heaven earth c. 7. Heathenishly by the gods of the Gentiles Deut. 6.14 which to name in oathes were forbidden 8. Superstitiously as by the Rood Masse Saint Mary Saint Anne c. 9. Ridiculously as by Lakin Cock and Pye c. 10. Hellishly as by Gods Body Blood Heart Soule Wounds Armes Nails Fast life Iesus Lord Passion of God c. The uses that we may make of this second doctrine shall be 1. For the reproof of the offenders 2. For the removall of the objections usually alledged for swearing 3. For direction to use the means for the abandoning of the same 4. For incitation to hearken to the motives for the abhorring this sin 5. For exhortation to Ministers and Magistrates to oppose chiefly this sin 6. For imitation to imitate God in the reproof and punishment thereof Of all these in order with the change of the fourth into the place of the third 1. This may justly be for a reprehension of Vse 1. a commination against all such as offend in any the former kinds without any awfull regard of Gods dreadfull Majesty in so much that if ever the land did mourn in Jeremies time Jer. 23.10 then much more in ours by reason of sinfull swearing Jer. 23.10 The earth mourneth for bearing of sinners because man mourneth not for broaching of sin If ever in Hoseabs time the Lord had then much more now hath the Lord a controversie with the inhabitants of the land Hos 4.1 2 3. both for defects and for superfluities defects of Truth Mercie Knowledge superfluities of swearing lying c. 1. No truth in heart or tongue 2. No mercie in hand or work 3. No knowledge in head or will Hesca 4.1 Therefore they breake forth for want of truth by swearing and lying For want of mercie by killing and stealing For want of knowledge by adultery and one bloody sin toucheth another The foundation of all these sinnes is want of truth and the first head of this monster of the body of sin that appeareth is swearing And this Serpent having got in her head by swearing the rest of the body will easily glide in after Neither is there care of making and executing Lawes either publickly in the land Magistrates or privatly in the family against this sin 1. For fear the Housholders Masters Parents or Magistrates should make a net to catch themselves 2. Or for feare there are not enough innocent to punish the offenders so great is the multitude of them So farre are the Magistrates from drawing the sword of justice and punishment against swearers that they scarce dare touch them with the scabbard of reprehension Sanpaulinus but for reproving a man for swearing Saupaulinus D. Iackson ex Fox Martyr p. 904. Gentry was by the Papists suspected to be a Lutheran and thereupon examined condemned burned The Gentry also are much infected with this sin and why 1. It is a grace unto their speech They thus gracing themselves to disgrace their creator doe glory in their shame and their end will be damnation 2. Or it is an argument of their valour Obj. Phil 3.19 seeing they dare to provoke God himselfe therefore men may dread them For indeed it falls out oft Sol. that where solid magnanimitie of heart is wanting that it must be supplied by the valour of the tongue It will appeare commonly by the least triall that under this hideous vizard they hide their cowardize If the Lion-like skin of fury be once plucked off they will appeare to be Asses onely fit to bear blows and only valorous to leap out of the â—uburbs here into the fire of hell it selfe there perpetually to remain the Devils bond-slaves in torments remedilesly If any of the Gentry or serving-men do abstain from swearing hee is among his outward equals and daily associates accounted a shallow fellow a sober dry plain down-right Civillian an enemy to gallantry a crosser of the times an unconformitant to the custome of great men and in a word as an Owle among birds wondred at look what an Asse is among a sort of Apes the same is he among his equalls and fellowes They think that serving man not worthy to wear a Livery that cannot face out the matter with plentie and variety of oathes He that can soonest sweare and give the first blow is thought fittest to doe the best service to a Gentleman Whereas there are three wayes to confirme our speech scil Affirmation Asseveration and an Oath Men commonly make that the first which the Lord hath appointed the last bound of speech and resuge for upholding the truth I have knowne saith Musculus Musculus then publick Reader of Divinity in the Citie of Berna in Helvetia some Common-wealths so well ordered before these troublesome years that if any of the Citizens did offend through lightnesse of swearing he should be chastened by order of the laws made in that behalf But now saith he we see that all lawes of holy Discipline be broken amongst us and all liberty given to whoredome adultery drunkennes usury and rash swearing coupling swearing w th usury drunkennes whoredom the three most common banes of Common-wealths And yet men are punished sharply if they abuse the Majesty of Magistrates never so lightly Whith things well weighed saith he we must look for the extream wrath of God to be kindled and fall upon our contrey ere long which will be so great that it will especially plague noble and great personages such as think they stand upon a most sure and quiet ground in that they have forsaken the yoak of the Lord in shifting off the anger and displeasure of that man whose breath is in his nostrils that they may sall into the wrath and displeasure of God by whose breath the whole world is shaken and crushed together So farre Musculus in his tract of oathes As no person almost so no place is free from Oathes Goe into the Court you would think you are come into a schoole of blasphemy Goe into the Citie you will imagine you are come among their scholars who having learned this lecture of impiety are now repeating it over that they may grow more perfect Come into the Countrey and you shall see the silliest are wise enough to this evill and that the rudest in speech can be eloquent in blasphemy As though howsoever they are excelled by Courtiers in bravery of apparell and by Citizens in abundance of wealth yet they disdain they should surpasse them in bravery of swearing and in variety of new fashioned oathes Thirdly no time seems exempt from this hideous sin Are men merry Oathes flie out as the musick of their mirth Are they earnest in gaming or in bargaining Oathes are the period if not the preface to their speeches and thesealers to every bargain seeking to gain the world and to lose their souls Are they purposed to perpetrate any wickednesse They confirm their purpose with bloody oathes as if
Mariners A make-peace for Magistrates A meditation for mourners A memento for mortalitie Milk for the weak Meat for the strong Musick for the melancholy The Mystery of godlinesse The mirror of Martyrs The map of the next world The mouth of the Lord Jehovah The nurse of vertue The newes from Canaan The non-such for the soul and body The net to draw mens souls out of the waters of wickednesse It is The Oracle of God The oldest way of life and truth The plea of the poore The pain of the rich The physick of the sick The preservative against the plague The priviledge of Christians The pearle without price The Pilot to pietie The path-way to Paradise The pledge of Gods love The promise of perfection The proof of professors The Palace of Protestants The prison of Papists The pull-down of Purgatory The plat-forme for all pastime It is The quiver of Gods arrows against Atheists The quench-coale of lust The root of religion The rock of Gods Church The refuge of the righteous The rule of mans actions The riches unperishable The revealed will of God It is The staffe of the feeble The sting of finne The Sling of David The Spring of pleasure The salve for the soare The Sea-mans compasse The spirituall Manna The Sword of the Spirit The School-master of Mankind The Seed of the new birth The Sea of Gods mercies The Signet of Gods right hand The Sampler of Saints sufferings The Scepter of Christs Kingdome The search for the sinner The safety for the sorrowfull The solace of the soul The summons to judgement It is The tidings of salvation The treasure of gladnesse The triall of truth The testimony of Gods favour The touch-stone of error The two-edged sword The Testament and Tenure of our Freehold The Tradesmans balance The young mans task The Vsurers hell The wine for the wounded The woe for the worldling The way for to walk in The * Ulysses saith Homer caused himself to bee bound to the Mast of the ship and every one of his fellowes eares to be stopped with wax that they might not hearken to the songs of these Monsters the Syrens and so be drowned in the Sea wax for the Sailers cars against the Syrens songs on the sea The whetstone of zeal The watch-bell of Christians The wisdome of the crosse The well of the water of life And so from the Preface to provoke your attentions I come to the Decalogues division and Texts explication to inform your judgments Christ divided the Law into two Tables The love of God and the love of our Neighbour Now the foure first Commandments contain our dutie to God the fix last to our Neighbour Josephus divides and allots five unto the first and five unto the last Table August Quaest 71. on Exod. saith there be three precepts contained in the first table and seaven in the last making the first and second commandment but one and the tenth two precepts But what is his Reason A childish reason saith Zanchius that the mystery of the Trinity might hereby be specified Him hath Aquinas and the Schoolmen followed So Luther and those that follow him This was brought to passe by the subtilty of the Devill as the event it selfe doth sufficiently declare seeing by little and little it came to passe that the second Precept was by the Papists blotted out or if added then either joined with or hid under the first that it might not appeare that God did absolutely and of set purpose condemne Images but such as whereby God himselfe is represented and to make up the number of ten they divide the tenth into two precepts as a man having stollen one of ten baggs divides the ninth into two that none of the number might be wanting This then you see we rightly are to account the third precept belonging to the first table And in it at the first glimpse you may discern Two parts first a Prohibition secondly a Reason to regard it First the Prohibition Thou shalt not take c. Secondly the Provocation or Reason to inforce it For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse c. This word Name when it is referred to man hath these significations in Scripture 1. It is taken for that whereby his person is known and distinguished from another as Peter Paul c. Thou shalt call his name Jesus He shall be called John Mat. 1.21 Luke 1.16 2. The testimony or report which is given of any man which if it be for good things and given to good men then it is a good name otherwise it is an evill name Pro. 22.1 A good name is better then riches This is that wherby we are made known unto others as men are by their names 3. Our selves Luk. 10.20 Rev. 21. ult our own persons Rejoyce that your names are written in the book of life That yet are known and loved of God from everlasting 4. Honour Deut. 26.18 Job 30.8 renown praise or glory To make thee high above all Nations in name As vile persons are said to be men without names 5. Appearance Rev. 3.1 shew or seeming Thou hast a name to live 6. Memory Prov. 10.7 mention His name shall be put out 7. The most noble and powerfull creatures in heaven and earth Act. 4.12 Eph. 1.21 There is given no other name under heaven Above all names The word Name when it is referred to God hath these Acceptions 1. It is taken for God himselfe Psa 116.13 2. The properties and speciall attributes of God Properties as Strong Almighty Exod. 6.2 3. 15.3 Jealous Exod. 34.14 Attributes as Justice Mercy Power Goodnesse Truth 3. Our affiance in God Psal 44.5 4. It is taken for his holy mysteries as Word and Sacraments 1 Sam. 7.45 Mic. 4.5 Acts 9.15 16. 5. For all the holy worship of God and of Christ 6. Gods holy Will and Commandments Acts 21.13 Deut. 18.19 Psal 8.1 1 Sam. 17.45 7. For the glory of God Psal 16.1 By the word Name is here meant any title as God Jehovah or Attribute of God as Mercie Goodnesse Truth c. whereby he is made known or discerned from the creatures We cannot say properly that God hath a Name because plurality for which names are used falleth not into the simple and undivided nature of God Thou Whether King or Subject Pastor or people rich or poore young or old Shalt not take A metaphor taken from pretious vessels which are not to be touched without warinesse and leave given men are unworthy yet they take this name of God into their mouths without leave or reverence The Name Taken for everything whereby God may be known as men by their names viz. by his Titles Word Works Judgments Creatures Of the Lord thy God Who by the greatnesse of of his power hath shewed himselfe Lord universally and by the goodnesse of his mercie hath shewed himself thy God particularly by saving and delivering thee from
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
