O Almighty and everlasting God,1 how greatly they that abuse thy holy name by vain and unlawful oaths shall be plagued,2 it is evident enough in the sacred scriptures. For thou thy self sayest, that whosoever taketh thy name in vain shall not escape unpunished.3 And thy prophet saw flying in the air a great & large book, even twenty cubits in length and ten cubits in breadth, wherein were contained the curses & plagues that are prepared for them, which vainly or falsely swear by thy holy name. It is written also that whosoever useth much to swear, shall be filled with iniquity, ⟨p. cxvi⟩and the plague, that is the vengeance of thy wrath shall not depart from his house.4 Seeing that so many, yea & those terrible punishments, and most grievous plagues are threatened, prepared & set forth to all idle swearers and wicked blasphemers of the & of thy blessed name, we most heartily pray thee, so to order our tongue, that it utter no ungodly nor file thy communication, that it abuse not the nor thy name, nor any of thy crew tures either in heaven or in earth, by unlawful and vain oaths, but that with all diligence we observe the commandment of thy only begotten son, which strictly chargeth us,5 that we swear not at all,6 nether by heaven for it is gods seat, nor yet by the earth, for it is his footstool, nether by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king, neither saith ⟨image 132⟩he, shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one white here or black. But thy communication shall be yea, yea, nay nay. For whatsoever is more than that cometh of evil. Give us grace therefore (O most loving God) to avoid all ungodly and wicked oaths, to reverence thy holy name, to ste unto it as a strong castle by hearty prayer in adversity, and at all times to praise, and magnify it. Grant also that our communication be yea, yea, nay nay that is, yea in heart, & yea in mouth, nay in heart, and nay in mouth, that there be found no dissimulation in us, but such simplicity and truth in our talk, and such sincerity & pureness in all our conversation and living, as becometh them that proofs thy holy name, which alone is worthy all honour and glory. Amen.
O Almighty and euerlastinge God,1 how greatly they that abuse thy holy name bi vain and vnlawful othes shall be plaged,2 it is euident inoughe in the sacred scripturs. For thou thi self saiest, that whosoeuer taketh thi name in vain shal not escape vn punished.3 And thy prophet sawe flying in the ayre a great & large boke, euen twēty cubyts in lēgth and ten cubits in breadth, wherin were contayned the cursses & plages that are prepared for thē, which vainly or falsly sweare by thy holy name. It is wrytten also that whosoeuer vseth muche to sweare, shalbe fylled with iniquity, ⟨p. cxvi⟩and the plage, yt is the vengeaunce of thy wrath shal not depart from his house.4 Seing that so many, yea & those terrible punishments, and moost greuous plages are threatned, prepared & setforth to all idle swearers and wycked blasphemers of the & of thy blessed name, we most hertely pray the, so to order our tunge, that it vtter no vngodlye nor file thy communication, that it abuse not the nor thy name, nor any of thy cre• tures eyther in heauē or in earth, by vnlawful and vayne othes, but that with all diligence we obserue the cōmaundemēt of thy only begotten sonne, whiche streightly chargeth vs,5 that wee sweare not at al,6 nether bi heauē for it is godds seat, nor yet by the earthe, for it is his footestole, nether by Ierusalē, for it is the city of the greate kyng, neither saith ⟨image 132⟩he, shalte thou swere by thy head because thou canst not make one whyte here or black. But thy cō munication shalbe yea, yea, naye nay. For whatsoeuer is more thē that commeth of euyll. Gyue vs grace therfore (O moost louinge God) to auoyde all vngodlye and wicked othes, to reuerēce thy holy name, to ste vnto it as a strong castell by herty prayer in aduersitie, and at al tymes to prayse, and magnifi it. Graunt also that our communicacion be yea, yea, nay naye that is, yea in herte, & yea in mouthe, nay in herte, and nay in mouth, that ther be foūde no dissi•ulaciō in vs, but such symplicitie and truthe in our talke, and such sīcerity & purenes in al our conuersaciō and lyuynge, as becōmeth them that profes thy holi name, which alone is worthy all honour and glory. Amen.
- 1Exod. xxi.
- 2Deut. i.Deute. i.
- 3•a•ha. v.
- 4Eccle. xxxii.Ecle. xxxii.
- 5Math. v.
- 6Jacob, v.Iacob, v.
