A Bridle for the Tongue, Chapter 6

A Bridle for the Tongue · Chapter 6

p. 49CHAP. VI. Of the ſwearing Tongue.

SECT. 1. Of common ſwearing; men are guilty of it two wayes. Two objections of common ſwearers anſwered.

I Come in the ſecond place, to treat of that abominable and reigning ſin of the Tongue, the ſin of ſwearing; many that ſeem Religious, ſometimes are guilty of it, and ſo thereby ſhew their Religion to be but vain. And here in the firſt place I ſhall diſcourſe of common, vain, and raſh ſwearing; a ſin too rife in theſe dayes: men may be guilty hereof,

1. When upon ſlight occaſions or p. 50ordinary ſpeech, men break out into oaths, or words of admiration, taking Gods name in vain, and abuſing his Titles, as Lord, God, Jeſus, Chriſt, Father, Son, and Holy-Ghoſt; when theſe Titles, or any of them are uſed jdly, irreverently, prophanely, commonly, or cuſtomarily, upon an ill uſe or an old cuſtom, they are abuſed, and Gods name is prophaned; this is done. 1. In way of admiration, when we hear or ſee any ſtrange thing, to ſay Good Lord, O God, O Chriſt, O Jeſus, Jeſu-God, O Lord, Lord have mercy upon us, what a ſtrange thing is this! what a thing is it! or 2. In way of pitty or commiſeration; as ſuch a man is a poor man, God knoweth; it's in a very poor caſe, or its a hard time the Lord knoweth, naming God, or the titles of God very jdly, and prophanely with an evil mind, or very unconſcionably without reverence due to the heavenly Majeſty; though this may ſeem a very ſmall matter becauſe of the commonneſs p. 51of it, yet it is a very wicked practice, and a manifeſt breach of the third Commandement, and a ſin directly againſt God, who is of infinite majeſty; therefore the offence againſt him deſerveth infinite puniſhment: for the greater the perſon is againſt whom we offend; the greater is the offence; as to ſpeak evil of any man is a fault, though an inferior; but to ſpeak evil of a Noble-man, or of a King, is a greater offence, and deſerves a far greater puniſhment. None of us all but would take it for a great abuſe and diſgrace to our perſons, if our names ſhould be in every mans mouth taken up, and uſed as by-words in way of admiration or commiſeration upon every light occaſion; and ſhall we think that God doth not hold himſelf abuſed, diſgraced, diſhonoured, when his Name and Titles are taken up upon evey toy and trifle that is in our way?

2. When men make a common practice of ſwearing; when men wil lay their p. 52faith and troth, and ſouls to pawn, upon every word almoſt that they ſpeak; and when they buy and ſell, to confirm every word with an oath: many men are ſo accuſtomed to this ſin, that when they ſwear, tell them of it, they will not believe it; they forget it again, and are apt to ſwear they did not ſwear: the Phariſees gave liberty upon all occaſions to ſwear in common talk, rather out of cuſtom then conſcience.

Object. 1. But ſome when they are reproved for their frequent ſwearing, are apt thus to excuſe themſelves; my tongue hath been accuſtomed to it, and I cannot leave it.

Reſp.It is ſo much the more inexcuſable: it is an old cuſtom for men to cozen in their Shops, to forſwear themſelves before a Judge, to commit ſacriledge; are theſe things therefore the more tolerable? if a ſervant (like the unjuſt Steward) hath accuſtomed himſelfe to ſteal, and to imbezzle his Maſters Goods, is this ſufficient to excuſe p. 53him? no, it is rather an aggravation of his offence: doth this reaſon aggravate other ſins, and ſhall we think it will make this the lighter? art thou accuſtomed to this ſin? thou haſt the more reaſon to confeſs this ſin, to repent of it, and forſake it, leſt the judgement of God overtake thee in it.

2. Vain men are ready to object Object. 2 further; We are in trading, and have dealings with ſuch people that will not believe us upon our bare word; and if we confirm not our words ſometimes with an oath, we ſhall not be credited; our Trade will be loſt, and we and our Familyes ſhall be brough to poverty and penury.

Do you think to get any more credit to your ſelves by ſwearing?Reſp. thou wilt loſe thy credit the more with all good men, and with all ingenuous perſons; for he that will ſwear, will lie too; and the more a man accuſtometh himſelf to raſh ſwearing, the leſs credit will other men give to his p. 54oaths: what credit or authority ſhall any mans words or oaths have with others, that undervalueth and contemneth the authority of God himſelf? if then thou meeteſt with men hard of belief, thou ſhouldſt not preſently fall a ſwearing, but ſay it is ſo, Yea or Nay; and if then they will not believe thee, let them go.

SECT. 2. Of the aggravations of this ſin of common ſwearing, ſhewed in four things.

IN the next place I ſhall lay down the greatneſs and aggravations of this ſin of ordinary ſwearing.

