Part 51

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I answer, Except it be shewn to be an eternal, immutable, and moral Precept, it withstands not; neither are they of so old an Origin as _Tithes_, [Sidenote: Tithes, _&c. unlawful now._] and the Offering of the _First Fruits_ of the Ground, which by _Abel_ and _Cain_ were offered long before the _Ceremonial Law_, or the Use of _Oaths_; which, whatever may be alleged against it, were no Doubt _Ceremonies_, and therefore no Doubt unlawful now to be practised.

[Sidenote: Object.] _Fourthly_, They object, _That to swear by the Name of God is a moral Precept of continual Duration, because it is marked with his essential and moral Worship, _Deut. vi. 13. and x. 20._ Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him alone: Thou shalt cleave to him, and swear by his Name_.

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I _answer_, This proves not that it is a moral and eternal Precept; for _Moses_ adds that to all the Precepts and Ceremonies in several Places; as _Deut._ x. 12, 13. saying, _And now, _Israel_, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his Ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul; to keep the Commandments in the Lord, and his Statutes, which I command thee this Day?_ And _Chap._ xiv. 23. the _Fear of the Lord_ is mentioned together with the _Tithes_. And so also _Levit._ xix. 2, 3. 6. the _Sabbaths_ and Regard to _Parents_ are mentioned with _Swearing_.

[Sidenote: Object.] _Fifthly_, They object, _That solemn Oaths, which God commanded, cannot be here forbidden by Christ; for he saith, That they come from Evil: But these did not come from Evil; for God never commanded any Thing that was Evil, or came from Evil_.

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I _answer_, There are Things which are _Good_ because _commanded_, and _Evil_ because _forbidden_; other Things are _commanded_ because _Good_, and _forbidden_ because _Evil_. [Sidenote: _Oaths are Evil, because forbidden._] As _Circumcision_ and _Oaths_, which were _Good_, when and because they were _commanded_, and in no other Respect; and again, when and because prohibited under the Gospel, they are _Evil_.

And in all these _Jewish Constitutions_, however ceremonial, there was something of Good, to wit, in their Season, as prefiguring some Good: As by _Circumcision_, the _Purifications_, and other Things, the Holiness of God was typified, and that the _Israelites_ ought to be _holy_, _as their God was holy_. In the like Manner _Oaths_, under the _Shadows_ and _Ceremonies_, signified the _Verity of God_, his Faithfulness and Certainty; and therefore that we ought in all Things to speak and witness the Truth. [Sidenote: _Truth was before all Oaths._] But the _Witness of Truth_ was before all _Oaths_, and remains when all _Oaths_ are abolished; and this is the Morality of all _Oaths_; and so long as Men abide therein, there is no Necessity nor Place for _Oaths_, as _Polybius_ witnessed, who said, “The Use of _Oaths _in Judgment_ was rare among the Ancients; but by the growing _of_ Perfidiousness, _so grew also the Use of_ Oaths_.” [Sidenote: Oaths _supply presupposed Defects of Men’s Inconstancy._] To which agreeth _Grotius_, saying, “An Oath is only to be used as a Medicine, in Case of Necessity: A solemn Oath is not used but to supply Defect. The Lightness of Men, and their Inconstancy, begot Diffidence; for which Swearing was sought out as a Remedy.” _Basil_ the Great saith, “That Swearing is the Effect of Sin.” And _Ambrose_, “That Oaths are only a Condescendency for Defect.” _Chrysostom_ saith, “That an Oath entered when Evil grew, when Men exercised their Frauds, when all Foundations were overturned: That Oaths took their Beginning from the Want of Truth.” These and the Like are witnessed by many others with the fore-mentioned Authors. But what Need of Testimonies, where the Evidence of Things speaks itself? For who will force another to _swear_, of whom he is certainly persuaded that he abhors to _lie_ in his Words? And again, as _Chrysostom_ and others say, “For what End wilt thou force him to swear, whom thou believest not that he will speak the Truth?”

§. XII. That then which was not from the _Beginning_, which was of no Use in the _Beginning_, which had not its _Beginning_ first from the Will of God, but from the Work of the Devil, occasioned from Evil, to wit, from _Unfaithfulness_, _Lying_, _Deceit_; and which was at first only invented by Man, as a mutual Remedy of this Evil, in which they called upon the Names of their _Idols_; yea, that which, as _Jerome_, _Chrysostom_, and others testify, was given to the _Israelites_ by God, as unto Children, that they might abstain from the _idolatrous Oaths_ of the _Heathens_, Jer. xii. 16. whatsoever is so, is far from being a moral and eternal Precept. And _Lastly_, whatsoever by its Profanation and Abuse is polluted with Sin, such as are abundantly the _Oaths_ of these Times, by so often _swearing_ and _forswearing_, far differs from any necessary and perpetual Duty of a Christian: But _Oaths_ are so: Therefore, _&c._

[Sidenote: Object.] _Sixthly_, They object, _That God swore, _therefore_ to swear is good_.

