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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	worship_n	worship_v	worth_a	21	3	8.6265	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20760	Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common sinnes; namely, the abuses of swearing, drunkennesse, whoredome, and briberie. Wherein the greatnes and odiousnesse of these vices is discouered; and the meanes and remedies, which may either preserue, or weane men from them, are propounded. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of anger. By Iohn Dovvname Batcheler in Diuinitie, and preacher of Gods word.	Downame, John, d. 1652.; Downame, John, d. 1652. Spiritual physicke to cure the diseases of the soule, arising from superfluitie of choller, prescribed out of Gods word. aut	1609 (1609)	STC 7141; ESTC S110222	260,958	336

as anger is cosen germane to madnesse so drunkennesse is a cohabitant and as much as it is better then madnesse because it is of shorter continuance so much it is worse in regard that it is voluntarie for whereas madnesse thrusteth in by violence this is willingly intertained CHAP. III. That the drunkard sinneth hainously against God ANd well doth the vice of drunkennesse deserue to be thus condemned both of God and men §. Sect. 1. The hainousnes of this sinne of drunkennesse and the manifold euils which it containeth seeing it hath in it all respects of euill both the euill of sinne and also the euill of punishment The euill of sinne both as it is in it selfe sinfull and also as it is the cause of other sinnes It is in it selfe sinful as may appeare by a threefold relation which it hath to diuers obiects for the drunkard grieuously sinneth 1. against God 2. against his neighbour 3. against himselfe And of these I will speake seuerally in handling whereof it is not to be expected that I should obserue a distinct proprietie in referring particulars to their generall heads for as much as manie of them are coincident one with another and in a diuers relation may diuersly be referred onely I thought good to propound this diuision that wee may proceed in some order First then the drunkard grieuouslie sinneth against God and that in diuers respects §. Sect. 2. 1. The drunkard grieuously sinneth against God Phil. 3.19 First by committing against him one of the worst kinds of Idolatrie in that he maketh his bellie his god as it is Phil. 3.19 Wherof it is that gluttons and drunkards are vsually called bellie-gods because they better loue it and more diligently serue it and more carefully please it then God himselfe Secondly §. Sect. 3. Drunkennes maketh men vnfit for Gods seruice therby they doe so oppresse the heart loade the stomacke and dull the spirits that they are altogether vnfit to performe vnto God any part of his worship and seruice for if the Lord will be worshipped in spirit and truth how farre are they from worshipping God aright who haue not so much as the vse of their reason and vnderstanding If more then accustomed sobrietie yea sometimes fasting and totall abstinence be required when we powre forth our soules vnto God in prayer that wee may be the better fitted for this holy action how ill are they disposed for this exercise whose stomackes are surcharged and braines distempered with wine and strong drinke If such bee our weakenesse and infirmitie that when we come fasting to the hearing of the word we are often ouertaken with drowsie dulnesse what can be expected of those whose heads are intoxicated with fumes and drunken vapours but blockish deadnesse and more then brutish drowsinesse The consideration whereof should make all Christians abhorre this vice for if it bee esteemed an odious thing that a subiect being to conferre with his Prince about important affaires should come vnto him in his drunkennes how abominable is his practise who being to come into Gods presence either to speake vnto him by prayer or to heare the Lord speaking vnto him in the Ministerie of the word is so oppressed with drinke that hee is more fit to sleepe then to heare or speake and to disgorge his stomack then to powre forth his soule before God Now these actions are not seldome to be performed 1. Thes 5.17 but they must be the Christians continuall exercise and therefore that hee may the better performe them he must obserue continuall temperance and sobrietie Thirdly §. Sect. 4. 