A SERMON CONCERNING SVVEARING Preached before the King's MAIESTY In Christ-Church Oxon May the 12. 1644. By W. Strode Dr of Divinity Published by His MAjESTIES Command OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Vniversity 1644. MAT. 5.37 But let your Communication be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more then these commeth of Evill AS in the Order of a Common wealth so in that of the Universe the Priority of Duty belongs to the Supreame Head then a subordinate proportion to our Fellow members Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart this is the great Command Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe this is but like unto it the first Table exceedes the second as well in weight as in words because the higher Object gives it the heavier scale And in duties of the first Table Aw of Gods holy Name is not the least these three Fidelity Reverence and Service doe summe up the whole draft of divine worship the first hath reference to his sole Substance the second to his holy Name the third to the circumstance of his Publick worship next to his Nature is his Name which followes it as the shadow waites on the Body Wherefore the Order in which the Reverence of his Name is rank'd declares the weight of the Duty And this I premise to raise a more awfull attention to the words of my Text as directly ayming at the observance thereof Let your Communication be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more then these commeth of Evill Herein I propose to your Consideration three notions 1. A silent toleration of an Oath in case of necessity because the case here put is not necessary but common 2. An expresse Limitation of our words in Communication or common Talke Let your Communication be yea yea nay nay no more 3. A reason of such Limitation because whatsoever is more then these commeth of Evill Briefly thus how an Oath may be used how not and why not these are the Parts First in cases of necessity an Oath is tolerable for what is an Oath but the calling of God to witnesse for decision of doubtfull matters which otherwise cannot be made evident so Philo defines it to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Testimony of God in a matter doubtfull Scientiall Propositions are confirm'd by Reason particular Contingents meerly by Testimony as it is ridiculous to prove a generall Proposition by an Oath so it is vaine to prove a particular Fact by Reason Now humane Testimony is oftentimes so thin and weake that it cannot evidence the Truth both because on the Speakers part there is aptnesse of Lying and also on the Hearers a hardnesse of Beliefe a weake Eye cannot penetrate a deceitfull heart Therefore to supply these defects slippery Mendacity and ignorant Incredulity man in weighty matters knowes not whither to flye but onely to divine testimony and so by an Oath calls him to witnesse whose Knowledge is universall whose Truth infallible whereby he can neither be deceived nor deceive others This is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} according to Procopius the last and most certaine pawne of Credit In case of Exigence we may use this Pawne under divers formes an Oath Assertory of things past or present an Oath Promissory of things to come And each of them may be utter'd either by simple Attestation seeming to call God only as a witnesse or by Execration and Cursing conditionally added upon our selves when he is call'd as a Judge too and so againe either by citing Gods owne Name or his Creatures wherein His Majesty and Truth appeares as the principall parts of Nature the meanes of Redemption instruments of Grace Gospells Sacraments and the like Our Saviour in the words before my Text hath reduc'd all Oathes by what creature soever high or low great or small Naturall or Artificiall without or within us to God their Author and Ruler present and powerfull in them wherefore being so refer'd in his acâ—â—ption they ought to be so refer'd in our Intention and use that in Swearing we neither make too little of them by Falshood or Levity as if God were not in them nor too much by Idolatry as if they were Gods themselves Some holier things wherein the Divine Truth is more clearly manifested if expresly terminated on God as St Paul terminates the Rejoycing by which he Sweares in Christ Jesus 1. Cor. 15.31 may be used in a secondary way of Attestation that God by Them may make the Truth appeare but these as well as other Creatures are more properly cited in Cursing and an Oath by any inferiour Name in the safest sense is an Imprecation that divine Judgement may be exercis'd on Falshood through the things which we love and use Saint Paul in another place joynes an Attestation and Execration under one mixt forme I call God for a Record upon my Soule 2. Cor. 1 23.v I call God for a Record