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A39525
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A position and testimony against all swearing under the gospel In which may be seen, I. That Christ hath forbidden all sorts of oaths. II. What Christ hath substituted instead of an oath. III. Reasons for that prohibition and substitution. With an answer to all the material objections that are, or may be, alledged from the scriptures.
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Fisher, John, fl. 1692.
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1692
(1692)
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Wing F1009; ESTC R215434
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22,333
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59
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into Confess in which it was to be fulfilled in the time of the Gospel Therefore now it may be evident from hence that no Sentence or Prophecy spoken by the Prophets tho' expressed in Mosaical Terms or in such Terms as were under the Law ought to be expounded in any wise to contradict any of Christ's general Commands or Prohibitions but on the contrary they must be expressed in Gospel Terms that agree therewith as is manifest by the Apostle's Example aforesaid Object 4. In Isa. 65. 16. In a Prophecy relating to such times wherein new Heavens and a new Earth shall be created which must be in the last times it is said He that Sweareth in the Earth shall Swear by the true God Therefore it is lawful in the last times which are under the Gospel to Swear by the true God Answ. If according to the Apostle Paul's Example before noted in Rom. 14. 11. we change the word Swear by the true God into Confess unto the true God we may interpret it right and in Gospel terms and then we shall not make the Prophet seem to contradict Christ in Mat. 5. 34. who is Lord of all the Prophets Apostles and Angels And whom we are especially to hear and obey in all things Act. 3. 22. And also to confess him Phil. 2. 10. And therefore if there should seem at any time a disagreement between the Sayings of Christ and the Prophets or the Apostles either Christ's Sayings ought not be strained to comply with theirs who were his Servants but on the contrary their Sayings must yield and comply to his who is their Lord and whom we ought especially to hear and obey in all things as aforesaid Object 5. In Jerem. 12. 16 17. it is said concerning the Gentiles That if they will learn the ways of my People to Swear by my Name the Lord liveth as they taught my People to Swear by Baal then shall they be built in the midst of my People But if they will not obey then will I utterly pluck up and destroy that Nation saith the Lord. Now here is a Promise of Acceptance to those that will learn to Swear by God's Name and a Threatning of utter Destruction to such as will not therefore now how dare any refuse to Swear by the Name of God upon a solemn and a lawful Account Answ. This was spoken under the Law wherein Swearing was and though it was spoken to the Gentiles yet it was to such Gentiles as taught Israel to Swear by Baal and which must be in Baal's time that was long before the Gospel times Therefore what is this to Christians under the Gospel But if it could be proved that this Prophecy did relate to the Gentiles under the Gospel then according to Paul's Exposition of the word Swear under the Gospel dispensation it must be expounded that they must learn the ways of his People to Confess to his Name and that he liveth which is the duty of all Christians to do as in Mat. 10. 32. Rom. 10. 9 10. and 14. 11. Object 6. If Christ's Prohibition to Swear be so general that no Oath is lawful to Swear in any Case under the Gospel why did the Apostle in Heb. 6. 16. say For Men verily Swear by the greater and an Oath for Confirmation is to them an end of all Strife Answ. The Apostle spoke of such Men as were under the Law and by way of Similitude why they used an Oath in such times as God confirmed his Promise to Abraham by an Oath Now here is no Command in these words of the Apostle for Men to Swear nor any more tolleration for Men to Swear any Oath that live according to the Gospel than there is tolleration in Jam. 3. 9. for any to Curse Men because the Apostle there saith With the Tongue we bless Men and therewith curse we Men yet this ought not so to be as is manifest in the next Verse Object 7. If Christ's Saying in Mat. 5. 37. Whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil proves all Oaths to be evil because they are more than barely Yea yea and Nay nay how is it that God hath Sworn himself and commanded Men to Swear as in Gen. 22. 16. Deut. 16. 13 Surely God never did or commanded any thing that came from evil Answ. The doing of any thing after Christ hath forbidden it is from evil though not before because the breaking of Christ's Command is from evil and from the Devil for none else will tempt any one so to do except such as are his Servants and obey him Under the Law God allowed an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth which then could not come from evil because God never allowed any thing that came from evil but after Christ had forbidden this with other things that were allowed under the Law and commanded the contrary instead thereof the breaking of his Command cometh of evil and from the Devil that tempts Men thereunto Object 8. If all Oaths are forbidden by Christ and accounted then to be from evil how could the Angel have Sworn in Rev. 10. 6 Which was after Christ's Prohibition in Mat. 5. 34. Answ. That Angel had a peculiar Commission that extended through the Law and the Prophets wherein Swearing was and spoke as God's Representative or Ambassador which would be a presumption for Men to imitate for as God aforetime confirmed his Promise unto Abraham and to his whole Seed by an Oath Gen. 22. 16. so again by his Angel in Rev. 10. 6 7. he seems in like manner as by an Oath to confirm the same Promise that it should then quickly be fulfilled viz. that Time should be no longer but that the Mystery of God should be finished as he had declared to his Servants the Prophets therefore that was no Example for us to follow However if any shall still think this Answer not sufficient or full enough to the Matter let it be further considered That we read no where that Christ forbad Angels to Swear but he plainly commanded Men not to Swear at all So the evil lies in breaking Christ's Command and in Men that so do to whom his Command extended Object 9. Christ in Mat. 5. 34. forbad only such Oaths as are made by the Creatures as by Heaven Earth c. because he enumerates and mentions some such created things and all vain and rash Oaths in familiar Discourse because he saith in Verse 37. Let your Communication be Yea yea and Nay nay and whatsoever is more than these viz. in our Communication cometh of evil Answ. To Swear by the Creatures was forbidden in the Law because then none ought to Swear by any thing but by the Name of God and to Swear by God's Name in common Discourse is a taking of his Name in vain But Christ in the first place before he mentioned any Creature forbad such Oaths as were to be performed unto the Lord in old time that was under the Law which
