§. 57. Of the unlawfulness of usual imprecations.§. 57. Of the vnlawfulnesse of vsual imprecations.

§. 57. Of the unlawfulness of usual imprecations.

§. 57. Of the vnlawfulnesse of vsual imprecations.

AS for those usual imprecations,¹ direful and hateful imprecations, such as my hart abhorreth to think of, & my tong is ashamed to name, which profane & wicked men make against their neighbours, upon every petty wrong and slight occasion, they can neither stand with any true fear of God, nor love to man. For to call upon God who is^e A God of long suffering, and great forbearance, ^ffull of compassion and slow to anger, to be a revenger⟨p. 398⟩ of every little injury, argueth little respect of his greatness and goodness. To wish Gods heavy vengeance to fall upon the body, soul, goods, or any other things which belong unto our neighbour, discovereth much malice, no love. Such were those of whom David thus speaketh.^g Their throat is an open sepulchre, ^hThe poison of Asps is under their lips, ⁱTheir mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Many mens tongues are so poisonous and fiery (being^k set on fire of hell) that like mad dogs they spare none, but curse and ban the most innocent and harmless that be: yea, (which is horrible to hear) some curse their wives, children, servants, friends, the nearest and dearest unto them that be, not for any wrong or evil, but because they are, as they term them, Puritans; but in truth honest and upright hearted, fearful to commit the least evil, conscionable in doing all duty (so near as they can) to God and man.