hated him nor lift up himself when evil found his enemy nor did he suffer his mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul and albeit he had strong incitements to revenge by them that were about him that would have eaten the flesh of them that did wrong their Master yet he kept himself from it ver 31. So David though his enemies rewarded him evil for good yet saith he When they were sick my clothing was sackcloth I humbled my soul with fasting they rejoyce at his evil he mourneth for theirs and prayes for them in affliction Psal 35.13 14. He behaved himself as though his enemy had been his friend or brother bowing down heavily as one that mourneth for his Mother and 2 Sam. 16.9 when Shimei curseth him his servants desire his leave to take off Shimeis head for cursing the King he harkens not unto them but looketh to the Lord in it and commits his cause to God Let him alone and let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him it may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction and requite good for his cursing this day ver 11.12 he will not therefore take vengeance himself nor suffer others to do it in this imitate David So we read of Jeremy that he stood before the Lord to pray and entreat for those that had abused him Take heed of the Saints sins but imitate their Graces 4. Consider what our Saviour saith to his Disciples concerning Elijah Luk 9.54 55. they would have imitated him in calling for fire to come down from Heaven upon the Samaritans as he did upon the two Captains and their troops but Christ rebuketh them for it saying Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of as if Christ had said you do this upon the account of private passion and revenge he did it by another spirit even the spirit of God you understand not your Commission for you that be my Disciples must be of meek and humble spirits like me your Master There be in mans soul saith Anselm 3 several faculties sc Ratio qua assimulatur Angelis Appetitus qua assimulatur brutis voluntas which enclineth sometime to the one sometime to the other Et hic sapiens sentiens in pesorem partem ferebatur Anselm in Luc. 9. and not of such furious and fiery mettatl I suspect you more desire revenge then the glorifying of my name This was like the Zeal St. Paul speakes of which was not according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 5. When the people of God in Scripture have cursed their enemies they have therein been acted by the spirit of God in an extraordinary manner it was not by humane passion that is sinful that Noah cursed Cham but it was a Prophetical prediction of what should come upon him afterwards and Austin saith that Davids imprecations against his enemies or rather Gods enemies are prophesies shewing what should come unto them rather then curses of his own as desiring that such things should come to pass St. Amb. observeth that when God gave the Devil leave to afflict Jobs body he spared his tongue that feeling his pain he might easily raile and curse so pleasing a thing is cursed speaking to the Devil Rich. Rogers on Judg. 5. but it is in no sort lawful for us to curse any man to satisfie our own revenging minds for when we deal in our own matters we must love our enemies and bless them that curse us 2. Reg. 1. and for Elijah what he did he did by the spirit of God for as soon as God bids him go he goes down to the King and boldly speaks unto him what the Lord would have him therefore let all those that know by their own consciences that this is or hath been their sin lay it to heart and be humbled for it before the Lord considering how cross they have walked according to the rule of Gods word lest the very Heathen rise up in judgement against them for I have read of a certain woman Priest of Athens being proffered money to curse Alcibiades refused it saying It was her office and duty to pray for others not to curse them Object Here a question may be propounded Wheher it be lawful for Ministers to denounce curses against wicked men Resp Yes but they do it only declarativè declaring what shall come upon them if they repent not Ministers must not look upon such as their enemies St. Austin speaking of his denouncing Gods judgements against the wicked saith Non hoc ago ut sim homine con vitiando supeoior sed errorem convincendo salubrior I strive not in reproving my adversary to out-goe him in railing words but to make him better convincing him of his fault Christianus non est qui facile maledicit Qui pacem cordis oris operis non habet Christianus dici nod potest Aug. Serm. 2. ad fratres in Eremo but as Gods enemies Paul in general denounceth a curse against all wicked men If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Ministers denounce curses but Ministerially when they in the name of God denouce the judgements of God against impenitent sinners CHAP. 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 ordinary 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 of 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 faith 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 him 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 oaths 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 to 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 discourse 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 feareth not God Christ saith Mat. â— 35 Let your communication be yea â—ea nay nay for whatsoever is more â—hen these cometh of evil ver 37. that â—s from the devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 discourse 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
