against him Let him speak for himselfe whether guilty or not guilty The particulars of which justification deniall or excuse let us in the next use heare and see whether laid in the balance of the Sanctuary they prove weighty enough to weigh downe the force and solidity of this sentence definitive The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain The second use then is to remove the light and slight objections all edged for this sin Vse 2. which if we seriously view try and weigh in the balance of Gods Sanctuary we shall find sandy and not solid bark without body bone without marrow shells without kernels shadowes without substance I sweare that which is true Object 1. Sol. See Combis Compendium Swearing either by the body of God which tempts to blasphemy or by the wounds of Christ to irreverence are mortall sins though it be true which is sworn We are commanded not only not to take up Gods name falsly but not vainly idlely when the matter is not worth proving by oath And he that usually sweareth vainly shall now and then swear falsly I forbeare great oathes Obj. as by the name of God or by the blood or wounds of Christ I sweare but little oathes by this light by this bread by mackins by my troth our Lady c. As the begger is alwayes peecing and mending his garments there where is the greatest breach Sol. 1. so should the swearer I acknowledge be careful to cure first the most dangerous oaths to stop first the widest holes to cast out first the greatest Devils to banish first the most pestilent enemies to leave first the most hurtfull fearfull and abominable oathes yet as he that sweareth by the Temple sweareth by him that dwelleth therein Matth. 23.20 So he that sweareth by the creatures sweareth by him that created them and yet will not be heard to sweare by the name of God or Christ as if a child abhorring any bitter potion or poison should notwithstanding take the same under a little sugar or the pap of an apple He that useth to pilser small things 2. by Gods judgement will be brought to steale greater things so he that accustometh to utter small will by Gods just judgment be brought to broach great horrid hellish oathes that justly may cause the break-neck of his soule Again 3. thy oathes are but little sins thou sayest then they are sins thou grantest and the wages of sin Rom. 6. ult even of every sin is no lesse then death internall externall eternall If thou allowest thy selfe in any one known sin thou hast no assurance of any saving grace at all Thou hast not any good grace if thou remainest obstinate in any one of the least sins He that abuseth Gods Saints hath not humility he that refuseth the manifest truth of Gods revealed will hath not knowledge as the blessing of God He hath not zeal or desire of Gods glory that blasphemeth Gods name nor Religion that refraineth not his tongue James 1.26 2.10 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump of pure dough a little fire kindleth a great flame a little Colloquintida spoileth a whole pot of pottage little wedges make way for great small thieves enter to open doors for great a little leak unstopped drowneth the whole Ship and passengers therein He that commonly sweares small oaths seldome maketh conscience of greater oaths I have been accustomed so long to swear Object 3. that I cannot easily leave it Then every sin might be excused Sol. Any sin the more common and continuall it is the more liable it is to punishment Guals Thou hast been accustomed to it it s all one as if a thief should desire to be excused because he hath been accustomed to steal and he cannot alter his custome herein Would an earthly Judge excuse such a shameless malefactor If thou canst not alter thy custome by repentance God can and will alter it by punishment Prescription is no plea against the King much less can long customes plead for vain swearing with the Lord to whom a thousand yeers are but as yesterday Yea Time which pleads voluntarily for continuance of things lawfull will take no fee to plead for an evill use Hath this custome lasted long it's more then time it were abrogated age is an aggravation to sin If it be once gray-headed it deserveth sharper opposition speedier expulsion To say I will swear because I have done so is perilous and impious presumption Continuance can nomore make swearing lawfull then the author of sin no devill If thou hast once sinned it is too much if oft wo be to thee if the iteration of thy offence cause boldness and not rather sorrow more detestation wo be to thee and thy sin if thou be not the better because thou hast sinned I shall not be believed unless I sweare Object 4. therefore it is for the maintenance of my credit Wilt thou go to hell and deprive thy self of heaven Sol. 1. to please men upon earth Better undergo mans unjust supposition then Gods just damnation Wilt thou get or keep thy credit with man by swearing and lose it with God by so offending Whether is it better with men for the present to be believed or with God for ever to be abhorred It is much creditable with men to abide a little deniall that by obedience to Gods commandment we may of him for ever be believed Thou shalt not be believed Because there is in thy tongue no trust 2. in thy talk no truth thy words are but wind and thy promises without performance therefore thou swearest and art not believed If thou wilt be believed without an oath observe the Apostles practice Endeavour to keep a good conscience towards God and man Act. 24.16 Act. 24.16 If wee walk unblameable in our lives if wee so highly value truth that we sell it at no rate if we keep touch and observe promises though to our hinderance our word even in our weightiest bufinesse will be credited and need no superiour confirmation for it is not the oath which gives credit to the man but the man to the oath Vse but a while to speak the truth without an oath and thou shalt finde no lack of thy oaths for thy bare word shall be taken by it self otherwise thou art like an ill credited borrower Licentia jurandi facit ut jusjurandum quoque vilescat fides rara sit Gualt Object 5. that ridest up and down the countrey with sureties because thy own bond will not be taken And surely such banckrupt security rather disgraceth then helpeth thee oaths being the common sureties of the basest people even the scum of highwayes Alehouses and Taverns I presently knock my breast and say God forgive me to swear Oh blindness worthy to be pityed were it not wilfully affected Is this the mends thou makest hypocritically to smite thy breast for piercing
Take away the causes thereof as 1. Impatiency or anger revenging our selves on God for injuries done by man 2. Pride or vain-glory making men undervalue their oaths lest they should be undervalued themselves 3. Greedy covetousness men not depending on Gods allowance but thinking by lying and swearing to buy or put off their wares at cheaper or dearer rates imitating commonly in their tradings Lysander that fraudulent treacherous Greek whose saying was That if the Lions skin would not serve the Foxes must be sowed to it and that children were to be cousened with trifles as Dice and Cockalls and men with oaths So covetous worldlings think if strength of words will not then slives of oaths shall prevail with the buyers children will be deceived with smooth words but old men must have deep oaths Yet that Fox Lysander was taken in the trap for all his force by sword or fraud by oaths and was slain at the foot of the Theban walls so these swearers with their wares sell away their souls the Devill catching them in that whereby they catch others Coverousness the cause being taken away swearing the effect will not ensue 4. Breach of promise which men will indeavour to make up with swearing thinking to pay debt with oaths Pull up these four roots of swearing so shall swearing it self be pulled up by the roots 1. If in thine anger thou sinnest not by being avenged on God 2. If humility attend on all thy actions 3. If thou dependest on Gods allowance 4. If thou be thy words master perform by hand what thou promisest by tongue Apply particularly to thy self Mot. 11. the punishments from time to time inflicted on other sinners in generall and on swearers in particular Many have been taken tripping in their wickedness Baltashar in his mirth Herod in his pride the Philistims in their banquetting the men of Ziglag in their feasting the Israelites in their rioting with Manna and Quails in their mouthes Jobs children in their drunkenness the Sodomites in their filthiness the old world in their marrying the Steward in his security and the Churl in his plenty judgment receiving them where sin left them many wretched swearers have bin surprized w th the sleep of death when they were rock't asleep in the cradle of their sin Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall History relates concerning Michael a Jewish Rabbin who brake his neck as he was swearing and blaspheming the name of Jesus Three souldiers passing through a wood in the Countrey of Samartia there arose a tempest of thunder and lightning which though commonly it maketh the greatest Atheist to tremble yet one of them to shew his contempt of God and his judgements burst forth into blasphemie and despightings of God But the Lord soon tamed his unruly and rebellious tongue for he caused the wind to blow up by the root a huge tree that fell upon him and crushed him to pieces the other escaping to testifie unto the world of his destruction At a Village called Benavides in Spain two young men being together in a field there suddenly arose a terrible rempest and withall so violent a whirle-wind that it amazed those that beheld it The two young men seeing the fury thereof coming amain towards them to avoid the danger ran as fast away as possibly they might but make what hast they could it overtooke them who fearing lest the same should swing them up into the aire fell flat down on the earth where the whirle-wind whisking round about them a pretty while and then passing forth the one of them arose so altered and changed and in such an agony that he was scarce able to stand on his feet the other liyng still and not stirring some others afar off that stood under an hedge went to see how hee did and found him to be stark dead for all his bones were so crushed that the pipes and joints of his armes and legs were as easie to be turned the one way as the other as though his body had been made of Moss and besides which is principally to be noted his tongue was pulled out by the roots which could not by any means be found though they sought for it diligently and this was the miserable end of this wretched man who was noted to be a great outragious swearer and blasphemer of Gods most holy Name The Lord chose him out saith the writer Anthonio de Torquemeda to make him an example to the world of his justice against Swearers I my selfe knew two most notorious Swearers whose names I conceale in reverence to the living that brake their necks as the common fame filled all mens eares the one from a paire of staires the other from off his horse Their lives were sinfull their deaths fearfull and their now present estate as onely known unto God I leave as doubtfull The author of the Arraignment of an unruly Tongue relates of a swearing Courtier at Mansfield who in the midst of his blasphemous oaths was taken up and carried away by the Devill Philip Stubs tells us of one whom he knew for a dozen for that is his own word or sixteen years together whose usuall and common oath was to sweare by Gods Armes In the end his arm being hurt by a knife could never be healed by any meanes but still wrankled and festred from day to day and at last so rotted that it fell away peece-meale and he himselfe through anguish and pain thereof died As he offended by swearing by Gods arms so the Lord plagued him in his arm also The German histories tell us that at Tabinga a desperate boy devised new oathes as were not common in use but the Lord sent a Canker or some worse disease that ate out his tongue even the very instrument wherewith hee blasphemed God Thinkest thou as Christ spake concerning those Galileans and Silonions Luke 13. that these punished were greater swearers then thou thy selfe I tell thee nay c. If thou marchest with them in their sinnes how canst thou but smart in their punishments Happy art thou if their falls cause thee by repentance to rise from this sin of swearing The last though not the least means to be used against swearing for the prevention and expulsion of the same is Ministers to use the spirituall and Magistrates the temporall sword for the striking at the root of this sinne so common so hurtfull In an universall and contagious sicknesse a wise Physitian would leave the study of all other diseases to find out the cure of the present raging evill no sinne so common as swearing and drunkennesse Magistrates and Ministers should joyn hand in hand for the cutting downe of these predominant sins and that the rather because herein they resemble and imitate God who in a speciall manner threatens to punish and not suffer to scape scot-free those that take his Name in vain which is the fifth use against common swearing Of exhortation Vse 5. for Magistrates and Ministers to set themselves