1. It is a great diſhonour to God, when he is called to witneſs in every poor trifle, which is not worth an oath: it were a great diſhonour to the Kings Majeſty, to be troubled and diſturbed with every ſlight cauſe which the loweſt and meaneſt Officer might determine: and it is a greater diſhonour p. 55to the King of Kings and the Lord of all, to be called out of his Heavenly Throne to decide every trivial matter on earth: this is to make leſs account of God, then the Turks of their Mahomet, by whom they will not ſwear lightly and vainly, but upon ſome important neceſſity: an oath is an high part of Religious worſhip; it is ſpoken of as the ſumme of Chriſts worſhip, and of the ſervice we muſt perform to him in the dayes of the Goſpel: The worſhip of the converted Egyptians is thus expreſſed, Iſai. 19.18. Five Cities in the Land of Egypt ſhall in that day ſpeak the language of Canaan, and ſwear to the Lord of Hoſts. This is commanded Deut. 6.13. Thou ſhalt fear the Lord thy God and ſerve him, and ſwear by his Name, and therein we acknowledge him to be our Lord, and to have power over us as his creatures and ſervants: it is therefore a ſin of a very high nature for men to ſwear by the name of God in ordinary and common p. 56diſcourſe, when they ſcarce think of God, or what they do: Some break out into hideous oaths not fit to be named, as Wounds, Blood, &c. Art thou a Chriſtian, and makeſt no more account of the Wounds and Blood of thy Saviour? herein thou art worſe then the Jews that put the Lord Jeſus to death: they made light of his blood upon earth, but [Thou] now he is aſcended into Heaven: they ſhed his blood and wounded him but once, but thou doſt repeat it as oft as thou doſt repeat that oath: they wounded him, but did not own him for their Lord; but thou acknowledgeſt him for thy Lord and Saviour, and yet ſpareſt not to wound him, and to prophane his name now he is in Glory.

2. It is the note of a graceleſs perſon: for the mark by which the Holy-Ghoſt ſets forth a man truly Religious, is that he feareth an oath. Eccleſ. 9.2. he feareth to take it in vain; therefore he that feareth not an oath, p. 57feareth not God: Chriſt ſaith Mat. ….35. Let your communication be yea …ea, nay nay: for whatſoever is more …hen theſe, cometh of evil. ver. 37. that …s from the devil,foreign i. e. in omni genere exercitatus. Beza. who is called the evil one. Mat. 6.13. And indeed ſwearing is a language the Prince of darkneſs delighteth in: it is an argument of a diſlolute heart, to uſe common ſwearing about common buſineſs, and trivial matters; ſuch a man is little other then an Atheiſt: when God ſpeaks of himſelf, he ſaith, thou ſhalt fear the great and glorious name of the Lord thy God; we muſt fear it, and not take it ſo often in our mouths. Deut. 28.58. But you will ſay, Is the Lord God ſo fearful a name? one would think it to be the moſt comfortable name in the world: I anſwer, ſo it is indeed, if it be uſed in that reverential manner, and with thoſe ſigns and tokens of reverence that Gods people ought to uſe towards their God: but the uſing the name of God ſo often in ordinary and vain p. 58diſcourſe, ſheweth men to be more like Atheiſts then Chriſtians, and that they are altogether ignorant of God, and know not what God is; for if they did, they would not thus abuſe his Name.

3. The common ſwearer is a man of a frothy and vain ſpirit; one that hath neither the gravity of a man, nor the ſeriouſneſs of a Chriſtian in him; a common ſwearer hath ſo accuſtomed his tongue to this ſin, that he knows not how to leave it; he gets nothing at all by his ſwearing; in other mens ſins there is perhaps honor or gain at the end of them, they get ſome advantage to themſelves by their ſins; but a common ſwearer ſinneth Gratis, he ſinneth for a thing of nought: They are apt to plead they are tempted to it: but what if you are tempted to it? are you therefore the more to be excuſed? no, you are bound to reſiſt the temptation, and to overcome it: but moſt prophane and ordinary ſwearers commit p. 59this ſin without any temptation at all: …nd he that ſinneth without a temp…ation, is the greateſt ſinner of all; …nd ſo the whole malignity of his ſin … involved into the malignity of his Will: the hearts of common ſwear…rs are vain, and by reaſon of common cuſtom, they have ſo habituated …hemſelves to this ſin that they cannot leave it.

4. He that ſweareth commonly, will be ready to ſwear falſly, if occaſion offer it ſelf, and if he may get advantage by it: evil communication corrupteth good manners, ſaith the Apoſtle; and common ſwearing takes away the reverence of an oath;Qai facit conſuetudinem frequentèr manu ſua percutere, neceſſe eſt ut injuſtè aliquando percutiat: ſic qui facit conſuetudinem jurare in rebus idoneis, frequenter & in rebus ſuperfluis etiam volens conſuetudine trahente perjurat. Chryſoſt. in Mat. 5. oper. imperf. Homil. 12. Dico vobis Non jurare omninò, ne ſc. jurando ad facilitatem jurandi veniatur: de facilitate ad conſuetudinem, de conſuetudine in perjurium decidatur. Aug. in lib. cont. mendac.Matt 5 and he that will ſwear for every trifle, or …or nothing, will not account it any great matter to ſwear falſly.

p. 60SECT. 3. Of idolatrous ſwearing, ſhewed in tw… things. The greatneſs of this ſin ſhewe… four ways. Two Objections anſwered

THe ſecond branch of this ſin o… ſwearing, is idolatrous ſwearing and this is manifeſt.

