A SERMON CONCERNING swearing, Preached before the King's majesty, In Christ-Church Oxon; May the 12. 1644.  
By W. Strode Dr of Divinity.  
Published by His majesty's Command. OXFORD,  
Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the university. 1644.   
MAT. 5.37. But let your Communication be yea yea, and nay nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. 
AS in the Order of a Common wealth, so in that of the Universe, the Priority of Duty belongs to the supreme Head, than a subordinate proportion to our Fellow members. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, this is the great Command; Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself, this is but like unto it: the first Table exceeds the second as well in weight as in words; because the higher Object gives it the heavier scale. And in duties of the first Table, Aw of God's holy Name is not the least: these three, Fidelity, Reverence, and Service, do sum up the whole draft of divine worship; the first hath reference to his sole Substance, the second to his holy Name, the third to the circumstance of his public worship: next to his Nature is his Name, which follows it as the shadow waits on the Body. Wherefore the Order, in which the Reverence of his Name is ranked, declares the weight of the Duty. And this I premise to raise a more awful attention to the words of my Text; as directly aiming at the observance thereof. Let your Communication be yea yea, and nay nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.  
Herein I propose to your Consideration three notions.  
1. A silent toleration of an Oath in case of necessity, because the case here put is not necessary but common. 2. An express Limitation of our words in Communication or common talk, Let your Communication be yea yea, nay nay, no more. 3. A reason of such Limitation, because whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Briefly thus; how an Oath may be used, how not, and why not▪ these are the Parts.  
First, in cases of necessity an Oath is tolerable; for what is an Oath, but the calling of God to witness, for decision of doubtful matters which otherwise cannot be made evident; so Philo defines it, to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Testimony of God in a matter doubtful. sciential Propositions are confirmed by Reason, particular Contingents merely by Testimony: as it is ridiculous to prove a general Proposition by an Oath, so it is vain to prove a particular Fact by Reason. Now human Testimony is oftentimes so thin and weak, that it cannot evidence the Truth; both because on the Speakers part there is aptness of Lying, and also on the Hearers a hardness of belief; a weak Eye cannot penetrate a deceitful heart. Therefore to supply these defects, slippery Mendacity and ignorant Incredulity, man in weighty matters knows not whither to fly, but only to divine testimony; and so by an Oath calls him to witness, whose Knowledge is universal, whose Truth infallible; whereby he can neither be deceived, nor deceive others. This is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} (according to Procopius) the last and most certain pawn of Credit.  
In case of Exigence we may use this pawn under divers forms, an Oath Assertory of things past or present, an Oath Promissory of things to come; And each of them may be uttered either by simple Attestation seeming to call God only as a witness; or by Execration and Cursing conditionally added upon ourselves, when he is called as a Judge too: and so again either by citing God's own Name, or his Creatures wherein His Majesty and Truth appears; as the principal parts of Nature, the means of Redemption, instruments of Grace, gospels, Sacraments, and the like. Our Saviour in the words before my Text hath reduced all oaths by what creature soever, high or low, great or small, natural or artificial, without or within us, to God their Author and Ruler, present and powerful in them; wherefore being so referred in his ac●●ption, they ought to be so referred in our Intention and use; that in Swearing we neither make too little of them by falsehood or Levity, as if God were not in them; nor too much by Idolatry, as if they were God's themselves. Some holier things, wherein the Divine Truth is more clearly manifested, if expressly terminated on God, (as St Paul terminates the rejoicing, by which he swears, in Christ Jesus, 1. Cor. 15.31.) may be used in a secondary way of Attestation; that God by Them may make the Truth appear: but these, as well as other Creatures, are more properly cited in Cursing; and an Oath by any inferior Name, in the safest sense, is an Imprecation, that divine Judgement may be exercised on falsehood, through the things which we love and use. Saint Paul, in another place, joins an Attestation and Execration under one mixed form, I call God for a Record upon my soul, 2. Cor. 1. 23.v. I call God for a Record, there's the Attestative part, upon my soul, there's the Execrative.  
