As heare how the Holy Ghost delivers it Psal 109. As he loved cursing so shall it come unto him and as he loved not blessing so shall it be farre from him As hee cloathed himselfe with cursing like a garment so shall it come into his bowels like water and like oyle into his bones let it be unto him as a garment to cover him and for a girdle wherewith he shall alwaies be girded ver 17 18 19. Here this all ye whose tongues tunne so fast one the devills arrand you loved cursing you shall have it both upon you about you and in you and that everlastingly if you persereve and goe on for Christ himselfe at the last day even he which came to save the world shall say unto all such depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angells Mat. 25.41 Where they shall doe nothing but curse for evermore for they no farther apprehending the goodnesse mercy and bounty of God then by the sense of their owne torments the effects of his justice shall hate him and hating him they shall curse him Revel 16.11.21 They suffer and they blaspheme there is in them a furious malice against him being cursed of him they recurse him they curse him for making them curse him for condemning them curse him because being ajudged to death they can never finde death they curse his punishments because they are so unsufferable curse his mercies because they may never tast them curse the blood of Christ shed on the Crosse becuse it hath satisfied for milions and done their unbeleeving soules no good curse the Angells and Saints in heaven because they see them in joy and themselves in torment Cursings shall be their sins and their chiefe ease Blasphemies their Prayers Lacrimae their notes Lamentation all their harmony these shall be their evening songes their morning songs their mourning songs for ever ever And indeede who shall go to hell if cursers should be left out Wherefore let all those learne to blesse that looke to be heirers of the blessing Swearer O But God is mercifull and Christ came into the world to save sinners witnesse the Theefe upon the Crosse who was heard by him at the last houre Messenger I grant the Lord is exceeding mercifull and gratious flow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne for he proclaimes himselfe so Exod. 34.6 7. But he will by no meanes cleare the ungodly but visit the iniquitie of their fathers upon their children and upon their childrens children unto the third and fourth generation as it followes in the very same verse Yea he will reward the wicked according to their workes Revel 20.12.13 and 22.12 Indeed a world of men beleeve with Orrigen that God is so mercifull that all shall be saved they presume that God must needs save them because he made them without any other ground though in another fit they are as apt to dispayre to say with the same Origen should all other sinners obtaine mercy yet not I. Wicked men are altogether in extreames at first they make question whether this or that be a sinne at last they apprehend it such a sinne that they make question whether it can be forgiven Either God is so mercifull that they may live how they list or so just that he will not pardon them upon their repentance No meane with them between the rock of presumption and the gulfe of dispayer But the tenure of the word of God runs thus Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous his own imaginations and returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgive As Esay hath it Chap. 55 7. And that we should not doubt of this the Lord redoubles his promise Ezek. 18. And confirmes the same with an oath Chap. 33.11 Yea he is more ready to shew mercy upon our repentance then we are to beg it as appeares in the example of the Prodigall Sonne Luke 15.20 Doe but repent and God will pardon you bee your sinnes never so many and innumerable for multitude never so haynous for qualitie and magnitude for repentance is alwayes blest with forgivenesse Yea sinnes upon repentance are so remitted as if they had never beene committed I have put away thy transgressions as a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist Esay 44.22 And what by corruption hath beene done by repentance is undone as a bundance of examples witnesse Hee pardoned Davids Murther and Adultery Solomons Idolatry Peters Apostacy Paul did not only deny Christ but persecuted him yet he obtained mercy upon his repentance yea amongst the worst of Gods enemies some are singled out for mercy witnesse Manasses Mary Magdalen the Theefe c. Many of the Jewes did not onely deny Christ the holy one and the just but crucified him yet were they pricked in there hearts at Peters Sermon gladly received the word were baptized Act. 2.41 But on the other side unlesse we repent and amend our lives we shall all perish as Christ himselfe affirmes Luk. 13.3.5 For though mercy rejoyceth against justice Iam 2.13 yet it destroyeth