David in Gods Tabernacle aime to attain to his courage and resolution He that telleth lies and blasphemeth Gods name shall not tarry in my sight Psal 101.7 or dwell in my house I will hasten soon to be rid of all such wicked persons lest they should bring Gods judgments upon mine house and plagues upon the whole land whose wrath already seems to be incensed against the same the coals whereof no otherwise can bee quenched then by having courage and resolution against this other sins and by making our hearts springs our heads fountaines and our eyes rivers of teares nay let us turn our fountaine of teares into a stream our streame into a flood and that flood into an ocean and let that ocean be bottomlesse and that spring boundlesse that God may be pleased to forgive all our sinnes and remove all his fearfull judgements which hee hath threatned and crown us with those Myriads of blessings which he hath promised to all those that love him and leave their sins and sanctifie the great holy and glorious Name of God in giving laud honour and praise to the same for ever So much be spoken of the fifth use The sixth and last followeth scil of imitation God holds not swearers guiltilesse Vse 6. For imitation Psa 39.1 So must not we I will keep my mouth with a bridle I will take beed unto my way that I off end not in my tongue saith the sweet Singer of Israel which one lesson Pambus a famous professor in the primitive Church plying hard nineteen whole years together as Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall history speakes out of his own mouth yet could not learne it so perfectly as to take out anew which the author imputes not so much to the dulnesse of the scholar as to the difficultie of the lesson insomuch that if there be any man that offends not in his tongue the same is a perfect man and able to bridle his own body But because this difficultie of bridling this little-great unruly member is so great and the danger breaking forth by neglect so manifold therefore am I willing and as it were inforced to stand the longer and with Pambus to bestow the greater pains about the same God will not hold them guiltless that take his name in vain saith the Text. Therefore we imitating God after whose image we were created must oppose this sinne to the uttermost of our power by setting our selves against the sin of them that set themselves against God himselfe The wicked fact of Jezabel covering bloody impietie in proclaiming a Fast when she would have Naboth slain for blasphemy 1 King 21.9 10. shewes the custome of those times was both to punish and have publick humiliation for such sins lest the wrath of God should come upon the land for the same And when good King Hezekiah heard the blasphemy which Rabshakeh uttered against the Lord he fell to his prayers and to humble himselfe before God Shall this good King doe this for another mans blasphemy and shall not wee doe the like for our owne but continue in swearing and suffer others to continue therein without any redresse of others and remorse for our own sins We must resemble God in our zeale here or else not reigne with him in glory hereafter God 1. Reproves and punisheth swearing 2. Is himself pure from it 3. Absents himselfe from the company of such We must be holy as he is holy pure as he is pure just as he is just In the application of this last use I will propose and prosecute these particulars 1. The matter what we must doe 2. The men whom we must reprove 3. The time when 4. The manner how 5. The motives why And when I have run through these particular passages you may expect a period to this discourse of swearing and reproving the same 1. The matter what We must reprove and punish this sin of swearing 1 The matter what if ever we expect the suppression thereof Reprove and punish for I joyn them both together because reproofe is a verball punishment and punishment a reall reproof herein following the method of Mr. Perkins that judicious Divine who on Mat. 7.5 confounds reproof and correction together And to some it appertains to reprove only according to their conscience and calling and to others both to reprove and punish such are Magistrates in respect of subjects Masters in respect of servants Tutors in respect of scholars Parents in respect of children and housholders in respect of their families For every King or mighty Monarch is but Magnus Paterfamilias a great housholder and every housholder is parvus Rex a little King in his family And therefore if Kings may and ought to make lawes for the suppressing of this Gangren-like disease that hath fearfully already over-spread Court Citie Countrey Kingdome then also may and ought every Magistrate Parent Master Housholder make some lawes and take some sharp course that this horrid hellish sinne may at length be banished from our lips eares and land Some sharp course I say some having power and authority to deale herein more sharply then others that so privat men privatly in their owne families may in time effect that which by a more publick law and sharp punishment were to be wished to be enacted for the whole land Till some such sharp course and generall law by some godly Phineas be procured let us in our severall callings goe so farre as Gods word doth enjoyn and mans law permit for the suppressing this sinne which being so directly and immediatly practised against God himselfe cannot bee too much preached against by his ministers For if you say to me Why doe you harp so long upon this string I say to you Why do you continue so long in this sinne Your practice your practice which hath been evill hath occasioned my preaching which then hath been good if by this great pains and long labour you are at length brought to the sight of the greatnesse of this your sinne and the severity of Gods judgements against the same that so you may endeavour to perform for the good of others also which I endevour now to perswade you unto namely to reprove and punish swearers Reprove I say and punish for I told you ere-while that in this discourse I confound both together and you in the application may be pleased to take them asunder You who are Masters Parents Governours whose calling is to punish when I name reprove understand you punish And you whose calling is to reprove onely when I name punish understand you reprove that so my speech may not be misapplied that is rightly intended but that the fish of your soules may be caught by one of those baits you performing one of these duties reproving or punishing swearers And so relying upon Gods good blessing for successe I lanch into the deep intreating you to suffer this net of Gods word not to swim in the shallownesse of
better to obey God then man and to be beloved of God then man So it is better to undergoe mans unjust hatred then Gods just condemnation Feare not the hatred of him that can but hurt the body but endevour to keep his love who in his wrath is able to destroy body and soule eternally Mar. 10.28 Marth 10.28 The love of God and of such an unreclaimeable sinfull swearer thou canst not keep together ponder which is most likely to bee most profitable whether that which is transitory or that which is for ever durable whether that which standeth on a sandy or that which standeth on a rocky foundation and then chuse which thou wilt O but who can endure to be delighted in such strict punishment as you have rehearsed to have been inflicted upon some swearers Object 7. in the third and fourth uses or who could endure to see to shew much lesse severity upon our friends familiars neighbours and kindred The punisher of sinne whether Magistrate Master Sol. or Parent delighteth not so much to see the swearer punished as to see justice duly executed Gods wrath appeased and his word obeyed Justitia non novit patrem non matrem sed veritatem novit Justice hath no respect of father or mother but of the truth Disobedient children were to be brought by the parents themselves to the Judges and to be stoned of the people Deu. 21.18 Deut. 21.18 Are children to bee punished that are disobedient to earthly parents and must they escape scot-free that set themselves so obstinarecly audaciously impiously against God our heavenly father By man they may unjustly bee spared by God they shall justly bee condemned Saul was punished with the losse of his Kingdom for not punishing Agag with death 1 Sam. 15. 1 Sam. 1.15 The blasphemer according to the Law was to be punished even ftoned to death Levit. 24.16 Ahab for sparing Benbadad Lev. 24.16 1 Kings 20. had a sharp greeting sent him 1 Kings 20. Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people And indeed the swearer and drunkard not severly punished prove to be the bane of the land where they live As the Canaanites not cast out by the Israelites as God commanded became by Gods just judgement a snare and destruction unto them Judg. 2.3 Jos 23.13 a whip on their sides and a thorn in their eyes The swearer not punished his own soule is indangered his neighbour infected Gods name abused Christs death contemned Gods Spirit grieved and many other wicked associates in their sinnes hardned Many evill streames flow from this one fountaine neglect of punishment of the common rash obstinate swearer foolish pity marres the City which gave occasion to that saying of Domitius that he had rather seem cruell in punishing then dissolute in sparing Cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood Jer. 48.10 Jer. 48.10 Bloody sinnes must have bloody prinishments but swearing is Hos 14.2 stiled a bloody sinne therefore severely to be punished An house being on fire if it may be quenched it is best to use water onely but if it be like to endanger and set on fire the houses round about it it is best to pull down the house quickly If swearing may be quenched with the water of reprehension onely use water and let the house stand still but if fire continue fearsully to burn out on every side then pull downe the house with the town-hook of sharp correction When the Viper still will be a Viper and retain his poyson though the Charmer charm never so wisely the Apothecary takes him and makes Triacle of him to expell poyson out of others If the swearer will not bee admonished or reclaimed make Triacle of him that he that would not take heed of others may be made a preservative for others to beware of him Qui non corrigit seipsum alii carrigent se per ipsum If evill cannot be taken away from one in Israel then take away evill from all Israel Ense rescindendum c. If wee must needs see somewhat dead it is better to see a dead arme then a dead body Melius ut pereat unus quam unitas he that spares one bad endangers many good Though therefore thou mayst not rejoyce in beholding severity inflicted yet mayst thou Justinian and must thou rejoyce in seeing justice without partiality executed I shall be accounted singular Obj. 8. more precise then wise in so doing It is the Ministers office to tell men of their sins in the pulpit Obj. 9. he must advise in matters concerning the soule Every tub must stand upon his own bottome every man must answer for his own sinne Obj. 10. That particular soule that sinneth shall die and hee is acquainted with and can discourse of the words of God w th must be the rule of all our actions as well as any other can inform him and therefore knowing his fathers will and not doing it he shall be beaten with many stripes With many other sleight and frivolous objections which I might remember unto you if they were worth the answering that flesh and blood cast as bars in the way why they will neither punish really nor reprove sincerely this sin of swearing But whatsoever they do or might alledge I know they are but meere put-offs doubts difficulties devices Satan-sleights and humane evasions which prove as weak and uncertain as the brain wherein they are forged and therefore little to be regarded When once thou art perswaded in conscience and thy heart telleth thee that swearing is a sin and the action of reprehending is good just necessary and profitable and the chiefest means appointed by God to preserve the hearer from sinne and to recover the speaker out of the suburbs of hell to make him first see his sin that afterwards hee may loath it and at last leave it Let not the throng and thicknesse of any or all such Objections and Difficulties daunt or discourage thee from imitating God in discharging thy duty but rather make thee the more stoutly to pluck up thy spirits and buckle thee to this businesse which by how much the more obstacle it shall finde amongst men so much the more incouragement shall it receive from and acceptation with the Lord that thy labour though it alwayes prove not for the welfare of the swearer for whom it was intended yet it shall turne ever to the glory of God that first set thee on work whose Name as it is by vain swearers daily abused so among all that call on the same let it be more and more hallowed now and ever Amen Gods Judgements upon Forswearers VAin swearing in this Commandment is forbidden much more false and forswearing False swearing is False swearing Zach. 5.4 An oath is assertory Joh. 8.44 For swearing Perkins Mat. 5.33 Doct. 3. when wee call