there 's the Attestative part upon my Soule there 's the Execrative These wayes of assevering and establishing the Truth though some of them be more liable to danger and suspition of abuse for which cause the Councell of Carthage punish'd a Clerke Swearing by the Creature yet all if rightly order'd are allowable but a right Oath by Gods owne Name is not onely Lawfull but Laudable and Religious Laudable in the Judgement of holy David Psal. 63 12.v All they that sweare by him shall be commended Religious in the most generall esteeme of the Schoole both because it proceedes from a good Ground Faith in Gods Omniscience and Infallibility and because it tends to a good End mentioned by the Apostle Heb. 6 16.v namely the End of Strife as in the making of Leagues Promise of Allegiance Trialls of Law Compurgation of Fame and the like The Act it selfe unlesse it want these necessary Relations or miscarry in the manner is Pious and Reverent Wherefore the Scripture measures out the due Conditions Thou shalt sweare the Lord liveth in Judgement in Truth and in Righteousnesse Jer. 4.2 In Judgement Discreetly when the cause is found weighty the doubt difficult and an Oath necessary That belongs to the Person In Truth Sincerely when the Matter is well knowne to be so That belongs to the Matter in Righteousnesse Honestly that Justice may be fulfilled That belongs to the End The Rash Swearer through want of Judgement vilifies the Majesty of God the Perjurd through want of Truth calls him to witnesse a Lye the Wicked through want of Righteousnesse useth him as a helper of Iniquity And therefore where these are supposed to be wanting as in Children not come to Discretion and in Perjur'd men past Truth and Honesty an Oath is by no meanes allowable If onely the principall Condition be deficient if an Oath Assertory be found to want Truth or an Oath Promissory to want Righteousnesse the one is Invalid the other not
Or rather the second yea is added to stint the former and to exclude Swearing let your Affirmation be meerly Affirmative Let your yea be yea and your nay be nay according to S. James c. 5.12 v. or lastly to strengthen the Asseveration as Pharaoh's Dreame was assured by doubling it and as the practice of our Saviour shewes Amen Amen Verily Verily I say unto you Pure Affirmation and Negation without the staring Embroydery of Oathes is sufficient for Common discourse because things familiarly spoken are either credible of themselves or else have no absolute necessity of credence Where nothing more then Affirmation is necessary why should more be strain'd To lift a Feather with both hands and with strong Engines to hoot alowd where a whisper is better heard is it not ridiculous If frequent Lying had not begot a just Incredulity I see not why an hearty Asseveration might not supply the place of an Oath even in the weightiest matters and then the Lyar might be esteemed and censured no otherwise then now the Perjur'd the same Figure put in a higher place carries ten times more Value so we find that the bare word of an approved honest man passeth for an Oath so should the word of a Priest by the Credit of his Profession and the word of a Peere by the vertuous Estimation of his Honour The Essens saith Josephus accounted him a Convict Liar whose word would not passe without the Suretiship of God We never find that our Saviour swore at all though he uttered things of greatest consequence for indeed his works did sufficiently confirme his words Mans voyce passeth through the Eare onely but Gods through the Eye also as Philo observes out of the 20. of Exod where the People is said to have seen the Object of the Eare yea to have seen the noyse of the Trumpet the like we read in the second of Jer. v. 31. O Generation see the word of the Lord Grant me therefore a Heart transparent in word Reall Truth conformable to the Divine Patterne let these grow habituall amongst us then me thinkes all our businesse may well be transacted without such straining of Credit Or if a single Affirmation will not sufface let it be doubled as here in my Text two yeas may stand for an Oath two nayes for an Execration especially when the Forme hath beene recommended by our Saviour Doubtlesse this is the way of Perfection pointed out by his Instruction to them that desire it Christ would have his so simple as not to Deceive so Candid as not to distrust St Jerome is bold to affirme that Swearing by Gods Name was allowed to the Jewes as to Children and no otherwise then the use of Sacrifice to prevent Idolatry that the Stature of Evangelicall Truth will not owne it since every word of the Faithfull ought to weigh with an Oath Howsoever though the malignity of the world require that in arduous affaires of inextricable doubt an Oath be still indulg'd yet let us use this our Priviledge modestly let us