XV.

Every sin, saith St. Chrysostom, hath not the SERM. same punishment; but those things which may easily be reformed do bring on us greater punishments: and what can be more easy than to reform this fault? Tell me, saith he, what difficulty, what sweat, what art, what hazard, what more doth it require, beside a little care, to abstain wholly from it? It is but willing, or resolving on it, and it is instantly done: for there is not any natural inclination disposing to it, any strong appetite to detain us under its power.

It gratifieth no sense, it yieldeth no profit, it procureth no honour; for the sound of it is not very melodious, and no man surely did ever get an estate by it, or was preferred to dignity for it. It rather to any good ear maketh a horrid and jarring noise; it rather with the best part of the world produceth displeasure, damage, and disgrace. What therefore beside monstrous vanity, and unaccountable perverseness, should hold men so devoted thereto ?

Surely of all dealers in sin the swearer is palpably the silliest, and maketh the worst bargains for himself; for he sinneth gratis, and, like those in the Prophet, selleth his soul for nothing. An epicure Isa. lii. 3. hath some reason to allege, an extortioner is a man of wisdom, and acteth prudently in comparison to him; for they enjoy some pleasure, or acquire some gain here, in lieu of their salvation hereafter: but this fondling offendeth Heaven, and abandoneth happiness, he knoweth not why or for what. He hath

* Οὐ γὰρ δὴ πᾶν ἁμάρτημα τὴν αὐτὴν φέρει κόλασιν· ἀλλὰ τὰ εὐκατόρθωτα μείζονα ἡμῖν ἐπάγει τὴν τιμωρίαν. Chrys. Ανδρ. ι'. p. 531. ποίαν δυσκολίαν, &c. Chrys. 'Ανδρ. ιθ'. p. 594. ε'. p. 499.

d.

· Είπε

. p. 489.

μοι

XV.

SERM. not so much as the common plea of human infirmity to excuse him; he can hardly say that he was tempted thereto by any bait".

A fantastic humour possesseth him of spurning at piety and soberness; he inconsiderately followeth a herd of wild fops; he affecteth to play the ape. What more than this can he say for himself?

XIV. Finally, let us consider, that as we ourselves, with all our members and powers, were chiefly designed and framed to glorify our Maker; (the which to do is indeed the greatest perfection and noblest privilege of our nature;) so our tongue and speaking faculty were given to us to declare our admiration and reverence of him, to exhibit our due love and gratitude toward him, to profess our trust and confidence in him, to celebrate his praises, to avow his benefits, to address our supplications to him, to maintain all kinds of devotional intercourse with him, to propagate our knowledge, fear, love, and obedience to him, in all such ways to promote his honour and service. This is the most proper, worthy, and due use of our tongue, for which it was created, to which it is dedicated, from whence it becometh, as it is so Ps. xvi. 9. often styled, our glory, and the best member that lvii. 8.cviii. We have; that whereby we excel all creatures here below, and whereby we are no less discriminated from them than by our reason; that whereby we consort with the blessed angels above in the dis

XXX. 12.

I.

" Οὗτος δὲ, οὐδεμιᾶς ἀνάγκης αὐτὸν βιαζομένης, ὑπὸ ἀνοίας μόνης εἰς τὸ βά ραθρον καταπίπτει τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Chrys. 'Ανδρ. ι. p. 531. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὗτοί τινα πρόφασιν ἔχουσι προβουλέσθαι, ἀλλὰ καταφρόνησιν μόνον. Ibid.

* Hoc enim uno præstamus vel maxime feris, quod colloquimur inter nos, et quod exprimere dicendo sensa possumus. Cic. de Orat. i.

XV.

538.

tinct utterance of praise, and communication of SERM. glory to our Creator. Wherefore applying this to any impious discourse, with this to profane God's blessed name, with this to violate his holy commands, with this to unhallow his sacred ordinance, with this to offer dishonour and indignity to him, is a most unnatural abuse, an horrid ingratitude toward him. It is that indeed whereby we render this noble organ incapable of any good use. For how (as the s excellent father doth often urge) can we pray to Chrys Ανδρ. ιδ'. ρ. God for mercies, or praise God for his benefits, or 559. a. p. heartily confess our sins, or cheerfully partake of the holy mysteries, with a mouth defiled by impious oaths, with a heart guilty of so heinous disobedience? Likewise, whereas a secondary, very worthy use of our speech is, to promote the good of our neighbour, and especially to edify him in piety, according to that wholesome precept of the apostle, Let no Eph. iv. 29. corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers; the practice of swearing is an abuse very contrary to that good purpose, serving to corrupt our neighbour, and to instil into him a contempt of religion; or, however, grievously to scandalize him.

One is,

XV. I shall add but two words more. that we would seriously consider, that our blessed Saviour, who loved us so dearly, who did and suffered so much for us, who redeemed us by his blood, who said unto us, If ye love me, keep my command- Joh.xiv.15. ments, he thus positively hath enjoined, But I say Matt.v.34. unto you, Swear not at all: and how then can we find in our heart directly to thwart his word?

The other is, that we would lay to heart the rea

SERM. son whereby St. James doth enforce the point, and XV. the sting in the close of our text, wherewith I con

σιν πίσητε.

clude; But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be

yea, and

nóng your nay nay, lest ye fall into condemnation, or, lest ye fall under damnation. From the which infinite mischief, and from all sin that may cause it, God in mercy deliver us through our blessed Redeemer Jesus, to whom for ever be all glory and praise.

SERMON XVI.

OF EVIL-SPEAKING IN GENERAL.

TITUS iii. 2.

-To speak evil of no man.

THESE words do imply a double duty; one in- SERM. cumbent on teachers, another on the people who are XVI. to be instructed by them.

It is St.

Ὑπομίμνης

σκε αὐτούς.

The teacher's duty appeareth from reflecting on the words of the context, which govern these, and make them up an entire sentence; Put them in Ti mind, or, rub up their memory to do thus. Paul's injunction to Titus, a bishop and pastor of the church, that he should admonish the people committed to his care and instruction, as of other great duties, (of yielding obedience to magistrates, of behaving themselves peaceably, of practising meekness and equity toward all men, of being readily disposed to every good work,) so particularly of this, μndéva Bλaopnμeïv, to revile, or speak evil of no man.

Whence it is apparent, that this is one of the principal duties that preachers are obliged to mind people of, and to press upon them. And if this were needful then, when charity, kindled by such instructions and examples, was so lively; when Christians, by their sufferings, were so inured to meekness and patience; even every one, for the honour of his religion, and the safety of his person,