[Sidenote: _Answ._] [Sidenote: _Athan._ in pass. & cruc. Dom.] I _answer_ with _Athanasius_; “Seeing it is certain it is proper in Swearing to swear by another, thence it appears, that God, to speak properly, did never swear but _only_ improperly: Whence, speaking to Men, he is said to swear, because those Things which he speaks, because of the Certainty and Immutability of his Will, are to be esteemed for Oaths.” Compare _Psalm_ cx. 4. where it is said, _The Lord did swear, and it did not repent him_, &c. [Sidenote: _God swears not by another, but by himself._] And _I swore _(saith he)_ by myself_: “And this is not an Oath; for he did not swear by another, which is the Property of an Oath, but by himself. Therefore God swears not according to the Manner of Men, neither can we be induced from thence to swear. But let us so do and say, and shew ourselves such by speaking and acting, that we need not an Oath with those who hear us; and let our Words of themselves have the Testimony of Truth: For so we shall plainly imitate God.”

[Sidenote: Object.] _Seventhly_, They object, _Christ did swear, and we ought to imitate him_.

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I _answer_, That Christ did not swear; and albeit he had sworn, being yet under the Law, this would no Ways oblige us under the Gospel; as neither _Circumcision_, or the Celebration of the _Paschal Lamb_. [Sidenote: _Jerome_ Lib. Ep. Part. 3. Tract. 1. Ep. 2.] Concerning which _Jerome_ saith, “All Things agree not unto us, who are Servants, that agreed unto our Lord, _&c._ The Lord swore as Lord, whom no Man did forbid to swear; but unto us, that are Servants, it is not lawful to swear, because we are forbidden by the Law of our Lord. Yet, lest we should suffer Scandal by his Example, he hath not sworn, since he commanded us not to swear.”

[Sidenote: Object.] _Eighthly_, They object, _That _Paul_ swore, and that often_, Rom. i. 9. Phil. i. 8. saying, _For God is my Record_. 2 Cor. xi. 10. _As the Truth of Christ is in me._ 2 Cor. i. 23. _I call God for a Record upon my Soul. I speak the Truth in Christ, I lie not_, Rom. ix. 1. _Behold, before God I lie not_, Gal. i. 20. _and so requires Oaths of others_. _I obtest thee _(saith he)_ before God and our Lord Jesus Christ_. 1 Thess. v. 27. _I charge you by the Lord, that this Epistle be read to all the Brethren. But _Paul_ would not have done so, if all Manner of Oaths had been forbidden by Christ, whose Apostle he was._

[Sidenote: _Answ._] To all which I _answer_, _First_, That the using of such Forms of Speaking is neither _Swearing_, nor so esteemed by our Adversaries. For when upon Occasion, in Matters of great Moment, we have said, _We speak the Truth in the Fear of God, and before him, who is our Witness, and the Searcher of our Hearts_, adding such Kind of serious Attestations, which we never refused in Matters of Consequence; nevertheless an _Oath_ hath moreover been required of us, [Sidenote: _The Ceremonies of an_ Oath.] with the Ceremony of putting our Hands upon the Book, the Kissing of it, the lifting up of the Hand or Fingers, together with this common Form of Imprecation, _So help me God_; or, _So truly Let the Lord God Almighty help me_. _Secondly_, This contradicts the Opinion of our Adversaries, because that _Paul_ was neither before a Magistrate that was requiring an Oath of him, nor did he himself administer the Office of a Magistrate, as offering an _Oath_ to any other. _Thirdly_, The Question is not what _Paul_ or _Peter_ did, but what their and our Master taught to be done; and if _Paul_ did _swear_ (which we believe not) he had sinned against the Command of Christ, even according to their own Opinion, because he _swore_ not before a _Magistrate_, but in an _Epistle_ to his Brethren.

