A Christen exhortacion vnto customable swearers What a ryght [and] lawfull othe is: whan, and before whom, it owght to be. Item. The maner of sayinge grace, or geuynge thankes vnto God.

A Christen exhortacion

IN one naturall beyng hath the lorde from the begynninge constitute all men to this ende / that they shuld naturallye loue / helpe ▪ / and counforte one an nother . And to the perfourmance of that hys pleasure / added he this naturall lawe / that they shuld consydre within them selues what they wolde haue done to ther owne bodyes / chyldren / goodes / or cattell / and vpon that grounde to conceyue a rewle how to vse all o●her particuler personnes . A necessarye doctryne of loue . If they wold not that men shulde oppresse them / yll reporte them / shame them before the worlde / hyre ther howses ouer ther heades / sell them yll wares / begyle them by false wayght & measure / with suche lyke / that thei shuld in anye wyse beware / least they do the same vnto the. This naturall lawe was vnto Adam / Seth / Enoch / Noe / Abraham / Moyses / and other godlye men / a grounded precepte of lyuinge / whom they euermore folowed in ther owtward occupyenges . Examples of the holy fathers .

Another sorte ther ware which mynded nothinge lesse / and they contrarye wyse / for wante of that rewle / fell in to all maner of abhominable synnes . Contempners of these holy fathers . As Ca●● in to the vnnatural murder of his brother . Gen. 4. The gyauntes in to fylthye desyres of the fleshe . Gen. 9. 10. Nimroth in to cruell oppressyon and tyrannye . Cham in to a scornefull dysdayne of his father . Ismael into a stubberne wyckednesse ageynst all men . Esau into a mortall hate of Iacob his brother . And such lyke . So that dayly more and more for decaye of that lawe ( which god hade inwardlye wryten in the hartes of men ) greate myschefes increased . Osee. 4 And as Oseas the prophete complayneth / ther was no faythfulnesse / no brotherlye loue / no trewth amonge men / but bytternesse / lyenge / manslawghter / thefte / and aduowterye hath gotten the ouerhande . What so loued that contempte In ther daylye occupyenge was moch falsehed vsed / and that was thought wel wonne good / that was gotten by deceyte . Uerye seldome in ther bargaynes ware promises perfourmed / and more seldome a greate deale / was faythfull honeste regarded . In processe of tyme therfor / were very fewe or none beleued / vnlesse they toke God to wytnesse that ther matter was trewe / wher vppon first of all came vpe the swearing of othes amonge men to confirme ther saynges with .

An othe is no yll matter / godlye vsed and done in loue / though the f●eshe from the begynning hath abused it . What is an othe & to what ende it serueth . For what is ther in the world be it neuer so clene and good / but mennys corrupte nature doth most abhominablye de●yle . Psal. 13.

An othe is awaye or meane wherby Exo. 22. controuersyes are ended / and promyses Heb. 6 perfourmed / by the callinge vpon the name of God . For it is wryten in the lawe / if a man delyuer vnto his neyboure / oxe / asse / or shepe / to pasture / and it dye / or be hurte / or dryuen awaye ( no man seynge it ) than shall an othe of the lord go betwene them / and he shall sweare whether he hathe put anye hand to the takinge awaye of his neybours good or not / and the owner of the good shall receyue the othe / & if he / by the othe that he hath taken sayth / that he hath put no hand to it / than shal he not make it good &c. And this must be done before the goddes / that is to saye before the iudges or magistrates . iudges ar called goddes in scripture . Here is the controuersye ended betwen neyboure and neyboure / through an othe . It is also a meane wherby promyses ar perfourmed . Gen. 21. As we fynd in Genesis the .21 . chapter / the wordes of Abimelech vnto Abraham / that he shuld neyther hurte hym / nor his posterite / vnto whom Abraham sayde / I wyl sweare . And the texte sayeth / that thei sware bothe . And Abraham ded not onlye sweare / but also perfourmed it indede . This is called a ryght or lawfull othe / and none elles . A laufull othe . This othe is a certen kynde of religion / wherwith god is not onlye honored / but also / well contented and pleased . This is a sure anchore / wherunto iudges may lawfully stycke / whan ther wyttes can go no furder . For who knoweth what is in man / but God onlye ? This right and lawfull othe was commanded of god for the conforte / helpe / and secoure of owr neyboure . And it is called the othe of the lord / not onlye because he commanded it / but also whan he made his myghtye promesse vnto Abraham he sweare hym self / to cause hym to beleue it / not to be impossyble / at the tyme appoynted . Gen. 22. Whan a matter is in stryfe before a iudge / necessarye it is to sweare / if i● be re●red / to bringe it to a conclusion . Magistrates may on lye requyre it . And in lyke case is it with demandinge of an othe / as with stryking with the swearde . Lawfull is it not for euery priuate persone at his owne lust to slee . Deut. 24. But to the magistrates / whan they se iuste cause / it is not onlye lawfull / but also an offyce of dewtye belongynge vnto them vnder payne of goddes hyghe displeasure . A iust comparyson .

Hely was ponnished of God / for not correctinge his children / & so was kynge 1. Reg. 4. & . 15. Saule for sparinge the people of a Malech . Luc. 22. The princes of regions haue the sworde geuen them by goddes aucthorite / not to reuenge ther owne priuate quarell / but the iuste . Leuit. 19 quarel of God and his people . For the comon welth onlye . In lyke condicion is it with swearinge . Deut. 6. If the cause be not thers but ther neybours / they maye lawfullye receyue an othe / and the other requyred / may lykewyse sweare in tryall of the trewth and not synne . Who sweareth a right . yet ought it non otherwyse to be done than in the name and fere of the lord / least we shuld ascribe the verite to enye other than to hym . And they iustelye sweare by his name & without reproue / which myndinge neyther frawde nor deceyte / wytnesseth onlye the trewthe / which seaketh no percyalite / but the right / not them selfes / but the glorye of god / the profytt of ther neyboure / and the comon welthe of goddes people . Whan anothe is lawfull .

Lawful it is also for the magistrates / whan they put enye manne in offyce / to take an othe of hym / that he shal be trewe / diligent / and feythfull therin / as Iacob / for the commodite and profytt of his posterite / toke an othe of Laban the idolatrer . Lykewyse Iudas Machabe●s / of the Romaynes / for the same purposse . And this is because ther hath bene / & yet are daylye fownde so many vnfeythful . An othe of allegeaunce . Of ther subiectes and comons maye princes demande an othe of allegyaunce / for the sauegard of ther landes & people . And that shuld not nede / ware ther no false traytors abrode . yet is it dyscretlye to be consydered in all suche publyque othes / whether they haue the .iij. aforenamed thinges or not . To sweare to do yll / as to slee / to rauishe / or to robbe / is dampnable without fayle / and to perfourme suche an othe / or to do those wyckednesses in dede is a dowble dampnacion / both to hym that so sweareth / & also to the iudge that causeth hym to sweare . A dampnable othe . Suche a one was the cursed othe / that kynge Herode made / vnto the dowghter of Herodyas his harlott / for the heade of holye Iohn baptist / whom Christe calleth a vylye foxe for his craftye con●●yaunce . Mar. 6. A coloure was this othe / of his cruell tyrannye / and a cloke to his most spyghtfull murther . Luc. 13. For through that meanes was Iohn done vnto dethe . Neyther was an othe ordeyned ( after the mynde of saynt Austen ) to bynde to the perfourmaunce of manslawghter / robberye / idolatrye / or other synnes . Ad seuerum nuleu●anum . Rather hade Dauid breke hys othe / then to fulfyl it with blood sheding .

