The Reasonableness of Personal Reformation, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Wherein the true Censure and Judgment of right Reason and Conscience, are given upon profane Swearing and Blaspheming the Name of God: As also their Replies to several Pleas offered in Defence or Excuse thereof.
SECT. I.
GOD bestowed on Man the Noble Faculty of Speech (a peculiar Favour and Priviledg) for two Ends and Uses. (1.) That by the use of his Tongue he may glorify his Maker, and sound forth the Praises of his Redeemer. (2.) That we might thereby be able to communicate our minds one to another in all our necessary and convenient Interests and Concernments, whether Civil or Religious. This Member, the Tongue, tho small in quantity, is found to be mighty in efficacy; and whilst it is kept under the Rule and Government of Grace, the words that drop from it are as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver. Gracious words are Bread to feed, and Water to refresh the Souls of others. A sanctified Tongue is as a Tree of Life. Conversion, Edification, and Consolation, are the delicious Fruits of the Lips.
But the Tongues of some Men break loose from under all the Laws and Rules both of Reason and Religion, and serve only to vent the froth and filth which abounds in the heart, as in a Fountain of Pollution. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. The Tongue moves lightly, but falls heavily; it strikes soft, but wounds deep. It would not spare Men of the highest Rank and Eminence, did not the fear of capital Punishments teach them so much Wit to keep their Tongues in Prison, that they may keep their Bodies out of Prison. And tho for this reason they are afraid of making too bold with the Names of Men; yet having no fear of God at all, they fall upon his great and dreadful Name, tossing it to and f…o without any Respect or Reverence.
Augustus prohibited the common use of his Name, left it should grow too cheap and vile, by the common and needless using of it. The Name of Mercurius Trismegistus was very sparingly used, because of the great Reverence the People had for him. The very Heathens were afraid to pronounce the Name of their great god, Demogorgon, as fearing the Earth would tremble when his Name was mentioned. How doth the Reverence of Heathens to their false gods expose and aggravate the impudence of professed Christians in their vile Indignities and Abuses of the Great and Terrible Name of the True God! Yea, they not only take up his Name vainly and rashly into their Lips, but audaciously insert it by a profane Oath into their common Talk, as that which gives the Grace, Lepor, and Ornament to their Discourses. Some have not been ashamed to say, What pity is it that Swearing should be a Sin, which gives so great a Grace and Ornament to Language?
SECT. II.
Swearing by the Name of God in a righteous Cause, when called thereto by due Authority, is not only a lawful, but a religious Act, founded upon, and directed to the Honour of God's Omniscience, whereunto there is a solemn Appeal made in every assertory and promissory Oath, and a religious Acknowledgment made him of his infallible Knowledg of the Truth or Falshood of our Hearts, and all the Secrets of them, be they never so involved and inward things.
The lawful use and end of Swearing, is to put an end to all Strife, and to maintain both Equity and Charity among Men, the two Bonds and Ligaments of Humane Society. Now it being the Soveraign Right and Property of God alone, infallibly to search and try the hearts and reins of Men, he thereby becomes the in…allible Witness to the Truth or Falshood of what they speak; so that in every such lawful Oath, there is not only a solemn Appeal, and in that Appeal an Ascription of Glory to his Sovereign Omniscience▪ but therein (implicitely at least) they put themselves under his Wrath and Curse, in case they Swear falsly, which makes this Action most sacred and solemn.
The deep Corruption of Humane Nature by the fall, makes these Appeals to God under a Curse necessary. For it is supposed, tho Men be false and deceitful, yet there is some Reverence of a Deity, and fear of his Wrath and Curse, left unextinguished in their fallen Nature. So that Men will rather speak the truth, (tho to their own shame and loss) than by invocating so glorious a Name in vain, put both Soul and Body under his Wrath and Curse. By which it appears what an awful and solemn thing an Oath is; and that every good Man not only takes a lawful Oath with holy fear and trembling, because of the Solemnity of the Action; but rather ought to chuse Death, than to Swear prophanely, because of the horrid Malignity of the Action.
SECT. III.