These ways of assevering and establishing the Truth, though some of them be more liable to danger and suspicion of abuse, (for which cause the council of Carthage punished a clerk Swearing by the Creature) yet all, if rightly ordered, are allowable: but a right Oath by God's own Name, is not only lawful, but Laudable and Religious; Laudable in the Judgement of holy David, Psal. 63. 12.v . All they that swear by him shall be commended; Religious in the most general esteem of the school: both because it proceeds from a good Ground, Faith in God's Omniscience and Infallibility, and because it tends to a good End mentioned by the Apostle, Heb. 6. 16.v. namely the End of Strife; as in the making of Leagues, Promise of Allegiance, trials of Law, Compurgation of Fame, and the like. The Act itself, unless it want these necessary Relations, or miscarry in the manner, is Pious and Reverent. Wherefore the Scripture measures out the due Conditions, Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth, in Judgement, in Truth, and in righteousness. Jer. 4.2. In Judgement Discreetly, when the cause is found weighty, the doubt difficult, and an Oath necessary, That belongs to the Person; In Truth Sincerely, when the Matter is well known to be so, That belongs to the Matter; in righteousness Honestly, that Justice may be fulfilled, That belongs to the End. The Rash Swearer through want of Judgement vilifies the Majesty of God, the perjured through want of Truth calls him to witness a lie, the Wicked through want of righteousness useth him as a helper of Iniquity. And therefore where these are supposed to be wanting, as in Children not come to Discretion, and in perjured men past Truth and Honesty, an Oath is by no means allowable. If only the principal Condition be deficient, if an Oath Assertory be found to want Truth, or an Oath Promissory to want righteousness, the one is Invalid, the other not Obligatory; Law shows the first, and Conscience tells us concerning the second, that one sin cannot oblige us to commit another, nor a sin in word to second it with a sin in work, for sin ought to be broken off as soon as possibly it may. Wherefore David without scruple blesseth God and Abigail, for staying him in the prosecution of a rash and bloody Oath. 1. Sam. 25. cap. To whom should an injust Oath oblige us? to God, or to Man? whether it were taken Rashly in Error or Passion, whether it were taken violently by Coaction, or willingly with Deliberation, or mixedly betwixt Will and Force for Deliverance out of present trouble, yet if the Matter or End be unrighteous, or impedient to Charity, certainly it obliges not to God, because it was contrary to God's will; which ought to take place of our own, upon second and better Thoughts. Much less can it oblige to Man; especially when it is imposed Fraudulently, or Compulsively, or without just Authority, because the Imposer deserves to be deceived, and to bear the Imputation of that perjury which he obtruded on others. I grant, that since every Oath is of a binding Nature, it cannot but some way bind the Person in himself, either with a True Intention, or with Guilt of perjured collusion. For the Reverence due to God's Name requires Truth of Intention; but when the Matter is unrighteous, God's word forbids Execution; and when by Satan's device, God's Name is set up against God's Word, and Truth against righteousness, no wonder if intention and execution agree not; for as Truth carries the one, so the other is to be swayed by righteousness. In this absurd opposition, which ought to be prevented by not Swearing, the Swearer is so entangled, that which way soever he turn, he is actually perjured, by Swearing either what he intends not, or what he ought not to perform, but to falsify, though he intended. And therefore since in this Case Juramentum ligat non obligat, since the unlawful Oath binds the Conscience with Guilt of a bad Promise, though truly made, but not to more guilt of wicked Performance, it remains that the Oath passed be recalled by Repentance; hearty Repentance for shrinking under God's trial, for taking his Sacred Name in vain, and incurring a denial of him before Men. Now at length since a firm Oath must be jointly held up with these holy Conditions, appointed by God, itself so upheld must needs be Holy. If rightly taken, 'tis a piece of Religious worship: and not without fair ground from other Scripture, Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and swear by his Name. Deut. 6.13. there Swearing is commanded, and placed as the next Neighbour to divine Service. For to give God the better, to end all Strife at the sound of his Name, as duly ascribing to him, all Power, Knowledge, and Truth, is to yield him Honour and Reverence. For verily a Man sweareth by the Greater. Heb. 6.16. per quem veneratur aut diligit, 
Jerom in Matth. 5.  by whom he honours or loves, saith St Jerome: an Oath (saith Aristotle) is most Honourable as being a Token of divinity; 
Ar: 1. met. Josep. lib. 18.  therefore C. Caligula ambitious of divine worship, published an Edict throughout his Empire, that Men should accustom to swear by his Name: likewise when Demosthenes swore by them that ventured their lives at Marathon, 
Dem: {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}  {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as if the men ●ould be sainted for that Expedition, he stirred up the ●●●its of his Citizens, more with that one word, then with his whole Oration besides. So then an Oath ap●●ares to be the badge of Reverence.  
God hath not only allowed and commanded an Oath ●n general, but expressly and carefully enjoined it in many ●articular Cases. As in case of Theft, Ex. 22.11. When ●●●ds entrusted miscarry, an oath of the Lord shall be be●●me them, that he hath not put his hands to his Neigh●●ors goods: In case of Murder, Deut. 21.6. v. When a ●●n is slain, all the Elders of the City next to the slain shall ●●sh their Hands over the Heifer, and they shall testify and ●●●. Our Hands have not shed this Blood, neither have our eyes seen it, be merciful, o Lord: In case of Adultery, Num. 19 If the Spirit of jealousy come upon a Man, the Priest will charge the Woman with an Oath. According to the ●●tent of these Instances, are the oaths of Supremacy, ●llegiance, the Oath ex officio in spiritual Courts, and the oaths in temporal usually administered; for the ●●rance of Fidelity and Truth. Likewise all sacred Con●acts betwixt God and us are tied with this Knot, Bap●●sme, Confirmation, Marriage, Consecration, Orders, vows, are all celebrated either with an Oath, or with ●●t which is Equivalent, the Name of the Father, the son, and the Holy Ghost. I could bring a Jury of Ex●mples for godly Swearing: Abraham swore his servant, in. 24. S. Paul, in divers Epistles; the angel by him 〈◊〉 lives for ever. Rev. 10. God himself to Abraham. ●● 22. By myself I have sworn saith the Lord. If ●●●re be any force in Examples, these above all others are most prevalent.  
It is remarkable, that none are absolutely averse from all Swearing but the reputed Enemies of Obedience, Despisers of Order, Friends to Lying and hypocrisy; who having now gotten some power into their hands are become the greatest Exacters of Swearing. Whereby it is the more evident, that judicial Swearing is of necessary use.  
