The Institution of Christian Religion

The end of this commandment is, that his will is to have the majesty of his name to be holy among us. Therefore the sum shall be, that we do not defile it with contemptuously & irreverently using it. With which prohibition the commandment hangeth orderly together, that we take study and care godlily to reverence it. Therefore we ought so to order our selves both in our minds & our tongues, that we neither think nor speak any thing of God himself or his mysteries, but ⟨p. 53⟩reverently & with much sobriety: that in weighing his works, we conceive nothing but honourable toward him. These three things I say, it behoveth us not negligently to mark, that what so ever our mind conceiveth of him, what so ever our tong uttereth, it may savour of his excellency, & may agree with the holy highness of his name: and finally may serve to advance his magnificence. That we do not rashly or disorderly abuse his holy word & reverend mysteries either to ambition, or to covetousness, or to our own triflings: but that as they bear the dignity of his name imprinted in them, so they may keep their honour & estimation among us. Last of all, that we do not carp against or speak evil of his works, as these wretched men are wont to babble reproachfully against them: but that what so ever we rehearse done by him, we report it with words of praise of his wisdom, righteousness and goodness. That is to sanctify the name of God. Where otherwise is done, it is defiled with vain and perverse abuse, because it is violently carried from the right use whereunto only it was appointed: and though there be no other hurt done, yet it is spoiled of his dignity, and by little and little brought to contempt. Now, if there be so much evil in this rash readiness to use the name of God out of season, much more mischief is in this, if it be employed to evil uses, as they do that make it to serve the superstitions of Necromancy, cruel execrations, unlawful conjurations, & other wicked enchantments. But swearing is chiefly mentioned in the commandment, as the thing wherein the perverse abuse of Gods name is most detestable, that thereby we may be the better altogether frayed away from all defiling thereof.

The end of this cōmaundement is, yt his will is to haue the maiestie 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 neyther thinke nor speake any thing of God himself or his misteries, but