Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common…Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common…

If for every oath these swearers should sustain the least worldly loss, or endure the least bodily punishment, even the loss of a groat, or the smart of a philip, it would soon reclaim them from their evil custom; and yet so basely do they esteem the salvation of their souls, so little do they fear the hellish torments, so slenderly do they regard the Lords commandment, and so mean a respect they have of his Majesty either to love, or fear him, that they cannot find in their hearts to wean themselves from this wicked custom of vain swearing, which bringeth unto them no benefit, no not so much as any worldly profit or advantage. Say therefore no more that it is an unresistable custom, but rather thy carnal profaneness, and utter contempt of God, which continueth thee in this sin. Neither allege any longer this vain excuse, which doth but proclaim thy folly and aggravate thy fault; making it questionable whether thy sottishness or impiety exceed ⟨p. 38⟩one the other. For, may not any other sinner after the same manner plead possession of their sin as well as thou? may not the murderer say, I cannot leave murdering of my neighbour, because I have bin so often fleshed by killing and slaying? may not the adulterer with as good reason and more necessity, excuse his adulteries, because by long custom he hath gotten such an habit of whoredom, that he cannot leave it? may not a thief when he is arraigned before a Judge as well excuse his theft, by alleging that he hath so long continued in his rapine and robbery, that he hath no power to reclaim himself from stealing? Now if in these cases every one would condemn such excuses as ridiculous, and the excusers as outrageously impious; because customable living in sin exceedingly aggravateth the wickedness of the sinner; then why should we not condemn this excuse of swearers of like folly and impiety, when as being reproved for swearing at some times, they plead for themselves, that it is their ordinary custom, and therefore they cannot leave it. For if it be a sin to swear once or twice, then is it out of measure sinful, to make an ordinary practise of it, and so to bring upon our selves an habit of swearing.

If for euery oath these swearers should sustaine the least worldly losse, or indure the least bodily punishment, euen the losse of a groat, or the smart of a phillip, it would soone reclaime them from their euill custome; and yet so basely doe they esteeme the saluation of their soules, so little doe they feare the hellish torments, so slenderly doe they regard the Lords commandement, and so meane a respect they haue of his Maiestie either to loue, or feare him, that they cannot finde in their hearts to weane themselues from this wicked custome of vaine swearing, which bringeth vnto them no benefit, no not so much as any worldly profit or aduantage. Say therefore no more that it is an vnresistable custome, but rather thy carnall prophanenes, and vtter contempt of God, which continueth thee in this sinne. Neither alleage any longer this vaine excuse, which doth but proclaime thy follie and aggrauate thy fault; making it questionable whether thy sottishnes or impietie exceede