3. They gresly abuse Gods creatures they sinne against God in the vngratefull abuse of his creatures for whereas the Lord hath allowed vnto them a large portion and bestowed vpon them his gifts with a bountiful hand to the end that hereby he may mooue them to loue serue and praise him with greater cheerefulnesse they contrariwise abuse these benefits to surfetting and drunkennesse whereby they dishonour God destroy their bodies and soules whollie disable themselues for Gods seruice and are altogether fitted for the seruice of sinne and Satan And thus drunkards sinne directly against the Maiestie of God himselfe The which their sinne is fearefullie aggrauated by the circumstance of time if they then continue in drunkennesse and voluptuous excesse when the Lord by his iudgements and afflictions either threatned or inflicted vpon themselues or their neighbours or the whole Church and common wealth doth call them to fasting mourning and humiliation And this the Lord condemneth in the people of Israel Esa 22.12.13 Esa 22.12.13 And in that day the Lord God of hosts did call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnes and girding with sackecloth And behold ioy and gladnes slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine eating drinking for to morrow we shal die So Amos 6.6 Amos. 6.6 They drinke wine in bowles and anoint themselues with the chiefe oyntments but no man is serie for the affliction of Ioseph CHAP. IIII. That the drunkard sinneth grieuously against his neighbours and that both publikely and priuately BVt as the drunkard sinneth against God § Sect. 1. How the drunkard sinneth against his neighbours and against the Common-wealth so also against his neighbours and that both generally against the whole Church and common wealth and particularly against priuate persons He that is giuen to this sinne of drunkennes sinneth against the common-wealth in that he so disableth himselfe that he cannot performe any good seruice to his countrie for a drunkard can neither bee good Magistrate nor good subiect seeing hee cannot rule others that cannot rule himselfe nor yet manage well the sword of iustice seeing oftentimes he is so besotted and depriued of the vse of reason that hee can put no difference betweene the sword and the scabberd betweene the innocent and offenders And therefore not vnfitly did the poore woman who had receiued an vniust sentence from Philip King of Macedon in the time of his drunkennesse make her appeale and being demanded to whom shee appealed seeing hee was supreme Iudge I appeale said shee from thee vnto King Philip when he is sober And as he cannot rule so he cannot obey for when the drunkard is scated vpon the ale bench and hath got himselfe betweene the cup and the wall he presently becommeth a reproouer of Magistrates a controller of the State a murmurer and repiner against the best established gouernment and such an insolent pride and ouerweening conceit of his wisedome doe the spirits of wine and strong drinke infuse into him that hee thinketh a whole Court of Parliament may more easilie erre in their long deliberated decrees then he in his present and rash verdict Plutarch Apotheg To this accordeth Plutarchs storie of certaine young men who hauing bitterly inueighed against King Pyrrhus when they were amongst their cups were for this offence brought before him and when

not vaine swearing and this false swearing by the name of God alone and not by the creatures So in the 23. Mat. 23.16.17 Chapter verse 16.17.18 they taught that they might sweare by the Temple by the Altar and by their head and that all this was nothing neither in regard of their vaine swearing nor yet forswearing by these creatures Now our Sauiour laboureth to free the pure law of God from these spots of their false interpretations and sheweth that not only hee who had slaine a man was a murtherer but hee who had been vniustly angrie with him in his heart and had reuiled him with his tongue that he also was an adulterer before God who in his heart had lusted after a woman as well as he who had lien with her So likewise hee refuteth their false doctrine concerning oathes and sheweth that we must not in our ordinarie communication sweare at all no not by the creatures because in these oathes the name of God is obliquely and indirectly taken in vaine there remaining in them some prints and characters of Gods power and Maiestie for they who sweare by heauen sweare indirectly by God because heauen is his throne so they what sweare by the earth sweare also by him because it is his footstoole and in like manner the Temple and Altar belong to his worship and our heads they are his workmanship and consequently his name in them is taken in vaine by vsuall swearing in ordinarie communication and much more in periurie and false swearing though not directly yet indirectly and obliquely But they further vrge that our Sauiour expressely forbiddeth vs to sweare at all §. Sect. 8. The former obiection further vrged and answered and therefore wee must not sweare neither by the creatures nor by God himselfe neither truly nor falsely neither in ordinarie communication nor yet before a Magistrate To which I answere that these words at all are not to be referred to the oath it selfe as though Christ should forbid to sweare in all cases which reference as I haue shewed implieth many absurdities but it is to bee referred to the forme and manner of the oath namely that we must not sweare at all