not God justice he is just as well as mercifull his mercy is a just mercy and his justice is not an unmercifull justice he is infinite in both and therefore in his word he hath equally promised all blessings spirituall temporall and eternall unto those that keepe his commandements and threatned all mannor of judgements to those that break them with their severall extreames according to the measure degree of every sin Deut. 28. which chapter together with the former I wish thee to reade if thou wilt know thy selfe and foreknow thy judgement Neither is salvation more promised to the godly then eternall death and destruction is threatned to the wicked both in the old and new Testament And as Christ is a Saviour so Moses is an accuser Iohn 5.45 Alasse though to all repentant sinners he is amost mercifull God yet to wilfull and inpenitente sinners hee is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4.24 Doth not the Apostle say that neither fornecators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor buggerers nor theeves nor coveteous nor drunkards nor raylers nor extortioners to which number Saint Iohn Revel 21.8 addeth the fearefull and unbeleeving murtherers and sorserers and all lyers shall not inherit the Kingdome of God but shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1. Cor. 6.9 10. Gal. 5.21 And doth he not likewise affirme that all they shall bee damned which beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2.12 doth not the Lord say Ier. 16.13 that he will have no mercy for such as are deseparately wicked and againe Deut. 29.19.20 That if any man blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace although I walke according to the
yea be yea and your nay nay least you fall into condemnation James 5.12 Where marke the Emphasis in the first words Above all things sware not and the great danger of it in the last word condemnation If the matter be light vaine we must not sweare at all if so waighty that we may lawfully sweare as before a Magistrate being called to it then we must only use the glorious name of our God in a holy religious mannor as you may see Deut. 6.13 Isa 45.23 65.16 Josh 23.7 Ier. 5.7 Exod. 23.13 And the reasons of it are waighty if we look into them for in swaring by any creature whatsoever wee doe invocate that creature and ascibe to it divine worship a lawfull oath being a kind of invocation and a part of Gods worship Yea whatsoever wee sweare by that we invocate both as our witnesse surety and judge Heb. 6.16 and by consequence deifie it by ascribing communicating unto it Gods incommunicable atributes as his omnipresents and omnisiencie of being every where present and knowing the secret thoughts and intentions of the heart and likewise an omnipotency as being almighty in patronising protecting defending and rewarding us for speaking the truth or punishing us if we speake falsly All which are so peculiar to God as that they can no way be communicated or ascribed to another So that in swaring by any of those things thou committest an heigh degree of grosse Idollatry thou spoylest and robbest God of his glory the most impious kind of theft and in a manner dethronest him and placest an Idoll in his roome And as to sweare by the creature makes the sin far more haynous so the more meane and vile the thing is which you sweare by be it by my fey by cocke and pie hares foote by this cheese and such like childish oaths which are so much in use with the ignorant and superstitious swarme the greater is your sinne in swearing such an oath because you ascribe that unto these basest of creatures which is only proper to God namely to know your heart and to be a deseruer of secret things why else should you call that creature as a witnesse unto your conscience that you speake the truth and lye not which only belongeth to God And therefore the Lord calls it a forsaking of him as marke well what he saith Jer 5.7 How shall I spare thee for this thy children have forsaken me and sworne by them that are no Gods Exod. 23.13 And doe you make it a small matter to forsake God and make a God of the creature Will you beleeve the Prophet Amos. If you will he saith speaking of them that swore by the sin of Samaria that they shall fall and never rise againe Amos 8.14 a terrible place to vaine swarers Neither are we to joyne any other with God in our oaths for in so doing we make base Idolls and filthy creatures corrivalls in honour and competitors in the throne of justice with the Lord who is creator of heaven and earth and the supreame judge and sole Monnarke of all the world Or in case we doe our doome shall be remedilesse for the Lord threatneth by the Prophet Zephany that he will cut off them that sweare by the Lord and by Maulcham which Maulcham was there King or as some thinke their Idoll Zeph. 1.4.5 But admit the sinne were small as you would have it to