-- Tit. 2. Directions against profane Swearing, and using God's name unreverently and in vain
Tit. 2. Special Directions against profane Swearing, and using God's name unreverently and in vain
I. To swear is an affirming or denying of a thing, with an appeal to some other thing or person, as a witness of the truth or avenger of the untruth, who is not producible as witness or judge in human courts. An affirmation or negation is the matter of an oath: the peculiar appellation is the form. It is not every appeal or attestation that maketh an oath. To appeal to such a witness as is credible and may be produced in the court, from a partial, incredible witness is no oath. To appeal from an incompetent judge or an inferior court, to a competent judge or higher court, is no swearing. To say, 'I take the king for my witness,' or 'I appeal to the king,' is not to swear by the king: but to say, 'I take God to witness,' or 'I appeal to God as the judge of the truth of what I say,' is to swear by God. But to appeal to God as a righteous Judge, against the injustice or cruelty of men, without relation to his attesting or judging any affirmation or negation of our own, is no swearing by him, because there wanteth the matter of an oath. An oath is an appeal to some supernatural or higher and more terrible power, than that of the court or person we swear to, to make our testimony the more credible, when other evidences of certainty or credibility are wanting. So that a legal testimony or appeal are not swearing.
Swearing is either just and lawful, or sinful and abusive. To a just and lawful oath it is necessary, 1. That it be God alone ultimately that we swear by: because no witness and avenging judge above human courts can be appealed to but God: and therefore to swear by any creature properly and in the sense that God is sworn by, is to idolize it, and to ascribe to it the properties of God. (Of which more anon.) 2.
It is necessary to a just oath, that the matter be true as it is assertory or negative, and also if it be promissory, that the matter be, 1. Honest
and lawful, 2. and possible. And where any one of these is wanting, it is unlawful. 3. It is needful that there be an honest end; for the end is a principal ingredient in all moral good and evil. 4. It is needful that it be done upon a sufficient call and honest motives, and not unnecessarily or without just reason. 5. And the manner and circumstances must be lawful.
And oath is an equivocal word, taken sometimes for that which is formally so, as before described; and sometimes for that which is but the matter and expressive form without any real intent of swearing.
Or, an oath is taken either for the whole human act completely, containing the words signifying and the purpose signified; or else for the outward sign or words alone. (As the word prayer signifieth sometimes the bare form of words, and sometimes the words and desire signified by them. And as the word sacrament is sometimes taken for the external signs only, and sometimes for the signs with the mutual covenanting and actions signified.) Here it may be questioned,— Quest. 'Whether it be swearing or not, which is frequently used by ignorant, careless people, who use the words or form of an oath, in mere custom, not knowing what an oath is, nor having any thought or purpose of appealing to God, or to the creature by which they swear. The reason of the doubt is, because it seemeth to be but the matter or external part of an oath; and it is the form that specifieth and denominateth. He that should ignorantly speak the words of an oath in Latin or Greek while he understandeth not the language and intendeth no such thing, doth not swear.'
Answ. 1. In the full and properest sense of the word, it is before God no oath if there be no intent of confirming your speech by an appeal to God, or to that which you swear by. As a ludicrous washing and
using the words of baptism, is no true baptism, no more than a corpse is a man. (And thus it is true which the Papists say, that the intention of the baptizer is necessary to the being of baptism: that is, it is necessary to the being of sacramental administration to the baptizer himself, before God, that he really intend to baptize; and it is necessary to the being of baptism before God in the person baptized that he himself if at age, or those that have power to dedicate him to God if he be an infant, do really intend it: and it is necessary to the being of the external ordinance in 'foro ecclesiæ,'
'before the church,' that both the baptizer and baptized do profess or seem to intend it.) 2. But if you use such words as are the ordinary form of an oath in a language which you understand, so as the hearers may justly suppose you to understand it, it is an oath, 'coram hominibus,' 'before men,' and in the latter narrower sense of the word. And it shall be obligatory and pleadable against you in any court of justice by those you swear to: yea, and God himself, doth take you thereby to be obliged thus to men: and if it be a profane, causeless swearing, men must call it an oath; for they see not the heart; even as they must take him to be baptized that professeth to intend it: and 'in foro humano,' it is so indeed: and God himself will account you a sinner, even one that useth the external form of an oath, and that which before men, is an oath, to the wrong of his name and honour, and to the scandal of others. And it will not excuse you that you knew not that it was an oath, or that you knew not the nature of an oath, or that you rashly used it, not considering that it was an oath: for you were bound to have known and to have considered: you should have done it, and might have done it if you would. But if they were words which you could not know to have been the form or expressions of an oath, but the hearers might perceive that you meant no such thing, but something else, then you are excusable, if you had just cause to use them.