A saynge ther is amonge men / that the word / promes or othe / of a kynge shulde stande . A kynges worde ought to stande . We graunte the same / in case it be trewe / lawfull / and expedient . Elles were it muche better / to be broken than kepte . Better were a kynge to eate his worde an . C. tymes / or to call it home agayne / than ones to be dampned for the perfourmance of it / if it be wycked . For a kynge or rewler is not ordeyned to do his owne luste / but to iudge accordinge to right and equite . Psal. 2 As open is hell for hym / as for a pore mane / if he rewle not his people godlye . Dauid brake his othe Dauid made a solempne othe / to slee Nabal / & to distroye all that perteyned vnto hym / but he neuer ded perfourme that othe / and yet he was a kynge . He put vppe his swearde agayn ( sayth Bede ) & neuer repented hym of anye fawte done . Home . 45. Othes are to be obserued / when ther ende is nor euyll / nor vn o●the hynderaunce of sowles helth . In sinonimis 11. 2 In wycked promyses ( sayth Is●dorus ) lett faythfulnes haue no place . Filthye vowes ought to be broken In a fylthye vowe / change thy decreed purposse . Do not the thinge in effec●e / that thou hast without consyderacion sworne vnto . For the promesse is euermore wycked / that can not be perfourmed without synne . Therfor if the iudges or rewlers shuld inforce the inferioure subiectes to sweare to that thinge that ware agaynst sowles helth or goddes honoure as to w●rchipe an idolle or to an innocentes vndoynge / thei ought rather to dye / than to obeye it . 2. Mach. 6 & . 7. As ded for an example the discrete man / and honorable father Eleazarus / with the .vij. feythfull brethern & ther mother in the Machabees . For muche better is it in suche case to obeye God than man / as witnesseth Peter & the other apostles . Act. 5.

Neyther ought a iudge by the lawe Leuit. 19 / to compel a man to sweare agaynst hymself Prou. 30 / least he inforce hym wyckedlye to synne in for swearinge hymself / and so to dispayre of the mercye of God . But whan he taketh an othe of a pore symple sowle / or of a craftye subtyll felowe / he owte to consydre all circumstances re●syte . And all suche as sweare othes / ought lykewyse to be circumspecte and ware . And to see alwayes that this cla●se be added vnto them . If my lord God wyll or if I haue no lawfull imped●●●● to the contrarye . This must be added / if god wyl Rom. 1. And than shall we make o●r promyses perfyght . If I shulde chaunce to appoynte with the magistrates to come before them at ●●che an howre / and in the meane tyme be letted by terrible sycknesse / I shuld thus breake no iuste promesse made with the / if I come not . August . de sermone d●● in monte . Neyther shuld I breake conuenaunte ( as sayth saynt Austen ) If I promysed a payment at a daye / & were ●●bed of my money by the waye / comy●●e thyder warde . With suche other lyke● Neuer am I for sworne nor vniuste of my promesse / so longe as my harte m●●deth no deceyte . God holdeth necessyte excusyd . Many other suche doubtes and perplexe cases ther be / but thes I supposse for this tyme suffycient . By thes may all other be perceyued & christianlye ordred . Thus do we not denye / all maner of swearing / though we wold non othes to be vsed betwyne neyboure & neyboure / nor yet in owre priuate communicacions and daylye busynesses . As herafter we shall declare more at large . I wolde haue wryten muche more of this ryght and lawfull othe / whiche is commanded of God for the wealth and healthe of men / if other christiane lerned men had not wryten suffycientlye therof afore . Agayne for so muche as the matter of it selfe belongeth rather vnto the offyce of rewlers and iudges / then to suche priuate persons as I here write vnto yet lett bothe the iudges / and 〈◊〉 subiectes / mar●● & obserue thes lessons folowinge .

First a iudge / owght neuer to demande / or require an othe of enye man / withca ●●e greate heuynes of conscyens / for 〈◊〉 at the partye re●red to sweare / shuld for sweare hym self . Whan a iu●●ge may require all othe . Suche loue and pyte ought ther to be in iudges / that the losse of ther neyboures sowle / shuld be estemed equalle with the detriment of ther owne sowles . Iudges ought to be piteful . Therfor before they bringe them vnto an othe / they owte to seke all wayes & meanes how to trye the truth without an othe / & not immediatlye and in all the hast to cause them to sweare .

Secondlye . The iudge maye demaunde an othe / and the inferioure subiecte lykewyse sweare / whan it is eyther to the glorye of god / the profyt of owr neyboure / or for the comon welthe .

Thirdly / thoughe men be fully persuaded to haue lawfull and iuste occasions to sweare / as for the glory of god the profyt of owre neighbour / and the common welth / yet maye they not be i●dges in their owne causes / nor take ought here in hande / by their owne aucthorite / but let the ma●ter come before their iudges for no lawe suffreth the here to do after thyne owne pleasure / & what thou thlnkest best . Mat. v. No man may be his owne iudge . After this sorte did Christe● iudges vse them selues in requiringe of an othe / and lykewyse faithfull subiectes with a glade harte in renderinge their othe demanded of them .