be yet the circomstances make it most hainous for even the least sinne in its owne nature is not only mortall but unpardonable so long as it is willingly committed and excused or defended Swarer But all doe sweare except some few singular ones and they also will lye which is as bad Messenger You must not measure all others by your owne Bushell for although ill dispositions cause ill suspitions even as the eye that is bloodshot sees all things red or as they that have the Jaunders see all things yellow yet know that there be thousands who can say truly through Gods mercy that they had rather choose to have their soules passe from their bodies then a willfull premeditated lye or a wicked oath from their mouths wherefore when you want experience thinke the best as charity bids you and leave what you know not to the searcher of hearts As for the number of swearers it cannot be denied but the sinne is almost universall and this is it which hath insensed Gods wrath almost brought an universal destruction upon our whole Nation But is not this excuse that others doe so a most reasonlesse plea and only becomming a foole when our Saviour Christ hath plainly told us that the greatest number goe the broade way to distruction and but a few the narrow way which leadeth unto life Mat. 7.13.14 and St. Iohn that the whole world lyeth in wickednesse 1 Iohn 5.19 And that the number of those whom Satan shall deceive is as the sand of the Sea Revelat. 20.8 and 13.16 Isay 10.22 Rom. 9.27 And tell me were it a good plea to commit a fellony and say that others doe so Or wilt thou leape into hell and cast away thy soule because others doe so A sorry comfort it will be to have a numerous multitude accoompany us into that lake of fier that nver shall be quenched Besides it is Gods expresse charge Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill and St. Paules everlasting rule Rom. 12.2 Fashion not your selves like unto this world Swarer But I may lawfully sweare so I affirme nothing but the truth Messenger If you be lawfully called to it as before a Magistrate or when some urgent matter constraineth for the confirming of a necessary truth which can by no other lawful meanes be cleared and for the ending of al contentions and controversies and clearing our own or our neighbours good name person or estate and to put an end unto all strife ayming at Gods glory and our owne or our neighbours good which is the only use and end of an oath in which case a man is rather a patient then a voluntary agent You may sweare otherwise not Neither must we sweare at all in our ordinary communication if we will obay Gods word as you may see Mat. 5.34.35 36 37. Iames 5.12 Swarer Except I sweare men will not beleeve me Messenger Thou hadst as good say I have so often made shipwrack of my credit by accustomary lying that I can gaine no beleefe unto my words without an oath for it argues a guilty conscience of the want of credit and that our word alone is worth no respect when it will not be taken without a paune or surety Neither will any but basâ— banquerouts pawne so pretious a jewel as their faith for every small trifle Besides he that often sweareth not seldome forsweareth And so I have informed you from Gods word what the danger is of vaine and wicked swearing Now if you either beleeve the scriptures or desire to escape that dyerful
not to take the glorious name of God in vaine nor place any other creature in his roome though the Divell should say unto you as once he did to Christ all this will I give thee For it is not enough that we abstaine from evill unlesse we hate it also and doe the contrary good Sanctifie the Lord God in your heart 1 Pet. 3.15 Make a Covenant with your mâ—uth as Ioh did with his eyes and set a watch before the doore of your lips that you thus offend not with your tongue Psal 141.3 Which if you do rightly the like care to avoyde all other sins will necessarily follow because he that feares to commit one sin out of conscience and because God forbids it will upon the samâ— ground feare all that his law forbids and as heartily and unfainedly desire that he may never commit it as that God should never impuce it 2 Tim 2.19 Neither can a regâ—nerate mâ—nd consist with a determination to continue in any one sinne as when Christ cast out one Devill wee read that he cast out all even the whole Legion Marke 5 2 And he that makes not some conscience of all sinne makes no true conscience of any sinne And the same is to be understood also of duties commanded for the same law which injoynes us to hate and forsake all sinne commands us also to strive after universall obedience to every precept And it is a true rule he that hath not in him all christian graces in their measure hath none and he that hath any one truly hath all He that is not sanctified in every part is truly sanctified in no part 1 Pet. 1.15 2 Pet. 3.11 Mat. 5 48. 