Sorry for the Absence

Greetings all, I must apologize for being absent most of last week.  I had a cold and as some of you might suspect when men have colds the world is subject to stop rotating.  Now my cold was not quite that bad but it did leave me unable to think clearly.  Might have been the drugs though.

I will also be sporadic this week as well as work demands I travel out of town.  But I look forward to getting back to a regular schedule soon.

SDG

The Heinous Sin of Profane Cursing and Swearing Pt 9

Well here we are at the conclusion of Whitefield’s sober admonition to be mindful of our speech.  He has made clear that the swearing to which he refers is not that type before magistrates so that all swearing is not unlawful.  We have also dealt on a couple other occasions what we would consider profanity here1 and here2.  

But Whitefield has in mind that swearing which is falsely offered in His name calling it “profane and heinously sinful.”  He reasons that there is no temptation in nature to this sin, nor does the commission of it afford the offender the least pleasure or satisfaction.  It is a sin which may be so often repeated.  It hardens infidels against the Christian religion, and must give great offense, and occasion much sorrow and concern to every true disciple of Jesus Christ.  And it is an extremity of sin, which can only be matched in hell.  

Here now we have the conclusion of his piece:

The Heinous Sin of Profane Cursing and Swearing

Let me, therefore, once more address myself to every person here present, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and if any amongst them have been any way guilty of this notorious sin of swearing, let me entreat them by all that is near and dear to them, that they would neither give the magistrate the trouble to punish, nor their friends any reason for the future to warn them against committing the crime; but keep a constant and careful watch over the door of their lips, and withal implore the divine assistance (without which all is nothing) that they offend no more so scandalously with their tongues. Let them seriously lay to heart, what with great plainness and simplicity has here been delivered: and if they have any regard for themselves as men, or their reputation as Christians; if they would not be a public scandal to their profession, or a grief to all that know or converse with them: in short, if they would not be devils incarnate here, and provoke God to punish them eternally hereafter; I say unto them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, "Swear not at all."