profit that comes to the reproved David accounted it a speciall Balm on his head Psal 141.5 a great kindnesse Ps 141.5 Nature doth teach us it is better justly to bee reproved of an enemy then unjustly praised of a friend Open rebuke is better then secret love Pro. 27.5 Prov. 27.5 Friendly wounds endevouring to convert the soule argue great faithfulnesse in such a reprover but the smiling kisses of him that winkes at our faults and is silent at our sinnes argues him to be both deceitfull Pro. 27.6 and a deadly enemy Pro. 27.6 It is better to heare the reproofe of a wise man then the song of a fool Eccles 7.5 It may be the song of a foole will more delight but sure it is the rebuke of the wise will more profit us 2. The good and profit that comes to the reprover He shall have by this his reproving 1. Credit on earth 2. Comfort at death 3. A Crown in heaven And is this mans labour like to be in vain which is n and for the Lord 1 Cor 15. 1 Cor. 15. last Pro. 15.4 last 1. Credit because he is a wealthy a wise a merry and a healthfull man 1. verse 6. In this Dispersers house is much Treasure 2. verse 7. He is wise as knowing when to disperse knowledge 3. verse 15. He is merry because his heart is so settled in the discharge of his dutie 4. He is healthfull his cheerfull countenance doth proclaim vers 13.15 because fed with the feast of a good conscience 2. Comfort at death because he being a righteous person Pro. 10.21 his lips fed many Therefore also he shall have hope when it is most needfull and available Prov. 14.32 even in his death Prov. 14.32 so that it shall not be the haler to hell but the very gate to make entrance into glory hee is without distraction or distrust confidently assured that that God whose glory and name he advanced in life will also support comfort and confirm him in death against all dread of it Sin Rom. 8.1 Satan Hell Damnation He by reproving sin confessed God to be his Father God by the evidence of his Spirit Job 13.15 will assure him to be his Son A Crown in heaven because hee spake a word of reprehension in due time Prov. 15.23 24. How good is such a word spoken in such a time surely so good that it delivers from hell heneath and promotes unto the way and life that is above there shining as stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 because they turned many to righteousnesse Not withstanding all which great and matchlesse provocations of credit comfort glory many are still of Cains condition Am I my brothers keeper Yes that thou art Gen. 4.9 Prov. 12.9 Jam. 5.20 Tit. 3.11 Prov. 10.17 15.10.23 or else thou art his killer And he that refuseth to be kept instructed admonished he condemnes and murthers his own soul The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisedome therefore surely his tongue shall be preserved and soul saved Prov. 10.31 but the mouth of the froward rejects wisdome therefore surely their tongues shall be cut out and souls destroyed Vers 14. Fooles shall he destroyed but such obstinate scorners are fooles First because they make it a sport to commit sin Secondly because they forsake the Lord and take part with the Devill Thirdly because to retaine a customary short unprofitable sin they put over their bodies and soules to suffer a severe certain eternall punishment As Dogs and Swine were excluded the Lords Tabernacle and congregation under the Law so such are to be debarred from the Word and Sacraments under the Gospel because living and dying in such swinish conditions and doggish properties all to rending the reprovers trampling the pearles of their admonition under their feet Matth. 7. Ma. 7.6 2 Pet. 2. ult Rev. 21.27 22.15 and returning to their old vomit and wallowing in the mire again they shall never have admission into the beauty of the Lord but shall finde Paradise shut against them If our brothers body is to be regarded that it perish not for want of sustenance then much more his soule Deut. 15.8 that it perish not for want of admonition The life of the beast is not to be neglected much lesse the soul of our neighbour Prov. 12.10 our brother There is scarce any but is glad if he hath preserved his neighbours sheep or his Ox that it die not in a pit how much more glad should we be if wee can preserve his soul from dropping into from damning in hell Thus touching the reproving of all sins in generall and the prvocations thereto Now as we are to reprove and if that stand within the compasse of our calling punish all fins in general so also by consequence swearing in particular The Motives then that may sharpen and put an edge to our zeale herein may be drawn 1. From our Calling 4. Motives to reprove and punish sweaters 1. From our Cal. 2. From Caution 3. From Discredit 4. From Danger The first motive to animate us to performe this two branched dutie of reproof and punishment is from our calling and duty so to do If God denounce war against any man all the creatures are ready to serve him in their course When hee fought against the Amorites Jos 10.10 the Sun took his part When hee fought against Idolatrs Dan. 3. the Lions took his part When against mockers 2 Kin. 2.24 the Beares tooke his part When against the Sodomites Gen. 16. the fire tooke his part When against the Egyptians Exod. 14. the water took his part When against the murmurers Numb 26. the earth took his part When against the blasphemers Deut. the stones took his part When he fighteth against the Swearers the stones wood earth ayr Sea fish fowle Zach. 5.3 Hos 4.3 with the beasts of the field all are strongly united to take his part How therefore caust thou expect comfort that thou art Gods servant if thou standest not to thy Masters quarrell How canst thou taste the fruit of that Vine which thou never plantedst How canst thou look to come to the reaping that wast not at the sowing Or to the prize that rannedst not in the race Or to the victory that wast not at the battell Or to the kernell that brakedst not the shel Or to the conquest that foughtest not in the combate Those that the Lord proclaims war against as rebels Hos 4.1 2 3. as here he doth against Swearers the least that we can do if we would shew our selves good and faithfull Subjects is to professe that we may not we must not suffer them unreproved or if it be in our power unpunished in as much as to lodge a known Traitor in our house or to give him countenance or to converse familiarly with him and then to give out
and swearings were not true they might the one consume with some fearfull disease the other that he might be burned the third that he might bee blind had their wishes according to their deserts and desires as before touching perjurers you have heard Henry Earle Schwarthurg through a corrupt custome used commonly to wish that hee might be drowned in a privie And as he wished so it happened unto him he was so served and murthered at S. Peters Monastery in Erford Anno 1148. The like befell a young Courtier at Mansfield whose custome was in any earnest asseveration to say The Devill take me if it be not true or if it be not so The Devill indeed took him while he slept and threw him out of an high window where albeit by the good providence of God he took no hurt that was great yet he learned by experience to bridle his tongue from all such cursed speeches this being but a taste of Gods wrath that is to fall upon such wretches that live and die in their sins At Oster a village in the Dutchy of Megalapole there happened a most strange and fearfull example upon a woman that gave her selfe to the Devill both body and soule and used most horrible cursings and oathes both against her selfe and others which detestable manner of behaviour as at many other times so especially shee shewed it at a marriage at the foresaid village on S. John Baptists day the whole people exhorting her to leave off her accustomed impietie But she nothing bettered continued her course til all the company were set at dinner and very merry Then lo the Devill having got full possession of her came in person and transported her into the aire before them all with most horrible out-cries and roarings and in that sort carried her round about the town that the inhabitants were ready to die with feare and by and by tore her in foure pieces leaving in foure severall high wayes a quarter that all that came by might be witnesses of her punishment and then returning to the marriage threw her bowels upon the Table before the Major of the Towne with these words Behold these dishes of meat belong to thee whom the like destruction waiteth for if thou doest not amend thy wicked life The reporters of this history were John Herman the Minister of the said town with the Major himselfe and the whole inhabitants being desirous to have it made known unto the world for example sake In Luthers conferences wee read that divers noble men striving together at a horse-race cried in their course The Devill take the last Now the last was a horse that brake loose whom the Devill hoisted into the aire and took cleane away Fincelius records concerning a man not farre from Gorlitz that provided a sumptuous feast a supper and invited many guests unto it who at the time appointed refusing to come he in an anger and chafe cried Then let all the Devils in bell come neither was his wish frivolous for a number of these hellish Fiends came forthwith whom hee not discerning from men came to welcome and entertain and perceiving in stead of fingers clawes all dismayed hee ran out of thedoores with his wife and left none in the house but an infant with a foole sitting by the fire whom the Devil had no power to hurt neither any man else but the goodly supper which they quickly made away withall and so departed It is generally known at Oundell a Towne in Northamptonshire amongst all that were acquainted with the party namely William Hacket how he used in his earnest talk to curse himselfe on this manner If it be not true then let God send a visible confusion upon me Now hee wanted not his wish for hee came to a visible confusion being for calling himself Christ and Judge of the earth hanged on a Gibbet in Cheapside 33 of Elizabeth These and such like speeches are too common in the mouthes of many people The Devill take thee for thy labour If I doe this or his God consume me body and soule the plague or the pox take or rot thee c. At Wittenberg before Martin Luther and divers other learned men a woman whose daughter was possessed with a spirit confessed that by her curse that plague was fallen upon her for being angry at a time she bade the Devill take her and she had no sooner spoke the word but hee took her indeed and possessed her after a strange sort At Neoburg in Germany another woman in her anger cursed her sonne saying and praying she might never see him return alive And the same day the young man bathing himselfe in water was drowned and never returned to his mother alive according to her wicked wish At the Citie of Astorga another woman desired the Devil in hell to fetch her sonne out of her presence The boy at last through feare about ten of the clock the same night went out into a little court behind the house from which he was suddenly hoisted up into the aire by men in shew of grim countenance great stature and loathsome gesture but indeed cruell Fiends of Hell and that with such swiftnesse as hee himselfe after confessed that it was not possible to his seeming for any bird in the world to flie so fast And lighting downe among certaine mountaines of bushes and briers was trailed through the thickest of them and so torne and rent in his cloathes hands face feet and almost in all his body At last the boy remembring God and beseeching him for help and assistance the cruell Fiends brought him back again through the aire and put him in at a little window into a chamber of his fathers house where after much search and griefe for him he was found in that pittifull plight and almost besides himselfe And thus though they had not power to deprive him of life as they had done the former yet God suffered them to afflict the parents in the sonne for the good both of parents and sonne if they belonged unto the Lord. But above all this is most strange which happened in a town in Misnia the eleventh of September 1552. where a cholerick father seeing his sonne slack about his businesse wished he might never stir from that place It was no sooner said but done his son stuck fast in the place neither by any means possible could be removed no not so much as to set or bend his body till by the prayers of the faithfull his pains were somewhat mitigated though not remitted three yeares he continued standing with a post at his back for his ease and foure yeares sitting at the end whereof he died nothing weakned in his understanding but professing the faith and not doubting of his salvation in Christ Jesus When he was demanded at any time how hee did hee answered most usually that hee was fastned of God and that it was not in man but in Gods mercy for him to be released The strangenesse of
A SUMMONS FOR SVVEARERS AND A Law for the Lips in reproving them Wherein the chiefe Disswasives from Swearing are proposed the sleight objections for swearing answered The strange judgments upon Swearers Forswearers Cursers That take Gods Name in vain related Which may be a terror to the wicked for swearing and a preservative for the godly from Swearing With sundry Arguments to prove the verity of the Scriptures and excellencie of the Decalogue against all prophane and Atheisticall deniers thereof By WALTER POWELL Preacher at Standish neer Glocester LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons in Aldersgâ—â—â— street 1645. An Exposition of the third COMMANDEMENT Being the summe and substance into one Modell newly briefly properly collected out of that which by many Authors hath more anciently largely promiscuously been delivered Tending to banish the Devill from mens tongues that they doe not utter oathes and from mens ears that they doe not hear them uttered without reproving them Librum ut Monitorem potius quam Criminatorem lege Hierome Corpore stetisti animo fugisti Fugisti quia tacuisti Tacuisti quia timuisti Nam fuga animae timor est Histo of Adam ex Augustino TO THE RIGHT Honorable the LORDS and Commons assembled in Parliament THE Copie of this Treatise Right Honorable having for a yeares space in these times of danger been buried in the ground when other my bookes that lay open were plundered away was secure and by Gods providence for some better use I hope reserved If in the Prophet Ieremies time Jer. 23.10 the land did mourn because of oathes why may not such a cause produce such an effect now also Hosea 4.1 If in Hosea's time the Lord had a controversie with the inhabitants of the land because by swearing c. they brake forth and blood touched blood i. bloody punishments bloody sinnes why may not this heaven-daring sinne be a speciall promover of the fury of Gods wrath so hotly incensed against this nation at this time I know not any one sinne more universally spread over Court Citie Country then this Laws-outfacing Gangren That Gods sword may bee sheathed mans must be drawn forth out of the scabbard of silence connivence by reprehension by correction It requires the labour of most skilfull Chirurgeons to put to their helping hearts and hands to the healing of this festered wound Ezek. 22.30 to make up the hedge to stand in the gap before the Lord for the Land which is as the Bush in Moses time Exod. 3.2 burnin though not consumed that hee may not fully destroy it Such searchers of these soares have need of Eagles eyes and Lions hearts as well as Ladies hands Knotty pieces require the more blowes to break them foule linnen the more water to cleanse them Drossie silver the more refining and dusty garments the more brushing If this Epidemicall sinne were more frequently more fervently preached against by Ministers I think it would not be so freely so fully persisted in by men against the Lord. The ensuing Summons for Swearers will discover how this sinne of swearing hath been punished by God by men Christians heathens Some Errata's you may meet with in the booke because while part of it was in the presse in the Citie the Author was in pressure and that almost a thing incredible under the authority of the Parliament in the countrey by the malice of malevolent and malignant adversaries The Devill is more delighted with the quenching of the fire of zeale in the hearts of Peachers then the Pope is pleased by the sprinkling of holy