read the gospel, although they understood not one word,* yet, of custom, they stood up like men; and when the priest named Jesus in the gospel, and they saw him, for the reverence of it, make courtesy, they also full mannerly bowed their knees, as devout persons, pretending by that means that they have the name of Jesus among them in great honour; yet straightway go they unto the alehouse, and by their wicked oaths do they there the greatest dishonour to the name of Jesus that can be done in the world. These people may well be resembled to those Jews, who, in despite, stripped Christ, and put on him a purple robe, and plaited a crown of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand, and bowed their knees before him and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews. God amend these crooked customs.

Furthermore, this damnable use of swearing hath so greatly prevailed among them that profess Christ, that it is also crept into the breast of young children. It is not a rare thing now-a-days to hear boys and mothers tear all the most blessed body of Christ with their blasphemous oaths. What marvel is it then though they be abominable swearers when they come to age? But whence learn they this? Verily of their parents and such as bring them up. Cursed be those parents who so behave themselves either in word or deed, that they give any occasion of evil at all unto their children. Great is their damnation. The blood of their children shall be required at their hands. Better were it for such fathers and mothers if they had a millstone tied about their necks, and so to be cast into the sea, than blasphemously to abuse the name of God unto the evil example of their children. Is it any marvel therefore though we be so greatly plagued, seeing the name of God is so much blasphemed among us now-a-days, by every degree and age? How can we be bold to say that we believe in God, when we live nothing according unto his word? With what forehead may we be bold to call upon the name of God in our adversity, seeing we, without all honour and reverence, do so shamefully abuse it with ungodly oaths? How can we hope that. Christ's body was offered up to God the Father, a sweet-smelling sacrifice for our sins, (Eph. v.) when we so irreverently swear by it? How may we boldly say, that all our iniquities are washed away by Christ's blood, when we are not ashamed *The Romish service is in Latin.

wickedly to swear by it, and to obscure the virtue of it by our unlawful oaths, so much as lieth in our power? With what countenance shall we be bold at the dreadful day of judgment, to behold and look upon the most glorious face of the everlasting and righteous judge Christ, whose honour we have so oft defaced with our vain and idle swearing? Undoubtedly these swearers and blasphemers of the name of God, are in a far worse case than they appear before the world. The world, by reason of the long custom and continuance thereof, think it no sin idly to swear; neither doth it judge them that are swearers to be in any worse case than the other sort are; but the word of God judgeth otherwise of them; God's word declares them to be the most grievous enemies of God, of his most blessed name, of Jesus Christ his Son, and of his most bitter passion. God's word declares them to be the children of wrath, fire-brands of hell, captives of Satan, and right heirs of eternal damnation. God's word shows manifestly that they have no part of the celestial heritage, but are already judged to hell fire, if they do not in this life repent, bewail their wretchedness, confess their abomination, desire mercy, and believe faithfully, to have forgiveness. For heaven and earth shall pass away, but the word of the Lord abideth for ever. (Matt. v.; Isa. xl.) Therefore this commination and threat which accompanieth the commandment must needs be true and come to pass. The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.. Let not these swearers therefore glory in their wickedness, and think that they shall escape unpunished, because God taketh not vengeance on them straightways; but rather let them think that their damnation shall be so much the more grievous, seeing they escape so long without punishment. The rich glutton of whom we read in. the gospel of Luke, lived in this world according to his fleshly appetite, and wanted nothing that might satisfy the beast-like desire of the flesh, yet his end was everlasting damnation. So shall it be unto all them that are wicked transgressors of this holy precept of God. The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his `name in vain. This threat of God is not to be laughed at; for if there be a God, and I am certainly persuaded there is, I am sure that these abominable swearers shall not escape unpunished; let them esteem their sin as light and as little as they list, yet I am sure the vengeance of God hangeth

over their heads wheresoever they be. And although God taketh not vengeance on them straightway, yet am I sure that they shall not escape, if in this world, yet not in the world to come; so righteous a judge is God, so faithful is he in all his words. (Psal. cxlv.) How can it otherwise be?