2 Tim. 3.17 2 Cor. 7.1 And the least sin alowed of be it but a vaine thought or one duty omitted is enough to cast thee into hell for the wages of sinne any sinne be it never so little is death Rom. 6 23. James 1.15 Yea admit thou hadst never acted any the least evill in all thy life it were not enough to save thee from hell much lesse to bring thee to heaven for we need no more to condemne us then what we brought into the world with us Gen. 2.17 Psâ—l 51.5 Rom. 5.12 Whence the new borne child in the law was commanded to offer a sinne offering Levit 12.6 Which grace if you would obtaine First lay to heart the things formerly delivered Beleeve thine estate dangerous and that there is but one way to help thee viz. to repent what thou hast done and never more to do wilfully or premedetately what thou hast repented not fostering one knowne sinne in thy soule For the only way to become good is first to beleeve that thou art evil and by accusing our selves we prevent satan by judging our selves we prevent God Scondly If thou beest convinced and resolvest upon a new course let thy resolution be pâ—remtory and constant and take heed thou hearden not againe as Pharoah the Philistems the Yong man in the Gospel Pilate and Judas did Resemble not the Iron which is no longer â—oft then it is in the fier be not like those which are sea sicke who are much troubled while they are on shipbord but presently well againe when they come to shore for that good saith St. Gregory will doe us no good which is not made good by perseverance If with these premonitions the spirit shall vouchsafe to stir up in thy heart any good motions and holy purposes to obey God in letting thy sins goe quench not grieve not the spirit 1 Thes 5.19 returne not with the dog to thy vomit least thy latter end prove seven fold worse then thy beginning Mat. 12.43.45 As it fared with Iulian the Apostate and Iudas the Traitor Oh it is a fearfull thing to receive the grace of God in vaine and a desperate thing being warned of a rock will fully to cast our selves upon it Thirdly Let not Satan perswade you to defer your repentance no not an houre least your resolution proves as a false conception that never comes to bearing for as ill debtors put off their creaditors first one weeke and then another tell at last they are able to pay nothing So deale delayers with God Besids Death may be suddain even the least of a thousand things can kill thee and give thee no leasure to be sicke 2. Or if death be not suddain repentance is no such easie worke as to be put off to sicknesse And though true repentance be never too late yet late repentance is seldome true And indeed there is small hope of repentance at the houre of death where there was no regard of honesty in the time of life and millions are now in hell who thought they would repent hereafter not being wise enough to consider that it is with sin in the heart as with a tree planted in the ground which the longer it groweth the harder it is to be pluckt up or a nayle in a post which is made faster by every stroake of the hammer Can the Blackamore change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill saith the Lord Ier. 13.23 3. Or suppose after many yeares spent in the service of sinne and Satan thou art willing to relinquish thy lusts and offer to God thy service and best devotions at the last gaspe Will he accept of them No he hath expresly told us the contrary Pro. 1.24 to 32. Yea is 〈◊〉 likely that God will accept of thy dry bones when Satan hath suâ—kt out all the marrow that he will give his heavenly and spirtuall graces at the houre of deah to those who have câ—ntâ—mned them all their life Yea is it not most just and equall â—f God will not be found of those that were content to loosse him If he shut his eare against their prayers calling to hâ—m for pardon that stopt their eares against his voice calling upon them for repentance The Lord hath made a promise to late repentance not of late repentance If thou convertest to morrow thou art sure of grace but thou art not sure of to morrowes conversion If in any reasonable time we pray he will heare us if we repent he will pardon us if we amâ—nd our lives he will save us but for want of this consideration Dives prayed but was not heard Esau wept but was not pitied the foolish Virgins knockt but were denied And so thousands have cried unto God at the houre of death and found no acceptance but they died as they lived and went from â—ispayer unto distruction Wherefore as you tender the good of your owne soule set upon the worke presently provide with Ioseph for the Dearth to come With Noah in the dayes of thine heâ—lth build the arke of a good conscience aganst the floods of sicknesse Imitate the Ant who provides her meat in sommer for the winter following Yea doe it whilst the yearning bowells the bleeding wounds compassionate armes