The Swearer Silenced, Title page – To the reader
THE Swearer Silenced: OR, THE EVIL and DANGER OF Prophane Swearing AND PERJURY, DEMONSTRATED by many Arguments and Examples of Gods dreadful Judgments upon Sinful Swearers.
page missingy THO. DOOLITTEL, Minister of the Gospel, M. A.
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Phocilid.
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Pythag.
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Homer. Od. 14.
page missingrysostomi dilemma, (de statuis, Orat. 15.)
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LONDON, page missinginted by J. Astwood for Jonathan Greenwood, page missingnd are to be sold by Tho. Parkhurst, at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside, near Mercers-Chappel. 1689.
TO THE Liberal READERS That Fear an OATH.
DEbating with my self how the difficulty of getting this small Book into the hands of such as are guilty of Swearing might be removed: I determined to propose to some of my Friends and Acquaintance that they would buy a certain Number of them, and freely give them with their own hands, or according to their direction, to such as were addicted to this Sin, whether poor and cannot, or careless of their future state and will not buy: Who moved with the consideration, how this Sin abounds, Gods holy Name thereby is prophaned, and guilt contracted on the Swearers soul, and what comfort and joy it would administer to any to be instrumental to reclaim, if but some of them, did with great chearfulness and readiness of mind consent thereto, some to give one hundred, some two, where and to whom they themselves thought most convenient in City or Countrey, which are to be delivered to them, to be distributed by them: Which worthy Example I thought good here to propound to excite others to imitate them.
Levit. 5. 1. If a Soul sin, and hear the voice of Swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it, if he do not utter it, (that is shew the evil of it to him that Sweareth, by Reproof and Admonition,) shall bear his Iniquity, (that is, shall be guilty of his sin and punishment) as some expound this Text: To prevent this guilt, do you as boldly Reprove them, yet with meekness and compassion, as they do boldly Swear: Or if you be backward thereunto, have this Book of little price about you, or some better, and give it to them, engaging them to read it: For if you can prevail with such to use means for their Conviction, and bring them to reason with themselves about this sinful practice, though it be greatly dishonourable to God, and pernicious to their own Souls, yet it is not so deeply radicated in their Hearts, nor twisted with their worldly Interest, nor so delightful to the flesh, as Drunkenness, Covetousness, Ʋncleanness, and sensual flesh-pleasing is, and therefore there is the greater hope they may be perswaded to leave it: And though the forsaking of this Sin, if they be under the reigning power of the other, will not be available to Salvation, yet if we gain (by this, or some other Treatises about this raging sin) a Reformation in this point, and by some other spiritual Weapons taken out of Gods armoury used against more flesh-pleasing sins, Satan might be beaten out of his strong holds, and captive Sinners set free, Earth would not be so like to Hell, nor these gross sins so much abound: For which be instant at the throne of Grace in compassion to the Souls of Men, as desirous of the Repentance and Conversion of these wilful Offenders; that whereas now they Swear and Blaspheme, it might be said, Behold, they Pray! For which you may reckon there will be the concurrent Prayers of him who hath written this in Love to Souls, that they may be saved from eternal Misery, and brought to everlasting Happiness.
T. D.