If thou be capcio●s thou wilt parauenture fynde cauilla●ion of contrariete in the scripture ? And saye / that Moyses here semeth to speake contrary vnto that Christ hath spoken in Matthew / the .v. Chap. Mat. 5. Because it is sayd here / yf anye man geueth to kepe / asse / oxe / or shepe &c. than the othe of the Lorde shall go betwene them / and there thou shalte in no case sweare . this was firste the error of the Manacheis / whose folowers ar now the Anabaptistes . The error of the Anabaptistes . And all this commeth because they vnderstand not the sentence of Christ in the .v. of Matthew . This worde / iurare / hath an other maner of signification / than they do perceyue / and is otherwyse taken in the said .v. of Mathew / than they do teache . for this is to be beleued of all men / that God the father commanded nothynge that shulde be preiudiciall or contrarye his sonne / nor yet that the sonne tawght any thing contrary his father . The agrement of Christ and Moyses . therfore there is a swearinge whiche is lawfull approued and commanded of God / of the whiche we haue made mencion before / called in latyne ius●urandum . Ther is also a swearinge which is not lawfull discommended / and clearly forbyden of Christ / whiche What a te●erous he is . is called / deiurium / that is temerously to sweare in owre priuate communication / be it trewe or false . And whan Christ saith / thou shalt not sweare at al / he meaneth nothinge lesse / than by it / to destroy all maner of lawfull swearinge before a iudge / but that we shuld neuer in our priuate communicacion sweare . and as all maner of othes ware not disalowed of Christ / no more ware all othes alowed of God the father / but suche onely as had eyther the glory of God / the profyt of owre neyboure / or the common wealth vppon their sydes . And that this is the very meaninge of Christes wordes / we shall well perceyue / by the weynge of the texte . yow haue hard sayth Christe / how it was sayd to them of the olde tymene deteres / Where as owre translacion hath / non periurabis / thou shalte not for sweare . How periurare is taken in the .5 . of Matth. And not al without cause / for as periurare can neuer be taken in a good sence / so is it not alwaye taken for the transgressinge or breakinge of a lawful othe made before a iudge . But often tymes it is taken for deierare / which is to take God ●d witnesse / to lye / or to deceyue . And periurate / is lykewyse to abuse the name of God / whiche is the trewth and righteousnes / to lye / and deceyue . And what so euer he be / that eyther require his neyboure to sweare / or sweare lightly him selfe / it is a sufficient proue / that he is a pariure / yll / lyght / and one that lytle regardeth Goddes truth . now whan Christ sayth / it is sayd to them of the old tyme / non periurabis / thou shalt not forsweare Exo. 20. yow shall neuer fynde in the Hebrew nor in the Greketerte that worde / but so shal you fynde in Moyses Thou shake not take the name of thy Lorde Leuit. 19. God temerously / where as owre interpreter hath so . Thou shalt not take his name in vayne . ●n another place also you haue after this sorte . Thou shalt not sweare in my name to lye . Whiche the Grekes interpretat after this facion . thou shalt not sweare fal●y in my name And the La●ynes hath / non periurabis / Thou shalt not forsweare in my name . Here you may se how saynt Ierome vse this worde / to forsweare / for deterare / which is to sweare false . And not for the transgressinge of a right & lawfull othe It was forbydden to them of the olde tyme / ( as you haue partely harde ) that they shoulde in no case / temerouslye take the name of God to recorde / which is expounded in the sayd .xix. of Leuit. that they shulde not sweare in his name to lye . The Iues thought it no synne to sweare truly Wherout sprange this opinion amonge them / that yf they dyd take the name of God to wirnesse in the trewth / and that in their dayly busynes betwen neighbour and neighbour ) was no maner of synne . but in a false fayned matter they thought they ought in no case to sweare / nor yet compel any other man therunto ▪ And this is the thinge that Christ speaketh here against / and vtterly reproueth . that is to saye / that neither in the trouth nor otherwyse / they ought to take the name of God to recorde in their familiar and dayly communicacion . but to speake so truly / and to deale so faithfully one with another / that yf he sayd / yea / then his neighbour shulde beleue him to saye truth / yf he sayd / naye / lykewyse to beleue it not to be truth . A Christen ought not to speake one thing & thinke another . Here you se well / is no maner of mention made of a right and lawfull othe . for Christ saith / audistis / ye haue hard how it was sayd vnto them of the olde tyme / non periurabis / thou shalt not forswear Where is this spoken ? euen there wheras is nothinge spoken at all / of the transgressinge or breakinge of a lawful othe made before a iudge . as it shal appear● more playnlye to him that will serche the places . Therfore it is manifest that Christ spake of suche othes / wherby we bynd our selues temerously / to do or perfourme any maner of thing . They of the olde tyme were suffred to sweare in the truth . It foloweth in the terte / I saye vnto you / sweare not at all , marke now of what swearinge he speaketh / euen of suche swearinge as was ( for their weaknes sake ) permitted vnto them of the olde tyme / by the law . for as the Iues were suffred by the law ( for their weakenes sake ) to be deuorced from their wyues ( gyuinge them a testimonial in their handes ) to auoyde a further inconuenience / that was lest whan they were moued or angrye with them / they shuld either haue poysonned or kylled them . Deut. 6 So was it lykewyse permitted to them of the olde tyme / to sweare ( but not by all maner of creatures / but only in the name of god ) least they dwellinge amonge the heythen / and accustominge their othes / shulde by contynuance of tyme fall vnto the fylthye worshippinge of their Idoles / forgettinge him . Exod. 23. sweare by his name ( saith Moyses ) and se that you walke not after strange goddes of the nacions that you remayne amonge . Iosue . 23 S● that you neyther make mencion ( saith Iosue ) nor yet sweare by the names of their goddes . Thus in the old tyme were they suffred to sweare in an ernest iuste or wayghtye cause . We maye not swear yf the matter be neuer so true but now commeth Christ and saith / that neyther in a t●ewe matter / be it neuer so great ernest and wayghtye / we shal not of our owne selues / nor by our owne aucthorite and priuate power / sweare or promes any maner of thinge . Where as yet no maner of mention is made of a demaunded othe by publyque aucthorite . And the wordes that folowe make the matter more p●●yne . neither by heauen ( saith Christ ) for it is the throne of God / neyther by earth &c. Where rede you that at any tyme the Hebrwes did vse to sweare by any of these thinges ? And contrarywyse who now adayes doth not for euery tryfle sweare by them all . one promesse a gyft by Christes Crosse / another by heauen / the thirde by the earthe . All this doth Christ clearly forbyd / and this is the summe of all his communicacion . And where as the Anabaptistes expounde this to be spoken of periurye / which is taken for the transgression or breakinge of that othe / whiche is made before a iudge : they are greatlye deceyued . for there is no mencion made / neyther of the place / of the iudiciall seate / nor yet of any magistrate or iuge . he spake therfore of the othes / whiche we vse one with another in oure familiar communicacion and language . And he that will serche the aforesayd places of Exodi and Leuitici / both in Hebrewe Greke / and Latin / shall fynde it trewe that here is wryten . other reasons and argumentes they haue / to take from the congregacion / this lawfull othe / which at an other tyme shall be answered vnto . The Pharise is also had blynded & corrupted this commandement . for lyke as to hate in the hart / or couer another mans wyfe / was no synne with them / no more was it to thinke one thinge in the harte and to speake another with the mouth . Althoughe Moyses sayd lye not : nor deceyue any man his neighbour . Leuit. 19 They did interpretate it but for good councel / and that it did bynd no man / vnder payne of damnacion . so by that meanes were there none beleued / onles they toke god to witnesse . whan false / sotel and craftye merchauntes ones perceiued that for taking of Goddes name to recorde / they were beleued / whatsoeuer their cause was . To bringe their matter to passe they lytle cared to forsweare them selues . vnder that coloure cloked they all maner of dissimulacion / falshede / and vngodlynesse . so that the name of God ( whiche ought to haue ben had in most reuerence ) was commonlye than vsed / for a coueringe of all their myschefes . in so moch the Prophete complayned and sayde / how they cowed saye the Lorde lyueth / yet did they sweare to deceyue . Ierem. 5. Christ commeth / and bringeth salte and light vnto the commandementes / restoringe them agayne to their owne natural meaninge / and right vnderstanding / and as his father wolde haue them kept / of euery Christen man . for as God is but one / so hath his word or commaundementes but one right and trewe meaninge / how so euer we turmoyle or handle them . Goddes worde hath but one true meaninge . And where as they had taught to hate in harte / to couer another mans wyfe / & to deceyue his neighboure with a lye / was not forbidden of God / vnder payne of damnacion but only the outwarde acte . But Christe saith / he that is angrye with his brother / is in daunger of iudgement . ●ur word ●nd harte / ●ust be al●ne . He that seeth a woman and lusteth after . her / shall tast the punyshment that belongeth to a horemonger : he that thinketh one thinge / and speaketh another / deceyueth his neighboure with a lye / or promyse / shall haue the punyshement of a periurer . therfore I saye vnto you / that ye sweare not at all / but let your communicacion be / yea / yea / naye / naye . he saith twyes yea / and twyes naye / that is yea in harte / and yea in mouth / naye in hart and naye in mouthe . And yf men / whan that you meane truly wil not beleue you by your yea and nay / let them take hede ( sayth Basyle ) for they shal taste the payne that belongeth to the vnbeleuers . Basyle therfore it is both folysh and damnable / whan a man can not be beleued by yea and naye / withoute an othe / because he wolde be beleued to sweare . Hierome The gospel ( sayth saynt Ierome ) permitteth no maner of priuat othe / because the hole language of a Christen / shulde be so faithfull / trewe and perfyt / that euery sentence therof shulde be able to stande for an othe . Ioh. 3 verye vnseminge is it to Christes sworne souldyoure / more to regarde the darknes than the light . for the loue that thou bearest to a worldly vanite ( which thou oughtest not somoch to esteme ) thou wilt take thy Lord God to witnesse . And so dost thou throwe thy self into double daunger / offending also in an other commaundement / for so canst thou not doo / onlesse thou vaynely couete . He that sweareth coueteth .