[Sidenote: Object.] _Ninthly_, They object, _Isa._ lxv. 16. where speaking of the Evangelical Times, he saith, _That he who blesseth himself in the Earth, shall bless himself in the God of Truth; and he that sweareth in the Earth, shall swear by the God of Truth; because the former Troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine Eyes. For behold I create new Heavens, and a new Earth. Therefore in these Times we ought to swear by the Name of the Lord._

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I _answer_, It is ordinary for the Prophets to express the greatest Duties of the _Evangelical Times_ in _Mosaical_ Terms, as appears among others from _Jer._ xxxi. 38, 39, 40. _Ezek._ xxxvi. 25. and 40. and _Isa._ xlv. 23. _I have sworn by myself, that unto me every Knee shall bow, every Tongue shall swear._ Where the Righteousness of the _New Jerusalem_, the Purity of the _Gospel_, with its _spiritual Worship_, and the Profession of the _Name of Christ_, are expressed under Forms of Speaking used to the _Old Jerusalem_ under the Washings of the Law, under the Names of Ceremonies, the Temple, Services, Sacrifices, Oaths, _&c._ [Sidenote: Swearing _is expressed by_ Confessing _under the Gospel._] Yea, that which the Prophet speaks here of _Swearing_, the Apostle _Paul_ interprets expresly of _Confessing_, saying, _Rom._ xiv. 11. _For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every Knee shall bow to me, and every Tongue shall confess to God_: Which being rightly considered, none can be ignorant but these Words which the Prophet writes under the Law, when the ceremonial Oaths were in Use, to wit, _Every Tongue shall swear_, were by the Apostle, being under the Gospel, when those _Oaths_ became abolished, expressed by, _Every Tongue shall confess_.

[Sidenote: Object.] _Tenthly_, They object, _But the Apostle _Paul_ approves Oaths used among Men, when he writes, _Heb. vi. 16._ For Men verily swear by the greater, and an Oath for Confirmation is to them an End of all Strife. But there are as many Contests, Fallacies, and Differences at this Time as there ever were; therefore the Necessity of Oaths doth yet remain._

[Sidenote: _Answ._] I _answer_; The Apostle tells indeed in this Place what Men at that Time did, who lived in Controversies and Incredulity; not what they ought to have done, nor what the Saints did, who were redeemed from Strife and Incredulity, and had come to Christ, the Truth and Amen of God. Moreover, he only alludes to a certain Custom usual among Men, that he might express the Firmness of the _Divine Promise_, in order to excite in the Saints so much the more _Confidence_ in God promising to them; not that he might instigate them to _swear_ against the Law of God, or confirm them in that; no, not at all: For neither doth 1 _Cor._ ix. 24. teach Christians the vain Races, whereby Men oftentimes, even to the Destruction of their Bodies, are wearied to obtain a corruptible Prize; so neither doth Christ, who is the _Prince of Peace_, teach his Disciples to fight, albeit he takes Notice, _Luke_ xiv. 31. what it behoveth such Kings to do who are accustomed to fight, as prudent Warriors therein. _Secondly_, As to what pertains to _Contests_, _Perfidies_, and _Diffidences_ among Men, which our Adversaries affirm to have grown to such an Height, that _Swearing_ is at present as necessary as ever, that we deny not at all: [Sidenote: _Deceit among the False, not the true Christians._] For we see, and daily Experience teacheth us, that all Manner of Deceit and Malice doth increase among worldly Men and false Christians; but not among true Christians. But because Men cannot trust one another, and therefore require _Oaths_ one of another, it will not therefore follow, That true Christians ought to do so, whom Christ has brought to Faithfulness and Honesty, as well towards God as one towards another, and therefore has delivered them from _Contests_, _Perfidies_, and consequently from _Oaths_.

[Sidenote: Object.] _Eleventhly_, They object, _We grant, That among true Christians there is not Need of Oaths; but by what Means shall we infallibly know them? It will follow then that Oaths are at present needful, and that it is lawful for Christians to swear; to wit, that such may be satisfied who will not acknowledge this and the other Man to be a Christian._

