unhandsome; their elogies (to use their own way of speaking) are in effect satires, and they can hardly more abuse a man than by attempting to commend him; like those in the Prophet, who were wise to do ill, but to do well had no knowledge." 3. I pass by, that it is very culpable to be facetious in obscene and smutty matters. Such things are not to be discoursed on either side in jest or in earnest; they must not, as St. Paul saith, be so much as named among Christians: to meddle with them is not to disport, but to defile oneself and others. There is indeed no more certain sign of a mind utterly debauched from piety and virtue, than affecting such talk. But farther, 4. All unreasonable jesting is blameable. As there are some proper seasons of relaxation, when we may desipere in loco; so there are some times and circumstances of things, wherein it concerneth and becometh men to be serious in mind, grave in demeanour, and plain in discourse; when to sport in this way is to do indecently, or uncivilly, to be impertinent, or troublesome.* It comporteth not well with the presence of superiors, before whom it becometh us to be composed and modest much less with the performance of sacred offices, which require an earnest attention, and most serious frame of mind. In deliberations and debates about affairs of great importance, the simple manner of speaking to the point is the proper, easy, clear, and compendious way facetious speech there serves only to obstruct and entangle business, to lose time, and protract the result. The shop and exchange will scarce endure jesting in their lower transactions: the senate, the court of justice, the church, do much more exclude it from their more weighty consultations. Whenever it justleth out, or hindereth the dispatch of other serious business, taking up the room, or swallowing the time due to it, or indisposing the minds of the audience to attend it, then it is unseasonable and pestilent. Ialev, iva onovdaņs, to play, that we may be seriously busy, is the good rule of Anacharsis, implying the subordination of sport to business, as a condiment and furtherance, not an impediment or clog thereto. He that for his sport neglects his business, deserves indeed to be reckoned among children; and children's fortune will attend him, to be pleased with toys, and to fail of substantial profit. It is, again, improper (because indeed uncivil and inhumane) to jest with persons that are in a sad or afflicted condition,* as arguing want of due considering or due commiserating their case: it appears a kind of insulting upon their misfortune, and is apt to foment their grief. Even in our own case, upon any disastrous occurrence to ourselves, it would not be seemly to frolic it thus; it would signify want of due regard to the frowns of God, and the strokes of his hand; it would cross the Wise Man's advice, In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider. It is also not seasonable or civil to be jocund in this way with those who desire to be serious, and like not the humour. Jocularity should not be forcibly obtruded, but by a kindly conspiracy, or tacit compact, slip into conversation: consent and compliance give all the life thereto. Its design is to sweeten and ease society; when to the contrary, it breedeth offence or incumbrance, it is worse than vain and unprofitable. From these instances we may collect when in other like cases it is unseasonable, and therefore culpable. Farther, 5. To affect, admire, or highly to value this way of speaking, either absolutely in itself, or in comparison to the serious and plain way of speech, and thence to be drawn into an immoderate use thereof, is blameable. A man of ripe age and sound judgment, for refreshment to himself, or in complaisance to others, may sometimes condescend to play in this or in any other harmless way but to be fond of it, to prosecute it with a careful or painful eagerness, to doat and dwell upon it, to reckon it a brave or a fine thing, a singular matter of commen *Adversus miseros inhumanus est jocus.Quint. r Arist. Eth. x. 6. Eccles. vii. 14. dation, a transcendent accomplishment, anywise preferable to rational endow ments, or comparable to the moral excellences of our mind (to solid knowledge, or sound wisdom, or true virtue and goodness), this is extremely childish or brutish, and far below a man. What can be more absurd than to make a business of play, to be studious and laborious in toys, to make a profession or drive a trade of impertinency? what more plain nonsense can there be, than to be earnest in jest, to be continual in divertisement, or constant in pastime; to make extravagance all our way, and sauce all our diet? Is not this plainly the life of a child, that is ever busy, yet never hath any thing to do? or the life of that mimical brute, which is always active in playing uncouth and unlucky tricks; which, could it speak, might surely pass well for a professed wit? The proper work of man, the grand drift of human life, is to follow reason (that noble spark kindled in us from heaven; that princely and powerful faculty, which is able to reach so lofty objects, and to achieve so mighty works ;) not to soothe fancy, that brutish, shallow, and giddy power, able to perform nothing worthy much regard. We are not (even Cicero could tell