And the lawe sayth / thou shalt not couete . Exod. 20 Psal. 6 Dost thou not couet whan thou inforcest thy selfe to sweare for a worldlye thinge ? and for a vyle creature takest God to witnesse ? yes trewly doest thou / and for it forsakest thy master with Iudas . Psalm. 38 oh to ouermoche vanice is all the worlde gyuen . Besydes that is sayd / for this consyderacion doth Christ inhibite the all maner of priuate swearinge / because thou canst not do it / without some dishonoure to his heauenly father . marke the nature of thyne othe / whan thou doth sweare / & thou shalt well perceyue it . He that sweareth dishonoureth God . In tsy communicacion parauenture thou sayst / by God it is trew that I haue sayde / or by the Lord that made me it is so / Here cowplest thou thy Lorde God / with thy wyckednes / and thy heauenlye maker with thy synne / without all reuerence / to shyfte the matter betwene them . Psalm. 9. se now how worshiply thou hast maried him . Besydes all this / intaking god to witnesse / thou makeste him iudge of the thinge to auenge it of the yf it be false but in the least pointe : Iob. 34. & . 36 Thou braggest also after this sorte / by my faith I will performe / that I haue promysed / or by Iesus Christ I wil do this thing or that thing . markewel this short sentence of myne . God will not gyne power to anye man to do or performe that thinge whiche is not done after his worde / and here by an othe contrarye goddes commaundement dost thou bynde thy self / to do that thinge which is not in thy power to do / neither hast thou God vpon thy syde to gyue the strength to doo it / because it is not doone ( althoughe it were neuer so trewe ) before a iudge / whiche Goddes worde requireth . And so doest thou lose thy saluacion / and fredome in Christe . with his name sealest thou an obligacion / to do that thinge / wherby thou arte defeated of all thyne inheritaunce . Is this thinkeste thou a pleasaunte thinge vnto him ? All this set a parte / yf it shuld chaunce that some worldly trouth were not in thy wordes / ( besydes conscience ) thou shuldest vtterly bleamishe the opinion of thy faith / and to shame thy Lord Iesus / whom thou hast taken to wytnes with the / for thy truthe and honeste . 1. Tim. 6. In this also doest thou testifie / that thou beleuest him to be no righteous God / nor yet a iudge that will ones before al the worlde condempne thy suttel trade of falshed and hypocrisie .

Finally thou makest as though God were well contented with thy dissimulacion / and as thoughe he had a greate sporte at the matter / to se thy crafty conueyaunce and legerdemayne in compassinge thy Christen brother or neyghbour to deceyue him with an othe / for whom Christ spared not to gyue his lyfe / and to bestowe his moost precious bloude . Rom. 14 And thus where so euer thou becomest / these .iiij. discommodites goth with the The holy name of God is dishonored / his Esaie. 51. Gospel of saluacion is contempned 1. Cor. 1. his swete promyses ar not beleued / nor yet his sharp thrētninges feared . Ioh. 6 Psal. 13 Wheras thou art in place / these vngentle frutes doest thou ministre and none other / to do thy master the deuy●● 〈◊〉 pleasure with . suche a trewe seruaunte arte thou vnto him / that where as thou accompaniest / Christ shall haue but dishonoure . Consequently whan thou swearest vppon the Bybel or Gospell conteyninge the scriptures and wordes of God / thou comparest the truth of thy matter / to the truth of them / and woldest haue it so alowed . than yf thou be a lyar / thou hartely desirest him / not to accomplyshe vnto thy behoue his promyses of mercy therin conteyned . Deute. 28. But contrarye vnto it / to bringe vppon the / the hole vengeaunce / curses and plages therin threttened / to all yll doers . whan thou swearest by the body of Christ / thou greatly dishonourest his glorified nature / includinge thy hole health / iustification / redemption / & attonemente in God . And thou doest as moche as in the lyeth ( lyke as the holye doctours confesse ) to plucke him oute of heauen with violence / & to crucifie him agayne a fresh . Whan thou swearest also by the Sacrament of God ( as it is a common othe with the ) both the swete frutes of thy Baptyme / and of the holye soupper of the Lorde doest thou handle so vnreuerentlye / as thou ware at defy●unce with them both .

In lyke case whan thou swearest by anye creature / as by this sonne / by this ayre / by this light / or by this good daye / thou doest not only breake the commandement of 〈◊〉 Lorde God / but also thou doest bynde those creatures whiche he hathe mouyded to serue thy neades / to serue thy wycked vanite / rendring him no thankes but blasphemye for his gyftes . Whan thou swearest by other creatures of God / as by this breade / drinke / meate / or salt / with such lyke . Dost thou any other than blaspheme the gyuer of them ? my surely . And besydes that thou destreste him to auenge them of the / yf thou lye . Perauenture thou wilt yet aske me this question / may I than sweare no maner of othe for my pastyme ? yes / and yf thou wilte in thy pastymee gyue thy selfe hole vnto the deuyll . We maye not sweare for our pastyme But Christe hath gyuen the a straight commaundement to the contrary / that thou shalt not sweare at all / and shewed the that yf thou he his seruaunt / thy communication shall be none other / but yea yea / & naye naye . All other ( saith he ) is of euyll .

Now yf thou thinke thy witte better than his / or that he is no holesome teacher for the / thou maist do it for thy pleasure and go to the deuyll for it : who can let the. not thus contented / hapely thou wilt yet reason further / and saye . For so moche as I knowe swearinge is a blasphemye / I will for my pleasure sweare by the deuylt / or by an Idolle / to spyght them with it . We maye not swear by the Deuyll . I am glad thou haste ones graunted me that swearinge is a spytefull blasphemy : let it not than defyle thy Christen lippes / neither spyght thy lord God with it frome henceforthe / nor yet his holy sainctes and creatures / consydre firste that it is thy Christen dewtye to be no blasphemare . And nexte vnto this / that God by his expresse commandement hath vtterly forbidden the that kynde of swearing . you shal nor sweare ( saith your lyuinge God ) by the names of straunge Goddes / neyther let any man heare them procede out of your mouthes . Deut. 6. Exod. 23. Neyther make mencion ( saith Iosue ) nor yet sweare by the names of their Goddes &c. God wil refuse them for his children ( sayth Hieremye ) yea and vtterly forsake them / which sweare by them that are no Goddes . Iosue . 2. I will destroye all them ( sayth God by his Prophete Sophonye ) that sweare in Melchon &ce . Sopho. 1. Thinke than it is lawful for the to swear by no maner of thinge / for thy pleasure / neyther by heauen nor earth deuyll / nor Idolle . for all that is more than yea and nay is playnly of wyckednes . Our wordes are the outward testimonies of our inward hartes . And therfor they ought to be so substanciall / as to be worthye a beleue without an othe . So syngle and pure ought our loue to be towardes our neighboure in oure dayely occupyenge / that no maner of crafte shuld be founde therein . Damnable it ware to deceyue oure brother with alye / and moche more dampnable to seale it with a false othe . We ought to be no longer babes . They of the olde tyme thought it no faute to sweare in a matter of truth / but we haue now a newe scole master / and ought by his owne doctryne / to be no longer babes / but to be moche more perfyght then they ware . Now ought suche brotherly loue to reygne amonge vs / that one shulde haue no stomake / harte / nor desyre / to hyndre / hurte / or displease another . The eye shuld seke the profyte of the hande / and the hande the commodite of the foote / as membres of one bodye in Christ / the one beynge carefull for the other . The frutis of a right Christer . The one shuld be so faythfull to the other / that neyther shuld he nede to sweare / nor the other nede to put hym to an othe . And suerlye ther is none othe made betwene neyboure and neyboure / but one of them / or bothe offendeth dedly . And it is he that heareth the trewth and wyl not beleue hym withoute an othe / and so compelleth hym to sweare / or elles the other that without all occasyon / inforceth him self lyghtlye to sweare / or both for companye sake .

