WHense shall I take my beginnyng, whyle I lament the corrupte mā ners of thys moost wretched world, more aptely and fytter for the purpose, than of y^e Prophet Ieremy, and with wepyng teares and sorowfull harte cry oute wyth hym,Hiere. lx sayeng. Oh who shall gi­ue my head water ynoughe, & a well of teares for myne eyes, that I may wepe nyght and daye for the slaughter of my people?

The Prophet dothe not here be­wayle them, that haue theyr bodyes slayne wyth swearde, or with ony o­ther kynde of violence, but he lamenteth the to muche wretched and dā ­nable state of suche as are slayne in [Page] theyr soules withe the multitude of synnes (for what so euer the sweard is vnto the body, euen the very same is synne vnto the soule (as it mani­festly appeareth by his wordes that followe. For he calleth them adulte­rers, and a company of wycked trāsgres [...]ours. They bend theyr tonges lyke bowes,Ve [...]itasodium parit. sayth he, to showte ou [...]e lyes. As for the trueth, they maye nothyng awaye wyth all in the world. For they go from one wickednes vnto another, & holde nothyng of god. They are so false and crafty, tha [...] e­uery one had nede to kepe hymselfe from another. No man maye safely trust hys owne brother, for one bro­ther vndermineth another, and one neghbour begyleth another,Exulat Veritas. yea one dissembleth with another, and they deale w^t no trueth, They haue prac­tised theyr tonges to speake lyes, & haue taken great paynes to do mys­chefe. [Page ix] They haue set theyr stoole in the myddest of deceate, and for very dissemblynge falshode they wyll not knowe the Lord. Theyr tonges are like sharpe arowes to speake deceat. Wyth theyr mouth they speake pea­sably to theyr neyghbour, but priuely they laye wayte for hym.

These wordes of the Prophet declare euidently, that he bewaylethe thē that are slayne in theyr soules, by the reason of the manifolde wyc­kednes, wherwyth they are woūded inwardely & slayne, that is to saye, cast awaye from the fauour of God, & condemned vnto perpetual death, except they repent, beleue & amende. So lykewyse I at this tyme vsyng the wordes of the Prophet do not lament suche as haue tasted the death of the bodye and are gone, but them that are yet alyue in this worlde as concernyng theyr bodyes, but dead [Page] thorowe synne as towchynge theyr soules. These I lament, these I be­wayle, these I sorow & sygh for [...]oth daye and nyghte. These make me to laye asyde all myrthe and ioye, & to walke as one desolate▪ and conforte­lesse. These cause me to wyth that I beyng one & a priuate parson might be banyshed, yea cursed from Christ, so that so great a multitude myght be saued My fayth is y^• I am wryt­ten in the boke of lyfe, and nombred amōg the vessels of mercy, notwith­stondyng woulde God I myghte be wyped out,Rom. ix so that these y^e are slayne in the soule thorow synne, myght be saued. What one man hauyng but a carnel of Christen salte in his brest wyssheth not so? Who desyrethe not rather beyng one parsonne to be dā ­ned, than so great a nomber shoulde peryshe? What nede I rehearse here the tēder affeccion of Moses, Christ [Page x] and Paule,Exo. xxxii which they bare toward the saluacion of other,Phili. ii whom all we ought to followe?Rom. ix Moses whan the Isralites had offended God for wor­shyppyng of the golden calfe, prayed for them on this manner: Forgyue them, oh Lorde, this faulte, or e [...]les wype me oute of the boke, wherin y^u hast wrytten me. Christ by the Pro­phet saythe,Esa. v Iudge I praye you be­twyxte me and my vyneyard. What more coulde haue bene done for it, y^• I haue not done?Rom. ix S. Paule wyshed hymselfe to be banyshed from Christ for hys brethren and kynnesfolke as pertaynyi [...]g to the fleshe, whiche are the Israelites. Certes he is no true Christen mā, that prouideth for his owne saluacion, and carethe not for the health of other. God, sayth Chrisostome,Hom. vii. i [...] Genes [...]. wyll not that a Christē mā shoulde be contemed wyth hymselfe alone, but that he also edifye other, [Page] not by teachyng only, but by lyuing and cōuersacion also. Charite, sayth saynt Paule,i. Cor. xiii Phil. ii. seaketh not her owne. Agayne, let no man seake his owne, but the profyt of other. This made al the holy fathers in tymes past to be so desyrous of the health of other that they wyshed euen wythe y^e losse of theyr owne healthe,Hi [...]. ix the saluacion of theyr Christen brothers. who be­yng of theyr mynd, and godly enspi­red wisheth not y^• same at this hour For euen as the Prophet Hieremye dyd lament the wyckednes of y^e peo­ple whiche lyued at that tyme,Vice greately encreased euen so I am sure, do so many as are godly mynded, bewayle the vngodlines that reygne among vs at this daye. For consyder what synne and howe manifolo reygned at that [...]yme, euē the very same w^t a great heape more reygneth yea & triumpheth in these our dayes, so greatly hathe wycked­nes [Page xi] preuayled and gottē the vpper­moost hand.

If I shulde discend & go downe in to the great Occean and mayne see, which ouerfloweth the whole world wyth thaboundans of all euelles, so shoulde I neuer be able to sayle and passe thorow. I wyl therfore at this tyme take vpon me onely to searche the seuerall sea of one synne only, al­thogh it may seme to be both great, large, brode, depe, bottomeles, & not able to be sayled thorow of ony mā, and shewe howe many daūgers and greuous perrelles abyde them, that presume to passe in that cruell & fe­arse see. And this synne is the moost wycked and detestable vice of swea­ryng, which now reygneth so great­ly in euery place, that I feare all admonicions, exhortacions, warnyn­ges and councels are frustrate and vayne, so euell is a noughtye & per­uerse [Page] custome, so rare a thynge is it to heale that pocke, which is rooted by the bonne. Notwythstondyng although some ꝑaduenture shal laugh at this my laboure as a songe sunge to them that are deafe eared, yet for asmuche as my trust is, y^• al whiche be entangled with this vice, are not of a desperate mind, nor so ouerwhelmed wyth the waues of this vnmercifull sea, but that they maye be cal­led agayne, & brought vnto amend­ment, euē for theyr sake, and to wyn theyr soules vnto glory, wyl I speke somewhat in this matter, & declare how greatly the abhominable synne of swearyng is to be detested, and abhorred of euery true Christen harte. Therfore I sha [...]l moost intierlye de­syre all faythefull and Christen peo­ple that shall read this my worke to marke diligently what so euer they shall here fynde, and to repose it in y^• [Page xii] bottome of theyr hartes as a graue & weyghty matter pertaynyng vn­to the health of theyr soules.Saye [...] but [...] are [...] If ony man wyll not amend after this our admonicion, his damnacion f [...]ll vp­on his owne head. For I am free frō his bloud, and haue done my dutye in this behalfe.

After that God had brought his people the Israelites out of Egipte, myndyng to institute & appoyn [...]e a newe publique weale, that shulde be gouerned after his deuyse and ap­poyntment, he ordined certayne ceremonies and ordinaunces, whiche they shoulde obserue, and by the ob­seruasis therof shewe and outwardly declare theyr obediente harte to­warde hym. Among all other for the ryght īstituciō of theyr lyfe, he gaue them by his seruaunt Moses ten cō maundemētes, whych by no means they myght transgresse, except they [Page] woulde faull into his great displea­sure, wrathe & indignation. To the kepers of those commaundementes he promised all good,Deut. xxviii fortunate and prosperous thynges, but to the trāsgressours & suche as breke them, he threatened all troublous, greuous and paynefull thynges, as we maye se in the bokes of Moses & of y^• other Prophetes. Amōg all other he gaue a commaundement, whiche is thys. ‘Thou shalte not take the na­me of thy Lorde God in vay­ne. For the Lorde wyll not holde hym gylteles / that ta­keth hys name in vayne.’

As thoughe he shoulde saye, Be­holde I am y^• Lorde thy God, which haue done the many greate & singu­ler pleasures. I haue made the lyke vnto myn owne similitude, lykenes [Page xiii] and image. I haue preserued the frō eternall damnacion, vnto the which thou haddest made thy selfe bounde thorowe the offence of thy fyrste father Adam,Gen. iii whiche he committed in Paradise.Rom. [...] I haue fed the in thy mo­thers wombe. I haue norysshed the hytherto. I haue sent the thy helth, & saued the from all daungers. And now at the last also euē of myne own mere mercy & fre goodnes.Exo xiiii I haue delyuered the out of Egypt that lond of seruitude & extreme bondage, euē out of the handes of that thy moost cruel & vnmercyful enemy Pharao I fede the with meate from heauenEx. xvixv [...] I gyue the dryncke out of the harde & stony rocke, & nowe I hast with al mayne to lead the into the lond of y^• Cananites, euen suche a lond as floweth wyth mylke and hony, & abundethe wyth all good thynges, where (thyne enemies caste out before thy [Page] face) thou shalte lyue & reygne lyke a moost wealthy Prynce & rulare of the earth.Exo. xx. Looke therfore that thou kepe my commaundementes & ordi­naunces,Deut. v. Heare my voyce. Flye the voyces of straungers. Looke thou haue none other Gods besydes me. Take me [...]or thyne one & alone god. Feare, honoure & worshyp me alone. Loue me wyth all thy harte, myade strength, power, soule. &c. Hange on me. Seake for all good thynges at my hand. Beleue me to be that God alone, which am omnisufficient, plē ­teous to gyue and nedy of nothyng. Make the no grauen [...]mage vnto y^• lykenes of ony thyng in heuē, earth or elles where. Do no reuerence nor honoure vnto them. But aboue all thynges loke thou take not y^• name of me thy lord God in vayne. For if y^u so do verely thou shalt not escape vnponyshed. I wyll be reuenged of thy [Page xiiii] wyckednes.A comparis [...] betwene god and man. For by no means wyll I suffer my name to be polluted & de [...]iled wythe thyne abhominable & vn­lawfull othes.Iob. xxxvii And that thou mayst take my name into thy mouch with honour,E [...]o. xv. and reuerence it whan it is named,Deut. iiii remēber that I am a Lorde,Heb. xiii. terrible in aspe [...]e,Psal vi. greate in power,Math. vii. righteous in iudgemēt,Psal. [...]. redy to take vēgeaūce on y^• wycked,Gen. vi. viii & such one as am acōsumīg [...]yre, & by no means cā suffer iniquite▪ And as for the wor­kers therof I hate, detest, and vtter­ly abhore. Agayne thou arte a mise­rable, wretched and vyle synner, be­gotten, conceaued & borne in synne, ful of al fylthynesse, wycked in al thy thoughtes, wordes and dedes, deser­uyng at euery houre by thyne abho­minable lyuyng to be caste into hell fyre, were not I called awaye from takynge vengeaunce by my greate mercy, and long suffryng what art [Page] thou than O man, whiche beyng so so vile, wretched, synfull & stynkyng dareste presume to take my name, whiche am kyng aboue all kynges, & Lord aboue all Lordes, into thy polluted mouth, seing it is a name, that excellethe all other,Phil. ii. seynge also that vnto it euery knee that is in heauen earthe, or hell bowe and gyue reue­reuerence vnto it, agen seyng that the dignite, greatnes, & vertue ther of can by no meanes be comprehen­ded? Vse not therfore my name vn­reuerently, but magnify, laud, prayse, honoure and worshyp it hoth day and nyghte. Flye vnto it as vnto a strong Bulwarke, and holy anchore in all thyne aduersite. Seake for remedy, ayde, and succoure of a [...]l thy diseases at the goodnes of that. If thou doste otherwyse, knowe that I am the lyuyng God, into whose handes it is a dreadfull thyng to faull. [Page xv] For I wyl visite the with moost greuous affliccions.Hebre. x I wyll ponysh the with many intollerable diseases vp­on thy bodye in this worlde. I wyll smyte the, thy wyse, thy chyldren, thy cattell. All that euer thou hast, wyll I bryng to nought. Of al men lyuyng wyl I make the moost vyle & wretched. What so euer thou goest about, shal not prosper, but come to an euel end. So that in this worlde my vengeaunce, that is to saye, cor­porall plages shall faull vpon the, & after this present lyfe,Math. xiii shalte thou w^t oute fayle be caste into vtter darke­nes,Esa. lxvi where wepyng and gnasshynge of tethe shall be, where the fyre shall neuer be quenched, where thy tormē tes shall neuer haue ende, where the worme that gnaweth thy consciēce, shall neuer dye.

Whose eyes send not forthe large fountaynes of teares to heare these [Page] thynges? Yea whose harte faynteth not for distyllyng of bloudy teares, to heare so great & so greuous threates,Ioan. xiiii yea and that from the mouth of God, [...]itus i whiche is y^• selfe trueth,Psa. [...] xliiii whych can not lye, which is faythfull in all his wordes? What mā is so infected with the abhominable synne of swe­ryng, that dothe not nowe tremble, shake, and quake for seare, to heare what greuous and intollerable paynes abyde hym: Who hath an harte so indurated and hardened thorowe the detestable & vicious custome of swearyng, whiche is not nowe redy so cease from hensforthe so wickedly to abuse the moost holye and blyssed name of God, and to honour, reue­rence and worshyppe it euer after? Thou shalte not take the na­me of thy Lorde God in vay­ne. ‘For the Lorde wyll not [Page xvi] holde hym [...]y [...]te [...]esse that taketh hys name in vayne.’ God hathe gyuen ten commaunde­mentes, ye [...] haue none of them all cō minacions & threates subioyned ex­presly vnto thē, but two only, which are the seconde & the thyrde, one for Idolatrye, the other for the vniuste [...] vsurpacion and vnlawfull vsyng of the name of God,Idolatry & swerīg are the moo [...]re greuous synnes whereby he mani­festly declareth how great the synne of Idolatrye and of swearyng is in his syght aboue al other vices. Who is nowe so at defyaunce wythe the christen religion, & so lytle estemeth the glory of the moost excellēt name of God, that he wyll not cease from his wickednes of swearyng, & learne from hensforth to glorify the moost blyssed name of God, if not for lous, yet for feare of the moost greuous & intollerable plages that shal vndoutedly [Page] faull vpon hym?

‘Thou shalte not take the na­me of thy Lord god in vayn.’ God speaketh these wordes wythe a maruelous great & vehemēt▪ emphasis, because he woulde haue vs im­prynt thys hys precepte in our me­mory. And because we shoulde harkē the more vnto it, he addeth a threte and sayth, ‘For the Lorde wyll not holde hym gyltlesse / that taketh hys name in vayne.’

This is a greuous threat, & shaketh al y^• partes of a Christē mānes body, y^• is led w^t ony fere at al toward god. Nowe let vs lern [...] what it is to take y^• name of our Lord God in vayne, y^• we faul not into that synne,What it is to take the name of God in vayne & receue a rewarde worthy our wyckednes. To take the name of God in vayne, is to caull God a wytnes in vniuste and trifelynge matters, vaynely to [Page xvii] sweare by his moost blyssed name, to take it in our mouthes wythoute a necessary & vrgent cause, and to ob­scure the glory of it thorow wycked & vngodly othes. All they that thus do, shall not escape vnponysshed. O Lorde God howe many are there at thys tyme that transgresse this ho­ly precepte? Howe many caull God a wytnes in vniust & trifelyng mat­ters? Howe many pollute & defyle (y^• in them is) the glory of Gods moost blyssed name? How many sweare cō tinually not only by God, & al y^• euer he made, agayne not onely by his derely beloued son our Lo [...]d & sauiour Iesus christ, but also, w^t honour & reuerence I speake it, by all y^• holy mē bers of his moost glorioꝰ body: How common an oothe nowe dayes is Gods flesh, Gods bloud, Gods hart, Gods bodye, Gods woundes, Gods nayles, Gods sydes Goddes guttes, [Page] and all that euer maye be rehearsed of God? O wickednes. O abhominacion. What parte of Christes moost blyssed body do these wycked & abho­minable swearers leaue vnrēt and vntorne? They are much worsse thā the Iewes, which cried, Tolle, tolle, crucifige eum. Awaye, awaye, to the gal­lowes wyth hym,Ioan. xix crucifye hym, tor­ment hym, leaue not one part whole of hym. For they only cryed vpō Pylate to haue hī crucifyed, but these swearers them selues crucify hym, rent, and teare hym. The Iewes crucifyed hym but once, and than theyr fury ceased,In math but these wicked caytif­fes crucify him dayly with theyr vnlawefull oothes, neyther doth theyr malyce & cruelnes cease at ony tyme S. Austen sayth, They syn no lesse, whiche blaspheme Christ reygnyng in heauen, than they, whiche crucifyed hym walkyng on the earthe. Yea [Page xviii] there want not, which haue so great pleasure in swearyng, y^• they thinke thē selues no men, excepte they face crake and bragge out theyr matters wyth large and shameles oothes.

They iudge it a poynte of elogan­cye, ciuilite and good nourtoure to enterlase theyr talke wythe abūdās of oothes. They recount him an asse a dastarde, and an hobbe of the con­trey, that can not sweare valeaunt­ly, so greatly hath vice preuayled, so greatly hath wickednes rooted her­selfe in the hartes of men, so lytle authorite bearethe vertue & godlynesse nowe a dayes in the worlde.Mē of occupacion The mā of occupacon feareth no thyng at al to sweare by God & to call him a witnes in a vayne and triflyng matter, whan he byeth or selleth ony thyng, so that he maye gette but a peny by this means. O Lorde what dothe it profyt a man to wynne all y^• whole [Page] world, & to loose his soule? How customably is this hearde dayely among them that be byers and sellers.O [...]tre­ [...]e abho­minaciō. By Gods soule man take it vnto the, & say not, but that thou haste a frendly peny worth. For by the blyssed body of god thou hast it as good chepe as euer I bought it? And yet are all togyther starke lyes. But lette it be graūted, that theyr ooth were true, is it therfore conuenient, y^• in worldly matters & for euery lyghte trifle,what [...] and faythe oughte to reygne a­mōg chri­sten men. we shoulde thus abuse the name of god, whom we ought neuer to haue in our mouthes without great reuerence, and for vrgēt & weyghty cau­ses? There ought to be so great sin­cerite, faythfulnes, trueth & single­nes amonge Christen men, that yea yea, naye, naye, should be sufficient. But alas there is so moch crafte, deceate, suttelty, falshode, and double­nes reygnyng in the worlde at this [Page xix] tyme, that none dare trust another, no thoughe they promyse neuer so fayre, excepte they sweare,Exula [...] fides no nor than nether,He that fea­reth notto blaspheme y^• name of god wyl not let to deseaue his neygh­bour excepte they haue them bound in blacke & whyght, as they saye, O Lorde vnto what poynt are we come, whan all trueth & credence is so farre banysshed from the boun­des of Christianite, y^• there is more fayth & trust gyuen to an obligaciō or suche other trifle, than to y^• word and promyse of a Christen man? It is euen as the Prophet sayth,Oze. iiii there is no trueth vpō the earth,Psal. [...]x. but swearyng, cursyng, & lyēg.Rom. iii Euery man is a lyare.Luke. xviii Euery man that lyuethe is nothyng but vanite, nether is ther ony trust in hym. Do ye thynke, sayeth Christ, that the sonne of manne shall fynde ony fayth on the earthe, whā he shall come? Verely I thynke but a lytle, which is an euident tokē that the daye of the great & terrible [Page] iudgement is not farre of. [...]