The chiefest Objection against all oaths is drawn from the words before my Text, ye have heard it said, Thou shalt not for swear, but shalt perform (or render) to the Lord thine oaths; but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by Heaven for it is God's Throne, nor by that which follows. To answer this, the Scope of the Context must be exactly weighed. The Jews, by pharisaical Tradition, or wicked practice, understood the places of 
* Lev. 19.12. Deut. 6.13. Num. 30.2.  Scripture summed up by our Saviour, to be first a Prohibition of Swearing falsely, by God's Name only, secondly an allowance of Swearing by God's Name truly: False Swearing by the name of Creatures they did not esteem Perjury; True Swearing by the Name of God, though needless, they did not esteem unlawful; whereas the same Scripture which forbids to swear by his Name falsely, forbids also to profane his Name. Lev. 19.12. v. according to the sense of the third commandment, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for vain includes both False and needless: and again the same Scripture which allows Swearing by his great Name, interdicts the Name of others. Deut. 6. 13.v . Thou shalt swear by his Name, and ye shall not go after other Gods. Wherefore that corrupt Interpretation Christ clearly purges, and in one word perfects the Law, swear not at all. As he that speaks not at all cannot lie, so he that swears not at all cannot forswear, 
Ber: de Pert●rio  nor offend in the manner, saith S. Bernard. So then with one blow Christ cuts of four Obliquities; not only perjured, but all Light Swearing by the Name of God, not only Idolatrous, but all deceitful Swearing by the Name of Creatures: for Christ shows that every Oath by the Creature is terminated in God, and that every Oath by him, whether direct or indirect, especially in Communication, cometh of evil. This word Communication being considered together with the occasion of this Precept, shows how the Precept, swear not at all, is to be understood, that is, not so far as in you lies, not without necessity. 'Tis the Judgement of Calvin, as well as others, that our Saviour bars not the substance of Swearing but the manner, not in all Cases but under all ●ermes in Communication: the original is not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. In no Case, but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, not at all generally, whether True or False, in reference to the words preceding; but how? not irreverently in Communication, as appears by the words following; not at all vainly under any form whatsoever, as he further illustrates this general Prohibition, neither by God nor the Creature, since he that swears by the Creature swears by God also, which was not duly considered. Wherefore Caietan grants the general substance to be also prohibited, as it stands Naked, for so it becomes irreverent; but as it stands invested with due Circumstance, whereby it becomes necessary, so he construes it lawful. Luther hath well endeavoured to clear this point, by comparing Christ's Sermon together with his Auditors; here he instructs not the Maegistrate, but the People, and divers things are unfit for them in their own Persons, which may become fit under the Magistrates command: wherefore this Prohibition of Swearing is to be understood like that of Anger and Killing: neither of them is permitted to the communality, nor to the Magistrate himself in common business, but to them that are called, and when they are called to the work of Justice: so that ordinarily the safe way is here prescribed; be not Angry at all, swear not at all; not of your own wills, not in your trivial affairs, but only when you are not yourselves, when God through the Power of the Magistrate, or the necessity of the Cause, according to Justice or Charity, shall call you. For than your anger is God's anger not yours, and likewise your Oath not yours but Gods. As killing without Circumstance is forbidden, so Swearing with Circumstance is commanded; but as there the conditional Negative is reduceable to a Positive, so here the conditional Positive is reduced to a Negative; yet both these Acts with due Condition are serviceable unto God. So than the use of an Oath is not forbidden, but the Vanity wherein consists the abuse.  
If it be utterly unlawful to pronounce the Name of the Almighty, why hath he then a Name? how shall we praise him, or pray unto him? If it be objected that an Oath is not absolutely directed to God's worship, but respectively, as aiming at the clearing of Truth for human benefit, the like may be said of Prayer, that it aims at our own Protection and welfare, yet the Benefit expected abates not the Religious Reverence performed in either. For the beneficial Result of Divine Attestation, 
C●j: in Thom. 2 a 2 ae. Q. 89. Ar. 5.  (which Caietan disdains to call the End as being less Noble than the means) is but extrinsical and appendent to the Essence of Swearing, which rather consists in the Religious Reverence of Divine Attestation; and the dignity of the Person so elevates the Induction of his Testimony, that we ought to be more taken up with performance of due Reverence thereto belonging, then with expectation of the benefit ensuing; as also in Prayer, whatsoever our desires are, we submit them to the overruling will of God. Doth Prayer refer all things to his Glory? So likewise the last and principal fruit of an Oath, to which it may be Piously ordained, is the Glory of God, arising from the ending of human controversy. And than what hinders but human Benefit may subordinatly consist with God's glory, as well in the act of man as in the Act of God? God sent his Son a ransom for Man, a Price infinitely beyond the Purchase, and a means immeasurably beyond the End; yet not unfitly or Ingloriously, because the Salvation of Man tends lastly to the glory of God. So when divine Testimony is rightly called to be the means of Concord betwixt Men, 'tis not called Irreligiously, or but Carnally, because this Citation of God's Name, both begins with Reverence, and concludes with his Glory.  