water upon the faces of the people Your inflamed Resolutions against this and other like sinnes this Tract will no whit retard I hope but rather animate enliven enlarge Renowned indefatigable reforming eternizable Senators consider God hath done great things by you for you that you may doe more for him still You may be bold to trust God upon triall These are times of warre and who are to be accounted Souldiers if you are not You may bee as confident as the Souldier that Erà smus speakes of who being told of a numerous Army comming against answered Tanto plus gloriae referemus quanto sunt plures quos superabimus The greater the opposition the more illustrious the conquest shall be to you 2 Tim. 4.7.8 considering all Christs Souldiers shall have a crown though sometimes enforced to swim to the same in streames of blood In Exodus 32. wee read of three sorts of fire of the Israelites by sinne of God by judgements of Moses by zeale The first made way for the second the second for the third Hannibal by fire made a way over the Alps so shal you by zeal over all mountains of oppositions What powder is to bullets a clapper to the Bell fire to wood wings to a bird wind to sailes sailes to a ship an edge to a razor wine to the spirits metall to a horse a soule to the body vivacity to any creature that is zeale to a Christian it acts his soule it moves his affection It is oft winter within when it is Summer without In the cold climate of this countrey let the fire of your zeale bee seen more and more to unthaw this icie corruption Why should there not bee in superiors a liberty of punishing aswel as there is in inferiors a liberty of sinning The frantick man returning to his wits thinkes him his best friend that bound and beat him most He that withstands a man in the prosecution of this or any other sin though he beares away frowns heart-burnings for a time yet when the offending party comes to himselfe he recompenseth his former dislike with so much the more love and so many the more thanks The Lord himselfe will for all eternity speak of such a man such a Parliament as somtimes he did of Phinehas This man Numb 25.11 this Parliament that was zealous for my glory hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel from the people of England This was the great Councel of England that first successfully hindered the blaspheming and effectually furthered the sanctifying of my glorious Name that was carefull to banish swearing 1. out of their own hearts 2. out their houses 3. out of the Land before swearing had banished them out of all By so doing your active spirits may the rather expect your other workes to bee the more prosperous your labour bee light your sorrowes easie our warres hushed our peace permanent and your own salvation certain which hath been is and shall be the prayer of Your servant Sufferer Supplicant WALTER POWELL I Have perused this Treatise intituled A Summons for Swearers I find it fraughted with usefull and delightfull matter so as omne tulit punctum c. In generall I observe solid Arguments therin to prove the divine authority of the sacred Scripture whereby much weight is added to the proof which thence he produceth It doth further set out the manifold excellencies of the
of the Authors whereunto I have been beholding 1. First that I might not derogate from what hath been invented by them 2. That these things might have the more credit and respect here briefly touched in regard of the good great account of the Authors wherein the points more fully are to be observed Some things here are you shall know that elsewhere are not to be found and many things here are I acknowledge that among others by search more largely are to be seen Theirs it was in respect of matter foundation invention mine it is in respect of method building application That which some of them have written Nildictum quod non fuit prius in respect of others was not their own That which I have written in respect of them is not mine if they have not been blamed being beholding to others before them why should I fear censuring selecting from them before me The flowers are not to be disliked that are fetcht from many gardens especially if the gardens bee acknowledged whence they have been gathered But whether it be mine or theirs sure I am it shall be yours if rightly you do make use of it if for uttering every tenth oath you will but read the twenty several disswasives from swearing If for hearing every tenth oath you will but read the many motives to the reproofe of swearing If you bestow but the tenth part of your spirituall pains upon your selves as some of you do the twentieth part of your temporal profit upon me I dare be bold confidently to avouch that you shall find more profit by the perusal and application then I expect credit by the publishing and dedication Though many have written of this subject yet I beleeve not in any one are so many several particulars Quibus aut non vacat propter alia negotiz aut non valetis ratione linguae vel sumptuum in multis tam multa legere cognoscere as herein touching this one point are delivered And I know to allude to Augustines phrase that some of you want skill and light to understand some of you want time and leasure to search many of you want wils and minds to read most of you want wealth and money to procure so many severall Authors as here I have quoted and used for the accumulating from so many sundry places and persons sufficient ample store of Cannon-shot for the battering in pieces if it bee possible this mouth-desiling car-infecting soul-killing land-shaking sin And it may be when this comes unto you it shal not find you such as it would 2 Cor. 12.20 that is free from this sin and when you come unto it you shall find it such as you would not sharply censuring the same As for any carping criticall Censurer that is apt to cōdemne all before he hear or read the one halfe I say no more but as the Poet Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his utere mecum If thou thy selfe canst better make Impart or else these friendly take Now in conclusion to joyn tibi mibi vobis and vestris together To thee to me to you and yours do I commit the whole and every particular thereof that God that works all in all may be in us all that the unmeasurablenesse of his mercies may cover all our miseries the light of his truth inform our understandings the power of his Spirit bear sway in our affections the line of his law over-rule all our actions that so his word may be obeyed his Spirit not grieved his blessings continued his judgments diverted his Ministers encouraged his Magistrates eased our persons protected our warres ended our peace procured our consciences comforted and our selves bodies and souls changed from Goats to Sheep from Serpents to Doves from Lions to Lambs from idle rash sinfull prophaners into due sober and reverent sanctifiers of the great glorious fearfull Name of the Lord our God To whose gracious goodnesse that is able and ready to speak as powerfuly to the heart as man is to the eare I commit and commend you all the Author and the work that God alone may have the praise for what it hath and the Authour your praiers for what he wants who ever remains yours in all Christian duties WALTER POWELL Read consider practise and the Lord begin go on and end with you in all things Accept in it what is good Except against what is bad Guide thou my Pen O Lord and it shall publish thy praise A SUMMONS FOR SWEARERS EXOD. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain THE Word of God is honoured with many Titles that men with feare love and reverence might attend unto the same It is the Acts and Statutes of the highest Parliament The Ark of truth The Auchor of hope The Antidote against poyson The Armour of proofe The alarm to the loyterer The Aqua vitae of the languishing The answer of all questions The A. B. C. of Christians It is The bane of the wicked The bewrayer of vanities The beauty of the Spouse The Bay-bush of blessednesse The Beacon of the Soule A Bible for Bishops The Balm from Gilead The breath of the holy Ghost The check of conscience The conduit of comfort The conduct to Canaan The cubit of the Sanctuary The covenant of promise Christ his Aphorismes The Court-roll of his fines and amerciaments The Diadem of Princes The Day-star of righteousnesse The Day-book for all our doings The desire of the godly The down-fall of doubting The dolour of the Devil The dread of the drunkard The doom of the damned It is The Elephants river to swim in the Foord for the Lamb to wade through The exercise of the mind to muse on The eye-bright of the understanding The eare-mark of Christs sheep to be known by The earnest of Salvation The Epistle of God to the world The Evidence for heaven It is The fulnesse of knowledge The fire of the Sanctuary The freedome for captives The fortresse of Faith The fountain of felicity The food of the hungry The glasse of our life The glory of Israel The great Goliahs confusion Gods covenant with man The grave of all ungodlinesse The garden of all graces The gate unto glory It is The hammer of hypocrites The haven of health The hive of the distressed The hope of the heavie The high-way to happinesse The Jewell for the eare The Judge of controversies The joy of Jerusalem The key of the Sheep-fold The keeper of conscience It is The life of learning The leader of the lame The light of the blind The Lanthorn of Israel The land-star of the faithfull Pilgrime The Library of the holy Ghost The Lambs book The Lords Legacie The Lords Treasurie The lightning thunder of the most-High It is Mans mirth in his misery The Mint of the Church A main Mast for
placed the Vicious Bullinger in stead of the godly zealous the cold and worldly minded Prelates 80. Not reprehension of such as do break this Commandment by any means whatsoever Levit. 5.1 c. 81. Not entertainment of nor amendment by a reproof for this or any other sins but accounting such reprehension precise curiosity and such oaths bare affirmations 82. Vnprofitable using of the means which the Lord hath given us for our conversion from evill or confirmation in good 83. Often receiving seldome praising God for his benefits Luke 17.17 84. Making vowes of perpetuall chastity and of such things as are not in our own power and of wilfull poverty contrary to Gods Ordinance that there should be no beggar in Israel Deut. 15.4 85. Giving feigned titles as servus servorum Dei 2 Thes 2.4 when men exalt themselves above all things that is called God 86. Committing wickedness under colour of Religion as the sonnes of Jacob when they slew the Seebemites Gen. 34.13.15 The Scribes and Pharisees under pretence of long Prayers devoured widows houses Mat. 23.14 All which egregiously abuse Gods Name making it a mask to cover such bloody impieties and earthly desires under 87. Going to Conjurers Witches Sorceres Destiny readers to have their children or cattel unbewitched to know who hath stolen their horse or any way hurted them as Amaziah his messengers went to Baalzebub 2 King 1.5 They manifest they desire acquaintance with the Devil and say in their hearts there is no God in England Object But many have been holpen and got health by such means Sol. That help or health that hath been gotten by any means contrary to Gods Word and Will hath been obtained from the Devill now is he our friend or so will hee ever do us any good but to the end thereby to infer a greater plague temporall ease he is content to bestow upon us that endless wo and miserie he may procure unto us Shall a Christian man or woman so hunt for health of body or goods that they will lose for it body and soul eternally Satan never did us any good but to the end to hurt us more by it and the breach of Gods commandment will ring our souls a passing peal from the face and favour of the Lord. 88. Accounting some dayes luckie and some unluckie as Shipmen dare not put out of their port and begin their voyage on certain dayes as upon Tuesdayes or Fridayes and therefore they are often carefull to make choice of a luckie day even the Lords Day that by breaking the Lords Sabbath in the beginning they may have good luck in their whole voyage afterwards 89. By reading or singing any thing that is part of Gods Word or appertaining to his worship in an unknown tongue Psa 47.17 so that it cannot be understood 90. Psa 58.10 Judg. 5.31 Not magnifying Gods Justice in the punishment of the wicked 91. Luk. 13.3 Dan. 5.22 Not being warned by Gods Justice and Judgement upon others 92. Not being humbled or obedient under the cross Jer. 5.3 Esa 22.12 93. Envying Gods Gifts and Graces upon others 94. Pretending impossibility of performing the vow in Baptisme when it is want of will and care 95. Vsing delayes in performing vows lawfull which argues unwillingness Hag. 1.2.4 96. Performing them by halfes which argues doubling as in Ananias and Sapphira Act. 3.2 97 Calling themselves Christians when men live like Atheists Jer. 7.8.10 making Gods House a deâ— of thieves Mat. 21.13 For he takes upon him the name of a Christian in vain saith St. Augustine that followeth not Christ 98. Calling themselves Jesuits when they serve Antichrist and refuie the direction of the word of Jesus 99. Interposing Gods Name or Titles in our saluâ—ations when it is not from the heart as God give you good morrow or good night c. 100. Vsing kinde salutations to wicked purposes as Joab to Amâ—sa 2 Sam. 20.9 101. Graving the Name and Image of God in money badges and rings which men would never do saith Bullinger if either they judged reverently nough or not superstitiously of the Name of God The wise men of the Gentiles acknowledged that men ought to judge more highly of God then to use his Name in every thing and unadvisedly Thence came that saying â—â— Pythagoras No man ought to carry about the Image of God in a ring 102. Lastly to stand upon repetition of no more for to set down all the wayes how Gods Name is taken in vain saith the Author of the â—â—ord against swearing were a work infinite Gods name is taken in vain By swearing for swearing cursing for if theâ— transgress Gods Precepts that by idle words only do take his name in vain then do they more egregiously sin that by wicked hellish oaths perjuries and cursing do abuse the same If sinners in the former kinds are subject to punishment then much more those that offend by any of these wayes If the lesser are condemned much more are the greater intimated to be forbidden and signified more severely to be punished If the father said unto his sonne Look that thou ray not thy coat with any spot though it be never so small it may easily be understood that it may and will be worse taken if it be cast into the dirt and mire of the streets but yet it will be worst of all taken if he tumble himself into a most filthy sink which his father cannot abide to be spotted with never so little a wemb The lesser sins of taking Gods name in vain are forbidden to the intent wee should beware and abstain from the greater Gods Name is then also taken in vain by swearing either lightly rashly c. As wickedly to swear is to take Gods Name in vain so rightly to swear is to sanctifie the same Before therefore wee speak of the abuse in the negative let us briefly touch the lawfull use of swearing in the affirmative part of this commandement Rightly to swear is to sanctifie Gods Name Doctr. 1. is plainly by God approved and certainly by him shall be rewarded This swearing is a part of Gods worship as well as prayer yea such a part as is put for the whole service of God Psal 63.11 Esa 48.1 For the full knowledge of which conclusion let us consider 1. The Definition of an Oath 2. The Ends of an Oath What an Oath is we need not define it is so well known and used saith Musculus that it needs no declaration An Oath is a speech confirming the truth by it selfe Definition of an oath Greg. Gregor Or A saying void of strife with divine worship So Aristot Or Aristot A calling of God to witnesse So Aquinas Aquin. A solemne invocation of God whereby we desire him as the only seer of our hearts to witnesse the truth of our speech and to punish us if we sweare falsly Vrsin Where the testimony of men is wanting we flie
