The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan…

This Vain swearing is a Vice which ill becometh any, much more those who make a profession of Christianity: for a Christians speech should be seasoned with Grace, and not with profane Oaths; it should be savoury, ministering Grace to the hearers; and not unsavoury, ministering nothing but sin, or scandal.

This Vain swearing is a Vice which ill becometh any, much more those who make a profession of Christianity: for a Christians speech should be seasoned with Grace, and not with prophane Oaths; it should be savoury, ministring Grace to the hearers; and not unsavoury, ministring nothing but sin, or scandal.

Swearing in our ordinary discourse is an undoubted evidence of a profane person, who maketh no Conscience of any sin: for what sin will he forbear, who will not forbear this unprofitable sin of Swearing? whereas other sins have their several baits and temptations to allure men thereunto; some the bait of profit, some of honour, some of pleasure. This sin of Swearing hath neither of them. It brings no profit at all, but great loss, even the loss of Gods favour, and the loss of a good Conscience. Neither doth it yield any pleasure and delight, unless a man should, (like the Devil himself) take a hellish pleasure in acting sin, and wickedness. ⟨p. 92⟩And what credit doth it procure, unless amongst such debauched ones, whose applause is a reproach? Therefore I may with confidence affirm, that he, who maketh no Conscience of Swearing, which hath no worldly advantage to induce thereunto, will make less Conscience of other sins, which have stronger temptations, and feed the sinner with expectations of advantage from them.

Swearing in our ordinary discourse is an undoubted evidence of a prophane person, who maketh no Conscience of any sin: for what sin will he forbear, who will not forbear this unprofitable sin of Swearing? whereas other sins have their several baits and temptations to allure men thereunto; some the bait of profit, some of honour, some of pleasure. This sin of Swearing hath neither of them. It brings no profit at all, but great loss, even the loss of Gods favour, and the loss of a good Conscience. Neither doth it yield any pleasure and delight, unless a man should, (like the Devil himself) take a hellish pleasure in acting sin, and wickedness.