So much for this Point; wherein you have heard, that by reason of human Infirmities, mendacity and Incredulity, an Oath in weighty cases not otherwise to be cleared, is allowable▪ of what kind soever it be; whether Assertory or Promissory, simply Attestating or Execrating, by the proper Name of God, or by his Might in the Creature; because an Oath having a good Ground, Faith in God's Excellence, and a good end, decision of doubtful Strife, being also accompanied with requisite Conditions, Judgement, Truth, and righteousness, without which it cannot stand firm, redounds to God's Honour and worship; by attributing unto him undeniable Authority, universality of Knowledge, and Infallibility of Truth. That God hath in divers Cases both allowed and commanded Swearing; and that his Saints, his Apostle, his angel, and himself have practised the same: that the absolute Rejecters of Swearing, who now for advantage are turned Exactors thereof, are men of more than suspected integrity; that the general prohibition of all oaths, before my Text, extends not to the substance of Swearing but the irreverent manner, or not to the substance invested with due Circumstance, but as it stands naked, and so forbids it not in all Cases before a Magistrate, but under all forms in Communication: that an Oath taken with exact care or Reverence, and all attending Conditions, doth not only serve ourselves, but God in chief. So from establishing the use of an Oath, I proceed to cut off the abuse, by the Limitation of your talk in my next point. Let your Communication be yea yea, and nay nay.  
Not your Deposition, your Sanction or Confirmation, not your Evidence or Testimony, but your Communication: {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies Speech or Discourse; and so the sense is, Let your talk or mutual Communication be no more then barely Affirmative or Negative.  
Now for the doubling of yea and nay, many Conjectures may be yielded: It may bear a Relation to the Persons conferring, let such Limitation of talk be mutual; or a Relation to the matter spoken of, quod affirmandum affirma, quod negandum nega, (saith Cajetan) if the matter be so, so say, if otherwise, say no: or since Truth hath a threefold Residence, Objectively in the matter, Formally in the mind, Representatively in words, and since Truth of words should carry a double Conformity, with mind and matter, therefore yea is doubled; yea yea for Heart and Tongue, for Word and Deed; and so there will be no need of an Oath. Or rather the second yea is added to stint the former, and to exclude Swearing, let your Affirmation be merely Affirmative, Let your yea be yea, and your nay be nay, according to S. James. c. 5.12. v. or lastly, to strengthen the Asseveration, as Pharaoh's dream was assured by doubling it, and as the practice of our Saviour shows, Amen Amen, Verily Verily I say unto you.  
Pure Affirmation and Negation without the staring embroidery of oaths is sufficient for Common discourse; because things familiarly spoken are either credible of themselves▪ or else have no absolute necessity of credence. Where nothing more than Affirmation is necessary, why should more be strained. To lift a Feather with both hands and with strong Engines, to hoot aloud where a whisper is better heard, is it not ridiculous?  
If frequent Lying had not begot a just Incredulity, I see not why an hearty Asseveration might not supply the place of an Oath, even in the weightiest matters; and than the liar might be esteemed and censured no otherwise then now the perjured: the same Figure put in a higher place carries ten times more Value: so we find that the bare word of an approved honest man passeth for an Oath; so should the word of a Priest by the Credit of his Profession, and the word of a peer by the virtuous Estimation of his Honour. The Essens (saith Josephus) accounted him a Convict Liar, whose word would not pass without the suretyship of God. We never find that our Saviour swore at all, though he uttered things of greatest consequence: for indeed his works did sufficiently confirm his words: man's voice passeth through the ear only, but God's through the Eye also; 
Phil: de Decalogo.  as Philo observes out of the 20. of Exod: where the People is said to have seen the Object of the ear, yea to have seen the noise of the Trumpet, the like we read in the second of Jer. v. 31. O Generation see the word of the Lord. Grant me therefore a Heart transparent in word, real Truth conformable to the Divine pattern, let these grow habitual amongst us, than me thinks all our business may well be transacted without such straining of Credit. Or if a single Affirmation will not sufface, let it be doubled, as here in my Text; two yeas may stand for an Oath, two nays for an Execration: especially when the form hath been recommended by our Saviour. Doubtless this is the way of Perfection, pointed out by his Instruction, to them that desire it: Christ would have his so simple, as not to Deceive, so Candid, as not to distrust. St Jerome is bold to affirm that Swearing by God's Name was allowed to the Jews as to Children, and no otherwise then the use of Sacrifice, to prevent Idolatry; that the Stature of Evangelical Truth will not own it, since every word of the faithful aught to weigh with an Oath.  
Howsoever, though the malignity of the world require, that in arduous affairs of inextricable doubt, an Oath be still indulged; yet let us use this our privilege modestly; let us honour God in this our weakness; let not the use of his Name descend to obvious and familiar Communication; there a double yea is superabundant: no Colour, no Pretext for more there: an Oath there taken destroys the End for which it is allowed, and instead of Credence begets more Incredulity, more suspicion: because the Bond of Confirmation is so cheaply esteemed.  