not be overthrown Acts 5.38 The meeting with all new sins Arg. 14. though written many hundred yeares agoe and containing answers to whatsoever the carnall heart of man can object to the contrary The constant abiding of it in our hearts when other knowledge vanisheth at the houre of death to comfort our soules and instruct others Arg. 15. with this at that time Iacob comforted himselfe Gen. 48.3 4. with this at that time David instructed his sonne Solomon 1 Kings 2.3 4. The confirmation of it by many miracles from heaven by the hand of God himself Arg. 16. as by raising the widow of Sarephaths sonne whereby she confessed that the word of the Lord in the prophets mouth was truth 1 King 17.24 Ier. 5.36 Heb. 2.3 4. The delivery of it by mean and unlearned men and not by Rulers of the world Arg. 17. who seeke their own glory Moses a Shepheard Exod. 4. Amos a Heardsman Amos 7. the Apostles Fishermen Acts 10. The aiming at mans ho linesse in this world Arg. 18. and at his eternall happinesse in the next and not at terrene things as those writings doe that come from men The end of the Commandement is Charity Purity Faith and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.5 All Scripture is surely given by inspiration from God because it is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes 2 Tim. 3.16.17 The Scripture brings not onely learning Arg. 19. but patience comfort hope Rom. 13.4 yea heaven and salvation Rom. 1.16 So that most certainly the Word is not from men Arg. 20. for oun nature is contrary to it nor from Satan seeing he raiseth up instruments against it therefore it is from God himselfe These reasons of the truth of the word may convince the Atheist and the threats contained in this word should may and shall by Gods grace convert the swearer forswearer curser especially seeing the judgements included in this letter of the Law is so plain so peremptory and free from partiality Which Decalogue or ten words though the whole Scriptures be equally holy yet doe in a principall manner challenge and call for reverence and obedience and that 1. In respect of the Soverainty of this Decalogue given immediately by God 2. The antiquity the fountaine of all other lawes 3. The generality binding all men high and low which humane lawes doe not 4. Immutability admitting no dispensation or exception 5. The utility presupposing and promising all sorts of blessings Dent. 28. 6. The solemnity delivered with the sound of Thunder and Trumpet Exod. 19.18 In the very hearing and sight of the Israelites 7. The brevity and order of it looking to God on the right hand in the first Table and to man on the left hand in the second Table Vide hac fusius in Alstedio pag. 171. A part of which law are the words of this Text The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine which in the beginning middle end cry and call for no more nor lesse then reverence regard faith obedience that so the pains of the Writer may not be misapplied nor the time of the Reader misimployed but the duty of both discharged and the glory of God by both promoted Deo Vnico laus summa A Prayer OLord and heavenly Father who art incomprehensible in Majesty great in power fearfull in judgements holy in workes rich in mercy true in promise who hast commanded us to ask and we shall have to seek and we shall find to knocke and it shall bee opened unto us In confident assurance of which gracious promise to be performed and in dutifull obedience to which powerfull commandement to be obeyed we thy poore dust-creeping-creatures wormes-meat rather then men are emboldned to approach unto thy throne of grace acknowledgeing that we are not worthy to name thy Name with our lippes or to call upon it in our prayers or to expect help from it in our need and distresse considering that we have so often blasphemed this thy great fearful glorious name by our thoughts that have been vaine by our words that have been unprofitable and by our works that have been abominable by rash common sinfull thinking on speaking of and swearing by thy Name Titles Attributes Creatures without any reverent regard of thy Majesty before whom or the manner how or the end wherefore we think on them in heart speak of them in word or sweare by them in oath We often use but as often abuse thy glorious Name by not walking as becommeth thy name Gospel by unsanctified use of thy good creatures without looking to thee from whom they came by heedlesse admiration vain supplication opposing thy truth through blindnesse denying it through feare scoffing at and persecuting those that professe the same by saying or thinking that thou wilt neither doe good nor evill that there is no profit in thy service that in adversity thou carest not for us or hast not power or will to deliver us By sacrificing to our net abusing thy blessings blessing our hearts against thy threatnings not beleeving but neglecting the pretiousnesse of thy promises by not performing what we vow and promise in sicknesse adversity and at the Sacraments by sinning because thou forbearest to punish rejoycing in the miseries and disgraces of thy children offering the blinde and lame for thy service trusting more in men money carnall helps and means then in the strong Tower the glorious Name of thee our Lord and God But especially and most frequently and fearfully doe wee abuse thy Name by swearing lightly commonly rashly heathenishly superstitiously slavishly without any cause moving us or regard to thy Majesty sometimes by leaving thy Name sometimes by adjoyning others with it somtimes swearing by thy Creatures making them to bee our Lords which thou hast appointed our servants onely yea without any distinction at all of our words from our oathes By which one sinne of swearing much more by all other our sinnes more in number then the haires of our heads grasse in the fields starres in the Firmament or sands on the Sea shore adjoyned thereto wee have transgressed thy Law abused thy patience grieved thy Spirit discredited our profession offended thâ— godly hardened the wicked wounded our soules and made our selves liable to the certainty severity eternity of thy judgements seeing the wages of every sin is death in it selfe and in thy Law thou hast so plainly proposed Thou wilt not hold them guiltlesse that take thy Name in vaine Such sinners though the eye of the Magistrate cannot see nor the hand of Master will not touch nor the tongue of the Minister dare not reach or reprehend yet every such a one whatsoever he be Cedar or Shrub high or low Master or servant noble or ignoble Thou O Lord with whom at this time we have to do that art all
word of God as in generall so in particular of the Morall Law therein contained As for the main point whereat the Author aimeth in this treatise it is set out with much variety As a groundwork he hath set down sundry distinctons of Gods name and discovered above an hundred inventions of taking it in vain Before he laies his Battery against the great sins of rash swearing and false swearing he judiciously setteth down the lawfull and right use of swearing and therein answereth the Anabaptists Then he distinctly declareth wherein this sin of undue swearing lieth how hainous it is and how many waies committed withall he giveth sound answers to the severall vain Apologies that are made for it and addeth sundry motives against it for the better observing whereof he addeth prudent directions yea and to strike the greater terrour into mens souls against this sin fearfull judgements of God upon false and rash swearers The like is done about cursing This treatise affords such soveraign remedies against those Epidemicall maladies as it is worthy to be published for all that stand in aw of Gods judgements to read it It is a fit Treatise to be commended not only to common swearers themselvs but also to others who may hereby be directed how to prevent those sins in such as have not been accustomed thereunto and also to redress them in such as are too much addicted to the same March 24. 1644. William Gouge I Have seen a Tract intituled A Summons for Swearers and a Law for the Lips in reproving them I think there is not any English Author extant that contains more plain pithy pertinent disswasives from this sin of swearing or more variety of examples of Gods judgements upon swearers for swearers cursers with rules of direction for the reprehension of such sinners for the matter manner time with sundry arguments to prove the truth of the Scriptures against all prophane Atheisticall deniers of the same all easie for capacity and various for delight I wish the Book were countenanced by Authority that every Parish if not Family might enjoy one to be helpfull to them for their information and reformation necessary for these times wherein the Land mournes in respect of this of swearing as of any other sinne I beleeve the little expence in procuring the Book would be abundantly recompenced to the soules both of these sinners and to all such whose dutie it is to reprove the same Edmund Calamy TO THE HONOrable Sir WILLIAM LENTHALL Speaker of the House of COMMONS To the right Worshipfull Sir Robert Harley Sir Arthur Haselrigge Sir Iohn Wilde Knights Mr. Edmund Prideaux Mr. Nathanael Stephens Mr. Edward Stephens Mr. Edward Bainton Esquires Members of the House of Commons Sir Gyles Overbury Knight John Stevens Edward Rich Isaac Bromage Anthony Clifford Esquires Members of the Committee for Glocester Hereford c. W. P. wisheth sanctity in life comfort in death glory in Heaven GOOD Wine is not the worse for wanting nor bad wine the better for having a green bush before the Doore Custome claimes by prescription that such Books as come under the Presse to be made publick should be ushered with an Epistle which if it want it calleth into suspition that either the Author hath no friends of worth or that the worke is not worthy patronage There are two principall ends Right Worshipfull of Dedication either that the Patrons should countenance the subject or that the subject should work upon the Patrons That I may bee assured to bee exempted from flattery I exclude my selfe from neither of these ends Seeing swearing is a sinne whereunto both religious and irreligious are too prone the one by their common rash and wilfull swearing the other by their carelesse cold cowardly reproving the same therefore cannot wholly be unfitting you in which side soever you are to be ranked The subject being a sinne so universally spread in Court Citie Countrey it hath need finde some that may countenance and patronize it from the biting tongues of those whose wounds it labours to discover and cure I know very few who need not to have the edge of their zeale sharpened by the whetstone of Gods holy word and mens daily remembrances the Ministers of the Lord. In many things we sinne all and in all things some If you be free from this Epidemicall disease both in the active and passive part blesse God for it who hath wrought this admirable cure upon you seeing by nature every one is so propine unto it which occasioned God to bound this precept with so sharp thornes and threats saith Musculus In Loc. If you are not yet fully free the Author intreats the work may have leave to doe its best to make you free Neither doe I dedicate this Tract unto you onely that you might shelter it being a subject of this nature from the many stormes of malevolent tongues for I know it is sit that whosoever publisheth any thing unfit should beare the whole burthen of his own fault and whosoever ventureth to appeare in print must expect the common lot of all Writers to bee variously censured of various dispositions Some as Nebuzaradan burnt the Temple but kept the Gold will be content to take the matter yet blame the Author Others will happily or rather unhappily read it not out of conscience to make themselves good but out of curiosity to censure others to be bad In all these I would never desire friends to defend nor feare enemies to deprave me for what is good will defend it selfe and to flatter others fearing their censure for what is bad were rather impiety towards them then policie towards my selfe To feare any mans censure in so censorious an age were imbecillity and to think so to speak or write as to please all were to aime at an impossibility and either to endevour were meer folly But your names in a selected sort I make bold to prefix and that the rather seeing all of you by office and place I know should be and most of you by affection and practice I beleeve are professed enemies to this soule-killing heaven-daring land-loading peace-disturbing and hell-hastening sinne If these poore and unexpected papers find such kinde and expected entertainment in your hearts as the Author oft hath undeservedly found in many of your houses I doubt not but your publicke weekly practice in life will be as powerfull as my pulpit Sabbath precepts by voyce to work upon your Servingmen in houses your Tenants and many other inferior inhabitants in your Parishes that have necessary recourse unto and daily dependance on you Touching the Treatise it selfe I confesse my manner of handling things therein is like my selfe plain and homely without any gorgious garment of Rhetoricall Ornaments because I hold it a Maxime for my selfe ever to keep unto to desire rather to speak to the edification of the hearers and readers then for the ostentation of my selfe in speaking or writing yet I dare promise the matter to