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear 1 Pet. 3.15 With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousness and with the tongue confession is made unto salvation Rom. 10.10 He that confesseth me before men him will I confess c. and he that denyeth me before men him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven In matters civil when we are called as a witness before a Magistrate we must testify the truth the whole truth as the woman of Tekoah did to David 2 Sam. 14.19 2. Sometime it is unseasonable to declare the whole truth when as there being no necessity to utter it in respect of Gods Glory our Neighbours Good or our own Duty it 's joyned with our own or our Neighbocrs danger or hurt 3. It is arbitrary or at our own liberty when it is neither necessary nor unseasonable Thus Christ sometimes answereth to questions askt him sometime he is silent Mat. 27.12 14. That truth may be concealed is proved by Abraham who spake truth in part calling Sarah his Sister and concealed it in part not confessing her to be his wife Gen. 12.10 The which thing also his son Isaac did afterward Gen. 29. this is no lie to hide the truth but to affirm that which is false God appointed Samuel to go to Bethlehem to annoint David King he desiring to be informed how he might go thither and do it with safety for said he if Saul hear of it he will kill me the Lord teacheth him this Godly policy Take an heifer with thee and say I am come to sacrifice to the Lord and call Jesse to the Sacrifice he was sent for two causes but to conceal the more principal 1 Sam. 16.2 3. So King Zedekiah willeth Jeremiah having advised him to yield to the Caldeans if the Princes should be earnest to know what talk they had had together that then he should say unto them I humbly besought the King that he would not cause me to return to Jonathans house to dye there Jerem. 38.26 SECT 2. Of the sporting Lye LYes may be divided into three kinds there is Mendacium Jocosum Officiosum Pernitiosum 1. The sporting lie which is without cause merum mendacium Hutchinson de imagine Dei. neither with desire to hurt no◠pu pose to help any one Nascica when he came to Ennius the Poets house having earnest business commanded his Maid to meet him at the door and to say that he was not within who knowing that her Master had bidden her to say so because of his business departed Soon after it came to pass that Enni◠came to his house and knocking at the door enquired for him Nascica hearing one knock and perceiving out of a window that it was Ennius answered with a loud voice that he was not at home but Ennius knew his voice and came in then Nascica came to him and said You are impudent for I beleeved your Maid that you were not at home and will you not beleeve me my self In this example be two lyes One of Ennius his Maid at her Masters commandement the other of Nascica in the way of jest and mirth Thus vanity sheweth it self in great boasters and travellers that love to tell strange things when men do not only sport at it themselves but think thereby to make sport for others also So it was with those of Ephraim and Samaria who made the King glad with their wickedness and the Princes with their lies Hos 7.3 To what an height of impiety were they grown this was a cleer note of a corrupt state among them That all sorts lies be sins vid. Euseb lib. 8. de praepar Evangel cap 4. Damascen paral 3. Chytr tract de Jacobi mendacio Gerson Protest Bernard de modo benè vivendi August Epist 8 9. the reason hereof is expressed ver 2. They considered not in their hearts that God remembred all their wickedness They were become very Atheistical All condemn the idle lying lie and the pernicious lie but some excuse the sporting or jesting lie and commend the officious lie but all naught 1. For the merry lie we must distinguish that is improperly called a lie when in shew of words some false thing is uttered but by the gesture or pronunciation of the speaker it may appear that some truth is uttered This is not unlawful under shew of untruth to hide a truth as Elijah said to the worshippers of Baal Cry aloud for he is a God either he is talking or he is pursuing or he is in a journey or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked 1 Reg. 18.27 But the Text saith that he mocked them So Micaiah said to Ahab as the rest of his Prophets had done before him Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and prosper but he delivered it so that Ahab perceived he mocked him 1 Reg. 22.15.2 Properly that which in the meaning of the speaker is a lie is in no sort to be used but is simply unlawful 1. Because it is not only false but vain and idle Now if but for idle words men shall give account at the last day Mat. 12.36 much more for idle lies 2. The Prophet Hosea in the place before-mentioned inveigheth against those that make Princes merry with their lies Now if Princes may not be made merry with lies to whom oppressed with great cares mirth is needful none may 3. A lie may not be delivered to help a man or free him from danger much less to delight and make him merry 4. Epaminondas with other Heathens will rise up in judgement against those that make no conscience to tell merry lies so strict observers and lovers of truth were they that they could not abide a lie spoken no not in jest it is not good jesting and sporting with sin He that makes it his common course to lie in jest will also lie in earnest and he that lies in jest unless he repent of it shall be sure to be damned in earnest SECT 3. Of the Officious Lye THe next Lye we are to treat of Corrupt was the opinion of Plato that allowed a lie lawful either to save a Citizen or deceive an Enemy is the Officious lie which is covered over with love to our neighbour when a man seeth his neighbour in danger he thinks it either no sin or a very small sin to help him out This is the practice of too many among us and the devil beguileth many souls thereby Now that we may take heed of this consider 1. That Gods word is to be lookt on as the only rule and square to guide our actions by but the word requireth that we must not do the least evil for the gaining or any good whatsoever the rule of our actions is Gods command not our love to our neighbou◠God saith ye shall not lie one to another Colos 3.9 and he will destroy all lyers which comprehendeth those that lye perniciously to do hurt
