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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 chapman's money into his own pocket.

Atten. All these causes of swearing, so far as I can perceive, flow from the same root as do the oaths themselves, even from a hardened and desperate heart. But pray shew me now how wicked cursing is to be distin guished from this kind of swearing.

Wise. Swearing, as I said, hath immediately to do with the name of God, and it calls upon him to be witness of 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 But however, or by whatever they swear, cursing is distinguished from swearing thus.

Of cursing

To curse, to curse profanely, it is to sentence another or ourself, for, or to evil; or to wish that some evil might happen to the person or thing under

what it is.

the curse, unjustly,

1. 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."

"And

This David calls a grievous curse. 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."

But what was this curse? Why, 1. It was a wrong sentence passed upon David: Shimei called him bloody man, man of Belial, when he was not. 2. He sentenced him to the evil that already 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 profane ones of our times, who in their rage and en vy, have little else in their mouths but a sen tence 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 itself 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, 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 befal another or ourselves: and this kind of cursing young Badman accustomed himself

unto.

1. He would wish that evil might befal others; he would wish their Badman's way necks broken, or that their

of cursing.

brains were out, or that the pox, or the 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 the devil might fetch me, if it be not so, or the like. We count the Dam-me blades to be great swearers, but when in their hellish fury they say, God damn 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 them 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

Badman would curse

his father, &c.

more frequent in his mouth, and that upon the least provoca→ Yea, he was

tion.

so versed in such kind of language, that neither father nor mother, nor brother, nor sister, nor servant, no nor the very cattle that his father had, could escape these curses of his. I say, that even the brute beasts when he drove them, or rid upon them, if they pleased not his humour, they must be sure to partake of his curse. He would wish thir 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, would not stick to wish evil to the silly beasts 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, r. Envy, 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 dishonour that it bringeth to God is this. It taketh away from him his authority, in whose power it is only, 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 God's image, and to curse wickedly the image of God, is to curse God himself. Therefore as when men wickedly swear, they rend and tear God's 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 king's picture were burned: would not this man's so saying ren-, der him as an enemy to the person of the king? Even so it is with them that, by cursing, wish

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