2· 3· !. n. 124 An Expojition upon the but to Aie in ~od's face, anli to revenge thy felf on him, when Men have injured thee? Certarnly thy paffion can ~e no more a temptation to do this, than it would be to ftab thy Father, bccaufe thtne Enemy bath ftruck thee. Seco~dfJ, Tt is a mbft fuolilb Sin, becaufe it co_nrradiCls the very end for which they comm1t 1t: The common Swearer perhaps, thinks that he fhall be much the fooner believed for his Oaths; whereas, with a \I ferious and judicious Perfons there is nothing that doth more lighten the credit of his Speeches, than his rafh bind ing and ~onfirming the truth of them by fwearing. For what reafon have I to think that Man fpeaks truth, who doth fo far fufpetl: himfclf, as to think what he relates is not tredible, unlcfs he fwear to it: And certainly, he that owes God no more refpea, than to violate the f:lnCl:ity and reverence of his Name upon every trifling occafion, cannot eafily be thought to owe the Truth fo much refpeCl: as not to violate it, efpeciall~ conlidcring that there arc far ftronger temptations unto Lying than unto Sweanng. Thirdly, Confider that the Devil is the Author and Father, not of Lying only, but of Swearing alfo: Let your yea, be yea ; and your nay, nay; faith our Saviour, for whatfoevcr is more than thefc, cometh of evil, Matth. 5· 37· ~;c.'T;; '1rcvl!f;; ~v; i. c. it comcth of the Evil One, who is ftill prompting the Swe.1rer, and putteth Oaths upon the tip of his Tongue. I fhall now give you fame Rules and Directions, by the Obfervance of which you may avoid this too common Sin, and fo conclude this SubjeCt F;rft, Bcwate of the firft Rudiments and Beginnings of Oaths, if thou wouldft not learn them. And fuch arc :J. company of idle words frequently ufed in the mouths of many, which formerly were bloody Oaths, but are now worn to rags, aud difguifed into imperfeCt Sounds and Nonfenfe: few th.1t fpeak them, know what they mean ; but if they did, certainly they would tremble at fuch execrable words that hide and dilfemble the moft horrid Oaths that can be uttered: Some of them being hlafphemous, as thofe that are conceived by the Limbs of God; and others being idolatrous, as thofe which are concelv'd by Creatures; as in that ordinary By-word of Marry, which is no lefs than [wearing by the Virgin Mary. And it is a notable Arw tifice of the Devil to bring !itch foolifh and mafqued words intp common ufe, that both they may fwear that ufe them, although they know it not; and that by ufing themfelves to unknown Oaths, they may be brought in time to take up thofe tlut are known. Again, all vehement Alfevcrations have in them fomewhlt of the nature, and are dangerous beginnings of Oaths: And thofe whodoaccuftom themfelves to them, will in time think them not forcible enough to confirm their Speeches, and fo be brought toattefl: them by Oaths: Make nothing therefore the pawn and pledge of a Truth, but fpeak it out limply and mkedly as i~ is. in it fclf 1 an_d this will be fooncr conciliate Belief, than the moft ftrong and bmdmg Alfeverattons that thou canfi: invent. This Sin of [wearing is ftrangely growing and thriving; for by a cuftomary uling of AfiCverations, we lhallinfcnfibly upon every occafio11 be trippingl.tpon an Oath; and a cuftom of Swearing will at length brin7 h1 Perjury; and a cu ftom of Perjury, Blafpherny, and make them deny that God oy whom they have fo often for.- fworn themfelves, and yet go unpunifh'd. Beware therefore, that yoH allow not yourfelvcsanyformof Affeveration; but let your yea beyea, andyour nay, nay; proceed no farther, for Chriil: hath all?wed you no more. Secondly, Subdue as much as you can, all inordinate Paffion and Anger: For Ange}'. is ufually the caufe and provocation of Oaths and Blafphemies. Anger is a fire in the heart, and fwearing is the fmoke of this fire that breaks forth at the mouth: And thofe who arc violently hurried with this Paffion, do ufhally find nothing fo ready at hand as an Oath; which, if they cannot be revenged on him whom they conceit to lJavc done them the Injury, they fling againft Heaven it fclf, and thereby feem to take an impious Revenge upon the Almighty God. '{hirdly;
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=