us) born for play and jesting; but for severity, and the study of graver and greater affairs.t Yes, we were purposely designed, and fitly framed, to understand and contemplate, to affect and delight in, to undertake and pursue most noble and worthy things; to be employed in business considerably profitable to ourselves, and beneficial to others: we do therefore strangely debase ourselves, when we do strongly bend our minds to, or set our affections upon such toys. Especially to do so is unworthy of a Christian; that is, of a person who is advanced to so high a rank, and so glorious relations; who hath so excellent objects of his mind and affections presented before him, and so excellent rewards for his care and pains proposed to him; who is engaged in affairs of so worthy nature, * Σπουδάζειν καὶ πονεῖν παιδιᾶς χάριν, ἠλίθιον φαίνεται, καὶ λίαν παιδικόν.—Arist. Eth. x. 6. Neque enim ita generati a natura sumus, ut ad ludum jocumque facti videamur; sed ad severitatem potius, et ad quædam studia graviora atque majora.—Cic. Off. i. and so immense consequence: for him to be zealous about quibbles, for him to be ravished with puny conceits and expressions, it is a wondrous oversight, and an enormous indecency. He, indeed, that prefers any faculty to reason, disclaims the privilege of being a man, and understands not the worth of his own nature; he that prizes any quality beyond virtue and goodness, renounces the title of a Christian, and knows not how to value the dignity of his profession. It is these two, reason and virtue, in conjunction, which produce all that is considerably good and great in the world. Fancy can do little; doeth never any thing well, except as directed and wielded by them. Do pretty conceits or humorous talk carry on any business, or perform any work? No; they are ineffectual and fruitless; often they disturb, but they never dispatch any thing with good success. It is simple reason, as dull and dry as it seemeth, which expediteth all the grand affairs, which accomplisheth all the mighty works that we see done in the world. In truth, therefore, as one diamond is worth numberless bits of glass: so one solid reason is worth innumerable fancies: one grain of true science and sound wisdom in real worth and use doth outweigh loads, if any loads can be, of freakish wit. To rate things otherwise, doth argue great weakness of judgment, and fondness of mind. So to conceit of this way signifieth a weak mind; and much to delight there. in rendereth it so: nothing more debaseth the spirit of a man, or more rendereth it light and trifling.* Hence if we must be venting pleasant conceits, we should do it as if we did it not, carelessly and unconcernedly; not standing upon it, or valuing ourselves for it; we should do it with measure and moderation; not giving up ourselves thereto, so as to mind it, or delight in it more than in any other thing: we should * Ως μὴ συμβαίνειν κατὰ ταυτὴν ψυχῆς νήψιν, Kai corpancλías diáxvoir.-Bas. Const. Mon. 12. Πολλοὺς συμβαίνει τοὺς περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἀσχολου μένους, τοῦ ὀρθοῦ λόγου διαμαρτάνειν, τῆς ψυχῆς πρὸς γελοῖα μὲν διαχεομένης, καὶ τὸ τῆς φρονήσεως σύννουν καὶ πεπυκνωμένον καταλυούσης.-Ibid. Jocorum frequens usus omne animis pondus, omnemque vim eripiet.-Sen. de Trang. c. xv. Η ευτραπελία μαλακὴν ποιεῖ τὴν ψυχὴν, ῥᾳθυμὸν, dvanεяTwкviar-Chrys. in Eph. 17. not be so intent upon it as to become re- | by to lose or to impair that habitual serimiss in affairs more proper or needful for ousness, modesty and sobriety of mind, us; so as to nauseate serious business, or disrelish the more worthy entertainments of our minds. This is the great danger of it, which we daily see men to incur; they are so bewitched with a humour of being witty themselves, or of hearkening to the fancies of others, that it is this only which they can like or savour, which they can endure to think or talk of. It is a great pity, that men who would seem to have so much wit, should so little understand themselves. But farther, that steady composedness, gravity and constancy of demeanour, which become Christians. We should continually keep our minds intent upon our high calling, and grand interests; ever well tuned, and ready for the performance of holy devotions, and the practice of most seriour duties with earnest attention and fervent affection: wherefore we should never suffer them to be dissolved into levity, or disordered into a wanton frame, indisposing us for religious thoughts and actions. We ought always in our behaviour to maintain not only τò no̟éлov, a fitting decency, but also rò σeuvov, a stately gravity, a kind of venerable majesty, suitable to that high rank which we bear of God's friends and children; adorning our holy profession, and guarding us from all impressions of sinful vanity." Wherefore we should not let ourselves be transported into any excessive pitch of lightness, inconsistent with, or prejudicial to, our Christian state and business.* Gravity and modesty are the fences of piety, which being once slighted, sin will easily attempt and encroach upon us. So the old Spanish gentleman may be interpreted to have been wise, who, when his son, upon a voyage to the Indies, took his leave of him, gave him this odd advice: My son, in the first place keep thy gravity, in the next place fear God:t intimating, that a man must first be serious before he can be pious. 