And that we may be the more encouraged to forsake all vain & idle oaths,1 let us remember, that God, which is the everlasting truth, hath promised, that he will glorify them, which honour him and have his name in reverence: Again, that they shall come unto dishonour & a shameful ⟨image 96⟩end, that despise him and blaspheme his most holy name. Now if we will that God glorify us,2 that is to say, be our good Lord, defend preserve, keep & govern us, bliss us, lighten his gracious countenance upon us, send us all things necessary for our living in this present world, and after this life give us eternal glory: than is it convenient that we do not abuse y• name of god by our vain & unrighteous oaths, but always laud, praise, commend, magnify & bliss it, call upon it, fly unto it as unto an holy anchor in all our adversity, and never to have in our mouths,3 but with high reverence and great honour. If we do the contrary, that is to say, blaspheme his most holy name, than shall we undoubtedly come unto dishonour & a shameful end. In this world the plague and vengeance of God shall ⟨p. xcv⟩not go away from our houses, we shall be stricken with many grievous diseases in our bodies, our goods and cattle, yea and all that ever we have shall come to nought, our kind of living shall be despised with all good men, our death shall be painful, miserable and wretched, & after these so great and manifold plagues, we may be sure for our wicked swearing to be cast into hell fire, where the flames of it shall ne•er be quenched, where weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be,4 where the worm that shall gnaw our consciences shall never dye.5
And that we maye be the more encouraged to forsake all vayne & idle oothes,1 let vs remember, that God, which is ye euerlastyng truthe, hath promised, that he wyll glorify them, whiche honoure hym and haue hys name in reuerence: Agen, that they shall come vnto dishonour & a shamefull ⟨image 96⟩ende, that despyse hym and blaspheme hys moost holye name. Nowe if we wyll that God glorify vs,2 that is to saye, be our good Lord, defend preserue, kepe & gouerne vs, blysse vs, lyghten hys gracious coūtenās vpon vs, sende vs all thynges necessary for our lyuynge in this present worlde, and after thys lyfe gyue vs eternall glory: than is it conuenient that we do not abuse y• name of god by our vayne & vnrighteous othes, but alwayes laude, prayse, cōmend, magnify & blysse it, caull vpon it, fly vnto it as vnto an holye anchore in all our aduersite, and neuer to haue in our mouthes,3 but wythe hygh reuerence and great honour. If we do the contrary, yt is to saye, blaspheme hys moost holy name, than shall we vndoubtedly come vnto dishonoure & a shamefull ende. In thys worlde the plage and vēgeaūce of God shall ⟨p. xcv⟩not go awaye from oure houses, we shal be stryken wyth many greuous diseases in our bodyes, oure goodes and cattell, yea and all that euer we haue shal come to noght, our kynde of lyuyng shall be despysed wyth all good men, our death shall be paynefull, miserable and wretched, & after these so great and manifold plages, we maye be sure for our wycked sweryng to be cast into hell fyre, where the flames of it shall ne•er be quenched, where wepyng and gnashyng of tethe shall be,4 where the worme yt shall gnawe oure consciences shall neuer dye.5
- 1The conclusion of the bookThe conclusion of the booke
- 2God to glorify us what it isGod to glorify vs what it is
- 3What evils shall chance unto us, if we vainly swear?What euylles shall chaunse vnto vs, if we vaynly swere?
- 4Esa. l•vi.
- 5Math. xxiii