honour God in this our weaknesse let not the use of his Name descend to obvious and familiar Communication there a double yea is superabundant no Colour no Pretext for more there an Oath there taken destroyes the End for which it is allowed and instead of Credence begets more Incredulity more suspition because the Bond of Confirmation is so cheaply esteemed Swearing was never commanded Absolutely but either Comparatively that men might rather sweare by the True God then by a False or Respectively out of urgent necessity or Circumstantially with due Conditions And therefore though it may be good in it selfe 't is not good for it selfe not good like Health but like Physick which may be used for Necessity but ought not to be desired and frequented because of the Danger If an Oath be but Physick for Incredulity take heed to thy selfe for Physick swallowed without a Cause breedes sicknesse Above all things Sweare not saith S. James least ye fall into Condemnation least easinesse of Swearing bring a habit the habit continuance continuance Perjury and these eternall Malediction What saith S. Austin Falsa Juratio est Impiae vera est Periculosa nulla est Secura False Swearing is Impious True is Dangerous none at all is Secure Though Danger be not considerable in case of necessity yet beware least the past Act of necessity dispose thee to habit Things not Absolutely but Occasionally good ought to be used Rarely and with ponder'd Circumstance To execute an Offender is Lawfull but not to kill on particular pleasure or in Passion Though an Oath may be taken Religiously and safely as occasion shall require yet commonly to hurle it forth is most Irreligious and therefore most Banefull That it is most Irreligious will some appeare Familiarity betwixt unequalls takes of respect whensoever it is challeng'd and things most glorious are soyld by ordinary use so is the name of the Almighty it looses its due Reverence by obvious usurpation insomuch that it failes of its binding vertue in matters of weight Whatsoever is Sacred on earth is shut up and abstracted from Community What 's the holinesse of the Lords day a separation from all worke but only His Service any other worke prophanes it What 's the holinesse of the Lords Place or Church a separation from all use but His any other use as walking or idle communing especially in time of Divine Service this as well as Merchandise prophanes it What 's the holinesse of God's name which is nearer unto him then either of these and shall indure when these are gone a separation from common discourse all speech but sacred and Necessary prophanes it Then wash thy mouth with teares from thine Eye for polluting his Holy and Reverend Name with vaine Appellation St Paules Attestation in his Epistles gives no example to common swearing his matter is not so light as our Communication neither is the Pen so rash as the Tongue Scribentis consideratio cautior non habet linguam praecipitem saith Aquinas the consideration of the wary writer prunes off all headlong Expressions incident to talke so that the Apostles Oath is not the zeale of Folly but of Vnderstanding 'T is easily observable that we scarce name our friends or earthly superiours without a formall respect sometimes we move the Hat and sometimes we put it off then to use the name of God unnecessarily and Irreverently is as much as to say God is neither our Friend nor Superiour O wretched disrespect where the Proportion of Honour due is infinitely greater would the Swearing Lord or forswearing Gallant take it well himselfe to be lightly talk'd of to be call'd Dick or Tom by a rude pesant if such language be sawcy and rustick concerning himselfe how presumptuous and prophane is his owne touching the Lord of Lords But an Oath is more then the bare Naming of God it calls him to witnesse a businesse not light howsoever vilified through Custome
Obligatory Law shewes the first and Conscience tells us concerning the second that one Sinne cannot oblige us to commit another nor a sinne in word to second it with a sinne in worke for sinne ought to be broken off as soone as possibly it may Wherefore David without scruple blesseth God and Abigail for staying him in the prosecution of a rash and bloody Oath 1. Sam. 25. cap. To whom should an injust Oath oblige us to God or to Man whether it were taken Rashly in Error or Passion whether it were taken violently by Coaction or willingly with Deliberation or mixtly betwixt Will and Force for Deliverance out of present trouble yet if the Matter or End be unrighteous or impedient to Charity certainly it obliges not to God because it was contrary to Gods will which ought to take place of our owne upon second and better Thoughts Much lesse can it oblige to Man especially when it is impos'd Fraudulently or Compulsively or without just Authority