of God, and condemned unto perpetual death, except they repent, believe, and amend. So likewise I, at this time using the words of the prophet, do not lament such as have tasted the death of the body, and are gone; but them that are yet alive in this world as concerning their bodies, but dead through sin as touching their souls. These I lament, these I bewail, these I sorrow and sigh for, both day and night. These make me to lay aside all mirth and joy, and to walk as one desolate and comfortless. These cause me to wish that I, being only one, and a private person, might be banished, yea, cursed from Christ, so that so great a multitude might be saved. My faith is that I am written in the book of life, and numbered among the vessels of mercy; yet notwithstanding, would God I might be wiped out, so that these who are slain in the soul through sin, might be saved. (Rom. ix.) What one man having but a kernel of Christian salt in his breast wishes not so? Who desires not rather, being one person, to be damned, than so great a number should perish? What need I rehearse here the tender affection of Moses, Christ, and Paul, which they bare towards the salvation of others, whom we all ought to follow. (Exod. xxxii, Phil. ii. Rom. ix.) Moses when the Israelites had offended God for worshipping of the golden calf, prayed for them on this manner, Forgive them, O Lord, this fault, or else wipe me out of the book wherein thou hast written me. Christ, by the prophet, saith, Judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for it, that I have not done? (Isa. v.) St. Paul wished himself to be banished from Christ, for his brethren and kinsfolk according to the flesh, which are the Israelites. (Rom. ix.) Certainly he is no Christian_man, that provideth for his own salvation, and cares not for the health of others. God, saith Chrysostom, (Hom. vii. in Genesi.) will not that a Christian should be contented with himself alone, but that he also edify others, not by teaching only, but by living and conversation also. Charity, saith Paul, seeketh not her own. (1 Cor. xiii.) Again, Let no man seek his own, but the profit of others. (Phil. ii.) This made all the holy fathers in times past to be so desirous of the health of others, that they wished, even with the loss of their own health, the salvation of their Christian brothers. Who, being of their mind, and godly inspired, wishes not the same at this time? For even as the prophet Jeremiah lamented the wickedness of the peo

ple who lived at that time, even so, I am sure, do so many as are godly-minded lament the ungodliness that reigns among us at this day.

For consider what sins and how manifold reigned at that time, even the very same with a great heap more, reign, yea, and triumph in these our days, so greatly hath wick, edness prevailed, and got the uppermost hand. If I should descend and go down into the great ocean and main sea, which overflows the whole world with the abundance of all evils, so should I never be able to sail and pass through. I will therefore at this time take upon me only to search the separate sea of one sin, although it may seem to be both great, large, broad, deep, bottomless, and not able to be sailed through of any man; and I will show how many dangers and grievous perils abide them that presume to pass in that cruel and fierce sea. And this sin is the most wicked and detestable vice of sWEARING, which now reigns so greatly in every place, that I fear all admonitions, exhortations, warnings, and counsels are frustrate and vain, so evil is a naughty and perverse custom, so rare a thing is it to heal that disease, which is rooted in the bone. Notwithstanding, although some peradventure shall laugh at this my labour; as a song sung to them that are deafeared; yet, forasmuch as my trust is, that all who are entangled with this vice are not of a desperate mind, nor so overwhelmed with the waves of this unmerciful sea, but that they may be called again and brought unto amendment; even for their sake and to win their souls unto glory, will I speak somewhat in this matter, and declare how greatly the abominable sin of swearing is to be detested and abhorred of every true Christian heart.

Therefore I shall most entirely desire all faithful and Christian people that shall read this my work, to mark diligently whatsoever they shall here find, and to repose it in the bottom of their hearts, as a grave and weighty matter pertaining unto the health of their souls. If any man will not amend after this our admonition, his damnation will fall upon his own head; for I am free from his blood, and have done my duty in this behalf.

OF PROFANE OATHS.

After that God had brought his people the Israelites out of Egypt, minding to institute and appoint a new pub

lic weal, that should be governed after his device and appointment, he ordained certain ceremonies and ordinances which they should observe, and by the observance thereof show and outwardly declare their obedient heart toward him. Among all others, for the right institution of their life he gave them, by his servant Moses, ten commandments, which they might by no means transgress, except they would fall into his great displeasure, wrath, and indignation. (Deut. xxviii.) To the keepers of these commandments he promised all good, fortunate, and prosperous things; but to the transgressors and such as break them, he threatened all troublous, grievous, and painful things, as we may see in the books of Moses, and of the other prophets.