falsely rashly and vsually in our ordinarie communication neither directly by the name of God nor indirectly by the creatures which notwithstanding the Pharisies taught to be lawfull For that our Sauiour speaketh here only of priuate oathes it is manifest in that they did not in their publike oathes before the Magistrates sweare by the creatures but by the name of God alone And so also it may bee gathered out of the text it selfe for hee saith let your communication or ordinarie speech one to another be yea yea nay nay neither doth hee forbid them to sweare by the name of God which was vsed in publike oathes but by the creatures namely the heauen earth altar c. Yea §. Sect. 9. That an oath in priuate may be vsed lavvfully will some man say but howsoeuer publike oathes before the Magistrates and for the confirming of new Conuerts in the truth of Christian religion may bee lawfull yet priuate oathes are here vtterly condemned I answere that Christ here onely forbiddeth rash vaine and vsuall swearing when neither the waightinesse nor necessitie of the cause requireth it as being a matter which is not worth the prouing by such a soueraigne witnesse and Iudge or which may bee proued by other arguments and witnesses Otherwise in waightie and necessarie causes it is lawfull for the confirmation of truth the ending of controuersies the taking away of doubtings iealousies and suspitions and for the preseruing of a mans good name and credit Exod. 22.10 to sweare priuately as well as publikely seeing the maine ends of a lawfull oath are attained vnto as well in the one as in the other Examples hereof we haue in Abraham and Isaac swearing to Abimilech Iacob to Laban Ioseph to Iacob Dauid to Ionathan and in many others Lastly §. Sect. 10. Obiect 2. Iam. 5.12 they obiect the saying of Iames chap. 5. verse 12. But aboue all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation The which words are all one in substance with those of our Sauiour Christs and therefore admit of the same interpretation and consequently the obiection needeth no other answere otherwise Iames should condemne Paul the holie Ghost should be contrarie to himselfe and all those absurdities before spoken of must necessarilie follow CHAP. III. Of the obiect of lawfull oathes where is shewed that it is only lawfull to sweare by the name of God alone ANd thus haue I shewed that a man may in some cases take a lawfull oath §. Sect. 1. vvhat things are required to a lavvfull oath In the next place we are to shew what oathes are lawfull and what vnlawfull vnto a lawfull oath diuers things are required wherof some respect the obiect of our oathes some the end and some the manner VVe must svveare onely by the name of the true God Deut. 6.13 In respect of the obiect it is required that we sweare onelie by the name of God as may appeare by these reasons first because the Lord hath as straitly commanded vs to sweare by him alone as to worship and serue him alone So Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him Esa 45.23 and 65.16 and shalt sweare by his name Esa 45.23 I haue sworne by my selfe c. that euerie knee shall bow vnto me and euerie tongue shall sweare by me And 65.16 He that that shall blesse in the earth shall blesse himselfe in the true God and hee that sweareth in the earth shall sweare by the true God And contrariwise the Lord hath as strictly forbidden vs to sweare by any other besides himselfe Ios 23.7 as appeareth Ios 23.7 Make no mention of the name of their gods nor cause to sweare by them neither serue them nor bow vnto them which when the people of Israel neglected the Lord threatneth to punish them for it Ier. 5.7 Ier. 5.7 How shall I spare thee for this thy children haue forsaken me and sworne by them that are no gods Exod. 23.13 Secondly Exod. 23.13 a lawfull oath is a part of Gods worship as being a kind of inuocation and therefore they commit grosse idolatrie who giue it to any other Thirdly all our actions must proceede from faith grounded vpon Gods word but in the whole Scriptures wee haue no warrant neither by precept nor example to sweare directly by any thing sauing by the name of God or to call either Angel or Saint as witnesse to confirme a doubtful truth For whereas it is obiected that Ioseph swore by the life of Pharaoh §. Sect. 2. Of Josephs oath and that therefore it is lawfull to sweare by the creatures vnto this we may answere