II. As to the case of swearing by creatures, how far is it sinful; it is just like the case of worshipping images, or by images. He that worshippeth an image or any creature as God, and ultimately terminateth his worship in it, doth commit direct and full idolatry: which is so much the greater sin, by how much the baser the thing is which he idolizeth. But if he make the image or creature but his medium of that worship which should be immediately offered to God, in whom it is ultimately terminated, then it is not gross idolatry, but it is false and forbidden worship of the true God. But if the creature be made but the medium of that worship which God would have offered him by a medium, then it is lawful so to use or worship it (as to honour and admire God as appearing in his works; to give that worship or honour to our parents and rulers as his officers, which is ultimately terminated in God); just so it is in the case of swearing: for swearing is a part of the worship of God. He that sweareth by any creature as a God, or as the avenger of those that by falsehood elude the judgment of man, doth commit idolatry in iti; as Julian did when he swore by the sun (which he praised by his orations and worshipped as God). But he that only sweareth so by a creature, as to intend God ultimately as the witness and avenger, but yet so as that the creature only is named, or so named as hath an appearance of idolatry, or tendeth to entice the mind from God, or scandalously to obscure his honour, or in any other forbidden way, doth swear by the true God intentionally, but in a sinful manner. But he that directly sweareth by God (upon a just call), and by the creature (or nameth the creature rather), but in a just, and clear, and inoffensive subordination to God, is excusable. So we use to lay our hands on the Bible and thus to swear 'So help me God, and the contents of this book.' Thus on great occasions many good men in their writings to clear themselves from some calumny have said 'I call God, and angels, and men to witness.' Many in naming creatures
intend rather a curse than a swearing by the creature: as 'If it be not so, let God destroy me by this fire, or this water, &c.'
Quest. 'Is it lawful to lay hands on the book and kiss it in swearing as is done in England?'
Resp. To take an oath as imposed in England with laying the hand on the Bible and kissing it, is not unlawful.
Proved 1. That which is not forbidden by God is lawful (before God).
But so to take an oath is not forbidden by God—Therefore, &c. The minor will be proved sufficiently by disproving all the pretences of a prohibition. The major needeth no proof.
2. If it be forbidden it is either, 1. As an act in worship not commanded, and so will-worship. 2. Or as a significant ceremony in worship not commanded. 3. Or as an uncommanded significant ceremony, which hath in itself some forbidden matter or manner.
But it is not forbidden in any of these respects: therefore not at all.
I. Not as an act not commanded in worship: for 'á quatenus ad omne valet consequentia:' then all acts in worship not commanded would be unlawful, which is false: for, 1. The acts used in swearing, Gen.
24:2. 14:22. Apoc. 10:5. were not commanded and yet lawful; of which more anon. 2. God hath not commanded what tune to sing a psalm in, what division to make the Bible into chapters and verses, whether to use a written or a printed Bible, what words, what method, what particular text to choose, what translation to use, with many such like.
