An invective against the most wicked [and] detestable vice of swearing, newly co[m]piledAn inuectyue agenst the moost wicked [and] detestable vyce of swearing, newly co[m]piled

What doth it profit a man to win all the whole world, and at the last to lose his soul. To much a wretch is he, which for worldly possessions ⟨p. xliii⟩will put his soul in danger:¹ To far estranged is he from GOD, which regardeth the goods of this world more than his own souls health. And what commodity shall he have by those goods wrongfully gotten, which he hath left unto his son, when his soul lieth burning in hell fire, and grievously punished with all kind of cruel & intolerable pains?² The son is counted a Gentle man before the world for the goods sake, y• father is reckoned before God and his holy saints a fire brand o• hell. The son is Lord of many possessions, y• father is a wretch & hath nothing. The son is replenished with dainties, joy and pleasures, the father is filled full of bitter sorrows grievous pains and intolerable torments. The son singeth, playeth danceth and maketh merry, the father ⟨image 45⟩weepeth lamenteth, sorroweth, and wisheth himself never to have ben borne.³ Behold what is the end of evil gotten goods. Behold how Dame Perjury rewardeth her servants at the latter end. Behold unto what point falsehood bringeth them, that use it. Why do not men remember these things, & labour to live justly, righteously & of their own? Godliness is great riches, saith S. Paul,⁴ if a man be content with that he hath. Oh that men would once be wise, and remember their latter end. So would they not hunt about to get the goods of this wretched world by hook or by crook, as they do now a days, but rather lay up treasures for them selves in heaven, where nether rust nor moths corrupt,⁵ and where thieves nether break up nor steal. Treasures that are wickedly gotten profit nothing