1. When men ſwear by thoſe creatures that are worſhiped as true Gods, when yet they are but falſe Gods, idol Gods; as Amos 8. the idolatry of the Jews is ſet out by their ſwearing: They that ſwear by the ſin of Samaria, and ſay, Thy God O Dan liveth, and the manner of Beerſheba liveth. ver. 14. By the ſin of Samaria is meant the idol Gods that the Samaritans had ſet up, as the Calves at Dan and Bethel: the like we read of ſome that ſwear by the Lord and by Malcham. Zeph. 1.5. The Lord forbids all ſwearing by falſe Gods, as by Baalim, and by jdols: There are ſome among us that p. 61will not ſwear by the Lord, will …ear by the Maſs a Popiſh jdol, …y our Lady, by St. Mary, by St. Peter, …y St. Anne, by the Croſs, by the …ood, or by any Saint or Angel.

2. When men ſwear by other crea…ures, as when they ſwear by Hea…en or by the Earth,What a madneſs is it for a man to ſwear by this Fire, this Light, &c as if theſe inanimate creaures were able to judge of Truth and Falſhood; and had a Commiſſion from God ſo to do: wherefore as Lactantius ſometime proved Jupiter to be no God, becauſe he ſwore by Styx or Hell; ſo we may argue ſuch perſons to be leſs then men, or at leaſt then true Chriſtians, becauſe they ſwear by things inferior to themſelves, contrary the good old rule, He that ſweareth, ſweareth by the greater. Heb. 6.16. Stock. Expoſit. Malac. 3.Heb 6:16Mal 3 or by Jeruſalem, or by their head, or by this Bread, Drink, Light, Salt, Gold, &c. This practice our Saviour reproveth in the Jews Mat. 5. ſhewing the abſurdity of it, and giving a flat precept againſt it; ſaying, ſwear not at all, neither by Heaven, for …is Gods Throne, nor by the Earth, for it is his footſtool, neither by Jeruſalem, for it is the City of the great King, &c. and he denounceth a woe againſt thoſe blind guides which ſaid, Whoſoever ſhall ſwear by the Temple, it is nothing; but whoſoever p. 62ſhall ſwear by the Gold of the Templ… he is a debtor; whence we may gathe… that in ſwearing by any thing, Go… was indirectly ſworn by; therefor… Chriſt ſaith; whoſo ſweareth by the Altar, ſweareth by it, and all things thereon; and whoſo ſhall ſwear by the Temple, ſweareth by it, and him that dwelleth therein; and he that ſweareth b… Heaven, ſweareth by the Throne of God, and him that ſitteth thereon. Mat. 23.16. ad 22.

Now for men to ſwear by Creatures, is a very great ſin, becauſe that creature is ſet up in the place of God; and to ſwear by a creature is to communicate the worſhip of God to a creature, which is due to God alone, for this reaſon; Becauſe he that is ſworn by, is as it were lookt upon to be omnipotent, to know the truth of what is ſpoken; and lookt upon as Almighty, viz. able to take vengeance on him, if he ſpeak not truth in it: Some will ſwear by the life of Ceſar, a thing odious among the very p. 63Heathens; for they could ſay, it was worſe to ſwear by Ceſar then by Ju…iter. Men in ſwearing by creatures …re jdolaters; for an oath is not only Gods ordinance, but a ſpecial part of …is worſhip, both becauſe there is invocation, and becauſe it is in the firſt Table commanded; and the ſolemn …orm of impoſing an oath was this, Give Glory to God, Joſh. 7.19. and the ſolemn Rite of taking an oath among the Jews, was to ſtand before the Altar. 1 King. 8.31. and the ſame cuſtom was among the Athenians and Romans; then to give Gods worſhip to any creature, is flat idolatry: Theſe reaſons may be given of it. 1. No part of Gods worſhip may be abuſed by, or to any creature. I am the Lord, that is my name, and my Glory will I not give to another. Iſai. 42.8. But an oath is a part of Gods worſhip, as hath before been noted. 2. He that ſweareth, ſweareth by ſomething greater then himſelf. Heb. 6.16. But no earthly creature is ſuperior p. 64to man. 3. In every oath God requireth the expreſs mention of his own name. Deut. 10.20. but ſo do not they that mention other creatures. 4. Fruſtrà fit per plura; quod fieri poteſt per pauciora, but in ſwearing by creatures, men ſwear by God alſo, as hath been ſaid Mat. 23.20, 21, 22.

Object. 1. But do we not read, that Joſeph ſweareth by the life of Pharaoh? Gen. 42.16, 17. Therefore ſome may ſay, it is lawful to ſwear by the creatures.

Reſp.Some learned men ſay, it was not an oath, but an aſſeveration, ita vivat Pharaoh: ſo let Pharaoh live, or as ſurely as Pharaoh liveth; ſo Junius and Tremellius: Junius & Tremell.which may be paralleled with that of Eliſha to Elijah, As the Lord liveth, 1 Sam. 1.26.1 Sam 1:26and as thy ſoul liveth 2 King. 2.4. and that of Hannah to Eli, and that of Abner to Saul ſpeaking of David. 1 Sam. 17.55. As thy ſoul liveth O King. Receptum affirmationis genus, apud omnes nationes tum pias, tum impias uſitatum; a p. 65common kind of affirmation uſed among all Nations, both good and bad, as Junius noteth: and ſo it might be either a ſin of ignorance in Joſeph, as the Learned ſay of the Polygamy of the Patriarchs; or it might be an over-ſight in him, and forgetfulneſs of him, and cuſtom might carry him beyond Knowledge and Conſcience; and then it teacheth us that we muſt live by Laws, not by examples, and …mitate the beſt men onelyonly in the beſt things:Hieron. Ne quos itineris duces exiſtimemus, erroris comites reperiamus.

