but that which is good to edify with all whan nede is that it maye haue fauour with the hearers If no fylthy communicacion ought to procede out of our mouthes muche lesse ought ony vayn dothes vngodly swearynges blasphemies c. come forth out of them If our wordes ought to be good to edify wythe all thaÌ„ ought they not to be such as should destroy both our selues the hearers which many tymes chaunseth thorow wicked oothes Let not dome Ephe. v sayth he and all vnclennes or couetousnes or fylthynes or folyshe talkynge or iestynge be once named among you as it becommeth saynctes but rather thanckes gyuyng If these thynges maye not once be named among vs surely much lesse yea a M. tymes muche lesse oughte oothes swearynges blasphemies of Gods moost holy name be named among vs and hearde in our dayely speache If the wrath vengeaunce of God be wonte to faull vpon the chyldren of vnbeleue for these thynges aforesayd as S. Paule testifyeth certenly let all swearers be certenlye assured that they shall not escape the plages of Gods vengeasice and theyr damnacion shal be yâ— more greuous for asmuch as they professe godlynes and lyue nothynge accordyng thervnto What are they ony other than blasphemous mockers of God They saye that they knowe God but withe theyr dedes they denye hym seynge they are become abhommable and disobediente and enell mynded vnto all good workes as S. Paule writeth Titus i They are welles wythout water cloudes caryed about of a tempest to whom yâ— myst of darckenesse is reserued for euer They are trees without â—rute at gatheryng tyme ii Pe. ii twyse dead plucked vp by the rootes Iudas Epistle They are the ragyng waues of the sea somyng oute theyr owne shame Howe can they than escape the vengeaunce of god The Sodomites Gomorrians sinned agaynst nature therfore were they consumed wythe fyre brymestonne froÌ„ heaueÌ„ the swearers synne agaynst the God maker of nature is it to be thought â—e xviii that they shall escape vnponyshed If suche as committe the lessest synne be punysshed howe can they than escape which of sende in the greatest They maye be sure if they do not amend not only to be plaged with fyre brymestone but also to suffer all other kyndes of intollerable paynes yea and that in hell where is no redemcion nor marcy to be had The Lorde Psal. xi sayth Dauid seeth both the ryghteous vngodly but who so delyghteth in wickednes him his soule abhorreth Vpon the vngodly he shall reygne snares fyre brymestonne storme tempest this rewarde shall they haue to drynke For the Lorde is ryghteous and he loueth righteousnes his cosâ—tenauce beholdeth the thyng that is iuste Agayne he saythe God is a ryghteous Iudge Psal. vii and God is euer threatenyng If men wyl not turne he hath whet his swearde he hathe bent his bowe and made it redy He hath prepared hym the weapons of deathe ordined his arrowes to bestroye We rede in the forth boke of Moses that whan the chyldren of Israel were in the wyldernes they fouÌ„d a man gatherynge styckes vpon the Sabboth day 〈◊〉 .xv â–ª And they that found him gatheryng styckes brought him vnto Moses and Aaron vnto all the congregacion they put him inward For it was not declared what shoulde be done vnto hym And the Lorde sayd vnto Moses the manne shall dye Let al the multitude stone hym with stones without the hoost And all the multitude brought hym wythout the hoost stoned hym with stones and he dyed as the Lorde coÌ„maunded Moses If the man that gathered styckes vpon the Saboth daye for transgressyng that coÌ„mauÌ„dement whiche notwythstondynge was but a ceremoniall law seruyng but for a tyme and a figure of oure spirituall quietnes and reast which we ought to haue coÌ„tinually in our consciences toward God which precepte also is nowe abolyshed stond in none effect so that we are Lordes of the Sabothe daye and maye appoynte what daye it shall please the head rulers to cease from laboure yâ— we may the more coÌ„ueniently come togyther vnto the teÌ„ple for to pray to heare the holye worde of God to