A Christian library, or, A pleasant and plentiful paradise of practical divinity in 37 treatises of sundry and select subjects ... / by R. Younge ...

MEMB. 2.

Swearer. Did I swear or curse?

1. § Messenger. Very often, as all here present can witnesse, and Satan also, who stands by to take notice, reckon up, and set on your score every Oath you utter, keeping them upon Record against the great day of Assises, at which time every Oath will prove as a daggers point stabbing your soul, to the heart, or as so many weights pressing you down to Hell, Rev. 20.13. and 22 12. As also the searcher of hearts, who himself will one day be a swift witnesse against Swearers, Mal. 3.5. For of all other sinners the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vain, as the third Commande∣ment tels you, Exod. ••0.7.

2. § But wo is ••he, it fares with common Swearers as with persons de∣sperately diseased, whose excrements and filth comes from them at unawares; for as by much labour the hand is so hardened that it hath no sense of labour, so their much swearing causeth such a brawny skin of senslessenesse to over∣spread the heart, memorie, and conscience, that the swearer sweareth unwit∣tingly: and having sworne, hath no remembrance of his Oath, much lesse repentance for his Sin.

Swearer. Alas though I did swear, yet I thought no harm.

3. § Messenger. O fool! What Prince hearing himself abused to his face, by the reproachfull words of his base and impotent Subject, would ad∣mit of such an excuse? that whatsoever he spake with his mouth, yet he thought no ill in his heart? And shall God take this for a good answer, having told us before hand, Deut. 28.58, 59. That if we do not fear & dread his glorious and fearful Name, the Lord our God, he wil make our plagues wonderful and of long continuance, and the plagues of our posterity. Besides, how frequently doest thou pollute and prophane Gods Name, and thy Saviours? The Iews grievously sinned in crucifying the Lord of life but once, and that of igno∣rance: but the times are innumerable that thou doest it, every day in the year, every hour in the day, although thy conscience, and the holy Spirit of 〈…〉〈…〉

thee that thou hast seldome remembred him but to blaspheme him? and more often named him in thy Oaths and Curses, then in thy prayers.

Swearer. Surely, If I did swear, it was but Faith and Troth, by our Lady▪ the Masse, the Rood, the Light, this Bread, by the Crosse of the silver, or the like: which is no great matter I hope, so long as I swore not by God, nor by my Savior.

4. §. Messenger. That is your grosse ignorance of the Scriptures, for God expresly forbids it, and that upon pain of damnation, Iam. 5.12. First, our Saviour Christ in his own person forbids it, Mat. 5 34, 35, 36, 37. I say unto you Swear, not at all, neither by heaven, for it is Gods Throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Ierusalem, for it is the City of the great King; nei∣ther shalt thou swear by thine head, because thou canst not make one hair white o•• black; but let your communication be Yea, Yea, Nay, Nay: for whatsoever is more then these cometh of evill. And then by his Apostle, Above all things my bre∣thren, swear not, neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by any other oath, but let your Yea be Yea, and your Nay, Nay: lest you fall into condemnation, James 5.1•• where mark the Emphasis in the first words, Above all things swear not; and the great danger of it in the last word, condemnation.

5. §. If the matter be light and vain, we must not swear at all; if so weighty, that we may lawfully swear as before a Magistrate, being called to it, then we must only use the glorious Name of our God in a holy and religious manner, as you may see, Deut. 6.13. Esay 45.23. & 65.16. Iosh. 23.7. Ier▪ 5.7. Exod. 23.13. And the reasons of it are weighty, if we look into them▪ for in swearing by any creature whatsoever, we do invocate that creature, and ascribe to it divine worship; a lawfull oath being a kind of Invocati∣on, and a part of Gods worship; Yea, whatsoever we swear by, that we invocate, both as our witnesse, surety, and judge, Heb. 6.16. and by conse∣quence, deifie it, by ascribing and communicating unto it Gods incommu∣nicable Attributes, as his Omnipresence, and Omniscience, of being every where present, and knowing the secret thoughts and intentions of the heart: and likewise an Omnipotencie, as being Almighty in patronising, protecting, de∣fending, and rewarding us for speaking the truth, or punishing us if we speak falsly: all which are so peculiar to God, as that they can no way be com∣municated or ascribed to another. So that in swearing by any of those things, thou committest an high degree of grosse Idolatry, thou spoilest and robbest God of his Glory, (the most impious kind of theft) and in a man∣ner dithronest him, and placest an Idol in his room.