It may be further objected, Object. that the Church Chriſts Spouſe, ſweareth by …he Hinds and Roes of the field. Cant. ….7. and Cant. 3.15. and Paul pro…eſteth by the rejoycing of the Corinthians, which is a Gift of God. 1 Cor. …5.31.

As to that of Cant. 2.7. ſome underſtand it of Chriſt himſelf;Reſp. ſo Hierom and the Genevians; Hieron. Genevius.which cannot ſo be underſtood; for God ſweareth not by any, but by himſelf: p. 66But the Hinds and the Roes of the field,Dove on Cant. 2.7. Some read among the Roes rather then by the Roes, becauſe the Letter Beth is prefixed, ſignifying in or among. Clapham. ad loc.Song 2:7 or whatſoever may be underſtood by them are creatures; therefore it cannot ſtand with the Majeſty of God to ſwear by them; and the word is of the Faeminine gender; and Junius and Tremellius uſe arguments to prove it to be the ſpeech ſponſae, not ſponſi: By theſe the Church chargeth her Daughters, not as the perſons by whom they were to ſwear (for no oath is lawful by creatures) but as thoſe for whoſe ſake they were to take themſelves bound, as by ſolemn oath. And for the words of St. Paul. 1 Cor. 15.31. They be not an oath, but an obteſtation to ſhew his diligence in diſcharging his duty, as one hath noted;Perkins on Mat. 5. Biſhop Sanderſon de Juramento.Matt 5 and an aſſeveration onelyonly, that as he was ſubject to death, ſo he was daily prepared for death when it ſhould pleaſe God to call him, as a Reverend Biſhop of ours hath obſerved.

p. 67SECT. 4. Of Perjury and falſe Swearing: the greatneſs of the ſin, and of its puniſhment.

IN the third place I ſhall proceed to ſhew how men are guilty of this ſin of ſwearing, when men either ſwear falſely, or break the oaths they have taken in the name of the Lord.

1. When men (though they ſwear by the name of the Lord and him alone) yet they ſwear falſely, and not the truth: of ſuch God complaineth, Jerem. 7.9, 10. They were a people that came and ſtood before God in his Houſe, and thought becauſe they came to the Temple, to the Ordinances of God, they were delivered to do all manner of abominations, and this ſin of falſe ſwearing; and yet cover this wickedneſs with the Mantle of Religion: the Lord hateth ſuch oaths. Zech. 8.17. let none of you p. 68imagine evil in his heart againſt his neighbour, and love no falſe oath, for all theſe are the things that I hate, ſaith the Lord: he that ſweareth, muſt ſwear in Judgement and Truth, and take heed of all falſe and fraudulent oaths: An oath is either Aſſertory or Promiſſory: in an oath Aſſertory there is a double truth required;

Logicall;

Morall;

as the School-men ſpeak; the one veritas Rei, Abrah. Gibſon Serm. in Jerom 3.10.the other veritas Mentis; the firſt when we ſpeak as it is; the ſecond, when we think as we ſpeak; in a lawful oath both are requiſite. 1. that we ſpeak according to the thing, and that not upon conjectures, and probabilities, but upon a cleere and undoubted truth, for which we have good ground and warrant. 2. That our mind agree with our tongue, not meaning one thing when we ſwear another, as Arius did, but according to the plain meaning of the oath, being perſwaded of the truth thereof: p. 69otherwiſe we make God a lyar, or think it an eaſie matter to deceive him, when we invoke him to bear witneſs to a falſhood; both which are very diſhonourable to the God of truth.

Furthermore an oath is as much ſecurity as a man can have from his neighbour; and if men will not care what or how they ſwear, how long would any man enjoy either life or eſtate?Ille qui ſcienter pejerat, in primo perjurio ſuo manum dat Diabolo, qua ipſè tangit Evangelium, vel qua tangit manum illius cui jurat; & donec ipſe poeniteat de perjurio illo, manus illa Diaboli est. Peraldus. de peccat. linguae. and who could call any thing that he hath his own? by a falſe oath many a mans Eſtate and life is taken from him: and for a man to hire any one to ſwear falſly againſt any one, promiſing him a reward, and for him to receive it upon ſuch an account, this is abominable; and he that will take a falſe oath, will not ſtick at the committing of any ſin whatſoever: ſuch a man makes himſelf liable to all the curſes in the book of God threatned againſt ſuch ſinners: The cuſtom in our countrey to him that ſweareth, p. 70is, to kiſſe the Book, intimating that all the curſes that are in that book ſhall light upon him, if he ſwear not that which is true: and in Iſrael they were wont to lift up their hand when they ſwore, lifting it up toward Heaven, calling on God to teſtifie the truth of what they ſwore, as God himſelf when he ſweareth, he ſaith, I lift up my hand and ſay, I live for ever. Deut. 32.40.

