But this is not all; As profane swearing must undoubtedly harden those in their infidelity, that are without, so must it no less grieve and give great offence to those honest and sincere persons that are within the church. We hear of _David_’s complaining and crying out, “Woe is me, that I am constrained to dwell with _Mesech_, and to have my habitation amongst the tents of _Kedar_;” that is, that he was obliged to live and converse with a people exceedingly wicked and profane. And St. _Peter_ tells us, that “_Lot_’s righteous soul was grieved day by day, whilst he saw and observed the ungodly conversation of the wicked.” And no doubt it was one great part of our blessed Master’s sufferings whilst on earth, that he was compelled to converse with a wicked and perverse generation, and to hear his heavenly Father’s sacred name profaned and scoffed at by unrighteous and wicked men. And surely it cannot but pierce the heart of every true and sincere christian, of every one that does in any measure partake of the spirit of his Master, to hear the multitude of oaths and curses which proceed daily and hourly out of the mouths of many people, and those too, whose liberal education, and seeming regard for the welfare of religion, one would think, should teach them a more becoming behaviour. To hear the great and terrible name of GOD polluted by men, which is adored by angels; and to consider how often that sacred name is profaned in common discourse, which we are not worthy to mention in our prayers: this, I say, cannot but make each of them cry out with holy _David_, “Woe is me, that I am constrained to dwell with _Mesech_, and to have my habitation amongst the tents of _Kedar_.” And though the blasphemous and profane discourses of others, will not be imputed to sincere persons for sin, so long as they “have no fellowship with such hellish fruits of darkness, but rather reprove them;” yet it will greatly enhance the present guilt, and sadly increase the future punishment of every profane swearer, by whom such offences come. For if, as our Saviour tells us, “it had been better for a man to have a mill-stone tied about his neck, than that he should offend one of his little ones, (that is, the weakest of his disciples) how much sorer punishment will they be thought worthy of,” who not only cause GOD’s name to be blasphemed among the _Gentiles_, and the religion of our dear Redeemer to be abhorred; but who make his saints to weep and mourn, and vex their righteous souls from day to day, by their ungodly, profane, and blasphemous conversation? Surely, as GOD will put the tears of the one into his bottle, so it will be just in him to punish the other with eternal sorrow, for all their ungodly and hard speeches, and cast them into a lake of fire and brimstone, where they shall be glad of a drop of water to cool those tongues, with which they have so often blasphemed the LORD of Hosts, and grieved the people of our GOD.
IV. But it is time for me to proceed to give my _Fourth_ and last reason, why common swearing is so exceeding sinful; and that is, Because it is such an extremity of sin, that can only be matched in hell, where all are desperate, and without hope of mercy.
The damned devils, and damned souls of men in hell, may be supposed to rave and blaspheme in their torments, because they know that the chains wherein they are held, can never be knocked off: but for men that swim in the river of GOD’s goodness, whose mercies are renewed to them every morning, and who are visited with fresh tokens of his infinite unmerited loving-kindness every moment: for these favourite creatures to set their mouths against heaven, and to blaspheme a gracious, patient, all-bountiful GOD; is a height of sin which exceeds the blackness and impiety of devils and hell itself.
And now, after what has been here offered, to shew the heinousness of profane cursing and swearing in common conversation, may I not very justly address myself to you in the words of the text, “Therefore I say unto you, Swear not at all;” since it is a sin that has no temptation in nature, nor brings any pleasure or profit to the committer of it; since it hardens infidels in their infidelity, and affords sad causes of grief and lamentation to every honest christian; since it is a sin that generally grows into a habit; and lastly, such a sin that can only be matched in hell.