More [...]uer howe is God rent and torne by blasphemous othes not only among men in bargaynynge,Dysers and Card [...]rs. by­eng and sellyng, choppyng and cha [...] ­gyng. &c. but also in playeng & yole matters? How wyl the diser sweare rather than he wyll loose one caste? Howe wyll the carder teare God on peces, rather than he wyll loose the profyt of one carde? Howe wyl they that stonde by & beholde, forsweare them selues for the loue y^t they beare to one of the parties?

Agayn howe depely do menne of lawe sweare vnto theyr Clientes,Men of lawe. y^• they haue laboured theyr matters earnestly to the Iudges, whan ma­ny tymes they haue not spoken one worde, but styl prolonge the matter that theyr auauntage maye be the greater?

Howe doth the prest sweare, that if [Page xx] it had not ben for the loue of suche & suche an honest man, and for y^• goodPrestes & benefyced men reporte that he hath hearde before of the Parysh, he would neuer haue bē person of [...]? And yet it is not vnknowen, that the moost part of the loue theyr paryshners so derely, that af­ter they be once [...]ure of theyr bene­fyce, they care not although they neuer se none of thē after, so that they maye haue the auāuntage of the be­nefice, excepte peraduēture of theyr deuocion it be at haruest, whan the tythe barnes are ful, or elles at Ea­ster to searche howe good the Easter boke wyll be that yeare. This once done, hense go they agayne, & leaue asyr Iohn Lack latin in theyr stead whyche teachethe not muche more, than the hyll mouethe. The wolffe maye come, and easely rent,Ioan. x. teare & deuour the poore shepe. For the shepparde hath gottē the mylke & wolle, [Page] and he is gone. He hathe lycked the fatte from hys paryshners berdes, & hath taken his iourney. Take thou­ght for the flock who lysteth. O Pastor & Idolum derelinquens gregem. Za [...]h. xl O shepe­parde & Idolle, that thus forsaketh his flocke. But alas what conscien­ces haue these menne, which take so muche and do so lytyll? If they wyll reape carnall thynges, so must they sow spiritual thynges, sayth y^e scripture. The labouryng plow mā & not the ydle lubber muste receaue of the frutes,i. Cor xix. sayth S.ii. Tim. ii Paule.i. Tim. v They that rule well are worthy double honour chefely they that labour in worde & doctrine.i. Cor. ix For the Lord hath ordined that they, which preach the Gospel, shulde lyue of the Gospell. Wo be to me, sayth S. Paule, if I preach not y^• Gospel. Shal these good men thā, & God wyll, escape free, seynge they do nought, and yet receaue so great [Page xxi] frutes, commodities and rewardes?Hom. vii. Super il­lud. Dignu [...] est operarius. &c. what do we, O ye sheppardes, sayth S. Gregory? How may we be bolde to receaue wages, & yet be no worke men? We take the profytes of holy chyrche for our dayly stipende, & yet do we labour no thyng at all in pre­chyng for the euerlastyng Chyrche. Let vs consyder and weyghe, what greate damnacion it is to take here the rewarde of laboure, and to do no thyng for it. Beholde we lyue of y^• oblaciō of y^• faythfull, but what do we laboure for y^• soules of the faythful? we take for our stipend what so euer the faythfull haue offered to redeme theyr sinnes, and yet do we not once shewe ony diligence agaynste those synnes ether by the studye of prayer or preachyng. Let beneficed menne, which gyue so lytle attendaunce vpon Christes flocke, marke wel thafor sayde wordes of the holy Doctore, & [Page] consyder with them selues whyther they maye iustly receaue so muche & do so lytle for it,Dist. xviii cap. opor [...]et. or not. Agayne the same Doctore saythe the prestes, to whome the Lordes people are cōmitted, must watch with great diligēce vpon the Lordes shepe, that they be not rent and torne with the bytyn­ges of the wolfe, that is to say, with the mocions of the dyuell. God giue them grace once to be prestes & shepe herdes, not only in name & apparel, but also in work and truth.

Among seruyng mē also aboue all other, what wycked and detestable oothes are there hearde?Seruing men If there be ony of that sorte, which feare God & loue his worde, & therfore abstayne from vayn oothes, how doth his cō ­panye lout hym. Loke what an asse is among a sorte of apes, euē the ve­ry same is he amonge hys fellowes. They thyncke hym not worthye to [Page xxii] weare a sweard & buckelare, that cā not face oute the matter with plen­tye of oothes. He y^• can swearebest, & soonest gyue a blowe, he is coūted an hardy fellowe, and fyt to do a Gē tyll man se [...]uyse, whan to saye the truethe, of all men he is moost wret­che and coward, and moost of all vn­apte to do suche a Gentyll man ser­uyse as [...]oueth God and his holy lawes. Yea such pestilent swearers and fylthy blasphemers of God and hys creatures ought all honest and ver­tuous Gentle men to putte oute of theyr houses, vnlesse they bryng the vengeaunce of God vpō theyr whole family, wyfe, chyldrē, seruauntes. &c If they knowe that onye man haue bene in that place, where the plage reygneth, & woulde come into theyr houses, they speare the gates agenst hym, they shutte hym ou [...], by no me­ans wyll they suffer him to enter. [Page] And why? Verely because they wyll not haue y^• plage brought in among them, vnlesse they should be infected and so dye. Alas for pure pite, to dye we are all borne, and dye we must at one tyme or other, whyther it be by the plage or otherwyse, & therfore it maye seme that the death of the bo­dy ought not so greatly to be feared why than rather do they not putte out of theyr houses these pestiferous caytisses, which thorow theyr abhominable swearyng infecte all theyr family, not onely theyr bodyes, but theyr soules also, and prouoke God to poure out his moost fearse & gre­uous plages vpō them? Is not this the sayeng of the wyse man, the mā that vseth muche swearyng shall be fylled with iniquite,Eccl. xxiii and the plage, y^• is to saye, the vengeaunce of GOD shall not go awaye from hys house? Awake therfore, O ye gentyll men, [Page xxiii] awake, & ye men of nobilite awake,An admo­ni [...]ion for Gentle mē. suffer no swearers in youre houses, eschew them more then a venemous serpent, fede a dragō sooner in your house, than ony suche one as hathe pleasure in swearyng. For as tow­chyng the one, it only hurteth the body, the other destroyeth the bodyes & soules of so many as be vnder you, & dayelye prouoke the vengeaunce of God agaynste you and all that euer ye haue in towne,Eccle. xiii. felde or els where. He that toucheth pytche, sayth Ie­sus Syrache, shall be defyled of it. And he that kepeth company wyth them y^• are proud, shall learne pryde. Lykewyse they that accōpany suche as be swearers and blasphemers of Gods moost holy name, must nedes proue lyke vnto them, and therfore runne into lyke damnacion. Awaye therfore wyth such out of your houses, excepte they wyl amend. Mayntayne [Page] none that shall bryng y^• plage of God vpō your house. Suffer not the tender brestes of youre chyldren to be poysonned in theyr yonge age with the pestilent and damnable cō ­municacion of these abhominable swearers. But aboue all thynges looke that ye youre selues haue the name of God in so greate reuerence and honoure, that by no means ye a­buse it at ony tyme by your vayn [...] oothes vnto the euel exāple of your [...] family.

Agayne, whan the comon sort o [...] people in a parysh are gathered tog [...] ther at ony tyme to make mery,Paryssh [...] a [...] the custome in many places is to do chefely on the Sondayes, & other h [...] ly dayes at after noone, whan the [...] oughte rather to be occupyed in seruent prayers, or els in the readyng or hearyng of the holy Scriptures what shamefull & wycked oothes do [Page xxiiii] they sweare? Whā they are once set vpon the alebenche, and well whyt­led in theyr braynes thorow the ma­ny cuppes that haue bene fylled in, howe faull they then to swearynge? What parte of Christes moost blys­sed body is leaste vntorne? He is ta­ken for ioylyest fellow, that can best swere. I let passe theyr other fylthy talke, dronckēshyppe, and excesse. O wyckednes. Are these Christen mē? Not muche before, they were in the Temple, and ful solemnely went vp & downe patteryng with a payre of [...]eades in theyr handes, and whan y^• preste redde the Gospell, althoughe they vnderstode not one worde, yet of custome they stoode vp lyke men, and whan the prest named Iesus in the Gospell, and they sawe hym for y^• reuerence of it, make curtesy, they also full manerly bowed theyr knees, as deuoute parsonnes, pretendyng [Page] by that meanes that they haue the name of Iesus amōg them in great honour, yet streyght wayes go they vnto the alehouse, and by theyr wic­ked oothes, do they there the gretest dishonour to the name of Iesus that can be done in the worlde. These people maye well be resembled to those Iewes, whyche in despyte strypped Christ, & put on hym a purple robe, & platted a crowne of thornes & put it vpon his heade, & a reed in his right hand, and bowed theyr knees before hī & mocked hym, sayēg, Aue rex Iudeo­rum, hayle kynge of the Iewes. God amende these croked customes.

Furthermore this damnable vse of swearyng hath so greatly preuayledChildrē. among them that professe Christ that it is also exepte into the brestes of yonge chyldren. It is not a rare thyng, nowe a dayes to heare boyes & mothers teare the moost blyssed body [Page xxv] of Christ wyth theyr blasphemo▪ oothes, euen from the toppe vnto y^• too. What meruel is it thā, thoughe they be abhominable swearers, whā they come to age? But whēse learne they thys? Verely of theyr parētes and such as bryng them vp. Cursed be those parentes whiche so behaue them selues eyther in worde or dede, that they gyue ony occasion of euell at all vnto theyr chyldren. Great is theyr dānacion. The bloud of theyr chyldren shalbe required at theyr hā des. Better were it for such fathers and mothers, if they had a mylstone teyed aboute theyr neckes and so to be caste into the sea, thā blaspemou­sly to abuse the name of God vnto y^• euell example of theyr chyldren. Is it ony maruell therfore thoughe we be so greatly plaged, seing the name of God is so much blasphemed amōg vs nowe a dayes of euery degre and [Page] age? Howe can we be bolde to saye, y^• we beleue in God, whan we lyue no thyng accordynge vnto hys worde? Wyth what forhead may we be bold to call vpon the name of God in our aduersite, seyng we wythout all ho­nour and reuerence do so shameful­ly abuse it wythe vngodlye oothes? Howe maye we hoope that Christes bodye was offered vp to God the fa­ther a swete smellyng Sacrifice for our synnes,Ephe. v whan we so vnreuerently sweare by it?Heb. ix. How maye we boldly say,1. Ioan. i that all our iniquities be wasshed awaye by Christes bloude, whā it shameth not vs wickedly to swear by it, & to obscure the vertue of it by our vnlawefull oothes, so muche as lyeth in our power? Wyth what coū tenaūce shall we be bolde at y^• dread­ful day of iudgemēt to behold & lo­ke vpō y^• moost glorious face of the e­uerlastīg & righteous Iudge Christ [Page xxvi] whose honour we haue so oft defaced w^t our vayne & ydle swearyng? Vn­doubtedly these swearers and blas­phemers of the name of God are in a farre worse case,The world and gods word iud­geth diuersly of swearers. than they appere before the worlde. The world by the reason of the longe custome & conti­nuaunce therof, thyncke it no synne ydelly to swear, nether doth it iudge them that are swerers to be in onye worse case, than the other sorte be, but the worde of God iudgeth other wyse of them. Gods word declareth them to be the moost greuous enemies of god, of his moost blyssed name, of Iesus Christ his sonne, and of his moost bytter passion. Gods word vttereth them to be the chyldrenne of wrath, fyre brondes of hell, captiues of Satan, and ryght heyres of eter­nall dānacion. Gods worde sheweth manifestly, y^• they haue in no parte y^• celestial heritage, but are already iudged [Page] to hel syre, if they do not in thys lyfe repente, bewayle theyr wretchednes, confesse theyr abhominaciō desyre marcy, and beleue faythfully to haue forgyuenes. For heauē and earth shall passe awaye, but y^• worde of the Lorde abydeth for euer.Math v Esay. xl. Therfore this comminacion and threate, which accompanieth the commaun­dement, must nedes be true, & come to passe. The Lorde wyll not ‘holde hym gyltelesse that ta­keth hys name in vayne.’

Let not these swearers therfore glory in theyr wickednes, and thynke y^• they shall escape vnponished, [...]ota because God takethe not vengeaunce on them streyght wayes, but rather let them thyncke that theyr damnaciō shall be so muche the more greuous, seyng they escape so longe wythout punyshment. The rytche glo [...]tonne [Page xxvii] of whome we read in the Gospell of Luke,Luke. xv [...] liued in this world according to hys fleshly appetyte, and wanted nothyng that myght satisfy y^• beast­lyke desyre of y^• flesh, yet y^• end of him was euerlastīg dānaciō. So shall it chaūse to al thē y^• be wycked trāsgres [...]ours of this holy precepte of God ‘The Lorde wyll not holde him gylteles sayth the scripture, y^• taketh hys name in vayne.’

This thret of god is not to be laughed at. For if there be a God, as I am certenly ꝑsuaded ther is, I am sure that these abhominable Swearers shall not escape vnponysshed, let thē esteme theyr synne as lyght & as ly­tle as they lyst, yea I am sure, y^e vengeaunce of God hangeth ouer theyr heades, wher so euer they be. And although God take the not vengeaūce on them streyght wayes, yet am I [Page] sure that they shall not escape, if in this worlde, yet not in the worlde to come,Ps. exliiii so righteous a Iudge is God, so faythefull is he in all his wordes. Howe can it otherwyse be? We se by dayly experience that if ony manne blasphemeth an earthly Prynce,Gen. iii or speak [...] euell of his name, he dyeth y^• death streyghtwayes without mer­cy. If such honour and reuerence be gyuē vnto a worldly Prynce, which is earth, & vnto earth shall returne agē, what is thā to be thought of thē which blaspheme y^• name of y^e moost hygh & celestial kyng, which is kyng of all kynges. and Lorde of all Lor­des? The blasphemy done to a mor­tall man is ponyshed with swearde, and shall the blasphemy done to god escape, thyncke you, wyth a fylyppe in the forhead, or with the knocke of a lytyll woden betyll: as it beganne in certen monnes houses to be ponyshed [Page xxviii] nowe of late? Na verely. It is no fylyp matter, excepte ye wyll ad­myt suche a fylyppe, as shal fylyppe them downe into the botome of hell fyre. God is no popette nor no babe. It is not a fylippe, that can wype a­waye y^• blasphemy of his moost blis­sed name before his hyghe throne & glorioꝰ maiestye. Wo be to thē y^• syn, and kepe not my comaundementes, sayth the Lorde, for I wyll not surely spare them.iiii. Es. xv In the olde lawe God gaue this cōmaūdement for the blasphemers of his name. Who so euer curseth his god,Le. xxiiii sayth he, shall beare his synne. And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lorde, he shall dye for it. All the multitude shall stonne hym to deathe. Whyther he be Citi­zyn or straunger, if he blasphemethe the name of the Lord, let hym dye y^• deathe. What wyll the blasphemers of God saye to thys precepte? Do [Page] they thynke that God is a sleape, so that nowe he careth not for the glo­ry of his name? Na let them be sure. GOD tendereth nowe his glory so much as euer he dyd, and abhorreth wyckednes now no lesse thā he hath done euer heretofore. He is a ielous god, & wyl not suffer thē to escape vnponysshed, that pollute & defyse his moost glorious name.In math. S. Austē say­eth, they synne no lesse, whiche blas­pheme Christ reygnyng in heauen, than they, which crucifyed hym wal kyng in earth.In qeca­logum. A certen wryter also in the Hebrue tong called Rabbi A­ben Ezra writethe on this manner: Certes this is the custome in Egipt euen vnto this daye, that if ony mā doth sweare by the head of the kyng and dothe not fulfyll his sayenge, he shall be the chylde of deathe. If that he woulde offer for hys raunsome a great sūme of golde, yet shall he not lyue, seing he hath despised the kyng [Page xxix] openly. If a kynge doth so, which is flesh and bloud, whose begynnyng & ende is vanite, and whose kyngdom is vanite, much more, yea a thousād tymes more ought a man to take he­de, y^t he offēd not God w^t his tōg, y^• he doth not so order his mouth, y^• he maketh his flessh to synne by remēbryng God in vayne. Agē he sayth, ther are many, which thinke it no great offēce if a mā taketh y^• name of god in vayne.Ibidem [...] But I wyll shewe thē, y^• it is greter & more greuous thā y^• brekyng of al y^• cōmaūdemētes y^t follow. For he y^• is a māsleare or an adulterer, whiche surely are great offēses, he cā not slea nor play y^• whoremonger at al times, for he is in feare. But he that hath accustomed him selfe vnto vay­ne oothes, he cōmitteth in one day in numerable othes, & he is so greatly in vse w^t thys fault, that he perceaueth it not, whan he swereth. And if thou rebukest hym & sayst, wherfore haste [Page] thou nowe so sworne? He streyght­wayes sweareth that he sware not, yea and that for the to muche vse of sweryng. For such before they bring forth ony worde, they sweare fyrste, thynkyng that it garnyseth theyr communicacion very pleasauntely so to sweare. But if there were in Israel no more faultes, but this one alone, it were ynoughe to prolonge our captiuite, and cause y^• we shulde be plaged euery daye more & more. These are the wordes of the Hebrue Interpretoure, wherof we maye le­arne howe great an offēce it is vaynly to sweare, and howe it heapeth vp on vs the plages and vengeaunce of God more then the breakyng of ony other commaundement, except it be for ydolatry, whiche synne thys also matcheth. But let vs returne to the scriptures of God.