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
thy Saviour Is this a Prayer acceptable to God or like to return w th fruit into thybosome when thou askest forgiveness with a purpose still to offend Thou desirest this pardon as a priviledge by verte whereof thou mayst securely go on in thy sin Is this repentance to smite the breast when in the mean while the heart is not smitten Then and there is true contrition for sin when and where there is stedfast resolution against and speedy reformation from the same I mean no mischief Object 6. I think no harm in my ordinary swearing and therfore I hope God wil pardon me for it There was sometimes a controversie betwixt Scotland and Ireland for a certain Isle between them both Sol. 1. after much ado they put the matter to the dermination of a wise French-man whose judgement was that they should put a Snake into it and if it lived the ground belonged to Scotland if it died it belonged to Ireland I apply it thus If poisoned and venomous oaths do live in our heart and crawle out of our mouths it s a sign our heart our bodie and soul appertain to that countrey that these hellish oaths appertain unto Thou thinkest no hurt thou sayest yet thou dost hurt in grieving Gods Spirit offending the godly hardening the wicked and kindling Gods wrath Thou denyest God and servest Satan and yet is no man hurt Thou undoest thy self soul and body house and posterity and yet is no man hurt How possibly can he be guiltless that is cause of his own condemnation Thy meaning is good thou sayest Out of the abundance of the heart the mounth speaketh Mat. 12.34 If thy words be prophane thy heart is polluted if thy heart were a good Treasury thou wouldst bring out of it good things and not vent nothing but drosse and filth If thy heart were a good tree it would never bring forth evill fruit If it were a pure fountain it would never bring forth such bitter streams If thou didst bless God in thy heart thou wouldst never blaspheme him in thy tongue James 3.10 When God cometh to judge the world hee will pass the sentence not according to our secret thoughts but according to our words and works By thy words thou shalt be justified Mat. 12.37 and by thy words condemned Mat. 12.37 That excuse which would seem frivolous to a mortall man will never go currant with the just Judge of heaven and earth Now what Prince hearing himself abused to his face by the reprochfull words of his base subjects would admit of such an excuse Whatsoever hee spake with his mouth yet he thought no ill in his heart And will not God think we be as jealous of his glory which is most deare to him as an earthly King doth not he say He will not hold them guiltless that taketh his name in vain I do but as the most do Object 7. it s the common custome of all some few excepted who are more precise then wise and but too scrupulous about every trifle By this thou mayst excuse any sin Sol. seeing nothing is more common then to lie in sin But God hath forbidden to follow a multitude in that which is evill or to fashion our selves like to this world Exod. 23.2 if at least we be spirituall inhabitants of the eternall heavenly Jerusalem Rom. 10.2 Common use in any sin doth not extenuate but aggravate Gods wrath and increase mans punishment Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction narrow is the way that leadeth to life and Christians may yet walk in it without crowding the company is so small After the doings of the land of Egypt or after the doings of the land of Canaan yee shall not do Be yee not as your forefathers Zach. 1.4 A custome without truth saith Cyprian is an old errour therefore leaving the errour let us follow the truth If Christ alone is to be heard Mat. 16. wee ought not to mark what any man before us thought best to be done but what Christ did first who is before all men When the truth is once come to light saith St. Augustine Let the custome give place to the truth for Peter also who did circumcise gave place to Paul preaching the truth Seeing then Christ is the truth wee ought rather to follow Christ then the custome and examples of others If thou laiest against me the custome of others saith St. Gregory I lay against thee Christ who is the way the truth and the life Joh. 14. I confess it to be a sin Object 8. only I am moved now and then thereto through anger when I am thus and thus crost offended wronged which would make a very Saint to swear Thou mightest better say a mad man Sol. or a fool to swear for they if they be stricken stike their next fellows thou for wrongs received from men dost revenge thy self upon God for the least errour in the Dice or rub of the Bowle shall God the Father or Christ the Son endure a stab as if they were the cause of any disorder disturbance wrong reall or imaginary If I do evill thou sayest the fault is theirs that do provoke mee I am but the Instrument their fault is the greater that have made me faulty True they are in fault for provoking thee yet in matters of offence the accessary is liable to offence and punishment as well as the principall The Serpent was but the Instrument abused by Satan to deceive man yet in the punishment the Serpent hath his doom as well as the devill If wicked men cross thy humour do not thou in revenge set up the flag of defiance against heaven Suffer rather oh suffer the fire of thy surious passion to be quenched by the water of this godly meditation saying thus with thy self Am I greater then Philip that mighty Macedonian yet he was wronged by the rongue of a Peasant and would not take notice of it Am I greater then Augustus who had the taxing of the whole world yet he was content to winck at the tongue that taxed him Why should I be incensed with a few evill or idle words Many have pardoned their enemies shall I not forgive these that may be my friends If hee be a youth or an old man that hath thus crossed or provoked mee his age may excuse him if a woman her sex if a stranger his liberty if a familiar his acquaintance may seem to priviledge him Hath he thus once offended it may be he hath often pleased Hath hee thus often offended we may the more better endure that to which wee have been long inured Is he a friend hee did that the would not is hee an enemy hee hath done no more then we might well expect If he be wise let me yeeld to him if a fool let mee pardon him the very best are not without blemishes none so faultless but may fail let me not do this great evill against my
and that speedily 2 Reas for spe d. 1. For generall uniformity in one family 2. Because of delayes inutility 1. For dost thou thy self sanctifie Gods name and shall thy sonnes or servants blaspheme it What communion should righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse have What fellowship light and darknesse What concord Christ and Belial 2 Cor. 6. Shall thy house be of divers dispositions as Hamibals Armie was of divers Nations Shall thy houshold which should be as the Church of God be like a Motley cloath or a Medly colour some of thy house of one die and some of another God will have all his family weare one and the same Livery herein must thou imitate God let all thy family be uniforme and suteable that all agreeing and according together they may all look walk and draw in the service of God their maker and thee their master How then should my businesse be performed Quest if I should have no such sinful swearing servants in my family And how can Gods service be performed by thee or them if thou keep such Answ Turpius ejicitur quam non admittitur It is lesse shame not to admit then to cast out such a servant but it is as true Tutius ejicitur like a raw morsell that sits ill in the stomach he is more safely cast out then retained or if hee bee a retainer yet not to dwell under thy roof hee should not setup his rest there If David will not have a lier tarry in his sight Psal 101. then much lesse a swearer sit sup lodge yeare and day with him Hee will not have his family a mingle-mangle to confist pell-mell of men of all sorts and conditions If men know that any have been in that place where the plague reigneth and would come into their houses they presently barre the gates against him they shut him out by no meanes will they suffer him to enter and why verily because they would not have the plague brought in amongst them lest they should bee infected and die But alas why should not the death of the soule be much more feared Why should not masters banish out of their services and families such pestiferous caitiffes which through their assiduous and abominable swearing infect all their houshold not onely their bodies but also their souls on which alone and wholly depends the woe and weal of their bodies Awake therefore yee Knights Gentlemen Yeomen all men suffer oh suffer no swearers in your houses eschew them more then a venemous serpent entertain a Dragon sooner in your houses then any such one that hath pleasure in swearing the former only hurt the body the other destroy both body and soule of such as are infected by them Maintain none of them that shall bring the plague of God upon your houses Suffer not the tender breasts of your children to be poysoned in their youth with the pestilent communication of these abominable Sweaters If you cannot alwayes prevent the entrance yet prevent their continuance Search them out for they wil not easily manifest themselves and being manifested reprehended and not amended cast them out A bird may light upon or flie into a mans house but he may chuse whether he nestle and breed there If their seeming sanctitie drew servants into thy house and service yet let their impiety daily blasphemy drive them out again Nay if sonnes be disobedient to parents Deut. 21.18 13.6 the parents themselves are to bring them out to the Judges and the people to stone them Nay a brother a daughter a wife offending in some cases are not to be spared Nay Asa King of Judah is commended for his uprightnesse in this respect that when Maacha his own mother committed idolatry 1 King 15.13 would not spare her but deposed her from her Regency And is not continuall swearing a great sinne breaking this great commandement of our great God Henry the fourth of that name King of England when his eldest sonne the Prince was by the Lord chiefe Justice for some great misdemeanour commanded and committed to prison hee thanked God that he had a sonne of that obedience and a Judge of such unpartiall and undaunted courage For indeed Religion or Justice Non novit patrem non novit matrem veritatem novit neither knoweth father or mother but onely the truth Jer. 22.24 Though Coniah were as the Signet of Gods finger yet would hee plucke him thence Governours Masters Housholders as they communicate with God in his name Psa 82. I said ye are Gods so should they in his nature who judgeth without respect of persons 1 Pet. 1.17 not bolding any guiltlesse that taketh his name in vain 2. Reas 2. Delayes inutility Delayes in other things are not good but in this of reprehension and punishment stark naught 1. Evils ensuing are 3. Because the Swearer not presently reproved doth against another time his next swearing get the examples of others swearing in his company for his protection as favourers and actors of this sinne and so consequently makes them the means of evasion 2. Because petty oathes if a man may call any little that are commited against the great God by our silence and not punishment grow to hellish oathes A little fire which at first might have been put out with a spoonfull of water being let to burne in short time turneth Towns and Cities into ashes Reproofs and punishments are like medicines which being kept too long hazard the patient and lose their vertue Magistrates Parents Masters must not let this disease goe too long lest by suffering that proves incurable which might have been holpen by timely administring The ulcer is to be lanced betime before it grow to a Gangrene the Tetter to be killed before it spread to bee a Ringworme God commands Fathers if they love their children l ro 1 3.24 to correct them betimes and to chastise them while there is hope Artaxerxes said to Ezra Ezra 7.26 Whesoever will not doe the Law of thy God and the Law of the King let judgement be executed speedily upon him c. And the reason is given Eccles 8.11 Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe evill 3. Because he that should reprove many times in tract of time proves colder in his zeale of reproofe and punishment for if thou wilt not adventure to passe through at low water how wilt thou doe at full sea If thou durst not pull up a twig how wilt thou doe when it comes to a tree If thou fearest the skirmish with a single how wilt thou endure to incounter with an host of hellish enemies If thou art silent at the hearing of one how wilt thou be emboldened to reprove many horrid oathes Thus you see the spurs for speedinesse in reproving Swearers 1. For generall uniformity 2. Because of delayes inutility as 1. The examples of others