because the Imposer deserves to be deceiv'd and to beare the Imputation of that perjury which he obtruded on others I grant that since every Oath is of a binding Nature it cannot but some way bind the Person in himselfe either with a True Intention or with Guilt of Perjurd collusion For the Reverence due to Gods Name requires Truth of Intention but when the Matter is unrighteous Gods word forbids Execution and when by Satans device Gods Name is set up against Gods Word and Truth against Rigteousnesse no wonder if intention and execution agree not for as Truth carries the one so the other is to be swayed by Righteousnesse In this absur'd opposition which ought to be prevented by not Swearing the Swearer is so intangled that which way soever he turne he is actually Perjur'd by Swearing either what he intends not or what he ought not to performe but to falsifie though he intended And therefore since in this Case Juramentum ligat non obligat since the unlawfull Oath binds the Conscience with Guilt of a bad Promise though truly made but not to more guilt of wicked Performance it remaines that the Oath past be recalled by Repentance hearty Repentance for shrinking under Gods Triall for taking his Sacred Name in Vaine and incurring a Denyall of him before Men Now at length since a firme Oath must be joyntly held up with these holy Conditions appointed by God it selfe so upheld must needs be Holy If rightly taken 't is a peice of Religious worship and not without faire ground from other Scripture Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serve him and Sweare by his Name Deut. 6.13 there Swearing is commanded and plac'd as the next Neighbour to divine Service For to give God the better to end all Strife at the sound of his Name as duely ascribing to him all Power Knowledge and Truth is to yeeld him Honour and Reverence For verily a Man sweareth by the Greater Heb. 6.16 per quem veneratur aut diligit by whom he honours or loves saith St Jerome an Oath saith Aristotle is most Honourable as being a Token of divinity therefore C. Caligula ambitious of divine worship publish'd an Edict throughout his Empire that Men should accustome to sweare by his Name likewise when Demosthenes swore by them that ventured their lives at Marathon {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as if the men â—ould be Saincted for that Expedition he stir'd up the â—â—â—its of his Citizens more with that one word then with his whole Oration besides So then an Oath apâ—â—ares to be the badge of Reverence God hath not onely allow'd and commanded an Oath â—n Generall but expresly and carefully injoyn'd it in many â—articular Cases As in case of Theft Ex. 22.11 When â—â—â—ds intrusted miscarry an oath of the Lord shall be beâ—â—me them that he hath not put his hands to his Neighâ—â—ors goods In case of Murder Deut. 21.6 v. When a â—â—n is slaine all the Elders of the City next to the slaine shall â—â—sh their Hands over the Heifer and they shall Testifie and â—â—â— Our Hands have not shed this Blood neither have our eyes seen it be mercifull ô Lord In case of Adultery Num. 19. If the Spirit of Jealousie come upon a Man the Priest will charge the Woman with an Oath According to the â—â—tent of these Instances are the Oathes of Supremacy â—llegiance the Oath ex officio in spirituall Courts and the Oathes in Temporall usually administer'd for the â—â—rance of Fidelity and Truth Likewise all sacred Conâ—acts betwixt God and us are tied with this Knot Bapâ—â—sme Confirmation Marriage Consecration Orders Vowes are all celebrated either with an Oath or with â—â—t which is Equivalent the Name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost I could bring a Jury of Exâ—mples for godly Swearing Abraham swore his servant in 24. S. Paul in divers Epistles the Angell by him 〈◊〉 lives for ever Rev. 10. God himselfe to Abraham â—â— 22. By my selfe I have sworne saith the Lord If â—â—â—re be any force in Examples these above all others are most prevalent It is Remarkeable that none are absolutely averse from all Swearing but the reputed Enemies of Obedience Despisers of Order Friends to Lying and Hypocrisie who having now gotten some power into their hands are become the greatest Exacters of Swearing Whereby it is the more evident that Judiciall Swearing is of necessary use The chiefest Objection against all Oathes is drawne from the words before my Text ye have heard it said Thou shalt not for sweare but shalt performe or render to the Lord thine Oathes but I say unto you Sweare not at all neither by Heaven for it is Gods Throne nor by that which followes To answer this the Scope of the Context must be exactly weighed The Jewes by Pharisaicall Tradition or wicked practice understood the places of * Scripture summ'd up by our Saviour to be first a Prohibition of Swearing falsly