[Sidenote: _Answ._] [Sidenote: _Truth was before Oaths._] I _answer_, It is no Ways lawful for a Christian to _swear_, whom Christ has called to his essential Truth, which was before all _Oaths_, forbidding him to _swear_; and on the contrary, commanding him to speak the Truth in all Things, to the Honour of Christ who called him; that it may appear that the _Words_ of his Disciples may be as truly believed as the _Oaths_ of all the worldly Men. Neither is it lawful for them to be unfaithful in this, that they may please others, or that they may avoid their Hurt: For thus the Primitive Christians for some Ages remained faithful, who being required to _swear_, did unanimously answer, _I am a Christian, I do not swear_. What shall I say of the _Heathens_, some of whom arrived to that Degree? For _Diodorus Siculus_ relates, Lib. 16. [Sidenote: _Heathen Testimonies against Oaths._] “That the giving of the Right-hand was, among the _Persians_, a Sign of speaking the Truth.” And the _Scythians_, as _Qu. Curtius_ relates, said, in their Conferences with _Alexander_ the Great, “Think not that the _Scythians_ confirm their Friendship by Swearing; they swear by keeping their Promises.” _Stobæus, Serm._ 3. relates, That _Solon_ said, “A good Man ought to be in that Estimation that he need not an Oath; because it is to be reputed a Lessening of his Honour if he be forced to swear.” _Pythagoras_, in his Oration, among other Things hath this Maxim, as that which concerns the Administration of the Commonwealth: “Let no Man call God to witness by an Oath, no not in Judgment; but let every Man so accustom himself to speak, that he may become worthy to be trusted even without an Oath.” _Basil_ the Great commends _Clinias_ an Heathen, “That he had rather pay three Talents, which are about _three thousand Pounds_, than swear.” _Socrates_, as _Stobæus_ relates, _Serm._ 14. had this Sentence, “The Duty of good Men requires that they shew to the World that their Manners and Actions are more firm than Oaths.” The same was the Judgment of _Isocrates_. _Plato_ also stood against _Oaths_ in his Judgment _de Leg._ 12. _Quintilianus_ takes Notice, “That it was of old a Kind of Infamy, if any was desired to swear; but to require an Oath of a Nobleman, was like an examining him by the Hangman.” The Emperor _Marcus Aurelius Antoninus_ saith, in his Description of a good Man, “Such is his Integrity, that he needs not an Oath.” So also some _Jews_ did witness, as _Grotius_ relates out of _Maimonides_, “It is best for a Man to abstain from all Oaths.” The _Essenes_, as _Philo Judæus_ relates, “Did esteem their Words more firm than Oaths; and Oaths were esteemed among them as needless Things.” And _Philo_ himself, speaking of the Third Commandment, explains his Mind thus, _viz._ “It were better altogether not to swear, but to be accustomed always to speak the Truth, that naked Words might have the Strength of an Oath.” And elsewhere he saith, “It is more agreeable to natural Reason altogether to abstain from Swearing; _persuading_, That whatsoever a good Man saith may be equivalent with an Oath.”

[Sidenote: Oaths _abrogated by Christ._] Who then needs further to doubt, but that since Christ would have his Disciples attain the highest Pitch of Perfection, he abrogated _Oaths_, as a Rudiment of Infirmity, and in Place thereof established the Use of _Truth_? Who can now any more think that the _holy Martyrs_ and _ancient Fathers_ of the first three hundred Years, and many others since that Time, have so opposed themselves to _Oaths_, that they might only rebuke vain and rash _Oaths_ by the Creatures, or Heathen Idols, which were also prohibited under the _Mosaical Law_; and not also _Swearing_ by the true God, in Truth and Righteousness, which was there commanded? [Sidenote: _The Testimonies of the Fathers against _Oaths_ and _Swearing.] As _Polycarpus, Justin Martyr_, Apolog. 2. and many _Martyrs_, as _Eusebius_ relates. _Tertullian_, in his Apol. Cap. 32. ad _Scap._ Cap. 1. of Idolatry, Cap. 11. _Clem. Alexandrinus_, Strom. Lib. 7. _Origen_, in Mat. Tract. 25. _Cyprianus_, Lib. 3. _Athanasius_, in pass. & cruc. Domini Christi. _Hilarius_ in Mat. v. 34. _Basilius Magn._ in Psalm xiv. _Greg. Nyssenus_ in Cant. Orat. 13. _Greg. Nazianzenus_ in Dialog. contra juramenta. _Epiphanius_ adversus Heres. Lib. 1. _Ambros._ de Virg. Lib. 3. Idem in Mat. v. _Chrysostom_ in Genes. Homil. 15. Idem Homil. in Act. Apost. Cap. 3. _Jerome_ Epistol. Lib. Part. 3. Ep. 2. Idem in Zech. Lib. 2. Cap. 8. Idem in Mat. Lib. 1. Cap. 5. _Augustinus_ de Serm. Dom. Serm. 28. _Cyrillus_ in Jer. iv. _Theodoretus_ in Deut. vi. _Isidorus Pelusiota_ Ep. Lib. 1. Epist. 155. _Chromatius_ in Mat. v. _Johannes Damascenus_, Lib. 3. Cap. 16. _Cassiodorus_ in Psalm xciv. _Isidorus Hispalensis_, Cap. 31. _Antiochus_ in Pandect. Script. Hom. 62. _Beda_ in Jac. v. _Haimo_ in Apoc. _Ambrosius Ansbertus_ in Apoc. _Theophylactus_ in Mat. v. _Paschasius Radbertus_ in Mat. v. _Otho Brunsselsius_ in Mat. v. _Druthmarus_ in Mat. v. _Euthymius Eugubinus_ Bibliotheca vet. Patr. in Mat. v. _Oecumenius_ in Jac. Cap. 5. Ver. 12. _Anselmus_ in Mat. v. the _Waldenses_, _Wickliff_, _Erasmus_, in Mat. v. and in Jac. v. Who can read these Places and doubt of their Sense in this Matter? And who, believing that they were against all _Oaths_, can bring so great an Indignity to the Name of Christ, as to seek to subject again his Followers to so great an Indignity? Is it not rather Time that all good Men should labour to remove this Abuse and Infamy from _Christians_?

