A26879:1460
The catechizing of families a teacher of householders how to teach their householdsThe catechizing of families a teacher of housholders how to teach their housholds
The catechizing of families a teacher of householders how to teach their households : useful also to school-masters and tutors of youth : for those that are past the common small catechisms [sic], and would grow to a more rooted faith, and to the fuller understanding of all that is commonly needful to a safe, holy comfortable and profitable life / written by Richard Baxter ...The catechizing of families a teacher of housholders how to teach their housholds : useful also to school-masters and tutors of youth : for those that are past the common small chatechisms [sic], and would grow to a more rooted faith, and to the fuller understanding of all that is commonly needful to a safe, holy comfortable and profitable life / written by Richard Baxter ...
London: printed for T. Parkhurst, 1683
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. And Falsehood and Lies are usually called Vanity, for Vanity is that Shadowiness which seemeth something and is nothing, and so deceiveth men: A Lye is that which deceiveth him that trusteth it; so Idols are called Vanity and Lies, for their Falsehood and deceit; and all men are said to be Liars, that is, Untrusty and deceitful.
2. And Falshood and Lyes are usually called Vanity, for Vanity is that Shadowyness which seemeth something and is nothing, and so deceiveth men: A Lye is that which deceiveth him that trusteth it; so Idols are called Vanity and Lyes, for their Falshood and deceit; and all men are said to be Lyars, that is, Untrusty and deceitful.
Q. 5. What is an Oath?
A. I have said heretofore as others, that it's but an Appeal to God as the Witness of the Truth, and the Avenger of a Lye; but on further Thoughts I ⟨p. 264⟩find that the common nature of an Oath is to [Pawn some greater thing in attesting of the truth of our words,] or [to take some grievous thing on our selves as a penalty if we Lye,] or [to make some certain Truth a pledge of the truth of what we say;] And to Swear by our Faith, or Truth, or Honesty, by the Temple, the Altar, the Fire, the Sun, is as much as to say [If this be not true, then I have no Faith, Truth, Honesty; there is no Temple, Altar, Fire, Sun] or [let me be taken for one that denieth that I have any Faith, that there is any Sun, Fire, &c.] or [it is as true as that this is Fire, Sun, &c.] so to Swear by God, is to say [It is as true as that there is a God, or as God liveth, &c.] or [If I Lye, take me for one that denieth God to be God] (and consequently it is an Appeal to him as the Avenger:) so [By the Life of Pharaoh] was [As true as Pharaoh liveth] or [else take me for one that denieth the life of Pharaoh;] So that there is somewhat of an Imprecation or Self-reproach as the penalty of a Lye in every Oath, but more dreadfully of Divine Revenge when we Swear by God, and of Idolatry when men Swear by an Idol as if it were a God.