Heare me, [...]. xxiii oye children, sayth the [Page] wyse manne. I wyll gyue you a doc­trine how ye shal order your mouth Who so kepethe it, shall not perysshe thorow his lyppes, nor be hurte thorowe wycked workes. As for the synner, he shal be taken in his owne va­nite. He that is proude and cursed, shall fall therin. Let not thy mouth be accustomed wyth swearyng. For in it there are many faulles. Lette not the namyng of God be continu­ally in thy mouth. For lyke as a ser­uaunt, whiche is ofte ponyshed, can not be w^tout some sore, euē so what so euer he be, that sweareth and na­meth God, shall not be clene purged from synne. A man that vseth much swearyng, shall be fylled wyth wyc­kednes, and the plage shall neuer go from hys house. If he begylethe hys brother, hys faute shal be vpon him. If he knowledged not his synne, he maketh a double offence, & if he sweareth [Page] in vayne, he shall not be founde ryghteous. For hys house shal be ful of plages. The wordes of the swea­rer bryng deathe (God graūt that it be not sounde in the house of Iacob) but they that feare God, exchewe all such, and lygh not weltryng in syn. Vse not thy mouthe vnto vnhonest a [...]d fylthy talkyng. For in it is the worde of synne.

Here the wyse man playnely affir­meth, t [...]at they, whyche sweare and take y^• name of God in vayne, shal be replenyshed wyth wyckednes, & the greuous plages of Gods vengeāce shall [...]aul vpon them. So that theyr house shal be visited wyth diuers ponyshmentes and plages. O terrible layeng. To muche saxeous & stony is his harte, that tremble the not at the hearynge of these wordes.Zach. v The Prophet Zachary also sayth, I tur­ned me, lyftynge vp myne eyes, and [Page xxxi] looked. And beholde a flyeng booke. And he sayde vnto me, what seest y^u? I answered, I se a flyeng boke of .xx cubites long, and ten cubites brode. Than sayde he vnto me, this is the curse that goeth forth ouer y^• whole earth. For all theues shall be iudged after this boke, and al swearers shal be iudged accordyng to the same. I wyll bryng it forth, sayth the Lorde of hoostes, so that it shall come vpon the house of the these, and vpon the house of hym that falsely sweatethe by my name, and shall remayne in y^• myddest of his house, and consume it wyth the tymber & stones therof.

What wyll swearers and blasphe­mers of Godsmoost holy name, saye vnto these wordes of the Prophet? Here maye they se, that the terrible curse of God is come abroade for all Theues and sweares, so that it shall faull vpon theyr house, and consume [Page] it wyth all that euer pertayne vnto it. Here maye they learne, that they iudgement is at hand, that theyr dā nacion can not be exchewed, except [...] they shortly repent, beleue & amend. For the boke of curses slieth abrode. It is no lenger kept in secret, and it shall vndoubtedly faull on the hou­ses of so many as vaynely sweare. God can no lenger abyde this abhominacion, it is so great, and grown [...] vp into suche an heygh [...], Wo be vn­to all swearers for theyr oothes. Fo [...] a daggar pryckethe not so sharpely, sayth Chrisostome, [...]om. xv as the nature of an ooth doth. A sweard sleath not so cruelly, as the plage of an oothe doth. For a swearer, although he se­meth to lyue, yet is he dead already and hath receued hys deadly woūd. And as he that taketh an halter be­fore he goeth out of the Citie, and cō meth vnto the place of execucion, & [Page xxxii] hath the Hangman followyng him, is dead, so soone as he goethe oute of the place of iudgement, so lykewyse is he that is a swearer. The oothe is not so soone come out of the mouth, but that the swearer is condemned streyghtwayes vnto eternall dam­nacion.

What wyll these blasphemers of Gods moost holy name saye to this golden mouthed Doctore, which cō ­parethe all swearers to theues,Sweares are lyke theues cond [...] ned to be hanged and sayth that they are like vnto a these that is condemned vnto death, and wereth his halter redy to be hāged? Are not these swearers come nowe vnto a fayre promocion? They be lyke theues cōdemned to dye, sayth the holy Doctore Chrisostome. The Iudge hathe gyuen sentence. They be condemned. So that althoughe they be yet fre from y^• playes of goddes vengeaunce, as the these is be­fore [Page] he commeth vnto the gallowes, yet they maye be as sure not to esca­pe them, as though they were nowe already in theyr neckes. And the longer theyr punyshment is differed, the more greuous shall it be, whan it cōmeth. Many, I graunt, in this worlde are not ponysshed for theyr great abhominable swearynge, yet haue there not wanted examples in our tyme, which haue aboundantly declared, howe greatly the synne of swearyng displeasethe God.Examples of swearīg ponyshed in our ty­me. There lyue at this daye, whiche haue kno­wen certen mē to be great swear [...]rs of whome some many yeares before they dyed, were greuously punyshed wyth straūge and innumerable dis­eases, some by y^• strong hand of God had theyr houses, as y^• Prophet Za­chary sayth, consumed w^t fyre, some lost theyr speache before they dyed, another sort certen dayes before they [Page xxxiii] dyed,Felix quē faciūt alienape ricula ca [...] tum. had such an heate and brēning in theyr mouthes that by no means they could suffer to haue them spea­red. Theyr tōge & all that euer was within theyr mouthe, was so blacke as a coole. Were not all these mani­fest tokens of Gods wrath and vengeaunce for takynge his holy name in vayne? Woulde God they y^• were thus punyshed, myght be an exam­ple vnto vs for to leaue the wycked and vngodly custome of swearyng. If we wyll not cease, but styll pro­uoke god vnto anger, surely we shal proue & feale those same plages, and much more greuous. And wolde god oure paynes myghte cease in thys worlde, that we myght be free from euerlastyng damnacion. We all pro­fesse Christ,Ioan. viii Ioan. x Ioan. xviii and caull our selues christians, why do we not thā those thinges, that Christ commaundeth vs? Christ sayth, he that is of God, hea­reth [Page] the wordes of god.Ioan. xv Agayne, any shepe heare my voyce.Mat. [...] Also in ano­ther place, euery one that is of the trueth, hereth my voyce. If we therfore be of God, why do we not heare the wordes of God? If we be y^• shepe of Christ, whye do we not heare our sheppardes voyce? If we pertayne vnto Christ, which is y^• selfe trueth, why do we not heare hys voyce?

Christ sayth, ye haue hearde, that ii was sayd to them of y^u old time, thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe, but perfourme vnto the Lorde, that y^• haste sworne. But I saye vnto you, swer [...] not at al, neyther by heauē, for it is the throne of God, neyther by earth for it is the footestoole of hys feete, nor by Hierusalem, for it is the citis of the great kyng, nether shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou art not able to make one heare whyght or blacke. But let your communicaciō [Page xxxiiii] be yea, yea, naye, naye. For what so euer is more than that, cometh of euell. Herevnto agreeth S. Iames sayeng, before all thynges,Iacob. v o my bre­thren, looke ye sweare not nether by heuē, nor by earth, nor by ony other ooth. Let your cōmunicaciō be yea, yea, naye, naye, that ye fall not into dissimulacion.

Here are we forbyddan to sweare by ony thynge that euer God made. If it be not lawfull for vs to sweare by ony thīg y^• euer Godmade, thā is it not lawful for vs to swear by him that made al thinges. If it be synne to sweare by the creatures thā must it nedes be damnable to sweare by y^• creatore. Why do we not remember these thynges, and leaue our great swearynge? It is a shame to se chri­sten men lyue so contrarye to theyr profession. It shall be more tollera­ble to Tyrus and Sydon, to Sod [...] [Page] me & Gomorre at the daye of iudge­ment,Math. xi than to vs, except we shortely repent, beleue and amend. For that seruāt which knowethe his masters wyll and doth it not, shall be beaten w^ many strypes. Swearyng hathe euer bene coūted a thing of so great absurdite,Luke. xii that the very Ethnyckes and Gentiles dydde deteste it, in so muche that a certayne Greke Poet wryteth on this manner, flye swea­ryng, although thyne ooth be rygh [...] & accordyng to the truethe.Our dam­nacion is greata What a sayeng is this of an Infidell? Shall not he and such other ryse vp at the daye of iudgement, & condemne vs, seyng they were Infidelles, and we Christen men? Our Lorde be merci­full vnto vs. All hunte after world­ly promocions, and seake to lyue in pleasure and welth, but no man sea­keth howe to lede a godly & innocent lyfe, howe to leaue theyr swearyng, [Page xxxv] and to magnify the moost glorious name of God. For we go forthe styll to synne, as thoughe there were no punishment ordined for it at all. We blaspheme y^e name of god, as though he were so chyldysh, that he woulde neuer caull vs vnto an accoūtes for oure vngodly blasphemies. We so [...]eare Christ and al the partes of his moost blissed body, as thogh he shuld neuer come vnto the iudgement for to rewarde the good, & to condemne the euell. Christ sayth, that we shall gyue an accoūtes at y^• daye of iudge­ment for euery ydle worde,Math. xii that we haue spoken, what is thā to be thou­ght of our abhominable othes wherby God is so greatly dishhonoured? What accosites shal we gyue of thē? Howe narowly shal we be examined of them? What wyl we aunswere in this behalfe? What wyll we saye?

what excuse wyll we make? I feare [Page] vnlesse we shall be redy of oure owne free wyll, to runne hedlong into hell syre, before the terrible sentence of damnacion be giuen, our conscience shall so condēne vs. Lorde holde thy holy hande ouer vs, & gyue vs grace to amende.

Sayente Pauls sayth,Colos. iiii lette your speache be well fauoured and pow­dered wyth salte, that ye may know howe to answere euery man. What place hathe thys commaundement of thapostle among them, whiche so pouder theyr wordes, y^e there come nothyng out of theyr mouthes, but vayne othes & wicked blasphemies? The communicaciō of these men sa­uour lytle of salte, wherby is vnder­stonde the wysdome of Gods word,what sa [...]e signifyeth it is so fresh & vnsauery. Yea wolde God these abhominable blaspemers of Gods moost holy name, were not extreme enemies to gods worde, chosyng [Page xxxvi] rather to remayne dastardes styll in the folyshnesse of the worlde,Swearers are enemyes to gods word than to become wyse and prudēt in the wysdome of gods worde. All swerers therfore are enemies bothe to god and hys worde. A Christen man maye not acquaynte hymselfe wyth such māners, nor so wyckedly abuse hys tonge. For oure tonge is gyuen vs, not that we shoulde sweare, lye, blaspheme, ieste, rayle, scoffe, mocke, & vse vngodly talke, but y^• we shulde onely speake those thynges, whiche maye bothe turne vnto the glory of god, & the health of our neyghbour. And thys is it that S. Paule sayth let your speach be wel fauoured and poudered wyth salte.Colos. iiii. Our speche is well sauoured, semely, honest & comely, whan there appeare the no thing in it that maye offende the eares of ony true Christen man,Mark wel but is agre­able in all poyntes to godlynes and [Page] honeste. It is poudered wyth salte, whē it vttreth those thynges, which are godly, wyse, and edifye so many as are the hearers of it. Let all swerers marke this, and amende theyr cōmunicacion, vnlesse they be that vnsauery salte,Math. v whiche shall be caste out and troden vnder foote.

Agayne he sayth, lette no sylthye cōmunicacion procede out of youre mouthes,Ephe. iiii but that which is good to edify with all, whan nede is, that it maye haue fauour with the hearers If no fylthy communicacion ought to procede out of our mouthes, mu­che lesse ought ony vayn dothes, vngodly swearynges, blasphemies. &c. come forth out of them. If our wor­des ought to be good to edify wythe all, thā ought they not to be such as should destroy both our selues & the hearers, which many tymes chaun­seth thorow wicked oothes. Let not [Page xxxvii] dome,Ephe. v sayth he, and all vnclennes or couetousnes, or fylthynes, or folyshe talkynge, or iestynge be once named among you, as it becommeth saync­tes, but rather thanckes gyuyng.

If these thynges maye not once be named among vs, surely much lesse, yea a M. tymes muche lesse oughte oothes, swearynges & blasphemies of Gods moost holy name be named among vs and hearde in our dayely speache. If the wrath & vengeaunce of God be wonte to faull vpon the chyldren of vnbeleue for these thyn­ges aforesayd, as S. Paule testify­eth, certenly let all swearers be cer­tenlye assured that they shall not es­cape the plages of Gods vengeasice, and theyr damnacion shal be y^• more greuous, for asmuch as they professe godlynes, and lyue nothynge accor­dyng thervnto. What are they ony other, than blasphemous mockers [Page] of God? They saye that they knowe God, but withe theyr dedes they de­nye hym, seynge they are become abhommable and disobediente, and e­nell mynded vnto all good workes, as S. Paule writeth.Titus. i They are welles wythout water, cloudes caryed about of a tempest, to whom y^• myst of darckenesse is reserued for euer. They are trees without [...]rute at gatheryng tyme,ii. Pe. ii twyse dead & plucked vp by the rootes.Iudas E­pistle. They are the ra­gyng waues of the sea somyng oute theyr owne shame. Howe can they than escape the vengeaunce of god? The Sodomites & Gomorrians sinned agaynst nature, & therfore were they consumed wythe fyre & bryme­stonne frō heauē, the swearers synne agaynst the God & maker of nature & is it to be thought, [...]e. xviii that they shall escape vnponyshed? If suche as committe the lessest synne, be punysshed, [Page xxxviii] howe can they than escape, which of sende in the greatest? They maye be sure, if they do not amend, not only to be plaged with fyre & brymestone, but also to suffer all other kyndes of intollerable paynes, yea and that in hell, where is no redemcion nor marcy to be had. The Lorde,Psal. xi sayth Da­uid, seeth both the ryghteous & vn­godly, but who so delyghteth in wickednes, him his soule abhorreth. Vpon the vngodly he shall reygne sna­res, fyre, brymestonne, storme & tem­pest, this rewarde shall they haue to drynke. For the Lorde is ryghteous and he loueth righteousnes, his cos [...] tenauce beholdeth the thyng that is iuste. Agayne he saythe, God is a ryghteous Iudge,Psal. vii. and God is euer threatenyng. If men wyl not turne he hath whet his swearde, he hathe bent his bowe, and made it redy. He hath prepared hym the weapons of [Page] deathe, & ordined his arrowes to be­stroye.

We rede in the forth boke of Mo­ses, that whan the chyldren of Isra­el were in the wyldernes, they foūd a man gatherynge styckes vpon the Sabboth day. [...] .xv▪ And they that found him gatheryng styckes brought him vnto Moses and Aaron & vnto all the congregacion, & they put him inward. For it was not declared, what shoulde be done vnto hym. And the Lorde sayd vnto Moses, the manne shall dye. Let al the multitude stone hym with stones without the hoost. And all the multitude brought hym wythout the hoost, & stoned hym w^t stones and he dyed, as the Lorde cō ­maunded Moses. If the man that gathered styckes vpon the Saboth daye for transgressyng that cōmaū ­dement, whiche notwythstondynge was but a ceremoniall law seruyng [Page xxxix] but for a tyme, and a figure of oure spirituall quietnes and reast, which we ought to haue cōtinually in our consciences toward God, which pre­cepte also is nowe abolyshed, & stond in none effect (so that we are Lordes of the Sabothe daye, and maye ap­poynte what daye it shall please the head rulers to cease from laboure, y^• we may the more cōueniently come togyther vnto the tēple for to pray, to heare the holye worde of God, to se the blyssed Sacramentes mini­stred. &c.) If the man that gathered styckes, I saye, vpon the Sabothe daye was stoned vnto deathe by the commaundement of God for trans­gressynge that precepte, howe maye these swearers than persuade themselues that they shal escape vnponi­shed, althoughe they sweare & abuse God and all hys creatures by theyr vnlawfull oothes? The other pre­cepte [Page] was ceremoniall,The Iewes at thys day accordīge to theyr olde wont, wyl teare there garmentes, whan the heare Gods blessed [...]ame blasphemed, for the drede of Gods feercewrath that is [...]y­red vp there by. Butte who among vs Christē, shewethe hī ­selfe by ony meanes, to be displea­sed there w^t ­al, in whom ough to be the loue, feare & dreade of God so wel as in y^• Iewes. & is nowe of no strengthe, but this commaunde­ment is morall and abydeth styll in perfecte strengthe, and so shall do so longe as the worlde stondeth, shall y^• transgressiō of this than escape vn­ponyshed? The other was punyshed by death, and shall this escape fre & wythout punyshment? Let the wic­ked worldlynges laughe at the mat­ter so much as they lyst, there lyueth a god, agaynst whome the offence is committed, which wyl not suffer the blasphemies of his holy name and of his creatures to escape vnpunyshed And well were it wythe these abho­minable swearers, which go forth in theyr wyckednes & wyll not amend, if in this worlde they myght he con­sumed with fyre and brymestone frō heauen, as the Sodomites were, or stoned vnto death, as the transgres­sour of y^• Saboth daye was, so that [Page xl] theyr plages and paynes myght on this manner ende, & they afterward enioye euerlastyng lyfe. But it is to be feared, that after thys lyfe they shall feale more greuous tormentes, than euer the Sodomites dyd ether suffer in this world, or where they be nowe. God be marcifull vnto them, and gyue them grace to amend.

Hytherto haue we hearde howe greuous an offence it is be [...]ore God for to sweare, & to take his moost blissed name in vayne, or to abuse onye of his creatures by vayne & vnlaw­full oothes. We haue heard also, how God wyll not suffer by ony meanes them to escape vnponished that wickedly sweare and breake this godly commaundement.

Nowe seyng that GOD wyll so sharpely ponysh them that take hys name in vayne, or feare not to swea­re for euery lytle trifle by hym or by [Page] hys creatures, what is than to be sayd of per [...]ry?Of per [...]ury What is to be thou­ght of them, which bothe falsely and wyllyngely forsweare them selues? Into howe great ponyshment shall they faull, whiche feare nothyng at all to sweare in a false matter vpon the holy Euangely that moost [...]lys­sed worde of euerlastyng trueth, yea & to call God and all his holy saync­tes to be wytnesses in that behalfe? In howe troublous and ragynge sea sayle these wretches & miserable caytisses? What intollerable plages abyde them? What fearse punyshmē tes and cruell tormentes are prepa­red for thē? Howe is it possible, that they maye escape the moost extreme ven [...]eaunce of GOD? Not only to sweare, but also falsely to sweare? Not only falsely to sweare, but also to sweare vpon the holy Euangely? Not onely to sweare vpon the holye [Page xli] Euangely, but also to caul God & al hys holy sayntes to be wytnesses, yea & that in a wrong matter? O detestable abhominacion. O wyckednesse, more than can be expressed. O shameful synne worthy all kynd of punyshment. O incomparable vice worthy to be reu [...]ged not with papers wea­ryng only, but wyth the moost byt­ter & intollerable paynes, that are prepared in hell for Satan and hys ministers. Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe, saythe the scripture. It is not lawful for vs vaynly to sweare shall we than presume falsly to for­sweare our selues?