will be alledged 2. The Swearers sins increased 3. The edge of our zeale abated If David had good cause to destroy all the wicked in the land early Ps 101.8 then have we no colour to rebuke or correct black-mouth'd swearers lately yet let there bee no more hast then good speed If thou in the company of Swearers art an inferiour and there be other superiours thou art a private and other are publick persons Magistrates or Ministers then expect one of them to performe the dutie of reprehension that so from the gravitie or greatnesse of the person reproving the reproof it selfe may the more piercingly work and ungainsayably be entertained in respect of the authority calling and estimation of the person whence it proceeds as a man suddenly falling sick rather takes the prescription of an experienced Physitian there present in the company then of an ordinary meaner person standing by But if such a Physitian be carelesse in prescribing a remedy better it is for any to put to his helping hand then the suddenly sick Patient to sink away in a swound If thou perceivest such superiours Magistrates or Ministers to be slack as very few are forward enough in this dutie then others coldnesse must put an edge to thy zeale their silence untie the strings of thy tongue to stand for the honour of thy God endevouring by thy due admonition to remove the Devill from possessing the heart and tongue of the swearer and to raise his siege from assaulting the heart and eare of the hearer which otherwise for want of wise reproofe might endanger the body and soule of either And so Satan should with Caesar triumphantly say with change of one of his three words veni dixi vici I came to the heart and lips of the Swearer I spake to the eare and heart of the non-reprover and without any opposition have in an instant obtained the victory against one and the other When thou perceivest this office of admonition to be sleighted by those which for place and abilitie might in better manner more fitly and to better purpose performe it be not overmannerly by straining curtesie who shall begin first for some one must strike some must strive how else can there be a combat how else a conquest The Devill himselfe first making the assault some one must as speedily counterpoyse his assault That our celeritie may answere his sedulitie and the Lord beholding our zeale for him may assist us in the combat and crown us with the victory so shall such as are as strong as we by our pious examples be confirmed such as are as yet colder shall be encouraged we our selves shall have more heart to resist Satan and he lesse power to assault us Being I hope by this time animated to perform this biparted dutie of reprehension or correction of Swearers let us listen to the direction in the fourth particular to wit the manner how we must perform it 4. part the manner how 4. The manner how 1. By our works towards them 2. By our words with them 3. By our departure from them 1. Reprove swearing and Swearers we must by our deeds our own purity and freedome from the sinne As we must be holy because God is holy so we must be pure as he is pure 1 Joh 3.9 That thou mayst have the more comfortable successe in banishing this sinne from thy Family thou must be sure that thou banish it first from thine own heart Thou being a Magistrate Minister Father Master must cause thy practice to bee as powerfull as thy naked precept For if thou practice thy selfe what thou reprovest in another thou hereby bluntest the edge of thy reprehension and emboldenest him in his sinne and tansgression Lesser Planets look to those that bee greater Regis ad exemplum totus componitur or bis A bove majoridiscit arare miner and the meaner sort look to those that be higher from whom there is great force to draw inferiours either to good or evill Great men are like to great stones in the wall if they stand the wall stands if they fall many of the little stones soon clatter after They are like to a garden full of sweet Flowers if they be well ordered Labans sheep conceived according to the rods laid before their eyes Gen. 30 37 c. their examples yeeld much good savour prosperity counsell comfort encouragement to inferiours beholding them but they are like dunghils if they bee ill ordered they be contagious and noysome to such as are about them their poyson is strong and their infection dangerous Men desire to find occasion whereupon to refuse the means ordained for their good If they can espy any fault in those that reprove or admonish them then they presently imagine that such should neither reprove nor punish repelling all their sayings with the proverb Medice cura teipsum heale first thy selfe And to say the truth we can have no countenance to reprove or courage to punish swearing in others when we our selves make no conscience to commit the same The Pharisees lost their authority because they taught and did not He that wil have others do what he commands Judg. 9. must speak in the stile of Abimeleeh What thou hast seen me doe make haste and doe like me I and my house sayth Josuah 24.15 will serve the Lord I first then my house not first my house and then I. A small fault in Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters is as a Wart or Mole in the midst of the face which cannot be hid It is as a spot on a Ruffe or a Beacon on the top of an hill If the eye bee darke how great will that darknesse be Matth. 6.23 Men most greedily gaze on the Sunne when it is eclipsed so the multitude and inferiours more willingly discourse of the imperfections and vices of their governours and superiours then of their vertues thereby hoping to justifie themselves and so to escape unpunished uncontrolled The best rule then to have this law against swearing well executed is for Superiours first to keep it themselves in their owne persons it being the nature of man rather to be led by reason and example then by precept penaltie or force of Law the lives of their superiours being by them esteemed the fairest and safest copie they can rule their actions by They doe more good by their godly practice then by their vertuous precepts and more harme by their bad example then by their sin because being swearers themselves they convey the poison of their corruption into the bowells of the beholders Amend it in thy selfe or else endeavour it not in others 2. 2. By words Reprove Swearers we must by our words It is the most thanklesse office in the world to be a mans Pandar unto sin In other wrongs one man is a wolfe to another in this a Devill And though at first this damnable service carry away a reward yet in conclusion it is requited with hatred
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
minde heart conscience to reprove them The second hazard is of Infection since such is the corruption of our nature and nature of our corruption that if the good and bad meet the good is rather soyled by the bad then the bad any way bettered by the good Commisti sunt inter gentes they were mingled amongst the heathen saith David of the people of God and what was the issue They learned their works If we be companions of Ostriches wee shall favour of their wildnesse as they who sleep with Dogges shall swarme with Fleas One Corah did but kindle the fire of conspiracie and presently two hundred and fiftie Captains brought sticks to increase it so venemous is wickednes that one dram of it is able to corrupt the whole lump of Israel Sin among men like the rot among sheep is of a catching and infectious quality many have fallen into the fashion of swearing out of the ill practice of Swearers It is an hard matter for the Soule not to fall into those vices unto which the eyes and eares are invited Swallowes would not flie within Thebes because their walls were so often besieged Let not men put on wings to flie into the company of those men whose manners are corrupted for fear both of corruption and destruction The reason why our Saviour would not give that Disciple leave to goe bury his dead Father was as some judge lest his unbeleeving kindred who would be present at his Fathers funerall should corrupt him again and so he should die with them Bad men keep others from goodnesse as those dead carkasses did the Raven from Noabs Ark. From these let us run as Moses did from his Rod turned into a Serpent For if with the Israelites we joyne our selves to Baal-Peor Numb 25.2 3. to the company of swaggering Swearers we will eat the offerings of the dead and bow down to their gods It is written of Mezentius the Tyrant Corpora corporibus jungebat mortua vivis hee bound the dead and the living together but the dead did not revive by the living the living putrefied rather by reason of the dead The fresh waters running into the Sea doe not sweeten it but are made brackish by the same Even in Paradise the woman whom God himselfe gave to man being infected by the Serpent infects the man and that at the first assault And shall any man now being shut out of Paradise and stript of those supernaturall helps and graces wherewith Adam was invested think himselfe more able to resist then hee No no 1 Cor. 15. Evill words corrupt good manners much more doe blasphemous horrid oathes The long playing of the Cannon batters the Wall and a continuall dropping pierceth the stone Peter by standing long by a fires side in Caiaphas Hall is dangerously infected Joseph living in Pharaobs Court is at length taught and brought to sweare by the life of Pharaob Children hearing their Parents to sweare so oft learn to be perfect in swearing before they can go upright and take Gods name in vain before they can rightly tell or pronounce their own The Physitians rule touching persons infected with the plague is good to be observed towards persons presumptuously remaining in this sinne Cito longe tarde 1. Speedily flie from their company 2. Flie farre away 3. Return slowly to their company again Now the plague is not more contagious then the Swearers are the plague doth not more infect the aire then the wicked Swearers the persons and places among whom they live Therefore if we regard our health we should be carefull when wee perceive them resolute in their sin 1. Speedily to flie from them 2. Flie far away from them 3. See them amend before wee returne to them The third hazard is of Malediction For as the blessing of God falls many times upon a whole societie for one mans goodnesse as it did with all that sailed with Paul for his sake Act. 27. Gen. 39.5 and upon Potiphars house for Josephs sake so the plague and justice of God sometimes pursues a whole company for one mans offence as it did all that sailed with Jonah for his rebellion Ionah 1.7 Ios 7.27 and the whole host of the Isaaelites for Achans theft and the house walls Zach. 5.3 and timber senslesse creatures much more are the persons inhabitants in the house for the Swearers sake as the Prophet averreth Saint John could not abide under the same roof with Ebion and Cerinthus for feare it should fall upon him And touching Babylon he heard a voyce Rev. 18.4 Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues for her sins have reached unto heaven And doth not the swearers sinnes reach to heaven when so neerly they touch God himselfe will he then forget or passe by them Num. 26.23 God commanded Moses to speak to the Congregation of Israel saying Get you up from about the Tabernacle of Corah Dathan and Abiram and Moses did speak Vers 26. Depart I pray you from the tabernacle of those wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest yee be consumed in their siunes The commandment was no sooner obeyed by their departure and Moses his speech ended but the punishment was presently inflicted Vers 31. The earth clave asunder that was under them and swallowed them up their houses goods and all that appertained to them Verse 34. And what did the rest of the Israelites do And they that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said Let us bee gone quickly lest the earth swallow us up also Surely they made a good application lest God seeing their connivence at their sinnes by their abode in the place should have made them also to have shared in the like punishments Seeing many horrible blasphemers have been taken away as the Coruwall Gentleman the Lincolnshire Serving-man in the midst of their swearing the one crying Horse and man and all to the Devill the bloud of the other breaking out of all his members as he swore by Gods bloud Michael the Jewish Rabbine breaking his neck even in the act of his blasphemy and the Courtier at Mansfeild carried away by the Devill in the midst of his oathes as before was shewed why may not we feare the like judgements upon such that are like swearers lighting upon them we approving their curses by our silence at their swearing and delighting in their company may justly feare to share in some part of their punishment if not in soule yet in body if not in the next life to our destruction yet in this life for other mens admonition See Numb 16.3.13 what the sin of Korah Numb 16.3.13 Dathan and Abiram was and then compare the sin of our swaggering swearers and contemners of reproofe for their swearing and marke what difference there is between them Yee take too much upon you said they seeing
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
