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A39525 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. Fisher, John, fl. 1692. 1692 (1692) Wing F1009; ESTC R215434 22,333 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