Althoughe the comp [...]ny of them, which suffer them selues to be periured I trust, be not to be compared in nomber vnto the multitude of them y^t be y^e customable sweares yet wāt there not at this daye, which are gilty of that faute, and woulde God it [Page] were not so in Englond What is to be sayd of those men,who so sweareth by god y^• is y^• truth & righteous­nes & taketh hy [...]. to wytnes to maintayne hys lyeng dis [...]ea [...]e & vnrigh­teousnes he is a periure yll, lyghte, & suche one y^• lytyll regardeth godd [...]s truth, & hys [...]ommaun­dementes. which for a ly­tle trifle wyll forsweare them selfes, & gyue theyr soules from god to the dyuell? Howe miser [...]ble agay [...]e are they, which although they know the matter to be wrong, wyll for a lytle mony or for fauour of the [...]arty willyngly take an oothe vpon a [...]oke, & falsly forsweare themselues [...]rary to theyr owne conscience? Are not there, thynke you, in the world, whiche for couetousnes of tēporall pos­sessions make clayme to other mens landes, fordge false euidence, inuent wrong titles, and bryng in falfe witnesses wyth them to sweare vpon a boke, that all is truethe, whan they knowe the contrary, and theyr con­science condemneth thē for so swea­ryng? What abhominable wretches are all these? What periured caytif­fes maye these be counted? What ponyshmente [Page xlii] can be inuented suffici­ciētly great for theyr detestable wy [...] kednes?

Thus by theyr periury and false wytnes is the true owner deceaued of hys ryght, depriued of his goodes caste into pouerte, made a wretche, & throne into suche misery, that ne­ther he, nor his wyfe, nor yet his childrē are able to lyue, but many times perysh for honger. O wretched crea­tures. O insatiable wol [...]es.

Whyle they haue respecte only vnto theyr couetous affeccion, and la­bour to satisfy that, they neglecte & despyse both the helth of theyr owne soules, and the wealth of theyr neghbour. What for all that? Yet by this meanes haue they obtayned theyr purpose, and set the other beggarly fellowe besydes the sadle. Now they are menne of fayre londes. They are Gentle mennes fellowes. They are [Page] able to lyue wythoute theyr dame. They shall be are a rule in the coun­trey, and be counted among y^• moost honest mē of the Paryshe. They shal haue nowe, wherof to lyue at theyr hartes ease, so longe as they lyue.

And whan they dye, they shall leaue theyr heyres suche lyuynges, that y^• best Gentle men in all the countrey shall be glad to marry theyr dough­ters vnto them.

Are not these great cōmodities? who wolde want these pleasures, & maye haue them by one means or o­ther: O miserable wretches, whyche for a lytle easy lynynge, & that they maye leaue theyr chyldren wealthy behynde them, feare nothyng at all to cast theyr soules into hell fyre.

What dothe it profyt a man to wyn all the whole worlde, and at the laste to lose hys soule. To much a wretch is he, which for worldely possessions [Page xliii] wyll putte hys soule in daunger:Mark wel To farre estraunged is he from GOD, whiche regardeth the goodes of this worlde more than hys owne soules health. And what commoditie shall he haue by those goodes wrongfully gotten, whiche he hathe leafte vnto hys sonne, whan his soule lyghethe brennyng in hel fyre, and greuously ponyshed wythe all kynde of cruell & intollerable paynes?A comparison be­twene y^• father & the sonne The sonne is counted a Gentle manne before the worlde for the goodes sake, y^• father is reckenned before God and his ho­ly saynctes a fyre bronde o [...] hel. The sonne is Lorde of many possessions, y^• father is a wretch & hath nothyng. The sonne is replenyshedde withe deynties, ioye and pleasures, the father is fylled ful of bitter sorowes greuous paynes and ītollerable tormentes. The sonne syngeth, playeth daunceth and maketh mery, the fa­ther [Page] weapeth lamenteth, soroweth, and wysheth hymselfe neuer to haue ben borne.Fidem spectato Beholde what is the ende of euell gotten goodes. Behold how Dame Periury rewardethe her ser­uauntes at the latter ende. Behold vnto what poynt falshode bryngeth them, that vse it. Why do not mē remember these thynges, & laboure to lyue iustly, ryghteously & of theyr owne? Godlynesse is great ritches, sayth S. Paule,i. Ti. vi if a man be cōtent with that he hath. Oh that mē wold once be wyse, and remember theyr latter ende. So would they not hūt about to get the goodes of this wretched world by hooke or by crooke, as they do now a dayes, but rather lay vp treasures for them selues in hea­uē, where nether rust nor moulthes corrupte,Mat. vi and where theues nether breke vp nor steale. Treasures that are wickedly gotten profyt nothing [Page xliiii] but ryghteousnes delyuereth from death,Pro. x sayth Salomō. Let not ther­fore those men thynke, which so gre­dely gather togyther the goodes of the worlde, yea & that vnryghteou­sly, that those possessions can longe endure in theyr stocke, kynred & ly­nage. For we haue both hearde and sene, that goodes wrongfully gottē be soone dispersed abrode & come to nought. Is not this a common say­eng among vs: Euel gotten goodes wyl neuer cōe to good profe. Agayn, the goodes, whiche are wrongefully gotten, the thyrde heyre shall scasely enioye. The Latinistes also saye, Male partum peius perit. A thyng that is euell gotten, neuer thryueth, but y^• spendyng of it is worse, thā the get­tynge was. The Poet Claudianus haue very godly verses pertaynyng vnto this our matter, which I wyll here nowe reherse.

That is to saye, the periuries of the father escapyng punishment in this worlde, [...]aull vpon the sonne, in so muche that the sonne is plaged for that the father hathe offended. And looke what rytches the tonge of the deceatfull father hath gathered to­gyther, euen the very same hath the tonge of the sonne payde home agen and wastfully spēt. The Greke Po­et Hesiodus also sayth,Hesiodus that that mā whiche wrongly testifieth and falsly forsweareth hymselfe, doth not only hurte Iustice, but he himselfe also is so hurte, that he can neuer be healed after. Moreouer he saythe, that all his posterite and chyldren shall be of th [...] lesse reputaciō euer after, so that they shall lyue in ignominy, & theyr [Page xlv] renowme shall be obscure, darke and of no price before all men.

Who nowe therfore is so mad as falsely to forsweare hym self for a li­tle dungelyke mucke, seyng that by this means he shal not only prouoke Goddes wrath vnto hym selfe, con­demne his owne soule, cast hymselfe into euerlastyng damnacion, but also procure plages for his chyldren y^t succede hym? Oh that menne wolde once be wyse, and learne this lesson of S. Paule and followe it, [...] Tim. vi Iob. i hauyng meate, dryncke, & cloth, let vs be contented. For we brought nothyng in to the worlde, neyther shall we cary ony thyng out of it. Fear not, o my sonne,Tobi. iiii sayde Thobias, we lyue a po­ore lyfe in this worlde, notwithstondyng we shall haue many good thinges, if we feare God, and go awaye from all synne and do well.

But wolde God, wolde God that [Page] Lady Periury dyd exercyse her vn­mercifull and tyrannicall [...]r [...]elnes only in gettyng and scra [...]chyng [...]p togyther falsely and contrary to allPeiurye thyr t [...]the innocente [...]loude iustice the goodes of this worlde.

Wolde God, wolde God, she dyd not also thorowe her vnryghteous vio­lence & churlysh malice thyrst, shede, and sucke vp innocent bloud. Wolde God that thorowe her false wytnes bearyng, true men were not put vnto deathe causeles. Hath it not bene heard, yea knowen and sene, thynke you, that of very malice, & thorowe the periuries of false forsworne cay­tiffes, whiche haue taken an oothe & testified contrary to the trueth, and gyuen false euidence at syses, sessios or els where,True mē are some­tyme hanged. many men both honest and true haue bene hanged, or other wyse rydde out of the way? yea and that wythout a cause, as it hath ben proued afterward? Some also haue [Page xlvi] bene condemned for Heretykes, and [...], for speakyng agaynste A [...]christ and Idolatry. &c. What wyll mē saye vnto this? Is not this a thynge worthy to be lamented?

Wolde not here be a redresse in thys behalfe. De [...]er [...]ethe this malicious periury to be wy [...]ked at, a [...]d not rather to be ponyssh [...]d accordyng to y^• de [...]ertes therof? Awake, awake, ye Quest mongers,An adinon [...]on for ques [...]mong [...]s and take hede you gyue a true, iust & ryght verdi [...]. Remember that ye go vpō lyfe & death, and the [...]fore ought ye to do nothing rathly. Remember that it is not the bloude of an o [...]e or a calfe that shall be sh [...]d but the bloude of a Christen man, for whose lyfe and health oure Lorde & sauioure Iesus Christ dyd suffer his moost pricious bloude to be shed, [...]. Cor. iii and in whose harte the holye Ghoste dwelleth. Remember that he is the Image of god, which hath h [...]s [Page] lyfe put into youre handes ether to be saued,Gen. ii. or to be cast awaye. Reme­ber that if ye defyle the Temple of God, & handle a Christen man otherwyse, thā ryght require, surely god wyll destroy you. The bloud of that innocent, whome ye so cruelly haue murthered, shall crye for vengeaūce agaynst you both daye & nyght, as the bloud of Abell dyd vpon Caym,Gen. iiii i. Ioan. iii Math. vii Luke. vi. & neu [...]r cease vntyll God hath takē vengeaūce on you. Remember that wyth what mesure ye mete to other wych the same shall it be mesured a­gayne vnto you. Therfore take ye hede. Be not rashe nor hastye in gy­uing your verdit. Be prudent, wyse & circumspecte. Ponder all thynges wyth a ryght vp conscience. Weyg [...] the matter in the balance of iustice. Marke all parties. Beleue not eue­ry lygh [...]e tale streyghtewayes, but boulte out wyth all diligence the originall [Page xlvii] o [...] it. Lette nother the rytches, nor the fame, nor the dignite, nor yette the giftes of that manne, which putteth in the inditement a­genst another, moue you ony thyng at all to gyue the more credence vn­to his wordes, & by that meanes to caste awaye the partye accused, vn­tyll ye haue thorowly boulted oute y^• trueth of the matter. Shew suche indifferency, y^t ye maye not be found at the dredefull daye of iudgement gyltye of the shedyng of ony ryghte­ous bloud, but blameles and wythe a pure conscience.

Ye Iudges also execute youre of­fice according to equite.An admonicion for iudges Suffer not the confortles to be oppressed. Lette iustice conioyned with a fatherly pi­tie and tender compassion reygne in your brestes. Suffer no matter of vnryghteousnes to preuayle be­fore the seat of your iudgyng place. [Page] Remēber that whyle ye syt in iudgement, ye are no priuate personnes. Ye represent the parson of God. Ye execute Gods offyce.Psal. [...]viii Ioan. x Ye are the I­mage of God. Yea ye are Gods and the sonnes of the moost hyghest, as the scripture calleth you. Your iud­gynge place is the iudgyng place of God. Your mouth is the mouthe of God. Beware therfore what sentēce ye pronounce.Math. vii Lette all thynges be done with great deliberacion. Gyue not iudgement so hastely, y^t ye shal afterwarde repent you therof. Remē ­ber that as ye iudge,Why God hat [...] gyuen men two ea [...]es so shal ye be iudged. God hath set you in authorite, that ye shulde ryghteously iudge of all thynges. Remember that God hathe gyuen you two eares, one to heare the accuser, & another to heare him that is accused, that by this means ye shulde not be percial nor wedded to one tale, but indifferentely to [Page xlviii] heare both parties. Remember that for asmuche as ye occupye the place of God, ye ought not to ꝑuert iudgement, but to do the office of God, and to execute iustice, vnlesse the hyghe Iudge for youre vnryghteous sen­tence pronoūced condemne you and caste you into hell fyre.Sap. v [...] For GOD, sayth the scripture, shall appeare to you, O ye rulers and Iudges, very dredfully, yea and that without ony longe tariauns. Wonderfull harde iudgement shall they haue, y^• beare rule. To the mā of small power mer­cy is graunted, but as for the migh­ty, they shall suffer myghty and ex­ceadyng great tormentes. For God whych is rulare of all thynges,Deut. xii. Pa. xix wyll not regarde one parsonne more thā another, nether wyl he feare y^• greatnes of ony mā, for he made both the lytyll and the great, and he hathe a lyke care for all. Notwythstandyng [Page] surely the men that be in authorite,Iob. xxxiiii Eccl. xxxv Rom. ii Gala. ii Ephe. vi Colos. iii Act. x [...]. Pet. i Sap. i Psal. lvii shall haue the greater ponyshment. Therfore ye that iudge y^• earth, take hede, loue ryghteousnes. Iudge truly, o ye sonnes of men. Seake all means possible, that no innocent bloud be shed. Admitte no f [...]lse wytnesses, none vnlawfull othes, no false swearynges, no malicious periuries to be brought & receaued before youre iudgyng place, which is the seate of God, so long as ye iudge truly, and do youre office accordyng to equite.

Whan ony matter is brought be­fore you,Howe Iudges shal be haue them selu [...]s, whā ony matter to brought before thē fyrst weygh, ponder & con­syder it your selfe diligently, and af­terwarde delyuer it to the Quest mō gers accordynge to the course of the lawe, and exhorte them in the name of God christenly, charitably, frend­ly, ryghteously, indifferently, and w^t a single eye and incorrupte consci­ence to looke vpon the matter, and [Page xlix] to deale so vpryghtly in that behalf and to giue so true & iust verdit, euē as though it shulde be presented and offered vp to the hygh & euerlastyng Iudge Christ. [...]eclare vnto them how great an offēce it is before god to gyue vp a false verdit, & by that means to haue innocent bloud shed and theyr owne soules condemned.

Let the Questmongers haue cō ­ueniēt [...]easure to debate the matter among them selues soberly, di [...]cretely and prudently, and so after much consultacion and long deliberacion gyue an answere accordyng to tru­eth & iustice. And let such as shall be vpon the quest,What men Questmongers oughte to be. be honest men, sober, sage, faythfull, wyse, discret, prudēt, godly, mercifull, ryghteous, louyng indifferent, pitiefull, brotherlyke, & euē such as feare god, loue his word, haue knoweledge in his holye lawe, walke wyth a ryghte vp conscience [Page] both before God and man, and haue alwaye bene of good reporte and ho­nest fame among theyr neyghbours This vndoubtedly, (all thynges hā dled according to equite and iustice) shall not only mayntayne true and righteous iudgemēt, but also make greatly vnto the preseruacion of in­nocent bloud, so that God the hygh Iudge shall hyghly be glorified in al our iudiciall affayres. But lette vs procede wyth our matter.

Not only these aforsayd are periu­red parsonnes, which falsely forswe­are themselues, and testify in vniust and wronge matters, but also so many as haue taken vpon them iuste & lawfull oothes, and by them promi­sed to do some ryghteous and godly thynge, and yet leaue it vndone, and worke contrary to theyr godly pro­myse.Magistrates. As for an example, the Magi­strates and head officers of the pub­lique [Page l] weale promyse with a solemne ooth to do all thynges accordyng to equite and iustice, and to accepte no parsonne in iudgement, but to do all thynges vpryghtly, to mayntayne the good, and to ponysh the euell, to exalte vertue and to suppresse vice, nowe if they contrary to theyr ooth worke vnrighteous [...]es, oppresse the socourlesse, iudge for fauoure, con­demne the good, saue the euell, persecute the fauourers of Goddes word mayntayne the Papistes, neglecte vertue, vpholde vice. &c. so are they falsely forsworne, & shall not escape the plage of Periury.

The Byshoppes and prestes pro­myse faythfully to be earnest Prea­chersByshops & Prestes & setters forth of Gods word, and to lyue accordyng vnto y^• same, nowe if they do the contrary, that is to saye, not labour in the haruest of the Lordes worde, nor lede an ho­nest [Page] and ver [...]uous lyfe vnto y^• good exāple of other but seke after worldly promociōs, lyue ydelly vpō theyr benefices, walowe in all [...]bestiall ple­sures, tumble thēselues in all kynde of synne, hate thē that are prechers of Gods worde, dryue men from readyng the holy Byble. &c. so are they fal [...]ely forsworne, & shal not escape y^• plage of periury.

The man & wyfe haue promised fayth and [...]routh betwene thē,Maryed folke that they wyl be iust, and true one to another, the mā to loue his wyfe as himselfe, and to [...]olde hym contented w^t her, the woman reuerently to feare and obey her husbonde, nowe if they breake this promyse, so that one de­lyghtethe not in another, but ech of them seake after straung flesh, so are they falsly forsworne, and shall not escape the plage of periury.

All Subiectes haue promised to [Page li] theyr rulars vnfayned obedience & wyllyng seruyse,Subiec­tes nowe if contrary to theyr promyse they resist the high powers, become disobedient, and re­pugne agaynst thē, so are they false­ly forsworne, and shal not escape the plage of periury.

Al these heretofore rehearsed are gylty of the synne of periury, if they do contrary to the ooth, which they haue made, and therfore maye they be sure to receaue a reward worthy theyr blasphemous tonge.

Some man wyll saye peraduen­ture,A demaūd whyther all oothes, pro­myses and vowes are to be ꝑfour­med. are all oothes to be obserued? Shall a man faull into the synne of periury, yf he performeth not, what soeuer he hath promysed? I answer nay, not so. God forbyd, y^• all oothes promysed & vowes shulde be perfor­med. For many are folysh, wy [...]ked & vngodly. Therfore as such [...] displea­sed God, so ought they to be broken. [Page] These are they, which fyght agenst Gods worde, whiche also inarle the consciences of so many as kepe thē,What oo­thes promises & vow­ [...]s ought to be broken and make them that accomplysh thē to commit impiete and wyckednes. These by no means are to be kept of ony christen man, excepte he wyl of­fend GOD greuously by the obser­uaunce of them. For an vnfaythfull & folysh promyse,Eccle. v saythe Salomon,In Sinoni mis. lib. ii. displeaseth God.Cap. xxii. In euell promises breake thy fayth,Quaest. iiii Cā. In malis. sayth Isydorus, in a fylthy vow, chaunge thy determi­nacion. That thou haste vowed vn­aduisedly, looke thou do it not. For that is a wycked promyse, whiche is fulfylled w^t synne. A [...]ayne he sayth if ony man doth rashely define to do ony of those thinges that please notIbidem God, let hym be sory for it, & seynge that his determinaciō was done cō ­trary to the cōmaundement of god, let it be called backe agayne, & stond [Page lii] in none effecte. S. Ierome also say­eth,Lib. adue­sus. Iouini­anum. thou shalte do better, o brother, if thou doste abstayne from the vn­godly acte,Quaest. iiii than if thou doste styffe­ly performe folysh wordes and perillous vowes.Can mag­nae. Hereto agreeth the sayenge of S. Austen,De offic. it is a poynte of great wisdom for a man to call that agayne,Lib. i. which he hath euyl spoken. S.Quaest. iiii Ambrose also sayth,Can. Est e­tiam It is agenst al godly honeste many tymes to performe the oothe that is made, as Herode, which sware that he wold giue to the doughter of Herodias, what so euer she woulde aske. He therfore s [...]ue Iohū, because he wolde not de­ny hys promyse.

In concilio Toletano it was decreed,Quaest. iiii Can. Si publicis. that it is better not to fufyll the vowes of a folysh promyse, than by the obseruaunce of them to commit ony wyckednes. That oth, promyse or vowe therfore, which displeaseth [Page] God,Mark wel repugnethe the diuine verite, fyght agaynst the Lordes word, prouoketh vnto synne, condemneth the conscience of the keper, and can not be performed wythoute wyckednes, ought by no means to be obserued & kepte, but reiecte as a thyng muche daungerous and hurtefull bothe to the body and soule.

Suche an othe,Iud. xi promyse, or vowe made Iepte, that if God wolde dely­uer the chyldren of Amnon into his handes, whan he came home agayne in peace, what so euer thynge com­meth fyrst out of his dores, shulde be the Lordes, and he wolde offer it vp for a burnt offeryng. At his returne it fortuned that his doughter being his only chylde came out agenst him wythe tymberelles and daunces.

Whan he sawe her, he was much a­mased and greatly sorowful because of his vow, that he had made to god [Page liii] Notwythstondyng he sayde,God desy­reth thanc­kes gyuyng and not bloudy sacrifices I haue opened my mouthe vnto the Lorde, and canne not go backe. So that to fulfyll his folyshe and wycked vowe he committed the greuous synne of manslaughter, and cruelly [...]ue hys owne doughter contrary to y^• lawe of God, whan it had ben better and muche more godly to haue brokē his folyshe vowe, and to haue kepte hys handes clene from the bloude of hys doughter, and to haue gyuen God ryght harty thanckes for the victo­ry that he had gotten ouer hys ene­mies.Psal. i For it is the sacrifice of prayse that honourethe God.Heb. xiii The calfes of oure lyppes are acceptable sacrifyce and welcome vnto god,Psal. xlix I meane thā kes gyuyng. For he delyghtethe not in the slaughter of ony creature, but rather wylleth, that they shuld lyue vnto that vse and end for the which they were made. God the father by [Page] the Psalmograph sayth, heare, o my people, let me speake, let me testifye among you, O Israel: I am god, yea I am euen thy God. I wyll not re­proue the bycause of thy sacrifices, thy burnte offerynges are alway in my syght. I wyll take no bullockes out of thy house, nor goates oute of thy feldes. For all the beastes of the felde are myne, and thousandes of cattell vpon the hylles. I knowe all the soules vpon the mountaynes, & the wylde beastes of the felde are in my syght. If I be hongry I wyl not tel the, for the whole world is myne & all that therin is. Thynkest thou, that I wyll eate the flesh of oxen, or dryncke the bloude of gotes? Offer vnto god the sacrifice of prayse, and pay thy vowes vnto the moost highest. And call vpon me in the tyme of trouble, so wyll I heare the, that y^u shalte thāke me. The Psalmograph [Page liiii] hymselfe also sayth,Psal. [...]v in me, o god, are thy vowes, which I shall paye vnto the, euen very harty prayses & thankes gyuyng.Vowes of­entymes in the scriptu­re are taken for prayses and than­kes gyuyng He calleth the vowes, y^• we shulde offer vnto God for his be­nefites, prayses & thankes gyuyng, and not the kyllyng and offryng vp of our chyldren, or the performynge of such folysh & wicked vowes which cā not be performed wythout synne and vngodlines.

Herode also made a promyse to the doughter of Herodias, whā she daū ­ced & salyed so plesantly before hym and hys Lordes at a certayne ban­ket, that he wolde gyue her, what so euer she wold aske euen vnto y^• halfe of hys kyngdome. She by the councell of her wycked mother asked the head of Iohn̄ Baptiste. So that the kynge, because he wold not go backe of his worde, suffered the holy Pro­phet of God to be slayne, & no cause [Page] why, but only y^• he thought it wolde not stonde with his honour & royall dignite to breake his promyse. Ah folysh vowe and more folysh kyng. Ah wycked promyse and more wycked kynge. Better had it bene for hym a thousa [...]d tymes to haue gone backe of his worde, to haue brokē his wic­ked vow and to haue loste al his royall dignite, than so vertuous a man shulde haue bene slayne. We [...]e to all those vowes and promises, whyche are not fulfilled without synne and wyckednes.

Agen we rede in thactes of tha­postles, that there were mo than forty men, which had conspired agenst Paule,Act. xxiii and made a solemne vow, an earnest promyse, and a foule deuout ooth, that they woulde neyther eate nor dryncke, vntyll they had slayn [...] Paule. For we are redy, saye they, to kyll him, before he come nygh vn­to [Page lv] vs by a myle.A whotte zele in dede but not ac­cordynge to knowledge Here was a whotte brennyng zele. They thought euery hour a thousād yere, tyl they might mete with tholy Apostle, and shedde his bloude, they were so lothe to be founde double in theyr wordes, & so sory that he shulde teache ony more such newe learnyng and late sprong vp heresye vnto the great confusion of theyr holye synagoge, and the vt­ter shame of y^• foole d [...]uout fathers the Pharises, Scribes, Lawers, bi­shoppes, prestes, rulars of the Tem­ple, elders of the people. &c. To pre­uent these high inconueniences and to suppresse y^• great enormities newly reysed vp by the meās of Paules doctrine, ye wyll not easely beleue, what paynes these good men toke. They coulde not rest nether nyghte nor daye. As for meate dryncke and slepe was gone with them. B [...] mery at theyr hartes they could neuer vntyll [Page] they had slayne Paule y^• greate Heretyke, that teacher of new lear­nyng, that brynger in of new lawes that destroyer of all the olde lauda­ble customes, that troubler of the cō mon peace,Ioan. xvi. that sower of discorde, y^• peruertour of the holy olde religiō, that enemy of all good deuocion, &c. Therfore made they a solemne vow, in good tyme might it be spokē, that they woulde tast nothyng, no not so much as a pore ale bery for y^• cōforte of theyr harte, vntyl they had slayn Paule, in so muche that they were gone so farre in dede, that they had rather slea Paule, and cast theyr soules into hell fyre for doyng that mis­cheuous acte, than they would once breake theyr vowe. For they iudged by this meanes to do God an hyghe sacrifice. Surely I thyncke that if the porke of Rome had at that tyme [...] reygnyng, and in his full power [Page lvi] scaulled, they would scasely haue be­leued that he had ben able to dispēse wyth theyr vow, it was so solem, feruent, and spronge out of the harte roote. Is it not to be thought, that they were whot in theyr matters, whā they coulde not kepe theyr mis­cheuous pretence secrette,Dignū pa­tella oper­culum. but came vnto the chefe prestes and elders, as couers worthy such cuppes, & gost­ly fathers fyt for suche a confession, and tolde them that they had boūde them selues wyth a vowe, that they myght eate nothyng vntyl the had slayne Paule? Had it not ben great pitie, thynke you, that these menne shulde haue dyed for [...]onger, seynge they fasted for so good a purpose? O holy votories. I maruell howe they could euer pacify theyr consciences afterwarde, seynge they made so so­lemne a vowe, and yet brake it. For they neuer slue Paule, so myghty a [Page] Lorde is God to defende his serualltes from the cruell handes of blou­dy tyrauntes. But the holye religi­ous men are to be holdē excused, for as much as theyr wyl was good, al­though they coulde not bryng it to pas [...]e. Voluntas reputatur pro facto. There wyll was taken for the very acte. So y^• before the worlde they were counted godly parsonnes, because they had a mynde to paye theyr vo­wes, and dyd the best that in them was to performe theyr promyse so solemnely made and takē, and before god were they recounted malicious and cruell bloudy manslears. Nam uoluntas reputatur pro facto.

Nowe in all suche folysh, wicked & vngodly vowes, oothes & promises ought there to be no fayth kepte, se­yng the ende of them tende vnto a noughty purpose, and playne wyc­kednes, as holy Bed a testifiethe. I [...] [Page lvii] it shall chaūse, sayth he, at ony tyme y^• we sweare or promyse ony thynge vnaduisedly, whiche beynge kepte shulde turne vnto an euell ende, [...]omel xlv. Quaest. iiii. Can. Si a [...] ­quid [...]et vs knowe that that w^t more whole­some councel ought to be chaunged frely and wythout ony scruple o [...] cō science, and wh [...]n necessite doth cō ­pell vs, we ought rather to forswe­re our selues than for the eschewing of periury, we shoulde fall into ony other more greuous synne. For Dauid dyd sweare by [...]od that he wold [...]. Reg. xv slea Nabal a folysh and vngodly mā and destroye all that euer pertay­ned vnto hym, yet at the fyrst inter­cession of A biga [...]l beyng a wy [...] wo­man, he streyght wayes lette go his threates, put agayne the sweard [...] ­to the scabb [...]rde, nether sorowed he ony thyng at all,De offic. Lib. i. as thoughe he had committed ony faulte at all for such periury. Here vnto pertaynethe the [Page] sayeng of S. Ambrose, that Dauid dyd not fulfyll hys ooth by the shed dynge of bloude, it was the greater godlynes. I se that Dauid beyng a godly and holye man dyd faull into rash swearyng, and yet that he had rather not to do that he had sworne than to fulfyll hys ooth by the shed dyng of mannes bloud.In Hiere­miam. S. Ierome saythe, that an oothe ought to haue ‘thre compagniōs, trueth, iudgemet & ryghteousnes.An oothe oughte to haue thre cōpagniōs Where these want, saythe he, it is no oothe, but playne periury. Therfore the ooth, promise or vowe, that is not grounded on trueth, iudgement, and ryghteous­nes, ought to be broken. It is groū ­ded on truethe, whan it is agreable to Goddes worde, which is the selfe trueth.Mark wel It is groūded on iudgemēt, whan it is not rashely, folyshly and chyldyshly made, but aduisedly and wyth hygh prudence and great deli­beracion. [Page lviii] It is grounded on ryghteousnes, whan there shall ryse vp no euell o [...] it, neyther vnto oure selues nor vnto our neyghbours. Al othes and promises thus taken and made ought to be obserued & kepte, but o­therwyse to be broken, refused and caste awaye without ony scruple of conscience or veracion & trouble of mynde.’ For this sentence of the preacher abydethe alwaye true.Eccl. v. An vn­faythful and folysh promyse displeaseth God.

Thus perceaue we, what oothes, promises or vowes oughte to be ob­serued, and whiche they are y^• shulde be reiected. So that all godly othes and promises ought to be obserued. They that do not laboure to fulfyll them, forsweare them selues, & shall not escape the plage of periury.

Now wyll I returne thyther, frō whense I made digression.

[Page] God in the olde lawe amonge the grosse Iues coulde not abyde a fa [...]eDeut. xix wirnes, [...]r [...] xi [...] but commaūded y^• he shulde dye the death. If he can not abyde a false witnes, whiche maye testify w^t out an ooth, [...]owe thā can he abyde th [...], which do not only here fal [...]e witnesse, but also in the conf [...]rmacion therof addeth an othe, yea and that a false ooth, and maketh God to be a wytnes in an vniust & wronge mat­ter,What in cōmod [...]ty [...] ryse of Periury so that by this means y^• wretche is wyllyngly periured & falsely for sworne, God is bla [...]phemed, Goddes moost holy name is abused, iustice [...] subuerted, trueth is oppressed, false hode is mayntayned, wrong sentē [...] is pronounced, the contrary parte althoughe the trueth be on his syd [...] is condened, the man is vtterly empoueryshed, and for euer after beggr [...]d, both he, his wife, and all his ch [...] drē, if he hath ony: Are all these th [...] ges [Page lix] but trifles? Are all these thyn­ges lyghte matters, and thynges of small [...]mportaunce? Is it but a tri­fle to beare false witnes? to sweare? to be piured? to be falsly forsworne? to blaspheme God? to abuse hys ho­ly name? to subuerte iustice? to op­presse y^• trueth? to mayntayne false­hode? to pronounce wrong sentēce? to condemne the gylteles parsonne? to empouerysh and vtterly beggare both hym and so many as pertayne vnto hym for euer and euer?Per [...]ured personnes shal not es cape vnponyshed. Do all these thynges, which God so great­ly abhorre, deserue no ponyshment? These periured wretches shall not escape, let them beleue me, they shall not escape from the terrible venge­aunce of God. For although y^• daye go on theyr syde, and God differeth his plages, so that they are not po­nyshed so soone as they haue cōmit­ted the offence, yet let them be well [Page] assured, they shall not escape, surely they shall not escape. The Poet Ti­bullus being but an Ethnycke, and yet not ignorant of the greatnes of this abhominaciō, and certenly per­suaded that periury can not escape vnponysshed, be it neuer so secretely handled, and craftely dawhed, wry­teth on this manner.

Ah wretche, sayth he, although a mā at the fyrst doth kepe his periuries & false oothes neuer so secret, yet may he be sure at the last that they wyll come to light vnto his great shame, so that punyshment wyll come vpō hym before he be awars for hys wickednes.In earm. admon. The Greke Poet Phocyli­des also sayth, forswere not thy selfe neyther ignorantly nor wyllyngly. For the immortall God hatethe the false swerer, what so euer he be that [Page lx] sweareth.Lib. ii. de legibus. Agayne Cicero y^• famous Prynce of ornate eloquence & moost eloquent Oratour sayth, the payne of periury before god is euerlasting damnacion, & before men perpetual dishonour,iiii. re. x [...]iiii and .xxv shame, reproche & ignominy. God hate the periury so greatly in euery condicion, that he greuou­sly ponyshed Zedechias, bycause cō ­trary to his oothe he rebelled agenst Nabuchodonosor kynge of Babylō.

Seyng thā that God wyl so gre­uously ponysshe all kynde of oothes bothe vayne & vniust, both idle swearyng & periury, what wyll these idle swearers & false forsworne creatu­res saye vnto this matter? Wythe what cōscience wyll they appere be­fore the high throne and ryghteous iudgyng place of Christ? What wyll they laye for them selues? What ex­cuse wyll they make? What shyfte wyl they inuent? Wyll they flye vn­to [Page] the custome,Excuses of swearinge and saye, that it is y^• fashon of the worlde so to do? I aun­swere, Christ sayd to his disciples, ye are not of the world, but I haue chosen you out of the worlde.Ioan. xv Now they that followe the fashons of y^• world, are none of Christes disciples, so fol­loweth it that all swearers pertayn not vnto Christ, seynge they so dili­gentely followe the manners of th [...] worlde.Of the cu­stome Not [...]. And where as they obiecte, that it is the custome so to sweare, this can nothyng excuse them. For we may not looke what the custome but the trueth of Gods worde wyl­leth vs to do. Followe not the cōmō sorte of people, saythe the scripture, for to do euell. Agen, do not ye those thinges, which they haue done, that were before you,E [...]o. xxiii. Lem. xviii Zacha. i nether be ye pollu­ted & defyled in them. The Prophet Zachary also sayth, Be not ye lyke your forfathers, neyther followe ye [Page lxi] the fashons of them.Lib. Epist ii. Epist. iii ad Ca [...]c [...] The [...]oly Mar­tyr S. C [...]pr [...]an sayth, vndou [...]d [...]y we must [...]othe heare & do that, that Christ hath done, & that he hath commaunded to [...]e done, seynge that he sayth in his gospel, if ye do chose thī ges that I commaunde you, In y [...] no more call ye seruaūtes but [...]. And that Christ alone ought to be hea [...]d, the father from heauen te­stifyeth, saye [...]g: This is my [...] be­loued so [...]e,Math xvi [...] Mar [...]. ix Luk. ix ii. Pet. i in whom I am fully satisfyed, heare ye hym. I [...] that Ch [...]ist a­lone ought to be hearde, we oughte not to ma [...]ke, what ony man before vs thought best to be done, but what Christ dyd fyrst, whiche is before all men.Epist. ad pomp. cō tra Stepl [...] Dist. viii Can, Consuetado Agayne he [...]ayth, a custome w^t out trueth, is an olde erroure. Therfore leauyng the erroure, let vs [...]o [...] ­lowe the truethe. Whan the truethe is once come to lyght, sayth S. Au­sten, let the custome gyue place to y^• [Page] trueth. For Peter also, which dydde circūcyse, gaue place to Paule prea­chyng the trueth.D [...]c vnico bap. lib. ii Therfore seyng y^• Christ is the truethe, we oughte ra­ther to followe the trueth than the custome. If thou doste laye agaynst me the custome,Guiel. A­uers. Dist viii. Can S [...]consu [...] sayth S. Gregory, thou muste marke what the Lorde sayth, I am the waye, trueth & lyfe. He sayde not, I am the custome but y^• trueth Now hath Christ sayd to vs in hys holy Gospell, thou shalte not sweare at all. Why than do they not follow y^• truthe & doctrine of Christ,Ioan. xiiii Math. v thā the wycked & vngodly custome? But many are so addicte to custo­mes & old vsages now a dayes, y^• al­though they se y^• scripture manifestly condemne theyr croked customes & wycked vsages, yet wyl they by no meanes gyue place to the truthe. If a man obiecte and laye the scriptu­agaynst them, and wolde so reforme [Page lxii] them charitably, than are they redy streyghtwayes to accuse hym of he­resy,O bloude [...]oupers. and to bryng hym vnto a fagot of so lytle authorite is the moost ho­ly worde of God recounted w^t these bely Gods and wycked worldlynges nowe a dayes, & so harde a thynge is it to speake agaynst a custome, be it neuer so wycked and vngodly.

