Excuse 2. But I swear to the truth. See how this harlot-sin would paint itself with an excuse. Ans. 1. Though it be true, yet, if it be a rash oath, 'tis sinful. Besides, 2. He that swears commonly, it cannot be a- voided but sometimes he must swear more than is true ; as, where much water runs, some gi'avel or mud will pass along with the water, — so, where tiiere is much swear- ing, some lies will run along with the oaths. Excuse 3. But I shall not be believed un- less I seal up my words with an oath. Ans. 1. A man that is honest will be believed without an oath ; his bare word carries au- thority with it, and is as good as letters tes- timonial. 2. I answei". He who swears, the more he swears, the less others will be- lieve him. Juris credil minus, — thou art a swearer. Another thinks an oath weighs very light with thee, thou carest not what thou swearest, and the more thou swearest the less he believes thee. He will trust tliv bond, but not thy oath.
Excuse 4. But it is a custom of swearing I have gotten, and I hope God will forgive me. Ans. Though among men custom carries it, and is pleadable in law, yet it is not so in the case of sin, — custom here is no plea. Thou hast got an habit of swear- ing, and canst not leave it ; is this an ex- cuse ? Is a thing well done because it is commonly done ? This is so far from being an excuse, that it is an aggraAation of sin. As if one that had been accused for killing a man, should plead with the judge to spare him, because it was his custom to murder ; this is an aggravation of the offence, so it is here : therefore all excuses for the sin of vain-swearing are taken away. Dare not to live in this sin, it is a taking of God's name in vain.
II. Vile swearing, horrid prudigious oaths not to be named. Swearers, like mad dogs, fly in the face of heaven; and when they are angered spue out their blasphemous venom on God's sacred Majesty. Some in gaming, when things go cross, and the dice run against them, their tongues run as fast against God in oaths and curses ; and tell
OF THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.
273
them of their sin, — po to brin<y liome these asses from going astray, — and it is but pour- ing oil on the (lame, they will swear the more. St. Austin saith, " Tlioy do no less sin who blaspheme Christ now in heaven, than the Jews did who crucified him on earth." Swearers profane Christ's blood, and tear his name. An harlot told her husband, that of her three sons, there was but one of them his ; the father dying, de- sired tlic executors to find out which was the true natural son, and all his estate he bequeathed to him. The father being dead ; the executors set up his corpse against a tree, and delivered to every one of these three sons a how siud arrows, telling them, that he wjio could shoot nearest the father's heart should have all the estate. The two bastard sons shot as near as they could to his heart, but the third did feel nature so work in him that he refused to shoot at his Father's heart; whereupon the executors judged him to be the true son, and gave all the estate to him. Such as are the true children of God, fear to shoot at him ; but such as are bastards, and not sons, care not though they shoot at him in heaven with their oaths and curses. And that which makes swearing yet more heinous, is, when men have resolved upon any wicked action, they bind themselves with an oath to do it; Kuch were they. Acts xxiii. 12., who bound themselves with an oath and curse to kill Paul. To commit sin is bad enough ; but to swear we will commit sin, is an high profaning God's name, and is as it were to call God to aj)prove our sin.
III. Forswearing : this is an heaven-da- ring sin, Lev. xix. 12., " Ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou pro- fane the name of thy God." Perjury is a calling God to witness to a lie. It is said of Philip of Macedon, he would swear and unswear as might stand best with his in- terest. Jer. iv. 2., " Thou shalt swear, * The Lord liveth,' in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness." In righteousness, therefore it must not be an unlawful oath. In judgment, therefore, it must not be a rash oath. In truth, therefore, it must not be a false oath. Among the Scythians, if a man did forswear himself, he w;is to have liis head stricken off, because if perjury