Customable swearinge is verye dangerous / though we ded not lye at al / for so moche as it doth depriue the name Eccle. 23 of the lord of his dewe reuerence and feare . And so moch vanite of wordes is in our dayly commoninge & occupienge that we haue one with another / that we can not chose but lye in many thinges . Prouer. 10 Which to confirme with an oth / though we intende no fraude / is to take the holy name of God in vayne / and vnreuerently to vse it against the second commaundemente . If it be dampuable of it selfe to lye of purposse to deceyue / howe moche m●●e dampnable is it than blasphemous●●e to coloure it with with the name of God / besydes the callinge vnto him for swyfte vengeaunce vppon our owne selues for so doynge . truly we lytle knowe what we do in such customable swearinge . Therfore account we it necessary to admonysh you yet farther as concerninge your priuate swearinge . For accordinge vnto that is sayd afore / willed vs Iesus the sonne of Sirach ( which wrote the booke of Ecclesiasticus ) that we Eccles. 23. shulde in no case accustome oure selues Sap. 14. in swearing / least we fall into more depe inconuenientes / and so taste the plages belonginge thervnto . For of custemable swearinge commeth the damnable vice of peruicy .

If a man shal vse commonly to sweare / he can not chose but many tymes damnably forsweare him selfe . As he that customablye ●●nyteth / sometyme he shall smyre vnto dea●he . That a man hath in custome he shall do at all tymes / but he shall not at all tymes refrayne it . What the fearfull sentence of God is against swearers / the scriptures plentuously sheweth . The Lorde ( sayth Moyses ) Deut. 5. will not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vayne . Ero. 2. The man that vseth moche swearinge ( saith Iesus Syrach ) Eccl. 23. shal be full of iniquire / and neuer shall the plage depart frome his house . All theues and swearers are vnder one curse of God after zacharie . Zach. 5. Stoned was he by the lawe / that blasphemed the name of the Lorde / in Israel . Leuit. 24. If the plage goeth neuer from them which are continuall swearers / how can it go frome them that are continuall periures ?

Tell vnto me my frynde ( saith Iohan Chrisostome ) what doest thou profyt by thy swearing ? Homi. 44 sup Math. If thyne aduersary shuld thinke the to sweare aright / he wolde neuer compell the to it . But because he thinketh the therby to become a periure therfore enforceth he the to an othe . Seldome hath the priuate othe a good conclusion . But happly thou wilt saye . I cannot sell my wares / onlesse I do sweare / or my detter beleueth me not / onless I make him an othe . An obiecc●●on . Whervnto I answere , Rather be contented to haue thy wares vnsolde and to lose thy money / than thy saluacion in Christ . Mat. 16. Luc. 12. Reason faithfully with thy conscience / and let thy sowle be more dere vnto the / than thy corruptible substaunce . The soule is better than wares For thoughe thou lose part of thy substaunce / yet mayst thou lyne / but yf thou lose God thou canst not lyue . Iohn . 5. 〈◊〉 . 17 A greater rewarde shalt thou haue for losinge of it in the feare of God / than yf thou haddest gyuen it in almes . For that is done with peyne for the loue of the Lorde requireth a more worthye crowne than that is done without peyne . 2. Tim. 2. Apoc. 2.

Moreouer I councell the as my frinde ( saith Chrysostome ) yf thou be a true Christen / that thou neuer compell anye other man to sweare . For whether he sweareth right or wronge / thou arte not without daunger afore God / consydering that Christ ( whose ●eruaunt thou oughtest to be ) hath gyuen the here a sore commaundement to the contrary . Chryso●● . 〈◊〉 . 44. Besydes that / thoughe his othewere true / yet is not thy conscience cleare frome peruiry for so moche as the matter beyng doubtful vnto the / thou puttest him to the dannger therof . A greate danger to sweare . And yf it were false / than hast thou enforced him to periury / and so for lacke of Christen charite loste both his sowle and thyne owne / for whom Christ suffred his death . De sermo●e domini●●n monte . Worse is he ( sayth S. Austyn ) than an homicide / that compelleth a man to sweare / whom he knoweth to forsweare him selfe . For the homicide sleeth but the body / wheras he sleeth the sowle / yea two sowles rather . That is to saye / his sowle whom he compelled to sweare / and his owne sowle for so compellinge him .

O vndiscrete personne / what so euer thou arte that compellest an other man to swear . Lytel knowest thou what thou doest therby . Moche more is it to his profyt than to thyne . Chrysos● . vbi prius . For that periurye is to his lucre / and to thy losse . For he hath the mony / nothinge remaining vnto the but thy part in the per●urye / with the curse and plage thereof . He that careth not to lye / regardeth as lytle to forsweare him selfe . And lyke as he that lyeth offendeth sore the verite / so doeth he that is periured forsake both God and all godlynesse . Thus are the commaundmentes neglected / and neyther God nor our neighbour regarded . Why Crist forbode swearing . No maruele therfore thoughe the Lorde knowinge our infirmite / and how swyst we are to cast awaye our sowles / did first inhibite vs periury / and than all maner of swearinge . Gregorius in homil. quadam . He hathe forbydden swearinge ( saith Saint Gregory ) that we shoulde the more easely auoyde all maner of occasion to periurye . He that feareth God / without an othe confesseth the verite . He that feareth him not / will not with an oth confesse it .

He therfore that doubteth not to breake Goddes commaundement in swearinge / doubteth not to forsweare him selfe for a vauntage . The prestes . Take hede also ( sayth Chris●stome ) you that will be rekened for spirituall men . Uery swyft ye are to offre the sacred Gospell vnto them that sweate / where as ye ought to reach the contrarye . Chrysost. ●●prius . If a man maye not ( saith Origene ) in euery light matter sweare / no more maye they that haue aucthorite for euery light matter compell a man to sweare . Howe can you be cleare frome periury / that ministre the occasion ? Maye he that beareth fyre to the burninge of an house be fre from the burning of it ? Or he from the slaughter of a man that bringeth the weapon wherewith he is slayne ? Naye surely . But he that gyueth occasion to periury / must nedes be a partener in the same . Withdrawe the fyre / and there shall be no burninge . Conuaye awaye the swearde / and there shal be no murther committed . Seqnestor swearinge / and there shall be no periurye . Oft swearinge ( saith Iūdorus ) bringeth man to an vse . ● . 2. sol●●oquiorū . And that vse leadeth to a custome which bringeth in periurye . No nede hath the verite of an oth / where the promes is faithfull and sure .

All this is spoken for them that sweare by the Lorde temerously . ●o sweare by 〈◊〉 . Moche more erectable is the wyckednesse of them that sweare by the creatures / and more greuous the offence / than of them that swere by him onely . Hiere. 5. For heauen / earth / the elementes / and creatures hathe he made to serue him in mans occupienge / and not that men shulde sweare by them . Deut. 32. Col. 1. In the lawe is it also straightlye commaunded / that Duut . 6 non shuld be taken to witnesse in the truthe but God the auctor of all truthe . He therfor that sweareth by heauen / by earthe / or by anye other thing els / he maketh it equall to the verite / & so alloweth it for his god . For of no lesse value maye that thinge be that is taken to witnesse / than is the verite yt self which standeth in tryall . Hiere. 5. A shame full idolatour therfor becommeth he / that taketh anye other thinge than God to wytnesse in the verite yea / though it be neuer so trewe that he sweareth . Idolatrye .

For he perfourmeth not vnto the lorde his othe / but vnto the elementes & creaturs / and so synneth double . Nu. 30 First he offendeth in breakinge the commaundement / secondlye in that he maketh a god of that he sweareth by . This caused S. Hierome to saye in his commentarye vpon saynt Matthewes Gospell / that our sauiour ded not inhybitt swearing by god / before a iudge so that it were in a faythfull cause / but by heauen and earthe by Hierusalem and our head / with suche lyke . Hieronimus sup●● Matth. For it was graunted to the peple in Moyses lawe for a rule / that lyke as they were commaunded to offre ther sacrifyces vnto God / because they shuld not offre them to idols / so were they permitted to sweare by ther lorde God . Because it was thought better for them to geu● ther faythe ( which is therin requyred ) vnto God than vnto deuyls . For the Iewes vpon a corrupt custome / were in●che geuen to swearinge by the elementes .

