A free discourse against customary swearing ; and, A dissuasive from cursing by Robert Boyle ; published by John Williams.

PLEA IX.

Of kin to this is their Apology who plead, That if they do not swear, their words shall neither

be fear'd nor obey'd by their very Servants; mens ears being of late so accustomed unto Oaths, that they are necessary to make them think we are in earnest. This is the usual Objection of the French, amongst whom this Vice is grown so Epidemical (as of Blackness amongst the Ethiopians) its com∣monness has removed all the de∣formities they would otherwise find in it.

Answ. But sure there are ways enough to make your servants obey your Commands, without your breaking God's. Gravity and Severity, not using them to hear you swear, are courses like∣lier far than Oaths to reach that end: Which if they yet should fail of, they would turn this fan∣cied inconvenience into an advan∣tage

of necessitating you to the election of Religious Servants. Certainly, since the sole universa∣lity of Vice has drawn upon us this suppos'd necessity, a general and unanimous desertion of it must needs be the properest ex∣pedient for its removal. And, believe me, 'tis but an extravagant way of teaching our Inferiors to pay us their duties, to teach them to disobey the Commands of their Superiors by our own example, and to lead them the way to de∣spise the Injunctions of the most Ador'd Powers, to whom we confess to owe an exquisite Obe∣dience, upon the highest Conside∣rations.

But admitting (as the disper∣sedness of this Vice too often for∣ces us) the supposal of this Plea to be true, yet will the Inference

prove consequent? For by the same reason the Thief might ju∣stify the unreclaimedness in his Robberies, by alledging if he for∣sake that Trade, his Purse must soon grow empty: Or the Buona Roba excuse her Prostitutions, by saying, That unless she continue her former Profession of Wanton∣ness, she shall no more be present∣ed with New Gowns, and Linnen richly lac'd, nor be able any lon∣ger to maintain her wonted Riots; her Conversion (by forbidding her to be the Cherisher of her Gal∣lants loose Excesses) depriving her of the only fewel of her Bra∣very. Upon how few could we with justice press Religious Du∣ties, if such petty Inconveniences attending their performance, were a warrantable dispensation or dis∣engagement from it? Surely he

that requires that we should pull* 1.1 out our right eyes, and cut off our right hands, if they oppose our entrance in at the streight Gate, will scarce give them admittance, that will not purchase it by the parting with such trivial Conveniences. It is much less unreasonable that you should be neither believed nor obeyed with readiness, than that God should either not be believed when he speaks, or not obeyed when he commands. For take this for a Truth, to which Oracles are Fables, That never any man commits a sin to shun an inconve∣nience, but one way or other, soon or late, he plunges himself by that act into a far worse inconve∣niency, than that he would de∣cline.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 5. 29, 3••.