through thy eares and raigneth not as a Prince in thy heart It is one thing to fall into their company as travellers drinke at an Inne together and another thing to dwell delight in their company It is one thing to speake with them and another thing to approve of their sinne The Apostles meaning is that sometimes wee shall have a lawfull occasion to converse and commerce with wicked persons but that must onely be when a lawfull calling doth warrant us and then must wee shine as lights in the midst of a crooked generation that we by our silence be not infected with them but they by our dislike of their sinne reclaimed from the same Sparing societie there must bee with them when by our admonition wee finde no amendment and others that are not so offensive and vexatious in their communication must be resorted unto Psal 16.3 that so all our delight may be in the Saints and those that excell in vertue Psal 16.3 If all our delight must be in the Saints then must wee all labour to be Saints and never have any setled delight in the societie of any obstinate fearfull heaven-daring hell-hastening swearers that alwayes stop their eares and hate to be reformed charme the charmer never so wisely never so daily And so much for answer to those severall Objections why men are loath to depart the company of such resolute and notorious swearers Now though I have so earnestly perswaded to the avoyding the daily societie and familiaritie with those swearers because of infection suspition malediction and have endeavoured to repell what might seeme to be alledged to the contrary yet doe I wish deeme and desire that they be not quickly and willingly neglected by us and left in this their sin and the danger thereof eternall condemnation but that before wee depart and wholly abandon their company wee use all possible meanes of and for their conversion considering that such were some of us though now by Christs bloud we are washed cleansed Let us leave no course unassayed whether of reprehension or correction according to our calling and conscience which is the fifth and last particular of this sixth and last use of Imitation the motives why wee must be so carefull and constant to imitate God in due reproving and sharpe punishing of this sinne And when hereunto your zeale hath been heated and the edge of your affections somewhat sharpened I shall be ready to take my worke from off the Loome turne my pinnace into the harbour by making a conclusion of this my second observation Sinfull swearing though by man it be not yet by God shall severely be punished Therefore Let man see by the light of this Sunne and light his Candle at the largenesse of this fire endeavouring to reprove and punish this sinne because God our heavenly Father hath commanded us as deare children to be followers of him Wee are to reprove sinners all sinners in generall and in our calling punish them therefore swearers also in particular For many will acknowledge sinne in the bunch to be reproved but not in the berry Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Levit. 19.17 but in my wise rebuke him and not suffer sinne upon his soule Wilt thou with Joab kisse with thy mouth and in the same instant stab thy brother to the heart Wilt thou hold him up in his rotten words and rayling oathes approving the same by thy silence and so be ready to cut the throat of his soule Wilt thou pretend such great kindnesse to him superficially and practice so little effectually or seeme to regard his bodie and in the meane time suffer the Milstone of sin lying heavie on his soule Wilt thou shew greater respect to the haire then to the head to the bone then to the marrow to the bark then to the tree to the shell then to the fish to the house then to the inhabitant to the body that is subject to vanity then to the soule that is to continue to eternity By this shall all men know that yee are my Disciples Joh. 13.35 if yee love one another Now what doth manifest our love Not inviting to board not speaking smoothly to the face but a studious endevour to consider what is profitable to our neighbours soule that so when he falls he may be raised up by the tongue of Admonition or hand of correction Admonish or exhort one another daily Heb. 3.13 lest any of you at any time bee hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne For the heart of man through the cold climate of custome through the want of zeale and devotion through sinnes deceitfulnesse and Satans subtilty will quickly deeply bee frozen and through hardned if the like heat of daily admonition doe not thaw the same The water beginning to freeze will scarcely beare a peny weight afterwards it will beare a shilling then a man at length horse and man cart load and all Perhaps the swearer at first through tendernesse of conscience or Gods restraining power will utter and broach but petty oathes as by my fay our Lady Cock and Pye c. after through custome and evill societie slavish oathes as by this Light Bread Drink fire crosse of coyn c. At last if the Devill hath long sate in the chaire of his heart it will be so deeply frozen that he will make no bones of the greatest hellish oathes Wounds Nailes Blood Heart Life Soule of God c. Let therefore opportune admonition at least the hammer of correction break the Ice dissolve the hardnesse dislodge Satan and dash this custome into shivers Save such friends as brands out of the fire Jude 23. and look not doubtfully upon them staying till other men come to help thee pull them out For so being in the fire they may be burned before they be delivered because this is wild fire yea hell fire James 3.6 set on fire of Hell it selfe James 3.6 And in Chap. 5.12 He speakes of a sudden falling into condemnation Facilis descensus Averni All sin in generall wee are invited to reprove in respect 1. Of precept 1. In the Law Leviticus 19.17 2. In the Gospel Mat. 7.5 and 18.17 3. By the Apostle Col. 4.17 1 Tim. 5.20 2. Of practice 1. By God the Father Gen. 4.6 2. By Christ the Son Mat. 4.7 Io. 8.44 3. By God the holy Ghost Io. 16.8 9. 4. By the Apostles Luk. 3.7 Gal. 2.11 3. Of praise We should pull out a moat Mat. 7.5 and so preserve the whole body He shall hide a multitude of sinnes and save a soule from death Iam. 5.20 by removing the milstone of sinne that lay so fast upon the heart of his soule Levit. 19.17 When as he that neglecteth this duty discovereth himselfe First to be an hypocrite secondly to murder soules even of neighbours whom they would be thought to love Prov. 11.9 4. Of profit both the good of the Admonished Admonisher 1. The good and
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
the example should not discredit the truth hereof seeing we read how Lots wife was turned into a pillar of salt Gen. 19. Gen. 19. And Corah with his company swallowed up into the earth Numb 16. Numb 16. Happy are we if the punishments inflicted upon others doe make us repent and leave our own known fins and all such bitter cursings fearfull imprecations against our selves and others such as are these I pray God I may never stirre or I may rot alive or my eyes may drop out of my bead I would I might never speak more if it bee not true or I may sink into the earth or that these hands may never open again or the Devill then take me if I do this or I pray God this bread or drink may be my poyson or I may never enjoy good by any peny that ever I shal have or being offended with others The pox take thee the plague consume thee a murraine on thee the Devill fetch thee alive or would to God thou never hadst been born or seen the Sunne or I pray God I may never see thee again with a world of such fearfull sinfull direfull wishes But wee read of some that wished such dangerous wishes to themselves Object and many fearfull curses upon others If David Sol. Job Jeremy through violent passions and distempered perturbations were overtaken with any such sinfull wishes and imprecations yet they are no warrant for us to doe the like They are not set as land-markes to lead us to the shore of safety and imitation but as floating Boyes to cause us to avoid the rocks of like sinnes and inperfections David wee see in that dolefull Ditty upon the death of his deare darling Absolom discovered much passion and too much naturall affection both blind and sinfull in these words Would to God I had died for thee O Absolom c. If he had died for him he should have died the death that he died withall Now should it have been requisite that a faithfull King should have died for a rebellious subject so loving a father for so unnaturall a sonne a blessed father of all Israel for a cursed sonne of Belial Then would and might the Damosell singers have turned their joyfull melodies Saul hath slain his thousand and David his ten thousand into mournfull Elegies Saul was slain by the sword on his heart and David was slain by the haire of his head hanging by the boughes of an Oke as a recompence of his haughty ambition in the aire between heaven and earth as unworthy to live either with God above or with men beneath that being the cause of his destruction which he had made the cause of his exultation that should have proved his griefe and shame at his death which he accounted his glory and delight in the time of his life See how many inconveniences and reproches both to David in particular and to the Israel of God in generall would have ensued if his sinfull wish had been granted unto him The occasion of Jobs and Jeremies distempered wishes you may read Job 2.13 Jerem. 12.15 and 20. and 14. and then easily untie the knot of ambiguity But David boasted of the hatred hee bare to some persons which hee wished not well unto Object Doe not I hate them that hate thee Psalm 139. This hatred was bred in David of the exceeding love of God Sol. and not properly of the love of himselfe or the hatred of others Hee that loveth himselfe earnestly doth surely hate his enemies but not the enemies of God Touching Moses and Pauls wishings Moses and Paul Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 though some think them to be sinfull as Calvin doth Moseses yet most deem otherwise Some think their speeches to be parabolicall to shew the intention of their desire such as was Rachels Give me children or else I die Gen. 30.1 Gen. 30.1 Some taking the wishes to be conditionall if it be possible or if it please God Calvin Some thinking they preferred the safety of the people before their own souls But this is against the rule of Charity for though other mens souls should bee dearer unto us then our owne bodily life yet my soul should be dearer unto me then all other mens souls in the world Yea Tostatus further addeth if all the souls of the Saints yea of the Virgin Mary should perish unlesse my soul perish Citiùs eligcre deberem omnes ill as perire quam animam meam I ought rather to make this choyce that all their souls should then my own soul should perish But the meaning of Moses in that wish was to preferre Gods glory above all things his own name to be blotted out rather then his enemies should have occasion to cast forth blasphemy against the Lord. He rather aimed at Gods glory then at his own salvation to be preferred The salvation of our souls is pretious but the glory of God ought to bee more pretious unto us saith Simlerus So Pauls meaning in wishing to be accursed was Rom. 9.3 rather then Gods glory should bee diminished or blemished by the scandalous imputation of the Gentiles in the rejection of the Jews his chosen people to whom pertained the promises the covenants the services adoption and glory of God Any other dreadfull wishes or imprecations that we read of by the Saints of God in the Scriptures seeming to wish hurt or ruine to the persons against whom they are powred out they are all either indefinite or propheticall Indefinite without naming any particular person or if definite naming some particular person then are they conditionall intending in the first place if God have so ordained it conversion if not in the second confusion or if they be both definite and absolute then are they propheticall Non tam vota quam vaticinia speeches of men inspired not so much wishing what they foretell as certainly foreseeing and foretelling that of themselves they wish not Vt in verbis quasi male optantis intelligamus praedict a prophetantis saith Saint Augustine or if they wish it it is because they know by revelation it is the will of God or that it makes for the glory of God When David and Paul prayed for the destruction of their enemies Psal 109. from the sixth verse to the 21. or for false teachers to bee accursed Gal. 1.8 9. and the wicked that trouble the godly to be cut off in the 2. Corinthians they are predictions rather then maledictions they wished destruction not as revengers upon them but rather that their wickednesse might end thereby They prayed not as private persons wishing revenge on their enemies but as publick persons desiring Gods justice to be shewed which prayers are not unlawfull yet very cauteously to be followed If we at any time pray for Gods plagues upon incorrigible sinners it must bee in the generall supposition of their uncurable unreclaimable impiety saying indefinitely with Paul 1 Cor. 16.22 If any
man love not the Lord Jesus let him be accursed But it must not be in particular application unlesse God reveal which he doth seldome their finall obstinacie unto us Wherfore that I may at length put a period to this unpleasing discourse as we desire blessed brethren Gods blessing upon our selves persons and posterity goods cattell servants so let us labour to be farre from desiring and wishing Gods plagues pox murrain death damnation upon our selves sonnes servants or upon our neighbours persons goods cattell considering how unseeming it is for us how pleasing to the Devill and how unacceptable to the Lord. 1. Inducements Iam. 3.9 10 11. 1 Pet. 3.9 It is unbeseeming for us to curse seeing we are heires of blessings 1 Pet. 3.9 2. It is most pleasing to Satan as hereby proclaiming we hasten to his kingdome Whence the Ancients have observed that when God gave the Devil leave to afflict Jobs body he spared his tongue that feeling his pain hee might easily raile and curse Iob. 3.1 so pleasing were Iobs curses as his vertues were vexatious unto the Devill 3. It is very unacceptable unto God because this belongs to God and not to man He saith to Abraham Gen. 12.3 Gen. 12.3 I will curse them that curse thee This prerogative he will reserve to himselfe because he knowes how to doe it without passion and inequality this his glory he denies to give unto another Esa 42.8 We for our parts in speciall if we will suffer the example of Michael the Archangel to prevail with us may not curse any no not the Devil though the Devil deserves to be cursed yet it must not goe out of the Archangels mouth against him Iuds 9. Iude 9. Thine enemies deserve to be cursed yet such speaking becomes not thy mouth for surely it cannot be but the signe of a wretch to use such hell-hatched language It may be some Goliah some uncircumcised Philistine accustomes himselfe to such grievous fearfull curses but the tongues of the children of God drop no such gall and poyson but hony and oyle words and prayers of blessing powdred with salt ministring grace unto the hearers and glory to the speakers and not as cursing griefe to the one and damnation to the other How can we our selves think to be free from the plague pox and vengeance of God when we cease not to wish these to others For as the bird taking her flight from her nest fetcher a compasse and by and by returnes thither again so curses come in where they goe out and return on our heads as stones hurled against the wind As a man that takes up an Adder in his hand or fire to throw against his enemy hurts himself most so is it with those that curse their enemies the danger is certain to the Agents but uncertain to the patients Wilt thou plunge thy selfe over head and eares in the waters of Gods plagues and judgements that thou mayst thrust another up to the knees in the same Wilt thou plucke out both thine own eyes scil body and soule that thou mayst but endevour to plucke out one of thine enemies scil in calling for Gods vengeance to light upon his body goods or house Leave off to use such cursed proverbiall diabolical speeches against others or else bee content and expect that the same recoyle backe upon thine owne head which thou desirest should have fallen upon them For how expectest thou to be exempt from punishment seeing thou dost continue to take Gods name in vain In vaine first because by naming it thou thoughtest to bring Gods curse upon another and it was farre from him In vain secondly because by praying to it thou thoughtest to procure Gods blessing upon thy selfe yet it was farre from thee Questions touching swearing and forswearing With the Answers annexed VVHat is an Oath Question Answer It is a necessary confirmation of things doubtfull by calling upon God to bee a witnesse of truth and a revenger of Falsehood A necessary confirmation I say because an oath is never to be used in way of confirmation but onely in case of meere necessity Heb. 6.16 For when all other humane proofs doe fail then is it lawfull to fetch testimony from heaven and to make God himselfe our witnesse In this case alone Perk Case pag 222. and never else it is lawfull to use an oath In which God is called upon as a witnesse of the truth By this clause an oath is distinguished from other kinds of confirmation as the Affirmation the Asseveration and the Obtestation because in this we call upon God to give witnesse to the things avouched but in the other three we doe not What bee the particular parts in every oath Quest 2. 