The contumely and malignity found in profane Oaths, appears in that terrible threatning, The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain; a threatning altogether as Just and Righteous, as it is Severe and Terrible. This Sin admits of degrees of Guilt. 'Tis highly sinful to Swear by the Name of God lightly and vainly in our common Discourses, tho the Oath be clip'd, and half suppress'd, or disguised in the Pronunciation of it, which argues some remains of fear and shame in the Sinner.
'Tis yet worse (and indeed not a jot below Blasphemy) to swear by any other Name, than the Name of God. For in so doing, they attribute to a Creature the Sovereign and Incommunicable property of God, set that Creature in the very Throne of God, and Invest it with the Regalities of his Omniscience, to know our Hearts, and Almighty Power to avenge the wrong upon us done to himself, as well as to Men by false swearing.
But to break in rudely and blasphemously upon the Sacred and Tremendous Name of God, with bold and full-mouth'd Oaths, striking through his Sacred Name, with direct contumelious Blasphemies; this argues an heart from which all fear of God is utterly expelled and banished.
Yet some there are grown up to that prodigious heighth of Impiety, that they dare assault the very Heavens, and discharge whole Vollies of Blasphemies against that Glorious Majesty which dwells there. They are not afraid to bid defiance to him, and challenge the God that made them, to do his worst. They deck and adorn (as they account it) their common Discourses with bloody Oaths, and horrid Imprecations, not reckoning them Genteel and Modish without them. It consists not with the greatness of their Spirits to be wicked at the common rate. They are willing to let the World know, that they are none of those puny, silly Fellows, that are afraid of invisible Powers, or so much Cowards as to clip a full-mouth'd Oath, by suppressing, or whispering the Emphatical sounding Syllable; but think an horrid Blasphemy makes the most sweet and graceful Cadency in their Hellish Rhetorick.
They glory that they have fully conquered all those troublesome Notions of Good and Evil, Virtue and Vice, Heaven and Hell, to that degree, that they can now Affront the Divine Majesty to his very Face, and not fear the worst he threatens in his Word against their wickedness.
If there be a God (which they scarce believe) they are resolved audaciously to provoke him to give them a convincing Evidence of his Being. And if he be (as they are told he is) rich in Patience and Forbearance, they are resolved to try how far his Patience will extend, and what load of wickedness it is capable to bear.
If their Damnation be not yet sure enough, they will do their utmost to make it sure, by breaking down the only Bridg whereby they can escape Damnation; I mean, by trampling under their feet the precious Blood and Wounds of the Son of God, and imprecating the Damnation of Hell upon their own Souls, as if it slumbred too long, and were too slow-pac'd in its motions towards them. I am of Opinion, there are few Christians to be found on Earth, crying so often, Lord, pardon, Lord, save me, as some Wretches among us cry, (Horresco referens!) God damn me, the Devil take me.
Herein they seem to envy the happiness of the Devils, and damned Wretches in Hell, and endeavour (as one speaks) to snatch Damnation out of Gods hands before the time, as if they could not be soon enough among their roaring and howling Companions in the midst of the everlasting burnings. But, why such haste to be perfectly miserable? The very Devils themselves deprecate Torments before their time, tho you impreca…e them. Your misery makes haste enough towards you; you need not quicken it, or thus run to meet it.
I am perswaded, that if the Bars of the Bottomless Pit were broken up, and Devils should ascend in Humane Shapes, none among them would be sound hastning upon themselves the fulness and compleatness of their Misery as you do. 'Tis a Truth, though a strange one, That it is much easier to find, than imagine men upon Earth professing Christian Religion, yet in some respect sunk below the wickedness of the Diabolical nature, by making Damnation both the Subject of their Drollery, and the object of their very wishes and desires. Some greater Masters of our Language, may more lively and emphatically express the horrid nature of this Sin; but excuse me, Reader, if I believe no Words or Thoughts can measure the heighth or depth of this monstrous Abomination.
SECT. IV.