[Sidenote: Object.] _Lastly_, They object, _This will bring in Fraud and Confusion; for Impostors will counterfeit Probity, and under the Benefit of this Dispensation will lie without Fear of Punishment_.

[Sidenote: _Answ._] _I answer_, There are two Things which oblige a Man to speak the Truth: _First_, Either the Fear of God in his Heart, and Love of Truth; for where this is, there is no Need of _Oaths_ to speak the Truth; [Sidenote: _The Punishment of Liars._] or, _Secondly_, The Fear of Punishment from the Judge. Therefore let there be the same, or rather greater Punishment appointed to those who pretend so great Truth in Words, and so great Simplicity in Heart that they cannot lie, and so great Reverence towards the Law of Christ, that for Conscience Sake they deny to _swear_ in any wise, if they fail; and so there shall be the same good Order, yea, greater Security against Deceivers, as if _Oaths_ were continued; and also, by that more severe Punishment, to which these false Dissemblers shall be liable. Hence wicked Men shall be more terrified, and good Men delivered from all Oppression, both in their Liberty and Goods: For which Respect to tender _Consciences_, God hath often a Regard to Magistrates and their State, as a Thing most acceptable to him. But if any can further doubt of this Thing, to wit, if without Confusion it can be practised in the Commonwealth, let him consider the State of the _United Netherlands_, and he shall see the good Effect of it: [Sidenote: _The United Netherlands instanced._] For there, because of the great Number of Merchants more than in any other Place, there is most frequent Occasion for this Thing; and though the Number of those that are of this Mind be considerable, to whom the States these hundred Years have condescended, and yet daily condescend, yet nevertheless there has nothing of Prejudice followed thereupon to the Commonwealth, Government, or good Order; but rather great Advantage to _Trade_, and so to the Commonwealth.

§. XIII. _Sixthly_, The last Thing to be considered, is _Revenge_ and _War_, an Evil as opposite and contrary to the Spirit and Doctrine of Christ as _Light_ to _Darkness_. For, as is manifest by what is said, through Contempt of Christ’s Law the whole World is filled with various _Oaths_, _Cursings_, _blasphemous Profanations_, and _horrid Perjuries_; [Sidenote: _Revenge and War contrary to Christ._] so likewise, through Contempt of the same Law, the World is filled with _Violence_, _Oppression_, _Murders_, _Ravishing of Women_ and _Virgins_, _Spoilings_, _Depredations_, _Burnings_, _Devastations_, and all Manner of _Lasciviousness_ and _Cruelty_: So that it is strange that Men, made after the Image of God, should have so much degenerated, that they rather bear the Image and Nature of roaring Lions, tearing Tigers, devouring Wolves, and raging Boars, than of rational Creatures endued with Reason. And is it not yet much more admirable, that this _horrid Monster_ should find Place, and be fomented, among those Men that profess themselves _Disciples_ of our _peaceable Lord_ and _Master_ Jesus Christ, who by _Excellency_ is called the _Prince of Peace_, and hath expresly prohibited his Children _all_ Violence; and on the contrary, commanded them, that, according to his Example, they should follow Patience, Charity, Forbearance, and other Virtues worthy of a Christian?

Hear then what this great Prophet saith, whom every Soul is commanded to hear, under the Pain of being cut off, _Matt._ v. from Verse 38. to the End of the Chapter. [Sidenote: _Revenge forbidden by Christ._] For thus he saith: _Ye have heard that it hath been said, An Eye for an Eye, and a Tooth for a Tooth: But I say unto you, that ye resist not Evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right Cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any Man will sue thee at the Law, and take away thy Coat, let him have thy Cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a Mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee; and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour, and hate thine Enemy: But I say unto you, Love your Enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you, that ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven. For he maketh his Sun to rise on the Evil and on the Good, and sendeth Rain on the Just and on the Unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what Reward have ye? Do not even the _Publicans_ the same? And if ye salute your Brethren only, what do you more than_ others? _Do not even the _Publicans_ so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect._