12. Thou accusest thyself as a person suspected of lying, and not to be believed; for among honest men a word is credible without an oath. Therefore if thou were but taken for an honest man, thy bare word would be believed. And by swearing, thou tellest all that hear thee, that thou supposest thyself to be taken for a person whose word is not to be believed. And what need hast thou to tell this so openly to others if it be so?
13. And by swearing thou declarest the suspicion to be true, and that indeed thou art not to be believed: so far art thou from making thy sayings more credible by it. For he that hath so little conscience and fear of God, as to swear profanely, can hardly be thought a person that makes any conscience of a lie. For it is the same God that is offended by the one as by the other. A swearer warranteth you to suspect him for a liar.
14. Both swearing and taking God's name in vain, are the greater sins, because you have no stronger a temptation to them. Commonly they bring no honour, but shame: they bring no sensual pleasure to the senses, as gluttony, and drunkenness, and uncleanness do; and usually they are committed without any profit to entice men to them. You get not the worth of a penny by your sin; so that it is hard to find what draweth you to it, or why you do it, unless it be to show God that you fear him not, and unless you intend to bid defiance to him, and do that which you think will offend him, in mere despite. So that one would think a very little grace might serve to cure such a fruitless sin: and therefore it is a sign of gracelessness.
15. How terribly dost thou draw God's vengeance upon thyself! Cursing thyself is a begging for vengeance: profane swearing is a profane, contemptuous appeal to the judgment of God. And darest thou, even in thy sins, appeal to the judgment of God? Dost thou fear it no more? To this judgment then thou shalt go! But thou will quickly have enough of it, and find what it was for stubble to appeal to the "consuming fire," Heb. xii. 29.
Direct. III. Remember God's presence, and keep his fear upon thy heart, and remember his judgment to which thou art hastening, and keep a tender conscience, and a watch upon thy tongue, and then thou wilt easily escape such a sin as this. Darest thou abuse God's name before his face?
Direct. IV. Write over thy doors or bed, where thou mayst oft read it, the third commandment, or some of those terrible passages of holy Scripture: Matt. v. 34-37, "I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven,—nor by the earth,—nor by thy head,—but let thy communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil." James v. 12, "Above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heavens, neither by the earth, nor any other oath; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation" (or hypocrisy, as Dr. Hammond thinks it should be read). Zech. v. 3, "Every one that sweareth shall be cut off." Jer. xxiii. 10, "Because of swearing the land mourneth." Hos. iv. 2. Think well on such texts as these.
Direct. V. Love God, and honour him as God, and thou canst not thus despise and abuse his name. Thou wilt reverence and honour the name of that person that thou lovest, and reverencest, and honourest. It is atheism and want of love to God, that makes thee so profane his name.
Direct. VI. Punish thyself after every such crime with such a voluntary mulct or penalty as may help to quicken thy observation and remembrance. If none execute the law upon thee, (which is twelve pence an oath,) lay more on thyself, and give it to the poor. Though you are not bound to do justice on yourselves, you may medicinally help to cure yourselves, by that which hath a rational aptitude thereto.