II. Not as a significant ceremony not commanded: for then all such should be forbidden, which is not true. For, 1. Abraham's swearing by lifting up the hand (and so the angels Apoc. 10.), and Abraham's
servant by putting his hand under the thigh, were significant ceremonies. And he that will say they were commanded must prove it. The contrary by us may well be supposed, 1. Because no such law is notified in Scripture, and here 'non apparere' and 'non esse' are equal, because of the perfection of God's laws. 2. Because it is mentioned, as Paræus and other commentators note, as some accustomed rite, and no dependeth not so any particular precept to Abraham alone as a prophet. 3. Because it is not one but several sorts of swearing rites that are mentioned, lifting up the hand, and putting it under the thigh.
2. Almost all Christians take some uncommanded significant ceremony in swearing to be lawful. The ceremony mentioned by Paræus ibid. as used in the Palatinate is such, of lifting up three fingers, 'Hodie nos juramue, digitus tribus dextræ sublatis, invocantes vindicem S. Trinitatem.' The English annotations tell you that the customs of countries are very various in this point, yet most agree in adding some outward attestation of action or gesture to words in taking of an oath to make it better remembered and more regarded, than bare words of affirmation, promise or imprecation.
And Josephus (cited by Grotius) tells us it was then the custom among the Jews to swear by this caremony of putting the hand under the thigh: (whether in token of subjection, or because it was the place of the sword, the instrument of revenge, as Grotius and others, or in expectation of the promised seed as the Fathers thought.) And the case of Joseph's adjuration shews it. Vid. Perier. in Gen. 14. and 24.
3. An action of another part of the body is no more forbidden to express the mind by, than of the tongue. God never said, you shall no way express your minds in things sacred or civil, but by the tongue. A change of the countenance may express it: a frown or a pleasant look.
('Index animi Vultus.)' Paul did lift up the hand to the Jews when he
would speak for himself: Christ made as if he would have gone further. Words are not natural signs, but invented and arbitrary in particulars, though the power of speaking words so invented and learned be natural. If it be lawful to use significant words, not commanded in worship, it is lawful to use significant actions (under due regulation). Therefore all the ancient churches without one contradictor that ever I read of, did use many such. Though
Augustine Ep. and Januar. sadly complaineth that then they were grown to an oppressive number; yet he never speaketh against the thing itself. To stand up at the creed is a significant expression of consent, which not only all the churches else, but the old nonconformists never scrupled, nor do the present as far as I can learn: whether to sit, stand, or kneel, at singing psalms, is left at liberty. To put off the hat is a significant ceremony or act in worship, not commanded in itself, nor used of old for the same signification as now. And where the covering of the head doth signify reverence, it is better than to be bare. In one country custom maketh standing up, in another sitting and hanging down the head, in another kneeling, in another prostration, to be the sign of reverence, which accordingly may be used in God's service. When covenants between God and the people are renewed, consent may lawfully be expressed either by standing up or by holding up the hand (by which suffrages things sacred were used to be given), or by subscribing, or by voice. For God hath commanded us the expressing of consent, reverence, &c, but left the word, gesture, or expressing sign to liberty. He that affirmeth that God hath left no other signification of our minds in sacred things to our liberty, but tied us to words alone, must prove what he saith (which he must do against Scripture, against nature, and against all the judgment and custom of all Christ's churches and of the world).
III. If laying the hand on the book and kissing it be unlawful for any special matter or manner forbidden more than other significant acts, it is for some of the reasons named by you: which now I will answer.
Obj. It savoureth of the Romish superstition. Answ. 1. Not at all: prove that if you can. 2. Superstition is the feigning of things to be pleasing or displeasing to God which are not, and using or disusing them accordingly: whatever be the etymology of the word
'Superstitum cultus,' or 'supra Statutum, &c.' it is certain that the common use of it among heathens (as Plutarch at large,) and Christians was, for an erroneous, undue fear of God, thinking this or that was displeasing or pleasing to him, to be done or to be avoided which was not so, but was the conceit of a frightened, mistaking mind. Therefore to say that God is displeased with this signification of the mind, when it is not so, nor can be proved, is superstition. And this is not the solitary instance of satan's introducing superstition under pretence of avoiding superstition. 3. The sense of the law is to be judged of by the law, and by the notorious doctrine and profession of the law-makers and of the land: which here renounceth the superstitious use of it. But I confess I was more afraid that the Papists had too much derogated from the Scripture, than given too much to it. And they profess that they swear not by a creature. Vid.
