Amongst these, the first Allegation we are to remove, is this, That Swearing is indeed a Sin, but that (as Lot said of Zoar) (Gen. 19. 20) it is but a little one, for were it of the blacker Dye, in what a sad condition were mankind, since the number of Swearers is not inferior to that of Men.
Answer. But certainly he that seriously considers whom the least sin offends, and what it merits; how Infinite a Justice, Majesty, and Goodness, it provokes, and how intolerable and immortal a Punishment is due unto it, will easily concede, That to believe any Sin otherwise than comparatively little, is in it self an Error absolutely great; for the most dwarfish are to be called small, but in the sense that the Astronomers call the Earth a Point; for so indeed it is, compar’d to the Firmament; but in it self considered, ‘tis so vast, that the Spots and Shreds of it are both the Stage and the Subjects of the Ambition of Conquerors, and the Jars of Monarchs. And truly, since the least (unpardon’d) Sin is sufficient to damn us, methinks we should as little slight petty Faults, because there are fouler Crimes, as we do Pistols now there are Cannons used. But granting this Assertion to be true in the general, it will forfeit that Attribute in this Application; for this Sin is one of those that are expresly and by (Exod. 20. 7) name forbidden in the Ten Commandments; where it is not only listed among, but has the Precedency of Murther, Theft, and of Adultery; being the sole Commandment (save one) that has a Threat annexed to the Law; which in this passage is, For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. In which last words, the great Lawgiver foreseeing men would be very remiss in the prosecution of a Fault, in which their want of Zealous Piety makes them not to be concern’d, declares that he himself will take the Vindication of his Honour into his own hands, and inflict himself the Punishment of a Crime, that fears it but from Him. And then if those Trespasses be not severely dealt with, that are alone punishable by the Supreme Magistrate, let all consider what a fearful thing it is to fall (Heb. 10. 31) into the hands of the living God. Which brings into my mind a pretty Extravagancy that is reported of the Turkish Laws; which punish Blasphemy (as they call it) against Mahomet with inevitable Death, but enact no Penalty upon the like dishonour offer’d to God. Because Mahomet (say they) is not in a condition to vindicate himself; but God is ever able to revenge his own Affronts, and therefore they resign that care to Him. Who indeed many times has (in such cases) done it so soundly, and so much to the purpose, that those sawcy Wretches have had cause to think it as poor a Privilege to have their Oaths out of the cognizance of the Laws of men, as thieving Beggars do to be exempted from the danger of the Beadle and the Stocks, because their Crimes are reserved for the Gallows.
But to resume our Proofs of the Sinfulness of Swearing: Admit the Guilt of Single Oaths were no less venial than is pretended; yet certainly, when in most Swearers the frequency of swearing is so great, that one day may be guilty of more than a Thousand Oaths; (these Sins not growing single, as Apples or Cherries, but like Grapes by clusters; the Swearer’s Devil having a title to the name of the Gadarene (Mark 5. 9) Spirit, that, answering our Saviour, called himself Legion) their Multitude cannot but render them considerable: And he that remembers that a Thousand Holes may as well sink a Ship, as some great Leaks, will conclude Oaths to be extremely dangerous, at least for their Number, tho they were not so for their Heinousness. Nor are they only ruinous to the Persons that use them, but have a destructive Influence upon that State that suffers them. For whether or no what the Prophet related once of Judah, Because of swearing, the land mourneth, be not a fulfilled (Jer. 23. 10·) Prophecy of England, I wish it were rather Charity than Partiality to doubt. For tho the multitude and variety of our Sins be so great, that ‘tis a puzzling Task to determine to what particular Crimes our Calamities are due, yet certainly our Oaths are too considerable an accession to our sins, not to infuse a suitable proportion of Gall and Wormwood into that bitter Cup (of Affliction) these gasping Kingdoms drink so deeply of; and whatsoever feather’d, I am confident our Oaths have strangely pointed those fatal Arrows that destroy these Nations.
As for the supposal this Mistake is built on (the Involvedness of all men in the Guilt of Swearing) it is as weak as ‘tis uncharitable; for (besides that to allow no body an Innocence from swearing, is as much a Slander to mankind in its present condition, as it would be its Crime if the accusation were true) our Saviour gives us the World’s Example rather for a Caution, than for Imitation: Where he tells us, That the Way to Hell is a Road, and throng’d (Mat. 7. 13) with Numerous Travellers; but Heaven’s Path is narrow, and the Gate that inlets to those Mansions of Bliss, as unfrequented as ‘tis strait. Even Mahomet himself (in his discourse with the Jew Adia) having at the Last Day divided Mankind into Threescore Troops, makes but Three of them Believers, and all the rest Reprobates. But certainly he whose Command this is, Thou shalt not follow a multitude (Exod. 23. 2) to do evil, will hardly take the Practice of that Multitude for a just dispensation of the Law of that God, who having commanded us to live by Good Precepts, will scarce accept it for an Excuse, that we have err’d by Bad Examples. ‘Twould be a strange absurdity in Physick, because a Pestilence is more dispers’d and epidemical, to think it therefore the less dangerous; or to believe that the Multitude of stinking Carkasses can lessen the Noisomness of the Stench. But as in Pious Duties the general Concurrence contributes to the acceptation; so in Sins, the like Consent but hastens on Revenge: It being with the guilty Kingdoms as with leaking Boats, where the Number of the Passengers but makes them sink more nimbly. And accordingly we read, that the Universality of the Sodomites Beastliness was so far (Gen. 18. 32) from justifying each single sinner, that they were all consum’d with Fire from Heaven, for the sole want of Ten Righteous Persons. ‘Tis for them only that think it no misery to burn in Hell with others, to fancy it no sin to swear with Company: But for the rest of men, let them take this from me, that Sins whose seeming Pettiness makes them less formidable, do oftentimes prove the most dangerous; and he that dares esteem any Sin small, may soon be brought to think none great.
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