Such contumelious Language as this (especially when grown modish and common) cannot but be a most high and dreadful provocation of God, and such an one as will certainly bring down his desolating vengeance, not only upon the heads of blasphemers themselves, but upon the States and Kingdoms that connive at, or tolerate them. We read Zech. 5. 2, 3, 4. of a flying Roll-full of Curses, the length thereof twenty Cubits, and the breadth thereof ten Cubits, which shall enter into the house of the Swearer, remain in the midst of his House, and consume it with the Timber and Stones thereof. Blasphemy and prophane swearing are like Barrels of Gunpowder laid under the Foundation of many great and noble Families, many of which are already blown up, and laid in ruins by this Sin, and many more ready to follow, as soon as the Justice of God shall give fire to it.
And (comparatively speaking) it were happy if the mischief ended here; but alas! it causes God to commence a quarrel with the whole Land, Hos. 4. 2, 3. And because of Oaths the Land mourneth. You find in Isa. 38. what it was that brought that unparallell'd desolation upon that famous and flourishing City Jerusalem, and the whole Land of Judah: For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is …allen, because their tongues and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
But alas! Scripture-threatnings signifie scarce so much with these men, as the Predictions of the Weather in an Almanack; and which is strange to consider, the very execution of Scripture-threatnings before their eyes, will not terrifie them from this inhumane wickedness: Even these also are laughed to scorn, or easily forgotten.
Oh! that God would set it home with power upon the Spirits of all that are in Power, to take some speedy and effectual course to remove this accursed thing, this iniquity to be punished by the Judge; one (and a chief one too) of those direful provocations of Heaven, to which we owe a special part of our National infelicity at this day. We all acknowledge, that all prosperity and success depends upon God: If so, Reason will subsume, that it must be therefore the interest of Kingdoms and Commonwealths to prevent and restrain those impieties, which so audaciously provoke and incense his wrath. As much is this their duty and interest, as it is the interest of a Courtier to avoid offences of his Royal Master, the King, upon whose Favour, his Honour and Preferment depends. Or as it is the duty of the Owner, to keep in that Ox which is used to goring; or cover that pit into which some have, and others of his Family are like to fall; Or carefully and speedily to remove that Gunpowder which his enemies have placed under the …oundation of his house to blow it up. Both Reason and Experience will inform the Rulers of this World, That professed Rebels to the God of Heaven, are never like to make useful Subjects in the Kingdoms of men.
SECT, V.
Till publick Justice lay hold upon such Offenders, let us try what close reasoning may effect for their Reformation. 'Tis hard to imagine, that men of Sense should so generally and so far engage themselves in this Course of prophane swearing, and have nothing at all to say for themselves.
If they have no reason at all to offer in justification, or excuse of what they do, they act the bruits, not the men, and are self-condemned already.
'Tis a question with me, whether the Soul of man on this side Hell can sink so far into the nature of a Devil, as to sin because he will sin, or to engage himself in a Course of Sin, without any respect at all to some carnal interest, either of Profit, Pleasure or Honour.
The Thief hath a visible Temptation of Gain to allure him, or pinching Necessity to induce him. The Lyar is drawn in to commit that second Sin, to cover the shame and turpitude of a former. The Adulterer promiseth himself Pleasure in the satisfaction of his Lusts. And though men generally stand amazed to think what that Temptation should be which prevails upon the Swearer, yet doubtless something there is he hath to plead in excuse and extenuation of his Fault. Whatsoever it be, let it be produced and weighed in the ballance of right Reason; valeat quantum valer… potest, let it have its due value and consideration. And could I imagine any thing more likely to be their inducements, than what I shall here mention, I would not conceal them. There are only four things that can fall within the compass of my imagination pleadable by them, when seriously charged with the evil of the Fact.
1. Some of them will haply tell us, that they would not swear as they do, if they could gain credit to what they say without it; but the incredulity of others provokes them to add so many Oaths to their single Affirmations.
2. Others of them will tell us, they only swear in their passion, when provoked by injuries received from others; and if men did not wrong them, they would not wrong God as they do.
3. Some will plead, that Swearing is become modish, the Badge and Character of a Gentleman, that it gives them reputation among men of their own rank and quality, and that they shall be looked upon as sneaking fools, unfit for the Company of Gentlemen, if they could not discourse with them in this Dialect.
4. And some will confess the Practice is evil, but that they have gotten such an ill habit, and the Sin is become so customary with them, that many times they know not whether they swear or no.