2. When men having ſworn, and taken an oath in the preſence of God, whereby they bind themſelves to that which is good and right; yet make no account at all of keeping it, but the next time that oath croſſeth their luſts, or ſuiteth not with preſent occaſions, then it is laid aſide; no matter is made of breaking of it. I told you before, there is an oath promiſſory as well as aſſertory: now in a promiſſory oath, we are required 1. to ſwear what we mean to perform, and afterwards to perform what we have p. 71ſworn; a man that ſweareth an oath to bind himſelf by a Bond, muſt not break his promiſe, but do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth, performing his oath. Numb. 30.3. for this we have Gods own example, who remembred his oath to Abraham Luk. 1.37. and ſo muſt we if we will reſt in his Holy-hill: this is the mark of one that ſhall inhabit Gods heavenly Zion, that having ſworn, though he finds it to be his hurt, yet he breaketh it not. Joſhua and the Princes of Iſrael having ſworn to the Gibeonites, though they were not ſo well adviſed as they ſhould have been in taking that oath, yet the matter of the oath being juſt, and having taken it, they would keep it. And the children of Iſrael ſmote them not, becauſe the Princes of the congregation had ſworn to them by the Lord God of Iſrael; and all the congregation murmured againſt the Princes, but all the Princes ſaid unto them: We have ſworn unto them by the Lord God of Iſrael; p. 72now therefore we may not touch them. Joſh. 9.18, 19. Tully ſaith, an oath muſt be ſacredly kept toward our enemies; as David made conſcience of keeping his oath to Shimei that before had curſed him. 2 Sam. 19.23. and therefore the Latin word juramentum, a jure manente, plainly ſheweth unto us,Quae enim juramus, firma & immota debent eſſe. Valla. lib. 6 Eleg. cap. 37. that our oaths muſt be ſtedfaſt and conſtant: and ſo much the Greek word foreign importeth to us whether we underſtand it quaſi foreign a hedge, or quaſi foreign, a bound or limit, becauſe the ſwearer hath hedged himſelf about with Gods truth, and is ſo bounded and limited, that he muſt of neceſſity perform what he hath ſworn. Abraham when he ſent his ſervant which had the rule over all that he had, to his kindred, to take a wife to his ſon Iſaac, he made him put his hand under his thigh and ſwear by the Lord God of the Heaven, and of the Earth, that he ſhould not take a wife unto his ſon of the daughte…s of the Canaanites. Gen. 24. p. 733, 9. It was a cuſtom then to ſwear …utting their hands under their own …highs, or the thighs of him to whom …y oath they bound themſelves, their …word hanging upon the thigh: it was …s much as to ſay, Let this ſword en…er into my heart, if I be not true to …he matter which I have ſworn. Ano…her rite there was alſo of old, in taking of an oath; it was by ſhedding …he blood of ſome creature, which was to be offer'd up in ſacrifice: and the man was to ſwear thus: So let my blood be ſhed, if I do not perform what I have ſworn: many Heathens were very tender of breaking an oath they had taken: when the Carthaginians had taken Regulus a worthy Roman priſoner, they ſent him to Rome on a meſſage upon his oath, which when he had performed, he returned back again a priſoner to Carthage, according to the faith he plighted: and Pharaoh an Heathen bids Joſeph go up and bury his father, as he had made him ſwear. Gen. 50.6.

p. 74Perjury therefore is a great ſin, an… that which caſteth more contempt upon God then any other ſin in th… world; for thereby a man offereth diſdain to the holy name of God, t… which men flye as to a ſtrong Tower in this regard, ſaith one, an oath is a divine thing; for it is an anchor hold to which we flye,Divina res eſt jus jurandum; ſecra enim anchora eſt, ad quam confugitur quum humana ſapientia ingredi non poteſt. Zuingl. Elench. in Catabap. whe… mans wiſdom can go no further now when a man takes an oath as he doth appeal to the God o… truth for confirmation, as truth… witneſs and maintainer; ſo likewiſe he appealeth to the God of Juſtice for vindication as the avenger of falſhood; So alſo to the God of power, ſpeedily to take vengeance upon him, if he break his oath now he that having ſworn by the name of God, yet dares wickedly to break his oath, the matter of his oath being juſt and good; he doth as it were dare God, and ſay, I will do what I have a mind to do, I fear not what God can do unto me. This ſin p. 75highly provokes the wrath of God a…nſt a man. Ezek. 17.18, 19. Be…ſe Zedekiah broke his Covenant …de with the King of Babylon, which … confirmed by oath, therefore the …rd threatens him thus: for he hath …ſpiſed the oath, and broken the …venant (yet loe he had given his …nd) Becauſe he hath done all theſe …ings, he ſhall not eſcape: therefore …us ſaith the Lord God; As I live, will ſurely bring mine oath that he hath …ſpiſed, and my covenant that he hath …oken upon his own head, and I will …read my net upon him, and he ſhall be …ken in my net, &c. where you may …ote. 1. That oaths are ſacred things, …hat which God owneth as his, in a …pecial manner: my oath hath he deſpi…ed, and my covenant hath he broken. …. It is a great contempt to God to break his covenant, and to deſpiſe the oath of God; to deſpiſe an oath, is to deſpiſe God himſelf, the God before whom we ſwear: as if we ſhould ſay, we neither fear, nor regard his p. 76power or ſeverity; we do ſay ſo muc… in effect, when we break the oath w… ſwear. 3. When God ſpeaks of p… niſhing for this ſin, he ſpeaks after … nother manner, then when he is about to puniſh for any other ſins; h… doth it with more ſolemnity. 1. Yo… may note here the certainty and ſur… neſs of the puniſhment. He that ha… done all theſe things, he ſhall not eſcape. God confirmeth it with an oath As I live, I will ſurely bring mine oa… that he hath deſpiſed upon his head. A… I live, ſaith the Lord, he ſhall die in th… midſt of Babel in the place of th… King, that had made him King, whoſ… oath he deſpiſed, and whoſe covenan… made with him he brake. ver. 16. Thu… you ſee what an horrid thing it was for Zedekiah to break his oath with the King of Babylon. 2. It is the ſoreſt kind of puniſhment: Gods curſe ſhall enter into the houſe of him that ſweareth falſly by the name of the Lord, and it ſhall remain in the midſt of his houſe, and ſhall conſume it p. 77with the timber and ſtones thereof. …ech. 5.4. Perjury brings a flying …rſe that entreth into the houſe of …e falſe ſwearer, and abides there, …d there it will remain, not only up…n their perſons, but their houſes, and …ot on the out-ſide but the in-ſide …hereof, that ſhall conſume the very …mber and ſtones thereof; it ſhall …ring his eſtate and family to no…hing.