First that Ioseph to the end he might continue vnknowne vnto his brethren tooke vpon him the custome of the Egyptians and therein sinned through infirmitie and therefore his example is no president for vs. Secondly Ioseph may be excused by the manner of his speech for he doth not say by the life of Pharaoh but Pharaoh liueth or so let Pharaoh liue as you shall not goe hence which is not properly an oath but a prayer added to an oath wherein he desireth God to grant that Pharaoh might as certainely liue as they should not depart Fourthly whatsoeuer we sweare by that we deifie in communicating vnto it Gods incommunicable attributes as his omnipresence omniscience omnipotence whereby he can powerfully protect his truth and punish al falshood al which are so peculiar to God as that they cannot be communicated with any creature But is it then simply vnlawfull to vse the name of any creature in our others §. Sect. 3. VVhether vve may vse the name of a creature in our oathes I answere that it is vnlawfull to sweare by them simply and directly neuerthelesse they may bee lawfully vsed in a compound forme of an oath when as God by them is inuocated as when wee pray for some good to befall vs or them who are deare vnto vs vpon the condition of our truth or imprecate some euill if we speake falsely or when we oblige those things of which we make greatest esteeme to Gods iustice as sureties of our truth Examples whereof we haue 1. 1. Sam. 1.26 and 25.22 Sam. 1.26 and 25.22 In respect then of the obiect we sweare lawfully §. Sect. 4. Our oathes are vnlavvfull vvhen vve svveare by any thing besides the true God or ioyne any thing vvith him when we sweare by the true Iehouah onely and consequently our oathes are vnlawful when as we sweare directly by any other thing In which regard there are two kindes of vnlawfull oathes first when as we sweare by any thing besides the true God secondly when as in our oathes wee ioyne any other with him They who vse the former kinde of swearing commit the most impious kinde of theft robbing God of his glorie to bestow it vpon an Idoll the other shew their gracelesse follie in making base Idols and sillie creatures corriuals in honour and compeeres in the throne of iustice vnto the Lord who is the Creator of heauen and earth and the supreame Iudge and sole Monarch of all the world Of the former the Lord accuseth the people of Iuda Ier. 5.7 Ier. 5.7 Thy children haue forsaken me and sworne by them that are no Gods Whereby is plainely implied that they who sweare by any thing besides the Lord doe renounce him and his true worship Zeph. 1.4.5 and for the latter he threatneth destruction Zeph. 1.4.5 I will cut off them that worship and sweare by the Lord. and sweare by Malcham For the Lord being the peerelesse soueraigne of heauen and earth cannot indure that any other should haue Esa 48.11 or share with him in his glorie as himselfe also professeth Esa 48.11 Here therefore are condemned all oathes which are not by the name of the true God §. Sect. 5. Pettie and childish oathes vnlavvfull of which there are many kinds first those pettie diminutiue and childish oathes which are so much in vse in these dayes bodikin lakin by cocke by my fey and such like all which are the fruites of ignorance and superstition for men seeing the vnexcusable euill of prophaning the glorious name of God in their ordinarie communication vpon euerie trifling occasion and hauing so inured their tongues to swearing that they thinke there is a kinde of necessitie of vsing some kind of oathes either for ornament of speech or to gaine more credit to their words they imagine that God will excuse them if they doe not directly take his name in vaine but vse onely these trifling and pettie oathes in their ordinarie speech But what is this but to iest with holy things and to mocke the Lord who will not be mocked As though he regarded the pronunciation and outward sound more than the oath it selfe or being displeased to haue his titles and attributes commonly vsed should be contented to haue them nick-named in a ridiculous manner What is it but quite to ouerthrow the lawfull vse of an oath which is ordained by God onely for the confirmation of a waightie and necessarie truth and not to be vsed ordinarilie and vpon euerie trifling occasion so that if the matter be light and vaine we must not sweare at all if so waightie that we may lawfully sweare then likewise is it lawfull to vse the glorious name of God in an holy and religious manner Secondly §. Sect. 6. Svvearing by the creatures condemned Matth 5. and 23 here is condemned swearing by the creatures as by the Sunne light fire bread and such like which kind of oathes were in vse among the Pharisies as our Sauiour sheweth Matth. 