Perer. ubi sup. in Gen. 24:2.
Object. But Paræus, &c. in Gen. 24:2. saith, "Non absque superstitione fit cum super crucifixum aut codicem Evangelii digitis impositis juratur, ut fit in Papatu." Answ. 1. But that same act which 'in Papatu' is superstitious because of superstitious conceits and ends, is not so in all others that have none such. 2. It is no new thing to be quick in accusing our adversaries: but Paræus addeth not a syllable of proof; and if he had, it must have been such as touched not us, or else invalid.
Object. 'Some good men have scrupled it.' Answ. 1. Ten thousand to one such have not scrupled it. 2. They are not our gods nor law. 3.
The Quakers and the old Anabaptists (and they say Origen) scrupled, yea, condemned all swearing, or all imposed oaths. And if we avoid all as sin which some good men have scrupled, we shall make superstition a great part of our religion: and when on the same grounds we have but practised all as duty, which some good men have taken for duty, we shall quite out-go the Papists. He that readeth Beda, Boniface, and abundancé such pious writers, will soon see, that godly or fanatical religious persons, dreams, visions, strict opinions, confident assertions, and credulous believing one another, with the hope of improving such things against Pagans and Jews, for Christianity, brought in almost all the legends and superstitions of the Papists.
II. Object. II. 'Our common-law commissions, that give authority to examine persons, direct it to be done 'supra sacramenta sua per sancta Dei evangelia fideliter præstanda:' and in the form of administrations in ecclesiastical courts the words are 'Ad sancta Dei evangelia rite et legitime jurati:' whether these forms do not infer that in their first use (at least), persons either swore by the evangelists or offended in that mode of swearing: and our commonlaw calls it a corporal oath, from touching the book.'
Answ. I. To know the sense of our present law it is not necessary that we know the sense of the first users of the form. For the law is not now the king's law that first made it (he hath no law that hath no government), but the king's law that now reigneth, and beareth his sense. 2. To justify our obedience to law, it is not necessary that we prove every phrase in that law to be fitly expressed. 3. But examine it well, and try whether it be not also fit and laudable.
1. There are three things conjoined in the oaths in question: 1. A testimony assertory or a promise. 2. An oath. 3. An imprecation. The assertory testimony here is the first thing intended; and the oath and imprecation are but as a means to make that testimony or promise valid. 2. The published doctrine of England, in the thirty-nine articles, the book of ordination, &c. is, that the holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation, as being God's law or rule of our faith and life. All our duty to God is there commanded: all the promises on which use hope are there contained; all the punishments which the perjured or any sinner must feel and should fear, are there threatened. Therefore 3. The laying on the hand and kissing the book, is an action directly related to the imprecation, and not to the oath, but only by consequence, as the imprecation is subservient to the oath, as the oath is to the assertion. So that this is the plain paraphrase of the whole. 'I do believe that God the Ruler of all the world, is the Judge of secrets which are above man's judgment, the Searcher of hearts, and the hater and avenger of perjury, according to this his holy Word by which he governeth us: and to this God I appeal as to the truth of this my testimony, consenting myself, to lose all the benefit of his promises to be just, and to bear all the punishment here threatened to the perjured, if I lie.'