1. Asseveration of the truth avouched Answer Four parts in every oath 2. Confession of the omnipotent wisedome justice and truth of God searching the heart 3. Prayer and invocation whereby God is alled upon to witnesse that hee speaketh the truth 4. Imprecation binding and devoting himselfe to Gods punishment if hee sweare salsly Now though these foure be the distinct parts of an oath yet all of them are not expressed in the form of every oath but sometime one sometime two of the principall as in Ier. 4.2 is expressed onely confession and in Ruths to Naomi onely an imprecation So in Gods Heb. 3.11 If they enter into my rest let me then be no God but â— deceiver And in 2 Cor. 1.23 Invocation with imprecation onely is uttered with words Now though some one or more of these parts are concealed yet all the parts in the minde of the swearer are to be understood otherwise the oath is not formall and entire Whether all oathes are to be performed Quest 3. Answer They are if lawfull and possible If absolutely they be lawfull in respect of us so that with a good conscience enlightned with Gods word we may performe them And withall if they be possible and in our power so that wee can fulfill them Whosoever sweareth an oath het shall doe according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Numb 30.3 Matth. Psalm 15. But sinfull oaths are not to bee performed for it was a sin in making them and a double sin in keeping them David did break Herod kept his sinfull oath But David did well in breaking Herod did ill in keeping his oath for in all oathes there is a secret exception of the higher powers and our former oathes to God God is greater then men and we have first bound our selves to him therefore no oath is to be performed that is against God or godlinesse Whether he be forsworn that sweareth according to the letter Quest 4. and not the meaning He is Answer because not in truth Ier. 4.2 but in equivocation and fraud Therefore Cleomenes sware fraudulently that having made a truce w th his enemies for 7 days set upon them in the night And the woman that sware she was
swearing by the creatures with directions to God in the minde of him that sweareth induced by Deut. 6.13 Heb. 6.16 If a man might sweare by the creatures and conceale the name of God it would diminish his Majesty and Authority and much deceit might beused for the swearer might say that he sware not by God but onely used an obtestation by the creatures Read Perkins his answers to the objections on Matth. 5. and in Cases of Conscience where this question somewhat largely is by him disenssed Whether an oath made by Creatures Idols Qu. 16. or false Gods is to be performed It is Hence Augustine saith Answer Hee that sweareth falsly by a stone is perjured Though that be not holy by which he sweareth yet the Lord is holy before whom hee sweareth Though the stone heareth him not speake yet God will punish him if he deceive Though it be not lawful to swear by false gods or Idols yet whosoever hath sworn by them as by true Gods he is bound to performe his promise not for the Idols sake but for Gods sake before whom he sweareth not because they are true Gods indeed but because they are so in the swearers opinion Therefore the Turk swearing by Mabomet is perjured if he doe not perform his promise So are the Papists swearing by the Idoll of the Masse if they doe not performe their promise When Iacob made a promise and covenant with Laban and Laban swore by the Idols of Nabor Iacob accepted of the oath though tendered unto him in the name of a false God which he would not have done had it been no oath at all A poore man being in extreame want borroweth of the usurer upon interest it is sinne in the usurer to take it but it is not so in the poort man who is compelled by the usurer to give it Thus the poore man doth use well the iniquity of the usurer So is it in an oath a godly man may well use and take benefit by the wicked oathes of Idolaters so farre forth as they shall serve for the ratifying and confirming of lawfull covenants Doubtlesse it is a lesser offence to sweare by the false God truly then to sweare by the true God falsly it is a sin to lie a double sin to swear and lie Whether he that voluntarily by oath before a Magistrate Qu. 17. discovereth some secret offence of his brother doth sin He doth for though his oath be just Answer yet hee sweareth not justly because not urged by the Magistrate so to sweare See more in Willet on Exod. Whether a man is bound alwayes to perform whatsoever was lawfully by oath promised Qu. 18. No for some oathes may be lawfull in promising Answer which may fall out to be unlawfull in performing As if a man bind himselfe to assist his friend and he afterwards prove an enemy and traytor to his countrey Therefore in taking such an oath he should sweare conditionally to follow his friend only usque ad aras so farre to aid him as hee shall have the warrant of Gods word for his works Of what things is not a man to take his oath Qu. 19. Of five things 1. Of things that are false Answer for hee that so sweareth maketh God the witnesse of a lie 2. Of things doubtfull for this is presumption 3. Of things unlawfull for so they make God contrary to himselfe in approving what he hath forbidden 4. Of things impossible and which are not in our power for this were to mocke God when he offers to sweare that which hee knoweth hee cannot doe 5. Of things light and frivolous for hereby he giveth not the due reverence that belongeth to God Whether it bee lawfull to impose an oath on him whom we think will forswear himselfe Qu. 20. It is unlawfull for a private man to impose such an oath for his owne private respect and gaine Answer for we ought rather to lose any worldly benefit then by such an oath to suffer God to be dishonoured and our neighbour to lose himselfe Augustine accounteth such a person worse then a murtherer because the murtherer killeth but the body this the soule yea two soules at once his whom hee provoketh to sweare and his own Doest thou know that to be true which thou affirmest and that false which thou avouchest and yet urgest him to sweare Bohold he sweareth for sweareth and perisheth and what hast thou found hereby yea thou hast lost thy self who wouldst no otherwise be satisfied but by his destruction Yet the Magistrate if the execution of law and justice do so require may put such a one to his oath for better it is that a private person should perish then the publique administration of justice should be hindred Yet all other means for the finding out of the truth are first to be used and the party that is to swear gravely to be admonished of the weightinesse of an oath the heynonsnesse of perjury and the fearfulnesse of the punishment at tending thereon and so leave the party to himself and the event to God Such light persons that seem by their evill courses to be void of all truth and the fear of God if they have sworn yet I think the Judge is to give little credit unto them If the case did concerne himself hee would not much credit them Whence pithy Parens upon those words of Paul Rom. 9.2 I speak the truth in Christ Jesus I lie not my conscience also bearing witnesse hath this observation Take his oath that hath a good conscience As a prophane man makes no more account of his oathes then of a straw so ought the Judge to account of them and never to urge such to swear for they will sweare any thing Whether an oath made to the Creator Qu. 21. may be dispensable by the Creature It may not For in every lawfull oath there is not onely a bond between man and man Answer of one man to another but also of man to God Indeed if in the oath taken man were onely obliged to man it might bee dispensed by man but seeing the swearer is bound immediately to God himselfe hee cannot have release from the Pope or any other inferiour Bishop or creature Thou shalt perform thy oathes To whom To the Lord Matth. 5.33 That which God bindeth no creature can unloofe Matth. 19.6 When the Pope sheweth himselfe Antichrist in that hee challengeth power to dispense with a lawfull oath made without error or deceit of things honest and possible Now that I may at length draw this worke off the Loome and conclude what letteth but that the sinner should surcease by swearing forswearing and cursing to take Gods Name in vain considering the threats denounced in the Word are so many and plentifull and the judgements inflicted upon them in the world have been so vilible and fearfull What is the cause they should any longer stop their eares against these
eye eare hand foot in every place to heare see and punish all sin wilt not suffer to escape scot-free live and die unpunished for this sinne of swearing thou hast threatned to have a controversie with the inhabitants of land and that it shall mourne and every one that dwell therein with the beasts of the field and fowls of heaven and fishes of the Sea yea the very timber and stones of the houses of the swearer are threatned to bee consumed by the certaine and severe universall curse recorded in thy long broad and flying book Yet such O Lord hath been the ignorance in our understanding the hardnesse of our hearts the contempt of thy Word and the neglect of thy threatnings that we have not suffered thy precepts so to informe us or thy menaces so to awaken us as that wee have been reclaimed from this vaine unprofitable hell-hatched heaven-daring soule-killing land-shaking impiety Insomuch that it is thy meere mercy that wee are not every moment for this very sinne consumed since many such sinners have tasted of the certainty of thy judgements even in this life thou visibly causing thy plagues to fall downe upon them even in the instant when their blasphemies have been powred out against thee We partaking with them in their sinfull premises how can wee but expect sharing with them in their fearfull conclusions True Lord if in justice thou deale with us but with thee there is mercy that thou mayst bee feared much more to be beloved Therefore behold us wee humbly beseech thee not with the eyes of rigor and severity but of pitie and favour pardon all other pardon O pardon this our daily impiety of abusing thy Name by swearing of carelesse cold reproving the abuse of the same open our eyes good Father that we may every day more and more clearly see the greatnesse of this sinne and the grievousnesse of the punishment attending thereon Let us bee perswaded the rather to loath this sinne in our hearts and leave it out in the speeches of our lippes seeing the Devill our adversary is the author of it we proclaim our selves hypocriticall and prophane persons yea rebels and traytors not onely against thy sacred Majesty but also against the Kingdome and Nation wherein we live our hellish oathes being secretly though insensibly powerfull blasts to blow up Parliament Houses and sharp swords to pierce the bodies of Prince and people wee making our owne tongues either Heralds to proclaime or Doctors to teach or Proctors to plead for this treason Strengthen us O thou that art the alone light of our eyes and strength of our soules that by thy holy Spirits and heavenly power wee may bee resolved to bee avenged on our selves for this sinne of swearing by abstaining even from speech in such company and cases wherein wee have been so often overseen And because hee is said to feare an oath that useth often to sacrifice teach us to pray daily against this vice that thou which shuttest and no man or Devill can open mayest bee pleased to set a watch before our mouthes and to keep the doore of our lippes give us grace that wee may meditate often on thy Word that alone preservative against all sinne Le us be sparing in the use of asseverations as being the hedges and outmost bounds of keeping thy Name from being prophaned as we would be fearfull not onely of a deep pit but also of dancing nigh the brink thereof not onely eschewing the plague but also every ragge that may seeme to carry the plague with it Let us be carefull to avoid the company of such incorrigible sinners because the tinder of our corruption is so easily set on fire by the least spark of their evill presidents and lewd company Subdue and mortifie in us anger pride covetousnesse and breach of promise which usually are the occasions of swearing that the causes and roots being removed the vanity of customary swearing may be pulled up by the roots The severall punishments that in thy justice O Lord thou hast inflicted upon many that have in this kinde provoked thy wrath record in our memories that we may recall to our meditations and learne by their punishments to refraine this little great unruly member of our tongue that their falls may cause us to rise by repentance lest marching with them in their sinnes wee also smart with them in their punishment either in this life to our amendment or in the next to our confusion And sithence in thy Word thou hast so strictly and severely set thy selfe against this sinne that in so palpable a manner sets it selfe against thee informe stirre up and encourage the hearts tongues hands of all thy Ministers and Magistrates that are in thy room and stead to see vertue maintained and sinne suppressed that they in their severall places may have care conscience and courage to ioyn hand in hand for the suppressing this universall contagious sicknesse this most common sin of swearing And forasmuch as it is grown to such strength as that it will not easily bee subdued either by the pen of the writer the tongue of the Minister or the sword of the Magistrate Paul planting and Apollos watering both in vain unlesse thou give the increase they can but speak to the eare and touch the body thou alone must speak to the heart and reform the tongue Blesse and prosper the endevour of one and other that the sinne of swearing may have lesse power to affront them and they more and more skill and courage to oppose and suppresse it that so thy great bloody controversie with the inhabitants of the land speedily may be ended and they to thy Maty graciously reconciled all thy judgements especially of Popery touching the soule warre and penury touching the body may from this land bee averted all thy blessings especially of piety and peace of preaching and professing thy Gospel in more power and purity in the same may be reduced our King the breath of our nostrils the Princely progeny and the much opposed yet undaunted Parliament may have their pretious soules preserved from the infection of Popery their sacred persons protected from the danger of treachery all their governments and hoped for work of reformation prospered their dayes prolonged the Nobles may be honoured the Magistrates blessed the Ministers comforted the Commons defended thy name by each one of us being sanctified their bodies and souls at the great day may bee saved being brought unto thy celestiall kingdome where they shall enjoy truth without error day without night peace without perturbation plenty without penury joy without griefe health without sicknesse content without change eternity without end because they enjoy thee that art All in All and all this in by and through the merits of thy Son Christ Jesus our blessed Saviour to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be privatly and publickly ascribed and rendred all worship and service honour and glory power and praise might and majesty