God were a surety for their sin As by much labour the hand is hardened that it hath no sense of labour so much swearing causeth such a brawny skin of senselesnesse to over-spread the memory heart and conscience of the swearer that he swears oft-times at unawares and having sworn hath no remembrance of his oath much lesse repentance for his sinne Fourthly as there is universality so also variety of new fashioned oathes As men take pride in strange kinds of apparell so also of new fashioned oathes As some try their wits in the invention of new-fangled attires so many limbs of Satan devise unheard-of oathes that by this varietie they may take away all saciety of swearing keep themselves unglutted w th the common use of the same oaths Sometime swearing and that commonly by the dreadfull name of God himselfe by his life soule body heart wounds blood Sometime by the Lord Jesus by Christ heaven aire Sun light Masse Rood our Lady Saint Mary Saint Anne Sometime by my soule this silver crosse of the coin by these ten bloody bones hand bread drinke faith troth Sometime mincing their oathes at if God could not espy them when as men may as by Dickins Maskins s'lid burlady s'foot by my fay by St Tan yea Mary by yea and by nay Perkins A volume will scarce contain the multitude of their oathes and therfore the Lord hath in store for them a whole volume of his plagues Zach. 5.2 the vials whereof being poured downe upon them in the end they shall be inforced to confesse Psa 56.11 Doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the earth Swearing is now in the eare which before was in the blade the regions being now white and this sin grown to be ripe and yellow what remaineth but that we look for the Angel of the Lord shortly to thrust in his sickle Ministers they may take up the complaint of children in the market-place Luke 7.32 We have piped unto you and yee have not daunced wee have mourned unto you ye have not wept the joyful promises have beene proposed whereby you might be allured the dolefull threatnings have been delivered whereby you might be deterred from this sin and yet all in vain And what then Is the whole body of this Land full of sores and corruptions and shall we cease to use more and sharper corrasives to cure Do men lie continue and delight in sleeping in this sin and shall not wee sound out the trumpet of Gods threatnings the more loudly shall we with the false Prophets speak pleasing things sowing pillows under mens arm-holes saying Swearing is no sin or but a small one no surely for this is neither good for us nor for them not for us saith St Paul There is a woe to us if we preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 1 Cor. 6.16 not for them saith the Lord their hurt is not cured by sweet words Jer. 6.14 when the Prophets shall cry Peace Peace Jer. 6.14 and there shall be no peace at all The calmest sunshine doth less purifie the aire then the terriblest thunder and lightening the pleasantest potion doth seldom purge so kindly as the bitterst pill so words that to the ear are the sweetest are not alwayes to the heart the wholsomest Therefore every one of us that are Chirurgions of souls have need to cut and launce this festred sore of swearing though patients are impatient and smart at the quick and wee our selves indure with Moses murmuring with Micaiah smiting with Jeremy imprisoning with John Baptist beheading even for the striking at the root of this sin of many other most haynous of all other most common as a general Leprosie over-spreading the whole body of this Nation from the Cedar to the Shrub from the highest to the lowest from the richest to the poorest from the mightiest to the meanest If the Cards run against them they will be avenged their tongues shall run as fast against God if they are crost in drinking of healths in dice in hawking in hunting or any other pleasures that are dearest to them they will curse God in his honour which is dearest to him What mind can but grieve to conceive it What heart but bleed to think upon it What eye but weep to see it What eare but tingle to heare it But let them continue to set their tongues against heaven heaven will send down thunderbolts against them if they often dash against Christ and will take no warning at length Christ will fall upon them Mat. 21.44 and grind them to powder If they escape the hands of men the Lord surely will not hold them guiltlesse that take his Name in vain And Hebr. 10. it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of God Though the lawes of men have but meanly provided against this transgression and doe slowly punish it men being scarce so much offended when Gods name is abused as when their own credit is questioned Yet when the Lion hath roared who will not feare Amos 3.8 When the Lord hath threatned certain vengeance who will not be terrified from this unpleasing unprofitable sin seeing though other sinners grow bold on Gods patience and their heart is fully set in them to doe evill because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily Eccles 8.11 yet their judgment sleepeth not that offend in this kind but vengeance is against them on the way The zeal of the Lord will hasten and bring this thing to passe 1. That honour thereby may bee given to God 2. That the mouth of all wickednesse may be stopped 3. That others might feare because of the judgement because by their cursed and hellish oathes they have been the occasions of 1. Great griefe to the godly 2. Great scandall to the weak 3. Great hardening to the wicked Therefore doth he so severely threaten those that in this kind so sacrilegiously rob him of his glory Which he will perform though the wicked dream otherwise 1. Surely For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it in thunder and lightning Exod. 19.16 2. Swiftly For he will be a swift witnesse against all such impiety Mal. 3.5 3. Severely for he will not spare in the day of vengeance God will make his plagues wonderfull against this sin his curse shall overtake the Swearer and Blasphemer in their souls and in their bodies in their persons and posterity Zach. 5.3.4 in their goods and in their houses when he begins with them in vengeance he will not spare when hee begins he will also make an end and he will doe a thing unto them at which both the eares of them that heare shall also tingle 1 Sam. 3.11 as is verified 1 Sam. 3.11 1. In many examples contained in humane writings 2. In many examples recorded in the word 3. In many examples obvious in the world But what hath the swearer nothing to say for himselfe why sentence of condemnation should not passe
that he drunk so many under board or that he was at such a play such a Whore-house c. Now what greater foolishness then for a man to bumbast his speeches continually with unnecessary impertinent superfluous very sparable words and for which a man may chance to be damned unless thou leavest such words such oaths thou unavoidably proclaimest thy self a fool to the whole world It is punished with many other sins as lying Mot. 11. drinking filthy talking quarrelling murther neglect of Prayer and many other religious duties yea most commonly insensiblness of all sin Therefore Hos 4.2 wee read that lying and swearing and many other sins are yoked together and indeed swearing and lying for the most part are inmates they dwell both under one roof and walk hand in hand like the thief and the receiver or as the Vsurer and the Broker It 's to be feared that a common swearer is a lyer hee that feareth not the one feareth not the other hee that will dishonour God will deceive his neighbour hee that will make no conscience of the first will make no conscience of the second Tatble Mot. 12. God forbidding it after a speciall manner The Lord will not hold him guiltless c. Let your yea be yea nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evill Mat 5.37 But I say unto you sweare not at all vers 34. Above all things swear not lest yee fall into condemnation Jam. 5.12 Thus it 's prohibited by God the Father in the Law Christ the Son in the Gospell the Holy Ghost the sanctifier in the Epistle By the first it was inacted by the second ratified by the third renewed Sweare not at all lest swearing beget facility Mot. 13. facility coustome custome perjury Because we can name no sinners whom we do not out-strip by swearing Judas betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver but swearers without any inducement of credit pleasure profit The souldiers sinned grievously in parting the garments of Christ these divide his glorious and indivisible person his manhood from his Godhead his soul from his body and all his members one from another Many think it no great offence if they take the name of God in vaine Rabbi Aben Ezrain Dec. but surely this sin is more grievous then the breach of any of the Commandments that follow The murtherer and adulterer cannot sin alwayes because they are in feare but the customable Swearer uttereth an hundred oaths and perceiveth not when hee sweareth being reproved he sweareth hee did not sweare They sin no less that blaspheme Christ raigning in heaven Argum. then they which crucified him walking upon earth 1. The Jewes sinned of ignorance not knowing Christ to be the promised Messias these of knowledge after they have confessed Christ the Saviour of mankinde 2. They called upon Pilate to have Christ crucified these crucifie him themselves 3. They with cross and nails these rend him in pieces between their teeth 4. They comitted this sin but once these every moneth in the yeer every week in the moneth every day in the week every houre in the day 5. They sinned against him in the state of humiliation being in form of a servant these in his exaltation sitting as Judge of heaven and earth 6. Many of them did rend their garments when they heard Gods name blasphemed which if we should do in our dayes we should seldome go in whole apparell yea the wealth of the land were scarce enough to cloth the people the rich would want clothing for their backs more then the poore do now want bread for their bellies 7. Many of them were pricked in conscience and repented at the hearing of one Sermon Act 2.37 these have no feeling or remorse though injoyed means of conversion for many yeers together As therefore the Swearers pass them in sin so shall they in puuishment and as it shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah at the day of judgement then for the Jewes so shall it be easier for the Jewes at that day then for blasphemers The Sodomites and Gomorrians finned against nature and therefore were they punished consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven Swearers sin against the God of nature and is it to be thought that they shall escape unpunished If they that commit the less sin be punished how can they then escape that offend in the greatest It is much discreditable to Christian profession Mot. 14. for a Christians speech should be poâ—dered with salt Col. 4.6 and not with oaths it should not be unsavory much less stinking and noisome it should minister grace unto the hearers and not like a contagious Leprosie infect the weak or like thorns and swords vex and grieve the strong God hath given thee the use of thy tongue without whose gift and help thou couldest not move hand or foot tongue or finger Now wilt thou make this which should be the trumpet of Gods praise the trumpet of Satan to proclaime war against heaven God and all goodness God heaven and all good men disswade thee from such ingratitude It is an argument of want of faith Mot. 15. or trust in Christ For how can we believe that Christ his body was crucified for us which we so often and despitefully crucifie afresh or that his blood should wash away our sins which by impious swearing wee have so often trampled under our feet as an unholy thing It overthroweth our affiance in him as our Saviour whom we daily despite as though he were our enemy How can we with assurance hold up our heads at the Tribunall of Christ when our conscience shall tell us we seldome remember him but to blaspheme him and have more often named him in our oaths then in our prayers If you do believe in God why do you so dishonour the glory of his name If you do not believe in God why would you have mee to believe in you when you sweare by that God in whom your self do not believe It is a fore-runner of perjury Mot. 16. He that often sweareth often forsweareth because custome of swearing taketh away all reverence of an oath and so followeth forgetfulness and by consequence perjury Saul being the greatest wee reade of in the Scripture made as little account of perjury as is exemplified 1 Sam. 19.6.10.11 15. The very occasion of perjury is to be shunned feare an oath we must though we may justly take it for put out the fire there can be no flame Take away the sword there can be no murther so sweare not at all there can be no perjury Perjury saith Augustine in Jam. 5. is a dangerous pit hee that sweareth is nigh to it hee that sweareth not is far from it As Salomon speaketh concerning suretiship Prov. 11. Prov. 11.5 Suretiship for any is dangerous suretiship for strangers sharp and cutting suretiship for none is safe and sure so may wee say concerning swearing any swearing is
