Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of the meanes to weane vsus from vaine and cuſtomable ſwearing.
ANd ſo much for anſwere vntounto ſuch excuſes as are vſually alleadged for cuſtomable ſwearing. Now to the end that all thoſe who are mooued with that which hath been ſaid, to a holie reſolution of forſaking this wicked practiſe, may the better bee enabled to attaine vntounto their deſire, I will breefly for a concluſion ſet downe the meanes, by the carefull vſe whereof we may breake off this wicked cuſtome of vaine ſwearing. And firſt, as in the curing of bodilie diſeaſes, the beſt courſe is to take away the cauſes thereof; ſo if wee would hauehave our ſoules cured of this ſinfull ſickneſſe of vaine ſwearing,§. Sect. 1. 1. VVe muſt ſhun impatiencie and furious anger. we muſt endeuour to remooue the cauſes from which it chiefly ariſeth. And theſe are principally foure; the firſt is impatiencie & furious anger, which being a ſhort madnes, maketh vsus to forget for ye time, not only al humanitie towards men, but all dutie and reſpect which we owe vntounto God, and in barbarous and deſpitefull manner, to loade his holy name with blaſphemies, as though he were the onelyonly cauſe of our diſcontentment, either by inflicting or not auerting the euils which vexe and grieue vsus. For the purging away of which franticke humours, I referre the reader to the peruſing and vſe of thoſe ſpirituall receits which I hauehave preſcribed for theſe impatient patients, in my treatiſe of Anger.
The ſecond cauſe of vaine ſwearing to bee remooued,§. Sect. 2. The ſecond cauſe of vaine ſwearing to be remooued, is pride and vaine glorie. is pride, and vaine glorie, which maketh men to vnderualue their oathes, leſt they themſelues ſhould be vnderualued, for therefore they ſweare in their ordinarie communication, either he cauſe they would appeare gallants, full of ſpirit and valour, and gaine the reputation of Gentlemen and men of worth; or becauſe they would hauehave euerie word which commeth out of their mouth reſpected, and beleeued as an oracle of infallible truth.
The third cauſe of vaine ſwearing, is greedie couetouſnes;§. Sect. 3. The third cauſe, greedie couetouſneſſe. for when as men hauehave reſolued with themſelues, that they will be rich, they dare not depend vponupon God in the vſe of lawfull meanes, but take all indirect courſes for the increaſing of their wealth, as lying and diſſembling, bribing and oppreſſion, all manner of fraud and deceit: and among the reſt, ſwearing, and forſwearing, in their ordinarie trading, buying and ſelling, that thereby gaining credit vntounto themſelues, they may either buy, or put off their wares at a better rate. Thoſe therfore who would auoide vaine ſwearing, they muſt firſt remooue this ſpeciall cauſe therof, greedie auarice, and learne to reſt and depend vponupon the prouidence of God, whoſe bleſſing alone maketh rich; and giueth vntounto men being enriched the comfortable fruition of that which they doe poſſeſſe.
The fourth cauſe of vaine ſwearing is externall, namely,§. Sect. 4. The fourth cauſe of vaine ſwearing, others incredulitie. the ſuſpition and incredulitie of others, who will not beleeue a bare aſſertion or promiſe, vnleſſe it bee confirmed with an oath: for the remouing whereof we are to obſerue the Apoſtles practiſe, indeuouring to hauehave alway a cleere conſcience, not only towards Gods but alſo towards men.Act. 24.16. For if we walk vnblameably in our liues and conuerſation, if wee ſo highlie value truth that wee will ſell it at no rate, if wee keepe touch and obſerue our promiſes, not onelyonly when they are aduantageable, but alſo when they be to our owne hindrance, our word euen in waightie buſineſſes will be credited, and need no ſuperiour teſtimonie or confirmation.