I cannot imagine, nor (I think) they themselves, what else is pleadable in excuse or extenuation of this horrid Sin: Let these that are produced have a fair tryal at the bar of Reason, and carry your selves towards this Sin for ever hereafter, according to that righteous verdict your selves shall now be forced to pass upon it
SECT. VI.
To begin with the first Plea; You say, you would not swear as you do, could you gain credit to your words without it. Weigh this question in the upright balance of thine own Reason, whether any wise or sober man in the world, will find himself ever the more obliged to believe what you say, by the addition of blasphemou… Oaths and Imprecations, to your plain and simple Affirmations and Negations. I cannot think that you your selves would give the more credit to any man that shall prosess his sincerity to you, by finding him in that his very Profession false and treacherous to his God. Say, Reason, dost not thou take this for a sure truth, That he who makes no conscience of being true to God, will never make much conscience of being false to men? For what is that which gives any man's words reputation among wise and sober men, but the supposition of his integrity and consciencious fear of his deceit and guile? Take away that, and with it you take away the credibility of all his Reports and Affirmations.
If I look upon the person that speaks, as a man of integrity and conscienscious tenderness, I have a sufficient ordinary security of the truth of what he saith. But if I look upon him as a man of a prostitute and seared Conscience, that dares venture upon any sin; a man in whom there is no awe of God to produce veracity in his words; then my Reason presently concludes, that where there is no Truth, there ought to be no Trust: For Truth is the very ground-work and foundation of Trust. Now what truth can we suppose to be left in that man, that sticks not upon any trivial occasion to break asunder all the obligations of a Creature to his Creator; together with all the bonds of kindness his great and best Benefactor hath bound him withall, and without any the least Injury he can pretend his God hath done him, to fly in his very face with the most contumelious Language? Can we suppose any truth to be in, or any trust to be due to such a man as this?
Good men and bad are thus contradistinguished, Eccl. 9. 2. Him that sweareth, and he that feareth an oath. A conscientious man is so afraid of an Oath, that he would rather chuse to die than swear some kind of Oaths: And though he be satisfied of the lawfulness of an Oath in general, and of the matter of that Oath he sweareth in particular; yet an holy awe and fear of God fills his heart, when he swears lawfully and necessarily, leſt he should sail in the manner of it, by not giving that due reverence to the Name of God, which so sacred and solemn an Action requires.
But from prophane swearing and blaspheming the Name of God, every mans Reason may justly and plai…ly infer this Conclusion; That the fear of God is not in that man's heart: And where there is no fear of God, what truth can be supposed in him, or what trust can be due to his Words or Oaths? but the more he swears, still the less reason all wise men have to believe him. And I am sure the credulity of Fools adds little reputation to him. This Plea therefore for prophane Swearing, is altogether sham'd, bafled and cashiered by the common Reason of Mankind.
SECT. VII.
Call therefore to the Bar of Reason, the second Plea or Apology for prophane Swearing.
You say, you swear not, unless provoked by injuries men have done you.
This is so weak a Plea for so great a Sin, that I wonder men are not ashamed to bring it into the Court of Reason. This is the true sense and strength of it. My enemy hath abused me, therefore I'll avenge the wrong my enemy hath done me, upon my best Friend and Benefactor. I challenge you to give but the colour or the shadow of a sound Reason, why upon any abuse you have received from men, you should fall so injuriously upon the Name of God, who never abused or injured you, since he gave you a Being, but hath always done you good. Tell me, Man, (if thou have the Reason of a man in thee) what wrong hath God done thee? Wherein hath he injured thee, that thou thus wreakest thy revenge upon him? If an enemy have affronted you, Reason would tell you, you ought not to take reveng… for it, upon your Friend and best Benefactor. Have you none but God to abuse, when men abuse and injure you? Can your Reason comprobate and allow such an Action as this? Satan instigates the corruptions of men to injur… you, and you fly in the face of God for it, whose Laws severely prohibit such Actions, and will avenge the injuries done unto him. Speak no more therefore for ever in the way of excusing the ho…rid sinfulness of this fact against God, upon the account of injuries done thee by thy Fellow-Creature. The Case is plainly determined, and cast over the bar of Reason with contempt and abhorrence.
