They are all given in mercy. The first forbids more gods than one, that we may have but one uniform will to obey. The second forbids us to represent God by an image, that our conceptions of him should not be debased and depraved. The third forbids us to take His name in vain, that we may not fall into familiar irreverence, or reckless profanity. The fourth ordains stated intervals of religious leisure, that the knowledge of God may be kept alive and fresh in men's minds. The object of the third then is, to secure to God, and every thing that belongs to him, the reverence due from the creatures of his hand. It is that which we pray for in the Lord's prayer: "Hallowed be thy name." It is that which the Psalmist emphatically asserts: "God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints; and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him."1 It is, that we should never mention him, or any thing that relates to him, without the religious respect due to holy things. It is, that in every transaction of life we should exhibit a devout acknowledgment of his greatness: "Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." e "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." 1 Psalm lxxxix. 21 Cor. x. 31. 1 The word name here signifies, not only God himself, but whatever belongs, or has immediate relation to him,—his word, his sacraments, his house, his priesthood, his service. The Israelites revered the unutterable title of Jehovah, so that they dare not mention that "glorious and fearful name," as it was termed, "the Lord thy God." And it is irreverence to him to profane any thing that is his. We may not speak lightly of his word; for "Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed." 2 We may not receive his sacraments with levity; for this was the sin of the Corinthians, at the holy communion every one to take before other his own supper, and one was hungry, and another drunken; and "they eat and drank damnation to themselves, not discerning the Lord's body." " We may not profane his house; for Jesus cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and "said, It is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer."4 1 Deut. xxviii. 58. 3 1 Cor. xi. 29. 2 Prov. xiii. 13. 4 Matt. xxi. 13. 1 We may not revile the priesthood; for Paul excused himself, "I wist not, brethren, that he was the high-priest, for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people." We may not deal lightly with his service; neither trusting to externals; for "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" nor babbling and prating; "when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking:"3 nor praying for such things as we ought not to desire; "ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." Churches, and ministers, and solemn ordinances, and stated devotions, are dedicated to God, that they may, under his grace, maintain and keep alive the reverence of the people for him. Hence we consecrate those stately edifices, which are the chief orna 1 Acts, xxiii. 5. 3 Matt. vi. 7. 2 Psalm lxvi. 18. ment of our city. Hence we adorn his temple with vaulted roofs, and clustering columns, and massive pillars, as if emblems of the stability of our faith, and the tower, and pointed spire, that seems to elevate and direct our thoughts to heaven. For the sake of God, to whose service they are set apart, we shew respect to these his creatures. And to use them as other things are used, and much more to make them in their sacred purposes the subject of jest, or ridicule, is not only to defeat the object for which they have been instituted, but also to set the example of irreverence for him to whom they peculiarly belong. But the most obvious method of breaking the third commandment is by common swearing, cursing, and blasphemy. Nothing can conduce more directly to destroy, in a man's own mind, and in that of his hearers, the reverence due to the Almighty, than the habitual introduction of what is most sacred, into discourse that is thoughtless, if not profane. It is not |