Consydre therfor that it was not for nought that Christe commaunded you neyther to sweare by heauen nor earthe / cy●ye nor temple / nor yet by the heare of your owne heades . Mat. 5 & . 23. Where as the bisshoppes & spirituall lawers sytteth in consystorye / a small matter is it rekened to sweare by the lorde / and therfor compell they menne to sweare by the gospel as by an hygher thynge . To sweare vpon the gospel boke . As though the creature were aboue the creator . Not vnlyke to the pharisees / which estemed Mat. 23. the golde offred in the temple moche greatter than the temple that sanctifyed the golde / and the offeringe vpon the aulter moche better than the aulter that sanctyfyed the offeringe . In this proue they themselues not only blynde / but also blynde leaders of the blynde . Moche more passeth those beastlye bellye Mat. 15 goddes vpon the feadinge of ther Phil. 3. wreached bodyes than vpon God which is the lyfe of ther soules . Ther masses and monye sacrifyes are the cause why they esteme an othe made vpon the gospell boke to be farre . about that othe which is made vpon the eternall God / and not the ●eryte which the gospel contayneth .

O wretched idiotes Hom. 44. ●up Math. ( sayth Chrisostoine the scriptures are ordeyned for god / and not God for the scriptures . Greatter is the lorde that sanctifyeth the gospell / than the gospell that is of the lorde sanctifyed . The Turkes or Mahometanes ( whom we reken to be a verye execrable secte ) hath the holye name of god in suche reuerence / that they neuer sweare by it / vnlesse they be by mos● vrgent necessyte compelled . Guishelnias tripo●tanus . Neyther committ they the administracion of ther comon welthes to anye manne whom they knowe to be a swearer / be he neuer so ryche / valeaunt / wyse / lerned / courragyous / or of noble byrthe . How that matter passeth amonge vs Christyanes / all the worlde knoweth yea / though we saye nothinge of the periurye which dayly regneth amonge vs to farre and to brode . And surelye this dare I be bolde to saye / that all we knowe it is contrarye to the commaundement / wyll / and pleasure of God . yet doth the most part of vs committ it .

And they that do it not / are not ones moued with pyte ( as it wolde become al christen menne ) to se ther bretherne so peryshe / or to se a lawfull and charitable redresse for it . 1. Cor. 1● . Heb. 4. They also which hath the lawes in gouernance / and vnto whom the iudgementes are committed / seketh not by harde correccions the amendement of it / but euery where it regneth vnponnished . A verye lyght matter is swearige accounted now adayes in euerye mannys mouthe / hygh and lowe / ryche and poore / ruler and comonner / pryst & clarke / woman and chylde / to the vtter contempt of god . Ioannes Ealisburi●ensis in po ●icra●ico . If they be in dallyannce / playe / and sport / nothinge semeth vnto them pleasaunt / freshe / nor any thinge worth / no thinge cherefull or fytt to be lawghed a● / vnlesse the communicacion be mixed with the blasphemye of goddes name . All states ●elyghteth ●n blasphemye . Eccl. 27. If a matter shall be reasoned or a storre rehersed in a companye / the tale shall want his due circumstance / vnlesse it be garnished with othes .

Amonge the ruffeling rutters and galauntes of the worlde is not he rekened for a manne of noble blood / that can not sweare by heauen / by the elementes / by the trone Idem Ioannes de nugis curialium . of God / by the wondes / blood / crosse / in euerye assemblye / and in euery place he cometh in . Fyne tonges . This is the comon rhetoryck / the florishinge maner of speakinge / the cleane / fyne / pure / and bewtifull language of our baptysed brode / of our holy christen commynnalte / both in lordes howses and bysshoppes howses / more lyke bedlem beastes than christianes / yea / more lyke denyls of helle than menne of reason & grace . Petrus Blesenss . No faute fyndeth our prelates in this / nor breake of christen religion / nomore than thei do in the daylye hauntinge of the stewes and other shamefull abhominacions . But these they releace with ther masse saynges for monye . Bysshoppes . For them that rede the scriptures they can fynde out grenous ponnyshmentes / but not for these enormyous excesses . This presumptuose sacrilege / this wycked knauerye / this malignaunt myschefe ageynst God offendeth them nothinge at all .

The Iewes tare ther garmentes customablye whan they harde goddes name blasphemed . Mat. 26. Mar. 14. But who amonge vs sheweth any maner of token that he is ones but discontented with it ? Tearinge of garmentes . where are those godly lawes become that were wont to be heade the blasphemer or els stone hym vnto deathe ? where are the epytomes / pandectes / and institutes of Iustiniane The swearer was be headed . the emprour that wolde suffre no suche offenses remayne vnponnyshed ? where are the statutes ryall / that kynge Henrye the fyft made also for swearers with in his owne palace ? Waldenus in quodam sermone . that if he were a duke that ded swear he shuld forfett for euery tyme . xl.s . to the aydinge of poore peple . If he were a lord or barone xx . s . If he were a knyght or a esquyre x.s. If he were a yemāne . xl.d . If he were a page a lackeye or a slaue / to be scourged naked eyther with a rodde or els a whyppe . All this is now forgotten and gone .

The olde phylosophers abhorred the the philosophers abhorred swearing . blasphemye of god / the poetes and oratours thought them worthye of greatt ponnyshementes / & we thinke no thinge lesse . Cicero wylled that neyther swearing nor promes made by othe shuld be vsed for feare of periurye . Cicero in li. de Off. Sweare in no wyse ( sayth Periander ) if thou cannist by anye meanes auoyde it . If thou be wyse ( sayth Phocylydes ) thou shalt not sweare with thy wyll / though the cause be neuer so good . If the matter lyeth so ( sayth Pythagoras ) that thou must nedes sweare / do it with greattreuerence . Periurye ( sayth Menander ) can neuer be hydde from God . Therfor rather lose thy matter than sweare . For of hydden periurye ( saith Tibullus ) wyl a myschefe followe eyther at one tyme or other . Tibullus li. 1. elegia 9. Se what a dangerous matter the prophane phylosophers accounted swearinge that neuer knewe Christ / and we account i● nothinge at all . They abhorred the wyckednesse of it / and we take it for a myrte pastyme .

Mene can seke out penaltees / and make newe constitucions for them that laboure to knowe God and to lyue after his lawes / but for them that spyghtfullye abuse the name and glorye of God / we can fynde non at all . Quotidiana experiencia . And no maruele consydering we are the ryght sworne chyldren of periurye . Who hath so largely bene periured as prelates / prestes / and religious ? which at the receyiunge of ther p●pishe degrees hath forsworne the veryte of god / whom in baptym thei faythfully promysed to stande by ageynst all the de●yls in helle ? 1. Ioan. 4. yea / brynge ther lawes / doctrynes / and doynges vnto the Galat. 6. touche stone ( which is goddes worde ) & thou shalt fynde that they laboure nothinge els but the breakinge of that promes . Goddes worde tryeth al thinges . How vnreuerentlye they haue vsed ther othe of allegeaunce to ther princes and magistrates / I thinke the cronicles kepeth not in sylence .