SECT. VIII.
Come we next to your third Excuse or Plea; That Swearing is become …odish, and gives you a Reputation among men of your own Rank and Quality, and that you shall be looked upon as sneaking …ellows, unfit for the Society of Gentl…men, if you did not discourse with them in their own Dialect.
This Apology for Sin is of no late date: Salvian mentions it as far back as his own Time; prophane persons then*Mali esse cog…ntur, ne viles h…beantur. thus pleaded for themselves, That they were compelled to be evil, lest they should he accounted vile.
Whether there be any weight in this Apology for Swearing, will quickly appear, now it is to be laid in the ballance of true Reason.
1. And first of all, let us consider what makes a true Gentleman, and whether prophane Swearing have any place in his true Character and Description. A Gentleman is one that springs from famous and renowned Ancestors, and degenerates not from their Probity and Honour.†Generosus, nobilis, ex praeclaro genere ortus, qui à genere non de…ectit.
This is the man whom the Latins call Generosus, and we a Gentleman. Because we suppose a man of such an Extraction and Education more Gentle, affable, and condescending to Inferiors, and to keep a stricter government over his Tongue and Passions, than rude Plebeans are wont to do. Upon this account the Poet rightly observes,
Quo major est quisquis, magis est placabilis ira,
Et Faciles motus mens generosa capit.
Men of Genteel Extraction and Education, are Persons whose Passions are supposed to move more gently than other mens: And if at any time they be moved disorderly, yet are they more placable, and sooner reduced, than those of sordid and baser Spirits are.
'Tis Vertue which raises and ennobles Families at first: for omnis sanguis concolor, all Humane Blood is derived from, and equally tainted by Adam. Nobler and Baser Blood is an after Difference, made by Virtue and Vice among men. And as Virtue first ennobled and raised some Families above others, so it will still continue the … of Honour in their Posterity: And as their V… tues shall encrease, so will their Honour prop…tionably do.
The Case truly and plainly standing thus, … morally impossible to make Debauchery the p…per Badge and Character of Gentility. For m… of Eminency above the Vulgar, are more … bliged than they to shun all base and sordid Ac…ons: And as their Honour increaseth, so do th… obligations to Temperance and Sobriety e…crease and strengthen upon them proport…nably.
'Twas therefore a right and rational Observ…tion of Hi…rome, I see nothing desirable in Nobi… (saith he) but this, that such men are bound by a… tain kind of necessity, not to degenerate from, or s… the glory and honour of their renowned Ancest… And the Reason is strong and evident. For Ve…tue being that which first differenced their Blo… from others, they are obliged by all the val… they have for the honour of their Blood and …milies, to shun those Vices which stain that h…nour and dignity. And what Vice can dishono… and debase them more, than prophane Swearing For if the Arms of many Noble Families ha… been reversed for Treason against the King; '… irrational to imagine, that Treason against th… King of Kings, should add a new mark of h…nour: And what is Blasphemy but Treason▪ …gainst God? 'Tis plain then from the true R… and Character of a Gentleman, prophane Swea… ing neither first raised, nor can preserve and continue, but rather blots and exposes their Reputation and Honour.
2. Though I am most willing to pay a becoming deference to all Persons of Noble and Genteel Extraction, yet in faithfulness to their true honour, I am here obliged to say, (and in saying it, I can offend no man that hath a true sense of honour) that their natural Descent can never give them so much honour, as the Vices I am here censuring will reflect ignominy and dishonour upon them. To be a slave of Satan, and your own lusts, is such a mark of infamy, as all the honourable and illustrious Titles in the world can never cover. It is better to rise by Vertue to Honour, from contemptible Parents, than by Vice and prophaneness to grow contemptible from honourable Parents. 'Tis your honour to have many Servants at your command, obsequiously attending a nod of your head, or a beck of your finger: but ask your own Reason, Gentlemen, whether it be not a greater dishonour for you to attend as obsequiously your selves upon every beck and nod of Satan, and your own lusts.
