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A62445 Exercitations and meditations upon some texts of Holy Scripture and most in Scripture-phrase and expression. By Samuel Thomsonn, M.A. and Doctor of Physick; formerly student in Magdalen-Hall in Oxford. Thomsonn, Samuel, b. 1643? 1676 (1676) Wing T1035; ESTC R221734 178,823 458

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their faith and troth to every trivial thing which is an evident sign that they have little faith or truth in them or know not the true worth and value of them else they would not so lightly lay such precious Jewels to pawn upon every slight occasion Let all such and every one also remember our blessed Saviour's rule afore-mentioned in all their ordinary speeches and communications Swear not at all but let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evil But of this we shall have occasion to speak more anon Now to speak what an oath is the parts of an oath how an oath may be lawfully taken and other things An oath is the craving of God's testimony to confirm the truth of our testimony Men swear by the greater and an Heb. 6. 13. 16. ●ath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife Deservedly is the testimony or witness-bearing of God called to confirm a truth for He is the truth who neither can deceive nor be deceived About an oath consider two things 1. How an oath is to be taken 2. How it is to be performed Q. 1. How to be taken In taking of an oath four circumstances are to be considered 1. The parts of an oath 2. The form of an oath 3. The end of an oath 4. The divers sorts or kinds of an oath 1. The parts of an oath and they are four 1. Confirmation of a truth 2. Invocation of God alone as a witness of a truth and a revenger of a lye 3. Confession that God is a revenger of perjury when He is brought in as a false witness 4. A binding over unto punishment if we use deceit 2. The form of an oath we must swear 1. In truth lest we forswear 2. In righteousness lest we swear to that which is wicked 3. In judgment lest we swear rashly or for a trifle So we must swear truly advisedly and rightly As it is commanded Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in truth and Jer. 4. 2. in righteousness and in judgment They who do not thus are reproved which swear by the name of the Lord and make Isai 48. 1. mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousness 3. The end of an oath which is to confirm some necessary truth in question either for the ending of controversies or for the performing of promises So an oath for confirmation is among men an end of all strife 4. The divers sorts or kinds of an oath 1. Publick 2. Private 1. Publick when the Magistrate doth upon just cause exact a testimony under the reverence of an oath 2. Private which two or more take privately As Jacob to Laban Gen. 31. 53. Bodz to Ruth Ruth 3. 13. and Obadiah to Elijah the Prophet 1 King 18. 12. So also there is an assertory oath and a promissory oath 1. An assertory oath or a confirming oath which is to confirm the truth of a thing either past or present 2. A promissory oath which is about a thing to come So we see that an oath is the calling of the name of God the searcher of the heart to witness a needful truth for the ending of strife and controversies In a lawful oath lawfully taken there is a worshipping of the name of God When Joshua would cause Achan to confess the truth he saith to him My Son Josh 7. 19. give glory to the God of Israel c. meaning thereby that God is highly dishonoured if a man swear falsly by Him For he doth in a manner as much as lies in him prophane and pollute God's holy name with a lye and on the contrary if a man swears truly he honours God False swearing is called prophaning the name of God Ye shall not swear by My name falsly neither ●ev● 19. 12. shalt thou prophane the name of the Lord thy God I am the Lord. This manner of Joshuah's speech was used among the Jems so often as any was called to take an oath as it appears by the like protestation of the Pharisees used to the blind man whom Christ had restored to sight they said to him Give God the Joh. 9. 24. praise we know this man is a sinner To this heedfulness the forms of oaths used in the Scriptures do advise and instruct us As the Lord liveth God do so 1 Sam. 14. 39. 44. to me and more also 2 Kings 6. 31. And the Lord be witness upon my soul 2 Cor. 1. 23. All which do prove that we cannot call God to witness of our sayings but that we call Him to take witness of our perjury if we speak falsly or deceitfully The name of God is made vile and common when it is used in superfluous speeches as in foolish admirations which is a manifest taking of God's name in vain Swearing was suffered and ordained not for lust or pleasure but for necessitie sake And there can be no necessity pretended but where it is to serve either religion or charity But now it is so licentiously and customarily used that men think it no sin at all But the Commandment of the Lord remaineth still in force the penalty abideth in strength and shall one day have its effect whereby there is a special revenge proclaimed against all those who take God's name in vain though they may here escape for a time the judgment of men The very Heathens will condemn herein those who are outwardly pro●essed Christians for among the Heathen ex animi sui sententiâ according to the purpose of their mind was to them instead of an oath Did they who had but the glimmering knowledge of God from the book of the Creatures and the Law of Nature written in their hearts do such things and shew such truth and reality in their speeches and dealings How shall this rise up in judgment against us and condemn us who have the written Word of God the knowledge of the true God and the glorious Gospel of his Son shining as a light among us and yet to do such things whereas the Heathen sit in darkness and in the region and shadow of Mat. 14. 16 death Thus far about the taking of an oath now Q. 2. How an oath is to be performed A. If the oath be made about lawful things it must be performed whether it be of much difficulty or great dammage to us or extorted by force from us So it is said he shall dwell in God's tabernacle that sweareth to his Ps●l 15. 4. own hurt and changeth not Yet the Magistrate hath in his power as may seem right and convenient either to annihilate or moderate such oaths But of this we shall treat farther anon An oath in Scripture sometimes is taken for the whole Worship and Service of God Thou shalt fear the Lord Deut. 10. 20 thy God Him shalt thou serve and swear by His name And five Cities in the Isai 19. 18. land of