Another sort glory and reioyse so greatly in theyr wickednes of swea­ryng▪ that they feare nothing at all to take vpon them for to mayntayn it by the scriptures.Psa. lxii [...] Sayth not the Psalmographe, saye they, Laud abun­tur omnes qui iurant in eo? All y^• swear by hī, shal be praysed? Doth not god y^• father also gyue a commaundement & saye,Deut. x Dominum Deum tuum timebis, & per illius nomen iurabis? Thou shalte feare thy Lorde God, and sweare by hys name? As concernyng the fyrst text, whyche they alleadge, I aunswere, [Page] theyse glorious & famous swearers differ no thyng from theyr father y^• dyuell.Math. iiii For as he wrested the Scripture, wha [...] he tēpted Christ, so lyke­wyse do they. The wordes of y^• p [...]al­mographe are these, all that sweare i [...] hym [...]hal be [...]. He [...]ayth not all that sweare by hym, but in hym. To sweare in God,What it is to sweare in God is to call God a wytnes in a iust, ryghteous & ear­nest matter, to take an oothe for the glorye of God, for the promocion of hys worde, for the mayntena [...]ce of the Christen fayth, or els for y^e helch of our neyghbour. They that thus do, sweare in God, and they shal not be condemned but praysed for theyr oothe.

As towchynge the seconde texte,How swea­ry [...] ge [...]ame vp fyr [...]e wherin they saye, they are not only suffered frely to sweare, but also cō ­maunded so to do, I answer: Whan euell thynges began to encrease in [Page lxiii] the worlde,Hom. xxvi as Chrisostome writeth, whan there was a confusion made in euery place, and no order, whan men fell vnto the seruyse & worshyppynge of Idolles, whanne all sayth was loste, and all vnfaythefulnesse reygned, than began the Infidelles, seyng that one wolde not trust and beleue another in matters of cōtra­uersy, to call vpon theyr Goddes for wytnesses, protestynge therby that they spake truth, forasmuch as they called theyr Gods to wytnes in the matter, (whome to name they thou­ght it not lawful but in serious, earnest, graue, weyghty and necessary matters) and by this means obtay­ned they fayth one of another. Now for asmuche as God had selected the Israelites from the Gentiles to be his people,Ho [...] xxvii and would by no means that they shoulde in ony poynte fol­lowe theyr wyckednes, vnlesse ther­by [Page] they shoulde be allured from the true worshyp of god vnto Idolatry,Why god suffered y^• Iewes to sweare by hym he gaue a commaundement to thē, y^• in all matters of controuersy, and in suche affayres as shuld make vn­to his glory, and the health of theyr brothers, they shulde not call ony of those false Goddes, whome the Eth­nyckes worshypped, vnto wytnesse, nor sweare by theyr names, but call hym a wytnesse, and sweare by hys name, & so euery one to beleue ano­ther for the reuerence and honoure that they owe to his moost holy and blyssed name.

What is this to y^• purpose? what refuge can these abhominable swearers haue here? Thys commaunde­mēt only serueth for graue, weygh­ty, serious & ernest matters, & they abuse it to cloke & couer theyr wycked & abhominable custom of swearing. Is this allowable before God? wyll [Page] [Page] [Page lxiiii] this go for good paymēt? No surely, GOD wyll not thus be mocked.

God wyll not suffer his moost glori­ous name so wickedly to be abused. God wyll not abyde that hys wor­shyp, honoure, renowme, glorye and magnificēs shuld so be obscured, defaced & blotted. God is a ielous God, & he canne not abyde that he shulde be dishonoured by ony meanes. I am y^• Lorde, sayth he, this is my name. I wyll gyue my glorye to none other. Here therfore haue these swearers no refuge, but styll runne hedlongs into euerlastyng damnacion.

Another company,Esa. xiii that vse swea­ryng, say, we thynke no harme, whā we sweare, and therfore can it be no great faulte. I answere. Yet are ye not so fauteles nor excused. For the scripture sayth, that we shall gyue a streyght count at the dredefull daye of iudgemente for euery ydle worde [Page] that we speake. What is than to be thought of our idle & vayne oothes? I praye you? Shal we not gyue an accountes of them? Yies we may be sure, & also condemned for them, if we do not repent, beleue and amend Agayne. Of thy wordes shalte thou be iustified, and of thy wordes shalt thou be condemned. Howe gothe it thā with our oothes?Sap. i In what case stond they? The scripture sayth, the mouth that lyeth, slayeth the soule. Do not vayne oothes so in lyke mā ­ner.

And where as it is sayd, we thinke no harme. I answere, the scripture sayth:Math. xii Luke. vi Of thabundans of the harte, the mouth speaketh. A good mā out of the good tresure of his harte, bringeth forth good thīges. And an euel man out of the euyll treasure of his harte bryngeth forth euyl thynges. What wyll we saye to thys? Are we [Page lxv] not here playnely condemned?

Another sorte excuse them selfes & saye, fewe or none wyll beleue vs, excepte we sweare. To thys answe­reth Chrysostome on this manner: An ooth maketh not a man worthy to be beleued,Hom. vii but y^• testimony of his lyfe, the integrite & purenes of hys conuersacion, & a good mynde. For many oftentymes haue sworne and entangled themselues greatly, and yet haue they not made men to be­leue them Other haue only made as it were but a becke, and haue appe­red moche more worthye to be bele­ued, thā they which haue so greatly sworne.

These wordes declare manifestly that swearyng among faythful and honest men neadeth not, and for thē that are vnfaythful & regarde no honeste, surely all the othes in y^• world wyll not make them to be beleued of [Page] them that are vertuous & godly dis­posed. Therfore this can be none ex­cuse for these swearers. Among the faythful, oothes nede not, & among the vnfaithful, they profit not.Dothes amōg y^• faithfull nede not, amōg y^• vnfaithful they profyt not For he that beleueth not a man without an oothe, nether wyl he beleue hym, though he sweareth neuer so moche. But alas for pytie, that euer faythe shulde be so decayed among Christē men, that one wyll not beleue ano­ther, excepte they pollute and de [...]y [...]e the glorious name of our Lord God yea and that in triflynge matters. It is hygh tyme for the worlde to be at an ende,Luke. xviii whan one man truste the not another. Do ye thyncke, saythe Christ, that the sonne of man shall fynde ony fayth on the earth, whan he shall come?

Thus sewe that al excuses, which are inuented to mayntayne y^• dyuel­lysh custome of swering, are nothing [Page lxvi] worthe. Oure damnacion abydethe styll. The heate of Gods vengeaūce towarde vs is nothyng abated. So that if we wyll be saued, there is no remedy but to leaue our wicked sweryng,Exo. x [...] Deut. v to reuerēce the name of God, and thanckefully to vse his creatu­res, euer settynge before oure eyes thys commaundement of GOD. ‘Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lorde God in vay­ne. For the Lorde wyll not holde hym gyltelesse / that ra­kethe hys name in vayne.’

Also the sayeng of Christ,Math. v swear not at all, nether by heauen, for it is the throne of God, nether by earthe, for it is the foote stoole of hys feete, ne­ther by Ierusalem, for it is the citie of the great Kynge, nor yet by thy head shalte thou sweare, for y^u canste not make one heare nether whyghte, [Page] nor blacke. But your communicaci­on shall be, yea, yea, naye, naye. For that is more than thys, commeth of euyll.

Some man paraduenture wyll here demaund & saye, are all oothes taken awaye from Christen menne?Whyther all oothes are taken aw [...]y frō Chri [...]ten m [...]n Yea forsothe all oothes y^• are vayne and triflynge, false & vnrygh [...]eous. Is it not lawfull than for a Christē man to sweare in no condiciō? Yies verely. God forbyd that all kynde of swearyng shulde be takē from Chri­sten men,The er­roure of y^• Anabaptistes as the vngodly Anabapti­stes holde, whyche affyrme that it is not lawful for a Christen manne to sweare by no meanes. This wyl not the scripture. Agenst this fyghteth the word of God. We are not forbydden to sweare, but vaynely, idlely, falsely & vnryghteously to sweare. ‘Thou shalte not take the na­me of thy Lord God in vayn.’ saythe [Page lxvii] the scripture. Marke that it is sayde [...]n [...]ayn [...] ‘A Christen mā maye lawfully sweare for the glory of God’ & for the health both of hymselfeFor what causes a christen man may sweare and of other, so ofte as it shall make vnto the honoure and glory of God also. For the glorye of God in all our othes is moost of al to be loo­ked vpon & cōsidered. We ought not to desyre ony thynge, excepte it ma­kethe vnto the glorye of God, mochelesse ought we to swere for it. I wyll make this matter more euident and playne by familiare examples.

If a Christen man were amonge the Iewes,Example for the glory of god Turkes, Saracens or ony other Infidelles, preaching the word of God purely vnto them, and earnestly labouryng to turne them from theyr Idolatrye vnto the true seruyse of God, if they wolde by no means beleue hym, excepte he [...]ydde sweare by the name of that Lord his [Page] God, whom he preached vnto them, that all is truthe that he preacheth, he may lawfully in this poynt take the name of God vnto wytnesse, and sweare that it is truthe that he pre­cheth. For thys oothe thus taken & beleued, turneth both vnto the glo­ry of God, and also vnto the health [...] of many soules and therfore is it not vayne and idle, but righteous & godly. On this manner dyd God the fa­ther hym selfe in the olde Testamēt, the Patriaches and Prophetes, in the newe Testament Christ and hys Apostles sweare, and after this mā ­ner maye all the sayntes and fayth­full of God sweare. He that percea­ueth,Serm. i. de verbis do mini sayth S. Austē, that an oothe oughte not to be had in good but in necessary thynges, let hym refrayne hym selfe so moc [...]e as he can, that he do not vse it, except it be in necessite, whan he seeth that men are slow to [Page lxviii] beleue that, whiche is profitable for them to beleue, excepte it be confir­med wyth an oothe.

Agayne,Example for y^• helth of our neighboure if it dyd so chaunse that two Christē men were at debate for some matter that is in controuersy betwene them, and the thyrde dyd knowe that the one dydde the other playne iniury, and wrought agenst hym contrary vnto the rule of equi­te and iustice, and so made declaraci­on therof vnto y^• Iudge. The Iudge in this behalf may lawfully require an oothe of that wythnes bearer, & he that so testifyeth maye w^t a ryght & good conscience sweare in thys be­halfe. And thys hys oothe is bothe ryghteous and godly. For by that is peace, amite, concorde & Christen charite brought agayne betwene thē that were at debate, and the worke of the dyuell is destroyed, that is to saye, dissensiō & stryfe is takē away. [Page] An oothe, sayth S. Paule,Heb. vi is y^• ende of all controuersy.

Moreouer if heresy, treason, theft, manslaughter,An exam­ple for the [...] of our selfes whoredome or ony o­ther notable vice were layd to a christē mannes charge, wherof he know­eth hymselfe gyltlesse and nothynge [...]auty, he may lawfully take an othe and sweare vnto the contrary for y^• defence of his honest name and god­ly reporte. And this hisooth is both ryghteous and godly. For it dothe not only defende hys owne purite & innocency of lyfe, but also it setteth forthe the glory of God. For as God is dishonoured thorowe the wycked actes of them [...]hat professe hym, so is he glorified thorowe the good dedes of them, which do both professe hym & also lyue accordynge to theyr pro­fessiō.In Parenes [...] D [...]mon The Greke Oratour Isocra­tes gyueth an excellēt & very nota­ble commaundement concernynge [Page lxix] swearynge, whyche I wyll here re­herse, that Christen men redyng the wordes of an Ethnycke maye once be ashamed of theyr wyckednes. His wordes are theyse: ‘Take an oothe y^• is putte vnto the for two causes,Mark wel ey­ther y^• thou mayste delyuer thy selfe [...]rō a filthy cause, or y^• thou mayst preserue thy frēdes y^• are in perel & daū ger. But for mony looke thou swea­rest by no God, although thou swea­rest ryghteously. For to some thou shalt seme to forsweare thy self, and to sōe to be desyrous of mony.’ What a sayeng is this of a Gentile? Howe lytle dissente the this from the holye scriptures? Howe doth this cōdēne them, which for slender auauntage or lytyl mony wyl not only streyght wayes sweare, but also for swere thē selfes? Austen for swearyn [...] S. Austen sayth, doth not he take y^• name of God in vayne, which for the loue of a tēporall thyng (that [Page] is playne fylthynesse to a Christen mā) taketh God for a wytnesse. The lawe hath forbyddē,Exo xx that thou shul­dest once couyt. Doste thou not co­uit, if thou byndest thy selfe wythe an oothe, that thou mayst kepe thy substaunce? Euery creature is sub­iecte vnto vanite. And is not this for vayne thynges? Ergo he swea­reth in vayne, whiche for creatures calleth God a wytnesse. &c. S. Hie­rome also saythe,In Math Cap. v the Euangelicall truthe receaueth no othe, seyng eue­ry faythful word is for an oth. Here vnto pertayneth y^• sayēg of our gol­den mouthed Doctour, the cause of an othe is this,Quaestiv [...]an Iura­nenti sayth he, that euery one that sweareth, sweareth for this intent, that he maye speake y^• which is truthe. And therfore y^• Lord wyll haue no difference betwene an ooth and our speache. For as in an oothe it is not cōueniēt that there be ony [Page lxx] falshode or breakynge of promyse, so lykewise in our wordes ought there to be no lye.Sap. [...] For bothe periury & ly­eng is condemned with the payne of the diuine iudgement, as the scryp­ture saythe, the mouthe that lyeth, slayeth the soule. Who so euer ther­fore speaketh the truthe, swearethe. For it is wrytt [...]n, a faythfull wyt­nesse wyll not [...]ye.

Finally,The magi­strate maye lawfully require an oothe so ofte as ony ciuile ma­gistrate or head officer requireth an oothe of vs for the preseruacion and mayntenaunce of the comon weale or ony other necessary & vrgēt cause we ought gladly and wyllyngly for to sweare accordyng to thys cōmaū ­dement of Christ, Paye that to Ce­sar,Math [...] xxii which is due to Cesar. But here are they to be monyshed, which shall require the ooth of y^• subiectes, that it is theyr dutye before the other be sworne to declare the matter wythe [Page] manifest wordes vnto thē,An admonicion for thē y^• shall r [...]quire the oothe that they maye well perceaue, that they shall not sweare in vayne, but for weyghty and necessary matters cōcerning ether the glory of God or the profyt of the common weale. For mē ought not to be called forthe to sweare for euery lyght trifle, nor yet to sweare as many do, they can not tell what nor wherfore. The to muche custo­mable vse of sweryng, hath brought it so to passe, that as many care but lytyl to sweare, so forse they not mo­che to forswear thē selfes. The cause for the whiche menne shulde sweare, ought not onely to be good, but also necessary, and so opēly proued vnto them, before they be broughte vnto theyr oothe. Thys shulde make men to haue the name of God in y^• hygh­er reuerence, to take an ooth wythe the godlyer mynde, and to haue the office of the head rulars in y^• greater [Page lxxi] estimacion. For to make mē sweare by compulsiō, before they knowe the matter, whyther it be good, lawful, godlye, necessarye or otherwyse, lette other menne iudge, that be better learnedde than I, whyther it be agreable to the worde of GOD or not. But thys dare I be bolde to saye, that an oothe can not be taken wythe to moche reuerence & aduise­mente, in asmuche as by it, God is called vpon to be a wytnesse in that behalfe. Therfore ought men not to be compelled rashly to sweare, vnles by that meanes they prouoke the vē geaunce of God both agaynst them selfes, and those also that cause them so vnaduisedly for to sweare, but to come vnto theyr oothe wythe great sobriete and deliberacion.

Thus lewe for what causes it is lawfull for a Christē man to sweare, what soeuer oothe cometh forth out [Page] of our mouthe, if it be not for one of these causes aforsayd, it is dānable & playne synne. Therfore lette all men take hede. Let no man from hense­forthe take the name of oure Lorde God in vayne. for who so dothe, shal not surely escape vnponyshed.

Let the rulars of the comō weale fynde some honest remedy,Magistra­tes that the name of God be no more blasphemed among theyr subiectes. Let thē con­syder howe loth they are, that they them selfes shulde be euyll spoken of and blasphemed. Lette them weygh wyth them selues, howe moche God excelleth them, & how farre hys dig­nite dothe excede theyr dignite. If ony man defacethe theyr renowme, they are ponyshed streyghtwayes, & not without a cause. But how chaū ­seth it, that the Lorde of all Lordes and Kyng of all Kynges is no more feared? How cometh it to passe, that [Page lxxiii] hys moost holye & blyssed name is so vniuersally blasphemed, yea & y^• frely and wythout punyshment? Were it not, thyncke you, conueniēt, that the ciuile magistrate shulde earnestly prouide, that the name of GOD myght haue hys due honour, and y^• it myghte no more be abused withe abhominable & vnlawfull oothes in theyr Realmes, but praysed & mag­nified, seynge that by it we obtayne all oure healthe and saluacion? God by his holy spirite mought vouche­safe to breathe into the hartes of all Prynces, Kynges and rulars, that whan they be godly assembled togy­ther for matters cōcernyng the glo­ry of god & the publique weale, they maye also entreate of thys thynge in theyr Sinodes, Congregacions, Parliamentes, councelles, &c. that God maye be glorifyed, & hys moost blyssed name exalted of all nacions [Page] from the Easte to the Weaste. By this meanes shall they not onely ex­pulse vice and make theyr Realmes to florish with vertu vnto the great glory of God and the hyghe consola­ciō of all the faythfull, but also they shall acquire and get to them selfes a crowne of immortal glory for euer and euer. Amen.

