A Body of Practical Divinity

Excuse 3. But I shall not be believed, unless I seal up my Word with an Oath. Resp. 1. A Man that is Honest, will be believed without an Oath, his bare Word carries Authority with it, and is as good as Letters Testimonial. 2. I answer, He who swears, the more he swears, the less others will believe him: Juras credit minus, Thou art a Swearer. Another thinks an Oath weighs very light with thee, thou carest not what thou swearest; and the more thou swearest, the less he believes thee: He will trust thy Bond, but not thy Oath.

Excuse 3. But I shall not be believed, unless I seal up my Word with an Oath. Resp. 1. A Man that is Honest, will be believed without an Oath, his bare Word carries Authority with it, and is as good as Letters Testimonial. 2. I answer, He who swears, the more he swears, the less others will believe him: Iuras credit minus, Thou art a Swearer. Another thinks an Oath weighs very light with thee, thou carest not what thou swearest; and the more thou swearest, the less he believes thee: He will trust thy Bond, but not thy Oath.

Excuse 4. But it is a Custom of Swearing I have gotten, and I hope God will forgive me. Resp. Though among Men, custom Carries it, and is pleadable in Law, yet it is not so in the case of Sin; Custom here is no Plea. Thou hast got an habit of Swearing, and canst not leave it, is this an Excuse? Is a thing well done, because it is commonly done? This is so far from being an Excuse, that it is an Aggravation of Sin. As if one that had been accused for Killing a Man, should plead with the Judge to spare him, because it was his Custom to Murder; this is an Aggravation of the Offence, so it is here: Therefore all Excuses for this Sin of Vain-Swearing are taken away. Dare not to live in this Sin, it is a taking Gods Name in vain.

2. Vile Swearing, Horrid prodigious Oaths not to be named. Swearers like Mad Dogs, fly in the Face of Heaven, and when they are angered, spue out their blasphemous Venom on Gods Sacred Majesty. Some in Gaming, when things go cross, and the Dice run against them, their Tongues run as fast against God in Oaths and Curses: And tell them of their Sin, go to bring home these Asses from going astray, and it is but pouring Oil on the Flame, they will swear the more. St. Austin saith, They do no less Sin who blaspheme Christ now in Heaven, than the Jews did, who Crucified him upon Earth. Swearers profane Christs Blood, and tear his Name. An Harlot told her Husband, that of her Three Sons, there was but one of them his; the Father dying, desired the Executors to find out which was the true natural Son, and all his Estate he bequeathed to him. The Father being dead, the Executors set up his Corps against a Tree, and delivered to every one of these Three Sons a Bow and Arrows, telling them, that he who could shoot nearest the Fathers Heart should have all the Estate; the Two Bastard Sons shot as near as they could to his Heart, but the Third did feel nature so work in him, that he refused to shoot at his Fathers Heart: Whereupon the Executors judged him to be the true Son, and gave all the Estate to him. Such as are the true Children of God, fear to shoot at him; but such as are Bastards and not Sons, care not, though they shoot at him in Heaven with their Oaths and Curses. And which makes Swearing yet more heinous is, when Men have resolved upon any wicked Action, they bind themselves with an Oath to do it; such were they,