5. and 23. and are commonly vsed amongst ignorant worldlings in these dayes wherein as they rob God of his glorie and as it were spoile the Creator to enrich the creature so doe they hereby exceedingly dishonour themselues in that being their superiours by creation they make themselues inferiour vnto them in swearing by them for as the Apostle speaketh men sweare by him that is greater then themselues Heb. 6.16 and make them their Iudges whom God hath made their seruants Of this kinde also are Papisticall oathes §. Sect. 7. Papisticall oathes condemned as vnlavvfull by the Angels Saints and their reliques by their Idols the Masse Roode and such like for as they worship the Saints by inuocation oblations pilgrimages c. so also by swearing by them the which their practise is impious and vaine the impietie hereof is manifest in that they rob God of his glorie and deifie the creatures by ascribing vnto them diuine worship the vanitie of such oathes herein appeareth in that they are idle and bootlesse for in vaine it is and to no purpose to inuocate any to beare witnesse of our truth and to punish falshood vnlesse we acknowledge them present euerie where the beholders of the most secret actions yea euen the searchers of the heart and reines and almightie to patronise truth and to inflict deserued punishments vpon periured persons but all these are Gods proper and peculiar attributes which are not communicable vnto anie Saint or Angell for neither are they omnipresent omniscient nor omnipotent and therefore it is idle and vaine to inuocate them by an oath as witnesses of truth and reuengers of falshood Thirdly §. Sect. 8. Elasphemous oathes condemned here is condemned those blasphemous oathes by the seuerall parts of Christs bodie which are commonly vsed by impious men euen in ordinarie communication wherewith as much as in them lyeth they teare the precious body of Iesus Christ in peeces and crucifie him afresh or if these

booke to shew the swiftnesse of Gods vengeance against this sin and the quicke dispatch he will make in destroying of them though they be scattered far and wide vpon the face of the earth So he threatneth Deut. 28.58 Deut. 28. that those who will not feare this glorious and feareful name The Lord our God shall be punished with wonderfull plagues both in themselues and in their posteritie great in quantitie grieuous and sore in qualitie and in respect of time of long continuance To the same purpose the sonne of Syrach saith that a man which vseth much swearing shall be filled with wickednesse and the plague shall neuer goe from his house Eccles 23.11 Ecclesi 23.11 But well were it with blasphemers if they had their whole portion of punishment in this life and that they might die like beasts without any future sense of weale or woe but they shall finde it farre otherwise for they who in their ordinarie communication in stead of yea yea nay nay vse vaine swearing and bloodie oathes Iam. 5.12 shall fall as the Apostle telleth vs into eternall condemnation and as they haue blasphemed God in earth so they shall continue their wicked blasphemies in hell torments with the damned spirits as they haue dishonored God by abusing and prophaning his holy name in their accursed oathes so the Lord will glorifie it againe in their fearfull and eternall punishments And these are the reasons which may mooue vs to hate and auoide this sinne in our selues §. Sect. 11. VVe must not onely reforme our selues but those who are vnder our gouernment the which may bee also effectuall to make all men carefull in reforming this vice in those that belong vnto them and are vnder their gouernment especially Magistrates in the common wealth and housholders in the familie And the rather let all in authoritie be perswaded hereunto first because where one is tainted with this leprosie if separation be not made hee will likewise infect those that are about him As therefore Magistrates and housholders in the time of common sicknesse are verie carefull to stay the infection by keeping the sicke from the whole so the like or much greater care must bee had in keeping these who are infected with this contagious sinne of vaine swearing from those who are not yet tainted either till they be reformed and cured or if they be vncurable by banishing them out of the common wealth and excluding them out of the familie or at least by inflicting vpon the offenders such seuere punishments as may vtterly discountenance this sinne and discourage and deterre others from following their leaud example Secondly § Sect. 12. The impunitie of one sinner bringeth Gods iudgements vpon the whole familie because where any one enormous sin raigneth in any member of a societie which is not suppressed and reformed or at least corrected and sharply punished that sinne will bring Gods vengeance and fearfull iudgements not only vpon the offender but also vpon the whole bodie of that societie For in respect of that neere communion which is betweene the diuers members of the same bodie politicke it commeth to passe oftentimes that both their prosperitie and aduersitie benefits and punishments are communicated So that as for the sakes of some few godly men the whole societie fareth the better so for the sinnes of some few which are either defended wincked at or not punished Gods temporarie iudgements are inflicted vpon the whole body whether it be a priuate familie or the whole common wealth Of the former we haue an example in Elies house ruined and subuerted through the vncorrected finnes of Hophni and Phinees 1. Sam. 3.13 of the latter in the Beniamites whose whole tribe was neere rooted out for not punishing