We see by daily experience, that if any man blasphemes an earthly prince, or speaks evil of his name, he is put to death straightway without mercy. If such honour and reverence be given unto a worldly prince, who is earth, and unto earth shall return again, what is to be thought of those who blaspheme the name of the Most High and celestial King, who is King of all kings, and Lord of all lords? The blasphemy done to a mortal man is punished with the sword, and shall the blasphemy done to God escape think you with a fillip in the forehead, or with the knock of a little wooden betel, as it is begun to be punished in certain men's houses now of late? Nay, verily. It is no fillip matter except we will admit such a fillip as shall fillip them down into the bottom of hell-fire. God is no puppet, nor a babe. It is not a fillip that can wipe away the blasphemy of his most blessed name, before his high throne and glorious majesty. Wo be to them that sin, and keep not my commandments, saith the Lord, for surely I will not spare them. In the old law God gave this commandment for the blasphemers of his name, Whosoever curseth his God, saith he, shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall die for it. All the multitude shall stone him to death. Therefore be he citizen, or stranger, if he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, let him die the death. (Lev. xxiv.) What will the blasphemers of God say to this precept? Do they think that God is asleep, so that now he careth not for the glory of his name? Nay, let them be sure God tendereth now his glory as much as ever he did, and abhorreth wickedness now, no less than he hath done ever heretofore. is a jealous God, and will not suffer them to escape unpunished that pollute and defile his most glorious name. St. Augustine (in Matt.) saith, "They sin no less, who blaspheme Christ reigning in heaven, than they who crucified him walking in earth." A certain writer also in the Hebrew tongue, called Rabbi Aben Ezra, writes thus, Certainly this is the custom in Egypt even unto this day, that if any man swear by the head of the king, and

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doth not fulfil his saying, he shall be the child of death. If that he would offer for his ransom a great sum of gold, yet shall he not live, seeing he hath despised the king openly." If a king does so, who is flesh and blood, whose beginning and end are vanity, much more, yea, a thousand times more ought a man to take heed that he offend not God with his tongue, that he doth not so order his mouth that he maketh his flesh to sin by remembering God in vain. Again, he saith, "There are many which think it no great offence if a man take the name of God in vain. But I will show them that it is greater and more grievous than the breaking of all the commandments that follow. For he that is a manslayer or an adulterer, which surely are great offences, he cannot slay nor play the whoremonger at all times, for he is in fear. But he that hath accustomed himself to vain oaths, committeth in one day innumerable oaths; and he is so greatly in use with this fault, that he perceives it not when he sweareth; and if thou rebukest him and sayest, Wherefore hast thou now so sworn, he straightway sweareth that he swore not, yea, and that for the too much use of swearing. For such, before they bring forth any word, they swear first, thinking that it garnishes their communication very pleasantly so to swear. But if there were in Israel no more faults than this one alone, it were enough to prolong our captivity, and cause that we should be plagued every day more and more." These are the words of the Hebrew interpreter, whereof we may learn how great an offence it is vainly to swear, and how it heaps upon us the plagues and vengeance of God, more than the breaking of any other commandment, except it be for idolatry, which sin this also matches.

Whoso

Hear me, O ye children, saith the wise man, I will give you a doctrine how ye shall order your mouth. keepeth it, shall not perish through his lips, nor be hurt through wicked works. As for the sinner he shall be taken in his own vanity. He that is proud and cursed shall fall therein. Let not thy mouth be accustomed with swearing; for in it there are many falls. Let not the naming of God be continually in thy mouth; for like as a servant who is oft punished, cannot be without some sore, even so, whatsoever he be that sweareth and nameth God, shall not be clean purged from sin. A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with wickedness, and the plague shall never

go from his house. If he beguile his brother, his fault shall be upon him. If he acknowledge not his sin, he makes a double offence; and if he sweareth in vain, he shall not be found righteous. For his house shall be full of plagues. The words of the swearer bring death, (God grant that it be not found in the house of Jacob,) but they that fear God eschew all such as lie not weltering in sin. Use not thy mouth unto dishonest and filthy talking, for in it is the word of sin.-Here the wise man plainly affirms, that they which swear and take the name of God in vain, shall be replenished with wickedness, and the grievous plagues of God's vengeance shall fall upon them. So that their house shall be visited with divers punishments and plagues. Oh terrible saying! Too stony is his heart that trembleth not at the hearing of these words. The prophet Zechariah also saith, I turned me, lifting up mine eyes, and looked; and behold a flying book. And he said unto me, What seest thou? I answered, I see a flying book of twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the whole earth. For all thieves shall be judged after this book, and all swearers shall be judged according to the same. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of Hosts, so that it shall come upon the house of the thief, and upon the house of him that falsely sweareth by my name, and it shall remain in the midst of his house and consume it with the timber and stones thereof. What will swearers and blasphemers of God's most holy name say unto these words of the prophet? Here may they see that the terrible curse of God is come abroad for all thieves and swearers, so that it shall fall upon their house, and consume it, with all that ever pertain unto it. Here may they learn that their judgment is at hand, that their damnation cannot be eschewed except they shortly repent, believe, and amend. For the book of curses flieth abroad. It is no longer kept in secret, and it shall undoubtedly fall on the houses of so many as swear vainly. God can no longer abide this abomination, it is so great, and grown up unto such an height. Wo be unto all swearers for their oaths. ger pricketh not so sharply," saith Chrysostom, (Hom. xv.) 66 as the nature of an oath doth. A sword slayeth not so cruelly as the plague of an oath doth. For a swearer, although he seem to live, yet is he dead already, and has received his deadly wound. And as he that takes a halter

"For a dag