Swearing was never commanded Absolutely, but either Comparatively that men might rather swear by the True God then by a False, or Respectively out of urgent necessity, or Circumstantially with due Conditions: And therefore though it may be good in itself, 'tis not good for itself, not good like Health but like physic; which may be used for Necessity, but ought not to be desired and frequented because of the Danger. If an Oath be but physic for Incredulity, take heed to thyself; for physic swallowed without a Cause breeds sickness. Above all things swear not (saith S. James) lest ye fall into Condemnation, 
Cap. 5.  lest easiness of Swearing bring a habit, the habit continuance, continuance Perjury, and these eternal Malediction. What saith S. Austin? Falsa Juratio est Impiae, vera est Periculosa, nulla est Secura, False Swearing is Impious, True is Dangerous, none at all is Secure. Though Danger be not considerable in case of necessity, yet beware lest the past Act of necessity dispose thee to habit. Things not Absolutely, but Occasionally good, aught to be used Rarely, and with pondered Circumstance. To execute an Offender is lawful, but not to kill on particular pleasure, or in Passion: Though an Oath may be taken Religiously and safely, as occasion shall require, yet commonly to hurl it forth, is most Irreligious, and therefore most baneful.  
That it is most Irreligious, will some appear. Familiarity betwixt unequals takes of respect, whensoever it is challenged; and things most glorious are soiled by ordinary use; so is the name of the Almighty; it loses its due Reverence by obvious usurpation, insomuch that it fails of its binding virtue in matters of weight.  
Whatsoever is Sacred on earth is shut up and abstracted from Community. What's the holiness of the Lord's day? a separation from all work but only His Service, any other work profanes it. What's the holiness of the Lord's Place or Church? a separation from all use but His; any other use, as walking, or idle communing, especially in time of Divine Service, this as well as Merchandise, profanes it. What's the holiness of God's name, which is nearer unto him then either of these, and shall endure when these are gone? a separation from common discourse; all speech but sacred and Necessary profanes it. Then wash thy mouth with tears from thine Eye, for polluting his Holy and Reverend Name with vain Appellation.  
St Paul's Attestation in his Epistles gives no example to common swearing; his matter is not so light as our Communication, neither is the Pen so rash, as the Tongue, 
Thom. 2 a. 2 ae. Q. 89. Ar. 2.  Scribentis consideratio cautior non habet linguam praecipitem (saith Aquinas,) the consideration of the wary writer prunes off all headlong Expressions incident to talk, so that the Apostles Oath is not the zeal of Folly but of understanding.  
'Tis easily observable, that we scarce name our friends or earthly superiors without a formal respect; sometimes we move the Hat, and sometimes we put it off, then to use the name of God unnecessarily and Irreverently is as much as to say, God is neither our Friend nor superior. O wretched disrespect, where the Proportion of Honour due is infinitely greater? would the Swearing Lord, or forswearing Gallant, take it well himself, to be lightly talked of, to be called Dick or Tom by a rude peasant? if such language be saucy and rustic concerning himself, how presumptuous and profane is his own touching the Lord of Lords?  
But an Oath is more than the bare Naming of God; it calls him to witness, a business not light, howsoever vilified through custom, but of dreadful weight. The Supreme Judge of all Gods and People is called from his Throne to become a witness; he is summoned by his Providence to declare the Truth; if not presently, yet: (as surely he will) to do it hereafter, and to execute Judgement on the Falsifier.  
To cite an ordinary honest man, or call him into public for proof of a frivolous matter, perhaps a false one, is very discourteous and unfriendly: What is it then to cite thy God for nothing but an empty phrase, a noise of no substance, a thing more worthy to be false then true, some foolish vanity or filthy Act. Reduce an Oath to the value of its meaning; and than consider how absonous it would sound, though God were thy vassal or Underling: go to thy Slave, and say thus unto him; Lend me thy hand in this Folly, or in this mischief; for my sake do this piece of Injustice, and break a brace of commandments, the third by Swearing, and the ninth by false witness: will not thy Slave start back as from a Fiend or Monster? yet thus in effect thou invokest thy God; Lord strengthen my words with false witness, cover my shame by colouring my falsehood; thou, my God, steward my cozenage, and hide it under the shadow of thy Name, from thine own Eye, and the Eye of man; serve the way of thy worm thou that art infinite, and of thy goodness further my sin. Art thou ashamed thus to bespeak thy vassal, and hast thou no Regard of thy Heavenly Lord and Father? what thinkest thou? dost thou believe he hears thee, and is everywhere present? if so, how impudent is thy Brow? if not, how atheistical is thy mind? Stay stay, thou needest not call him, he is too near already, so near that he stands betwixt the Lips which thou openest and shutest with an Oath.  
O shameless practice, that God should be mentioned more in oaths then in Prayers, or in those immediately after these; that the Creed should be run over in such horrible Confession; that our Religion should most appear in our sin, our Faith in the work of Infidelity. No sooner we come from Church, where we bow at the glorious Name of Jesus, but we may hear a mouth fling it out with less heed than spital, careless how it goes, or where it lights; we may hear him torn and racked again in every part, worse than Jewishly; because to no End at all; his wounds are ripped up, his heart melts, his blood runs out, his feet are nailed, all his Passion is repeated; and for no man's good, but the Speakers mere Condemnation.  