6. Vain-glorious ostentation this way is very blameable. All ambition, all vanity, all conceitedness, upon whatever ground they are founded, are absolutely unreasonable and silly but yet those, being grounded on some real ability, or some useful skill, are wise and manly in comparison to this, which standeth on a foundation so manifestly slight and weak. The old philosophers by a severe fathert were called animalia gloriæ, animals of glory; and by a satirical poet they were termed bladders of vanity:* but they at least did catch at praise from praiseworthy knowledge; they were puffed up with a wind which blowed some good to mankind; they sought glory from that which deserved glory, if they had not sought it; it was a substantial and solid credit which they did affect, resulting from successful enterprises of strong reason and stout industry: but these animalcula gloria, these flies, these insects of glory, To conclude, as we need not to be dethese, not bladders, but bubbles of vani- mure, so must we not be impudent; as ty, would be admired and praised for we should not be sour, so ought we not that which is nowise admirable or laud- to be fond; as we may be free, so we able;† for the casual hits and emergen- should not be vain; as we may well stoop cies of roving fancy; for stumbling on to friendly complaisance, so we should an odd conceit or phrase, which signifi- take heed of falling into contemptible eth nothing, and is as superficial as the levity. If without wronging others, or smile, as hollow as the noise it causeth. derogating from ourselves, we can be Nothing certainly in nature is more ridic-facetious; if we can use our wits in jestulous than a self-conceited wit, who deemeth himself somebody, and greatly pretendeth to commendation from so pitiful and worthless a thing as a knack of trifling. 7. Lastly, it is our duty never so far to engage ourselves in this way, as there ing innocently and conveniently; we may sometimes do it: but let us, in compliance with St. Paul's direction, beware of foolish talking and jesting, which are not convenient. *Dictum potius aliquando perdet, quam minuet autoritatem.-Quint. vi. 3. † Strad. Infam. Famiani. Phil. iv. 8; 1 Tim. iii. 8; Tit. ii. 10. Now the God of grace and peace make | siderations, whereby the heinous wickedus perfect in every good work to do his ness, together with the monstrous folly, will, working in us that which is well of such rash and vain swearing will appleasing in his sight, through Jesus pear; the which being laid to heart will, Christ; to whom be glory for ever and I hope, effectually dissuade and deter ever. Amen.▾ SERMON XV. AGAINST RASH AND VAIN SWEARING. from it. I. Let us consider the nature of an oath, and what we do when we adventure to swear. It is (as it is phrased in the Decalogue, and otherwhere in holy Scripture“) an assuming the name of our God, and apply JAMES V. 12.—But above all things, my ing it to our purpose, to countenance and brethren, swear not. confirm what we say.* It is an invocation of God as a most faithful witness concerning the truth of our words, or the sincerity of our meaning." It is an appeal to God as a most upright Judge, whether we do prevaricate in asserting what we do not believe true, or in promising what we are not firmly resolved to perform. It is a formal engagement of God to be the Avenger of our trespassing in violation of truth or faith." It is a binding our soulst with a most strict and solemn obligation, to answer before God, and to undergo the issue of his judgment about what we affirm or undertake. Such an oath is represented to us in holy Scripture. AMONG other precepts of good life (directing the practice of virtue and abstinence from sin) St. James doth insert this about swearing, couched in an expression denoting his great earnestness, and apt to excite our special attention. Therein he doth not mean universally to interdict the use of oaths (for that in some cases is not only lawful, but very expedient, yea needful, and required from us as a duty;) but that swearing which our Lord had expressly prohibited to his disciples, and which thence, questionless, the brethren to whom St. James did write did well understand themselves obliged to forbear, having learnt so in the first catechisms of Christian institution; that is, needless and heedless swearing in ordinary conversation: a practice then frequent in the Whence we may collect, that swearworld, both among Jews and Gentiles; ing doth require great modesty and comthe which also, to the shame of our age, posedness of spirit, very serious considis now so much in fashion, and with eration and solicitous care, that we be some men in vogue; the invoking God's not rude and saucy with God, in taking name, appealing to his testimony, and up his name, and prostituting it to vile or provoking his judgment, upon any slight mean uses; that we do not abuse or deoccasion, in common talk, with vain in- base his authority, by citing it to aver cogitancy, or profane boldness. From falsehoods or impertinences; that we do such practice the holy Apostle dehorteth not slight his venerable justice, by rashly in terms importing his great concerned-provoking it against us; that we do not ness and implying the matter to be of highest importance: for, Ilgò яúrτо, saith he, Before all things, my brethren, do not swear; as if he did apprehend this sin of all other to be one of the most heinous and pernicious. Could he have said more, would he have said so much, if he had not conceived the matter to be; Jer. xlii. 5; of exceeding weight and consequence? And that it is so, I mean now, by God's help, to show you, by proposing some con Heb. xiii, 20, 21. * Plurima firmantur jurejurando-diis immortalibus interpositis tum judicibus, tum testibus.