Against Swearing Poem by Rees Prichard

His clothes were rent by each indignant Jew,
When any dar'd Jehovah's name blaspheme:
But many Christians no emotion shew,
When any, now, revile the God supreme.

By Pharaoh's head, if any Egyptian swore,
And falsely swore, he certainly was slain:
If Christians swear by Christ's flesh, wounds, and gore,
His cause, there's no avenger to maintain.

Jesus but once was wounded by the Jews,
Pierc'd in the side, as on the cross he lay :
But Christians by their shocking oaths abuse,
And wound their Lord, a thousand times a-day.

Be not at all amaz'd to see the Great,
Their lands and stately houses sell away :
He'll soon dispose of his paternal seat,
Who, to his God, does not due homage pay.

Survey the houses of the rich, and there
Thou many a pack of painted cards may'st see,
And dreadful oaths and imprecations hear :
But scarce e'er find one book of piety.

This I aver, and as my creed maintain,
That none, with more determin'd accents, swear
Among the fiends in agonizing pain,
Than we may often among Christians hear.

There are whole families, ne'er mention God,
But when they slander, or revile his name,
Nor talk of their blest Saviour's precious blood,
But just whilst they are swearing by the same.

The curse of God, his house will never leave,
Who falsely swears by God's tremendous name -
But shall to ev'ry stone and timber cleave,
'Till utter ruin shall consume the same.

More safe it is on powder-casks to stand,
Where kitchen chimnies blaze, and sparks are near,
Than in the neatest parlour in the land,
With those, who are accustom'd much to swear.

Full ninescore thousand, of th' Assyrian name
Were by an Angel slaughter'd on the plain,
All in one night - because they dar'd defame
The Lord of Hoses, and take his name in vain.

It was the Deity's command of old
All shou'd be ston'd, who did his name blaspheme:
E'en now, he will not such, as guiltless hold -
But as determin'd sinners ever deem.

Although the greatest Judge, that ever was,
Shou'd clear each perj'rer that before him came;
Yet God himself will sentence on them pass,
Because they vilify'd his holy name.