I am persuaded, that if the bars of the bottomless pit were broken up, and devils should ascend in human shapes, none among them would be found hastening upon themselves the fulness and complete- ness of their misery, as you do. It is a truth, though a strange one, that it is much easier to find, than imagine men upon earth profes- sing Christian religion, yet in some respect sunk below the wickedness of the diabolical nature, by making damnation both the subject of their drollery, and the object of their very wishes and desires. Some greater masters of our language, may more lively and empha- tically express the horrid nature of this sin ; but excuse me, reader, if I believe no words or thoughts can measure the height or depth of this monstrous abomination.
§ 4. Such contumelious language as this (especially when grown modish, or common) cannot but be a most high and dreadful provoca- tion of God, and such an one as will certainly bring down his desolat- ing vengeance, not only upon the heads of blasphemers themselves, but upon the states and kingdoms that connive at, or tolerate them.
THE REASONABLENESS OF PEKSONAL REFORMATION. 491
We read, Zech. v. 2, 3, 4. of a flying roll full of curses, the length thereof twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits ; which shall enter into the house of the swearer, remain in the midst of his house^ and consume it with the timber and stones thereof Blasphemy and profane swearing are like barrels of gunpowder laid under the foun- dation of many great and noble families, many of which are already blown up, and laid in ruins by this sin, and many more are ready to follow, as soon as the justice of God shall give fire to it.
And (comparatively speaking) it were happy if the mischief ended here ; but, alas ! it causes God to commence a quarrel with the whole land ; Hos. iv. 2, 3. ' And because of oaths, the land mourneth.' You find in Isa. xxxviii. what it was that brought that unparalleled desolation upon that famous and flourishing city of Jerusalem, and the whole land of Judah ; ' for Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen ; because their tongues and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory."*
But, alas ! scripture-threatenings signify scarce so much with these men, as the predictions of the weather in an almanack ; and, which is strange to consider, the very execution of scripture-threatenings before their eyes, will not terrify them from this inhuman wicked- ness ; even these also are laughed to scorn, or easily forgotten.
O ! that God would set it home with power, upon the spirits of all that are in power, to take some speedy and effectual course to remove this accursed thing, this inicjuity to be punished by the judge; one (and a chief one too) of those direful provocations of heaven, to which we owe a special part of our national infelicity at this day. We all acknowledge, that all prosperity and success depends upon God ; if so, reason will readily own, that it must be therefore the interest of kingdoms and commonwealths, to prevent and restrain those impieties, which so audaciously provoke and incense his wrath. As much is this their duty and interest, as it is the interest of a cour- tier to avoid offences of his royal master, the king, upon whose favour his honour and preferment depends : Or as it is the duty of the owner, to keep in that ox which is used to goring, or cover that pit into which some have, and others of his family are like to fall : or care- fully and speedily to remove that gunpowder, which his enemies have placed under the foundation of his house, to blow it up. Both reason and experience will inform the rulers of this v/orld, that professed rebels to the God of heaven, are never like to make useful subjects in the kingdom of men.
§ 5. Until public justice lay hold upon such offenders, let us try what close reasoning may effect, for their reformation. It is hard to imagine that men of sense should so generally, and so far engage themselves in this course of profane swearing, and have nothing at all to say for themselves.
If thcv have no reason at all, to offer in justification or excuse of
402 THE REASONABLENESS OF rERSONAL REFORMATION^
what they do, they act the brutes, not the men, and are self-con- demned already.
It is a question with me, whether the soul of man, on this side liell, can sink so deep into the nature of a deviJ, as to sin because he will sin ; or to engage himself in a course of sin, without any respect at all to some carnal interest, either of profit, pleasure, or honour?
The thief hath a visible temptation of gain to allure him, or pinch- ing necessity, to induce him. The liar is drawn in, to commit that second sin, to cover the shame and turpitude of a former. The adul- terer promiseth himself pleasure in the satisfaction of his lusts. And though men generally stand amazed to think, what that temptation should be, which prevails upon the swearer; yet doubtless, something there is he hath to plead in excuse and extenuation of his fault. Whatsoever it be, let it be produced, and weighed in the balance of right reason; Valeat quantum valere potest, Let it have its due value and consideration. And could I imagine any thing more likely to be their inducements, than what I shall here mention, I would not con- ceal them. There are only four things, that can fall within the com- pass of my imagination, pleaded by them, when seriously charged with the evil of the fact.
1. Some of them will happily tell us, that they would not swear as they do, if they could gain credit to what they say without it ; but the incredulity of others, provokes them to add so many oaths to their single affirmations.
2. Others of them will tell us, they only swear in their passion, when provoked by injuries received from others ; and if men did not wrong them, they would not wrong God as they do.
3. Some will plead, that swearing is become modish, the badge and character of a gentleman ; that it gives them reputation among men of their own rank and quality ; and that they shall be looked upon as siijeaking fools, unfit for the company of gentlemen, if they could not discourse with them in this dialect.
4. And some will confess the practice is evil ; but that they have gotten such an ill habit, and the sin is become so customary with them, that many times they know not whether they swear or no.
I cannot imagine, nor (I think) they themselves, what else is plead- able in excuse, or extenuation of this horrid sin : Let these that arc produced, have a fair trial at the bar of reason ; and carry yourselves towards this sin for ever hereafter, according to that righteous ver- dict yourselves shall be forced to pass upon it.