God to witnesse a lye making him herein like the Devill Zach. 5.4 Job 8.44 Forswearing is when a man performs not what deliberately he swears even of old it hath bin said Thou shalt not forswear thy selfe but shalt perform unto the Lord thy oaths Forswearers because they take Gods Name in vain shall not by God be left unpunished In one and the self-same breath you hear the truth and doctrine with the Reason and confirmation thereof The Doctrine Reason that forswearers shall be punished The Reason because they take Gods Name in vain Let us come presently to the Vse in the Application Vse and suffer that to be pressed on our affections which at the first hearing we conceive in our apprehensions By all that hath already been spoken against ordinary and rash swearing I shall be eased of the labour to speak much of false forswearing for if the Motives be so many against rash swearing and the puishments so fearfull on the same much more are the same to be thought powerfull against false or forsswearing which are more egregiously finfull in the fight of God and more fearfull in the ears of men Let us then be diswaded from this sin by the censideration of these two severall Motives and iton arguments 1. The greatnesse of the sin 2. The greatnesse of the punishment on the sinners First the greatnesse of the sin because hereby 1. Mot. Greatnesse of the sin 1. Gods Name is polluted and prophaned it being made a Sanctuary to shrewd lyers and deceitfull persons 2. Gods Majesty is abused being brought as a witnesse to confirm a known lye and as a surety for their sinfull fact they daring avouch that to be true which they know to be false and that to be false which they know to be true in either calling upon God as a just Judge and Avenger of falshood do in a manner contemn Gods all-seeing knowledge justice power anger threatnings herein desperately making triall whether God can or will according to his power punish their sin herein like bandogs flying in Gods face and daring him to do his worst in the execution of his vengeance 3. The Devill himself herein is outstripped for wee never read or heard that he ever came to that desperate audaciousnesse that hee durst presume to confirm his lyes by oath or oft to abuse Gods Name for the patronizing and countenancing his untruths 4. The Lords great Seale and Scepter of his Kingdome whereby hee ruleth amongst men hereby are overthrown Truth and Justice the perjurers using Gods forces against himself for the maintaining those hellish pieces of falshood and injustice 5. The Word reekons it amongst great sins Jer. 7.9 6. Hatefull to men 1. To Christians 2 To Heathens which he so much abhorreth 5. The word reckons that amongst the greatest crimes Theft Murther Adultery Idolatry and to be abominable to God Zach. 8.17 6. It is most hatefull to men First to Christians the false swearers losing the reputation of Religion and the fear of God yea of civility and common honesty Secondly to Heathens and Turks and Pagans accounting it worthy of the severest punishment Amurath the Turk spared none of the army of Vladiflaus Amurathes against Vladistaus King of Hungaria who had broken his oath concerning Articles of truce concluded between them The Egyptians reputed perjury so capitall a crime Egyptians punish it with death The Romans had a Temple dedicated to Faith Attilius Regulus against the Carthaginians that whosoever was convinced thereof was punished with death The Romans so highly esteemed of Faith in all their publique affaires that in their City they had a Temple dedicated to it and did for more reverence sake offer sacrifices to the Image of Faith Hence it was that Attilius Regulus chief Captain of the Roman army against the Carthaginians was so highly commended of all men because when he was overcome taken prisoner and sent to Rome hee did only for his oath sake which he had sworn return to his enemy albeit he knew what grievous torments were provided for him at his return Others also that came with him though they were intreated and by their parents wives allies instantly urged not to return to Hannibals camp could in no wise be moved thereunto but because the Romans their friends did not accord to their proffered conditions therefore they would perform their oathes to the Carthaginians their enemies But two of the ten for so many were they falsified their oath and did not return yet were they among all men accounted and condemned for cowards and faint-hearted traytors in so much that the Censors noted them with infamy for the fact whereat they took such grief and inward sorrow that being weary of their lives they slew themselves Thus the Heathen not only teach by precept Cicero lib. 1. Offic. but also performed by practice lib. 3. Offic. that an oath is so sacred that it is to be kept with our greatest enemies and most wicked people The Gibeonites though they were so execrable a people The Gibeonites that they might well be esteemed for Heretiques yet the Princes of Israel would not retract the oath made with them albeit they were deceived by them for feare of incurring the wrath of God that suffereth not perjury unpunished 7. The use and end of lawfull oathes 7. The end of lawfull oaths destroyed which are to put an end to all strife are by perjury destroyed causing the Jury to give a false verdict and the Judge an unjust sentence whereby innocency is suppressed falshood maintained the oppressor strengthened in his malicious courses humane society baned suspitious jealousie discovered and contention nourished and the whole course of justice the Pillar of the common-wealth and bond of humane societie utterly dissolved and subverted yea sometimes with one and the same false oath the perjurer puts a true mans neck into the halter and his own soul into hell 8. 8. The conscience of the perjurer tormented The conscience of the Perjurer daily is tormented with restlesse feares and affrighting terrors and the same hardly recured unlesse his sin with Pater be bewailed with bitter reares and the balm of Christs precious blood truly applied by the hand of a lively faith 9. 9. God of his glory is robbed The innocent is not only robbed of his right but God also of his glory when to gain credit to a lie man call the true God to witnesse this is even to make him a false witnesse like our selves and in as much as in us lieth to set the Devill himself the father of lies in the room and stead of God the author of truth 10. 10. An utter enemy to himself He is an utter enemy to himself and the instrument violently hastning his own destruction praying for a curse upon himselfe wishing God to revenge if hee sweare falsly and therefore cryeth and calleth upon God by his false swearing to take and cast body and