the abominable filthinesse of the inhabitants of Gibeah Iud. 19. and 20. Ios 7. and in the Israelites who for the sinne of Achan fell before their enemies If then wee would not haue Gods curse light vpon the whole common wealth or familie let the blasphemous swearer be reformed or banished or at least by some other meanes seuerely punished for he that hauing power and authoritie giuen him of God to punish a sinne doth wincke at it becommeth an accessarie in the fault and shall be a partner in the punishment CHAP. VI. Excuses alleaged for vaine swearing taken away ANd thus haue I set downe such reasons and arguments as may perswade those who haue any sparke of grace to leaue this vaine sinne and those also who are in authoritie to punish seuerely such as are gracelesse and incorrigible Now in the next place I will take away those excuses no lesse vaine then cōmon which are obiected either in the defence or excuse of this sin §. Sect. 1. Their reasons vvho defend their swearing answered For some there are who by long custome being hardened in this sinne are growne to that height of impudencie that they dare not only excuse their vaine swearing as veniall but also defend it as commendable and to that high degree of impietie that they audaciously presume to turne the point of Gods owne weapon against himselfe and to vse the sword of the Spirit the word of God as their instrument to wound Gods glorious name and as it were to stab our Sauiour Christ by making way for their hellish blasphemies Doth not say they the Lord himself inioyne swearing as a part of his worship and seruice Deut. 6.13 and doth not the Psalmist tell vs Psal 63.11 that all who sweare by the Lord shall reioyce before him the more therefore we sweare the better seruice we doe vnto God and the greater cause of true reioycing we procure vnto our selues To this I answere that if they would examine themselues aright their owne consciences would tell them that in their vaine swearing they do not propound vnto themselues as their ends Gods glorie and their spirituall reioycing but rather sweare to despite God in their rage when they cannot haue their will or in a brauerie to grace themselues with this hellish ornament And therefore when by these ends they defend their swearing they doe but play the gracelesse hypocrites couering their foule sin vnder this faire vizard But though we leaue the ransacking of their hearts vnto the Lord who is the only searcher of them and take their reasons as they propound them yet will they make little for their vaine swearing but rather much against it For as when the Lord inioyneth his true worship hee doth not thereby approue of all manner of worship which is done vnto him but only that which himselfe prescribeth yea rather thereby forbiddeth and condemneth all humane inuentions will-will-worship and superstitious meanes of his seruice and restraineth vs both for the matter and manner vnto his reuealed will so when the Lord commandeth and commendeth vnto vs a lawfull oath that hereby his name may be glorified the truth cleered and defended and we discerned from Heathens Pagans

will passe the sentence not according to our secret thoughts but according to our words and workes Matth. Matt. 12.37 12.37 By thy words thou shalt bee iustified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Neither let them suppose that this excuse which would seeme friuolous and foolish to a mortall man will goe for currant before the most wise and iust Iudge of heauen and earth Now what Prince hearing himselfe abused to his face by the reprochfull words of his base subiect would admit of such an excuse that whatsoeuer hee spoke with his mouth yet hee thought no ill in heart and will not thinke we the Lord be as iealous of his glorie which is most deare vnto him as an earthly King or will hee in his iustice acquite such offenders vpon such friuolous and vaine pretences Others shroude their sinne vnder the example of the multitude §. Sect. 4. Their excuse answered who pretend the example of the multitude alleaging that it is the common custome of all some few onely excepted who are but too scrupulous about euerie trifle But let such know that after this manner they may excuse and countenance any manner of wickednesse seeing no custome is more common then to liue in sinne Let them remember that God hath forbidden vs to follow the example of a multitude in that which is euill Exod. 23.2 or to fashion our selues according to the world whereof we are but pilgrims if at least we be inhabitants of the heauenly Ierusalem that Christ hath chosen vs out of the world not that we should still imbrace the impious practises of wicked worldlings but that becomming his Disciples we should follow his word and holy example as our onely guides Let them consider that common vse of committing sinne doth not excuse but much aggrauate it in Gods sight and that it doth more inflame his wrath and increase the punishment when as men combine themselues to worke wickednesse Finally let them call to minde that it is the narrow path and straite gate leading to eternall life Matth. 