se the blyssed Sacramentes ministred c. If the man that gathered styckes I saye vpon the Sabothe daye was stoned vnto deathe by the commaundement of God for transgressynge that precepte howe maye these swearers than persuade themselues that they shal escape vnponished althoughe they sweare abuse God and all hys creatures by theyr vnlawfull oothes The other precepte was ceremoniall The Iewes at thys day accordiÌ„ge to theyr olde wont wyl teare there garmentes whan the heare Gods blessedâ—ame blasphemed for the drede of Gods feercewrath that is â—â—yred vp there by Butte who among vs ChristeÌ„ shewethe hiÌ„selfe by ony meanes to be displeased there wtal in whom ough to be the loue feare dreade of God so wel as in yâ— Iewes is nowe of no strengthe but this commaundement is morall and abydeth styll in perfecte strengthe and so shall do so longe as the worlde stondeth shall yâ— transgressioÌ„ of this than escape vnponyshed The other was punyshed by death and shall this escape fre wythout punyshment Let the wicked worldlynges laughe at the matter so much as they lyst there lyueth a god agaynst whome the offence is committed which wyl not suffer the blasphemies of his holy name and of his creatures to escape vnpunyshed And well were it wythe these abhominable swearers which go forth in theyr wyckednes wyll not amend if in this worlde they myght he consumed with fyre and brymestone froÌ„ heauen as the Sodomites were or stoned vnto death as the transgressour of yâ— Saboth daye was so that theyr plages and paynes myght on this manner ende they afterward enioye euerlastyng lyfe But it is to be feared that after thys lyfe they shall feale more greuous tormentes than euer the Sodomites dyd ether suffer in this world or where they be nowe God be marcifull vnto them and gyue them grace to amend Hytherto haue we hearde howe greuous an offence it is beâ—ore God for to sweare to take his moost blissed name in vayne or to abuse onye of his creatures by vayne vnlawfull oothes We haue heard also how God wyll not suffer by ony meanes them to escape vnponished that wickedly sweare and breake this godly commaundement Nowe seyng that GOD wyll so sharpely ponysh them that take hys name in vayne or feare not to sweare for euery lytle trifle by hym or by hys creatures what is than to be sayd of perâ—â—ry Of perâ—ury What is to be thought of them which bothe falsely and wyllyngely forsweare them selues Into howe great ponyshment shall they faull whiche feare nothyng at all to sweare in a false matter vpon the holy Euangely that moost â—lyssed worde of euerlastyng trueth yea to call God and all his holy saynctes to be wytnesses
vndermineth another and one neghbour begyleth another Exulat Veritas yea one dissembleth with another and they deale with no trueth They haue practised theyr tonges to speake lyes haue taken great paynes to do myschefe They haue set theyr stoole in the myddest of deceate and for very dissemblynge falshode they wyll not knowe the Lord. Theyr tonges are like sharpe arowes to speake deceat Wyth theyr mouth they speake peasably to theyr neyghbour but priuely they laye wayte for hym These wordes of the Prophet declare euidently that he bewaylethe theÌ„ that are slayne in theyr soules by the reason of the manifolde wyckednes wherwyth they are wouÌ„ded inwardely slayne that is to saye cast awaye from the fauour of God condemned vnto perpetual death except they repent beleue amende So lykewyse I at this tyme vsyng the wordes of the Prophet do not lament suche as haue tasted the death of the bodye and are gone but them that are yet alyue in this worlde as concernyng theyr bodyes but dead thorowe synne as towchynge theyr soules These I lament these I bewayle these I sorow sygh for â—oth daye and nyghte These make me to laye asyde all myrthe and ioye to walke as one desolate â–ª and confortelesse These cause me to wyth that I beyng one a priuate parson might be banyshed yea cursed from Christ so that so great a multitude myght be saued My fayth is yâ— I