unto God as a witnesse by oath especially when that is to be averred which in the conscience lies concealed The reason of Oathes is grounded upon this point that forasmuch as it is presumed upon by all men that they doe believe that there is a God unto whom all secrets are open and of whom faith and truth is well liked And that on the other side he is much offended with lies and hath so great regard of justice that he will inflict worthy punishment on such as forsweare themselves It was received by a common consent and custome of all men to use and take the name of God the God of all men for witness when we would have men credit those things which we ascertaine and confirme by oath to be true and appoint God to be the revenger thereof in case we doe sweare any thing that is false Seeing all nations were accustomed to swear by the names of their Gods therefore the Israelites here were accustomed to sweare by the glorious name of the Lord their God The Ends of an Oath are 1. That doubts may be cleared 2. Good causes furthered and bad suppressed 3. Authority obeyed Divine and Humane 4. Gods glory in all much promoted Such an Oath when we publickly take Why men swear laying hands on a book 4. Causes we doe it by laying our hand upon the Bible or Evangelists 1. That the Swearer remembring the benefit of the redemption by Christ might be the more afraid to sweare that which is false This love of Christ should constrain us to love him againe by speaking nothing but the truth 2. That the Swearer might know the multitude of witnesses Father Sonne and holy Ghost that abide beholders of his oath and therefore his offence in swearing falsly to be so much the greater by how many the more behold it 3. That the swearer might deliberate what to speak and might not afterwards say that he was suddenly and unadvisedly taken and urged to testifie what he did 4. That as the Scriptures are true so is what he sweareth free from falshood 1. Vses 1. For the justification of the godly from time to time that have taken oathes and of the Lawes of the Land herein that doe maintain the same as lawfull to decide many controversies which otherwise could not be decided Heb. 6.16 2. Vse 2. Anabaptist For confutation of the Anabaptists which utterly condemne all kind of swearing as utterly unlawfull because of Christ his words Matth. 5.34 Sweare not at all but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay So the Manichees utterly rejected the old Testament Manichees Deut. 6.13 because it commanded to sweare by the name of God Deut. 6.13 Yea Jerome Hieron in Matth. a learned Father held that the liberty of swearing by the Name of God was only granted unto the Jewes as unto little children lest they should sweare by Devils even as saith he God would have sacrifices offered unto him rather then to Idols Homil. 7. in Matth. The error of the Anabaptists is so stiffly maintained because of the ill understanding of the fore-mentioned words Matth. 5.34 Hereby they would make Christ contrary to his Father as though he had been sent down upon the earth to abrogate the decree of his Father Exo. 22.11 seeing his Father doth not only permit but also command an Oath But Christ affirmes that He is one with the Father affirming what he doth and his Doctrine not his own Joh. 10.18.30 Now should God disallow what he once enjoyned and abrogate what at first he absolutely commanded If we look into the text we shall perceive that the purpose of our Saviour was not to restrain oathes but only to purge the Law from the false Glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees not wholly condemning oathes but such only as transgresse the rules of the Law It appears that the people then only feared and shunned Perjuries when as the Law did not only inhibit perjuries but all idle vain and superfluous oathes For Christ the best expositor of the Law informed and admonished them that not forswearing but also vain swearing was a sin and a breach of the Law Vain swearing I say For other Oathes by the Law commanded or commended he leaves untouched as safe and free Whereas they the Anabaptists dwell so unremoveably upon the word Non omnino not at all we must know that it is not to be restrained unto the word Swearing but to the subjected formes of swearing by heaven earth c. For that was the error of the Jewes that they thought when they sware by heaven earth or such like oathes they took not Gods name in vain nor transgressed this third Precept if they named not God in their oathes Therefore our Saviour took away all colour of excuse or objection seeing when they sware either by heaven or earth the light Baptisme never naming the name of God they notwithstanding did indirectly take Gods name in vain seeing all these benefits are pledges of his liberality and on every of them his name remains engraven Not at all saith Aug. Augustine not because to sweare is a sin but because to forsweare is a great sin Christs meaning then is Sweare not at all that is not at all by any creature upon what pretence soever or not at all by God himselfe falsly or unadvisedly neither disorderly for affection nor childishly for imitation nor desperately for custome nor cunningly for deceit Oher oathes which fail not in the conditions required in Jer. Jerem. 4.2 4.2 S. Iames mislikes not Christ condemneth not If Christs meaning had been to allow of no swearing at all why should that addition be made neither by heaven nor earth c to have said Sweare not at all had been sufficient And Christ himselfe who was a pattern of perfection would not have sworn so often neither his Apostles would so frequently have assumed God as their witnesses Rom. 1.9 2 Cor. 1.23 And the Apostle Heb. 6 16. acknowledgeth an Oath to be the last remedy and means for the ending of controversies If it be lawfull it doth not derogate from but advance Gods glory as we see by the Prophets position Jerem. 4.2 Thou shalt swear The Lord liveth in truth judgement and righteousness and the Nations shall bless and praise him How doe the Nations praise the Lord For that the Nations doe sweare by his Name they doe praise him i. they doe make his Name glorious when they doe give credit to them that doe sweare by it and doe find so great observance and reverence thereof in the Swearer that he doth alwayes perform the same which he hath sworn By the fore mentioned place of Heb. 6. it is cleare that an oath is not evill for as he that doth begin strifes among other or hinder their atonement is reputed anoysome enemy a peace-breaker Matth. 5.9 a child of the Devill and therefore cursed so that must needs be a