the children of light The great account to be made by swearers at the day of judgement Mot. 19. Although he seem to live yet is he dead already having received his deadly wound as soon as he hath uttered a sinfull oath As hee that taketh an halter before he goeth out of the Citie and commeth unto the place of execution having the Hangman following him is dead so soon as he goes out of the place of judgment So likewise the Sweaeer the oath is no sooner gone out of his mouth but he is come to the place of judgement hee is condemned straight-wayes unto eternall condemnation wearing the halter ready to be hanged Though he be freed from Gods plagues as the thiefe is till he comes to the gallows yet he may be as sure to endure them as if already they were inflicted And the longer their punishment is deferred the sorer will it be when they come to be judged Swearers think seeing they take no notice of God that God will take no notice of them But I say unto you that every idle word they shall speake Matth. 12.36 they shall give account thereof at the day of Iudgement If of every idle word then much more of every idle horrid abominable oath As they have dishonoured Gods name on earth so will he glorifie it again in the fearfull punishment of swearers at the day of judgement But if the punishment say they bee forborne so long we doe not so greatly care therefore consider lastly The present punishment of Swearers even in this life God taking them in the manner Mot. 20. as it were in the very act of their sin which might be examples to other offenders and an entrance and a full assurance of the eternitie of the punishments hereafter to be indured Charilaus the Ethnick or Pagan being asked why the Images of the the Gods in Lacedemonia were armed To the end saith hee that men might feare to blaspheme the gods knowing that they are armed to take vengeance Swearing hath been punished by men by God By men heathen and Christians It was punished of the Romans with throwing down from the rock Tarpeius Therefore when they did sweare they held a stone in their hand and protested If I lie or swear ought but truth cast me downe from the hill violently as I fling this stone from me Of he Egyptians with loss of head of the Grecians with loss of ears of the Scythians with loss of goods of the Turks with no admission of government of Maximilian the Emperour with forfeiture of money of Justinian the Emperour with putting to death of Lewis King of France with searing the lips of Henry the first King of England with a payment to the poore for every oath vainly uttered who caused within his Palace a Duke to pay 40. shillings a Lord 20. shillings a Knight or Gentleman ten shillings a yeoman three shillings foure pence a Page or Servant to be scourged A good Law to banish oathes out of a Land Court Citie Countrey lest oathes banish men out of all Josephus counselleth that the Blasphemer should be stoned and then hanged up one whole day afterwards being taken down he should be throwne into a pit without any solemne buriall And our late King James the first of that name and for ever to be eternized for learning and liberality confirmed the Parliament Act against this sinne though under the mulct of a small purse penalty yet questionlesse with great effect if the same were as rightly executed as it was religiously enacted especially if Ministers would more frequently and fervently by their exhortations labour to inflame the Magistrates zeale unto a punctuall imposing the said penalty upon the parties delinquent Thus by men hath swearing been punished so also by God hath it been punished And this our little Island hath not been barren of examples in this kind Fox in his Acts and Monuments makes mention of one John Peter that being an horrible swearer and blasphemer usually was wont to say If it be not true I pray God I may rot ere I die which though it was not an oath yet was it taking Gods name in vain and so directly comes within compasse of this Text. Thus I say commonly he took Gods name in vaine and yet not in vaine his wish was not frustrate for he rotted away indeed and so died in misery A fearfull caution to such that by wishing pull downe Gods judgements which by wishing they cannot remove again In the time of King Edward the 6th a young Gentleman of Cornwall who in the company of other Gentlemen began to use ribald talk being reproved for it hee sweareth more and rageth worse and worse unto whom one of the company answered with gentle words he should one day give an account for that the yonker taking snuff thereat Why said he takest thou thought for mee take thought for thy winding-sheet Well quoth the other amend for death giveth no warning assoon comes a Lambs skin to the Market as an old Sheeps Gods wounds said hee care not thou for mee still raging on this manner worse and worse till at last passing on their journey they came riding over a Bridge transporting over an arme of the Sea upon which this Gentleman-swearer spurred his horse in such sort that hee sprang clean over with the man on his back who as hee was going cryed Horse and man and all to the Devill This terrible History Bishop Ridley preached at Pauls Cross and one Haines a Minister in Cornwall the reprehender of this Swearer was the reporter of it to Mr. Fox who records it in his Acts and Monuments whence others have extracted it Perkins in the government of the tongue tels of a serving-man in Lincolnshire who for every trifle had an use to sweare no less oath then Gods precious blood He would not be warned by his friends to leave it at last he was visited with grievous sickness in the time whereof he would not be perswaded to repent thereof but hearing the Bell to toll he did very hardly in the anguish of death Stubs Anatomy start up in his bed and swore by his former oath That Bell tolled for him or as others relate it Gods wounds he shall not have me yet whereupon the blood abundantly from all the joynts of his body as it were in streams did issue out most fearfully from mouth nose wrests knees heels and toes with all other joynts not one left free and so dyed Oh consider these fearefull examples yee Gentlemen serving men and all men that heretofore have and still do offend in this kinde consider them I say and learn by them to forsake your sinfull swearing lest God that will not hold you guiltless suddenly and severely teare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Psa 50.22 Let these be examples to you lest you be examples to others Thus you have heard how swearing hath been punished here in this life and
against this sinne because God doth in a speciall manner and seeing it is grown to such strength that it will not in hast be repressed by both Magistrates are not to judge for man but for the Lord and as the Lord with whom is no iniquity nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts 2 Chron. 19.6 They are the Ministers for the good of his people and the punishment of evill doers and therefore if they oppose not this and other sins they beare the sword in vain Rom. 13.4 1. Ministers are Gods spirituall watch-men who must lift up their voyces like Trumpets Isai 58.1 they must be severe in preaching against it that the commonnesse of preaching it may overcome the practice of it The wisedome of these watchmen must be not onely to foresee enemies but also to discern which are most strong neerest approching most dangerous and first to be encountred 2. They are Stewards of Gods family who must not only have liberty but also discretion to give to every one his portion in fit time and see that they that have most need be first relieved 3. They are Gods Gardiners whose knowledge must be not only to discerne weeds from flowers but also to pluck up those that are most noy some and over-spreading with the first care and grea◠〈…〉 4. They are Gods Orators and Ambassadors who are not onely to be furnished with wise instructions but also with judgement and circumspection to deliver them with respect to time person occasion and place 5. They are Bonaerges sonnes of thunder whose properties must be not only to bruise and batter stony hearts by denouncing Gods fearfull judgements but also by applying them to such sins as the people and present auditors are most infected with For if chiefly among the covetous we should reprehend prodigality or pride among the sorddious or superstition among prophane and irreligious swearers this were not to reprove but to backbite sin to fight valiantly in the absence of an enemy with a strong arme to beat the aire and to contend against a shadow which may sprain a joynt and for reward move scornfull laughter rather then admiration of any true valour or expectation of victory That Shepheard that doth not rebuke those that offend without doubt he slayeth them by holding his peace we doe put to death so many as we see goe to death and are silent Chrysostome whiles hee was at Antioch spent most of his Sermons or Homilies against swearing that if not the fear of God yet his importunitie might make them weary of the sin the report of whose practice in preaching hath encouraged me to insist the longer about this sinne of swearing especially seeing the bent of this swearing Age hath and still doth invite me to make it the bent of my preaching against this hideous monster and never to 〈…〉 reprove it till in some of the members thereof it may be so mangled and wounded that at length for feare or shame or importunity feare of the punishments shame of the unprofitablenesse or importunity of Gods Ambassadours it may so languiâ—◠〈◊〉 consume till it hath breathed its last breath But alas some cannot preach against this or any other sinne some doe not some dare not some though they can dâ—e and dare yet doe all to no purpose at all 1. Some cannot because they want skill 2. Some doe not because they want will 3. Some dare not because they want courage 4. Some do to no purpose because they want carriage endeavouring to reform others but are not reformed they speak but they do not teach others but not themselves Rom. 2. Making their hearers thinâ—â—â—ere is some great mysterie of Atheisme 〈…〉 ever yet imparted unto them seeing they 〈…〉 your to disswade others from that which the◠〈◊〉 themselves or that something did over-slip them in the Pulpit which now by their corrupt swearing they do retraâ—â— Poysoning the peck of their holy admonition with the infectious leaven of their swearing and corrupt communication like Ponelope weave and unweave in the night of their hellish oaths as much as they wove in the day of their golden words they say and unsay do and undo again They are like him that carried Triacle in the one hand to resist death and poison in the other hand to take away life or like a painted fire without heat or like a fair vizard put on a deformed face or like an Ideot standing by the Sea side and seeing strangers pass 〈…〉 danger of the tide cryeth out unto them Away away the tide cometh who looking back and seeing thee fool stand still begin to say one to another Surely this fellow doth but jest if it were so dangerous as he faith hee would certainly make more hast away himself They are as the Bels that call others to the place where they come not themselves or as the whetston sharpening other things it selfe continuing blunt or as Soap whitening other things it selfe remaining black and foul or the stalk bearing flowers it selfe continuing unsavoury Like Spittle 〈◊〉 skilfull in the wayes they never went or 〈…〉 go Like Heralds 〈…〉 or dering others to fight themselves not 〈…〉 a stroke Like to the statues of Mercury by high wayes pointing to others which way to travell themselves rotting away Like to ragged files smoothing other things themselves remaining rough and unchanged Like to Scribes and Pharisees laying heavie burthens on other mens shoulders they themselves not touching the same with their least finger Like Noahs Ship-wrights that made the Ark but themselves were not saved in it But oh Tell it not in Gath lest the uncircumcised rejoyce 1 Sam. 1. r. 20. Esa 58.1 c. They should indeed not only lift up their voyces but also lift them up like trumpets Esa 58.1 Now the mouths of the trumpets are not only blown into by the mouth of the Trumpeter but also lifted up with his hand So should Gods Orators do themselves what they perswade others to yet if they do not suffer oh suffer thou their voyces to draw thee to thy duty the Whetstone of their reprehension to sharpen thine affection the Soap of their admonition to scowre off the filth of thy pollution the point of their tongues to shew thee the right in many cross wayes Take the comforts of their flower-like exhortations to thy self and leave the stalk of infectious swearing and filthy communication to remain wither or fall to themselves Refuse thou not their good and timely direction to keep thee from aberration though they be creeples and stirre not themselves take their counsel and goe thy wayes Thus having with the Cock clapped my wings upon mine own breast that so more boldly I might crow towards cry and call upon you even upon you that are either Magistrates over subjects Masters over servants Governours over families Parents over children and in all these respects as Gods over his people and inheritance Suffer O suffer the words of exhortation and work of