Agayne,Bysshops Parsons, Vicars. &c let all Bysshoppes, Par­sonnes, Vicares, Curates, Paryshe prestes, & so many as are ministers of Gods word, in all theyr Sermōs & other exhortacions vnto the peo­ple, aboue all thynges rebuke thys abhominable synne of swearyng. [...] declare vnto them how great an of­fence it is, [...]. xxiii & howe the plage of God and hys vēgeaunce shal not departe from the houses of them, y^• vse thys moost detestable synne of swearing. Let them consyder that they haue hene the chefe occasion both of thys [Page lxxiiii] synne and of all other, seynge they haue not accordynge to theyr office diligently watched vpon the Lor­des flocke, preached Gods worde, re­buked the wickednesse of the people, tolde thē theyr fautes, exhorted thē vnto repentaunce, & amendment of lyfe.Pro. xxi [...] Math. ix For whā the preachyng of gods worde fayleth, sayth Salomon, thā doth the people perysh and go to ha­nocke. Christ had moch pytie on the people, whan he saw that they were destitute and dispersed as shepe, not hauynge a shepparde. For as shepe, whan they be without a shepparde, wander they can not tell whyther,Mark this comparison hang on euery bushe, are rent wyth euery bryer, and in daūger to be de­noured of the rauenyng wolfe at all tymes, euen so lykewyse, those peo­ple that are wythoute a Preacher & teacher of Gods word, runne astray w^tout order, hear the voyce of euery [Page] straunger, faull in all kynde of vici­ous abhominacion, are rent & torne wyth wycked spirites, & redy at eue­ry houre to be swalowed vp of Sa­tan our olde aduersary, whiche slea­peth not, but watcheth diligently, & walketh about lyke a roryng Lyon1. Pet. v seakyng whome he maye deuoure. Surely great is the damnaciō that hangeth ouer the hedes of these sluggyshe sheppardes. Christ the hyghe preste sayde,mar. [...]. iii [...] Oportet me euangelizare, n [...] in hoc missus sum. I must preach the gospell, saythe he, for I am sent for this purpose. What shall the baser sorte of prestis do than I praye you? shall they lyue in pleasure and idlenes? in delicious fare & sluggyshnes? Doth not Oportet also pertayne vnto thē [...] Certes if they wyll not meddle with Oportet euangelizare, they are lyke to haue no parte of Miserere. S. Paule also that good Byshop sayd, Vae mihi, [Page lxxv] sinō euangelizauero. i. Cor. ix Wo vnto me, if I preach not the Gospel. And shal our Rabines thynke to escape wythout pouyshment, though they preach nothyng at al? I feare that if they wyl not medle wyth Euangelizare, they are lyke to crye another daye, Vae, Vae, Vae, quantae sunt tenebrae. Wo, wo, wo, howe great are these darkenesses? God the father, God the sonne, God the holy Ghost wythe all the Prophetes and Apostles crye oute vpon prestes for to preache the holy scriptures, exhortyng thē to be diligent in that mat­ter. Cry, sayth God the father, cease not.Esa. lviii Lyfte vp thy voyce as a trōpe. Shew the people theyr synnes, and declare vnto them theyr wickednes. Agayne he saythe,Esa [...] O Ierusalem I haue set watche men vpon thy wan [...] les, they shall not holde theyr peace nether nyght nor daye. Christ sayde to hys Apostles, go thorowe out the [Page] world and preache the gospel to eue­ry creature. S. Paule saythe, take hede to your selfes and to all y^• flock, vpon whome the holy Ghoste hathe made you ouersears,Luke. xxiiii to fede the con­gregacion of God, whom he purcha­sed wyth hys bloud.Act. x [...] For I knowe y^• after my departure greuous wolfes shall enter in amōg you not sparing the flock. And euen among your sel­fes shall there aryse men speakynge peruerse thynges, y^• they maye lede awaye the disciples after thē. Ther­fore watche, and remember that by the space of thre whole yeares I dyd not cease to monish euery one of you both daye and nyght euen with tea­res. Agen he sayth, gyue attēdaunce to thy selfe & to doctrine, [...]. Ti. iiii. contine we in these. For if thou doste so, y^• shalte both saue thy self & them that heare the. Preache the word, be feruent be it in tyme or oute of tyme, reproue, [Page lxxvi] rebuke,Titus. ii. exhorte wyth all softenes & doctrine. Speke those thynges that become wholesome doctrine. S. Pe­ter also saythe,i. Pet. v ye Prestes se that ye fede christes flocke, which is among you, takynge the ouersyght of them not as though ye were cōpelled ther to, but wyllyngly, not for the desyre of fylthy lucre, but of a good mynd, not as thoughe ye were Lordes ouer the paryshes, but that ye be an ensā ­ple to the flocke. And whā the chefe shepeheard shall appeare, ye shall re­ceaue an incorruptible Crowne of glory.

These textes of the holy scripture declare manifestly how feruent,The prea­chynge of Gods word cau­seth y^• Chri­sten religiō to floryshe bu­sy, studious and diligēt all true prestes ought to be in the preachyng of Gods worde. The men godly enspi­red knewe ryght well, that so longe as Goddes worde is preached to the people, it must nedes go well wythe [Page] the Christen religion, but if it once cease, than farewell all godlynesse, farewell all vertue and goodnes. Of thys thynge, alas for pitie, haue we hadde experience many a yere vnto our great discomfort, and yet lytyll redresse. For many of the prestes go forth to be as sluggysh as euer they were, neyther haue they ony godly care for Christes flocke cōmitted vnto thē. So they maye haue the pro­fytes, they care for no more. Bo nusest odor lucriexre qualiber. So y^• by thys meanes the shepe are lyke to dye for meate. But alas howe shoulde they teach other, whan they them selues knowe nothynge. They are euen as the Prophet saythe, [...]sa. lvi dumme dogges not once being able to barke. Many agayne of them there are, which are learned, and knowe theyr duty, and yet I knowe not wyth what spirite moued they holde theyr peace, they [Page lxxvii] speake nothyng, they se theyr shepe runne astraye before theyr faces, walke in all kynde of wyckednes, & yet haue they no pitie. I wonder w^t what forheades these men wyll ap­pere before the hygh prest and great Iudge Christ at the dredefull day of iudgement. I pray God they be not Epicures bothe in lyuyng & iudge­ment. But let vs heare what the ho­ly and catholyke Doctors saye vn­to thys matter.

S. Ierome sayth,In Leuit. Dist. xxxvi. Cā. Siquis. if ony mā wyll be a Byshop not onely in name but also in deseruynge, let hym followe Moses, and let hym follow Aaron. For what is sayd of them, that they went not from the tabernacle of the Lorde. Ergo Moses was continu­ally in the tabernacle of the Lorde. What busynesse had he there? Ve­rely that ether he shulde lerne some­what of God, or els teache the peo­ple. [Page] These are the two workes of a Byshop,The work of a Bys­shop is to study the holy scrip­tures, purely to prea­che thē vnto the peo­ple, and feruently to praye that he shulde learne of god by readyng the diuine scriptures & by hauyng hys continuall medita­cion in them, or elles teache the peo­ple, but yet ought be to teache those thynges, that he had learned of god, and not of his owne harte or mans wisdome, but those thynges that y^• holy Ghoste teacheth. There is ano­ther worke also that Moses dothe, he goeth not vnto y^• warres, he figh­tethe not agaynst the enemies, but what doth he? He prayeth. And whi­le he prayethe, hys people ouercom­meth, if he do once slake & let downe hys h [...]des, thā are hys people ouer­come and chased away. Let y^• preste of the chyrche therfore praye wyth­out ceasyng,Exo. xvii. that the people, whych are vnder hym, may ouercome ther inuisible enemies the Amalechites, which are dyuels that do impugne [Page lxxviii] and fyghte agaynst them, that wyll lyue godly in Christ.

O howe true, swete and godly are these wordes of the holye Doctore?Learn your dutye here o ye Prestes Here may al Byshops & Prestes lern what theyre dutye is, not to be idle, not tohsit & hawk, not to dyse & card not to bācket and lyue voluptuous­ly, not to playe the ruflyng galātes and to be entangled wyth worldely busynesses, but to be continually in the tabernacle of the Lorde, that is to saye, to studye and to haue theyr perpetuall meditacion in the holye scriptures euen both daye & nyght. as Dauid saythe,Psal. i. and wyth all dili­gence to teache the people commit­ted to theyr Spirituall charge, not mennes tradicions, not theyr owne fantasies, but Goddes moost holye worde, euen the holy scriptures, and suche thynges, wherof y^• holy Ghost is the Author. Lette them therfore [Page] looke well to theyr office. For if they be true Byshops and Prestes, thys is the worke committed vnto them, euen continually to studye the holy scriptures, and purely to preach thē vnto the people. If they leaue thys office vndone, & do the worckes pre­scribed of man, so do they shewe thē selfes to be y^• seruauntes not of god, but of man. Let thē therfore looke, what answer they wyll make to the hygh Iudge and great preste Christ at the terrible daye of iudgement.

Moreouer it is theyr duty feruēt­ly and wythout ceasyng to pray for the people, that they maye preuayle agaynst Satā & hys ministers that fyght dayly agaynst thē.The prayers of ma­ny prestes are colde [...]owa d [...]yes How colde y^• prayers of many of thē are, I wyl not now dispute. For they are more open to the whole worlde, than they nede here to be rehersed. Whā Mo­ses helde vp hys handes and prayed [Page lxxix] hys people dyd ouercome. Whyther our Prestes holde vp theyr handes & praye, as they ought, let other mē iudge. Of this am I sure, y^• syns the world begā, therneuer reigned more synne and abhominaciō than there doth at this daye, which is but a slē ­der argument that we get the victo­ry of our enemies. God gyue al By­shoppes and Prestes grace once to looke vpon theyr office diligently, y^• they maye both earnestly studye the holy scriptures, teache them syncer­ly vnto the people, and continually occupy thē sel [...]esin feruent prayers. Than shal it not only be wel w^t Christes flocke, but also with them selues at the dredefull daye of iudgement, whā they shall appere before y^• hygh Byshop Iesus Christ, and gyue ac­coūtes vnto hym of theyr behauour in the office that was cōmitted vn­to them in this worlde.

[Page] S. Austen also sayth,In Aggeū Prophetā cōsyder that it is the office of prestes, whan they be demaunded of y^• lawe, to answer. If he be a Preste, let hym knowe the lawe of the Lord, if he knoweth not the lawe of the Lorde, he declare the euidently that is he is no preste. For it pertayneth vnto y^e Lordes preste to know the law, and whan he is as­ked, to make answer of y^e lawe. Lord be mercifull vnto vs, what wyll a great nomber of our prestes saye to these wordes of S. Austen? I feare moche, that if he were not so aūcient a Doctore, and a sayncte all redy approued by the Chyrche, surely many prestes for madnes wolde nothynge feare to accuse hym of here [...]y, and to affirme that he preacheth hereticall doctrine, so iopardous a thynge at this tyme is it to speake agēst these ignorant Rabines, which although they knowe nothyng, yet wyll they [Page lxxx] be Iudges ouer all menne, and redy streyghtewayes to condemne them. It is not the long robe, the flaryng typpet about the necke, the annoyntynge of the fyngers, the brode sha­uynge of the crowne, that make the the Preste, but knowledge and con­ [...]ynge in the lawe of the Lorde, and so called vnto prestehode. The Pro­phet Malachy sayth, the lyppes of a Preste kepe knowledge,Ma [...]ac. ii and at hys mouthe shall they require the lawe, for he is the messanger of the Lorde of Hoostes.Prestes oughte to be learned in y^• law of god So sayth S. Austē here that Prestes ought to be so wel lear­ned in the holy scriptures, that whā ony man demaundeth a question of them concernyng the lawe of God, they shulde be able to answer. If he be a preste, saythe he, let hym knowe the lawe of the Lord. If he knoweth not the lawe of the Lorde, he decla­reth euidently, that he is no preste. [Page] S. Austen here affyrmethe,Who is a preste af­t [...]r S. Au­ [...] mind that he only is a preste, whyche hath know­ledge in the lawe of the Lorde. If there wante the knowledge, it is an euident argument, sayth he, y^• there is no Preste. It is happy that saynt Austē is gone and a sayncte. For if he were now alyue & a Byshop agayne, as he was in times paste, and shulde go on visitacion thorow out the dio­ces, I thynke surely he wold depose a great sorte of Prestes, as mē more fytte for y^e carte than for the chyrch. For S. Austen measureth all prest­hode by knowledge. It pertaynethe vnto the Lordes Preste, sayth he, to knowe the lawe, and whan he is de­maunded, to make answer of y^• law. He maye be a Preste of Baal,Obsequiū amicos, veritas odiū parit. of the [...]omysh Byshop, and of man, but of the Lorde he canne not be, excepte he hath knowledge. If ony mā fea­lethe hym selfe greued at thys mat­ter, [Page lxxxi] and can not abyde hys scalde & scuruy backe thus to be rubbed, let hym know that they be not my wordes, but the wordes of S. Austen, a man in hys tyme not only godly en­spired, and excellently learned, but also of greate authorite before the worlde. I onely reherse hys & other holye Doctores wordes, because I wolde gladly haue men to do truely theyr office, and to set this sayeng of the Psalmograph euer before theyr eyes, Be not lyke a horse & a moyle, whiche haue no vnderstanding.Psa. xxxi For ignoraunce in al men is to be abhor­red, but in Prestes chefely. If after the mynde of thapostle Paule, sayth S. Ierome,In Esa [...]am Christ is the power of God, and the wysdom of God, it fol­loweth well, that he that knowethe not the scriptures, knoweth not the power of God and the wysdome of hym. For the ignoraūce of the scrip­tures, [Page] is the ignoraunce of Christ [...] Leo the Byshop saythe,Dis. xxxviii Can. Si in [...]a [...]cis. if ignoraūce semeth intollerable euen in laye mē, how moch more is it worthy nether of excuse nor of forgyuenes in them that beare rule? I therfore desyre all Prestes that be good and vertu­ous and tender the glorye of God, & the saluacion bothe of theyr owne & other Christen mennes soules, that they wyll not be moued wyth these wordes, whych come from a breast, that wysheth wel vnto them all, but earnestly looke vpon theyr office better, caste awaye blynde ignoraunce, study for y^• knowledge of holy scrip­tures, and laboure wyth all mayne to do that, which God requireth of them.

Moreouer saynt Gregory sayth,Ad venantium Epis­copum [...] y^• shepparde, whiche doth not rebuke them that offende, wythout doubte he sleath them by holdyng hys peace [Page lxxxii] Agayne he sayth,In Ezech Hom. x [...] we that are called Prestes, besydes these euels that we haue of our own, we adde also other mennes deathes. For we slea so ma­ny as we se dayly go vnto deathe, & yet are sluggyshe & holde our peace. He [...]e is terrible sayenge, that they, whiche are appoynted to saue Chri­sten mēnes soules do cruelly slea thē by theyr negligence & holdyng theyr peace. Oh that the Byshops of eue­ry diocesse wold diligently looke vpō thys matter, the easyer much shulde be theyr accountes at the dredefull daye of iudgement. The holy Ghost mought breth it into theyr myndes.

In concilio t [...]lerano we reade on thys manner,Dis. xxxviii Can. Igno­ranta. Ignoraunce the mo­ther of all errours is moost of all to be exchewed in the Prestes of God, whyche haue taken vpon them the office of teachyng among the people of God. Prestes are warned to rede [Page] the holye scriptures, as Paule tha­postle sayth vnto Timothe,1. T [...]. iiii gyue attendaunce to readyng, & exhortaciō & lernyng, & continew alway in the­se. Let Prestes therfore know y^• holy scriptures and canons, and lette all theyr worke, businesse and trauayle consist inpreaching and doctrine, & let them edify all men so well with the knowledge of fayth, as wyth the good informacion of workes. O godly decree. Here maye all prestes lear­ne, that theyr worke doth consist in preachyng and doctrine, in edifi [...]ng the people and in giuing them god­ly examples of vertuous lyuynge. God sende vs mo suche councels.

Byshop Nicolas wryteth on this māner,Dist. xliii. Can. Di­spensatio. the distribucion of the hea­uenly seed is enioyned vs. Wo ther­fore be vnto vs, if we do not spryn­cle it abrode. Wo be vnto vs, if we holde our peace. Here is eternall dā ­nacion [Page lxxxiii] thretened prestes, if they do not sowe abrode the heauenly seed of Goddes worde in the feldes of chri­sten mennes hartes. Let them looke well to theyr office, for they stond in a perrillous state. Many of them thyncke it a great pleasure to rece­aue yerely so great profites of theyr benefices,Luke. vi but let them remēber the commō prouerbe, swete meate must haue sower sawce. Wo be to you, sayth Christ, that laughe nowe, [...]or ye shall mourne & wepe. Wo be to you that are fylled, for ye shall honger. Wo be to you rytthe menne, whiche haue your consolaciō. Wo be to you, whan all men prayse you.

Platina in the lyfe of Byshop Innocentius the syxt,Platina [...] wryteth on this manner: Innocentius the syxt dyd not gyue the ecclesiastical benefices but vnto such Prestes, as ware thorowly proued & tryed both in lyfe & [Page] learnyng.Wold god we had [...]no such Inno centes And he made a constitu­ciō that all prelates and so many as had benefices shuld go home to their owne Paryshes vnder payne of cursyng. For he sayd, that no hyrelyng but the very owne shepparde ought to kepe his owne shepe. Here was a wonderfull godly cōstituciō. Wolde god it were o [...]serued thorow out all Christendome. Than shuld Christes [...]locke be muche better fed than they are at this tyme. Than shulde not y^• Parsōs & Vicars be absēt frō theyr benefices as they are now a dayes. Than shuld y^• goodes of y^• Paryshes be spent amonge the Paryshners, & not abrode as they be now a dayes, no man can tell where about. Than shuld the poore people be better loo­ked vpon. Than shulde Prestes be more diligent to mayntayne hospitalite. Than shuld the beneficed mē more quietly applye theyr myndes [Page lxxxiiii] vnto the study of holy scriptures & other godly meditaciōs. Thā shulde seruent loue, which is now almoost vniuersally decayed, spryng vp new agayne betwene the prestes and the laye men. Than shulde prestes be honored as fathers, and laye men coūt thē selues as theyr chyldren, gyuing them reuerence and double honour as the scripture commaūdeth.1. Tim. v Thā shulde Gods worde florysh, and the glorye of God he sought of all men. Ah shall we not once se thys ioyfull daye in Englande? Whan myght it euer be broughte to passe better and more conuenie [...]tly, than nowe vnder this our moost excellēt Kyng, which hytherto hath so bothe godly & pros­perously lyke another Ezechias trauayled in the byldyng agayn of our Lorde Gods temple, in throwynge downe the workes of Hypocrisy, su­persticion, and Idolatry, and in set­tynge [Page] vp agayne the pure and Chri­sten religion? Lorde, graunt that it maye come to passe, yea & y^• shortly.

Thus se we both by the holy scrip­tures,Prestes must both preach syncerly, & al­so lyue godlye Luk. iiii. the aunciēt Doctors, and the godly olde councels, how greatly all Byshoppes and Prestes ought to be occupyed in studyēg and preachyng Goddes worde. But to thys theyr godly preachyng they must also ioy­ne a vertuous and pure lyfe, vnlesse they edify not so muche wyth theyr preachynge, as they destroye wythe theyr wycked lyuyng. It is a shame for a Phisiciō to be so spotted & poc­ky, that it shall maye iustly be sayde to him, Phisiciō heale thy selfe. God sayde to the synner, sayth the Psal­mographe,Psal. xiix why doste thou preache my lawes, and take my Testament in thy mouth: Thou haste hated to be reformed, and thou haste caste a­waye my wordes behynde the. If y^• [Page lxxxv] sawest a these, thou rannest w^t hym, and wythe adulterers dyddest thou laye thy porcion. Thy mouth dydde abound wyth cursed speakyng, and thy tonge dyd couple craftely togy­ther deceates. Thou dyddest sytte, & speake agaynst thy brother, & agēst thy mothers sonne dyddest thou lay a stomblyng blocke. These thynges haste thou done, and yet haue I hol­dē my peace. Thou wyckedly thogh­test, that I wolde be lyke vnto the, but I wyll reproue the, & come face to face agaynst the. O vnderstonde these thynges, ye that forget God, vnlesse he plucke you awaye, & there be none y^• can delyuer you. Sayncte Paule also sayth,Rom. ii. thou that teachest another, teachest not thy self. Thou that preachest that men shulde not steale, stealest thy selfe. Thou that sayste that whoredome shulde not be committed, playest the whoremon­ger [Page] thy selfe. Thou that abhorrest Images, robbest God of his honour thy selfe. Thou that gloryest of the lawe, thorowe breakyng of the law, dishonorest God. For y^e name of God is euell spoken of among the Genti­les thorowe you.