troubles without and terrors within from brick and bonds of the hands of men externally from errors and feares by the motions of sin and suggestions of Satan internally from the punishment due to both eternally In vain By rash common sinfull thinking on speaking of or swearing by any the forementioned names titles creatures without any reverend regard of Gods Majesty before whom or the manner how or the end wherefore thou thinkest on them in heart speakest of them in word or swearest by them in oath For the Lord Who is great in power as in the first Commandement jealous in nature as in the second commandement is also just in rewarding the wicked as here Will not hold He will not though Parents or Masters or Magistrates doe let such finners escape scot-free live and die unpunished but will surely punish them For the Hebrewes expresse that by the negative which we doe by the superlative Him guiltlesse Whom the eye of the Magistrate cannot see nor the hand of the Magistrate will not touch nor the tongue of the Minister dare not reach or reprehend him whatsoever he be Cedar or Shrub high or low Master or servant noble or ignoble Court Citie Countrey will the eye of the Lord see and hand of the Lord reach That taketh his Name Reiterating what before was named to denotate the grievousnesse of this sinne the abuse of his Name and the certainty universality severitie and eternitie of the punishment threatned to bee inflicted In vain By abusing any of Gods creatures judgments workes word either by uttering rash idle hellish oathes perjuries cursings with their lips or by hearing with the eare any such abuse or cursed speeches without wise zealous constant reprehending or if within the compasse of our calling punishing the faultie for the same So much for the Exposition Let us not think that God as some cockering Fathers and Magistrates doe doth with pithlesse words or for a countenance only fear his people farre be such lightnesse from the terrible Majesty of God Farre also be it from us to think but that the threatnings of Gods wrath shall also be as certain as the promises of his grace Gods Name besides by swearing forswearing cursing is also taken in vain many wayes All which wayes it had not been meet for the Lord in specialties to expresse lest hee should have passed the mean of his Decalogue And which I will not endevour so much to discourse of as to point out Gods Name is taken in vain By 1. Irreverent mention of his Titles and Attributes upon any occasion 2. Levit. 22.32 1 Tim. 6.1 Not walking as becommeth the Gospel of Christ and profession of Gods Name Rom. 2.24 This is to play the Gentiles under the name of Christians to professe God in word and to deny him in work Tit. 1.16 3. An unsanctified use of any of Gods creatures or of any thing we doe without thankesgiving and prayer A good servant will adventure on nothing but what pleaseth his Master we do not take any mans goods out of his house without asking him leave neither do we return home any borrowed thing without thanking our neighbour 4. Heedlesse admiration as Phil. 2.10 Good Lord Oh Jesu O mercy God c. 5. Vain supplications as For Gods sake not thinking on God 6. Jangling or wrangling speech of any good thing meerly for contention ostentation victorie 7. Using jestingly any phrase or place of Scripture Jer. 23.34 2 Pet. 3.4 Mark 4.6 or misalledging or misapplying the same Esay 22.13 8. Serving the Devils turn with any part of the Scriptures in Spells and Charmes thus making them as it were the Sacraments of the Devill 9. Oppugning the truth though it be through blindnesse or ignorance but most of all if it be wittingly and wilfully 10. Denying the truth through fear or lucre against ones conscience 11. Maintaining defending disputing for and gracing of falshood 12. A wicked scandalous mocking of them that professe Religion Esay 35.21 25. 13. By persecuting any for rightcousnesse sake Mat. 5. Psal 44.22 14. Putting holinesse or unholinesse or necessity of religion in a thing indifferent which is superstition 15. Defending there is no God desiring constantly there were no God inwardly hating God or exalting ones self above all that is called God 16. Zeph. 1.12 Saying or thinking that God will doe neither good nor evill Esa 29.15.23 17. Job 21.14 Saying or thinking there is no profit in serving the Almighty 18. 2 King 6.33 7.2 Saying or thinking that in affliction it is impossible to be delivered 19. Job 33.13 Deut. 29. ult Rom. 9.20 Nourishing inward boylings about such things as God sheweth not the reason of 20. Conceiving rebellious thoughts about the decrees or providence of God 21. Saying or thinking in adversitie Esay 40.27 28 29. 49.14 15. that God cares not for him or hath fortaken him 22. Asking wherein God hath loved us Malach 1.2 23. Abusing Gods blessings Hos 10.1 11.2 3 4. 4.7 24. Not beleeving Gods promises through neglect or despaire Psal 48.22 25. Blessing our selves in our heart against Gods threatnings Deut. 29.19 26. Scoffing at the signes of Gods mercies and goodnes Esay 7.12 13. hereby wearying the Lord. 27. By sacrisicing to our own net Hab. 1.16 28. Attending our own pleasure and disregarding Gods works Esa 5.12 Luk 13.1 2. 29. Limiting God 2 King 7.2 and speaking basely of his power Psal 78.19 2 Kings 7.2 alluding to Noahs flood If the Lord did rain corn now as fast as he did water then this could not be so 30. Not answering when God calleth Esay 50.2 31. Not performing what he promiseth in his sicknesse adversities and at the Sacraments Psal 50.14 56.12 60.13 14. 116.13 14. 32. Falling away from the formerly professed truth Matth. 13. Rev. 2.4 9 10. 33. Job 1.9 Fearing God either only for reward or for punishment Hos 3.5 and 5.15 Psal 78.34 34. Sinning because God suffereth or forbeareth to punish Eccles 8.11 Psal 50.21 35. Trusting in men money carnall helps and means Jer. 17.5 Psal 20.7 36. Rejoycing in the miseries Psa 35.25 137.7 afflictions and disgraces of Gods children Esa 57.1 Ezek. 25.6 Job 31.29 as the Papists in these dayes doe against England the Palatinate clapping their hands Ezek. 25.6 stamping with their feet and rejoycing in heart with all despight against these Lands 37. Rejoycing in baptisme 2 Chro. 29.6.7 and caring not to perform our vow or to come to the Church 38. Offering the blind and lame for the maintenance of Gods service Mal. 1.8.14 39. Pro. 20.25 Devouring things sanctified that should be imployed for the furtherance of Gods service 40. Disswading from Gods worship upon pretence that it is either polluted Mat. 1.17 or vain Mal. 3.14 41. Serving God after the old manner of our Forefathers Jer. 9.13 Amos 2.4 42. Serving God after the precepts of men rather then of God
dangerous forswearing damnable no swearing secure As wine is to be used warily not for that it is evill but because being used it procureth drunkenness so the frequent use of an oath is not good because it makes way for perjury It is altogether unprofitable Mot. 17. other sins have their several baits to allure us some of profit some of pleasure some of honour This sin of vain swearing is destitute of all and being no profit but loss even the loss of Gods favour of a good conscience the assurance of salvation and of our reputation among the faithfull shame and utter destruction shall attend all those who either through custome wantonness or maliciousnness fall into this sin having no reason in respect of credit pleasure profit to perswade them thereunto according to the Prayer of the Psalmist Psal 25.3 Let them be confounded that sin without a cause Were it not for feare of humane Lawes they would as easily commit adultery theft or any other sinne when the baits of pleasure profit or preferment did provoke it For he that will not stick to offend God gratis and for no benefit will much more doe it when he is hired with pleasure or profit He that will sin for nothing will sin for something It is severely threatned in the Word Mot. 