鍋

SERMON XVIII

PREACH'D

October the 26th 1690.

JAMES V. 12.

Above all Things, my Brethren, Swear not.

Y

OU may remember the Argument I am engaged in, and confequently may know, beforehand, what fort of Difcourfe you are to expect at this Time; that is to fay, a hearty Diffuafive from that Practice which is too much in Use among all forts of Perfons, and may juftly be accounted one of the reigning Sins of the Nation; I mean the Practice of Swearing and Curfing in our Discourse.

I believe I faid enough in my last Difcourfe, to convince any ferious Man, both of the great Sinfulness of this Practice, and of the evil Confequences that do at

393

tend it, which were the two Heads I then proceeded upon.

I now come to lay before you fome other Confiderations, which, if they be added to what I have before represented upon this Point, cannot but weigh fo far with all Men that ever reflect upon their own Actions, as to fet them perfectly against this Practice; fince it will appear to be, upon all Accounts whatsoever, fo infinitely unreasonable and inexcufable. I am fenfible those who are not used to this Practice, will think that I have already faid enough against it; but I defire them to remember, that I do not preach to those that are Innocent, but to thofe that are Guilty of this Fault; and for the rescuing of fuch from fo deteftable a Custom, all that can be faid is little enough.

I defire, therefore, in the third Place, those that are apt to Swear or Curse in their common Difcourfe, would be pleased to confider, not only that it is a grievous Sin, and brings many evil Confequences upon Mankind, as I fhewed the laft Time, but also that it is contrary to all good Manners and good Breeding. This will, perhaps be very furprizing to a great many: For, it is probable, feveral of the better Sort among us, that are given to this Vice, did, for this Reafon, take up the Cuftom; Because they thought it the best Breeding, fince the Gentlemen and

the

the Perfons of Quality they faw did fo
much use it; and from whom, but from
them, fhould they take their Measures in
thefe Matters? and as for the better Sort,
that have really had a liberal Education,
fure they should know good Breeding bet-
ter than that fort of Men,
it is to be precife and formal,

others to be fo.

whofe Bread

and to teach

Why be it fo. But then, I pray, be pleased to confider what is that which we call good Manners, or good Breeding. If there be any fixed Notion of it amongst Mankind, it must be this; to have an eafy, inoffenfive, obliging Way of Address and Behaviour, to be more courteous and civil upon all Occafions in Conversation, than the ruftick, untutor'd Part of Mankind can be fuppofed to be. This, I say, muft certainly be the Notion of good Breeding, and good Manners; because the contrary to it is always accounted ill Breeding, and ill Manners; that is to fay, all forts of fcurrilous, rude, unbecoming Treatment of any one. When we fay, that any Man fhews ill Breeding, or doth an ungenteel Thing, we mean no more than this, that he doth not behave himfelf with that Civility or Decency towards others in that Matter, that a well-bred Man ought to do.

I pray now apply this Notion of good Breeding, to the Thing we have before us.

I

1

I hope, as mad as the World is, there is a very great Number of Men that have a hearty Senfe of God and Religion upon their Minds, and would be ready to fhew it upon all Occafions, even with the Lofs of all that they have. The Honour of God is as dear to them as their own: And fo great a Refpect they have to his Laws, that it is a real Trouble to them to fee any Affront or Violation done to them in their Prefence. Why, now, muft it not be wonderfully grievous and uneafy to all this kind of Men, to hear, at any Time, the Name of God blafphemed? To fee the most facred Laws of our Saviour defpifed and trampled upon, to have Oaths and Curfes founding in their Ears upon all Occafions, and without any Provocation? Certainly it must be thus: A Man that is truly religious, can no more avoid the being concerned, and wounded, and filled with deep Refentments, when God's holy Name is abused, and profaned, than he can avoid it when he hears himself traduced, and his Parents, and Family, unjuftly railed upon. Nay, and even thofe that are not fincerely religious, but only would be thought to be fo, even these, though, I fay, they are not inwardly concerned at these Practices, yet they muft appear as if they were fo, whenever they hear the Name of God profaned: Otherwise they do not maintain the

Perfo

Person and Character they design to go under.

Thefe Things now being fo, where is the good Manners, or the good Breeding, of Swearing in Converfation, provided there be but any one in the Company that have either any Senfe of Religion, or but pretends to have any? Why, it is fo far from that, that every Oath, every Curfe, every Thing that is vented in Contempt of God, or of Religion, is really an Affront and Indignity put upon those you converfe with; and you use them every whit as barbaroufly, when you treat them in this Manner, as if you fhould fpit in their Faces at every Time you would answer a Question; or give them the Lye at every Thing they would Affirm. I grant, indeed, that Swearing and Curfing is no Ill-breeding, among thofe that have banished all Senfe of God and Religion from their Minds; because there is, in that Cafe, no Affront, no Rudeness offered to thofe you converse with, but only to God Almighty, who in that Company, is not fuppofed to be prefent.

I pray then, let it be used only in such Company: For if there be but one fober virtuous Man 'prefent, he is as ungenteely dealt with, as if you had offer'd him a downright Affront. Either, therefore, Men muft forbear Swearing, except

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