Part 4 (1/2)

To {34b} 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 s.h.i.+mei cursed David: He sentenced him for and to evil unjustly, when he said to him, Come out, come out thou b.l.o.o.d.y 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 b.l.o.o.d.y man. {34c}

This David calls a grievous Curse. And behold, saith he to Solomon his Son, thou hast with thee s.h.i.+mei a Benjamite, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. {34d}

But what was this Curse? Why, First, It was a wrong sentence past upon David; s.h.i.+mei called him b.l.o.o.d.y man, man of Belial, when he was not.

Secondly, He sentenced him to the evil that at present was upon him, for being a b.l.o.o.d.y 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 {34e} 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, d.a.m.n 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, {35a} by wis.h.i.+ng 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 {35b} 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 {35c} Damme Blades to be great Swearers; but when in their h.e.l.lish fury they say, G.o.d-damme me, G.o.d perish me, or the like, they rather curse than swear; yea, curse themselves, and that with a Wish that d.a.m.nation might light upon themselves; which wish and Curse of theirs, in a little time, they will see accomplished upon them, even in h.e.l.l-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 {35d} 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. {35e} 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 d.a.m.nation, 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 G.o.d; for I easily discern that it doth bring d.a.m.nation to the soul.

Wise. This evil of Cursing ariseth, in general, from the desperate wickedness of the heart, but particularly from, {36a} {36b} 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 {36c} dishonour that it bringeth to G.o.d, 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 G.o.d himself in his handy work. Man is G.o.ds Image, and to curse wickedly the Image of G.o.d, is to curse G.o.d himself. {36d} Therefore as when men wickedly swear, they rend, and tare G.o.ds 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 G.o.d, and consequently judgeth and condemneth G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.ds Word says of it: If G.o.ds 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 d.a.m.nation of the soul.

To {37a} 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 G.o.d, and therefore not to be lightly or vainly used by men, though to confirm a matter of truth. {37b}

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

[Picture: Take note symbol] 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 {37c} two; One was that dreadful Judgment of G.o.d 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.