18. The second and third commandement above all other have severe threats subjoyned unto them to manifest how great the sinnes of idolatry and swearing are in Gods â—â—ght above all other sins This Text shewes how in a speciall manner the Lord sets himslfe against the same In the 5. of Matthew the 5. of James the 5. of Jeremy and the 5. of Zacharie as in a clear glasse we may behold the fierie face and fierce wrath of God against this custom of vain swearing The beginning of it is from the Devill Mat. 5.37 The end of it is damnation Jam. 5.12 Jer. 5.7 How shall I pardon thee for this Zach. 5.2.3 Though our oaths which being registred Zach. 5.2 3 4. expounded would fill a volume by the Swearer and Magistrate are buried as soon as broached yet by God are they registred in a book In which place the Prophet describing the punnishment laid up for Swearers sers down 1. The nature of it it is a Curse Deut. 29.19 and the Swearers being liable to Gods curse they doe enjoy but small benefit by the Devils blessing 2. The truenesse of it it is recorded in a book one tittle of which truth shall not be left unacaccomplished but as certainly performed as if it were already inflicted 3. The neernesse of it it is in a flying book oathes flie up to heaven and the Swearers souls with posting speed hast towards hell 4. The greatnesse of the punishment filling a book of twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad this book being as fully fraught with their woes as the world is with their oathes 5. The universality of it it goes over the face of the whole earth every one without respect to any one that sweareth shall be cut off according to it 6. The invincibility or irresistiblenesse of it it is brought forth immediatly very often even by the Lord of Hosts himself 7. The perpetuitie or durablenesse of it it takes possession of the midst of his house with resolution to abide as having commanding authoritie and enters not into remote roomes or corners of the house as a forrainer or stranger quickly to be gone 8. The severitie of it it shall consume it and every part of it with the timber and stones thereof to signifie the greatnesse of the sin and grievousnes of the punishment due to the same seeing the very house that harboured the timber that sheltered the stones that heard the hideous Swearer shall also partake of Gods judgements because they did not presently take up armes and flie about the ears of the Swearer Ribera in Zach. 5.2 Ex Chrysost hom 15.19 Ad pop Antiochen or as Ribera well observeth the timber and stones shall bee consumed that the memory of the punishment may not be blotted out but whosoever passeth by that house and sees the ruines thereof may be admonished how greatly God hates this sinne of swearing and how certainly suddenly severely he doth punish the same If thou wilt not feare this glorious and fearfull name The Lord thy God Deut. 28.58 as no vain Swearer doth feare it then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance Accustome not thy mouth to swearing for in it are many falls neither take up for a custome the naming of the holy One for thou shalt not be unpunished for such things For as a servant that is oft punished cannot be without some scarre so hee that sweareth and nameth God continually shall not bee faultlesse A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with wickednesse and the plague shall never goe from his house when he shall offend his fault shall hee upon him and if he acknowledge not his sinne hee maketh a double offence and if he sweare in vain he shall not bee innocent but his house shall bee full of plagues Ecclus. 23.9 10 11. Many are of opinion which judge without discretion that it is evill to doe any thing for feare of punishment but all for love and if we abstain from any evill for feare wee are in a wrong course But we see here in this Text and in lam 5.12 the Lord is content to use this as a reason good and strong and will be beholding to us if we feare to sweare because of his wrath and our condemnation Heare what Augustine saith Fac fac veltimore poenae si nondum potes amore justitiae leave ' this sinne if not for love of obedience enjoyned in the first part yet for feare of punishment threatned in the latter part of this precept Love of obedience indeed doth allure the best but feare of punishment doth compell the most We know that fire will burn and because we know it by no meanes almost can bee brought to put our finger in the fire and doubtlesse if we were perswaded that finne would burn as a fire we would not so easily act it with our hands utter it with our tongues or hatch it in our hearts The discourse between Esops Fox and Goat will informe us that it is easie to fall into sinne but hard to come out The Fox perswaded and prevailed with the Goat to goe down with him into a pit to drink having done the Fox by the help and height of the Goats back got out again The Goat requiring help to come up the Fox replied If thou hadst as much wit in thy head as thou hast haire on thy beard thou wouldest have looked not onely how to goe in but also before-hand how to come out Let the dungeon of darknesse cause us to walk and talk as
bones that doe notwithstanding all gentle admonitions and sharp objurgations still with the Dogreturn to their vomit to lick up afresh the same gastly oathes which before they vomited forth as it were some sweet morsel and desirable dainty that doe with the Sow seeming once to be washed return unto their wallowing in the mire of ear-infecting soul-killing swearing shall these have entrance and admission into the privie Chamber of God the mansion of Christ and all the host of Saints God first must cease to be true and Satan the authour of a lie Doe we expect to see God face to face Every man that hath this hope purifieth himselfe even as he is pure 1 John 3.3 Thus in the discharge of your duty must you admonish him of his finne whether he amend thereby or no. If thou have leasure and opportunity to bestow some pains and time with thy friend privatly for the casting out of this long-lodged Inmate from his soule for it may be this evill spirit hath so long possessed him that it will not be driven out with a breath but requires grrater pains Prayer Fasting then be sure not to forget Jerem. 5. Zach. 5. Mat. 5. and Jam. 5.12 the method that Christ the Apostles the Prophet use for the removing this Devill from the soule of man Among all let these two cautions or mementoes be firmly treasured up in thy memory for the Swearers profit First be sure to work upon his judgement by informing him in the truth before thou wrest his affection by the rack of reprehension by the golden bait of profit or by the Iron reason of necessitie from the pursuit of this errour and sinne 2. Be sure to insist upon that sinne alone without falling into discourse of other at the same time for if thou runne unto other at the same instant he may forget being a common swearer for what he was reprehended at first Good occasions of reformation have been lost because too many faults together have been brought to amendment I account it much better to reclaim from one effectually then to glance at one promiscuously Thus endevour thou by all these forementioned wayes of information and reprehension lovingly discreetly boldly patiently to become with Paul all unto all that thou mayst win some 1 Cor. 9.22 and pull them as brands out of the fire of this quick burning sin Be carefull to observe all advantages opportunities and circumstances of person time place manner that thou mayst finde the more speedy and desirable successe but yet beare this in thy bosome that it is far better to offend in some one of these three last mentioned circumstances then in the substance and not reprove at all Now when after such due manner wee have exercised this faithfulnesse gentlenesse wisedome boldnesse figured out unto us by an Eagles eye a Ladies hand and Lions heart in reproving this vain finfull sensuall swearing When all is done yet nothing is done towards the expelling this poyson towards the beheading this Traytor towards the curing this disease unlesse we be mindfull to pray for the Lords blessing upon our pains that he that gives the word of wisedome love and boldnesse to the mouth of the speaker will vouchsafe to give a willing inclination and resolute reformation to the heart of the hearer Lord perswade Iaphet Gen. 3.25 prayed Noab for he knew his speaking to the eare was in vain unlesse the Lord spake also unto the heart Paul may plant and Apollos may water yet both in vain unlesse the Lord give the increase Except the Lord build the house Psal 127.102 they labour in vain that build it Except the Lord keep the Citie the watchman waketh but in vain It is in vain to rise up early in thy reprehensions to sit up late in thy exhortations to eat the bread of sorrowes in they expectation of successe unlesse the Lord say the word Ephphatha If Paul preach unto Lydia as long as he did to Eutychus Acts 20.7 even till midnight Acts 16.4 yet all is nothing till the Lord openeth the heart If Peter fish all night Luke 5. yet shall hee catch nothing till Christ bring him to the place of speeding The Minister or private Reprover speakes but to the eare he that speaketh to the heart his Chair and Pulpit is in heaven Close therfore up thy counsel to the Swearers eare with this short secret Centurions prayer in thine own heart Lord speak thou the word onely Matth. 8.8 and this thy servant shall be bealed 3. The 3d manner how to reprove swearers 3. By departure from their company is by our departure from their company and society if by our words and workes our purity from and our reprehension of it we cannot prevail The first way or meanes was by purity of life and freedom from this sinne and this is a secret reproving The second way was by reprehension in our speech and this is a privat reproving The third way is by departure from the company and society of Swearers this is a more publick reproving them The first is Reall the second verball the third Intimated or intentionall If none of the other two can prevail yet this may If the two former will doe the Swearer no good yet this third will keep thee from much hurt if by them the Swearers soule is not bettered yet by this thy own dutie is discharged and thy conscience setled Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse Ephes 5.11 but rather reprove them As rash idle common swearing doth plainly discover it selfe to be a work of darkness and altogether unfruitfull as was shewed before so this is the last way to reprove it by departing from the society of such as are delighted with it When thou perceivest them to be obstinate against reproofes and canst doe no good by admonition upon them then be thou sure to have no further fellowship with them entertaine them not in thy house nor countenance them in thy company for these ensuing hazards thou art likely to incur by their society 1. Suspition 2. Infection 3. Malediction The first of suspition from others The second of infection in our selves The third of malediction from God 1. Hazard of Suspition from others inasmuch as we commonly ghess at a mans inclination by the disposition of his company Birds of a feather most commonly will flock together Noscitur ex alin qui non cognoscitur ex se The Lacedemonians enquiring after the behaviour of their children demanded very wisely with what play-fellowes they were linked not doubting but that they would be like to such whose fellowship they fancied Amicitiae ut pares quaerunt ita faciunt Friendship as it seeks so it makes men alike in conditions The Apostlewilleth us to Abstain from all appearance of evill 1 Thess 5.22 Wherefore this is one certainly and that not a little one when daily familiarly delightfully we converse with notorious swearers without any
we shall finde it in earnest in our contracts and affaires Even so if we sweare in our ordinary speeches and communications jestingly we shall get an habit of swearing in all our dealings if we usually swear for nothing then are we apt to sweare for somtehing Whereas thou sayest thou shalt be thought to seek their shame and thy own praise and glory in reproving swearers Be thou therefore sure that thy reproofes bee in sincerity and not in bravery Doe not think to grace thy selfe by disgracing of others or to make thy selfe white by shewing their blacknesse Goe not about to purchase thee eredit and opinion of religion in the world by raising it out of the dunghill of thy neighbours corruptions but do it w th all sobriety and inward compassion of spirit that thy love first appearing thy labour may not be lost Thou then howsoever thou be censured by men mayst be assured in thy owne conscience that will speak more for thee then the whole world can doe against thee that thou seekest not the praise which is of men which vanisheth but that which is of God which abideth for ever He is a great person and I may displease him by my reproofe Object 5. and shall doe little good upon him Plato indeed could say Sol. that the Common-wealth is like a fish that perisheth first at the head and like a Coney-skin that strips off easie untill it come to the head and there it stayeth Reformation from this sinne is hardest alwayes at the head at great persons which commonly scorn reproof Yet none should think that his greatnesse may bee any placard to defend wickednesse Whereas thou thinkest thou mayst offend such a great person I answer though he be a great person and may be displeased God is a greater and will certainly be offended by thy silence It is but perbaps in the one and without all peradventure in the other Wilt thou feare a doubtfull dislike to incurre a certaine damnation Nay it commonly proves true that hee who reproves not out of vain affectation singularity Prov. 27.6 but out of conscience in sincerity shall find more favour certainly more comfort at the last then he who flattered with his lips making the swearer once truly touched for his sin to say Surely his words were not as arrowes but as a pretious balm Psal 141. James 5. that hath not broken but refreshed my head his timely admonition and sharp reproofe hath