Were your Natural Birth once ennobled by the New-Birth, you would be more than thrice honourable: Grace would make you more illustrious, than your natural Extraction doth or can do. Or if Morality (which is far inferior to that honour, and for which, Heathens themselves have been renowned in the Pagan world) did but adorn and beautifie your Conversations, though it cannot entitle you to Heaven, or secure to you the glory of the world to come, yet it would make you shine in the eyes of men in this World, and taking its advantage from your honourable Extraction, make you differ from persons of an inferior rank, as Stars of a greater magnitude and lustre.
I hope, Gentlemen valuing themselves upon the honour, will not be offended at a sharper invecti… than this, against those Vices that darken and eclipse their honour, both in the eyes of God, a… well as in the judgment of all wise and goo… men.
3. Suppose what you say to be true, that som… prophane Gentlemen should scoff and deride yo… for your sober Carriage, and decorous Language (things which ought to be inseparable from tru… Gentility) I would in this case appeal to your ow… Reason, why you should not enjoy your ow… pleasure in as full latitude and liberty, as they d… theirs? They delight in the Dialect of Devils you in pure and inoffensive Language. If the… will drink the pudled Waters, and you refuſ… them for the pure Cristal Streams, you have t… be sure as much reason (and a thousand time… more) to assert your liberty to be vertuous, th… they have (or can pretend to have) a priviledg… to be vicious.
And if they will be offended with you for this their offence is groundless in themselves, and wil… be greatly advantagious to you. For you need not doubt but you may find better Company th… theirs any where on this side Hell. I remember tha… …ational and excellent Apology, which Tertullian made for the Christians in his time against the Gentiles: Wherein (saith he) do we offend you, if we will not partake with you in your Delights? If we sustain any damage by such ou… refusal, the injury can be only our own. We reject your Pleasures, and you are not delighted with ours.
You will shew your selves true and worthy Gentlemen in abandoning and rejecting (upon so noble an account as this) all further unnecessary Society with such Genteil-men; for so they deserve to be called, rather than Gentl…men. They boast indeed the honour of their Blood, whilst they trample the precious and invaluable Blood of Christ under their feet: They boast their Eminency above the Vulgar, whilst mean time they labour vilely to debase him that set them there.
I am sure there's not a Devil in Hell, but is by nature of a more honourable and illustrious House, than the proudest of Blasphemers. They are Angels by Nature, though Devils by Practice. They have little reason to boast of their Original Excellency, which now aggravates their misery. Sin darkened their lustre, degraded them from their Natural Dignity; and so it will do theirs also, that imitate Devils in their Blasphemy and Malignity against God.
4. It may as easily be proved as asserted, That to make Cursing, Swearing and Blas…heming, the Badges and Characteristical marks of a true Gentleman, is the foulest blot and mark of infamy, which the malice of their Enemies can devise to put into their Es…utcheons; and such an affront, as ought to be highly resented by all true Gentlemen.
Should the most malicious Enemy you have in the world, see an Herald to devise a mark of Infamy for your Coats of Arms, to make you ridiculous and a by-word among the people, he could never dishonour you at that rate you this way dishonour your selves.
For if Debauchery beboth asserted and allow… to be the true Badge of Gentility, then your ow… Reason will infer, that all the Ancient Epithets … Gentility ought thereupon to be altered. An… would those Gentlemen, think you, take it well, … have the Titles and Epithets of Ingenuo…s, Worth… Honourable, and Noble, changed into Cursing, Swea…ing, Damning, Blaspheming Gentlemen? You canno… but see the inconsistency of both; If therefore yo… will adopt and wear the latter, you must eithe… cashier and renounce the former, or try to mak… the former consistent with the latter, which I…sure the most ingenious among you will find … hard task to do.
5. I humbly beg leave to propound one plai… blunt Question to you, Gentlemen. The matte… of it is too rational to be rejected, and let th… make atonement for the blunt manner of its proposal. And the Question is this.
Qu. Whether your Reason and Conscience be full… s…tisfied, that when you die (as you know you shorth must) you shall then appear before the Judgment-se…t of God, in the quality and character of Gentlemen▪ Do you verily think you shall find the more favou… there, for the sake of your Noble Descent, and Honourable Extraction, or that your Gentility shall make a… atonement for all your impiety?