am wrytten in the boke of lyfe and nombred amoÌ„g the vessels of mercy notwithstondyng woulde God I myghte be wyped out Rom. ix so that these the are slayne in the soule thorow synne myght be saued What one man hauyng but a carnel of Christen salte in his brest wyssheth not so Who desyrethe not rather beyng one parsonne to be daÌ„ned than so great a nomber shoulde peryshe What nede I rehearse here the teÌ„der affeccion of Moses Christ and Paule Exo. xxxii which they bare toward the saluacion of other Phili. ii whom all we ought to followe Rom. ix Moses whan the Isralites had offended God for worshyppyng of the golden calfe prayed for them on this manner Forgyue them oh Lorde this faulte or eâ—les wype me oute of the boke wherin thou hast wrytten me Christ by the Prophet saythe Esa. v Iudge I praye you betwyxte me and my vyneyard What more coulde haue bene done for it yâ— I haue not done Rom. ix S. Paule wyshed hymselfe to be banyshed from Christ for hys brethren and kynnesfolke as pertaynyiâ—g to the fleshe whiche are the Israelites Certes he is no true Christen maÌ„ that prouideth for his owne saluacion and carethe not for the health of other God sayth Chrisostome Hom. vii iâ—â— Genesâ— wyll not that a ChristeÌ„ maÌ„ shoulde be contemed wyth hymselfe alone but that he also edifye other not by teachyng only but by lyuing and coÌ„uersacion also Charite sayth saynt Paule i. Cor. xiii Phil. ii seaketh not her owne Agayne let no man seake his owne but the profyt of other This made al the holy fathers in tymes past to be so desyrous of the health of other that they wyshed euen wythe the losse of theyr owne healthe Hiâ— ix the saluacion of theyr Christen brothers who beyng of theyr mynd and godly enspired wisheth not yâ— same at this hour For euen as the Prophet Hieremye dyd lament the wyckednes of the people whiche lyued at that tyme Vice greately encreased euen so I am sure do so many as are godly mynded bewayle the vngodlines that reygne among vs at this daye For consyder what synne and howe manifolo reygned at that â—yme eueÌ„ the very same with a great heape more reygneth yea triumpheth in these our dayes so greatly hathe wyckednes preuayled and gotteÌ„ the vppermoost hand If I shulde discend go downe in to the great Occean and mayne see which ouerfloweth the whole world wyth thaboundans of all euelles so shoulde I neuer be able to sayle and passe thorow I wyl therfore at this tyme take vpon me onely to searche the seuerall sea of one synne only althogh it may seme to be both great large brode depe bottomeles not able to be sayled thorow of ony maÌ„ and shewe howe many dauÌ„gers and greuous perrelles abyde them that presume to passe in that cruell fearse see And this synne is the moost wycked and detestable vice of swearyng which now reygneth so greatly in euery place that I feare all admonicions exhortacions warnynges and councels are frustrate and vayne so euell is a noughtye peruerse custome so rare a thynge is it to heale that pocke which is rooted by the bonne Notwythstondyng although some ê‘aduenture shal laugh at this my laboure as a songe sunge to them that are deafe eared yet for asmuche as my trust is yâ— al whiche be entangled with this vice are not of a desperate mind nor so ouerwhelmed wyth the waues of this vnmercifull sea but that they maye be called agayne brought vnto amendment eueÌ„ for theyr sake and to wyn theyr soules vnto glory wyl I speke somewhat in this matter declare how greatly the abhominable synne of swearyng is to be detested and abhorred of euery true Christen harte Therfore I shaâ—l moost intierlye desyre all faythefull and Christen people that shall read this my worke to marke diligently what so euer they shall here fynde and to repose it in yâ— bottome of theyr hartes as a graue weyghty matter pertaynyng vnto the health of theyr soules Saye 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 If ony man wyll not amend after this our admonicion his damnacion fâ—ll vpon his owne head For I am free froÌ„ his bloud and haue done my dutye in this behalfe After that God had brought his people the Israelites out of Egipte myndyng to institute appoynâ—e a newe publique weale that shulde be gouerned after his deuyse and appoyntment he ordined certayne ceremonies and ordinaunces whiche they shoulde obserue and by the obseruasis therof shewe and outwardly declare theyr obediente harte towarde hym Among all other for the ryght iÌ„stitucioÌ„ of theyr lyfe he gaue them by his seruaunt Moses ten coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes whych by no means they myght transgresse except they woulde faull into his great displeasure wrathe indignation To the kepers of those commaundementes he promised all good Deut. xxviii fortunate and prosperous thynges but to the traÌ„sgressours suche as breke them he threatened all troublous greuous and paynefull thynges as we maye se in the bokes of Moses of yâ— other Prophetes AmoÌ„g all other he gaue a commaundement whiche is thys Thou shalte not take the name of thy Lorde God in vayne For the Lorde wyll not holde hym gylteles that taketh hys name in vayne As thoughe he shoulde saye Beholde I am yâ— Lorde thy God which haue done the many greate singuler pleasures I haue made the lyke vnto myn owne similitude lykenes and image I haue preserued the froÌ„ eternall
exaÌ„ple of other and so caused it to be proclamed thorowe oute hys Realme for a generall ponyshement ¶ Philip Kynge of Fraunce PHilippe Kyng of FrauÌ„ce whom so euer he perceaued to blaspheme the name of God eyther in Tauerne or ony where els yea althogh he were a great man of dignite VinceÌ„tius in speculo historiali commaunded that he shuld be drowned And caused a stroÌ„ge acte to be made of it a lytle before hys death leafte it vnto hys successours ¶ Philippe Earle of Flaunders PHilip Earle of Flaunders made thys constitucion wytheâ—n hys Iacobus Mayer 9 in chromeis FlaÌ„driae Earledome in the yere of our Lorde M. Clxxviij that he that dydde forsweare hymselfe shuld loose his lyfe and goodes ¶ Marimilianus the Emperour MAximilianus the Emperoure made also a decre In Paralip reruÌ„ memorabilium that who so euer he were that was a comoÌ„ swearer shulde for the fyrste tyme loose a marke And if he were not content wyth that he shulde loose his heade whyche acte he the nobilitie of the Empyre commaunded to be publyshed foure tymes in the yere at Easter Whytsondaye Assumpcion of our Lady and Christmas ¶ The councell of Iosephus THe councel of Iosephus is this that he Lib â–ª iiiii Antiq. Cap. vi which blasphemeth god vnreuerently vse his name shulde be stoned vnto deathe and than haÌ„ged vp by the space of one daye and so taken downe and buryed wtoute all manner of honour Diuers other moost noble Princes made diuers other mooste holye lawes for the exchewing of customable swearyng Periury Wolde god that theyse theyr moost godly actes myght ether be renued among christen men or elles some other deuised for the abolyshyng and puttynge awaye of the moost wycked and detestable custome of swearynge euery Prynce as he shall thynke moost coÌ„uenieÌ„t for the state of hys Realme Lawes are made and penaltees appoynted for diuers meane thynges whiche only concerne worldly matgesâ— why than do not ChristeÌ„ Prynces also make lawes actes and decrees for yâ— glory of god yâ— his name may be had in honour reuereÌ„ce as most worthy of all it is Worldlye matters maye not so be estemed that thynges pertaynynge vnto the glorye of God and the saluacion of Christen mennes soules shall be neglected For rulares are appoynted of God not only to looke vpon mundayne worldly but also diuine spirituall matters And it is theyr duty no les to tender the glory of GOD and to make actes coÌ„cernyng the same theÌ„ to se that publique tranquilite all thynges decent comely for an honest outward order be mayntayned preserued kepte And as they are the supreme heades chefe Rulars both of yâ— Spiritualte TeÌ„poralte so ought they to trauayle no lesse in spiritual thaÌ„ in teÌ„poralmatters