To bridle the mouth, and keep it from such rude sin, first ponder your words before you garnish them with oaths; weigh them like Gold in the balance; consider whereto they tend; understand your own meaning, before you lash out with your Tongue▪ for a Birth delivered before it is conceived must needs be monstrous; and better be dumb, then speak that which ought to be recalled. By thus bridling the mouth in the matter of Speech, your heat and folly will be throughly quelled in the manner; when you take care to speak Wisely, truly, and Honestly, you will be quite taken off from speaking Irreligiously. If Opposition tempt thee to swear, do not only examine how great the matter is, how true, how well understood; but in what case and temper you are; how pure in Body, how pure in soul; before what Company, at what Time, in what Place, with what Reverence, to what End you swear. If still the Name of God run hastily on thy Tongue, mark how an Oath becomes another, (for some learn better by Example of Vice then by the Rule of virtue, because it is easier to observe the Faults of others then their own Duties) mark how there it sounds, and then reflect on thyself. Remember also, that He by whom thou Swearest, as he is ever present, so he is likewise Omnipotent, able to turn thee instantly into the Curse which thou utterest, or into the air which thou breathest in Swearing.  
To sum up this point, you have heard that a bare Assertion or at least a double one, where there is no necessity of Credence, as in common talk, is full sufficient; that if Lying were laid aside, the weightiest matters would need no Swearing, and that such singleness of Speech would come nearest to Christian Perfection; that albeit some Cases may require a Toleration, yet in slight discourse, an Oath is without colour, not without great prejudice: that being not absolutely but respectively good, like medicinal help reserved for necessity, it proves dangerous and pernicious, if used wantonly: that also it loseth its Majesty and virtue by unseasonable use, and that nothing is Sacred unless it be secluded; that S. Paul is no pattern for common Swearers; that to reverence the Name of a Friend, and yet to profane the Name of God, is great Inequality; that God is not only named in vain by familiar oaths, but cited as a witness and Judge; and most Injuriously to no purpose, yea worse than none; never man so used: that Swearing is strangely turned to a Map of Religion; that for a restraining Remedy, suspension of words, Consideration of Circumstance, observation of others, Remembrance of Divine Presence and Omnipotence ought to be interposed. To pull the reigns yet stricter, let me pass to my last point, the Reason here given of this Restriction, because whatsoever is more than yea and nay is of evil.  
Not whatsoever is more by Addition of any pure Affirmative, such as our Saviour used, but whatsoever is more by Superaddition of Divine Testimony is of evil.  
Not always evil itself (Unless in Communication) but of evil howsoever, (as divers observe:) the same Reason which insinuates that an Oath is tolerable in some Cases, shows that in all Cases 'tis occasioned from evil. Dum jurare cogeris, scies ex Infirmitate eorum venire quibus aliquid suades, quae utique Infirmitas malum est, saith S. Austin; Indeed the aptitude of Lying in the Speaker as well as hardness of belief in the hearer, which must needs call for an Oath to reconcile them, are both evils of human Infirmity, the one is malum Culpae and the other is malum Poenae. Now though it follow not, that whatsoever is occasioned from evil is evil too, since good medicines are occasioned from bad Diseases, and Swearing is most tolerable when it is most urged by Incredulity, yet this will follow, that because Swearing is but occasionally good, and upon bad occasion too, therefore it is not to be affected nor used without necessity.  
Whatsoever is more, more than yea yea in Communication, is of the evil One, so Theophylact understands it, and not unfitly: for we read not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which word, with the Article prefixed, is an usual appellation of the devil; and the devil, rightly denominated De evil, is the subtle suggester of all spiritual mischief; especially of common Swearing. Would you know where his Cunning is most evidently Operative? First, where is no Inclination by Nature, where neither Pleasure nor Profit, the baits of the Flesh and the World invite us to a Sin, as neither inviteth us to common Swearing, that Sin plainly proceeds from the devil. Secondly, where from things useful evil is contracted, or from unconsidered beginnings not apparently dangerous, not presently baneful, horrible Consequents grow in the End, as from rare Swearing by God, or petty but common swearing by Creatures, there he is busy. Thirdly, where the Consequents are most suitable to the devil's main Intentions, the Dishonour of God and the Breach of human Society, there he hath been shrewdly working: now common Swearing serves him in both these, by making the Name of God familiar, and the Bond of Truth disesteemed and suspected: by such work, you may soon discern the worker. Now God deliver the wretched Sinner, who under the sacred sound of God's Name, hath the devil so strong on his Tongue.  
When the Tempter hath once entered his Disciples into a vein of swearing, it flows from their own evil Condition too, most grossly and variously.  
First, from Irreverence of God, whose Excellence and infinite Majesty we do not seriously consider. The Meditation of his greatness seldom sinks into our hearts, and therefore his Name is so familiar on our Tongues.  
Also from Inadvertence; we call on God with less intention than we call a Boy; we name him heedlessly, as we touch the face or stir our hair, not minding what we do. Or in a nearer similitude, we swear by him as we Pray unto him, with one knee, or a knee half bowed, with one Elbow, a sleepy Head and a wandering Thought, least regarding that only thing which we are about. Thus through custom our sins pass by us, like household people, without observance.  
Also it comes from much Idle talking; the Torrent of speech carries oaths along with it, as a violent stream tears down Trees and Trash.  
Especially, where is want of Literature: he that loves to hear his own sound, through barrenness of cleanly expression is forced to fill the gap of his speech with profanation, and to swell his phrase with lofty oaths, a piece of rhetoric learned from the devil.  
Also it much prevails through want of breeding: for they who are brought up to speak with Reverence and advice in their youth, will not be so rash of Tongue in their Age. If swearing roisters had ever duly regarded their Parents (Unless their Parents were as bad) they would show more Reverence to their heavenly Father.  
