Atten.  I perceive, by the Prophet, that a man may sin in swearing to a Truth: They therefore must needs most horribly sin, that swear to confirm their Jests and Lies; and as they think, the better to beautifie their foolish talking.

Wise.  They sin with an high hand; for they presume to imagine, ⁴⁸ that God is as wicked as themselves, to wit, that he is an Avoucher of Lies to be true.  For, as I said before, to swear, is to call God to witness; and to swear to a Lie, is to call God himself, to witness that that Lie is true.  This therefore must needs offend; for it puts the highest affront upon the Holiness and Righteousness of God, therefore his wrath must sweep them away.  This kind of Swearing is put in with lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing Adultery; and therefore must not go unpunished: ⁴⁹ For if God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain, which a man may doe when he swears to a truth, (as I have shewed before,) how can it be imagined, that he should hold such guiltless, who, by Swearing, will appeal to God, if Lies be not true, or that swear out of their frantick and Bedlam madness.  It would grieve and provoke a sober man to wrath, if one should swear to a notorious lye, and avouch that that man would attest it for a truth; and yet thus do men deal with the holy God: They tell their Jestings, Tales and Lies, and then swear by God that they are true.  Now this kind of Swearing was as common with young Badman, as it was to eat when he was an hungred, or to go to bed when it was night.

Atten.  I have often mused in my mind, what it should be that should make men so common in the use of the sin of Swearing, since those that be wise, will believe them never the sooner for that.

Wise.  It cannot be any thing that is good, you may be sure; because the thing it self is abominable: ⁵⁰ 1.  Therefore it must be from the promptings of the spirit of the Devil within them.  2.  Also it flows sometimes from hellish Rage, when the tongue hath set on fire of Hell even the whole course of nature. ⁵¹ 3.  But commonly Swearing flows from that daring Boldness that biddeth defiance to the Law that forbids it.  4.  Swearers think also that by their belching of their blasphemous Oaths out of their black and polluted mouths, they shew themselves the more valiant men: 5.  And imagine also, that by these outrageous kind of villianies, they shall conquer those that at such a time they have to do with, and make them believe their lyes to be true.  6.  They also swear frequently to get Gain thereby, and when they meet with fools, they overcome them this way.  But if I might give advice in this matter, no Buyer should lay out one farthing with him that is a common Swearer in his Calling; especially with such an Oath-master that endeavoureth to swear away his commodity to another, and that would swear his Chapmans money into his own pocket.

Atten.  All these causes of Swearing, so far as I can perceive, flow from the same Root as doe the Oaths themselves, even from a hardened and desperate heart.  But pray shew me now how wicked cursing is to be distinguished from this kind of swearing.

Wise.  ⁵² Swearing, as I said, hath immediately to do with the Name of God, and it calls upon him to be witness to the truth of what is said: That is, if they that swear, swear by him.  Some indeed swear by Idols, as by the Mass, by our Lady, by Saints, Beasts, Birds, and other creatures; but the usual way of our profane ones in England, is to swear by God, Christ, Faith, and the like: But however, or by whatever they swear, Cursing is distinguished from Swearing thus.

To ⁵³ Curse, to Curse profanely, it is to sentence another or our self, for, or to evil: or to wish that some evil might happen to the person or thing under the Curse, unjustly.

It is to sentence for, or to evil, (that is, without a cause): Thus Shimei cursed David: He sentenced him for and to evil unjustly, when he said to him, Come out, come out thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial.  The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and behold thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. ⁵⁴

This David calls a grievous Curse.  And behold, saith he to Solomon his Son, thou hast with thee Shimei a Benjamite, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. ⁵⁵

But what was this Curse?  Why, First, It was a wrong sentence past upon David; Shimei called him Bloody man, man of Belial, when he was not.  Secondly, He sentenced him to the evil that at present was upon him, for being a bloody man, (that is, against the house of Saul,) when that present evil overtook David, for quite another thing.

And we may thus apply it to the ⁵⁶ profane ones of our times who in their rage and envy, have little else in their mouths but a sentence against their Neighbour for, and to evil unjustly.  How common is it with many, when they are but a little offended with one, to cry, Hang him, Damn him, Rogue!  This is both a sentencing of him for, and to evil, and is in it self a grievous Curse.

2.  The other kind of Cursing, is to wish that some evil might happen to, and overtake this or that person or thing: And this kind of Cursing, Job counted a grievous sin.  I have not suffered (says he) my mouth to sin, ⁵⁷ by wishing a curse to his soul; or consequently, to Body or Estate.  This then is a wicked cursing, to wish that evil might either befall another or our selves: And this kind of cursing young Badman accustomed himself unto.

1.  He ⁵⁸ would wish that evil might befall others; he would wish their Necks broken, or that their Brains were out, or that the Pox, or Plague was upon them, and the like: All which is a devilish kind of cursing, and is become one of the common sins of our age.