Of these thynges it is euident, y^• it is not sufficient for prestes to pre­ache Goddes worde, except they also leade a vertuous & godly lyfe.Math. v. Who so euer doth and teacheth, he shal be called great in the kyngdom of hea­uen, sayth the scripture. Christ doth not onely call prestes the salte of the earth, but also the lyght of y^• world. Wythe theyr preachyng they season the people,Prestes are not only called the salte of y^• earthe, but also the lyght of the worlde but wythe theyr lyght of godly conuersacion they shewe men howe they ought towalke and lyue. Therfore immediately is it subioy­ned, lette your lyght so shyne before menne, that they maye se your good [Page lxxxvi] workes & glorify your father,i. Tim. iiii. which is in heauen.i. Tim. [...] Be an example of the faythfull, sayth Paule,ii. Tim. i [...] in worde, in conuersacion, in loue, in Spirite, in faythe. Kepe thy selfe pure. Study to shewe thy selfe commendable to God, a worke man that neadeth not to be ashamedde. He that preacheth Christ,In serm. deieiunio. sayth S. Ambrose, ought to shewe hym selfe wholly estraunged from all kynde of vices. S. Iohn̄ Chrisostome also sayth,In Math. it is a great shame for Prestes, and for so many as be of the Clergy, whan laye men be founde faythfuller & more rygh­teous than they are? Howe canne it otherwyse be than a shame for them to be inferioure to the laye people, whome to be lyke vnto them, it is also a shame? Agē. S. Gregory sayth, the lyght of the flocke is the flame of the shepparde.In Pastora For it becōmethe the Lordes shepehearde and a Preste to [Page] [...]hyne in manners and lyuyng, that in hym as in y^• glasse of theyr lyght, the people that is committed vnto hym maye bothe discerne what they shulde follow, and also se what they shulde correcte and amende. Hereof is it euident, what great purite and innocency of lyfe ought to be in pre­stes, that theyr lyfe may correspond and in all poyntes answere to theyr preachyng.

But here is an answer to be made to the vnsauery talke of certen men nowe a dayes, which because they se the manners of the Preachers not agreable in all poyntes to theyr ser­mons, faull at defyaunce with gods worde, blaspheme it as heresy, rayle vpon the preachers and absent them selfes from the hearyng of all godly exhortacions, warnynges and coū ­cels. These parsons hynder no man so moche as them selfes. They may [Page lxxxvii] well be compared to a folysshe man,Mark well whyche cometh vnto the market for to bye meate. But whā he beholdeth the butcher, and perceaueth hym to haue some deformite in his face, as one of his eyes to be out, or to be bal­de, or elles to holde his necke awrye, gothe streyght home agayne, & cho­sethe rather to dye for honger, than he wyll bye meate of suche a butcher although the meat be neuer so pure,Math. xx [...] clene, commestible & wholsome. But let vs heare what the holy scripture saythe. In the chayer of Moses syt Scribes and Phareses. All the [...]fore that they commaunde you to kepe, loke that you kepe and do, but accordyng to theyr workes do ye not. For they say, but they do not. Here christ commaundethe vs not to abstayne from the hearyng of Goddes worde, though they be neuer so wicked and euyll, that preache it. For who were [Page] more vngodly, and greater enemies to Christ, than the Scribes & Pha­reses, yet Christ commaundethe to heare them so longe as they sytte in the chayer of Moses.What it is to syt in the chayer of [...] To syt in the chayer of Moses is truely & syncer­ly to preach those thynges that Moses dyd, to enterpret the lawe accor­dyng to the ryght vayne of the holy scripture, and only to seake the glo­ry of God & the profyt of the fayth­full. So long as they that are prea­chers do thys, they are to be hearde, though theyr lyfe be neuer so abho­minable. For it is not the preacher, to whome we must haue pryncipall respecte, but to the word of God. Nother do we come into the Temple to gase vpon the Preacher, but to hear the holy scriptures declared, and so lerne to lede a godly lyfe. If he were one of the ministers of Satan, yea Satan hymselfe that preacheth, so [Page lxxxviii] longe as he bryngethe in Scriptum est, so long as he teacheth purely the di­uine scripture wythout wreastyngEuerye mā y^• preachethe y^e scripture trulye is to be hearde, be hys lyfe ne­uer so wyc­ked. or corruptynge of the same, he is to be hearde. We ought not so greatly to marke the teacher, as that which is taught. If he teachethe well, it is ours, & we haue that we came for, if he lyueth well, it is his owne, and he shal receaue the rewarde. But lette vs heare what Chrisostome sayth to thys matter.In Math Cap. xxiii. If the preste [...] lyue wel sayth he, it is theyr auauntage, but if they teache well, it is yours. Be not curioꝰ to boul [...]e out that, which pertayneth vnto another man. For oftentymes good learnyng comethe forthe from an euyll manne, as vyle earth bryngeth forth precious gold. Is precious golde despysed for the vile earth? Therfore as the golde is chosen, and the earth forsakē, so lykewyse take you the learnyng, & leaue [Page] the manners. Agayne he saythe, let vs take the doctrine but not the mā ners. Herbes are not necessary for the bees, but the floures are. So you lykewyse gather the floures of doc­trine, and leaue theyr fashons of ly­uyng. Here this holy Doctore wyl­leth vs not to despyse y^• word, thou­ghe the Preacher be euell. Lette vs take that is oures, and let go that is hys. The doctrine is oures, y^• lyfe is hys I had rather haue a syncer preacher of Gods worde, which shal declare Christ vnto me purely, re­buke my synful lyuyng, conforte me wyth the swete promises of GOD, shewe me howe I ought to institute my lyfe according to y^• wyl of god. &c although hys māners be somewhat corrupte and dissent from his prea­chyng, thā to haue a wicked Papist, a pestilēt Pharese & a supersticious Hypocrite, whiche shall outwardely [Page lxxxix] lyke a crafty foxe pretēd a certayne grauite, and a popeholy manner of lyuynge, and yet corrupte the holye scriptures, confounde Gods worde wyth mens tradicions, lede the peo­ple into supersticious errours, flat­ter the herers, preach for lucre, māc­kle the doctrine of Christ, & obscure the waye of trueth. Of suche Christ warneth vs to take hede in the Gos­pell of Mathew,Math. vi [...] sayeng, Beware of false Prophetes, whiche come vnto you in shepes clothyng, but inwardly they are rauening wolfes. Agenst these Christ in another place thondereth,Math. xxiii sayeng, wo be to you Scribes and Phareses, hypocrites, for ye are lyke paynted sepulchres, which out­wardly appere beautifull, but with­in are full of bones of dead men and of all fylthynes. So ye lykewyse appere outwardely ryghteous to mē, but inwardly ye are full of hypocri­sye [Page] and wyckednes. Agayne, ye are they, that iustify your selfes before mē,Luke. xvi. Psal. i. but God knoweth your hartes. For that whyche semeth prayse worthy before men, is abhominable be­fore God. Therfore so long as y^c preacher sytteth in the chayer of Moses and not in the chayer of pestilēce, he is to be hearde for the wordes sake, be hys lyfe neuer so wycked & vngodly. Notwythstondyng I exhorte all Christen Preachers, and so many as vnfaynedly tender the glory of god, and the promociō of hys moost b [...]ys­sed worde, that they do theyr ende­uour not only to set forthe Goddes trueth in worde & tonge, but also in worcke and verite. Let them be the same in lyfe, y^t they professe in word. For he takethe vpon hym the name of a Christen man in vayne, saythe sayncte Austen,Cura esse quodlubē ­ [...]er audis. that followethe not Christ. For what dothe it profyt the [Page xc] to be called that thou arte not,Lib. de do­ctrina chri­stiana. & to vsurpe a straunge name? If y^u haste a pleasure to be a Christen man, do those thynges that pertayne vnto Christianite, and than hardely take vpon the the name of a Christiane. S. Ambrose also sayth,In Ser. de Abraham. it is a shamefull lye before ony man to call hym­selfe a Christen man, & not to do the workes of Christ. Hereto ꝑlaynethe the sayeng of S. Cypriane,De. xii. abusionibus, no man is truely called a Christiane, but he whyche laboureth, so moche as lygheth in hys power, to shewe hymselfe conformable & lyke to Christ in hys manners & conuersacion. He y^• sayth, y^• he dwelleth in Christ,i. Ioan. ii. saiths. Ioh [...] ̄, ought to walke as he hathe walked.

Seyng than that so great purite and innocency of lyfe is required of all men that professe Christ, surely in Prestes and in thē that are prea­chers of Gods worde,Math. v. it ought to excell [Page] aboue all other. Men lyght not a candle, and put it vnder a bushel, but vpon a candlesticke, & it shyneth to so many as are in the house. So lykewyse Prestes are not called vn­to the office of preachyng, that theyr conuersacion shulde be darke and w^t out lyght, but that it shuldbe so garnyshed wyth godly vertues & good workes, that it myghte lyghte to so many as are in the house of God.

Christ the hygh preste & euerlastyng Byshoppe graunt it maye so be.

But as I may returne vnto our matter of swearynge, let them that be Preachers, I say, aboue all thyn­ges rebuke this abhominable synne of swearyng, & declare vnto the peo­ple what a great offence it is, & howe the plages of God and hys vēgeaūs shal not departe from the houses of them, that vse thys moost detestable synne of swearyng.

[Page xci] Furthermore let all fathers and mothers gyue earnest diligēce thatFathers & mothers theyr chyldren maye from theyr ve­ry cradles learne to worshyppe and honour y^• moost blyssed name of god, and neuer to haue it in theyr mou­thes wythout great reuerence done vnto it, eyther by puttynge of theyr cappes or elles by boweynge theyr knees. Let them not be suffered by ony meanes to sweare by God or by onye of hys creatures,Math. v Iacob. v but let your cōmunicacion be yea, yea, nay, nay. If they at onye tyme sweare, lette them fyrste of all be admonysshed of theyr faute, and tolde how great an offēce it is before God wyckedly and vaynely to sweare. If they wyll not so amende, let the parentes ponyshe them sharpely. Better were it, that theyr bodyes in thys worlde shulde suffer a lytyll payne, than after this lyfe to haue bothe theyr bodyes and [Page] soules caste into hell fyre. If all fa­thers and mothers wyl thus diligētly watche vpon theyr chyldrē, it shal cause them not only not to be defy­led wythe the moost greuous synne of swearing, but also that the moost holy name of GOD shall be had in hygh reuerence, great estimacion & perpetuall honoure for euer after so longe as they lyue. But aboue all thynges lette the parentes them sel­ues be an ensample in thys behalfe vnto theyr chyldren, and shew euer­more such reuerence vnto the name of God, that the yonglynges maye well perceaue, that it is no vayne thyng, that they are taught.

Let all masters and mastresses & so many as haue seruauntes vnder theyr dominion,Masters & mastresses prouyde that by no meanes they suffer theyr seruaūtes at ony tyme to swear nether by god nor by ony of his creatures. Let thē [Page xcii] shewe vnto them what a great daū ­ger it is,Eccle. xxii. and howe that the vēgeaūs of God shall not departe from those houses, where swearers are, nether can there ony thyng prosper, but all thynges must nedes go to hauocke. Let them also teache them to haue the name of God in so great honour & reuerence, that it neuer be named among them but honorably and re­uerently. Let them at the least put of theyr cappes so ofte as they name God, Christ, or ony part of his moste precious bodye. If ony of theyr ser­uauntes wyll not leaue theyr swea­rynge, and learne to haue the name of God in honoure, than let them be put out of theyr houses, vnlesse they bryng the vengeaunce of God vpon so many as are in theyr company.

For as the godlynesse of one man is many tymes thoccasiō,Nota. that God is marciful to many, so is the wycked­nes [Page] of one man oftentymes y^• cause y^• many are ponyshed. Therfore it is not ynoughe that the masters & the mastresses of the house be vertuous and godly, excepte the seruaūtes be so lykewyse. It becommeth a master to haue Seruauntes lyke vnto hys owne manners, vnlesse his goodnes profyteth not so moche in the ryght institucion of hys family, as y^• wyc­kednes of the other destroyeth. It is well, whan one plantethe & another waterethe, but it is euyll, whan one planteth and another plucketh vp. Myne eyes are vnto the faythful of the earthe, that they maye dwell w^t me,Psal. [...] What seruauntes christē mē oughte to [...]au [...] sayth Dauid, and who so ledeth a godly lyfe shall be my seruaunte.

There shall no disceatfull parsonne dwell in my house, he that telleth lyes shall not tary in my syght.

Wolde God all masters were of this mynde.

[Page xciii] Let all mē of occupaciō abstayne from swearyng in theyr byinge and sellynge.Men of oc­cupacion For it is a shame, that the mā of God shulde be estemed among Christen men of so small pryce, that for the valoure of a lytyll temporall auauntage and worldely lucre, men shulde abuse it and vaynely take it. Wo be to that man, whyche for hys owne priuate lucre dothe blaspheme the name of God, or ony of hys crea­tures. There oughte to be so great sincerite and fayth among Christen men, that there shulde nede no othes in theyr bargaynes and worldly bu­sinesses. A Christen mannes worde oughte to be better and surer than ony obligaciō. God graunt that we maye once se thys come to passe in Englonde.

Let them that sweare,Swearers of custome because it is the custome so to do, leaue theyr swearyng, and no more followe the [Page] wycked custome, but the truethe of Gods worde, whiche saythe, sweare not at all.Math. v. Let your communicaciō be yea, yea, naye, naye.

Lette them that glory & reioyse so muche in theyr swearyng,Swearers for pryde. that they wyll take vpon them to mayntayne it by y^• scripture, abstayne frō theyr idle oothes, and wreaste no more the holy scripture, vnlesse they folowing the manners of Satā, receaue a re­warde worthy theyr wyckednesse.Math. iiii

Let them that saye, though they sweare,Swearers meanynge no euyll. yet we thyncke no harme,Math. [...]iii le­aue theyr swearyng and remember that they shall gyue accoūtes at the dredeful daye of iudgement for eue­ry idle word that they haue spoken,Swearers y^• they may be beleued. so that they shall not escape vnponi­shed for theyr idle oothes.

Let them that saye, fewe or none wyll beleue vs, except we sweare, ra­ther meddle wyth fewe or none, thā [Page xciiii] they shuld transgresse the commaū ­dement of God, & bryng damnacion vpon theyr owne heades.

To conclude, let all oothes be ta­ken away from the myndes of Chri­sten menne, excepte they be taken for those causes, whiche I haue expres­sed before. If we wyll thꝰ do, we shal easely exchewe the moost detestable vice of periury, and frendely lyue togyther in all truethe, sincerite and fayth, as it become the saynctes, & so many as professe Christ. For he that wyll not sweare, wyll not lyghtelye falsely sweare, and be forsworne.

And that we maye be the more encouraged to forsake all vayne & idle oothes,The conclusion of the booke let vs remember, that God, which is y^e euerlastyng truthe, hath promised, that he wyll glorify them, whiche honoure hym and haue hys name in reuerence: Agen, that they shall come vnto dishonour & a shamefull [Page] ende, that despyse hym and blas­pheme hys moost holye name. Nowe if we wyll that God glorify vs,God to glorify vs what it is that is to saye, be our good Lord, defend preserue, kepe & gouerne vs, blysse vs, lyghten hys gracious coūtenās vpon vs, sende vs all thynges neces­sary for our lyuynge in this present worlde, and after thys lyfe gyue vs eternall glory: than is it conuenient that we do not abuse y^• name of god by our vayne & vnrighteous othes, but alwayes laude, prayse, cōmend, magnify & blysse it, caull vpon it, fly vnto it as vnto an holye anchore in all our aduersite, and neuer to haue in our mouthes,What euylles shall chaunse vn­to vs, if we vaynly swere? but wythe hygh re­uerence and great honour. If we do the contrary, y^t is to saye, blaspheme hys moost holy name, than shall we vndoubtedly come vnto dishonoure & a shamefull ende. In thys worlde the plage and vēgeaūce of God shall [Page xcv] not go awaye from oure houses, we shal be stryken wyth many greuous diseases in our bodyes, oure goodes and cattell, yea and all that euer we haue shal come to noght, our kynde of lyuyng shall be despysed wyth all good men, our death shall be payne­full, miserable and wretched, & after these so great and manifold plages, we maye be sure for our wycked sweryng to be cast into hell fyre, where the flames of it shall ne [...]er be quen­ched, where wepyng and gnashyng of tethe shall be,Esa. l [...]vi. where the worme y^t shall gnawe oure consciences shall neuer dye.Math. xxiii

Therfore I beseche al Christen mē by the tender marcyes of God and by the moost precious bloud of oure sauiour Iesus Christ, wherby alon [...] we are redemed, made pure, and deliuered from al our synnes, that they from hensforth leaue theyr abhomi­nable [Page] swearyng ether by God or by ony of hys creatures. Let them ne­uer take God to wytnes, excepte it be in a necessarye and earneste matter, I meane suche a matter as ma­keth vnto the glorye of God. Let theyr cōmunicacion be yea, yea, nay naye. Let so great syncerite, truthe, and faythe reygne among thē, that one maye beleue another wythoute an oothe, euen by a worde. Let thē haue God in suche reuerēce and ho­noure, and so order theyr tonges in thys worlde, vnto the glory of God, that after this lyfe thorowe the mercy of God they maye be found wor­thy to be in the nomber of those blis­sed spirites, which without ceasyng syng perpetual prayses to the moste holy name of God on thys manner: Great and maruelous are thy wor­kes,Apoca. xv. O Lorde God almyghty,Apoca. iiii. rygh­teous & true are thy wayes, o kynge [Page xcvi] of saynctes. Who shall not feare the, O Lorde, and magnifye thy name? For thou arte worthy, O Lorde, to take the glory and honour, & power, for thou haste made al thynges, and for thy wyll they are and were made.Apoca. v. To him that sytteth in the throne, and to the lambe, be blyssynge, and honour, and glory & power worldes w^t ­out end.

¶Saye not but that ye are warned. ¶Gyue the glory to God alone.