Among others he gave a commandment, which is this, "THOU SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THY LORD GOD IN VAIN: FOR THE LORD WILL NOT HOLD HIM GUILTLESS THAT TAKETH HIS NAME IN VAIN. As though he should say, Behold, I am the Lord thy God, which have done thee many great and singular pleasures. I have made thee like unto mine own similitude, likeness, and image. (Gen. iii.) I have preserved thee from eternal damnation, unto which thou hadst made thyself bound, through the offence of thy first father Adam, which he committed in Paradise. (see Rom. v.) I have nourished thee hitherto. I have sent thee thy health, and saved thee from all dangers. And now at the last, even of my own mere mercy and free goodness, I have delivered thee out of Egypt, the land of servitude and extreme bondage, and out of the hands of thy most cruel and unmerciful enemy Pharaoh. I feed thee with meat from heaven; I give thee drink out of the hard and stony rock; and now I haste with all power to lead thee into the land of the Canaanites, even such a land as floweth with milk and honey, and aboundeth with all good things, where (thine enemies cast out before thy face) thou shalt live and reign, like a most wealthy prince and ruler of the earth. Look therefore that thou keep my commandments and ordinances. Hear my voice; fly the voices of strangers. Look thou have none other gods besides me. Take me for thine own and only God. Fear, honour, and worship me alone. Love me with all thy heart, mind, strength, power, soul, &c. Hang on me. Seek for all good things at my hand. Believe me to be the God alone, who am all sufficient, plenteous to give, and in need

of nothing. Make thee no graven image unto the likeness of any thing in heaven, earth, or elsewhere. Do no reverence nor honour unto them. But above all things, look thou take not the name of me, thy Lord God in vain. For if thou so do, verily thou shalt not escape unpunished. I will be revenged of thy wickedness. For by no means will I suffer my name to be polluted and defiled with thine abominable and unlawful oaths. And that thou mayest take my name into thy mouth with honour, and reverence it when it is named, remember that I am a Lord, terrible in aspect, great in power, righteous in judgment, ready to take vengeance on the wicked, and such a one as am a consuming fire, and by no means can suffer iniquity. And as for the workers thereof, I hate, detest, and utterly abhor them. Again, thou art a miserable, wretched, and vile sinner, begotten, conceived, and born in sin, full of all filthiness, wicked in all thy thoughts, words, and deeds; deserving at every hour, by thine abominable living, to be cast into hell fire; were not I called away from taking vengeance, by my great mercy and long-suffering. What art thou then, O man, who, being so vile, wretched, sinful, and offensive, dost presume to take my name, who am King above all kings, and Lord above all lords, into thy polluted mouth, seeing it is a name that excelleth all others; seeing also that unto it every knee that is in heaven, earth, or hell, bow and give reverence,* again, seeing that the dignity, greatness, and virtue thereof can by no means be comprehended.

Use not therefore my name irreverently, but magnify and praise, honour, and worship it both day and night. Flee unto it as unto a strong bulwark and holy anchor in all thine adversity. Seek for remedy, aid, and succour of all thy diseases at my goodness. If thou dost otherwise, know that I am the living God, into whose hands it is a dreadful thing to fall. (Heb. x.) For I will visit thee with most grievous afflictions. I will punish thee with many intolerable diseases upon thy body in this world. I will smite thee, thy wife, thy children, thy cattle. All that ever thou hast, will I bring to nought. Of all men living will I make thee most vile and wretched. Whatsoever thou goest about shall not prosper, but come to an evil

*Job xxxvii. Exod. xvi. Deut. iv. Heb. xiii. Psal. vi. Matt. vii. Psal. 1. Gen. vi. viii. Phil. ii.

end. So that in this world, my vengeance, that is to say, bodily plagues, shall fall upon thee, and after this present life, shalt thou without fail be cast into outer darkness, where weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be, where the fire shall never be quenched, where thy torments shall never have end, where the worm that gnaweth thy conscience shall never die. (Matt. xiii. Isaiah lxvi.)

Whose eyes send not forth large fountains of tears to hear these things? Yea, whose heart fainteth not for distilling of bloody tears, to hear so great and so grievous threats, yea, and that from the mouth of God, who is truth itself, who cannot lie, who is faithful in all his words? What man is so infected with the abominable sin of swearing as not now to tremble, shake, and quake for fear, to hear what grievous and intolerable pains abide him? Who hath an heart so indurated and hardened through the detestable and vicious custom of swearing, who is not now ready to cease from henceforth so wickedly to abuse the most holy and blessed name of God, and to honour, reverence, and worship it ever after? Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. God hath given ten commandments, yet only two of them have comminations and threats subjoined expressly, which are the second and the third; one for idolatry, the other for the unjust usurpation and unlawful using of the name of God; whereby he manifestly declares how great the sins of idolatry and of swearing are in his sight, above all other vices. Who is now so at defiance with the Christian religion, and so little esteems the glory of the most excellent name of God, that he will not cease from his wickedness of swearing, and learn from henceforth to glorify the most blessed name of God, if not for love, yet for fear of the most grievous and intolerable plagues that shall undoubtedly fall upon him? Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vain. God speaks these words with a marvellous great and vehement emphasis, because he would have us imprint this his precept in our memory. And because we should hearken the more unto it, he added a threat, and saith, For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. This is a grievous threat, and shakes all the parts of a Christian man's body, who is led with any fear towards God.