I am perswaded, Gentlemen, you do not, you cannot think so. You know you must appea… before that God, with whom there is no respect of persons: a God that will certainly damn the impenitent Blasphemer. The man must assuredly go to Hell, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. and if the man be damned, certainly the Gentleman is in a bad Case.
6. In a word, I am past all doubt, and so may you too, that this genteel mode of Swearing, Drinking and Whoreing, which hath spread so far in the present infamous Age, into Protestant States and Kingdoms, is the very Spirit and strength of a Popish Plot, Subtilly projected, and industriously managed for their effectual reduction to Popery.
For nothing in the world can reconcile men to Popery, yea, and even endear them to it, like Debauchery. Under Popery, Gentlemen may come up to the rates of costly Pardons and Indulgences, for their greatest Sins. They may give themselves liberty to wallow in prophaneness all the days of their life. They may give their lusts the utmost scope and liberty, and yet have a plenary Pardon when they die. So that they need not abridge themselves of any sinful liberty, or boggle at the loudest Blasphemy, whilst they have that in their Pocket to still and quiet something that grumbles in their Bosom. Do you not see, Gentlemen, the narural tendencies of these things? Does not Debauchery look like a Shooing-Horn to Popery.
Besides, Gentlemen, the Devil and the Pope are confederates in a farther design upon you; and if their design hit, they hope to win by Power what they may miss by Policy; and that by the very same method of corrupting and debauching Persons of eminent Rank and Quality, in Protestant Kingdoms and Commonwealths. For (as a *Lauren. Humphredus de Nobilitate. p. 64.Learned man in Queen Elizabeths Days rightly observed); These are the men especially interested in the publick Affairs of Kingdoms.Qui publicis rebus interſunt & praesunt, nisi viri ſummi ac nobiles? Quis in Senatu praeit, in foro praesidet? principes sanè viri & nobiles. Quis jubet, vetat, agit, satagit? Quis versat & volvit omnia? Quis leges fingit & refingit? Quis in pace Rempublicam, contra hostes bella administrat, praeterquam viri nobiles? &c. These represent the People in Parliaments. These make their Laws, administer the Government in Peace and War. To their hands are committed the great concerns of Nations. These are they that fill the Seats of publick Judicature.
If Gentlemen therefore by this means be generally corrupted and infected by Debauchery, their influence and example is likely to infect the greatest part of the Body-Politick, and either make the people easily pliable to the charms and courtships of Popery, for the Reason before mentioned, or so besot their excellent Parts, and enervate their Mafculine Courage, that they shall fall an easie prey to their (otherwise) weak and despicable Enemies.
And certainly, Gentlemen, we have all cause to reckon this Plot very far advanced, when we shall see Debauchery every where made the Badge of Gentility; and Chastity, Temperance and Sobriety, become the marks and notes of Infamy. When Civility it self shall be hiss'd with derision out of some Gentlemens Company; and the more temperate and sober any man is, by so much the less fit to be a Gentleman's Companion.
By this time I hope you are convinced, that true Gentility is no enemy to Sobriety, nor Debauchery the Character of Gentility; and will at least pardon, if not thank me, for endeavouring this way to secure the true honour of some, whilst I rationally argue down the Vices and Follies of others. This Plea for Debauchery, you see hath the same fate the former had, and deserves never to be mentioned more.
SECT. IX.
There is but one Plea more, and that as silly and irrational as any of the former; And that is,
The custom and habit of Swearing, which you say is hard to be broken. This Sin is become so customary to you, that now you scarce note or observe it in your selves.
That there may be Truth in the Matter of this Plea, I neither deny nor doubt; but that it is a rational and allowable Plea, will never be granted by your own Reason. The thing you say may be true; for we sometimes find that when you are taxed for Swearing, you will presently swear that you did not swear; and curse him to his face, that accuses you for Cursing.