There is yet another kind of oath, …nd that is when men bind themſelves …y vow or oath to do that which is in it ſelf unlawful, and forbidden by the word of God: as thoſe 40 men. Act. 23. that made a vow they would not eat nor drink till they had killed Paul; the like oath was that of Herod to the daughter of Herodias, who ſware unto her, whatſoever ſhe ſhould aſke of him, he would give it her, even unto the halfe of his Kingdom; and when ſhe aſked the Head of John Baptiſt in a charger, Mar. 6.25. albeit Herod ſeemed to be ſorry, yet for the oath p. 78he commanded it to be give… her: ver. 26. when he had ſinfull… and raſhly made this oath, then h… runs into another ſin pretending conſcience to keep it. But though it be a very wicked thing to make ſuc… oaths, yet being made, they are be… ter broken then kept: for the ſinn… that was committed in the making them, is continued and increaſed i… keeping them.

SECT. 5. Of the great judgements threatned againſt ſwearers.

LEt us therefore be exhorted to harken to that dehortation of the Apoſtle; Before all things my brethren, ſwear not, neither by Heaven, nor by Earth, nor by any other oath, Jam. 5.12. Let us therefore conſider the great miſeries and judgements that are threatned againſt vain and prophane ſwearers, in the word of God. Swearing is a ſin that brings upon p. 79men all miſeries in this world, and in …e world to come.

1. The Lord will not hold ſuch men guiltleſſe: though thou haſt not …worn by any falſe God, nor ſworn to … lye, yet by ordinary oaths thou haſt …aken his name in vain, and that guilt …hall ſtand upon Record againſt thee, until thou haſt been ſeriouſly humbled for it, and truly repented of it, and art acquitted from it; and if this be not in this life, Hell fire will ſhew the greatneſs of this ſin: Great reaſon there is, God ſhould take the avenging this ſin into his own hand; becauſe moſt men are eager in avenging every taunting and reproachful term againſt themſelves, and will not digeſt the Lye, but give the Stab; yet can be contented to hear Gods name blaſphemed, and reproached, and never ſhew any diſcontent at it.

2. God will come as a ſwift witneſs againſt ſuch. Malac. 3.5. it may be thou wilt deny it, and thy Companions p. 80will deny it, and not witneſſe againſt thee; but God will be a ſwift witneſs againſt thee. The Trope is a Metaphor, and the affection of the Metaphor ſeems to be a Catachreſis, witneſs being put for Judge; that is in effect thus much: I will ſoon upon the evidence of the Fact give judgement againſt you:Bodin. de Republ. lib. 6. Gratiam. Cauſ. 2. qu. 1. & 7. Bocerus de juriſdict. Cap. 6. Sect. 34. Weemes Exercit. Vol. 2. Lib. 2. Cap. 17. that of Bodinus is generally received. If a Fact be onelyonly known to the Judge, he may be a witneſs of it, but a Judge he cannot be; and the Canons ſpeak poſitively, that a Judge is to give ſentence ſecundum allegata & probata. Great reaſon it ſhould be ſo among men; but God being omnipreſent, an eye-witneſs of evey fact, infinitely wiſe, and not ſubject to the leaſt errour, and infinitely Holy, out of all danger to be corrupted, may be, and is both Witneſs and Judge; and often cometh as a ſwift witneſſe againſt prophane ſwearers: I have read of a Mariner that was greatly given to ſwearing and curſing; and upon a day the p. 81Sea being very calm) he leapt into the water to ſwim, and although he was very skilful in ſwimming, yet by Gods permiſſion he ſunk, and was drowned;Serafino. Razzi. but being afterward found by his friends, a due ſearch being made about his body, there was nothing found wanting but his wicked tongue onelyonly. In Mantua divers gameſters playing at Tables, and abuſing the name of Chriſt, their eies preſently fell out of their heads upon the Tables as they played.

3. Everlaſting woe hangs over the heads of prophane ſwearers: St. James tells us they ſhall fall into condemnation. Jam. 5.12. and that for eternity; though ſuch men may eſcape the wrath and puniſhment of men, yet ſhall they not eſcape the wrath of God: therefore let as many as have any fear of God before their eyes, any care of their own Salvation, any deſire to eſcape endleſs condemnation, beware of it, and take the Apoſtles p. 82counſell, ſwear not at all, leſt ye fall into condemnation.

