Maledictions
Thou shalt obey the Lord thy God.
1. THOU shalt not curse, out of the bitterness of thine own heart;1 nor shalt thou curse any but he that is under condemnation of God’s Law, and, being oft rebuked, will not repent.2
38 words,
138 letters.
2. Thou shalt not curse thy neighbour, nor the stranger that dwelleth with thee; for the hand of the Judge is over them: and, possibly, when he rebukes, they will repent, and turn to righteousness: but when he curses, then shalt thou.
41 words,
181 letters.
3. But thou shalt not curse any who is placed in authority, or has jurisdiction over thee.3 If they oppress thee, or do thee unrighteousness, and thy cry ascend to God in heaven, in heaven will he hear thee. He will be the avenger. Curse not, lest thy curse return upon thee.4
51 words,
212 letters.
Total—3 sec., 125 words, 531 letters.
1. So general and widespread is wickedness among men,
[1 Rom xii, 14. Lev. xxiv, 11, 14-16. [2 Jud. v, 23. [3 Ex. xxii, 28. Lev. xx, 9. [4 Num. xxiv, 9.
[Page 101]
that while the salutations so common among the Saints of the former days, “Peace be with you,” “God speed you,” and various others, are nearly forgotten; cursing and swearing, then rarely heard, have become features in conversation.
2. Thus the whole order of God in this respect, as in many others, is reversed. Cursing has become the practice, and blessing the exception. It is not singular that the curse has come, after being so oft invoked.
3. The whole practice of mixing up cursings in conversation, is an offence to God, and to all the Saints, and is a fruitful source of divers mischiefs.
4. Maledictions should only be invoked on such as, on deliberate and candid thought, are found condemned to them by the Law of God; and then the curse should be invoked as in the presence of God, the searcher of hearts; conscious that whosoever curses in the bitterness of his own corrupt heart, and not in the light of God’s truth, the curse will return upon him.
5. The different occasions of cursing are marked by different modes. When hospitality is refused to the embassadors of the gospel, by the instruction of Jesus, they wash their feet, or wipe the dust from them, as a testimony against the house or city in which they have been refused food and rest. (Matt. x, 14. Acts xiii, 51. xviii, 6. Mark vi, 11. Luke ix, 5. x,10,11.)
6. Maledictions are also pronounced on hereticks, schismaticks, and those guilty of gross and abominable immoralities, and acts of great cruelty and wickedness. For this purpose not unfrequently the Prophets, Apostles and Bishops pronounce the maledictions, and the whole body of the people say, Amen. (1st Cor. v, 5. 1st Tim. i, 20. Mal. iv, 6.)
1. THOU shalt not curse, out of the bitterness of thine own heart;1 nor shalt thou curse any but he that is under condemnation of God’s Law, and, being oft rebuked, will not repent.2
38 words,
138 letters.
2. Thou shalt not curse thy neighbour, nor the stranger that dwelleth with thee; for the hand of the Judge is over them: and, possibly, when he rebukes, they will repent, and turn to righteousness: but when he curses, then shalt thou.
41 words,
181 letters.
3. But thou shalt not curse any who is placed in authority, or has jurisdiction over thee.3 If they oppress thee, or do thee unrighteousness, and thy cry ascend to God in heaven, in heaven will he hear thee. He will be the avenger. Curse not, lest thy curse return upon thee.4
51 words,
212 letters.
Total—3 sec., 125 words, 531 letters.
1. So general and widespread is wickedness among men,
[1 Rom xii, 14. Lev. xxiv, 11, 14-16. [2 Jud. v, 23. [3 Ex. xxii, 28. Lev. xx, 9. [4 Num. xxiv, 9.
[Page 101]
that while the salutations so common among the Saints of the former days, “Peace be with you,” “God speed you,” and various others, are nearly forgotten; cursing and swearing, then rarely heard, have become features in conversation.
2. Thus the whole order of God in this respect, as in many others, is reversed. Cursing has become the practice, and blessing the exception. It is not singular that the curse has come, after being so oft invoked.
3. The whole practice of mixing up cursings in conversation, is an offence to God, and to all the Saints, and is a fruitful source of divers mischiefs.
4. Maledictions should only be invoked on such as, on deliberate and candid thought, are found condemned to them by the Law of God; and then the curse should be invoked as in the presence of God, the searcher of hearts; conscious that whosoever curses in the bitterness of his own corrupt heart, and not in the light of God’s truth, the curse will return upon him.
5. The different occasions of cursing are marked by different modes. When hospitality is refused to the embassadors of the gospel, by the instruction of Jesus, they wash their feet, or wipe the dust from them, as a testimony against the house or city in which they have been refused food and rest. (Matt. x, 14. Acts xiii, 51. xviii, 6. Mark vi, 11. Luke ix, 5. x,10,11.)
6. Maledictions are also pronounced on hereticks, schismaticks, and those guilty of gross and abominable immoralities, and acts of great cruelty and wickedness. For this purpose not unfrequently the Prophets, Apostles and Bishops pronounce the maledictions, and the whole body of the people say, Amen. (1st Cor. v, 5. 1st Tim. i, 20. Mal. iv, 6.)