Also it flows from Lying, which seeks to deceive by the sacred bond of Credit, Swearing and Lying are joined together by the Prophet Hosea, c. 4. v. 2. Therefore I wonder how valiant soldiers, who most detest the Imputation of Lying, should give such suspicion thereof by unbridled Swearing. When the Lord of Hosts led forth his people to War, the Camp was not only the school of holiness, 
Deut. 23.9.  (When the Host goeth forth against thine enemies then keep thee from every wicked thing) but also the school of cleanliness, Thou shalt have a Paddle upon thy Weapon; when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee, for the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp to deliver thee, therefore shall thy Camp be holy that he see no unclean thing in thee, Deut. 23.9. Shall there now be less care of keeping the mouth clean, than once of covering Excrements, less respect now of God himself, than once of the Ground under foot? considering the foulness of the Sin, how I pity the poor Sinner, who being likely to come to a present account of idle words, cares not though his last breath be spent in Swearing.  
But there are more Causes of Swearing, and more incident to soldiers then Lying: for it comes also from vain Glory▪ Some think it a gallant grace to send out a Voly of oaths roundly, loudly, and boldly; as if they durst crack against the Thunderer, and brave God to his face. O simple! this is Mettle.  
Also from untamed Passion; as a dog being struck bites a Stone, or any thing that is next; so a man that gives scope to his Fury, wrecks it on the highest, and barks against his Maker.  
But most of all, it comes of ill habit; through which men's Tongues are not their own, but the Tongues of custom, and have gotten words which will have vent in spite of the mind.  
Now if Swearing proceed from so much evil, how evil must it be in itself? be not deceived; the greatness of a sin is not to be measured by the present Punishment, but by the Object against which it strikes, and by the manner of violation. Theft is more punished than Adultery, yet the latter is the greater sin, because it offends a Neighbour in a greater matter, and more nearly; for the Body is more and nearer than Goods; but the Name of God is more then both. I know, the Adulterer cries out against the poor Filcher; and the greater thief, whilst he glories in his own shame, condemns the less: why▪ because the one is hanged, the other only mulct; so the Swearer feeling little or no present punishment, is insensible of his Crime: but to speak Truth, the sin in itself is worse than any Sin whatsoever against our Neighbour, because it highly offends God himself. Worse and greater it is in a general Respect of the Person offended, though less perhaps in the special manner of offending, because it proceeds from less Atrocity of mind, and with less damage to the Party, than Murder and some other sin. But if Christ, who now sits at the right hand of God, were as capable of killing, as of hearing his Passion repeated, Swearing would prove a Murder worse than Murder: if the Spouse of Christ could as easily be corrupted as scandaled with bad example, Swearing would prove an Adultery worse than Adultery: if God could be as soon robbed of his Heavenly Glory as of his Honour before men, Swearing would prove a Robbery worse than the utmost Plunder. As it is, it stands parallel in the same degree of Opposition against God, as False witness or Calumny against Man, because it calls God to witness a falsehood, and Calumniates his Name. Let me proceed further; since the Name of God is nearer unto him then the Day or Place of his worship, (for the Place is appointed for the Day▪ and both for the Honour of his Name) therefore profane Swearing is worse than either sacrilege or Breach of the Sabbath. In a word, 'tis next to Idolatry, I may call it for nearness sake {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for as Idolatry makes an idol God, so this makes God an idol, one that hath ears and hears not. And I may add this concerning the manner, that it is acted with more Impudence than any other sin whatsoever, and is most properly a Loud and Crying sin, because it provokes God, not secretly and obliquely, but openly and directly, with loud profanation to his Face. Then how many great offences are committed in this one, yet how often is this committed in one Day, by divers Persons, in one City? It is merely from God's Impassibility, that he receaves not such hurt by sin as man doth; it is therefore his Mercy not our Innocence, that sudden Vengeance doth not follow, that we are not swallowed up quick in a moment. Lesser faults than This, picking of Sticks on the Sabbath, touching of the ark with unwarrantable hands, sacrificing with unhallowed fire, have been punished with present death, so may this be too. What means St James, when he saith, Above all things, my Brethren, swear not. Above all respect of Creatures? or above all things mentioned in his Epistle? or above all things contained in that Paragraph of Patience? whatsoever he means, he certainly shows thereby the heinousness of the sin, which is grown so common amongst us.  
Yet as great and as common as the sin is, it hath less Temptation than any other. Profit or Pleasure hires or allures men to other Transgressions; if one dram of either be found in thy whole Phrasebooke of Swearing, swear continually. What hath bewitched, who hath bedeviled you? Nemo malus gratis, no man does the work of sin without some wages; this elsewhere is a true saying; only in the Swearer it fails; which highly aggravates the sinfulness, the madness, of this baitelesse bootless sin, so vainly bent.  
This sore evil, which comes from much evil, is also fruitful in begetting more evil: for things produce as they are produced; Every Bird lays an egg, like that, of which she was hatched: I can but name those evils, ●●d so drive to Conclusion.  
It begets public disrespect of God: Familiarity breeds Contempt, heedless Swearing will make an Oath seem nothing, and God as little.  
It breeds Incredulity amongst men: who will believe ●hat man's word, who makes so light of his Oath? Then ●●er the loss of Credit, it produces a desperate Impudence of Lying, as careless of Truth, as hopeless of belief.  