SECT. 6, The objection of thoſe that deny the uſe of all kinds of oaths anſwered: how oaths muſt be qualified, ſhewed in three things.

Object. BUt from that Text Jam. 5.12. before mentioned, and from Mat. 5.34. the Manichees of old, the Anabaptiſts long ſince, and the Quakers of late, do deny all kind of oaths, and affirm ſwearing in any caſe to be utterly unlawful; becauſe it is ſaid, ſwear not at all. For the Manichees, Chemnitius out of Auſtin, Chemnit. ex Auguſt. Hieron. Theophilact.and other approved Authors, ſaith, that they diſproved of the old Teſtament, becauſe it approved of oaths; Yea, Jerom and Theophilact, as he ſaith, thought oaths unlawful in the new Teſtament.

Reſp.But if they make their full point at p. 83Ne juretis omninò, Swear not at all: they alledge the Text in both places as honeſtly as the Devil did. Pſal. 91. to perſwade Chriſt to throw himſelf down headlong from the top of the Temple Mat. 4. But let both places be well weighed, and you will ſee the ſcope both of Chriſt and his Apoſtle, was either to forbid common and cauſeleſs oaths, or elſe ſwearing by the creatures. So ſaith St. Auguſtine, In novo Teſtamento dicttum eſt, Ne juretis omninò, non quia jurare eſt peccatum, ſed quia perjurare eſt immane peccatum; in the New Teſtament it is ſaid, ſwear not at all: not becauſe all ſwearing is ſinfull, but becauſe it is a grievous ſin for a man to forſwear himſelf: and again. Admonitio non jurandi, eſt conſervatio à peccato perjurij; Chriſts admonition not to ſwear at all, is a preſervation from the ſin of perjury: and Calvin ſaith; Chriſti Scopus, Calvin Inſtit. lid. 2. cap. 8.nòn fuit legem laxare aut reſtringere, ſed ad veram & genuinam intelligentiam & ſenſum reducere, quia Scribarum & Phariſaeorum p. 84Commentis valde erat depravata: Chriſts ſcope was not to ſlacken or reſtrain the Law, but to reduce it to its true and genuine ſenſe and underſtanding; becauſe it was much depraved by the falſe Gloſſes and Comments of the Scribes and Phariſees. Now that there were lawful oaths, appeareth Exod. 22.11, where it is ſaid, that if a man deliver any thing to his neighbour to be kept, and it periſh or be loſt, (no man knowing how) the party to whom it was committed, muſt cleer himſelf by an oath, and that ſhall put an end to the controveſie:Praecipuum vinculum ordinis Politici. Melanct. Bonavent. Centiloq part. 1. cap. 12. There is a great uſe of oaths to be taken now as was heretofore; the end theref being the manifeſtation of truth, and the ſtinting of ſtrife. Heb. 6.16. it being, as Melancton calleth it, the chief Bond of civil order; hereby right and juſtice is maintained, truth and verity is preſerved, peace and concord is eſtabliſhed, diſcord and diſſention ended, ſaith Bonaventure; To this end in the firſt place Reaſons p. 85muſt be uſed; when theſe fail, then by witneſſes muſt the matter be eſtabliſhed; when witneſſes fail, then oath muſt be uſed, and this is the end of ſtrife: and therefore it muſt be done but ſparingly, and in weighty matters when neceſſity requireth, and the truth not otherwiſe to be cleered, and that before a Magiſtrate, &c. You may read Exod. 18.22. that great matters of weight and moment were onelyonly to be brought before Moſes; and for the deciding of ſmaller matters, inferiour officers were appointed; and ſhall God be troubled and called to witneſs for every trifling cauſe? Calvin ſaith well to this purpoſe; Laeditur Dei Majeſtas omnibus frivolis Juramentis.

That an oath is ordained by God to very good purpoſe, may be ſeen by the practice of the Saints of God, of the holy Angels, yea of God himſelf. 1. The Saints in the old Teſtament and in the new. Thus Abraham lifteth up his hand to the moſt high God, p. 86Gen. 14.22. Jacob ſweareth to Laban. Gen. 31. Joſeph to Jacob his Father. Gen. 47. David to Jonathan, Elijah to Obadiah: and in the new Teſtament Paul to the Romans, God is my witneſs, &c. Rom. 1.9. and to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 1.23. 2. The holy Angels havv ſworn. Dan. 12.7. by him that liveth for ever, Rev. 10.5.6. Yea. 3. God himſelf is recorded to have ſworn, ſometime by his Holineſs. Pſal. 89.35. Sometime by his right hand.Propter hominum ſocord…am Deus jurat Philo. Jud. in lib. & de Sacrif. Cain & Abel. Iſai. 62.8. Sometime by his great Name. Jerem. 44.26. Sometime by his Soul. Jerem. 51.14. not that he needeth to confirm his words by an oath, which of themſelves are ſufficient enough to be beleeved; but God ſweareth, ſaith Philo, to convince the infirmitie of our nature, and then to comfort it again.

Having ſeen that there are lawful oaths; let us now ſee how our oaths muſt be qualified; for your direction therein, ſee Jerem. 4.2. Thou ſhalt ſwear the Lord liveth in Truth, in p. 87Judgement, and in Righteouſneſs.