saved my soule and pulled it as a brand out of the fire Jude 23. Jude 23. I have often found saith Bernard that those which by godly reproof have recovered themselves have more firmly loved me then those that needed no such medicine at all If I use to reprove men Object 6. I shall bee hated of them If thou use not to reprove sinfull swearers Sol. thou shalt be abhorred of God To hate those that hate us is heathenish To hate those that are harmlesse is brutish But to hate those that love us by telling us the truth is Devilish If thou shouldst not feare the hatred of the Devill then not of Devilish men Am I therefore become your enemy Gal. 4.16 because I tell you the truth saith Paul Gal. 4.16 Seeking his profit it is no great matter if thou offend his pleasure And why should he be like the borse and mule that have no understanding Yet if hee bee like them fret not faint not but expect his curing The horse and mule bite with the teeth and strike with the heeles yet the Farrier refuseth not to dresse their soares and procure their health The swearer spareth not to offend God why shouldst thou spare to offend him He is against the truth thou art against error he resisteth light thou darknesse The strife makes you equall but the cause doth not He is inimicus medico tu morbo ille diligentiae tuae tu pestilentiae illius Hee opposeth thy painfulnesse thou his his sinfulnesse God fighteth for theel thou needst not feare the victory Muse not so much that thou art hated as for what cause thou art hated If justly thou art hated thou hast nocause to complain thou hast deserved it if unjustly thou hast lesse cause because thou art not hurt by it As the Philosopher replied to the woman that wept for the death of her husband that was hanged saying that if be had justly suffered such a death it would not so much have grieved her Thou hast lesse cause to grieve now hee hath suffered such a death undeservedly then if hee had deservedly suffered the same If thou knowest that thou hast not justly deserved any hatred reproches taunts scoffes scornes the more they are the lesse they hurt thee and the more the Agents They prove to be but so many severall pearles set on thy glorious garment of patience Blessed are yee when men shall revile you and persecute you and speak all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in beaven It is beyond all comparison better to bee hated for that which is good then to bee loved for that which is evill 1 King 21.20 Ahab said to Eliah Hast thou found mee O thou mine enemy 1 Kings 21.20 yet this enemy of his was that at last brought him to an outward and seeming repentance at least and consequently to the turning away of Gods wrath in his dayes David a man after Gods own heart was so farre from hating Nathan for telling him the truth that he honoured and loved him the better all his life time after 1 King 1. â— 33 34. for afterward hee appointed him a Commissioner for the naming of his successors 1 Kings 1.33.34 This is one of the three bad daughters born of three good mothers Idlenesse of Peace Contempt of Familiarity and Hatred of Truth Men hating others indeed because they thinke others hate them in words by reproving them for their sins whereas the reprover though hee hates sin yet he loves the person still As we are not to love the vice for the mans sake so neither are we to hate the man for the vice sake wee hate the manners but love the man we hate the action but love the person God made man righteous but they have found out many inventions to make themselves crooked Eccles 7.29 Eccles 7.29 Love that in him which God made but hate that in him which he himselfe hath made And thou hating his sinne and loving his person if thou again art bated of him then consider that as the curse that is causlesse shall not come nigh thee Prov. 26.2 Prov. 26.2 so the hatred that is for thy love shall not hurt thee God being able and ready thou pleasing him by standing for the defence of his glory and sanctifying of his name to make thy deadliest enemies to be at peace with thee if it be for thy good and his glory As it is
with child by Eustochius of Antioch which was not the Bishop but another common person of the Citie of the same name And the Captain in war that having taken away prisoners should bind himselfe by oath to the enemies to deliver halfe the captives upon such a summe delivered for their ransome having received the price according to the covenant should in stead of half the number as the other understood him send half the bodies of the whole number as hee in his oath guilefully intended This cunning doth not lessen and extenuate the perjury in Gods sight but rather much aggravate and increase the same seeing thereunto is added fraud and deceit And he that sweareth fraudulently maketh a sport of sinne he that sweareth falsly beleeveth either that God knoweth not the truth or beleeveth a lie Whether he be forsworn that performeth not his oathes to his enemies or thieves Quest 5. He is as a man swearing to a thiese to pay him such a summe of money and to bee filent Answer that his life may be saved it is necessary for the innocent party to keep his oath Object But thieves escaping unpunished the Common-wealth is thereby damnified Sol. This hurt is not to be redeemed with the losseof a mans life It is greater good to the Common-wealth that the life of every honest and sound member should be preserved then that a wicked and rotten member should be cut off Vrsine and Willet are thus conjoyned in judgement and Downam pag. 60. 161. doth at large confirme the same Yet Perkins on Matth. 5.33 affirmeth that a man is not bound to fulfill his oath in concealing of a thiefe And in his Cases of Conscience pag. 231. he leaves the question in suspence rather inclining to his foresaid opinion If the oath were touching treason against our Prince and countrey it were not to be kept because the preservation of them is more highly to bee valued then the preservation of our owne lives Whether oathes made to any manner of person be to be performed Quest 6. They are Answer though the Papists affirm that no oathes made with heretickes are to bee kept This were it generally allowed to bee practised would overthrow all Contracts between Nation and Nation and frustrate all covenants and conclusions of peace and truce publicke scandall in causing others to abhorre our Religion should be incurred and Gods name which is called upon to countenance falshood should be dishonoured and abused Remember before to this purpose the forementioned judgement of God upon Vladislaus King of Hungaria for falsifying his oath with Amurath the Turk Whether oathes made through error Quest 7. do bind the conscience They do Answer if they be made of things lawfull and in our power Iosuab and the Princes of Israel performed their oath made to the Gibeonites which oath being afterward by Saul violated it was severely punished by a grievous famine and the destruction of seven of Sauls posterity Whether an oath made by custome doth bind or no. Quest 8. The Papists say no Answer putting this example If two