Epaminondas an Heathen Plutarch in Epaminond was so chary of his credit that he was wont to say He cared not to be killed so it might be recorded that he died without just cause Christians therefore have just warrtnt to answer in their own defence when they be falsely accused especially in the case of Religion when the imputation doth not so much touch their Persons as their Profession in this case not to be resolute is to be plainly dissolute In Athens every Citizen took a corporal oath to maintain their professed and established Religion Melanct praefat ad comment in Roman in this sort Pugnabo pro sacris solus cum aliis It is also necessary in some cases to make confession of our faith sc where the Glory of God may by that means be procured our brethren edified and scandal avoided So doth Paul Act. 22. St. Peter enjoyneth us alway to be ready to give an answer to every one that asketh us Note that the Articles of faith are subject to reason but that every one may see we have reason to beleeve as we do Junilius de partib 9. divinae legis lib. 2. cap. ult and a reason of the hope that is in us 1 Pet. 3.15 Yea Paul tells us that every one that will be saved with the mouth must make confession to salvation Rom. 10.10 and Bullinger tells us that faith in the heart breaking forth into confession with the mouth is a note whereby the friends of Christ are distinguished from the followers of Antichrist Yea Christ hath told us plainly that whosoever will not confess him on earth before men he will not acknowledge them before his Father in Heaven This confuteth all Peter-like Professors who â—re silent in time of persecution and â—hink that then it s enough for them to think well and mean well and keep their faith to themselves no they must confess it to others and if they do not or dare not it 's an argument for the time their tongues are not loosed by God but tyed up by the Devil 3. The right ordering of the tongue consisteth The leaves of loquacity spring from the root of small capacity when a man is careful that there is not too much loquacity in himself that he doth not vainly bable upon all occasions Prov. 10.19 the wise man sheweth the folly of a man given to talk much A wise man refraineth his lips but where much talk is there is much sin unless there be much grace to govern the heart He that hath knowledge spareth his words Prov. 17.27 The Preacher is cleer in this point God is in Heaven thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few Eccl. 5.3 Men must take heed of impertinent words words of wind that are empty and fruitless The Hebrews call a vain word a word of lips Prov. 14.23 Surely the Serpent wilâ— bite without enchantment and a babler is no better Eccles 10.11 A babler hurteth his friend aideth his enemy and undoeth himself as members that are continually diseased continually draw humours to them so the tongue of a babler being never without an inflammation draweth poison to it self by continual babling as One well noteth Crook Hypocr chap. 3. August de Conven 10 Praecept 10 Plagar Absit in oratione multa locutio sed non desit multa precatio Hieron Non magna vocis extensio sed magna cordis intentio deo grata Chemnit Harmon Evangel What One saith of Heretical teachers I may say of all vain bablers they are like Frogs that in muddy Marshes and Fens are alwayes croaking that bring irksomness to the ears but yield no food to the minds of men Our Saviour condemneth vain repetitions in prayer for some think they shall be heard for their much speaking Mat. 6.7 Christ correcteth them not for the matter they prayed but for the manner of their praying that in their prayers they used vain repetitions superfluous and superstitious multiplying of words like the Heathen for repetitions of the same petitions are not unlawful 4. It consisteth in this that we be careful not to be often found talking of the things that concern us not to talk of This is set down to be the fault of women that go from house to house that are tatlers and busy-bodyes speaking things which they ought not 1 Tim. 5.13 and these are such saith the Apostle that learn to be idle that wander from house to house and talk of things that concern them not but this is not the fault of women only but the fault also of too many men among us and such were among the Thessalonians he bids them study to be quiet that is shew not your selves to be men and women of the tongue 1 Tim. 4.11 Let no man affect the honour to be a great talker but love the honour to be at rest as the Greek words import which is greater honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometime the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the Rest of the body as the women rested on the Sabbath day before they went to the Sepulcher of Christ to annoint the dead body of our Saviour with the spices and ointments they had prepared there is the same word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk 23. ult but here the Apostle meaneth the rest of the Tongue to rest from medling with things that belong not to them If men will be discoursing let it be of what may do themselves and others good 5. It consisteth in this that our speech be not cross nor froward nor thwarting language Many men have froward hearts and they shew it by their froward words speak to such men and you shall have nothing but some froward answer again Put away from thee a froward mouth and perverse lips put far from thee Prov. 4.24 One observeth upon that place how ill God looketh upon such a tongue comparing it to a lip drawn awry as that seemeth ill in the eyes of men so a froward tongue is much more unseemly in the eyes of God therefore put this away from thee This is one character of a naughty person A wicked man walks with a froward mouth Prov. 6.12 The phrase is very emphatical where ever he goes he carries it with him God made not the tongue of man of bone or of any other hard substance but of tender flesh because thy words should be tender and sweet not rough and sharp Stella Here is the difference between a good man and a wicked man though there be by nature such frowardness in the heart of a Holy man yet Grace makes him strive against it and he hath no Rest in himself till he hath gotten the Mastery over it In this case it is with a child of God as with an horse that trots hard yet by Art he is brought to pace easily but because his trot is natural he is apt to fall into it very often but the rider with