1. In Truth: the matter of this oath muſt be true; thy oath muſt not be againſt thy conſcience; the contrary is reproved Iſai. 48.1. where God complaineth the people had ſworn by his Name, but not in Truth.

2. In Judgement, i. e. in Wiſdome and Prudence, with diſcretion and conſideration of the thing in queſtion, the nature of an oath, of the mind and meaning of him that miniſtreth it, of the circumſtances of time, place, perſon, &c. elſe we ſwear raſhly and unadviſedly; the matter about which thou ſweareſt muſt be well known to thee, and not uncertain: the Romans uſed that moſt conſiderate word Arbitror, I think, when the Jurors ſaid thoſe things which they knew moſt certainly: if the matter of the oath a man taketh be not juſt, he ſinneth in ſwearing, and more in keeping of his oath. David did much better in breaking his raſh oath, and not killing Nabal. 1 Sam. 25. then Herod did p. 88in keeping his oath and beheading John Baptiſt. Mar. 6. It is the precept of an Heathen foreign. Reverence an oath; and the child of God is ſaid to fear an oath. Eccleſ. 9.2. judgement will guide us, never to take an oath but upon neceſſity.

3. In Righteouſneſs, or ſecundum juſtitiam: and here we are to look that the thing be lawfull, that it will ſtand with Piety and Charity, and that there be a juſt occaſion to ſwear; elſe our oath is a wicked oath, like Herods to Herodias, and the Jews againſt Paul: God is hereby ſanctified, when we ſwear in Truth, in Judgement, and in Righteouſneſs; when he is called upon as a knower of all ſecrets, a ſearcher of all hearts, a defender and rewarder of truth, and a revenger of falſhood.

p. 89SECT. 7. Stirring up Magiſtrates to ſuppreſs vain ſwearing.

NOw ſince raſh and idle ſwearing, and perjury are ſins that abound in this Land of ours, and are like to make the whole Nation to mourn and ſhake; is it not high time that our Rulers and Magiſtrates ſhould put bridles in the mouths of thoſe that are given to theſe ſin, againſt which ſtrict Laws have been made by moſt Nations in the world?

Among the Egyptians, Boaemus de moribus gentium. lib. 1. cap. 5. & lib. 2. cap. 9.whoſoever was convicted for a common ſwearer, was to loſe his head; among the Scythians, it was the loſs and forfeiture of all his Goods. Among the Romans, the ſwearer was to be thrown with violence from the top of the Rock Tarpeius; and this was the only cauſe ſaith Plutarch, Plutar.that they would not ſuffer their children to p. 90ſwear by the name of Hercules within doors, but made them to go abroad, that they might deliberate of their oaths: Among the Grecians there was a Law that every ſwearer was to loſe his ears: and the Jews were wont to rend their cloaths when they heard the name of God blaſphemed or prophaned; which if we ſhould do in our dayes, as oft as we hear men belching out black and hideous oaths, we ſhould not keep one ſuit long upon our backs, ere we might tear it to pieces: one of the Kings of France made a Law that every ſwearer ſhould have his mouth ſeared with burning hot irons,St. Lewis. and cauſed the tongue of a great ſwearer to be cut out of his head;Rhenan. annot. and ſaid he would endure the like puniſhment himſelf in his own perſon, conditionally it might ſo fall out, that afterward this hateful vice might never more be heard in his Kingdom: and one of the Kings of this Land, out of a pious care to ſuppreſs this ſin, ordained p. 91that a forfeiture ſhould be exacted of every one that was heard or noted to ſwear in his Court: Yea ſome report that the very Turks will ſtop their ears at the hearing of an oath.

But men of all eſtates among us do ſhew themſelves worſe then Jews, in daily crucifying the Lord of Glory, and ripping up his wounds to bleed afreſh, and inſtead of Croſſe and Nails rend and grind him to pieces between their teeth. Is not this the ſin of many of the Nobility and Gentry of this Land? God hath vouchſafed to honour them more then others, and they diſhonour him more then others; making it the common figure in their hellik Rhetorick, not to give their beſt friend a word, till they have given their Saviour a ſtab, and the name of God a wound; making an oath the Proem of their ſpeeches, and the Complement of their diſcourſe.

Look into our Towns, Cities, and you ſhall ſee how ready Tradeſmen are to ſell their ſouls ſo they may ſell p. 92their wares with oaths; but a ſad ba… gain it is, when for every trifle they ſe… their ſouls, which the whole world i… not able to redeem: not only Courtiers, that are men of the beſt breeding, bu… even Countrey-Peaſants, men that are not only void of Grace, but alſo of all natural endowments, are wiſe enough to practice this ſin; the arrant'ſt Clown, that is moſt rude and barbarous in ſpeaking, is Rhetorical enough in ſwearing, and can equal the higheſt in ſtrange and various oaths.

For this ſin God will have a controverſie with this Nation, and for this I fear, our Land will mourn; it is a ſin that is like to ſhake the very bowels of our Church and State; therefore if Magiſtrates tender the good and welfare of either, if they bear any love to this Nation, if they have any zeal for the Lord of hoſts, then let me beſeech them to gird their ſword upon their thigh, and arme themſelves with reſolution to ſuppreſs this proud ſin, that ſcorneth to p. 93quarrel with any under God himſelf.