your eares alone but also to sink into the depth of your hearts that so at length you may have true cause to say and sing with Zacheus O God I thanke thee this day is salvation come into my house I that before blasphemed thy name by my vain rash hellish oathes now am perswaded resolved to endevour to sanctifie thy name by reproving punishing others that do blaspheme the same that so hereby my repentance to others may be manifested their conversion to themselves assured the former negligence of either by the future diligence of both requited and countervalued And so from the wide gates I make haste into the little Citie for feare you should imagine my gates to be greater then the Citie the windowes then the house the circumstance then the substance of this ensuing discourse That this duty of reproving and punishing swearers is to be performed is proved by the Prophet the only meanes to divert Gods vengeance from a land is to hinder sinne that men break not forth by swearing lying whoring stealing c. For these sins breaking forth Gods judgements break in But how shall I hinder either judgements or sinne Quest Verse 4. is added a cause why men break forth into this sinne Answ because they are not reproved Yet let no man strive nor rebuke one another intimating that the means that will hinder the breaking forth into this sinne is striving against by reproving and punishing the swearer For this people are as they that strive with the Priest shâ—wing that Satan strives by the sinne of the swearer to overcome the admonitions of God in the mouth of the Minister And should not the Minister and every Reprover strive as much for the enlargement of the Lords Kingdome as the Swearer doth for the enlargement of the Devils There must be striving you see betweene the Swearer and the Reprover Think not saith our Saviour that I am come to send peace Matth. 10.34 I came not to send peace but warre We must have war with sinners before wee can have peace with God or our own souls If by our timely admonitions we plead not for Christ by our dumb silence we really plead against Christ He that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad If God be God let us cleave to him but if Baal be God and the sons of Belial true saints let us say nothing against but cleave unto them Yee cannot serve two masters Gog and Magog Christ and Antichrist your delight cannot be in the Saints and those that doe excell in vertue and your eares sheathes for those that break forth with swearing Therefore there must be no silence but striving contending And why should we refuse the combat and doubt of the victory Swearers have the world on their side we have the word They custome we conscience They men we God They darknesse we light They error we truth which is strongest of all Through Gods mercie and the might of Christ we shall be more then Conquerours But if wee refuse to strive for the Lord of Hosts then hath he a controversie and will strive against us Therefore shalt thou fall in the day and the Prophet also shall fall in the night both the swearer and the sufferer scil the non-reprover of him And will the Lord strive plead Iob. 12. 1 Sam. 15.22 Levit. 26.24 Psal 18.26 and have a controversie with us If hee come to wrastle with man though with the stoutest of men the commander of heaven and earth with dust and ashes it cannot but prove impar congressus an unmeet match as the wrastling of a Giant with a Dwarfe We can make no match with him who powreth contempt upon Princes if they contemne him Now looke how severe the Cedar would be towards the Shrub resisting him the mighty towards the meanest ten thousand times more will the Lord be in opposing and striving against those that oppose and strive against him Doth he in any wise command thou shalt rebuke thy neighbour Levit. 19.17 And shall I see and heare him swear and not open my mouth to sanctifie when his is open to pollute the glorious name of the Lord knowing herein what God commands and what I my self practice Shall I not herein professe my selfe an enemy to God by rejecting his word by hating his soule whose body I seem to love Doth God command Ephes 5.12 Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse but rather reprove them And shall I sit with the swearer and drink with the drunkard plead not a word for God when others spue forth many oaths against him knowing herein what God commands and I my selfe practice Shall I not herein professe my selfe a striver against the Lord himselfe a hearer of his name taken in vain and therefore not to be held guiltlesse a lover of darknesse and therfore not a child of light Ephes 5.12 seeing I approve in not reproving the workes of darknesse which is the means the Apostle professeth for the frustrating this and all other works of darknesse When the Ark was present Dagon fell down they could not both stand together When the Ark of Reprehension comes in place the Dagon of darknesse will fall down Have no fellowship of needlesse long and daily familiarity with them by sitting lodging dwelling with such unfruitful works i. workers of darkness by approving defending countenancing extenuating their finfull swearing but rather reprove them for it as God the Fatther here doth Christ the Sonne Matth. 5. God the holy Ghost Jam. 5.12 Above all things c. Shall that which S. James above all things commands to be regarded least and last of all things be heeded remembred and observed Or was it needfull in his time and is it not in ours We are they that live in the last and worst dayes wherein it seemes to be a lesser offence to sweare ordinarily rashly falsly then to reprove men for their so swearing The first thing that our Saviour teacheth us to pray is that Gods name may be hallowed and shall it be our last care or rather no care at all to reprove such as doe dishonour the same Thus out of the Prophet and Apostle wee have heard what we must doe scil reprove punish swearers by all means possible striving against this sin that causeth God to strive against a whole land Secondly the men whom wee must reprove 2. The men whom The object is Swearers the extent is all Swearers The Lord will not hold him guiltless The greatnesse of the Oke the talnesse of the Cedar the smoothnesse of the Popler the greennesse of the Lawrell or the lownesse of the Shrub shall not exempt themselves from the blast and fiercenesse of this censure The greatnesse of the wealthy the meannesse of the poore the ignorance of the simple the knowledge of the learned the passions of the angry the mincing of oathes the unpunishing by the Magistrates shall not be placcards to defend men from this
definitive sentence The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain With him there is no respect of persons Acts 10. neither must it be with us The soule that sinneth must die Ezek. 18. Therefore that man that sinneth by swearing must be reproved that he may live Sinne is sinne wheresoever it is the bodies of great and rich men shall become the like preyes to wormes and rottennesse and their souls shall undergoe like strict examination as the bodies and soules of the meanest persons When this great game at Chesse is here ended they must with others be laid up together in the common bagge of nature and then there shall be no difference betweene their dust and that of the poore begger They all proceed from the same lamp and they all without envying either the other shall be content to lodge in the same Inne Great men may need admonition and why should not they have it if they need it For else were they more miserable then common men and Solomons woe were especially upon them because when they fall there is none to help them up again Eccles 4.10 It being granted that they may fall and that falling they are to be raised by reprehension and admonition if they are so fast rocked asleep that a soft speech of admonition will not they are then to be roused by the thundring trumpet of louder reprehension The matter of admonition it is to be fitted to the fault but the manner is to be framed to the best advantage of prevailing with a regard to the dignitie of his person and the remainder of his vertues Let it appeare that that which speaks is love and that for which it speaks salvation And how can any heart shut it self against love bringing with it salvation Miror si aliqu is rectorum potest salvari It is a wonder if any great man be saved saith Chrysostome alledged by Bishop Latimer before King Edward The reason is ready because there are so few to tell and admonish them of their faults the greatnesse of the one much daunteth the goodnesse and courage of the other that it dares not so freely and fully reprove their saults If Swearers be so great that Ministers dare not reprove or that the Magistrates will not lay hold on them or so cunningly mince their oaths that the Law cannot reach them yet then and there will Gods Law begin when and where mans law doth leave and end where Ministers and others dare not speak vocally there God dares and will speak really Though they dazle the eye stop and seal the lips and manicle the hands of men yet of God they cannot and the lesse they feele at the hands of men the heavier shall they feel the hand of God either in their estates or in their bodies or in their souls or in their posterities or in all Though before men they refuse to come to shame by submitting themselves to reproofe yet God will not forget them but bring them to it either in this life to their conversion or in the world to come to their full and finall confusion David Hezekiah Jehosophat Peter were reproved therefore great men if sinners if swearers may must be reproved yea be they otherwise good and wise Prov. 9.9 Rich garments require brushing fine linnen washing pleasant gardens watring All men will grant that a child or servant ought willingly to be reprehended of a father or master but few will in practice grant that a father or master should listen to the reprehension of a sonne or servant Job therefore may bee a good president to all such either masters or fathers He durst not open his mouth as himselfe witnesseth of himselfe to contemne the judgement of his servant or maid when they did contend with him because in a dutie of pietie we must looke to them not as servants but as brethren not to the speakers so much who in respect of calling may be our inferiours as to the things spoken in the ordinance of God unto whom every man is an inferiour and with whom there is no respect of persons As great and good men so kindred and friends as well as strangers and foes must be reproved if by their swearing they presume to take Gods Name in vaine Many offend against this rule who will never rebuke this or any other sinne untill God revenge it from heaven But such are not properly friends because whereas they might by admonition in time prevent the judgement of God upon them whom they in shew and not in substance in tongue and not in truth love most dearly they doe not admonish them But what sin whether swearing or the like they doe mislike in strangers or neighbours the same sin they doe allow and not mislike by reproving when it comes to kindred wife children parents as though the diversitie of subjects could make that to be sinne in some which is not sinne in other some But to end this point let not the glittering beames of any outward respect either of great men or kindred so dazle or blind our eyes as that we shall not espie sin in either to reprove it He loveth most naturally that hath loveth most spiritually and he in goodnesse comes neerest to God that hath no respect of persons with men in matter of sin Psal 82.2 1 Tim. 5.21 3. The time when we must reprove Swearers 3. The time when as it must be universally without exception so presently without delay whiles this sin is tender a plant of little growth and most easily to be plucked up whiles it is shamefast whiles it hath blood with blushing in the face David wounded the Philistine in the forehead 1 Sam. 17. We must endevour to kill this Serpent in the egge this sin not come to full ripenesse is easier cut downe then in its height Words spoken in due season are like apples of gold with pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 When timely opportunitie is neglected facilitie in dispatch is seldome attained unto When thou perceivest the Devil by oaths to roll upon the tip of the tongue of the Swearer he thereby endevouring to enter into the heart through the wicket of the ear of thee the hearer let oathes no sooner drop into the eares but let them as soon drop out of thy mouth by reproving the swearer Be thou impatient till thou be delivered of them as a woman great with child or as a stomach that is full of wind As soon as occasion and opportunity is offered as soon as reason and religion doth require let us endevour to apply the salve to the soare the wine of reprehension or correction to the wound of sinne and transgression Correction I say if we be parents and have children or masters and have servants Let us to shew our detestation of this sinne and our love to their soules endevour to banish oathes from them or to shew the feare of Gods judgements themselves from us and our habitation
