Henry Tuberville, Douay Catechism, The Second Commandment
Written in
1649 by Henry Tuberville at Douay. Known as the
Douay Catechism.
The Second
Commandment Expounded.
Q. What is
the second commandment?
A. Thou
shalt not take the name of the Lord by God in vain.
Q. What is
forbidden by this precept.
A. All
false, rash, and unnecessary oaths.
Q. What
kind of sins are false and rash oaths?
A. Mortal
sins, if they be voluntary and deliberate, because by such oaths, we call God
to witness a lie; or at least to that which is uncertain.
Q. What are
the necessary conditions of a lawful oath?
A. Truth,
that we hurt not God's honour; justice that we wrong not our neighbour; and
judgment, that we swear not vainly.
Q. What is
the just cause of an oath?
A. God's
honour, our own, or our neighbour's good and defence.
Q. If a man
swears to do that which is evil, is he bound to keep his oath?
A. No, he
is not bound to keep it; for an oath is no bond of iniquity.
Q. How
prove you a vain or jesting oath to be a sin?
A. Out of
Matt. v. 33. "It was said of old (saith our Lord) Thou shalt not commit
perjury; but I say unto you, not to swear at all," that is without just
cause.
Q. What
other proof have you?
A. Out of
James v. 12. "But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by
heaven, nor by earth, nor by any other oath. But let your speech be: Yea, yea:
no, no: that you fall not under judgment."
Q. What else
is prohibited by this precept?
A. All
cursing and blaspheming.
Q. How else
do men sin against this precept?
A. By
breaking lawful vows, and by making or keeping unlawful ones.
Q. What is
a lawful vow?
A. It is a
deliberate and voluntary promise made to God, of some better good.
Q. How do
you prove it lawful to make vows?
A. Out of
Isa. xix. 21. "They shall make vows unto the Lord, and shall pay
them."
Q. What is
commanded by this precept?
A. To speak
always with reverence of God, and his saints.
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