been a thing evil in it self and forbidden by the Law of Nature would not have been done Secondly Another undeniable Argument from the Text of the lawfulness of Oaths is that God himself in condescension to the Custome of men who use to confirm and give credit to what they say by an Oath is represented by the Apostle as confirming his promise to us by an Oath verse 13. When God made the promise to Abraham because he could swear by none greater he swears by himself For men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath which he certainly would not have done had an oath been unlawful in it self For that had been to comply with men in an evil practice and by his own example to give countenance to it in the highest manner But though God condescend to represent himself to us after the manner of men he never does it in any thing that is in its own nature evil and sinful Thirdly From the great Usefulness of Oaths in humane affairs to give credit and confirmation to our word and to put an end to Contestations Now that which serves to such excellent purposes and is so convenient for humane society and for mutual security and confidence among men ought not easily to be presumed unlawful till it be plainly proved to be so And if we consider the nature of an oath and every thing belonging to it there is nothing that hath the least appearance of evil in it There is surely no evil in it as it is an act of Religion nor as it is an Appeal to God as a witness and avenger in case we swear falsly nor as it is a confirmation of a doubtful matter nor as it puts an end to strife and controversie And these are all the essential ingredients of an Oath and the ends of it and they are all so good that they rather commend it than give the least colour of ground to condemn it I proceed in the Second place to shew the weakness and insufficiency of the grounds of the contrary opinion whether from Reason or from Scripture First from Reason They say the necessity of an Oath is occasioned by the want of truth and fidelity among men And that every man ought to demean himself with that faithfulness and integrity as may give credit and confirmation to his word and then Oaths will be needless This pretence will be fully answered if we consider these two things 1. That in matters of great importance no other obligation besides that of an oath hath been thought sufficient amongst the best and wisest of men to assert their fidelity to one another Even the best men to use the words of a great Author have not trusted the best men without it As we see in very remarkable instances where Oaths have pass'd between those who might be thought to have the greatest confidence in one another As between Abraham and his old faithful servant Eliezer concerning the choice of a Wife for his Son Between Father and Son Jacob and Joseph concerning the burial of his Father in the Land of Canaan Between two of the dearest and most intimate Friends David and Jonathan to assure their friendship to one another and it had its effect long after Jonathans death in the saving of Mephibosheth when reason of State and the security of his Throne seem'd to move David strongly to the contrary for it is expresly said 2 Sam. 21.7 that David spared Mephibosheth Jonathan's Son because of the oath of the Lord that was between them implying that had it not been for his Oath other considerations might probably have prevail'd with him to have permitted him to have been cut off with the rest of Saul's Children 2. This Reason which is alledged against Oaths among men is much stronger against God's confirming his promises to us by an Oath For he who is truth it self is surely of all other most to be credited upon his bare word and his oath needless to give confirmation to it and yet he condescends to add his oath to his word and therefore that reason is evidently of no force Secondly From Scripture Our Saviour seems altogether to forbid swearing in any case Matth. 5.33 34. Ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time thou shalt not forswear thy self but I say unto you swear not at all neither by heaven c. But let your communication be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil And this Law St. James recites chap. 5. vers 12. as that which Christians ought to have a very particular and principal regard to above all things my brethren swear not And he makes the breach of this Law a damning sin lest ye fall into condemnation But the authority of our Saviour alone is sufficient and therefore I shall only consider that Text. And because here lies the main strength of this opinion of the unlawfulness of Oaths it is very fit that this Text be fully consider'd and that it be made very evident that it was not our Saviour's meaning by this prohibition wholly to forbid the use of Oaths But before I enter upon this matter I will readily grant that there is scarce any Errour whatsoever that hath a more plausible colour from Scripture than this which makes the case of those who are seduced into it the more pityable But then it ought to be consider'd how much this Doctrine of the unlawfulness of oaths reflects upon the Christian Religion since it is so evidently prejudicial both to humane Society in general and particularly to those persons that entertain it neither of which ought rashly to be supposed and taken for granted concerning any Law delivered by our Saviour Because upon these terms it will be very hard for us to vindicate the divine wisdom of our Saviour's Doctrine and the Reasonableness of the Christian Religion Of the inconvenience of this Doctrine to humane Society I have spoken already But besides this it is very prejudicial to them that hold it It renders them suspected to Government and in many cases incapable of the common benefits of Justice and other privileges of humane Society and exposeth them to great penalties as the constitution of all Laws and Governments at present is and it is not easie to imagine how they should be otherwise And which is very considerable in this matter it sets those who refuse Oaths upon very unequal terms with the rest of Mankind if where the estates and lives of men are equally concern'd their bare testimonies shall be admitted without an Oath and others shall be obliged to speak upon Oath Nothing being more certain in experience than that many men will lie for their interest when they will not be perjured God having planted in the natural Consciences of
