Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Let us not take the name of the Lord our God into our mouths, unless it be in a matter of weight. Let us not blaspheme, curse, nor lye in the name of the Lord: Let us not use, nay, rather abuse the name or word of God in conjuring, juggling, or sorcery. For in these things, the name of God is most of all abused. Let us precisely and holily keep the oath which we have made by the name of the living and eternal God. Let us in all things tell truth and lye not, that when this world that will not see, shall be enforced to see so great a reverence and devotion in us to the name of our God, it may be compelled thereby to glorify our father which is in heaven. And this, verily, is the godly using of the Lords name, and the religion wherein our God is very well pleased.

Let vs not take the name of the Lord our God into our mouthes, vnlesse it be in a matter of weight. Let vs not blaspheme, curse, nor lye in the name of the Lorde: Let vs not vse, nay, rather abuse the name or worde of God in coniuring, iuggling, or sorcerie. For in these thinges, the name of God is most of all abused. Let vs precisely and holily kéepe the othe whiche we haue made by the name of the liuing and eternall God. Let vs in al things tell truth and lye not, that when this world that will not sée, shall be inforced to see so great a reuerence and deuotion in vs to the name of our God, it may be compelled thereby to glorifie our father which is in heauen. And this, verily, is the godly vsing of the Lordes name, and the religion wherin our God is very well pleased.

Now note by the way, that there are sundry ways, whereby we abuse ¹the name of God, and first of all we abuse it as often as our harts are with out all reverence to God him self, when we do unreverently, filthily, wickedly, and blasphemously speak of God, of his judgements, of his word and of his laws: when we do with scoffing allusions, apply Gods words to light matters and trifles, by that means turning and drawing the Scriptures into a profane and unhonest meaning. Moreover, we do disgrace yt name of the Lord our God, when we call not upon his name, but turn our selves rather to, I know not what sort of Gods, to mans skill and succour, to things forbidden, to Idols, and conjurers, which we fall a doing then especially, when being wrapped in misery and calamities, either for our sins, or else because God will try us, we do presently begin to murmur against God, and to accuse his judgements, hardly abstaining from open blasphemy, in grudging to bear the things, that for our deserts we do worthily suffer. Here unto belongeth the abuse of beastly knaves, which do not stick to use the holy name of God in obtaining their filthy lusts, which they call love, and also the naughtiness of them, that thereby seek to find and recover the things that are lost, or else are stolen from them. We do unhallow the name of the Lord our God, when we give not to him all honour and glory. We shall peradventure do some good deed, there is perhaps in us something worthy to be praised: if we therefore shall challenge the praise thereof to our selves, or at the least, shall pare out a piece of that glory for our own share, and give the rest to God, not referring it all and whole to God the author of all, then do we therein defile the name of God, which ought alone to be praised for ever and ever. Furthermore, if we deny the Lord, or blush at, and be ashamed of his holy Gospel, because of this wicked world and the naughty men therein: if also we do spot our selves with a filthy and unclean life, which is to the slander of Gods name, and the offence of our neighbour, then do we take the Lords name in vain, yea, we abuse it to his dishonour and reproach. We do abuse the name of the Lord, if we take a solemn oath in a trifle or matter of no effect, or if we do not keep & perform the oath that we have sworn.