It gives offence to all Christian Hearers with greatest Incivility. 
Ar: Eth: I. 4. c. 8.  Aristotle names two Vices opposite to urbanity, Swearing and clownishness; whereof the first offends in excess, and is therefore excessively uncivil; for it drives the Hearer to this straight, either to reprove the Speaker, or to suppress his zeal for God. What Company can endure to hear a man, I say a man, openly slighted, whom they all honour? then with what patience their only God? how can any that are well affected to the Name of Jesus, to which all give Reverence before meat, hear it dishonoured in the midst of Eating? Or why may not then a Pious Christian put off his Hat without Irony, to give it honour in the instant of such dishonour.  
I forbear to show what ill Example it gives to young Children; who understanding but few words, can only bear away those, which they hear most frequent.  
And how it hinders the Jews Conversion, when he finds those two sins, which he most abhors, so predominant in the Christian, Idolatry and Swearing.  
Shall so much evil of sin escape the evil of Punishment? I will be a swift witness (saith God) against the false Swearers, Mal. 3.5. He that hath been so often called to witness, will come at length with a witness indeed. Every one that Sweareth shall be cut off, Zec. 5.3. God for the abuse of his Name will root out thy Name, and destroy thy House, so that thy heir and it shall be turned to one Rubbish. For certainty whereof, unless ye Repent, I refer you to that Prophets Flying Roll; sees your fancy nothing? the flying roll; the length whereof is twenty Cubits and the breadth ten Cubits. This is the Curse that goeth forth over the Face of the whole Earth. I will bring it forth (saith the Lord) it shall enter into the house of him that Sweareth false by my Name (as the common Swearer is apt to swear false) and it shall remain in the midst of his house; and it shall consume it with the Timber thereof and the Stones thereof; and then what shall become of the Family?  
After all this, we are not sure that the anger of God will be turned away; his hand may be stretched out still: for since public dishonour is done to his Name by common Swearing, scarce or not scarce punished, how shall he rest satisfied with private Vengeance? As the whole Body doth often smart for the Tongue, so may a general Society for some evil Speakers; especially if their Speech sound Treason; but if Treason against the King of Kings, how great Vengeance may justly be feared by the whole State? one profane Achan endangered a whole Army; and because of Swearing the Land mourneth. Jer. 23.10. v. Behold, since Punishment followeth in that wherein we offend, Voluntary Swearing is now turned to a Compulsive Forswearing, to a blind Covenant against known Religion and Duty, against Conscience and public Safety, quite contrary to former oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, uncapable of keeping Faith on either side without Faith-breaking, as far from Truth and righteousness, as from all liberty and use of Judgement: and therefore (as I have formerly showed in general) neither Obligatory to God, nor man; not through Excuse of rashness, weakness, Ignorance, Compulsion, not through benefit of Equivocation, mental Reservation, private Construction, inward Gainsaying, (for none can be bettered by his fault) but through the monstrous Irregularity and horrid viciousness of itself; null by Nature; advantageous to none but Satan, no way useful to any End, but merely to destruction of souls by taking it, or accidentally to a crown of martyrdom by refusing it. They that being unequal to so high a pitch of Sanctity, have submitted themselves to take it, I inquire not through what deficience, are howsoever no more bound to keep it, than Peter was bound to deny his Master for ever, because he had once denied him with an Oath. Indeed it obliges them to that which the Imposer lest desires, to Peter like tears of Repentance, to abundance of bitter sorrow according to the great absurdity of the Crime admitted, and particularly to this kind of amendment, never to swear again without urgent necessity in a just Cause: lest all the evil, which God hath threatened, be poured out upon them, and on all guilty Families, and for their sakes on the whole State.  
You have heard how Swearing comes not only from some evil Infirmities, but from the devil, and from abundance of evil Vices, how evil it is in itself, how much evil it produces, and with what evil it shall be punished. Now for Conclusion.  
Aquinas hath likened an Oath to the Sacrament, 
2d. 2d. Q. 89, Ar: 2.  (for Sacramentum signifies both) I wish we took the one more seldom, and the other more often: the likeness consists in this, that both are intended for our good, but being illhandled they become Engines of Destruction. See the words of S. Paul concerning the Sacrament, Cor. 1.11.27. Whosoever shall eat this Bread, and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord: but let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup: for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's Body. The same will serve for an Oath. Whosoever shall take this Name in vain shall be guilty of the Majesty of the Lord; but let a man examine himself and the Cause, and so let him take this Name; for he that taketh it in vain or unworthily, pronounceth his own Damnation, not discerning the Majesty and Presence of the Lord. The Apostle for his part had good success; for by writing these words, he quite rooted out a grievous Sin, never heard of since, namely Feasting at the time of Communion in the Church: Swearing at the time of merriment in the house is much like it: how hath holiness been mixed with madness in both! Grant me then (O Lord) the like success by applying the same words, that the custom of Swearing be never more prevalent amongst us. Grant it o mighty Lord, that through Reverence of thy Name, we may grow up to fear of thy greatness, and through fear of thy greatness we may proceed to Love of thy goodness; and then through Love of Thee we may come to Joy and Rest in Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour, Praise, and Glory, now and for evermore. Amen.  
FINIS.