themselves could not deny might be very proper and effectual But although it be not necessary to believe that this was more than an Argument ad hominem yet it is the better to us if it be absolutely and in it self conclusive of the thing in Question And this I hope will sufficiently appear if we consider these four things 1. That for God to be any ones God doth signifie some very extraordinary blessing and happiness to those persons of whom this is said 2. If we consider the eminent faith and obedience of the persons to whom this promise is made 3. Their condition in this world 4. The general importance of this promise abstracting from the persons particularly specified and named in it Abraham Isaac and Jacob. First If we consider that for God to be any ones God doth signifie some very extraordinary blessing and happiness to those persons of whom this is said It is a big word for God to declare himself to be any ones God and the least we can imagine to be meant by it is that God will in an extraordinary manner employ his power and wisdom to do him good that he will concern himself more for the happiness of those whose God he declares himself to be than for others Secondly If we consider the eminent faith and obedience of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Abraham left his Country in obedience to God not knowing whither he was to go And which was one of the most unparallel'd and strange instances of faith and obedience that can almost be imagined he was willing to have sacrificed his only Son at the command of God Isaac and Jacob were also very good men and devout worshippers of the true God when almost the whole world was sunk into Idolatry and all manner of impiety Now what can we imagin but that the good God did design some extraordinary reward to such faithful servants of his especially if we consider that he intended this gracious declaration of his concerning them for a standing encouragement to all those who in after Ages should follow the faith and tread in the steps of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Thirdly If we consider the condition of Abraham Isaac and Jacob in this world The Scripture tells us that they were pilgrims and strangers upon the earth had no fixed and settled habitation but were forced to wander from one Kingdom and Countrey to another that they were exposed to many hazards and difficulties to great troubles and afflictions in this world so that there was no such peculiar happiness befell them in this life above the common rate of men as may seem to fill up the big words of this promise that God would be their God For so far as the Scripture History informs us and further we cannot know of this matter Esau was as prosperous as Jacob and Jacob had a great many more troubles and afflictions in this life than Esau had But suerly when God calls himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob this signifies that God intended some very peculiar blessing and advantage to them above others which seeing they did not enjoy in this world it is very reasonable to believe that one time or other this gracious declaration and promise or God was made good to them And therefore the Apostle to the Hebrews chap. 11. from this very expression of God's being said to be the God of Abraham and others argues that some extraordinary happiness was reserved for them in another world and that upon this very ground I am now speaking of namely because the condition of Abraham and some others was not such in this world as might seem to answer the fulness of this promise All these says he died in the faith not having received the promises but having seen them aâ—ar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims upon the earth From whence he reasons very strongly that these good men might reasonably expect something better than any thing that had befallen them in this World For they says he that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Country which at the 16. verse he calls a better Country that is a heavenly They that say such things that is they who acknowledge themselves to be strangers and pilgrims in the earth and yet pretend that God hath promised to be their God declare plainly that they expect some reward beyond this life From all which he concludes Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God because he hath prepared for them a City Intimating that if no happiness had remained for these good men in another world this promise of God's being their God would shamefully have fallen short of what it seemed to import viz. some extraordinary reward and blessing worthy of God to bestow something more certain and lasting than any of the enjoyments of this world which since God hath abundantly performed to them in the happiness of another life his promise to them was made good to the full and he needed not be ashamed to be called their God But if nothing beyond this life had been reserved for them that Saying of old Jacob towards the conclusion of his life few and evil have the days of the years of my life been would have been an eternal reflection upon the truth and faithfulness of him who had so often called himself the God of Jacob. But now because to all this it may be said that this Promise seems to have been made good to Abraham Isaac and Jacob in this world For was not God the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob when he took such a particular and extraoadinary care of them and protected them from the manifold dangers they were exposed to by such a special and immediate providence suffering no one to do them harm but rebuking even Kings for their sakes Was not he Abraham's God when he blest him so miraculously with a Son in his old age and with so considerable an estate to leave to him Was not that Saying of Jacob a great acknowledgement of the gracious providence of God towards him with my staff passed I over this Jordan and now I am become two bands And though it must needs be a very cutting affliction to him to lose his Son Joseph as he thought he had done yet that was more than recompensed to him in Joseph's strange advancement in Egypt whereby God put into his hands the opportunity of saving his Father and his whole Family alive And was not God the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob in making them Fathers of so numerons an off-spring as afterwards became came a great nation and in giving them a fruitful Land and bringing them to the quiet possession of it by such a series of wonderful Miracles what need then is there of extending this promise to another world doth it not seem abundantly made good in those great blessings which God bestowed upon them whilst they liv'd and