A POSITION AND TESTIMONY AGAINST All Swearing UNDER THE GOSPEL In which may be seen I. That Christ hath forbidden all sorts of Oaths II. What Christ hath substituted instead of an Oath III. Reasons for that Prohibition and Substitution With an Answer to all the material Objections that are or may be alledged from the Scriptures London Printed in the Year 1692. To the READER COnsidering the Testimonies and Sufferings of several Christians and conscientious Persons formerly against all Swearing and now observing of late that not only the Lawfulness of Oaths themselves has been disputed and pleaded for as by the Athenians and others but also the Definition and Nature of an Oath and what an Oath is and what not have been started and took notice of more than formerly and also considering on one side of the abounding of Swearing and detestable Oaths among many in this Nation enough to draw down Judgments and divine Vengeance upon it as have been lately for an Example in other places beyond the Seas and also on the other side observing the Moderation of many and that in Authority too in Condescention to a People that have formerly suffered because they durst not Swear at all I could not be easy in my mind until I had Written and Publish'd this to the World hoping it may be of some use and service to most if not all Men. As first to the common and prophane Swearers that now so much abound upon the Earth by shewing such the great danger they hazard thereby to their Souls besides the Judgments in general they may draw down upon themselves and others in the Land And Secondly to such as are in Authority by proposing and demonstrating to them by evident Reasons and eminent Authorities the danger of imposing Oaths or any higher Asseverations or Expressions instead thereof than plain and simple Speech which I desire all moderate Magistrates that love and truly affect Liberty of Conscience for whom I have great Respect and Affection seriously to consider of And Thirdly to those that conscientiously scruple any Oath by shewing such the danger of venturing to use instead of an Oath any higher form or manner of Speech than Christ hath prescribed and allowed them lest they be drawn into an Oath unawares So wishing and desiring the good of every one and that the common Swearers may leave off Swearing and the legal or more solemn Swearers be satisfied with Evangelical Truth speaking and those that are come to such Truth speaking may never look back from the simplicity of that Testimony I remain a Friend to all especially the moderate sincere and ingenuous of what Profession or Persuasion soever they may be Philothrenes The Position No Man ought to Swear under the Gospel-dispensation any kind of Oath in any Case neither by reason of any Command from a lawful Magistrate nor upon any other occasion or respect whatsoever for these following Reasons I. BECAUSE Christ Jesus whom all Men ought to obey and fear to break his Commands hath commanded Not to Swear at all Mat. 5. 34. and instead thereof in Verse 37. commands That our Speech be Yea yea and Nay nay and saith That whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Now any Oath is more than these and therefore being also forbad before it must be of evil II. In Mat. 18. 16. in Case of Trespass where Evidences of Witnesses is required Christ's Command is That in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every word may be established And not by the Oath of two or three Witnesses nor yet in the Mouth of two or three Swearers III. In James 5. 12. The Apostle commands Above all things not to Swear neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by any other Oath but instead thereof bids That our yea be yea and our nay nay lest ye fall into condemnation Here the Apostle James is also very express to the purpose agreeing with Christ's Command before in Mat. 5. 34. Therefore he that Swears any Oath does quite contrary to the Apostle's express Command and must hazard Condemnation IV. A true Christian's Oath is needless because such an one dare no more tell a Lie than he dare to Forswear himself if he should Swear And an evil Man's or false Christian's Oath is worthy of no more Credit than a Lier because he that dares to break his Word or be a false Witness in a solemn affirming or denying of any thing has no fear of God nor awe upon his Conscience and therefore what should make such an one fear or scruple to break his Oath if he Swears Therefore now to what purpose is the use of Oaths or Swearing among those that profess Christianity OBJECTIONS Objection 1. In Deut. 6. 13. and in 10. 20. God commanded to Swear by his Name therefore Christ did not forbid such Oaths as was by the Name of God for the Father and the Son are one and Immutable or unchangeable in their Nature and Will and therefore how could the Son forbid that which the Father had commanded Answer That Command of God was to them that were under the Law to prevent them from swearing by Idols and not to such that are under the Gospel to whom Christ spoke And therefore this proves no contrariety between the Father and the Son any more than the Sons taking away the first Things that were commanded by God under the Law that he might establish the second which he himself commanded under the Gospel as in Heb. 10. 9. See also in Heb. 7. 12 18. and 8. 13. Object 2. In Isaiah 19. 18. In a Prophecy relating to Gospel times as seems manifest from Verse 20. it is said That five Cities in the Land of Egypt shall speak the Language of Canaan and Swear by the Lord of Hosts therefore how can Swearing by the Lord of Hosts be forbidden by Christ in Gospel times Answ. If Swearing by the Lord of Hosts be here prophesied of to be in Gospel times then by the same Reason from Verse 21. to do Sacrifice and Oblation must be also in Gospel times as is there said the Egyptians shall do and if so how is the old Testament wherein were the Sacrifices and Oblations abrogated and disannulled when the new Testament came As in Heb. 8. 13. Object 3. In Isa. 45. 23. The Lord speaking concerning such times as wherein all the ends of the Earth shall be saved which surely must be in Gospel times said That every Knee shall bow to me and every Tongue shall Swear Therefore some Swearing must be lawful in Gospel times Answ. The Apostle Paul in Rom. 14. 11. who without doubt knew how to interpret this Prophecy yet he would not express it in such Terms as might contradict Christ's general Prohibition to Swear in Mat. 5. 34. therefore he words it thus Every Knee shall bow to me and every Tongue shall confess to God Here the Apostle hath changed the word Swear that was figuratively spoken in the time of the Law