by Gods Name onely secondly an allowance of Swearing by Gods Name Truely False Swearing by the name of Creatures they did not esteeme Perjury True Swearing by the Name of God though needlesse they did not esteeme unlawfull whereas the same Scripture which forbids to sweare by his Name Falsly forbids also to Prophane his Name Lev. 19.12 v. according to the sense of the third Commandement Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in Vaine for Vaine includes both False and needlesse and againe the same Scripture which allows Swearing by his great Name interdicts the Name of others Deut. 6 13.v Thou shalt sweare by his Name and ye shall not goe after other Gods Wherefore that corrupt Interpretation Christ clearly purges and in one word perfects the Law Sweare not at all As he that speakes not at all cannot Lye so he that sweares not at all cannot Forsweare nor offend in the manner saith S. Bernard So then with one blow Christ cuts of foure Obliquities not
onely Perjurd but all Light Swearing by the Name of God not onely Idolatrous but all Deceitfull Swearing by the Name of Creatures for Christ shewes that every Oath by the Creature is terminated in God and that every Oath by him whether direct or indirect especially in Communication commeth of Evill This word Communication being considered together with the occasion of this Precept shewes how the Precept Sweare not at all is to be understood that is not so farre as in you lies not without necessity 'T is the Judgement of Calvin as well as others that our Saviour bars not the substance of Swearing but the manner not in all Cases but under all â—ermes in Communication the Originall is not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} In no Case but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not at all generally whether True or False in reference to the words preceding but how not irreverently in Communication as appeares by the words following not at all Vainely under any Forme whatsoever as he further illustrates this generall Prohibition neither by God nor the Creature since he that sweares by the Creature sweares by God also which was not duely considered Wherefore Caietan grants the generall substance to be also prohibited as it stands Naked for so it becomes irreverent but as it stands invested with due Circumstance whereby it becomes necessary so he construes it lawfull Luther hath well endeavour'd to clear this point by comparing Christs Sermon together with his Auditors here he instructs not the Maegistrate but the People and divers things are unfit for them in their owne Persons which may become fit under the Magistrates command wherefore this Prohibition of Swearing is to be understood like that of Anger and Killing neither of them is permitted to the Communalty nor to the Magistrate himselfe in common businesse but to them that are called and when they are called to the work of Justice so that ordinarily the safe way is here prescribed be not Angry at all Sweare not at all not of your owne wills not in your triviall affaires but onely when you are not your selves when God through the Power of the Magistrate or the necessity of the Cause according to Justice or Charity shall call you For then your anger is Gods anger not yours and likewise your Oath not yours but Gods As killing without Circumstance is forbidden so Swearing with Circumstance is commanded but as there the conditionall Negative is reduceable to a Positive so here the conditionall Positive is reduced to a Negative yet both these Acts with due Condition are serviceable unto God So then the use of an Oath is not forbidden but the Vanity wherein consists the abuse If it be utterly unlawfull to pronounce the Name of the Almighty why hath he then a Name how shall we praise him or pray unto him If it be objected that an Oath is not absolutely directed to Gods worship but respectively as ayming at the clearing of Truth for humane benefit the like may be said of Prayer that it aymes at our owne Protection and Well-fare yet the Benefit expected abates not the Religious Reverence performed in either For the Beneficiall Result of Divine Attestation which Caietan disdaines to call the End as being lesse Noble then the meanes is but Extrinsecall and Appendant to the Essence of Swearing which rather consists in the Religious Reverence of Divine Attestation and the dignity of the Person so elevates the Induction of his Testimony that we ought to be more taken up with performance of due Reverence thereto belonging then with expectation of the benefit ensuing as also in Prayer whatsoever our desires are we submit them to the overruling will of God Doth Prayer referre all things to his Glory So likewise the last and principall fruit of an Oath to which it may be Piously ordein'd is the Glory of God arising from the