7.13.14 which is least frequented so that the Christian may goe in it without crouding though it be not large and spacious in respect of the small number which trauaile this way and contrariwise that there is no way more commonly haunted then the broade way which leadeth to destruction and consequently that wee can haue small comfort in hauing a numerous multitude to accompanie vs into hell Others alleage in their excuse §. Sect. 5. Their excuse taken away who alleage that they sweare nothing but the truth that they sweare nothing but the truth which may lawfully be confirmed with an oath But as I haue shewed Gods name is prophaned and abused not onely although most grieuouslie when wee sweare that which is false but also when it is vsed vpon euery trifling occasion to confirme an vnnecessarie truth which either is not worth proouing or may be demonstrated by other arguments or without that reuerend and religious respect of his glorious Maiestie which he requireth Yea §. Sect. 6. Their excuse answered vvho pretend that they svveare by small oathes but will some say I auoide this danger seeing my custome is not to sweare by God but by slight and small oathes as by my faith troth by our Lady the masse and such like and therefore I am to be excused because I do not take the name of God in vaine To this I haue alreadie answered whereas I prooued that the Lord requireth that we should sweare by his name only to which I may adde that our Sauiour hath directly forbidden such kind of oathes and hath inioyned vs in our ordinary cōmunication Matth. 5.34 to vse only yea yea nay nay telling vs that whatsoeuer is more commeth of euil Though therefore it be not so hainous a sin as that horrible abusing of Gods holy name yet it is a sin seeing Christ himselfe hath forbidden and condemned it and therefore not to be entertained and much lesse excused or defended by any Christian For wee should thinke no sinne so small that wee may willingly commit it seeing the least sinne meriteth the wages of eternall death and can no otherwise be expiated and done away but by the inestimable price of Christs precious blood or if we doe let vs assure our selues it shall not be small vnto vs for the least sinne in it owne nature is hainous and vnpardonable so long as it is willingly committed and excused or defended Lastly §. Sect. 7. Their excuse answered who alleage others incredulitie they excuse themselues by alleadging the incredulitie and suspition of others which is such that vnlesse they sweare they cannot be credited and beleeued But vnto this I answere that the best way to haue our words credited is not to confirme euerie thing we speake with an oath for so our oathes becomming common and ordinarie will be as little respected as a simple affirmation nay in truth they will deserue lesse credit for it is to be thought that hee who maketh no conscience of transgressing one commandement will not make much more conscience of transgressing another he that sticketh not to vse deieration and vaine swearing will not sticke at periurie and forswearing or if he doe it is not because he wanteth an heart to doe it but rather some strong inducement to perswade him But the best way to haue our speeches credited is to accustome our tongues to speake the truth and to be of an vpright iust and vnblameable life and conuersation and so shall our word be more regarded than anothers oath for it is not the oath that giueth credit and authoritie to a man but a man to his oath and if in our whole course and cariage we clearely shew that we make more conscience of lying than another of periurie his oath will not be so much credited as our bare promise or assertion Whereby it appeareth that ordinarie swearing is either needlesse or bootelesse For if a man be of an holy and religious conuersation there will be no vse of it vnlesse it be in waightie causes wherein an oath is lawfull because his word will carrie with it sufficient credit and contrariwise if he be knowne to haue accustomed himselfe to lying dissembling and false dealing his swearing will not profit him seeing his vnconscionable falsehood doth take away all credite and authoritie from his oath But let it be supposed that though we are iust and faithful §. Sect. 8. we cannot bee credited vnlesse wee sweare yet this giueth vs no dispensation for oathes in light or needlesse occasions seeing we are rather to obey our Sauiour Iesus Christs commandement who hath forbidden vs to sweare in our ordinarie communication then by vaine swearing to gaine credit to our speeches or to satisfie such suspitious and incredulous persons who will not beleeue vs without an oath For hereby we shall approue our obedience to God by making conscience of transgressing his law