But pray, Gentlemen, make your own Reason judge, whether Custom be a valid and allowed Plea for prophane Swearing and Cursing. Say, Reason, wilt thou allow that one of the highest aggravations of Sin, is pleadable in thy Court for the excuse or extenuation of it? Wilt thou give it under thy hand, that the man is the less guilty, because the more wicked? Darest thou to warrant it, that God will take the less notice of the wrongs men do him, because they are used and accustomed so to wrong and abuse him every hour in the day? If your Reason can allow and warrant this, I must say it is different, yea, and opposite to the common Reason of Mankind.
Say not, I make my own Reason the Rule and Standard of yours or other mens. For I argue here (as I have done all along before) upon the common Topicks and Maxims of Reason, generally allowed all the World over by Mankind. If a Practice be evil, the oftner it is repeated, the more still it is aggravated.
To be plain and faithful with you, Gentlemen, if it be your custom to blaspheme, 'tis God's custom to damn Blasphemers. If you use to be drunk and unclean, God uses to punish Drunk…rds and Adulterers (if impenitent and unreformed) with his everlasting wrath.
And when you are cited (as shortly you must be) before the awful Tribunal of the great, the just, and the terrible God, ask but your selves, whether such a Plea as this, be like to excuse you in whole or in part, and take off the heinousness of these horrid Impieties? Will your prophane Oaths, and direful Execrations and Imprecations, be excused in the least degree, by telling him, Lord, I was so accustomed to blaspheme thy Name, Cursing, Swearing and Damning were so familiar Language in my Lips from day to day, that I had quite lost the sense of the Action, as well as of the evil thereof; and therefore, Lord, pity, spare and have mercy on me: O damn not my soul to thine everlasting wrath. For though I have imprecated it upon my self, yet frequent custom at length extinguished all my sense and conscience of the evil thereof, till at length I could play with a direful imprecation as an harmless thing; nay, thought it an ornament and grace to my Speech, a gallant Expression alamode the Times and Places I lived in.
Is not this as good a Plea, and not a jot better than that of a Malefactor upon his Tryal for Life and Death, when Theft or Robbery have been evidently and substantially proved upon him, and the Judge demandeth what he hath to say for himself, why Sentence of Death should not pass upon him? Mercy, my Lord, Mercy, cries he; for I have been so used and accustomed to filching and thieving from my Youth up, that for some years before I was apprehended, every ones Goods and Cattel seemed to me to look like my own; so that I scarce knew when I stole, and when I did not.
And thus, Gentlemen, you have heard a fair Tryal of the Sin of prophane Swearing and Imprecations of Damnation, and you have heard the verdict of your own Reason and Conscience upon the Case. The Lord help you to break off and reform that sin, for which there is not one word of Apology or excuse now left in your Mouths.
Let me close all I have to say upon this head with one plain Question: Do you think you must die, or live here for ever, as you now do? If you are convinced (as all the Living are supposed to be) that you must die, do you desire an easie and comfortable, or a painful and terrible Death? I presume there is no man living that is convinced he must die, but desires naturally and rationally an foreign, as easy and comfortable a dissolution as may be. If so, I appeal to your Reason, whether prophane swearing and blaspheming the Name of God, be a proper rational way to obtain peace and comfort at death? With what hope or encouragement can those tongues of yours cry at death, Lord have mercy upon me, which have prophaned that Name, and imprecated Damnation from him, till you came into your last extremities, which convinced you, you could live no longer.
'Tis a serious Question, and well worth a cool and solemn debate in your own Reasons and Consciences. Some of you are more immediately exposed to the dangers of death than others, ready to be disbanded by a Bullet. If you fall, you must either fall considerately, or inconsiderately. If inconsiderately, and without any sense or conscience of this horrid guilt, you die impenitently, and consequently desperately and miserably. If considerately, and with awakened Consciences, I demand, Whether such guilt as this will not roar louder than the Peals and Vollies of those great and small Guns do, which breathe Destruction upon you, and round about you? I have done my Message plainly and faithfully to the very face of your Reason and Conscience; and if for my faithfulness and zeal both for God's honour and yours, I am rewarded with your C…rses; yet if you would forbear to blaspheme and …end in pieces the Name of God, I shall not much regard the obloquy and reproach my Name shall undergo and suffer upon that account. But I expect from you better fruit than this.