ending of humane Controversie And then what hinders but Humane Benefit may subordinatly consist with Gods glory as well in the act of man as in the Act of God God sent his Son a Ransome for Man a Price infinitely beyond the Purchase and a means immeasurably beyond the End yet not unfitly or Ingloriously because the Salvation of Man tends lastly to the glory of God So when divine Testimony is rightly called to be the meanes of Concord betwixt Men 't is not called Irreligiously or but Carnally because this Citation of Gods Name both begins with Reverence and concludes with his Glory So much for this Point wherein you have heard that by reason of humane Infirmities mendacity and Incredulity an Oath in weighty cases not otherwise to be clear'd is allowable of what kind soever it be whether Assertory or Promissory simply Attestating or Execrating by the proper Name of God or by his Might in the Creature because an Oath having a good Ground Faith in Gods Excellence and a good end decision of doubtfull Strife being also accompanied with requisite Conditions Judgement Truth and Righteousnesse without which it cannot stand firme redounds to Gods Honour and worship by attributing unto him undeniable Authority universality of Knowledge and Infallibility of Truth That God hath in divers Cases both allowed and commanded Swearing and that his Saints his Apostle his Angell and himselfe have practised the same that the absolute Rejecters of Swearing who now for advantage are turn'd Exactors thereof are men of more then suspected integrity that the generall prohibition of all Oathes before my Text extends not to the substance of Swearing but the irreverent manner or not to the substance invested with due Circumstance but as it stands naked and so forbids it not in all Cases before a Magistrate but under all Formes in Communication that an Oath taken with exact care or Reverence and all attending Conditions doth not onely serve ourselves but God in chiefe So from establishing the use of an Oath I proceed to cut off the abuse by the Limitation of your Talke in my next poynt Let your Communication be yea yea and nay nay Not your Deposition your Sanction or Confirmation not your Evidence or Testimony but your Communication {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies Speech or Discourse and so the sense is Let your Talke or mutuall Communication be no more then barely Affirmative or Negative Now for the doubling of yea and nay many Conjectures may be yeelded It may beare a Relation to the Persons conferring let such Limitation of Talke be mutuall or a Relation to the matter spoken of quod affirmandum affirma quod negandum nega saith Cajetan if the matter be so so say if otherwise say no or since Truth hath a threefold Residence Objectively in the matter Formally in the mind Representatively in words and since Truth of words should carry a double Conformity with mind and matter therefore yea is doubled yea yea for Heart and Tongue for Word and Deed and so there will be no need of an Oath
but of dreadfull weight The Supreme Judge of all Gods and People is called from his Throne to become a witnesse he is summoned by his Providence to declare the Truth if not presently yet as surely he will to doe it hereafter and to execute Judgement on the Falsifier To cite an ordinary honest man or call him into publick for proof of a frivolous matter perhaps a false one is very discourteous and unfriendly What is it then to cite thy God for nothing but an empty phrase a noyse of no substance a thing more worthy to be false then true some foolish vanity or filthy Act. Reduce an Oath to the value of its meaning and then consider how absonous it would sound though God were thy Vassall or Underling Goe to thy Slave and say thus unto him Lend me thy hand in this Folly or in this mischiefe for my sake doe this piece of Injustice and break a brace of Commandements the third by Swearing and the ninth by false witnesse will not thy Slave start back as from a Fiend or Monster yet thus in effect thou invokest thy God Lord strengthen my words with false witnesse cover my shame by colouring my Falshood thou my God steward my Cosenage and hide it under the shadow of thy Name from thine owne Eye and the Eye of man serve the way of thy worme thou that art infinite and of thy goodnesse further my sinne Art thou ashamed thus to bespeake thy Vassall and hast thou no Regard of thy Heavenly Lord and Father what thinkest thou doest thou beleeve he heares thee and is every where present if so how impudent is thy Brow if not how Atheisticall is thy mind Stay stay thou needest not call him he is too neare already so neare that he stands betwixt the Lips which thou openest and shuttest with an Oath O shamelesse practice that God should be mentioned more in Oathes then in Prayers or in those