And what could be said more fitly, 1. To own the Protestant doctrine that the Scripture is God's perfect word: that the evil to be feared, and the good to be hoped for, is all there contained, and is all the fulfilling of that word? 2. And to put the Word in its due subordination to God? And our ordinary form of swearing sheweth this, 'So help you God, and the contents of this book.' Whether you will call this 'swearing upon or by the gospel,' or call it 'a corporal oath,' or a spiritual oath, is only 'de nomine,' and is nothing to the matter thus truly described. 'Sacramentum' signifieth the oath itself,
and 'Ad sancta evangelia' is a fit phrase: or if 'super sacramenta' signify the two sacraments of the Gospel, it can mean no more than
'As one that by the reception of the sacrament, doth profess to believe this Gospel to be true, I do renounce the benefits of it, if I lie:' and in this sense it hath been some men's custom to receive the sacrament when they would solemnly swear.
III. Object. 'Some seem to object against kissing the book, as having the greater appearance of giving too much to it, or putting some adoration on it; and because this ceremony of kissing is held to be of later date than laying on the hand.'
Answ. The ceremony signifieth that I love and approve the Gospel, and place the hope of my salvation in it. And the public doctrine of the kingdom before cited, sheweth as a full exposition what we ascribe to it. But as some scrupulous brethren in Scotland gratify the Papists by rejecting the oath of supremacy, which is the most thorny hedge against them, and this while they cry out against Popery; so others would gratify the Papists, by suggesting that we give too much to the Bible, and adore it; when the very sum of England's
Protestantism, is their just ascribing to the Holy Scriptures its sufficiency as to all things necessary to salvation. Thus satan undoeth still by overdoing.
IV. Object. 'Laying on the hand, and kissing the book, seem of the same nature with the cross in baptism, and other significant ceremonies: and an oath is part of the worship of God: therefore not to be taken, with these ceremonies, or else will seem to justify the other.'
Answ. 1. Significant words, gestures or actions are not therefore evil, because they are significant (unless brutishness be a virtue): nor because any call them by the name of ceremonies (else that name
might be put on any thing by an enemy to deprive us of our liberty).
Therefore I can judge of no ceremony by that general name alone, till it be named itself in specie. 2. Of the cross in baptism, see my
'Disputations of Church Government' of Ceremonies, written long ago. There are these notorious differences in the case: 1. The cross is an image used in God's worship: though not a permanent, yet a transient image, and used as an image of the cross of Christ, though but in water or oil. And God hath more specially forbidden images used in his worship, than he hath done a professing significant word, gesture or action, which is no image, nor used as such. 2. The cross seemeth to be a third sacrament of the covenant of grace, while it is used as a symbol of Chrisitianity, and a dedicating sign (as the canon calleth it) by which before the church, there is made a solemn selfobligation, as sacramentally, to renounce the devil, the world and the flesh, and manfully to fight under Christ's banner, as his faithful servants and soldiers to our live's end: implying our trust and hope in Christ crucified for the benefits of his death. So that if it be not a complete third sacrament, it hath so much of that which is proper to a sacrament, (like the 'Sacramentum Militare,' whence the name came into the church) that for my part, I dare not use it, though I presume not to censure those that do, nor to condemn all other uses of the cross, which the ancients abounded in, as sudden, particular, professing signs, much below this solemn covenanting use. And as I think the king would not take it well, when he hath made the star the badge of the knights of the garter, if any subject will presume to make another 'Symbolum Ordinis,' though yet many a significant gesture or act may be used without offence. So I fear Christ would not take it well of me if I presume to make or use another symbol or 'tessera' of Christianity, especially with so much of a covenanting sacramental nature. But what is this to things or gestures significant of no such kind? You see then the difference of these cases.