Whan paschal●s the bysshop of Rome had sworne to be trewe vnto Henry the fort emproure / he gaue hym thervpon a wrytinge / which contayned also the in●estiture of prelates . Ranulphus Cestrensis in polycronica . Not longe after that / whan he se his tyme / he called in Rome a generall synode / where as he by counsel of his spiritual sorcerers breakinge both othe & priuilege / ded excommunicate the good emproure / raysed vp his sonne ageynst hym / deposed hym / empresoned hym / & fynallye caused hys bodye to be taken out of the grounde at Leodium / and in a prophane place to be beryed . yea / after his deathe / the sonne ( whom he made to persecute the father ) ded he also excommunicate and greuouslye vere . A lyke tragedye we haue of Fredericus Barbarossa / whom pope Alexander the thyrde made his fo●e stole at venys in the churche of saynt Marke / in the syght of the whole multitude to the rudiculous shame and rebuke of all the worlde . Abbas U●spergensis in cronicis The next daye after he made hym to holde his styrope and lyke a page to wayte vpon his miile .

S●●●he the hystoryes ? also for those tymes in the which the holye bysshoppes of Rome assoyled the peple from the obedience of ther lawfull kynges . Bagu●nus Platina & Polidorus As zacharye the first / which assoyled the Frenche menne from ther othe to kynge Hylderyck . Of Honorius the thyrde and Iohan the .xxii. assoylinge the Germanes from ther lawfull emprours . Of Innocent the third assoylinge oure Englishe m●ne of ther trewe allegeaunce from ther good kynge Iohan / and suche other to manye to be reherced / and ye shal fynde wonders concerninge that matter . Gildas in excidio Britannie . Gyldos one of the most auncient wryters of this nation / moche lamented the fylthye behauer / swearing / and periurye of his cuntremenne the brytones . Actes ageynst customable swearers . Kynge Iue / kynge Alfrede / kynge Edwarde / and dyuerse other made laudable constitucions of penaltees within this realme concernynge the same .

Kynge Edmonde made this lawe that they which were proued ones falslye for sworne shuld for euer be separated from goddes congregacion . Hector boetius in hist●ria sco●orum . Donaldus the kynge of Scottes made this acte within his lande / that all periures and comon swearers shuld haue ther lyppes seated with a burnige hoote yron . Which lawe saynt Lodowyck kynge of Fraunce put ones in execucion at Parys vpon a cytezen there for blasphemynge the name of Christ / to the example of other / & so caused it to be proclamed through out his realme for a generall ponnishment . A proclamacion ageynst swearinge Iacobus mayerus in cronicis Flandrie . Unicentius in speculo historiali .

Philippeerle of Flanders / made this constitucion within his erldome in anno M.C.lxxviij . that he that ded forswere hym self shuld lose his lyue & goodes . Item Philippe the kynge of Fraunce / whom so euer he perceyued / that eyther in taue●ne / or enye wher elles / ye although he ware a grett man of dignyte / that ded blaspheme the name of god / he shuld be drowned . And caused a stronge acte to be made of it a lytle before his dethe / and left it vnto his successors . Also Iosephus councell is this . Iosephus 4. li. ant. ca. 6. That he which blasphemeth shuld be stoned / and then hanged vppe by the space of one daye / and so taken downe and buryed without all maner of honoure . In paralipomena rerum memo rabilium . Maximi lianus the emperour made also a decree / that what so euer he ware / that was a comon swearer shulde for the first tyme lose a marke / and if he ware not contente with that / shuld lose his heade / which acte he & the states of the empyre commanded to be publyshed .iiij. tymes in the yere at estern / whytsontyde / assumpcion of our lady and at cristemas .

In certen regions are yet to this daye othes so restrayned / that what so euer he be that sweareth / he shall eyther lose a fyngar / an eare / or els his tonge . For periurye was the noble cyte of Troye lost / as wytnesseth not onlye Uirgyle with other prophane auctors / but also S. Austyn in his thirde boke and seconde chapter de cuntate Dei / and so hath manye other cytees els . Many cytees hath bene destroyed for periurye . Idem Augustinus . Tullius cicero hath in his first boke de officijs / that Marcus regulus a Ramane and a Pagane regarded so moche an othe that he ones made / that he had rather to throwe him self into most miserable captiuite and cruell deathe of his enemyes than to breake it / and so to become a periure . Saynt Aus●yn affyrming the same also in his first boke / and .xv. chapter de cuntate dei .

A wonderfull narracion hath S. Greg. in the ●or● boke of his dyaloges / of a chylde of .v. yeares of age beynge in his fathers armes possessed of a denyll for swearinge and blasphemynge the name of God . Besydes the terryble examples of the scripture / in Nemroth / Pharao / Hieroboam / Sennacherib / Benedab / Achab / Nab●chodouosor Holofernes / Antiochus / Nicanor / Herode / and s●che lyke . The sonne of the Israelytishe wydowe was for blasphemynge of the name of God stoned vnto deathe in the desart . Leuit. 24. The blasphemer was stoned For blasphemye of the seruauntes of Sennacherib the kynge of the Assyrianes ded the angell of the lorde 〈◊〉 h●ndred and .iiij. 4. Reg. 19 score thousande of hys hoos●e . 4. Reg. 10. The wycked quene Iesabel was for the same vyce throwne out of a wyndowe / trodde vpon with horses / and had her fleshe deu●wred of dogges . Herodes antipas for be headinge Iohan baptist Mar. 6 , to perfourme his wycked othe / was eryled into leons / and there departed in most miserable periurye . Mar. 19. In swearinge ded Peter both denye and forsake hys lorde and master Iesus Christ . Consydre by these and by other lyke examples / what the abhomination of swearinge is / and what vengeaunce of the lorde hangeth ouer it .

The Seytheanes & Partheaues with other Heythen peple had lawes ageynst lyenge & swearinge / whom they wolde in no wyse dysobeye . We haue the great commandement of God with the gospel of Iesus Christ / which are lawes farre passying ther lawes . Exo. 20. Leuit. 19. Mar. 5. What deuyll of helle shall holde vs backe more than them / that we shall not regarde them ? If we haue a lorde God which create al at the begynninge / and now gouer●eth all to our behoue . If we haue a father which hath loued vs / a Christ which hath redemed Rom. 8. vs / and an holy ghost which daylye Tit. 2. conforteth vs / where is the faythful obedyence we owe them ? Ioan. 15. If he be oure god / why do we not feare hym . If he be oure heauenlye lorde / why do we not honor hym ? If he be oure father / why do we not hartelye loue hym ? If he be omnipotent / why do we not reuerence hym ? If he be wyse / why do we not lerne of him ? If he be iust of his promes / & trewe of Plsa. 10. his worde / whye do we not both heare Ioan. 3. hym / beleue hym / and folowe hym ?

If he be a master / whye do we not serue hym ? Ioan. 13. Iudith● 8 yea / why do we not ones amende / at his most fearfull thretteninges ? Is it in the gospell ernestlye spoken vnto vs Christyanes / or vnto dead stones ? Let your communicacion be yea / yea / & naye / naye . What so euer is more than that / 〈◊〉 cometh of the verye deuyll . Not vnto a rotten post / nor yet vnto a dumme beast was it sayd . Deut. 5. Thou shalt not vsurpe the name of the lorde God in vayne . Exo. 20. For the lorde wyll not holde hym gyltlesse that blasphemeth his name . Eccl. 23. The plage shall not depart from the howse of the swearer . But it was spoken vnto vs / to whome God hath geuen reason / discression / remembraunce / understanding / witte / conscience / faythe / and grace / if we wyll applye our selues to the occupyenge of them . A manne that were in trauase of lande and shuld lose it vnlesse he tolde his tale wysely / wolde take good hede vnto his wordes rather than he wolde lose it . And we for losynge oure sowles / ( which Christ to wytnesse / are moche more precious ( wyll take no hede at all / but Mat. 6. through cure blasphemous language / & Luc. 12 daylye swearinge suffre all to go vnto nought .

