PLEA IV.

Well, (may you reply) but I scorn to swear falsly; and what Page  23 know to be true, why may I not safely swear?

Answ. This weak Objection satisfies many Swearers, (so easi∣ly men believe what they desire) but with as little Reason as they swear with need: For that not False alone, but Rash and Unne∣cessary Oaths are forbidden, ap∣pears evidently by the expression made use of in the Third Com∣mandment; where Perjury is not alone condemn'd, but it is flatly written, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Which if needless and customary Swear∣ing do not, 'twill be a strange Riddle to me what the Com∣mandment means to prohibit. But that this is the genuine Sense and Design of those words, is clear'd by these express ones of Page  24 our Saviour, (cited before in St. Matthew's Gospel) Ye have* heard that it hath been said of old time, thou shalt not forswear thy self, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I say unto you, Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, &c. And to this sense the annex'd affirmative Pre∣cept expounds the negative Law; the word Communication in the for∣mer shewing the Interdict to be chiefly meant of Oaths employ'd in common Discourse and Con∣versation. Nay, God himself seems manifestly to determine all the Controversy, by that clear distinction express'd in a passage of Leviticus, whose words run thus, And ye shall not swear by my name* falsly; neither shalt thou prophane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. And certainly if we must answer Page  25 at the Last Day, for every Idle Word, how much more will that Account be exacted of us for eve∣ry Idle Oath?

The Jews at this day, (as I learn'd whilst I lately convers'd with them at Amsterdam) have so profound a Reverence for that great Name of Jehovah (common∣ly called Nomen Tetragrammaton, and Ineffable, so frequently record∣ed in the Scriptures) that they hold it unlawful for Mortal Lips so much as to pronounce it: But tho I esteem this fancy suitable enough to the rest of the Extra∣vagancies of their Modern Te∣nents, yet certainly their Super∣stition will condemn our Irreve∣rence. I remember an Expositor observes upon the 6th. of Deutero∣nomy, and the 13th. verse, That the word there which signifies Page  26 Swear, is put in the Hebrew in the Passive Sense, to imply that our swearing ought to be a kind of ne∣cessitated act. And a Father tells us of one Clinias a Pythagorean, who being fin'd in a great Sum of Money which he might have esca∣ped with an Oath, chose rather to pay the Penalty impos'd, than not to pay unto God the Reve∣rence that he thought due unto his Name. Besides, he that makes no Conscience of swearing vain∣ly, will soon make but little of swearing falsly: For he that in a lower degree so voluntarily breaks God's Commandment for no∣thing, may soon be drawn to break it in a little higher degree for his Profit.

And tho many of our Gallants (doubtless in a pure Complement to the Devil) are pleased to con∣demn Page  27 the breach of this Com∣mandment, only when the sinner wants the excuse of an advantage by it; yet certainly he that uses to toss God's Sacred Name in his mouth without any Reverence, and employs it about every trifle, will easily be tempted not to care much what he does with it, nor to what use he puts it. And there∣fore holy David makes it a sym∣ptom of Hatred against God, when in a Psalm he says, Thine* enemies take thy name in vain. These Considerations may clearly teach us what to think of those usual forms of speech, such as are, God forgive me, God help you; and the like of those customary Exclama∣tions, such as are, O God! O Je∣sus! and those others that are usu∣ally employ'd to proclaim our wonders, or supply the want of a Page  28 Complement, with an excess of Irreverence: For tho these unre∣garded Trespasses be in most per∣sons faults venial enough, as the effects rather of Ignorance and Heedlesness, than of Design; yet are they fashions of speaking, which besides that they are always needless, and often scandalous, do but inure our mouths to a very sawcy slighting of that Awful Name, which eternally to praise, shall be in Heaven both our Em∣ployment and our Happiness.