But if you were able to prove the cross as harmless as the swearing ceremony, I would be for the cross, and not against the laying the hand on the book, and kissing it: for 1. I am not of their mind that form their judgment of other particulars to suit with their preconceived opinions of things of the same rank or quality: nor make the interest of my former conceptions, to be the measure of my after-judging 2. Nor do I think it so great an honour to be strict in my opinions, as dishonour to be superstitious, and to add to God's law, by saying that he forbidddeth what he doth not, or to be affectedly singular in denying lawful things, with a 'touch not,' 'taste not,'
'handle not,' &c. Nor do I esteem him to be the wisest, best, or holiest person, who is narrowest or strictest in his opinions, but who is rightest; nor him that maketh most things to be sins, but him that committeth least sin, which is such indeed; nor him that maketh most laws to himself or others, but him that best obeyeth God's laws.
Quest. 1. May one that scrupleth thus swearing himself, yet commissioned, give an oath thus to another that scrupleth it not?'
Answ. 1. If the thing be, as is proved, lawful, his scruple will not make him innocent in neglecting the duty of his place. 2. If the substance of the oath were lawful, and only the mode or ceremony were sinful, as suspected, then (1.) If the commissioner must himself particularly command that mode, it were unlawful for him to do it. (2.) But if he only command, and give the oath as an oath, leaving the mode without his approbation or command, to the taker and the law, he may so give the oath: and thus Christians in all ages have taken it for lawful to make covenants even with Infidels and Idolaters, and to take a Turk's oath by Mahomet, when it is only the oath that we demand, and the mode is his own, which we had rather be without, and give no approbation of. And if a king may thus demand an Infidel's or Idolater's oath, (as God himself doth men's duty, when he
knoweth that they will sin in doing it,) much more may one do so, in case of a doubtful ceremony, which he is neither the author; nor approver of. But I think this in question, is lawful, fit and laudable.
III. As to the case of taking God's name in vain, which for brevity I join with swearing, it is done 1. Either in the grossest and most heinous sort; 2. Or in a lower sort. (1.) The grossest sort of taking
God's name in vain, is by perjury; or calling him in for witness to a lie. For among the Jews, vanity and a lie, were words frequently taken in the same signification. (2.) But the lower sort of taking
God's name in vain, is when it is used lightly, unreverently, contemptuously, jestingly, or without just cause: and in these also there is profaneness and a very great sin, which is aggravated according to the degree of the contempt or profanation. It is a great sin unreverently in common talk to make a by-word, of saying, 'O
Lord,' or 'O God,' or 'O Jesus,' or 'God help us,' or 'Lord have mercy on us,' or 'God send this or that,' or any way to take God's name in vain: but to use it in jeers and scorns at religion, or make play-books, or stage-plays with such profane contemptuous jeers, is one of the greatest villanies that man's tongue can be guilty of against his
Maker. (Of which anon.) IV. Direct. I. 'For the avoiding of all this profaneness in swearing and taking the name of God in vain, the first Direction must be this general one, to use all the Directions given in Chap. 1. for a wicked man's attaining true conversion: and withal to observe how great an evidence this sin is of a graceless, ungodly, miserable soul.' For it is supposed to be an ordinary or frequent sin, and therefore to have no effectual principle in the heart which is against it; and therefore to have the principal room in the will; and therefore to be unrepented of (as to any saving, renewing repentance): if thou hadst any true grace, it would teach thee to fear and honour God more: to make
light of God is inconsistent with godliness, if it be in a predominant degree: for they are directly contrary.
Direct. II. 'Get thy heart sensible of the intrinsic evil of thy sin.' It would never be so easily and familiarly committed by thee, if thou didst not think it small. That thou mayst know it, consider of the following aggravations.
1. Consider who that God is whom thou abusest. Is he not the great and terrible Majesty; that made the world, and upholdeth it, and ordereth it by his will? The governor and judge of all the earth; infinitely excelling the sun in glory? A God most holy, and in holiness to be mentioned? And wilt thou make a by-word of his dreadful name? Wilt thou profanely swear by his holy name? and use the name of thy God as thou wouldst scarce use the name of thy father or thy king? Wilt thou unreverently and contemptuously toss it like a foot-ball? Dost thou know no more difference between God and man? Know God, and thou wilt sooner tremble at his name, than thus unreverently abuse it.