The ſecond meanes to auoid vaine ſwearing,§. Sect. 5. The ſecond meanes to auoide vaine ſvvearing, is to keep a vvatch before our lips. is with Dauid to ſet a narrow watch before our lips, yt we may not thus offend with our tongues; and to bridle and curbe in this vnruly euill with the bit of Gods feare, that it burſt not out into vaine oathes; which otherwiſe will runne at randome and fall into this vice euen before wee be aware. And if long cuſtome hath ſo confirmed it in vsus that wee hauehave no hope to breake it off at once,Pſal 39.1. Iam. 1.26. We muſt break off cuſtome with cuſtome. let vsus labour at leaſt to bring it into a conſumption, and by an antidote of a contrarie cuſtome, to diſinure our tongues from the vſe thereof. Let vsus reſolue whatſoeuer occaſion bee offered, to keepe ſuch a ſtraight watch ouer our tongue, that we will not ſweare for the ſpace of a whole day; and when we hauehave thus farre preuailed ouer our ſelues, let vsus take a longer time; and ſo taking as it were a truce with Gods glorious name from time to time, binding our ſelues in the meane while that wee will not offer againſt it any abuſe or violence, it will in a ſmall ſpace grow vntounto a firme and inuiolable peace; and vaine oathes which were as familiar as our ordinarie ſpeech, will ſticke in our teeth like an vnknowne language, and become of neere acquaintance, which would vſually ruſh in without bidding, meere ſtrangers which will not come within the doore of our lips, vnleſſe vponupon extraordinarie occaſion they be inuited.
The third meanes to auoid vaine ſwearing,§ Sect. 6. The 3. meanes is to be ſparing in the vſe of aſſeuerations. is to be ſparing in the vſe of earneſt aſſeuerations and proteſtations; for theſe are as it were the outward and next adioyning fences, the vſe whereof is to preſerue Gods glorious name from being prophaned and trampled vponupon by common vſe; and therefore ſo long as we ſparingly and reuerently approch vntounto them, wee will be much more reſpectiue in vſing the name of God by an oath; whereas if wee vſually leape ouer the fence, and by prophane and common vſe tread it downe and trample it vnderunder foote, then the fence being taken away, the holy name of God himſelfe lieth open to be prophaned by vaine ſwearing. Aſſeuerations are as it were the banke and brinke of the water, and vaine ſwearing like a deepe miſchieuous pit fit to ſwallow and drowne vsus if wee fall into it. So long therefore as we walke aloofe, and doe not approch the banke but vponupon waightie occaſion, and with great care and circumſpection, we keepe our ſelues out of all danger; but if wee be ſtill leaping vponupon the banck, and careleſly dancing vponupon the very brinck, it is a thouſand to one we ſhall ſlip in and periſh, vnleſſe we riſe again and recouer our ſelues by true repentance. Again, if it be obſerued that we are ſparing in the vſe of theſe aſſeuerations, vnleſſe it be in waightie affaires and with great reuerence and reſpect, then will it gaine vntounto them ſuch authoritie, that wee ſhall neuer bee vrged by ſwearing to confirme our ſpeeches; eueryevery one being readie more to eſteeme and credit our honeſt proteſtation, then the deepe oathes of thoſe who accuſtome their tongues to vaine ſwearing.
The fourth meanes to auoide this ſinne of vaine ſwearing,§ Sect. 7. The fourth meanes is to auoid the companie of vaine ſvvearers. is to ſhun the companie of ſuch as much vſe it; becauſe our corrupt nature is eaſily infected, if we doe but breathe in the contagious aire of ſinne. And as ciuill men liuing amongſt a barbarous people, quickly loſe the puritie of their owne language, and hauehave their ſpeech corrupted with the barbariſmes that are daily ſounding in their eares; ſo if being religious we haunt the companie of theſe curſed Edomites, who inure their tongues to blaſphemous ſwearing, we ſhal ſoone forget to ſpeak the pure language of holy Chanaan, and corrupt our ſpeech with vaine and wicked oathes. And therefore let no man preſume vponupon his owne ſtrength, and flatter himſelfe with a vaine conceit, that hee ſo abhorreth this cuſtomable ſwearing, that he is in no danger of being corrupted with it, though hee frequent ſuch leud companie. For there is little hope we ſhall long firmely ſtand in ſuch ſlippery places: firſt, becauſe it is iuſt with God to withdraw his aſſiſting grace from thoſe, who tempt him with their preſumption, and that they who ſo louelove tentations that they wilfully runne into them, ſhould alſo fall and bee ouercome in the day of triall. Secondly, becauſe by reaſon of our corruption, wee are prone to fall into any ſinne; for the ſeedes of all euill remaining in vsus, will, when they ſeeme dead and rotten, reuiue and ſprout vp againe, when as they are, as it were watred and cheriſhed, with the wicked examples and incouragements of prophane companions. And the tindar of our corruption is eaſily ſet on fire with the touch of the leaſt ſparke of an euill preſident, if it be not extinguiſhed by Gods Spirit. And laſtly, becauſe ſuch companie will euen compell vsus, with a kind of vrgent neceſſitie, to follow their owne practiſe, by denying to giuegive credit vntounto our words, vnleſſe an oath be added for confirmation; for they who accuſtome their tongues to vaine ſwearing, will hardly beleeue another man without an oath.