God to witnesse a lye making him herein like the Devill Zach. 5.4 Job 8.44 Forswearing is when a man performs not what deliberately he swears even of old it hath bin said Thou shalt not forswear thy selfe but shalt perform unto the Lord thy oaths Forswearers because they take Gods Name in vain shall not by God be left unpunished In one and the self-same breath you hear the truth and doctrine with the Reason and confirmation thereof The Doctrine Reason that forswearers shall be punished The Reason because they take Gods Name in vain Let us come presently to the Vse in the Application Vse and suffer that to be pressed on our affections which at the first hearing we conceive in our apprehensions By all that hath already been spoken against ordinary and rash swearing I shall be eased of the labour to speak much of false forswearing for if the Motives be so many against rash swearing and the puishments so fearfull on the same much more are the same to be thought powerfull against false or forsswearing which are more egregiously finfull in the fight of God and more fearfull in the ears of men Let us then be diswaded from this sin by the censideration of these two severall Motives and iton arguments 1. The greatnesse of the sin 2. The greatnesse of the punishment on the sinners First the greatnesse of the sin because hereby 1. Mot. Greatnesse of the sin 1. Gods Name is polluted and prophaned it being made a Sanctuary to shrewd lyers and deceitfull persons 2. Gods Majesty is abused being brought as a witnesse to confirm a known lye and as a surety for their sinfull fact they daring avouch that to be true which they know to be false and that to be false which they know to be true in either calling upon God as a just Judge and Avenger of falshood do in a manner contemn Gods all-seeing knowledge justice power anger threatnings herein desperately making triall whether God can or will according to his power punish their sin herein like bandogs flying in Gods face and daring him to do his worst in the execution of his vengeance 3. The Devill himself herein is outstripped for wee never read or heard that he ever came to that desperate audaciousnesse that hee durst presume to confirm his lyes by oath or oft to abuse Gods Name for the patronizing and countenancing his untruths 4. The Lords great Seale and Scepter of his Kingdome whereby hee ruleth amongst men hereby are overthrown Truth and Justice the perjurers using Gods forces against himself for the maintaining those hellish pieces of falshood and injustice 5. The Word reekons it amongst great sins Jer. 7.9 6. Hatefull to men 1. To Christians 2 To Heathens which he so much abhorreth 5. The word reckons that amongst the greatest crimes Theft Murther Adultery Idolatry and to be abominable to God Zach. 8.17 6. It is most hatefull to men First to Christians the false swearers losing the reputation of Religion and the fear of God yea of civility and common honesty Secondly to Heathens and Turks and Pagans accounting it worthy of the severest punishment Amurath the Turk spared none of the army of Vladiflaus Amurathes against Vladistaus King of Hungaria who had broken his oath concerning Articles of truce concluded between them The Egyptians reputed perjury so capitall a crime Egyptians punish it with death The Romans had a Temple dedicated to Faith Attilius Regulus against the Carthaginians that whosoever was convinced thereof was punished with death The Romans so highly esteemed of Faith in all their publique affaires that in their City they had a Temple dedicated to it and did for more reverence sake offer sacrifices to the Image of Faith Hence it was that Attilius Regulus chief Captain of the Roman army against the Carthaginians was so highly commended of all men because when he was overcome taken prisoner and sent to Rome hee did only for his oath sake which he had sworn return to his enemy albeit he knew what grievous torments were provided for him at his return Others also that came with him though they were intreated and by their parents wives allies instantly urged not to return to Hannibals camp could in no wise be moved thereunto but because the Romans their friends did not accord to their proffered conditions therefore they would perform their oathes to the Carthaginians their enemies But two of the ten for so many were they falsified their oath and did not return yet were they among all men accounted and condemned for cowards and faint-hearted traytors in so much that the Censors noted them with infamy for the fact whereat they took such grief and inward sorrow that being weary of their lives they slew themselves Thus the Heathen not only teach by precept Cicero lib. 1. Offic. but also performed by practice lib. 3. Offic. that an oath is so sacred that it is to be kept with our greatest enemies and most wicked people The Gibeonites though they were so execrable a people The Gibeonites that they might well be esteemed for Heretiques yet the Princes of Israel would not retract the oath made with them albeit they were deceived by them for feare of incurring the wrath of God that suffereth not perjury unpunished 7. The use and end of lawfull oathes 7. The end of lawfull oaths destroyed which are to put an end to all strife are by perjury destroyed causing the Jury to give a false verdict and the Judge an unjust sentence whereby innocency is suppressed falshood maintained the oppressor strengthened in his malicious courses humane society baned suspitious jealousie discovered and contention nourished and the whole course of justice the Pillar of the common-wealth and bond of humane societie utterly dissolved and subverted yea sometimes with one and the same false oath the perjurer puts a true mans neck into the halter and his own soul into hell 8. 8. The conscience of the perjurer tormented The conscience of the Perjurer daily is tormented with restlesse feares and affrighting terrors and the same hardly recured unlesse his sin with Pater be bewailed with bitter reares and the balm of Christs precious blood truly applied by the hand of a lively faith 9. 9. God of his glory is robbed The innocent is not only robbed of his right but God also of his glory when to gain credit to a lie man call the true God to witnesse this is even to make him a false witnesse like our selves and in as much as in us lieth to set the Devill himself the father of lies in the room and stead of God the author of truth 10. 10. An utter enemy to himself He is an utter enemy to himself and the instrument violently hastning his own destruction praying for a curse upon himselfe wishing God to revenge if hee sweare falsly and therefore cryeth and calleth upon God by his false swearing to take and cast body and
soule into hell fire when he reacheth out his hand to the book he reacheth it out to the Devill when he kisseth the book he kisseth the Devill when he bringeth water or drink to his mouth with that hand hee feedeth the Devill nay rather remaineth a devill incarnate So much of the first Motive Secondly Mot. 2. Grievousness of the punishment wee are to be disswaded from this sin by the greatnesse of the punishment inflicted on the same It is punished with 1. Eternall Punishment 2. Spirituall Punishment 3. Corporall Punishment Perjury is punished with 1. Eternall punishment though yet in the last place and time shall be inflicted to wit Extrusion from heaven and Intrusion into hell Psal 15.4 Rev. 21.8 22.15 proved by Psal 15.4 Rev. 21.8 22.15 2. Spirituall punishment to wit Infamy amongst men terror in his conscience and a reprobate sense most commonly to commit all sin and wickednesse 3. With corporall and temporall punishment which amongst men is chiefly feared the house timber and stones of the false swearer are threatned to be consumed Zach. 5.4 Zedechias the last King of Judah for breaking his oath with Nebuchadnezzar had his kingdome spoyled his sonnes before his face slaughtered his owne eyes boared out and afterwards in chaines carryed into Babylon Osee the last King of Israel 2 Chro. 36 for breach of his faith plighted to Salmaneser King of Ashur was taken imprisoned and carryed with his whole nation captives to Assyria 2 King 17. Thus both the Kingdomes of Israel and Judah were for falsifying their oaths quite razed and extinguished Ponfinus in his Hungarian historie records a notable example of the punishment of perjury in Vladislaus and his army destroyed by the Turks as before was briefly touched This Vladislaus behaved himself so valiantly against the Turks that Anurath was glad upon unequall conditions to conclude a peace with him which league being made and the Articles thereof ingrossed in both languages with a solemn oath taken on both parties for the confirmation of the same the Cardinall of Florence according to the accustomed pofition of the Papists No oath to be kept with Heretiques by letters disfwaded Vladistius from keeping their new accorded peace Cardinall Julian the Popes Legate in Hungaria helped forward this project and practice both which wrought so effectually with the King that hee falsifying his oath broke the peace sent to Constantinople to denounce war afresh and set forward his army towards the Turks with all expedition Thus the Turkes secure and misdoubting nothing were unawares set upon by the King yet putting themselves in defence there grew a long and sharp battell till Amurath perceiving his souldiers to decline and almost to be overcome pall'd out of his bosome the Articles of the aforesaid concluded peace and lifting up his eyes to heaven uttered these speeches O Iesus Christ these are the leagues that thy Christians have made and confirmed by swearing by thy Name and yet have broken them again if thou beest a God as they say thou art revenge this injury that is offered both to thee and me and punish Truce-breaking Varlets He had scarce ended his speech but the Christians battell and courage began to abate Vladislaus himselfe was slaine by the Janisaries his whole Army discomfited and put to the Sword Pausanias noteth this to bee one of the chiefe causes why Philip King of Maccdon with all his progeny so quickly came to destruction because he made no reckoning of keeping his oathes but sware and unsware them at his pleasure and for his commodity Gregory Tours makes mention of a wicked varlet in France among the people called Averns that forswearing himselfe in an unjust cause had his tongue presently so tied that he could not speake but roare and so continued till by his earnest inward prayer and repentance the Lord restored to him the use of that unruly member Alberius Duke of Franconia having slaine Conrade brother to Lewis the fourth then Emperour and finding the Emperours wrath incensed against him betcoke himselfe to a strong Castle at Bramberge from whence the Emperour neither by force nor fraud could remove him for seven yeares space untill Atto Bishop of Mentz delivered him into his hands This Atto under shew of friendship repaired to the Castle and gave his faith to Albertus that if he would come down to parley with the Emperour hee should safely returne into his hold The Duke mistrusting no fraud went out of the Castle gates with the Bishop towards the Emperour but Atto as it were suddenly remembring himselfe when as indeed it was his devised plot desired to return back again and dine ere he went because it was somewhat late so they dine and returne Now the Duke was no sooner come to the Emperour but he caused him to be put to death notwithstanding hee alledged the Bishops promise and oath for his safe return For it was answered his oath was quit by returning back to dine as he had promised Thus the Duke was wickedly betraied though justly punished As for Atto the perjured traytor within a while after hee was strucken with a thunderbolt and as some say carried into mount Aema with this noyse sie peccata lues atque ruenas rues Thus didst thou sinne in breaking thy oath Thus shalt thou suffer in soule and body both The History concerning the three false accusers of the Bishop of Jerusalem is no lesse fearfull then common they accused him of unchastity and bound their accusations with oathes and curses on this wise The first said If I lie I pray God I may perish with fire The second said If I speake ought but the truth I pray God I may be consumed by some filthy and cruell disease The third said If I accuse him falsly I pray God I may be deprived of my sight and become blind The honesty of the Bishop was so wel known that they beleeved none of their oathes yet hee partly for griefe partly for ease from worldly affaires forfook his Bishoprick and lived in the desart for many years The first his house being on fire perished with his family and progeny The second languished with a fearfull disease that bespread his body all over The third seeing Gods judgements on his companions confessed all their villany lamented his crime and case so long weeping for the same till both his eyes were put out Thus God plagued them for their perjury sent upon them their wishes and thereby cleared his servant from shame and opprobry Thesdor Beza records what happened upon a perjurer that forsware himselfe to the end to hurt and prejudice another thereby He had no sooner made an end of his false oath but a grievous Apoplexie assailed him so that without speaking any word he died within few dayes after Anno Dom. 925. when King Ethelstane alias Adelstane reigned here in England there was one Elfred a Noble man who with a faction of seditious persons conspired against the