men going out at a doore or over a bridge the one swearing by God that he wil not go first the other swearing likewise yet at last after contention one of them goeth first In this case say the Papists the oath binds not But we say that that custome cannot make that which is sinne to be no sinne or perjury to be no perjury but rather doubleth the sinne and maketh it the more vile and abominable and it is no marvell that they which addict themselves to this customary swearing become oftentimes guilty of flat perjury When doth a man commit perjury 1. When a man sweareth that which he knoweth to be false Quest 9. Answer 2. When he sweareth that which he meaneth not to doe 3. When he sweareth to doe a thing which hee meaneth also to doe but afterwards doth it not Whether a man by lending his money Qu. 10. being oft deceived vowing and swearing that he will lend no more money to any man bee bound to keep his oath Such anoath is not to be kept seeing it is taken against the love of our neighbour Answer and Doctrine of Christ Lend looking for nothing againe if there be not ability to pay Whether an oath made by an inferior without or against the consent of superiors Qu. 11. is to bee kept No if it bee made by those that are not at their own liberty it is to bee accounted void Answer Sonnes and daughters binding themselves in contract of marriage without their parents consent that contract ought to be of no force but if once married not afterwards to be dissolved Numb 38. Whether we are bound to swear oft Qu. 12. The Jewes thought they did well to sweat often induced to this opinion Answer and practised by them Dent. 6.18 But they are confuted by our Saviour Matth. 5. and by the Prophet Jerem. 4.2 Whether swearing vainly Qu. 13. it be greater abuse to sweare by the Name of God or of Jesus By the name of Jesits Answer because 1. God hath exalted the name of Jesus above all names in respect of his great humiliation and obedience even to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 2. There is no other name whereby we are to be saved Acts 3. 3. The name of God shewes him to bee our creator the name of Iesus shewes him to bee both our creator and redeemer And that name which describeth God with more perfections is the most honorable name See more in Willet on Exod pag. 3 4 5. Whether it bee lawfull to sweare by the Saints Qu. 14. No Qu. 14. 1. Because God hath commanded us to sweare onely by his name Deur 6.13 2. Because God reproveth those that sweare by any other but by him Zeph. 1.5 3. Invocation belongeth onely to God but the taking of an oath is a kind of invocation it is a service due onely to God Psalm 50. 4. In an oath wee call God to bee a witnesse to our soule but God onely not Angels or Saints knowes the secrets of our hearts and therefore God onely to be sworne by 5. He that sweareth giveth him power to punish him if he sweare falsly But God onely it able to punish the soule Matth. 10.28 therefore we ought to sweare onely by him Read Willet his answer to what is objected to the contrary pag. 35.1 on the 3d Com answering Matth. 23.21 with Matth. 5.34 Whether it be lawfull to sweare by the creatures Qu. 15. If the creatures be placed in the roome and place of God it is lawfull Answer say all Papists and some Protestants If the oath he directed to God in the mind of the swearer under the name of the creature it is taken for lawfull among the Papists and many Protestants But Mr. Perkins on Matth. 5.34 findeth no Scripture to warrant this kind of
Commandments doe in a speciall manner call for reverence and obedience in regard of 1. The soveraignty 2. Antiquity 3. Generality 4. Immutability 5. Vtility 6. Solemnity 7. Brevity of it 340 A Prayer containing the summe of the whole Sermons 343 Greenhams Rules concerning Reproofe 351 The fearfull end of him who drank a health to the Devill The names of such Authors that I have read and whence I have selected much of the ensuing subject AVgust in Epist Muscul in Mat. Gualt in Hos in Mat. Turneb in Iam. Perk. Aur. caten and in Mat. and in government of tongues Downam in Hoseans and four Treatises Elt. in Loc. Whateley Bishop Hooper Bifield Mayer Destructor vitiorum Coopers Anatomy Arraignment of unruly tongue Doctor Hall Greenham Covenant between God and Man Ribera in min. Prophet Gorr in Mat. Morla in Mat. Erasm in Decal Rous discases of time Masons Essayes Musculus Com. Loc. Latimer Serm. before K. Ed. Gorr in Epist Zanch. in Decal and in Hos Gibs Lands mourning Down Abstr Sum. Divin Bishop Babington Vrsin Calvin Dod. Nider in Decal Stubs Anatomy Histor of Adam Doctor Huckwel Theater of Gods judgements Polyanthea Life-of-Religion Gualt in Prophet Min. Dialog Graecolat Will. in Exod. Sword against swearing Cum. multis aliis quos nunc perseribere longum est The fearfull end of him who drank a Health to the Devill THat you may not doubt of the truth and severity of the forementioned judgements of God upon Swearers and Cursers even in this life may be added and remembred if there be any truth in common report the example of that which lately was known to be executed in Salisbury upon a rude Ruffian companion in a Taverne there a health-out drinking or a life-out healthing wretch who in the midst of his healthing and carrowsing would attempt to drink a health to the Devill and if the Devill would not come and pledge him hee would not hee said beleeve there was any God or Devill At which heaven daring blasphemy and hell-hastening impious attempt the rest of his companions and it was high time hasted out of the roome and presently after hearing a hideous noyse and smelling a stinking savour the Vintner ran up into the chamber as knowing that such a guest was there But comming in hee missed his guest and found the window to bee broken and the barre in the same to be bowed with blood on the said batre I heard this from the mouthes of many men since this Tract was printed I leave it by all drunken swearing and Devill-desiring wretches to themselves to bee applied Errata PAge 1. line 7. for Ark read Arch. p. 17. l. 3. for n busing r. abusing p. 84. l. 22. for slives r. sliness p. 83. adde in marg Mea. 8. p. 85. l. 12. for Mot. r. Mea. p. 88. l. 13. adde in Marg. Mea. 12. p. 126. l. 1. put out therefore p. 12â— l. 1. for handling read having p. 131. l. 12. for had r. hand p. 137. l. 26. for one read many p. 141. l. 2. for wherefore r. whereof p. 145. l. 15 for curses r. courses p. 153. l. 24. for scorning r. nothwithstanding p. 269. l. 30. for perdas r. perimas p. 273. l. 14. put e before t p. 281. l. 6. for which r. why p. 281. l. 27. read more opposition p. 318. l. 13. read Simlerus p. 319. l. 12. read they are predictions p. 321. l. 24. for out read one p 333. l. 32 for when Pope r. wherein p. 347. l. 23 dele s. The misquotations of the Texts of Scripture if any the Author had not time to peruse Therefore desires the Readers pains of perusall or pardon in the same LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons and are to be sold by Benjamin Allen at the signe of the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1645.
