go from his house. If he beguile his brother, his fault shall be upon him. If he acknowledge not his sin, he makes a double offence; and if he sweareth in vain, he shall not be found righteous. For his house shall be full of plagues. The words of the swearer bring death, (God grant that it be not found in the house of Jacob,) but they that fear God eschew all such as lie not weltering in sin. Use not thy mouth unto dishonest and filthy talking, for in it is the word of sin.-Here the wise man plainly affirms, that they which swear and take the name of God in vain, shall be replenished with wickedness, and the grievous plagues of God's vengeance shall fall upon them. So that their house shall be visited with divers punishments and plagues. Oh terrible saying! Too stony is his heart that trembleth not at the hearing of these words. The prophet Zechariah also saith, I turned me, listing up mine eyes, and looked ; and behoid a flying book. And he said unto me, What seest thou? I answered, I see a flying book of twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the whole earth. For all thieves shall be judged after this book, and all swearers shall be judged according to the same. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of Hosts, so that it shall come upon the house of the thief, and upon the house of him that falsely sweareth by my name, and it shali remain in the midst of his house, and consume it with the timber and stones thereof. What will swearers and blasphemers of God's most holy name say unto these words of the prophet ? Here may they see that the terrible curse of God is come abroad for all thieves and swearers, so that it shall fall upon their house, and consume it, with all that ever pertain unto it. Here may they learn that their judgment is at hand, that their damnation cannot be eschewed except they shortly repent, believe, and amend. For the book of curses flieth abroad. It is no longer kept in secret, and it shall undoubtedly fall on the houses of so many as swear vainly. God can no longer abide this abomination, it is so great, and grown up unto such an height.

Wo be unto all swearers for their oaths. For a dagger prieketh not so sharply,” saith Chrysostom, (Hom. xv.)

as the nature of an oath doth. A sword slayeth not so cruelly as the plague of an oath doth. For a swearer, although he seem to live, yet is he dead already, and has received his deadly wound. And as he that takes a halter

before he goes out of the city, and comes unto the place of execution, and has the hangman following him, is dead so soon as he goes out of the place of judgment, so likewise is he that is a swearer. The oath is not so soon come out of the mouth, but that the swearer is condemned straightway unto eternal damnation."

What will these blasphemers of God's most holy name say to this golden-mouthed doctor Chrysostom ; who compares all swearers to thieves, and saith that they are like unto a thief that is condemned unto death, and wears his halter, ready to be hanged? Are not these swearers come now to a fair promotion ? They are like thieves condemned to die, saith the holy doctor Chrysostom.. The judge has given sentence; they are condemned. So that although they are yet free from the plagues of God's vengeance, as the thief is before he comes to the gallows; yet they may be as sure not to escape them, as though they were now already on their necks. And the longer their punishment is deferred, the more grievous shall it be when it comes.

Many, I grant, in this world are not punished for their great abominable swearing, yet have there not wanted examples in our time, which have abundantly declared how greatly the sin of swearing displeases God. There live at this day, those who have known certain men to be great swearers, some of whom, many years before they died, were grievously punished with strange and innumerable diseases. Some, by the strong hand of God, had their houses, as the prophet Zechariah saith, consumed with fire. Some lost their speech before they died. Some, certain days before they died, had such a heat and burning in their mouths, that by no means could they suffer to have them closed. Their tongue and all that ever was within their mouth was as black as a coal. Were not all these manifest tokens of God's wrath and vengeance for taking his holy name in vain ? Would to God, they that were thus punished might be an example to us, for to leave the wicked and ungodly custom of swearing. If we will not cease, but still provoke God unto anger, surely we shall prove and feel those plagues, and much more grievous. And would God our pains might cease in this world, that we might be free from everlasting damnation. (Job viii.) We all profess Christ and call ourselves christians, why do we not then those things that Christ commandeth us? Christ saith, He that is of God, heareth the words of God. Again, My sheep hear my voice. (John x.) Also, in another place, Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John xviii.) If we therefore be of God, why do we not hear the words of God? If we are the sheep of Christ, why do we not hear our Shepherd's voice? (John xv.) If we pertain unto Christ, who is the truth itself, why do we not hear his voice ? Christ saith, Y.e have heard that it was said to them of the old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but perform unto the Lord that which thou hast sworn. But I say unto you,

Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God; neither by earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King; neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou art not able to make one hair white or black. But let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (Matt. v.) Hereunto agreeth St. James, saying, Before all things, O my brethren, look ye swear not; neither by heaven, nor by earth, nor by any other oath. Let your communication be yea, yea, nay,

ye fall not into dissimulation. (James v.) Here are we forbidden to swear by any thing that ever God made; then is it not lawful for us to swear by Him that made all things. If it be sin to swear by the creatures, then must it needs be damnable to swear by the Creator. Why do we not remember these things, and leave off our great swearing? It is a shame to see christian men live so contrary to their profession. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, for Sodom and Gomorrah, at the day of judgment than for us, except we shortly repent, believe, and amend. (Matt. iii.) For the servant who knoweth his master's will and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. (Luke xii.) Swearing hath ever been counted a thing of such great absurdity that the very Heathen and Gentiles did detest it, insomuch that a certain Greek poet writes on this manner : Flec swearing, although thine oath be right and according to the truth.” What a saying is this of an infidel! Shall not he and such others rise up at the day of judgment, and condemn us, seeing they were infidels and we christian men ? Our Lord be merciful unto us!

All hunt after worldly promotions, and seek to live in pleasure and wealth ; but no man seeks how to lead a

nay, that

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godly and innocent life; how to leave their swearing, and to magnify the most glorious name of God. For we go forth still to sin, as though there were no punishment ordained for it at all. We blaspheme the name of God, as thongh he were so childish that he would never call us unto account for our ungodly blasphemies. We so tear Christ and all the parts of his most blessed body, as though he should never come unto the judgment for to reward the good, and to condemn the evil. Christ saith that we shall give an account at the day of judgment for every idle word that we have spoken. (Matt. xii.) What is then to be thought of our abominable oaths whereby God is so greatly dishonoured ? What account shall we give of them ? How narrowly shall we be examined of them ! What can

answer in this behalf? What can say? What excuse can we make ? I fear unless we shall be ready, it will be our own free will, to run headlong into hell fire, before that terrible sentence of damnation be given, our conscience shall so condemn us! Lord hold thy holy hand over us, and give us grace to amend. St. Paul saith, Let your speech be well savoured and powdered with salt, that ye may know how to answer every man. (Col. iv.) What place hath this commandment of the apostle among them, who so powder their words, that nothing comes out of their mouths but vain oaths and wicked blasphemies. The communication of these men savours little of salt, whereby is understood the wisdom of God's word, it is so fresh and unsavoury. Yea, would God, that these abominable blasphemers of God's most holy name were not extreme enemies to God's word; choosing rather to remain dastards still in the foolishness of the world, than to become wise and prudent in the wisdom of God's word.

All swearers therefore are enemies both to God and to his word. A christian man may not acquaint himself with such manners, nor so wickedly abuse his tongue. For our tongue is given us, not that we should swear, lie, blaspheme, jest, rail, scoff, mock, and use ungodly talk; but that we should only speak those things which may both turn to the glory of God, and the health of our neighbour. And this is it that St. Paul saith, Let your speech be well savoured and powdered with salt. Our speech is well savoured, seemly, honest, and comely, when there appears nothing in it that may offend the ears of any true

christian man, but it is agreeable in all points to godliness and honesty. It is powdered with salt when it utters those things which are godly, wise, and edify so many as are the hearers of it. Let all swearers mark this and amend their communication, lest they be that unsavoury salt which shall be cast out, and trodden under foot. (Matt. v.) Again, he saith, Let no filthy communication proceed out of your mouths, but that which is good to edify withal, when need is, that it may have favour with the hearers. (Eph. iv.) If no filthy communication ought to proceed out of our mouths, much less ought any vain oaths, ungodly swearings, blasphemies, &c. to come forth out of them. If our words ought to be good, to edify withal, then they ought not to be such as should destroy both ourselves and the hearers, which many times happens through wicked oaths. Let not whoredom, saith he, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, or filthiness, or foolish talking, or jesting, be once named among you, as it becometh saints, but rather thanksgiving. (Eph. v.) If these things may not once be named among us, surely much less, yea, a thousand times much less, ought oaths, swearings, and blasphemies of God's most holy name be named among us, and heard in our daily speech. If the wrath and vengeance of God be wont to fall upon the children of unbelief for these things aforesaid, as St. Paul testifieth certainly, (Titus i.) let all swearers be certainly assured that they shall not escape the plagues of God's vengeance, and their damnation shall be the more grievous, forasmuch as they profess godliness, and live nothing according thereunto. What are they any other than blasphemous mockers of God? They say that they know God, but with their deeds they deny him, seeing they are become abominable and disobedient, and evil-minded unto all good works. As St. Peter writes, (2 Peter ii.) They are wells without water, clouds carried about of a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. They are trees without fruit at gathering time, twice dead, and plucked up by the roots. They are the raging waves of the sea foaming out their own shame. (Jude.) How then can they escape the vengeance of God? The people of Sodom and Gomorrah sinned against nature, and therefore were they consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven. (Gen. xviii.) The swearers sin against the God and Maker of nature, and is it to be thought that they shall escape