2. Consider who thou art that thus venturest to profane the holy name of God. Art thou not his creature and his subject, bound to honour him? Art thou not a worm, unable to resist him? Can he not tread thee into hell, or ruin thee, and be avenged on thee with a word or less? He need to say no more, but 'Thus I will have it,' to execute his vengeance on the greatest of his enemies: if he will it, it will be done. And art thou then a person fit to despise this God, and abuse his name? Is it not a wonder of condescension in him, that he will give leave to such worms as we to pray to him, and to praise and worship him, and that he will accept it at our hands? And yet canst thou venture thus to slight him and despise him? I have oft heard the same impious tongue reproach the prayers of the godly, as if they
were too bold and familiar with God, and pleading against long or often praying, because man must not be so bold with God, and persuading others that God accepts it not, which yet itself was bold familiarly to swear by his name, and use it lightly and in common talk. And indeed God's servants must take heed of rude and unreverent boldness even in prayer! How much more then is the boldness of thy profaning God's holy name to be condemned? Must they take heed how they use it in prayer and praise, and darest thou abuse it by oaths, and curses, and vain speech?
3. Dost thou not sometimes pray by that name which thou profanely swearest by? If not, thou seemest utterly to renounce God, and art a miserable wretch indeed; but if thou do, what an hypocrite dost thou show thyself to be in all thy prayers, that takest on thee to reverence that name of God, which thou canst toss unreverently, and swear and curse by when thou art off thy knees. It is part of Bishop Hall's character of the hypocrite, that he boweth to the name of Jesus, and sweareth by the name of God, and prayeth to God at church, whom he forgets or sweareth by the rest of the week. Doth not thy conscience gripe thee for this hypocrisy, when in thy prayers thou thinkest of this abuse of God?
4. Think man, what use thou wilt have for that holy name in thy distress, which thou now abusest. When sickness and death come, then thou wilt cry, 'Lord, Lord!' Then the name of God will be called on more reverently. And darest thou now make a foot-ball of it? Dost thou not fear lest it should be then thy terror, to remember on thy death-bed, when thou art calling upon God, 'O this is the name that I was wont to swear by, or to take in vain?'
5. Remember that millions of glorious angels are magnifying that great and holy name, which thou art profaning and taking in vain.
And dost thou not wonder that they do not some of them become the executioners of the vengeance of God against thee? and that the earth doth not open and swallow thee up? Shall a worm on earth be tossing that holy name, or swearing by it profanely, which a world of glorious angels are magnifying?
6. Consider that thou art more impious than they that profane things hallowed and consecrated to God. Was Belshazzar punished with the loss of kingdom and life, for carousing in the vessels of the sanctuary? Wouldst thou think him to be profane that should make a stable of the church, and should feed his swine with the communion cup? And dost thou not know that the name of God himself hath a higher degree of holiness, than any place or utensils of his worship have? and therefore that it is a greater profaneness to abuse his name, than to abuse any of these? Doth not thy tongue then condemn thee of hypocrisy, when thou wouldst exclaim against any that should thus profane the church, or font, or communion cup, or table, and yet thyself dost ordinarily profane the very holy name of God, and use it as a common name?
7. Consider how unworthily thou requitest God, for giving thee thy tongue and speech. He gave thee this noble faculty to honour him by: and is this thy thanks, to use it to dishonour him, by swearing and taking his name in vain?
8. Thy infectious breath corrupteth others. It tendeth to bring God into common contempt among his own creatures, when they hear his name contemptuously spoken of.
9. Thou forgettest how tender and jealous God hath shewed himself to be, of the honour of his holy name; and what terrible threatenings he hath denounced against the profaners of it, and what judgments he hath executed on them. "Ye shall not swear by my name falsely:
neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lordp."