commodious matter whereby contentions are suppressed truth manifested and peace established In the place Matth. 5.34 Mat. 5.34 so much insisted on by the Anabaptists not the letter of the words but the meaning of the speaker is to be considered For if the words were to be inforced without weighing the sense great errors would appeare by that and other places easily to ensue Christ saith in the same Chapter Resist not revill Therefore Magistrates Parents Ministers should not oppose sin Again Luke 14. If any man come to me and forsake not father and mother c. Therefore the precept of honouring father and mother should be abrogated Again touching the Scribes and Pharisees Whatsoever they say unto you doe Matth. 23. Therefore according to the letter their doctrine should of all men be embraced contrary to Matth. 16.6 Mat. 16.6 Beware of the leven of the Pharisees Again Christ saith Whosoever came before me Joh. 10.8 were theeves and robbers Joh. 10.8 Therefore the Prophets and John Baptist were theeves and robbers if the shew of the words were to be taken Again Paul saith I became all unto all men 1 Cor. 10.33.23 therefore an idolater with idolaters And all things are lawfull for me therfore whoredome and adultery not sinfull for him Lastly the Anabaptists reply out of Matth. 5.37 Whatsoever is more then Yea Yea Nay Nay commeth of evill Whatsoever commeth of evill Syllogisme is unlawfull But swearing being more then Yea and Nay commeth of evill Therefore it is unlawfull The Major proposition we deny Gen. 3. For tillage is of evill yet good holy and necessary Physick is of evill 1 Cor. 12. yet by the Apostle commended 1 Cor. 12. Good Lawes and Magistracie are of evill manners Gualt The use of many things is pure and good Marlorat ex c. the originall whereof is corrupt and vitious So much for the second use of the first point For Caution Vse 3. to be carefull to sweare in truth in justice in judgment The copulation of man and woman is good Jer. 4.2 as appointed by God but so that it be in lawfull wedlock and it is not so if it be out of matrimony It is good to sing so it be to the Lord but it is not so in banquetings or wantonnesse or in the Church for gain when men sing without understanding or devotion Musculus An Oath likewise is good which is made by the Name of God so that it be done in Truth Righteousnesse Judgement Jer. 4.2 expounded it is otherwise if it be done perversly rashly customarily 1. 1. In truth In truth i. our mind must agree with our mouth which confutes Papisticall equivocations and mentall reservations It is naught of it selfe to lie but this naughtinesse is doubled by putting to an oath saith Musculus 2. In justice 2. In justice that what we promise by oath be just and lawfull for those oathes are laudably broken which are unlawfully made An example hereof we have in David 1 Sam. 25.32.22 who thanked God and blessed Abigail and her advice for that he had not wickedly performed what inconsideratly he had sworne The contrary we see in Herod who performed a wicked oath with greater wickednesse in giving John Baptists head which was more worth then all his Kingdome doing a work of supercrogation to merit Hell seeing he promised to keep his oath only to the losing of half his Kingdome 3. In judgment i. reverently holily deliberately 3. In judgment sparingly with a serious due consideration of Gods high Majesty before whom of his dreadly Name by which we swear and of the cause for which we swear that it be not concerning things already out of doubt and certain as that it will be day to morrow c. or to one that will beleeve a bare affirmation without any oath at all but that it be concerning such things that tend either to Gods glory or our neighbours good For seeing an oath is not absolutely good but when necessarily it is required therefore to sweare rashly is upon no pretence to be allowed Which occasioned Pagnine to observe that the Hebrew word for swearing is passive and signifieth to be sworn rather then to sweare to intimate that we are not to take an oath as voluntary Agents but as inforced Patients The Romans had an use that he that would sweare by Hercules should go forth of the doores and be well advised and take some pause before he swear For they held that Hercules did swear but once in all his life and that was to the son of King Augeas This deliberation in their Idolatrous oaths should admonish Christians to be well advised in swearing by the Name of God An oath was brought in among men for necessity and at first to be laid on men as a punishment when one could not be believed by another upon his bare word yet now it is not restrained so much for it self as for the evills that do ensue thereby And so little shall suffice to have been spoken concerning the truth and use of the first Doctrine Rightly to sweare is to sanctifie Gods name and shall by him certainly be rewarded gathered out of the affirmative part of this third Precept Now we are to consider this second Position as the chiefe aim and end of my meditations opposing the bent of this sinfull swearing age that Sinfull swearing Doctr. 2. though by man it be not yet by God shall it severely be punished If prophane Pharisaicall Hypocriticall persons shall be punished then also shall swearers but prophane c. shall c. Ergo. Swearers are prophane persons Eccles 9.2 Pharisaicall persons Matth. Mat. 5.33 23.29.33 5.34.20 which only shunned forswearing Hypocriticall persons If any among you seeme to be religious and refraineth not his tongue as no rash swearer doth that man deceives himself and his Religion is in vain Jam. 1.26 Where there is such a beginning as sinfull swearing there cannot but follow such a bitter conclusion as shall severely be punished Now before it comes by God to be punished it comes among men to be questioned what is sinfull swearing and what is not You have heard in the former Doctrine what is not sinfull swearing to swear in truth righteousnesse judgment Jer. 4.2 Now to sweare sinfully is to sweare either 1. Lightly without colour of cause 2. Rashly without regard of the matter what or the Majesty of God before whom 3. Falsly in favour to another or for profit to our selves without respect to truth whereunto we should be most favourable because this alone in the end will prove to be most profitable 4. Commonly without distinction of oathes from words 5. Vnlawfully by either 1. Leaving Gods Name Jer. 5.7 2. Joyning another with it Zeph. 1.5 6. Slavishly by the creatures making them Lords which are but servants Heb. 6.16 As by this light Sun fire bread drinke