and curses For the Conscience once soundly detesting sin loaths the meanes that induced him to commit it As Amnons love was not so great to his sister Thamar before the Incest 2 Sam. 13.15 as his hatred was after it was committed Contrariwise he that withstands a man in the prosecution of this or any other sin beares away frowns and heart-burnings for a time but when the offending partie comes to himselfe and to his right reason he recompenseth his former dislike with so much more love and so many more thanks The frantick man returning to his wits Greenh thinks him his best friend that beare and bound him most Let us learne this as a Rule of our life never to trust him that will promise to conceale a sin in us If thou dost the best to crosse any man in his sin if thou have not thanks of him yet of thine owne Conscience thou shalt For if where there is matter given there reproofe should be denied this were to encourage diseases and to forbid Physick to discover a sore and apply no salve Why should there not be as well a libertie as a necessitie of reproving Yet there is a wisdome as well as a libertie and it were to be wished that they that have this wisdome would also make use of this libertie and if take the libertie then to take this wisdome with it The wise manner of reproving oftentimes makes the reproofe it selfe effectuall Mr. Greeneham whose body quietly endured much launcing at the hand of the temporall Chirurgeon and therein manifested himselfe a Mirrour of patience and who himselfe in the curing of the wounds of mens souls was an expert Chirurgeon gives this Advice Pag. 101. As it falls out saith he in soares so it commeth to passe in sinnes We cannot away to have our wounds oft launced and grated on the quicke but to be fed with healing salves bathed in the mercies of God and plaistered over with sweet promises rather then ripped up to the bottome whereas it is far safer before incarnative and healing medicines to use corrasive and mundifying waters without which though some soares may seeme to close and skin apace yet they prove worse being rotten still at the coare and having above a thin skin and beneath nothing but dead flesh It is more sound Chirurgery saith he to prick and pierce the Conscience with the burning Iron of the Law and to cleanse the wounds of our soules by the sharpe threatnings thereof least the skin pulled over the Conscience for a while wee leave the rotten corruption uncured underneath Much more see at large in the same Author in Pag. 106. Yet with submission to the judgement of the learned in this particular of reproving Swearers who are so hardned and wilfull in this fearefull sinne I account it better to deale with them mildly at the first in reproving them till wee finde some shew of contrition and afterwards endeavour by sharpe threats to humble them to worke a through reformation in them For so in another place of his Workes to wit Pag. 631. I finde the same Author advising thus In admonition whether of Swearers or any other sinners wee must use discretion and degrees as good Physitians wee must not at the first urge the most forcible medicines but use them in their degree and place when and where more favourable meanes prevaile not not applying too strong purgations at the first with Rehoboam lest our impatient patients be notable to beare them especially seeing man by nature is unwilling to receive any reprehension notwithstanding it be gentle When a spot is shewed to be in our garment wee are ready to take up mire and to cast it on his coate that poynted at our spot or seeing somewhat in our face by a glasse wee are ready to break the glasse that first shewed us our blemish Those admonitions are most commendable and effectuall which ayme at the good of the reproved and not those which fit most with the humor of the Reprover If they be splenatick and over-eager they harden those affections which they pretend to soften And in his 28. Page wee must rather winne men with a loving admonition then goare them with a sharpe reprehension Considering saith he how you must put on you the person of the offender that as you spare not his sin because of the zeale of Gods glory so you presse it not too far because of compassion to a brother In curing therefore this soare and sin of Swearing 3. Properties of a Chirurgeon thou must be carefull to have the properties of a wise Chirurgeon to wit 1. An Eagles eye 2. A Ladies hand 3. A Lyons heart 1. An Eagles eye to discerne afarre off the nature of a wound whether fresh or inveterate 1. An Eagles eye whether of weaknesse or of wilfulnesse whether a Thorn or a Nettle There must not be one uniforme proceeding with all men in the reprehension of this sinne but that must varie according to the disposition and condition of the reproved The Apostle Heb. 10.24 commands every Christian to observe his brother Observe first the circumstance of the time 1 Sam. 25.36 so did Abigail towards churlish Nabal suffering the sheep-shearing first to be ended and the wine to be gone out of his head When men are so drunk that they cannot see and therefore blind so drunk that they cannot stand therefore lame so drunk that they cannot speak therefore unlesse it be to spue forth blasphemy against the Lord it is no fit time to bestow any great pains to reclaim them from this sin I think to endevour much with them at such times is to cast Pearls amongst Swine and holy things amongst Dogs Observe secondly whether an Elder or Novice The Apostle bids Timothy Exhort an Elder 1 Tim. 5.1 If the party be an Elder though reproof be not unlawfull yet it is not so fit as exhortation Observe thirdly by this quick judicious Eagles eye before thou take any Swearer in hand to discern whether he be a Thorn or a Nettle seeing some Swearers as thornes which easily touched hurt not doe not much gainsay but if hard and unwarily fetch blood of the hand others as Nettles which if they be nicely handled sting and prick but if they be roughly handled and pressed are pulled up without any harme Secondly 2. A Ladies hand a Ladies hand most commonly it is best to deale gently at the first as I shewed before For David requested his Captains to deale gently and intreat Absolom kindly though a traytor for his sake 2. Sam. 18.5 So deal curteously with them at first for our own sakes remembring our selves what wee were in our sinnes till God opened our eyes and touched our hearts Perhaps he offends in frailty ignorance and custome onely then the Apostles precept must be our practice Gal. 6.1 Yee which are spirituall restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse borrowing the phrase from Chyrurgions who
bones that doe notwithstanding all gentle admonitions and sharp objurgations still with the Dogreturn to their vomit to lick up afresh the same gastly oathes which before they vomited forth as it were some sweet morsel and desirable dainty that doe with the Sow seeming once to be washed return unto their wallowing in the mire of ear-infecting soul-killing swearing shall these have entrance and admission into the privie Chamber of God the mansion of Christ and all the host of Saints God first must cease to be true and Satan the authour of a lie Doe we expect to see God face to face Every man that hath this hope purifieth himselfe even as he is pure 1 John 3.3 Thus in the discharge of your duty must you admonish him of his finne whether he amend thereby or no. If thou have leasure and opportunity to bestow some pains and time with thy friend privatly for the casting out of this long-lodged Inmate from his soule for it may be this evill spirit hath so long possessed him that it will not be driven out with a breath but requires grrater pains Prayer Fasting then be sure not to forget Jerem. 5. Zach. 5. Mat. 5. and Jam. 5.12 the method that Christ the Apostles the Prophet use for the removing this Devill from the soule of man Among all let these two cautions or mementoes be firmly treasured up in thy memory for the Swearers profit First be sure to work upon his judgement by informing him in the truth before thou wrest his affection by the rack of reprehension by the golden bait of profit or by the Iron reason of necessitie from the pursuit of this errour and sinne 2. Be sure to insist upon that sinne alone without falling into discourse of other at the same time for if thou runne unto other at the same instant he may forget being a common swearer for what he was reprehended at first Good occasions of reformation have been lost because too many faults together have been brought to amendment I account it much better to reclaim from one effectually then to glance at one promiscuously Thus endevour thou by all these forementioned wayes of information and reprehension lovingly discreetly boldly patiently to become with Paul all unto all that thou mayst win some 1 Cor. 9.22 and pull them as brands out of the fire of this quick burning sin Be carefull to observe all advantages opportunities and circumstances of person time place manner that thou mayst finde the more speedy and desirable successe but yet beare this in thy bosome that it is far better to offend in some one of these three last mentioned circumstances then in the substance and not reprove at all Now when after such due manner wee have exercised this faithfulnesse gentlenesse wisedome boldnesse figured out unto us by an Eagles eye a Ladies hand and Lions heart in reproving this vain finfull sensuall swearing When all is done yet nothing is done towards the expelling this poyson towards the beheading this Traytor towards the curing this disease unlesse we be mindfull to pray for the Lords blessing upon our pains that he that gives the word of wisedome love and boldnesse to the mouth of the speaker will vouchsafe to give a willing inclination and resolute reformation to the heart of the hearer Lord perswade Iaphet Gen. 3.25 prayed Noab for he knew his speaking to the eare was in vain unlesse the Lord spake also unto the heart Paul may plant and Apollos may water yet both in vain unlesse the Lord give the increase Except the Lord build the house Psal 127.102 they labour in vain that build it Except the Lord keep the Citie the watchman waketh but in vain It is in vain to rise up early in thy reprehensions to sit up late in thy exhortations to eat the bread of sorrowes in they expectation of successe unlesse the Lord say the word Ephphatha If Paul preach unto Lydia as long as he did to Eutychus Acts 20.7 even till midnight Acts 16.4 yet all is nothing till the Lord openeth the heart If Peter fish all night Luke 5. yet shall hee catch nothing till Christ bring him to the place of speeding The Minister or private Reprover speakes but to the eare he that speaketh to the heart his Chair and Pulpit is in heaven Close therfore up thy counsel to the Swearers eare with this short secret Centurions prayer in thine own heart Lord speak thou the word onely Matth. 8.8 and this thy servant shall be bealed 3. The 3d manner how to reprove swearers 3. By departure from their company is by our departure from their company and society if by our words and workes our purity from and our reprehension of it we cannot prevail The first way or meanes was by purity of life and freedom from this sinne and this is a secret reproving The second way was by reprehension in our speech and this is a privat reproving The third way is by departure from the company and society of Swearers this is a more publick reproving them The first is Reall the second verball the third Intimated or intentionall If none of the other two can prevail yet this may If the two former will doe the Swearer no good yet this third will keep thee from much hurt if by them the Swearers soule is not bettered yet by this thy own dutie is discharged and thy conscience setled Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse Ephes 5.11 but rather reprove them As rash idle common swearing doth plainly discover it selfe to be a work of darkness and altogether unfruitfull as was shewed before so this is the last way to reprove it by departing from the society of such as are delighted with it When thou perceivest them to be obstinate against reproofes and canst doe no good by admonition upon them then be thou sure to have no further fellowship with them entertaine them not in thy house nor countenance them in thy company for these ensuing hazards thou art likely to incur by their society 1. Suspition 2. Infection 3. Malediction The first of suspition from others The second of infection in our selves The third of malediction from God 1. Hazard of Suspition from others inasmuch as we commonly ghess at a mans inclination by the disposition of his company Birds of a feather most commonly will flock together Noscitur ex alin qui non cognoscitur ex se The Lacedemonians enquiring after the behaviour of their children demanded very wisely with what play-fellowes they were linked not doubting but that they would be like to such whose fellowship they fancied Amicitiae ut pares quaerunt ita faciunt Friendship as it seeks so it makes men alike in conditions The Apostlewilleth us to Abstain from all appearance of evill 1 Thess 5.22 Wherefore this is one certainly and that not a little one when daily familiarly delightfully we converse with notorious swearers without any