2.  He would also as often wish a Curse to himself, saying, Would I might be hanged, or burned, or that the Devil might fetch me, if it be not so, or the like.  We count the ⁵⁹ Damme Blades to be great Swearers; but when in their hellish fury they say, God-damme me, God perish me, or the like, they rather curse than swear; yea, curse themselves, and that with a Wish that Damnation might light upon themselves; which wish and Curse of theirs, in a little time, they will see accomplished upon them, even in Hell-fire, if they repent not of their sins.

Atten.  But did this young Badman accustom himself to such filthy kind of language?

Wise.  I think I may say, that nothing was more frequent in his mouth, and that upon the least provocation.  Yea he was so versed in such kind of language, that neither ⁶⁰ Father, nor Mother, nor Brother, nor Sister, nor Servant, no nor the very Cattel that his Father had, could escape these Curses of his.  I say, that even the bruit Beasts when he drove them, or rid upon them, if they pleased not his humour, they must be sure to partake of his curse.  ⁶¹ He would wish their Necks broke, their Legs broke, their Guts out, or that the Devil might fetch them, or the like: and no marvel, for he that is so hardy to wish damnation, or other bad curses to himself, or dearest relations; will not stick to wish evil to the silly Beast, in his madness.

Atten.  Well, I see still that this Badman was a desperate villain.  But pray, Sir, since you have gone thus far, now shew me whence this evil of cursing ariseth, and also what dishonour it bringeth to God; for I easily discern that it doth bring damnation to the soul.

Wise.  This evil of Cursing ariseth, in general, from the desperate wickedness of the heart, but particularly from, ^{62 63} 1.  Envie, which is, as I apprehend, the leading sin to Witchcraft.  2.  It also ariseth from Pride which was the sin of the fallen Angels; 3.  It ariseth too from Scorn and contempt of others: 4.  But for a man to curse himself, must needs arise from desperate Madness.

The ⁶⁴ dishonour that it bringeth to God, is this.  It taketh away from him his Authority, in whose power it is onely, to Bless and Curse; not to Curse wickedly, as Mr. Badman, but justly, and righteously, giving by his Curse to those that are wicked, the due Reward of their deeds.

Besides, these wicked men, in their wicked cursing of their Neighbour, &c. do even Curse God himself in his handy work.  Man is Gods Image, and to curse wickedly the Image of God, is to curse God himself. ⁶⁵  Therefore as when men wickedly swear, they rend, and tare Gods Name, and make him, as much as in them lies, the avoucher and approver of all their wickedness; so he that curseth and condemneth in this sort his Neighbour, or that wisheth him evil, curseth, condemneth, and wisheth evil to the Image of God, and consequently judgeth and condemneth God himself.

Suppose that a man should say with his mouth, I wish that the Kings Picture was burned; would not this mans so saying, render him as an Enemy to the Person of the King?  Even so it is with them that, by cursing, wish evil to their neighbour, or to themselves, they contemn the Image, even the Image of God himself.

Atten.  But do you think that the men that do thus, do think that they do so vilely, so abominably?

Wise.  The question is not what men do believe concerning their sin, but what Gods Word says of it: If Gods Word says that Swearing and Cursing are sins, though men should count them for Vertues, their reward will be a reward for sin, to wit, the damnation of the soul.

To ⁶⁶ curse another, and to swear vainly and falsly, are sins against the Light of Nature.

1.  To Curse is so, because, whoso curseth another, knows, that at the same time he would not be so served himself.

2.  To Swear also, is a sin against the same Law: for Nature will tell me, that I should not lie, and therefore much less Swear to confirm it.  Yea, the Heathens have looked upon Swearing to be a solemn Ordinance of God, and therefore not to be lightly or vainly used by men, though to confirm a matter of truth. ⁶⁷

Atten.  But I wonder, since Curseing and Swearing are such evils in the eyes of God, that he doth not make some Examples to others, for their committing such wickedness.

☛ Wise.  Alas! so he has, a thousand times twice told, as may be easily gathered by any observing people in every Age and Countrey.  I could present you with several my self; but waving the abundance that might be mentioned, I will here present you with ⁶⁸ two; One was that dreadful Judgment of God upon one N. P. at Wimbleton in Surrey; who, after a horrible fit of Swearing at, and Cursing of some persons that did not please him, suddenly fell sick, and in little time died raving, cursing and swearing.

But above all take that dreadful Story of Dorothy Mately an Inhabitant of As[h]over in the County of Darby.

