to forbid Perjury or Falſe Swearing; yet being interpreted in a Chriſtian Senſe, it is a Precept againſt all vain and common Swearing, and eſpecially by the Name of God. I ſhall put you in Mind, by and by, how expreſly our Saviour forbids Chriſtians to ſwear by the Creatures, becauſe of the Relation they bear to their Creator, and becauſe as they are the Creatures of God, to ſwear by them is in Effect to ſwear by God; and then it muſt be a Sin of a much higher Nature, for Men in their common Converſation to ſwear directly by God himſelf.
The Name of God is pronounced in Scripture, to be holy, and glorious, and reverend; and it is one Part of the Prayer, which our Saviour taught us, that God’s Name may be hallowed; that is, that it may be thought and ſpoken of by us and all other Perſons, with great Seriouſneſs and Reverence, as a Name that is ſanctified, and ſet above common and ordinary Uſe. Which ought to teach all Chriſtians to uſe it ſparingly and reverently; not to bring it too familiarly into any of their Diſcourſes concerning the Affairs of this
World,