The fifth meanes to make vsus leaue this ſin of vaine ſwearing,§. Sect. 8. The fift meanes is to meditate on thoſe iudgements vvhichwhich are inflicted on vaine ſwearers. is often to meditate vponupon thoſe fearefull iudgements, and puniſhments, which are by the Lord threatned and inflicted vponupon impious ſwearers and blaſphemers, both in this life and the life to come. For generally they lie open to all Gods heauie curſes and maledictions, the fire of Gods wrath ſhall conſume their houſes,Zach. 5.3. and the Lord will puniſh them not with ordinarie puniſhments, but will make their plagues wonderfull,Deut. 28.58. not only in themſelues, but alſo in their poſteritie. Manifold experience whereof we hauehave in the examples both of former times, and of our owne daies, if wee would but obſerue the execution of theſe heauie iudgements, vponupon theſe impious blaſphemers; ſome dying with outragious burning in their mouthes, as though the flames of hell were there alreadie kindled; others with ſwolne tongues, diſtorted mouthes, and helliſh blackneſſe, God ſhewing the fouleneſſe of their ſinne by the vgly deformitie of their puniſhment. Others who had inured their tongues to ſweare by the blood and wounds of Chriſt, at their death in fearful manner hauehave had vnſtanchable iſſues of blood ouer all their bodies. Others hauehave died vttering horrible blaſphemies with their laſt breath, and ſo hauehave been apprehended by the Iudge, as it were, with their theft about them, and ſommoned before his iudgement ſeate, whileſt they were executing the very act of treaſon againſt Gods glorious Maieſtie. And for concluſion, at the day of iudgement, when as they ſhall be arraigned before his tribunall ſeate, and there indicted for their manifold abuſing of his glorious name; the Lord hath ſaid that hee will not hold them guiltleſſe, but they ſhall for euer beare their fearfull condemnation. What follie therefore is it, yea what more then franticke madneſſe, for a man to hazard his bodie and ſoule, which are of more worth vntounto him, then ten thouſand worlds, to the ſuffering of all theſe fearfull puniſhments, both in this life and in the life to come, for a vaine and vnprofitable ſinne, which bringeth good to neither ſoule nor bodie, as before I hauehave ſhewed?
The laſt and moſt effectuall meanes which wee can vſe to preſerue vsus from falling into this ſin,§. Sect. 9. The laſt means is feruent prayer. is feruent and effectuall prayer, wherein we are with the Prophet Dauid inſtantly to deſire ye Lord, that ſeeing our negligence and careleſneſſe is exceeding great,Pſal. 141.3. it would pleaſe him to keepe a ſtrait watch ouer vsus, and ſo to rule and ouerrule vsus with the good motions and effectuall operation of his holy Spirit, that we may make precious account of his holy name, and carefully auoid the prophanation thereof by vaine ſwearing. And ſo our ſuit tending to the aduancement of Gods glorie, and to the furthering of our owne ſpirituall good,Ioh. 16.23. 1. Ioh. 3.22. Luk. 11.13. wee ſhall be ſure to obtaine our deſire, if we aske in faith, and ſhew our earneſtneſſe to obtaine that wee pray for, by our conſtant and conſcionable vſe of thoſe meanes, of which I hauehave already ſpoken.