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deemer and Advocate, when thy conscience tells thee, that thou hast seldom remembered him, but in thy oaths to blaspheme him, and oftener named him in thy oaths and curses, than in thy prayers. Surely if I did swear faith and truth, this swearing made many sinful fools fall into hell headlong; and if Peter had not speedily repented, he had fallen into hell torments, where there is nothing but howling, gnashing of teeth, misery, and lamenting forever.
It is said, Lev. xix. 17. 'Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke him and not suffer sin upon him.' So Peter was rebuked of his conscience, it tells him that he had wickedly sinned, by denying his Lord and Master Jesus Christ: That is your gross ignorance of the scriptures, for the scriptures teach us to fear God; for God expressly forbids swearing, and that upon pain of dammation. James v. 12. 'My brethren, swear not; neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.' First, our Saviour Christ, in his own person, forbids it, Matth. v. 34.—37. 'I say unto you, Swear not at all: neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King: neither shalt thou swear by thy head; because thou canst not make one hair white or