☛ This Dorothy Mately, saith the Relator, was noted by the people of the Town to be a great Swearer, and Curser, and Lier, and Thief; (just like Mr. Badman.)  And the labour that she did usually follow, was to wash the Rubbish that came forth of the Lead Mines, and there to get sparks of Lead-Ore; and her usual way of asserting of things, was with these kind of Imprecations: I would I might sink into the earth if it be not so, or I would God would make the earth open and swallow me up.  Now upon the 23. of March, 1660. this Dorothy was washing of Ore upon the top of a steep Hill, about a quarter of a mile from Ashover, and was there taxed by a Lad for taking of two single Pence out of his Pocket, (for he had laid his Breeches by, and was at work in his Drawers;) but she violently denyed it, wishing, That the ground might swallow her up if she had them: She also used the same wicked words on several other occasions that day.

Now one George Hodgkinson of Ashover, a man of good report there, came accidentally by where this Dorothy was, and stood still a while to talk with her, as she was washing her Ore; there stood also a little Child by her Tub-side, and another a distance from her, calling aloud to her to come away; wherefore the said George took the Girle by the hand to lead her away to her that called her: But behold, they had not gone above ten yards from Dorothy, but they heard her crying out for help; so looking back, he saw the Woman, and her Tub, and Sive, twirling round, and sinking into the ground.  Then said the man, Pray to God to pardon thy sin, for thou art never like to be seen alive any longer.  So she and her Tub twirled round, and round, till they sunk about three yards into the Earth, and then for a while staid.  Then she called for help again, thinking, as she said, that she should stay there.  Now the man though greatly amazed, did begin to think which way to help her, but immediately a great stone which appeared in the Earth, fell upon her head, and brake her Skull, and then the Earth fell in upon her and covered her.  She was afterwards digged up, and found about four yards within ground, with the Boys two single Pence in her pocket, but her Tub and Sive could not be found.

☛ Atten.  You bring to my mind a sad story, the which I will relate unto you.  The thing is this; About a bow-shoot from where I once dwelt, there was a blind Ale-house, and the man that kept it had a Son whose name was Edward.  This Edward was, as it were, an half-fool, both in his words, and manner of behaviour.  To this blind Ale-house certain jovial companions would once or twice a week come, and this Ned, (for so they called him) his Father would entertain his guests withall; to wit, by calling for him to make them sport by his foolish words and gestures.  So when these boon blades came to this mans house, the Father would call for Ned: Ned therefore would come forth; and the villain was devilishly addicted to cursing, yea to cursing his Father and Mother, and any one else that did cross him.  And because (though he was an half-fool) he saw that his practice was pleasing, he would do it with the more audaciousness.

Well, when these brave fellows did come at their times to this Tippling-house (as they call it) to fuddle and make merry, then must Ned be called out; and because his Father was best acquainted with Ned, and best knew how to provoke him, therefore He would usually ask him such questions, or command him such business, as would be sure to provoke him indeed.  Then would he (after his foolish manner) Curse his Father most bitterly; at which the old man would laugh, (and so would the rest of the guests, as at that which pleased them best) still continuing to ask, that Ned still might be provoked to curse, that they might still be provoked to laugh.  This was the mirth with which the old man did use to entertain his guests.

The curses wherewith this Ned did use to curse his father, and at which the old man would laugh, were these, and such like: The Devil take you; The Devil fetch you: He would also wish him Plagues and Destructions many.  Well, so it came to pass, through the righteous Judgement of God, that Neds Wishes and Curses were in a little time fuelled upon his Father; for not many months passed between them after this manner, but the Devil did indeed take him, possess him, and also in few days carried him out of this world by death; I say, Satan did take him and possess him: I mean, so it was judged by those that knew him, and had to do with him in that his lamentable condition.  He could feel him like a live thing goe up and down in his body, but when tormenting time was come (as he had often tormenting fits) then he would lye like an hard bump in the soft place of his chest, (I mean, I saw it so,) and so would rent and tare him, and make him roar till he died away.

I told you before, that I was an ear and eye witness of what I here say; and so I was.  I have heard Ned in his Roguery, cursing his Father, and his Father laughing thereat most heartily; still provoking of Ned to curse, that his mirth might be encreased.  I saw his Father also, when he was possessed, I saw him in one of his fits, and saw his flesh (as ’twas thought) by the Devil, gathered up on an heap, about the bigness of half in Egge; to the unutterable torture and afflict[i]on of the old man.  There was also one Freeman, (who was more than an ordinary Doctor) sent for, to cast out this Devil; and I was there when he attempted to do it.  The manner whereof was this.  They had the possessed into an out-room, and laid him on his belly upon a Form, with his head hanging over the Forms end; then they bound him down thereto: which done, they set a pan of Coals under his mouth, and put something therein which made a great smoak; by this means (as ’twas said) to fetch out the Devil.  There therefore they kept the man till he was almost smothered in the smoak, but no Devil came out of him; at which Freeman was somewhat abashed, the man greatly afflicted, and I made to go away wondering and fearing.  In a little time therefore that which possessed the man, carried him out of the World, according to the cursed Wishes of his Son.  And this was the end of this hellish mirth.

Wise.  These were all sad Judgements.

Atten.  These were dreadful Judgments indeed.