all the Congregation are holy every one of them vers 3. So say our ruffian-like swearers You take too much upon you all are as holy as you your selfe Wilt thou make thy selfe altogether a Prince and a Ruler over us ver 13. The sayings of these in contempt of admonishing besides their swearing are very fearfull sinfull Their company then cannot be so profitable should not be pleasing For it is not injustice in God if we encourage or countenance swearers by our presence silence approbation though wee sweare not with them to wrap us up in the same vengeance A qua libera nos Domine Yet such as are delighted in the company of such finfull swearers have I thinke somewhat to say for themselves why they have so much delight in and so little hast out of their company 1. Objectiōs to cōtinue in obstinate Swearers company answered Objection Wee see in our judgements no such danger in the company of swearers Sol. A Master seeing his servant playing at dice may put out the Candle God justly may put out the light of your judgements in this particular because you have abused your judgements in many other generalls And seeing you have more delighted in the favour of sinfull swearers then in the favour of God your heavenly Creator it is just with him to punish sin with sin sins of practice with sins of opinion to have eyes and not to see eares and not to heare hearts and not to understand with them The Sunne may equally shine upon all men and yet those that are blinde see nothing by the light thereof The light of the Word is cleare against this sin Mat. 5. Exod. 20. yet carnall purblinde men will not benefit by this open universall light The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of God neither indeed can he because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 1 Cor. 2.14 Men though of much reading and filled with a lowd sound of generall knowledge are as emptie barrells floating on the Sea close shut there is water enough if they could open themselves Their judgements might easily see the danger in sinfull swearers company if they would or rather if God were pleased to boare a hole in their close caskes with the whimblet of his Word and pierce them through by the power of his grace and Spirit Objection 2. I should be thought to be singular if I should absent my selfe unmannerly from their company Sol. It is better to be thought to be singular then to be knowne to be sinfull It is a commendable pietie to affect fingularitie among those that are vicious It is better to doe or thinke well alone then to follow a mublitude in that which is evill Exod. 23. Objection 3. It is hard for a man to leave the company of all such his ancient familiar acquaintance Sol. All our old garments may willingly be cast away when better are given in the roome of them Lot was better pleased with his new associates Angels Messengers from God then with his old acquaintance the Inhabitants of Sodome rebells against Heaven His wife had a longing after though mercifully pulled from them therefore shee is turned into a pillar of Salt for to season us and our carnall affections Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse our own flesh and bloud is not to be followed but Gods commandement to be obeyed It is better having one eye to goe to life Mat. 18.9 then having two to be cast into hell-fire Better have the conduct of God and a good Conscience to cheare us in our journey to heaven then to have a multitude of old companions the sonnes of Belial to ring a passing peale to our soules and hast us to hell Objection 4. I finde their company much profitable I sin not against the Apostles rule Ephes 5. Ephes 5. Sol. He means there such workers and actors of darknesse are no whit profitable to thy soule how soever they may seeme to be to thy bodie Now thy soules profit thou chiefly art to ayme at seeing the welfare of the body wholly depends thereon If thou by their company dost gain in the flesh I am sure thou losest in the Spirit How canst thou account that gaine which is had with the losse of Faith God and a good Conscience How canst thou rejoyce in the bargaine when thou givest pearles and receivest pebbles gold and receivest dung buyest earth which is transitory and sellest heaven which is eternall This is Glaucus his change Copper for gold Esaus purchase pottage for a birth-right I had rather hunger saith one then willingly dip my hand in a wicked mans dish Objection 5. Being in the company of swearers if rashly I should rush out of their company I should be much hated and spoken of by them Sol. If evill men like thee it s because they spie some evill qualitie in thee like their owne If they saw nothing but goodnesse in thee they could not love thee and be bad themselves When the people praised Phocion he doubted somewhat and said What evill have I done Strive to deserve ill of none but not deserving ill let it not grieve thee to heare evill of those that are evill themselves There is no greater Argument of goodnesse then the hatred and dispraise of a wicked man Objection 6. I keepe my tongue from swearing with them though for societie I sit in their company my heart and my soule are kept pure from such pollutions they shall not defile mee Sol. Then thou art as pure as Christ Jesus himselfe in whose Spirit alone there was found no guile All other Saints had an inclination to evill and many of them by evill company dangerously foyled If such tall Cedars as Joseph Job Sampson Solomen Peter have been shaken which had so fast footing what will be thy estate that standest upon such slippery ground having more aptitude to fall more provocation to sin Thou prayest to be delivered from temptation Mat. 6. and yet dost thou run into temptation by thy willing associating thy selfe to the company of sinfull swearers This is not to stay till the Devill finde thee but a seeking of him because the Devill should not lose thee It is but a madnesse for a man to presume upon an Antidote in going to the Pest-house when he may keepe himselfe from it It is indeed the propertie of oyle being powred into other Liquors to swim on the top and keepe it selfe unmixt And of the Salamander to lie in the fire and not be burnt And of the fishes to retaine their fresh taste and yet live in the salt waters But these qualities are rare and not easily matched seeing every thing else participates of the nature of the place wherein it abides Waters varie their savours with the veines of the soile through which they slide Brute creatures also many of them altering their region do alter also their cōdition Men are as apt to be altered by the
dignity and dominion from this time forth for all eternity Amen Amen Lord speak thou the word onely and these sinners if thy servants shall be healed Matth. 8.8 GREENHAM concerning Reproofe IF we think we may speake we will speake too soon If we think we may keep silence we will hold our peace too long when wee much love the persons to whom we speak wee slack our zeale in reproving of sinne If we be zealous against sinne we slack our love to the person By admonition we win and save soules and for want of admonition we lose and destroy soules If then by admonition you would not lose observe carefully these Rules 1. Look that you have a good ground out of the Word for reproving 2. Look if it stand with your calling to reprove 3. Afterward consider if any other man might doe it more profitably then you 4. Look before whom you reprove lest you hinder the credit of the party with his friends and increase his discredit with his foes 5. When you see your lawfull calling to reprove this or any other sinne then consider that you must put on you the person of the offender that as you spare not his sinne because of the zeal of Gods glory so you presse it not too farre because of compassion to a brother 6. Then look that your heart bee right in zeale and love and so call for Gods assistance before you speak his grace in speaking and his blessing after your speaking 7. If you remember any thing left out that might have been profitable please not your selfe in it but be humbled for it 8. If you finde that some infirmities have been in you yet shall they not doe so much hurt as Gods blessing on his ordinance shall doe good For though the party admonished doe many times either deny the thing or quarrell with the affection of the speaker yet when he hath chafed with his owne shadow and disputed with his own reason it will come to passe that hee will speak reverently of him behind his back whom hee much gainsaid before his face Sundry dehortations out of Scripture against swearing THeem that sinne rebuke openly that the rest may feare 1 Tim. 5.20 Rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a Father and the younger men as brethren 1 Tim. 5.1 Sweare not at all Matth. 5.34 Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe Matth. 5.33 Bless and curse not Rom. 12.14 He that heareth cursing and bewrayeth it not hateth his own soul Prov. 29.24 As the Swallow and Sparrow by flying escape so the curse that is causlesse shall not come Prov. 26.2 How shall I curse where the Lord hath not cursed Numb 23.8 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Levit. 19.17 FINIS An Abstract or Epitome of the Contents handled in this Tract 1. THe Titles wherewith the word of God is honered to allure mens affections to attend with love and reverence unto it as a Preface or introduction to the Text page 1 c. 2. The Decalogues division and Texts explication to informe the judgement p. 6. c. 3. The severall acceptions of the word Name p. 7. c. 4. Gods Name besides swearing forswearing cursing is taken in vain 102. wayes p. 22 c. Doct. Rightly to sweare is to sanctifie Gods Name wherein are handled 1. The definition of on oath 2. The ends of an oath foure 3. Causes why men swearing lay their hands on a booke foure Vses 1. Iustification of the lawfulnesse of swearing 2. Confutation of Anabaptists p. 23 c. 3. Caution in respect of the Rules in Truth Iustice Iudgement p. 30. Doct. 2. Sinful swearing though by man it bee not yet by God shall severely be punished page 33. Ten wayes how men sweare sinfully 33 Vses 1. Reprehension and commination p. 34 c. where sundry objections are resolved 2. Removall of the twelve common objections for swearing p. 43 c. 3. Excitation by twenty motives to hate and eschiew ibis sinne p. 36 c. Where is shewed how it hath been punished by God by men by the Romans Egyptians Turkes French Scythians Persians By Kings Heathen Christian from p. 56. ad p. 80. Twenty severall in conveniences ensuing by swearing p. 80. Vse 4. Direction what means to use whereby this poyson may be expelled this traytor beheaded this disease cured this Commandement obeyed page 82. where twelve meanes are prescribed 5. Exhortation for Magistrates for Ministers to set themselves against this sinne p. 88 6. Imitation God bolds not such sinners guiltlesse so must not we p. 99. seen by punishing by reproving it where the Rules are 1. the matter what 2. the men whom we must reprove 3. the time when 4. the manner how 5. the motives why p. 101 1. For generall uniformity 2. because of delayes inutility p. 117. In reproving them we must have 1. an Eagles eye 2. a Ladies hand 3. a Liens heart p. 125 Hereunto are required 4. graces as most needfull 1. Fidelity 2. Courage 3. Discretion 4. Patience p. 28 If we can doe no good then depart from their company inregard of the danger of 1. Suspition 2. Infection 3. Malediction Where ten objections to continue in swearers company are answered 146 An edge may be put to our zeale herein by Arguments drawn 1. from our Calling 2. from Caution 3. from Discredit 4. from Danger 163 Ten objections alledged and the same answered why men doe not reprove or punish swearers 268 to 282. Doct. 3. Forswearers because they take Gods name in vain shall not by God be left unpunished 282. Vses Where the Motives to disswade from this sin in regard of 1. the greatnesse of the sinne 2. the grievousnesse of the punishment 1. eternall 2. spirituall 3. corporall exemplified by Gods many visible judgments is manifested in ten particulars 282. 287 Doct. 4. There is a certaine multiplicity severity of punishment attending all those that by Cursing take Gods name in vain 300 Vse 1. Dehorts from this sin because of 1. its greatnesse in regard of the breach of Gods Commandement 1. The Curser breaking the first 2. the second Table 301 2. The greatnesse of the punishment 1. Threatned in the Word 2. Inflicted in the world 301. to 315 Where obiections from the examples Of some mentioned in the Scriptures that wished dangerous wishes to themselves are answered 315 21. Cases and questions touching swearing and forswearing are answered from page 322. to 334 Lastly the swearers forswearers cursers common refuge touching Gods mercy to be expected by them or the threats in the word proposed doubted of by them are briefly answered Where to convince the prophane and Atheisticall sinners twenty arguments are revealed to prove the Scriptures to be the word of God and therefore the threats therein mentioned to be feared to work repentance in those sinners and faith and obedience to this commandement 336 Which Decalogue or