We moche maruele many tymes that Derth / wārre / and pestilence . the lorde doth ponnishe vs with derthe / warre / pestilence / and cruell ex●●ciōs of tyrauntes . But we ought moche more to maruele / that heauen reyneth not wyldefyre and brymstone vpon vs as vpon Gen. 19. Sodome & Gomorre / & that the earthe Num. 16. openeth not vpon vs and swalowe vs in with Chore / Dathan / and Abiron / for so vnreuerentlye vsynge the name of God with oure outragynge tonges / as the fylthye myre in the stretes that we spurne forth with oure fe●e . Plsa. 85. Oh / how coude the lorde suffre soche iniurye / were he not eternally● mercyful ? Iohel . 2. how coude he pacientlye beare it / were he not gracious / pytefull / longe sufferinge / and rydye to pardone wyckednesse ? Soche contynuall swearers maye well be compared vnto those spyghtfull tormentours that spailed in Christes face / that mocked Mat. 26. hym with a rede / crowned with Mar. 14. thorne / & saluted hym with / Aue rābbi . Nor vnlyke also are they vnto those pratlynge Iewes and scornefull hypocrytes / prestes Luc. 23. and pharisees / that went Mat. 27. vp and downe by the crosse whan Christ hang vpon it beckynge with ther heades and casting abrode ther armes / thinkinge that he coude not do so moche as ones saue hymself .

Lorde geue them repentaunce with grace ones to detest that abhominable vyce / and not with Pharao to haue ther Exo. 7. hartes so hardened that they fynally perishe in the rede see ? Psal. 〈◊〉 . A familyar example haue I redde in a boke called preceptorium Ioannis beets . Whom I wishe they had in dayly remembraunce / for one naturall properte in it of the chylde towardes his father . ●oā . beets 〈◊〉 precepto 〈◊〉 p●ept . 2 ●xpos . 3. 〈◊〉 . A certayne manne there was ( saith he ) that supposed by his wyfe to haue had .iij. sonnes . Upon a daye as they chaunced to varye / she ●est in hys tethe that there was but one of them his owne . And which was he / she wolde neuer tell hym vnto the verye deathe . It chaunced this manne as hys ●yme was come / to depart from the wor●de / bequeathinge vnto this vnknowen sonne of his / al his landes and goodes . As this matter came before the lawe / the iudge anon had in remembraunce the wyse facte of Salomon concernyng the two women which stroue for a childe / & thought to vse with these .iij. yonge menne ● . Reg. 3. contendinge for the heretage a lyke polycye . Sap. 7 First he caused ther dead father to be tyed vp harde vnto a poste / & than commanded them to shote ernestlye at hym . Promysing that he which most depelye perced into his fleshe shuld haue ●endred vnto hym the patrimonye .

The first and the seconde ded shote . The thirde abhorrynge i● as a thynge most vnnaturall / wolde in no case do it / but sore rebuked his bretherne for so doynge . The worke of nature / 〈◊〉 wonderfull & 〈◊〉 . And sayd / he had moche rather to lose it / tha● to do so vncomlye an acte . By this was he iudged the natural sonne of that manne / and so enioyed the inheritaunce of his father . A lyke iudgement is to be had of these newe crucifyers Heb. 6. of Christ / as the doctors doth call Apoc. 11. them . No naturall chyldren of God are they / regenerate of the sprete / but verye bastardes / borne of fleshe & blood . Not the chyldren of promes are they with Isaac / but the carnall chyldren of bondage with Ismael / to whom belongeth non heretage in Christ . Gal. 4. Gen. 21. These be no natural poyntes of a louynge sonne to buffett & beate his father / or to teare the fleshe fro The f●ute of bastardes . his bones . To name him in his most angre and spyght / or to spytte hym our of his mouthe with cruelte and vengeaunce . But they are the frutes of an vnreasonable beast / of an outragious wode dogge / of a furious serpent / of an ympe of helle / and a verye lymme of the denyll .

Cham ded nomore but discouer the preuye partes of his father / and become Gen. 9. The breakers of goddes e●mandeme● are acursed . both accursed for it / & also of a ●re childe a bonde seruanaūt for euer / both in hym self & also in his posterite . What thinke ye than remayneth vnto them / which in ther daylye language grea●lye doth dishonoure / vnreuerently scorne / and with most spyghtfull cruelnesse blasphemeth ther lorde God / whom they ought not to thinke vpon without feare / nor yet ones Heb. 6 to name without reuerence and tremb●y●ge / his 2. Pet. 2. omnipotent mageste consydered . Iude. 1. Nothinge so moc●e doth oure synnes displease God ( consyderinge we are synners / of very nature ) as doth one ●phe . 2 wylfull continuaunce and weltringe in them . ●●ch . 5. Oure bolde contumacye / and sturdye presumptuosnesse are the thynges that most discontenteth hym . Whan he calleth vs by his preachers / we repent not . Whan he graciouslye admonisheth vs by his warninges / we amende not . But styll multiplye oure wyckednesse / estemynge ●ere . 44 synne as nothinge / and lyninge ●●hel . 3. as we had no god of ryghtuousnesse .

Oh / let vs ones be admonished by the Apostles and Prophetes / the vnsayned massengers of the lorde / that we maye with Dauid / zacheus / Magdalene / & Peter ernestlye repent from the hart . Reg. 12. 〈◊〉 . 19 Lett vs leaue one tyme or other this wanton ●●an . 12. course of contempt / this rashe ronnyng ●ar . 26 at large / at ther wholsome warnynges / least our owne myschefe / sworde / snare / & pryde / be oure confusion / as they were the vtter confusion of Cain / Saul / Iudas / and the proude blasphemer Symon magus . ●en. 4. Reg. 13. Thou wylt parauenture saye vnto me / I knowe the vyce of swearing dampnable / and 〈◊〉 . 1. & . 8. glad I wolde be to leaue yt . But verye harde it is to go from that is bredde by the bone . custome harde to ●●ake . A sore matter is it to plucke awaye that hath bene sucked out of yowthe / and that hath taken rote of so longe contynnaunce . Therfor shewe me some conuenient remedyes . Take these poore counsels / yf all other fayle . Praye first feruentlye vnto God . Iaco. 5.

Desyre hym to take from the that harde Ezec. 11. et . 36. stonye hart / and to geue the an hart more meke and gentle . Intreate him to make the of a lyon a lambe / of a persecuter a disciple / of a cruell Saul a meke spreted Paule . Act. 9. Ephe. 5. Consequentlye submytt thy affeccions and appetytes vnto reason / and Rom. 16. se that thy reason be euermore obedient vnto the rewles of faythe / contayned in the scripturs . Flee from excesse and ryott . Shurne the companye of them that be blasphemous & vycious . Carrye with the where so euer thou goest / a sure intent and purpose to leaue that vyce . Detest it greatlye in all other menne . Consydre what felicite thou shalt lose / & what infelicite thou shalt wynne / yf thou styll vse it . And euermore with drawe those thinges that myght occasion the vnto it . Hyde thy purse / and thou shalt not be robbed . Laye a syde thy swearde / and thou shalt not slee . With drawe excesse / & thou shalt not be dronke . Breake the of thyne yll custome / & thou shalt no longar sweare .

Hauynge these consyderacions with soche lyke / thou mayst sone leaue it yf thou wylt . These remedyes haue I shewed the / and these godlye admonyshmentes haue I geuen the / as one so inteyrlye hongeryng thy sowles profyght in my inwarde sprete as myne owne . Consydre how thy mercyfull father hath planted in the his owne image / and le●● in thy f●eale vessell his incomparable treasure . Rendre it not ageyn vnto hym deformed with vyce / and defyled with fynne . But se●● to be founde in the daye of his commynge with out spotte / that thou mayst receyue the inestimable rewarde / prouyded for them that loue hym trewlye . Amen .