Loke what enormities wyckednesses vngodly customes supersticious vnrighteous manners â–ª c. reygne in Realmes all these ought to be abolyshed and put away by the terrene Potentates and earthely Rulars God grauÌ„t that we maye se it shortely not only in thys Realme but in the kyngedomes of so many as professe Christ. AMEN ¶ Remedies agaynst swearyng IF thou be bent to leaue the wycked custome of swearynge fyrste praye feruentely vnto God that he wyl take away that thy hart which is defyled on suche sorte so hardened wythe the customable vsage of synnyng that there canne enter no vertue nor godlynes into it SecoÌ„dly desyre hym for hys great mercies sake to create in the a newe harte to poure hys spirite so abundantly into thy breste that by the influence of it thou mayste be able to dryncke in vertue and all that euer shal be plesasit to the diuine maâ—este Thyrdly be so at defyaunce wyth all vice synne that by no meanes at any tyme thou haue pleasure eyther to thynke heare or talke of it so farre let it be from the to medle ony thyng at all with it in thought worde or dede Fortely set thys sayeng of Christ euer before thyne eyes ◠〈◊〉 the third chapter of S. Iames â—pistle that at the daye of iudgement accoÌ„ptes shall be gyueÌ„ of euery idle word that is spoken Thys shall bryng vnto thy remembraunce howe greâ—ous accouÌ„tes shal be required of them yâ— customably sweare vaynely vsurpe the name of God blaspheme GOD be falsly forsworne c. Fyftly that thou mayst the more easly exchewe swearyng flye the coÌ„pany of them that vse customablye to sweare or haue a pleasure to enterlase theyr talke with blasphemous oothes And what so euer thou hatest in other looke that by no means thou doste the same Syxtely busy thy selfe coÌ„tinually in gyuyng praysesvnto God and in settyng forth the glory of his name Delyght thou in no thyng so moch as in doynge those thynges yâ— make vnto the auauncemeÌ„t of the diuine maieste This shal not a lytyll make vnto yâ— deposicioÌ„ of swering make the to haue a mouth whiche shall be the organ and instrument of the holy Ghost to sette for the and publysh the glory of God Finally let nothyng come forthe of thy mouthe vntyll it be thorowly soddeÌ„ in thy breste as Epictetus the Greke Philososopher warneth and so order both thy tong and thyn actes in all thy conuersacioÌ„ that it neuer repente the afterwarde of onye thynge that thou haste done So shalte thou not only exchew the daÌ„nable custome of swearynge but also garnysh thy lyfe wyth all kynde of vertues vnto the great glory of God and the healthe of thy soule So be it TELOS ¶ A Table wherin thou shalt fynde all the principall thynges contayned in thys boke THe Inuectyue speaketh Folâ—io i The Preface vnto the boke fol. eodem The Inuectyâ—e Folio viii Vice greatly encreased follo x Saye not but that ye are warned fol. xii A comparison betwene God man fol. xiiii Idolatry and swearynge are the moost grâ—uous synnes Fol. xvi What it is to take the name of God in vayne folio eodem Menne of occupacion Folio xviii O extreme abhominacion folâ— eodem What truthe and fayth ought to reygne among Christen menne fol. eodâ—m Dysers and Carders Folio xix Menne of lawe fol. eodem Prestes and beneficed menne Folio xx Reruyng menne folio xxi An admonicion for Gentle menne Fol. xxiii Paryshuers fol. eodem Chyldren Folio xxiiii The worlde and Gods worde iudgeth diuersly of swâ—arers folio xxvi Swearers are lyke theues condemned to be haÌ„ged Folio xxxii Examples of swearyng ponyshed in our tyme. Folio eodem Our damnacion is great Folio xxxiiii What salte signâ—fyeth folio xixv Sweaâ—â—rs are enemies to Goddes worde Folio xxxvi Of Perâ—ury Folio xi Who so swearethe by God that is the truthe ryghteousnesse and takethe hym to wyâ—nesse to mayntayne his lyeng disceat and vnryghteousnes he is a periure yll lyght and suche one yâ— lytyll regardethe Goddes truthe and hys commaundementes Folio xii A comparison betwene the father the sonne Folio folio xiiii Periury thyrsteth innocent