6. §. And as to swear by the creature makes the sin far more heinous, so the more mean and vile the thing is which you swear by (be it by my fay, by cock and pie, hares foot, by this cheese, and such like childish oaths, which are so much in use with the ignorant and superstitious swarm) the greater is your sin in swearing such an Oath: because you ascribe that unto these basest of creatures, which is only proper to God, namely, to know your heart, and to be a discerner of secret things; why else should you call that ••••eature 〈…〉〈…〉

of him; as mark well what he saith, Ier. 5.7. How shall I spare thee for this? thy children have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no Gods. And do you make it a small matter to forsake God, and make a God of the crea∣ture? Will you believe the Prophet Amos, if you will, he saith (speaking of them that swore by the sin of Samaria) that they shall fall and never rise again Amos 8.14. a terrible place to vain swearers.

Neither are we to join any other with God in our oaths, for in so doing we make base Idols, and filthy creatures Corrivals in honour, and Competitors in the Throne of Justice with the Lord, who is Creatour of Heaven and Earth, and the supreme Judge and sole Monarch of all the world.

Or, in case we do, our doom shall be remedilesse, for the Lord threat∣neth by the Prophet Zephany, that he will cut off them that swear by the Lord and by Malcham. which Malcham was their King, or as some think, their Idol, Zeph. 1.4, 5.

But admit the sin were small, as you would have it to be, yet the circum∣stances make it most heinous; for even the least sin in its own nature is not only mortal, but rests unpardonable: so long as it is willingly committed, and excuted or defended.

Swearer. But all do swear, except some few singular ones, and they also will lye, which is as bad.

7. §. Messeng. You must not measure all others by your own bushell for al∣though ill Dispositions cause ill Suspicions; even as the eye that is bloud∣shood sees all things red, or as they that have the Iaundies see all things yel∣low; yet know that there be thousands who can say truly through Gods mercie, that they had rather choose to have their souls passe from their bo∣dies, then a wilfull prenseditated lie, or a wicked oath, from their mouths; wherefore when you want experience, think the best, as charitie bids you, and leave what you know not to the searcher of hearts.

8 §. As for the number of Swearers, it cannot be denyed, but the sin is almost universall, and this is it which hath incensed Gods wrath and al∣most brought an universall destruction upon our whole Nation; but is no•• this excuse [That others do so] a most reasonlesse plea, and only becoming a fool? When our Saviour Christ hath plainly told us, that the greatest number go the broad way to destruction on, and but a few the narrow way which leadeth un∣to life, Mat. 7.13, 14. And S. Iohn, that the whole world lyeth in wickednesse 1 John 5.19. And that the number of those whom Satan shall deceive, is as the sand of the sea, Rev. 20.8 & 13 16. Isa. 10.22. Rom. 9.27. And tell me. Were it a good plea, to commit a Felonie, and say that others do so? Or Wilt thou leap into Hell and cast away thy soul, because others do so? A ••orry comfort it will be to have a numerous multitude accompanie us into that lake of fire that never shall be quenched.

Besides it is Gods expresse charge, Exod. 23.2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill, and S. Pauls everlasting rule, Rom. 12.2. Fashion not your selves like unto this world.

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some urgent matter constraineth for the confirming of a necessary tru•••• (which can by no other lawfull means be cleared) and for the ending of all contentions and controversies, and clearing our own or our neighbour•• good name, person, or estate, and to put an end to all strife, aiming at Gods glory, and our own or our neighbours good: which is the only use and end of an oath; in which case a man is rather a patient then a voluntary agent You may swear, otherwise not. Neither must we swear at all in our ordi∣nary communication, if we will obey Gods Word, as you may see, Mat. 5▪34, 35, 36, 37. Iam. 5.12.

Swearer. Except I swear, men will not believe me.

10. §. Messenger. Thou hadst as good say, I have so often made shipwrac•• of my credit by accustomary lying, that I can gain no belief unto my word without an oaths; for it argues a guilty conscience of the want of credit, an•• that our word alone is worth no respect, when it will not be taken without a pawn or surety. Neither will any but base Bankrupts pawn so precious▪ Iewel as their Faith, or offer better security for every small trifle. Beside he that often sweareth, not seldome forsweareth. And so I have informed yo•• from Gods Word, what the danger is of vain and wicked swearing.