The fear of an oath. Or, Some cautions to be used about swearing, if…

1. He trembleth at, and will reprove vain and false Swearing in others. There is a Guilt which may be contracted, by a mans holding his peace on this account; Levit. 5 1. If a Soul Sin, and heareth the voice of Swearing, if he do not utter it, he shall bear his iniquity. Gods Name is taken in vain by such things, ⟨p. 24⟩and this a Godly man cannot bear patiently to hear, Psal. 139.19, 20, 21. He dares not to be a partaker in other mens Sins, and therefore will some way or other appear for God, and bear some manifest witness to his dislike of these things. He will not therefore keep company with common Swearers, but studiously avoid them, and, as there is opportunity, wisely and zealously rebuke them.

2. He dares not to solicit, much less to hire any to Swear in a wrong cause. He doth not think it enough, himself to refrain from taking such an Oath, but is afraid of being any way instrumental of encouraging others so to do. He knows that what others do by his persuasion, if it be a Sin, will involve him in the Guilt of it, and expose him to the righteous Anger of God, which he dreads. If therefore he knows any to offer such a Testimony upon Oath, though there might accrue an outward advantage to himself by it, yet he rejects it with greatest detestation: and if any such false Oath be given within his Cognizance, he will, as far as lieth in his power, detect it, and testify against it. Much less then will he ask and bribe any thus to do. This was Jezebels Sin, in suborning Knights of the Post, to Swear honest Naboth ⟨p. 25⟩out of his Life and Living; and God threatens destruction upon her, and all her Family, for it: and he takes instruction by this. He loves his Neighbour too well, for him thus to ruin his Soul for ever; and he loves himself better, than thus to pull down Gods wrath on his own head.