And of the priests it is said, "They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God." "Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the Lord: neither shall ye profane my holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord which hallow youq." "If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD, then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed; great plagues and of long continuance; and sore sicknesses and of long continuance." Worshipping God and trusting in him is called, "A walking in his name; and calling upon his names." The place of his public worship is called, "The place where he putteth or recordeth his name." "They shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israelu." "For how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory to another." God telleth Moses, and Moses telleth Aaron when his two sons were slain, "I will be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me, and before all the people I will be glorifiedy." "A man that in striving with another blasphemed and cursed, was stoned to death." And in the third commandment, it is terrible enough that God saith, "The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."
10. Dost thou not use to say the Lord's prayer, and therein, "Hallowed be thy name?" And wilt thou profane that name which thou prayest may be hallowed? Is it hallowing it, to swear by it, and use it unreverently and vainly in thy common talk? Or will God endure such hypocrisy as this? or regard such hypocritical prayers?
11. Thy customary swearing is an uncharitable accusation of the hearers, as if they were so incredulous, that they would not believe a man without an oath, and so profane, that they delight in the
profanation of the name of God; which is the grief of every honest hearer.
12. Thou accusest thyself as a person suspected of lying, and not to be believed: for among honest men a word is credible without an oath.
Therefore if thou were but taken for an honest man, thy bare word would be believed. And by swearing, thou tellest all that hear thee, that thou supposest thyself to be taken for a person whose word is not to be believed. And what need hast thou to tell this so openly to others if it be so?
13. And by swearing thou declarest the suspicion to be true, and that indeed thou art not to be believed: so far art thou from making thy sayings more credible by it. For he that hath so little conscience and fear of God, as to swear profanely, can hardly be thought a person that makes any conscience of a lie. For it is the same God that is offended by the one as by the other. A swearer warranteth you to suspect him for a liar.
14. Both swearing and taking God's name in vain, are the greater sins, because you have no stronger a temptation to them. Commonly they bring no honour, but shame: they bring no sensual pleasure to the senses, as gluttony, and drunkenness, and uncleanness do: and usually they are committed without any profit to entice men to them.
You get not the worth of a penny by your sin; so that it is hard to find what draweth you to it, or why you do it, unless it be to shew God that you fear him not, and unless you intend to bid defiance to him, and do that which you think will offend him, in mere despite. So that one would think a very little grace might serve to cure such a fruitless sin: and therefore it is a sign of gracelessness.
15. How terribly dost thou draw God's vengeance upon thyself?
Cursing thyself is a begging for vengeance: profane swearing is a
profane, contemptuous appeal to the judgment of God. And darest thou, even in thy sins, appeal to the judgment of God? Dost thou fear it no more? To this judgment then thou shalt go! But thou wilt quickly have enough of it, and find what it was for stubble to appeal to the "consuming fire."
Direct. III. 'Remember God's presence, and keep his fear upon thy heart, and remember his judgment to which thou art hastening, and keep a tender conscience, and a watch upon thy tongue,' and then thou wilt easily escape such a sin as this. Darest thou abuse God's name before his face?
Direct. IV. 'Write over thy doors or bed, where thou mayst often read it, the third commandment, or some of these terrible passages of Holy Scripture, "I say unto you swear not at all: neither by heaven,— nor by the earth,—nor by thy head,—but let thy communication be yea, yea, nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil."
"Above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heavens, neither by the earth, nor any other oath; but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnationd;" (or hypocrisy, as Dr.
Hammond thinks it should be read.) "Every one that sweareth shall be cut off." "Because of swearing the land mournethf." Think well on such texts as these.
Direct. V. 'Love God and honour him as God,' and thou canst not thus despise and abuse his name. Thou wilt reverence and honour the name of that person that thou lovest, and reverencest, and honourest. It is atheism and want of love to God, that makes thee so profane his name.
Direct. VI. 'Punish thyself after every such crime with such a voluntary mulct or penalty as may help to quicken thy observation and remembrance.' If none execute the law upon thee, (which is