immediately after these that the Creed should be runne over in such horrible Confession that our Religion should most appeare in our Sinne our Faith in the worke of Infidelity No sooner we come from Church where we bow at the glorious Name of Jesus but we may heare a mouth fling it out with lesse heed then spittle carelesse how it goes or where it lights we may heare him torne and rack'd againe in every part worse then Jewishly because to no End at all his wounds are ript up his heart melts his blood runnes out his feet are nailed all his Passion is repeated and for no mans good but the Speakers meere Condemnation To bridle the mouth and keep it from such rude sinne first ponder your words before you garnish them with Oathes weigh them like Gold in the Ballance consider whereto they tend understand your owne meaning before you lash out with your Tongue for a Birth deliver'd before it is Conceiv'd must needs be monstrous and better be dumbe then speake that which ought to be recall'd By thus brideling the mouth in the matter of Speech your heat and folly will be throughly quell'd in the manner when you take care to speake Wisely Truely and Honestly you will be quite taken off from speaking Irreligiously If Opposition tempt thee to Sweare doe not onely examine how great the matter is how true how well understood but in what case and temper you are how pure in Body how pure in Soule before what Company at what Time in what Place with what Reverence to what End you Sweare If still the Name of God run hastily on thy Tongue marke how an Oath becomes another for some learne better by Example of Vice then by the Rule of Vertue because it is easier to observe the Faults of others then their owne Duties mark how there it sounds and then reflect on thy selfe Remember also that He by whom thou Swearest as he is ever present so he is likewise Omnipotent able to turne thee instantly into the Curse which thou utterest or into the Ayre which thou breathest in Swearing To summe up this Poynt you have heard that a bare Assertion or at least a double one where there is no necessity of Credence as in common talke is full sufficient that if Lying were laid aside the weightiest matters would need no Swearing and that such singlenesse of Speech would come nearest to Christian Perfection that albeit some Cases may require a Toleration yet in slight discourse an Oath is without colour not without great prejudice that being not absolutely but respectively good like medicinall help reserv'd for necessity it proves dangerous and pernicious if used wantonly that also it looseth its Majesty and Vertue by unseasonable use and that nothing is Sacred unlesse it be secluded that S. Paul is no patterne for common Swearers that to reverence the Name of a Friend and yet to prophane the Name of God is great Inequality that God is not onely named in vayne by familiar Oathes but cited as a witnesse and Judge and most Injuriously to no purpose yea worse then none never man so used that Swearing is strangely turned to a Map of Religion that for a restrayning Remedy suspension of words Consideration of Circumstance observation of others Remembrance of Divine Presence and Omnipotence ought to be interposed To pull the reignes yet stricter let me passe to my last Poynt the Reason here given of this Restriction because whatsoever is more then yea and nay is of Evill Not whatsoever is more by Addition of any pure Affirmative such as our Saviour used but whatsoever is more by Superaddition of Divine Testimony is of Evill Not alwayes Evill it selfe unlesse in Communication but of Evill howsoever as divers observe the same Reason which insinuates that an Oath is tolerable in some Cases shewes that in all Cases 't is occasioned from Evill Dum jurare cogeris scies ex Infirmitate eorum venire quibus aliquid suades quae utique Infirmitas malum est saith S. Austin Indeed the aptitude of Lying in the Speaker as well as hardnesse of Beliefe in the hearer which must needs call for an Oath to reconcile them are both Evills of humane Infirmity the one is malum Culpae and the other is malum Poenae Now though it follow not that whatsoever is occasioned from Evill is Evill too since good medicines are occasioned from bad Diseases and Swearing is most tolerable when it is most urged by Incredulity yet this will follow that because Swearing is but occasionally good and upon bad occasion too therefore it is not to be affected nor used without necessity Whatsoever is more more then yea yea in Communication is of the Evill One so Theophylact understands it and not unfitly for we read not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which word with the Article prefixt is an usuall appellation of the Divell and the Devill rightly denominated De Evill is the subtile suggester of all Spirituall mischiefe especially