-Cic. de Leg. ii. p. 326. + Num. xxx. 2. Πᾶς ὅρκος εἰς κατάραν τελευτα Tis Eriopías.-Plut. in Capit. Rom. p. 491. a Exod. xx. 8; Prov. xxx. 9. b Gen. xxxi. 50; Judg. xi. 10; 1 Sam. xii. Job xvi. 19; Mal. iii. 5; 1 John v. 9. © Gen. xxxi. 53; viii. 31, 32; ii. 23'; 12, 13. 1 Sam. xxiv. 5; 1 Kings xix. 2; xx. 10; Neh. v. Ruth i. 17; 2 Kings vi. 31; 2 Sam. iii. 9, 35; xix. 13; 1 Sam. xiv. 44; iii. 17; xx. 13. precipitantly throw our souls into most dangerous snares and intricacies. For, let us reflect and consider: what a presumption is it without due regard and reverence to lay hold on God's name; with unhallowed breath to vent and toss that great and glorious, that most holy, that reverend, that fearful and terrible name of the Lord our God, the great Creator, the mighty Sovereign, the dreadful Judge of all the world; that name which all heaven with profoundest submission doth adore; which the angelical powers, the brightest and purest seraphim, without hiding their faces,' and reverential horror, cannot utter or hear; the very thought whereof should strike awe through our hearts, the mention whereof would make any sober man to tremble; Ios jag oдx άiопov, For how, saith St. Chrysostom, is it not absurd, that a servant should not dare to call his master by name, or bluntly and ordinarily to mention him; yet that we slightly and contemptuously should in our mouth toss about the Lord of angels? How is it not absurd, if we have a garment better than the rest, that we forbear to use it continually; but in the most slight and common way do wear the name of God?" How grievous indecency is it, at every turn to summon our Maker, and call down Almighty God from heaven to attend our leisure, to vouch our idle prattle, to second our giddy passions, to concern his truth, his justice, his power, in our trivial affairs? What a wildness is it to dally with that judgment upon which the eternal doom of all creatures dependeth, at which the pillars of heaven are astonished, which hurled down legions of angels from the top of heaven and happiness into the bottomless dungeon? the which, as grievous sinners, of all things we have most reason to dread; and about which no sober man can otherwise think, than did that great king, the holy Psalmist, who said, My flesh trembleth for thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments. How prodigious a madness is it, without any constraint or needful cause, to incur so horrible danger, to rush upon a curse; to defy that vengeance, the least touch or breath whereof can dash us to nothing, or thrust us down into extreme and endless wo? Who can express the wretchedness of that folly which so entangleth us with inextricable knots, and enchaineth our souls so rashly with desperate obligations? Wherefore he that would but a little mind what he doeth when he dareth to swear, what it is to meddle with the adorable name, the venerable testimony, the formidable judgment, the terrible vengeance of the Divine Majesty, into what a case he putteth himself, how extreme hazard he runneth thereby, would assuredly have little heart to swear, without greatest reason, and most urgent need; hardly without trembling would he undertake the most necessary and solemn oath; much cause would he see σébɛobaι ooxov to adore, to fear an oath : which to do, the divine Preacher maketh the character of a good man; As (saith he) is the good, so is the sinner, and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. In fine, even a heathen philosopher, considering the nature of an oath, did conclude the unlawfulness thereof in such cases. For, Seeing (saith he) an oath doth call God for witness, and proposeth him for umpire and voucher of the things it saith; therefore to induce God so upon occasion of human affairs, or, which is all one, upon small and slight accounts, doth imply contempt of him: wherefore we ought wholly to shun swearing, except upon occasions of highest necessity.* II. We may consider, that swearing (agreeably to its nature, or natural aptitude and tendency), is represented in holy Scripture as a special part of religious worship, or devotion toward God; in the due performance whereof we do avow him for the true God and Governor of the world; we piously do acknowledge * Ο γὰρ ὅρκος μάρτυρα τὸν Θεὸν καλεῖ, καὶ μεσίτην • Psal. xcix. 3; cxi. 9; cxlviii. 13; Deut. αὐτὸν καὶ ἐγγυητὴν ἐφ' δις λέγει προΐσχεται· τὸ γοῦν xxviii. 58. f Isa. vi. 2; Chrys. 'Avdo. . Chrys. 'Avdp. 5, p. 514. Id. 'Avop. ', p. 525. i Job xxvi. 11. Psal. cxix. 120. ἐπὶ ἀνθρωπίνοις πράγμασι (ταυτὸν δὲ εἰπεῖν μικροῖς καὶ εὐτελέσι) τὸν Θεὸν παράγειν, καταφρόνησίν τινα πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑπογράφει· διὸ χρὴ παραιτεῖσθαι τὸν ὅρκον, &c.-Simpl. in Epict. cap. xliv. * Eccles. ix. 2. |