of gross Hypocrisie who pretend a further obligation of Conscience in this matter I shall give this plain Demonstration which relies upon Concessions generally made on all hands and by all Parties No Protestant that I know of holds himself obliged to go and Preach up his Religion and make Converts in Spain or Italy Nor do either the Protestant Ministers or Popish Priests think themselves bound in conscience to Preach the Gospel in Turky and to confute the Alcheran to convert the Mahometans And what is the Reason because of the severity of the Inquisition in Popish Countreys and of the Laws in Turky But doth the danger then alter the obligation of Conscience No certainly but it makes men throw off the false pretence and disguise of it But where there is a real obligation of Conscience danger should not deter men from their Duty as it did not the Apostles which shews their case to be different from ours and that probably this matter was stated right at first So that whatever is pretended this is certain that the Priests and Jesuites of the Church of Rome have in truth no more obligation of conscience to make Converts here in England than in Sueden or Turky where it seems the evident danger of the attempt hath for these many years given them a perfect discharge from their duty in this particular I shall joyn the Third and Fourth Observations together That though the true Religion may have several prejudices and objections against it yet upon examination there will be found those real advantages on its side that it may safely be referred to any considerate mans choice If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you this day whom you will serve If it seem evil unto you Intimating that to some persons and upon some accounts it may appear so But when the matter is truly represented the choice is not difficult nor requires any long deliberation Chuse you this day whom you will serve Let but the Cause be fully and impartially heard and a wise man may determine himself upon the spot and give his Verdict without ever going from the Bar. The true Religion hath always layen under some prejudices with partial and inconsiderate men which commonly spring from one of these two Causes either the Prepossessions of a contrary Religion or the contrariety of the true Religion to the vicious inclinations and practices of men which usually lyes at the bottom of all prejudice against Religion Religion is an enemy to mens beloved lusts and therefore they are enemies to Religion I begin with the first which is as much as I shall be able to compass at this time I. The Prepossessions of a false Religion which commonly pretends two advantages on its side Antiquity and Vniversality and is wont to object to the true Religion Novelty and Singularity And both these are intimated both before and after the Text Put away the gods which your Father served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt And chuse you this day whom you will serve whether the gods which your Fathers served on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell Idolatry was the Religion of their Fathers and had spread it self over the greatest and most ancient Nations of the world and the most famous for Learning and Arts the Chaldeans and Egyptians and was the Religion of the Amorites and the Nations round about them So that Joshua represents the Heathen Religion with all its strength and advantage and do's not dissemble its confident pretence to Antiquity and Vniversality whereby they would also insinuate the Novelty and Singularity of the worship of the God of Israel And it is very well worthy our observation that one or both of these have always been the Exceptions of false Religions especially of Idolatry and Superstition against the true Religion The ancient Idolaters of the World pretended their Religion to be ancient and universal that their Fathers served these Gods and that the worship of the God of Israel was a plain Innovation upon the Ancient and Catholick Religion of the world and that the very first rise and original of it was within the memory of their Fathers and no doubt they were almost perpetually upon the Jews with that pert question Where was your Religion before Abraham and telling them that it was the Religion of a very small part and corner of the world confined within a little Territory But the great Nations of the world the Egyptians and Chaldeans famous for all kind of knowledge and wisedom and indeed all the Nations round about them worshipped other Gods And therefore it was an intolerable arrogance and singularity in them to condemn their Fathers and all the world to be of a Religion different from all other Nations and hereby to separate themselves and make a Schism from the rest of mankind And when the Gospel appeared in the world which the Apostle to the Hebrews to prevent the scandal of that word calls the time of Reformation the Jews and Heathen still renewed the same Objections against Christianity The Jews urged against it not the ancient Scriptures and the true word of God but that which they pretended to be of much greater Authority the unwritten Word the ancient and constant Traditions of their Church and branded this new Religion with the name of Heresie After the way saith St. Paul that you call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets By which we see that they of the Church of Rome were not the first who called it Heresie to reject humane Traditions and to make the Scriptures the Rule of Faith This was done long before by their reverend Predecessors the Scribes and and Pharisees And the Gentiles they pretended against it both Antiquity and Vniversality the constant belief and practice of all Ages and almost all Places of the World Sequimur majores nostros qui feliciter secuti sunt suos says Symmachus We follow our Fore-fathers who happily followed theirs But you bring in a new Religion never known nor heard of in the World before And when the Christian Religion was most miserably depraved and corrupted in that dismal night of Ignorance which overspread these Western parts of the World about the Ninth and Tenth Centùries and many pernicious Doctrines and Superstitious Practices were introduced to the wofull defacing of the Christian Religion and making it quite another thing from what our Saviour had left it and these Corruptions and Abuses had continued for several Ages No sooner was a Reformation attempted but the Church of Rome make the same outcry of Novelty and Singularity And though we have substantially answered it a thousand times yet we cannot obtain of them to forbear that threadbare Question Where was your Religion before Luther I shall therefore apply my self to answer these two Exceptions with