AN EXAMINATION Of the CASE of the QUAKERS CONCERNING OATHS Propounded by them A. D. 1673. To the Consideration of the KING And both Houses of Parliament With a Vindication of the Power of the Magistrate to impose Oaths and the Liberty and Duty of all Christians to Swear by God Reverently Humbly Submitted to the Judgment of His Most Sacred Majesty and the Two Houses of Parliament By Charles Gataker Rector of Hoggeston in the County of Bucks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocles in Pyth. Carm. Aur. LONDON Printed by T. N. for Thomas Collins at his Shop at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet MDCLXXV ANIMADVERSIONS ON THE CASE OF THE QUAKERS Concerning Oaths and Swearing Propounded by them to the Consideration of the King and both Houses of Parliament A. D. 1673. SECTION I. The Design of this Treatise IT is not mine intention to examine the Truth of many Assertions boldly affirm'd by these Men without any proof or shew of probability but not without an evidence of Pride and Vain-glory nor to inquire into the sincerity and pertinency of all the Examples and Testimonies annexed to their frame of their Case which can only dazle the Eyes or amuse the Minds of vulgar Readers But my design is out of the Love which I owe to Truth and Peace Zech. 8.19 both which can never be so well preserv'd as by the Holy and Wise Gods Ordinances for their security to assert with as much brevity and perspicuity as I can well use the warrantable use of Oaths under the Gospel when Christians do upon a just occasion Swear by the True and Living God in Truth Jer. 4.2 in Judgment and in Righteousness notwithstanding Christs inhibition in his Sermon on the Mount that the Jews then his Auditors should not swear at all by the Creatures nor by God himself Matth. 5. â—â— 37 in ordinary communication and also to defend the Authority of our Lawful Superiors to require an Oath from them who are subject to their Government be it Civil or Ecclesiastical Now because these subverters of Government do invite or rather provoke the whole Nation to consider their Case that they may gain pitty to themselves from the Common People and Protection from the Powers ordain'd of God even in their disorderly ways of singularity wherein they villify Authority and disturb that peace of Conscience with which good Christians do approve themselves to be faithful Subjects both to Christ and his Vicegerents on Earth I shall endeavor to discover not only the defects but also the frauds of these new Casuists in stating of the Question and then proceed to unfold the Nature of an Oath in order to the right stating of the Question in hand viz. Whether an Oath of God or of the Lord as the Holy Ghost speaks be consistent or repugnant with or to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Eccl. 8.2 Exod. 22. â— And lastly I shall reconcile sober deliberate and reverent swearing unto Christian Religion still proceeding upon those Principles and Maxims which are avowed by all who are indeed the Disciples of Christ taught of God by his holy Spirit and Word which in Religion deriv'd from Heaven by Revelation are never to be severed since the holy Scriptures are by Gods gracious providence employed and by his Blessing are sufficient to make us wise unto Salvation And in this undertaking I do earnestly beseech the only wise God who is the Father of Lights and free-flowing Fountain of Wisdom to direct and assist me in the lighting of my Candle at his written Word and in drawing the Waters of Life out of that never failing Well of Salvation SECT II. The Pretence of the Quakers THis late upstart Generation raised up by the Lord as they boast and we will acknowledge it to be true in some sense Exod. 9. â—6 as God says he raised up Pharoah first to be a Destroyer and then to be Destroyed complains that for 20 or 30 years last past under the various Revolutions of Government although they have been of a peaceable behaviour They say nothing of their refractory disobedience to Authority in what hand soever have been a suffering People only for refusal of Oaths whereas they cannot swear at all their Consciences not allowing them to do so because of the express command of Christ and out of obedience to the Doctrine of the Apostles They alleadge Mat. 5.33 34. Jam 5.12 from whence they conclude that though Swearing were allowed in the Law yet Christ and his Apostles forbid it in his Gospel They dare and do appeal to God the searcher of Hearts pray mark how near this comes to an Oath wherein every Swearer doth as St. Paul did 2 Cor. 1.23 call God to Record upon his Soul that their refusing to swear is with respect to the Reputation of Christianity and the Evangelical dispensation of Truth and Righteousness which exceed that of the Law and the solemn Oaths thereof and to the express Prohibition in the Case This is the summe of their Case and the ground of their Request to be eased of the heavy burden and to be deliver'd of the Snare of Oaths SECT III. An Examination of this Pretence for Refusal of Oaths I Shall not now make inquiry whether all the Imprisonments and Sufferings of Quakers have been only for their refusing of Oaths exacted of them by Magistrates But my business is to examine whether their pretence of Conscience be allowable in this Case to exempt them from being prest to Swear or to secure them from the guilt of disobedience in their obstinate refusal of all Oaths whatsoever Here first I must lay open two things in this Discourse to wit the foul Hypocrisie and the false Doctrine of these Quakers in the ground-work of their perverseness It is a matter of much consequence to the right understanding of this serpentine breed to compare their professions here of respect to the Honor of Christianity of obedience to Christs command and the Doctrine of the Apostles with their known Principles and Practises and to see whether there be an uniformity in them and these Men bear an equal regard to all the Precepts of Christ Psal 119.6 and his Apostles as David had a respect to all Gods Commandments For partiality in keeping one command with a nice scrupulosity but breaking others with licentiousness is a certain token of insincerity and a pretence of Zeal for one part of the Rule of Religion when all the Rule beside is rejected can be taken for no other than divelish dissimulation Now let the Conversation of the Quakers in relation to other parts of Christianity be a little looked into and you will quickly see how little value credit or obedience they defer to the precepts of Christ and his Apostles Do they not cast aside the Ordinances of Christ and his Apostles for Worship and Government Do they not avowedly refuse to give honor Rom. 13.7 to whom honor is commanded to be
given as due Do they not dissolve or weaken those bonds of civil societies which Christ by his Gospel hath tied streighter than the Law of Nature did Do they not violate Christian Charity by Damning all that are not of their combination To say nothing of their reviling all Ministers of the Gospel Hath this Precept of not Swearing swallowed up the whole Body of their Christian Religion Or shall the observance of it pass current for universal and uniform obedience to the compleat Law of Liberty Jam. 1.25 Is not then something else in the bottome besides the tenderness of the Reputation of Christianity Let this be well thought on But another thing is yet more remarkable Who would not think but that these hot Zealots for Christs Doctrine of the Gospel who suffer such hard things rather than break Christs Commandment did make the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament which Christ and his Apostles have by practice and precept commended to our study for the confirming of our Faith and the regulating our Lives and those of the New Testament superadded to them joyntly to be the Foundation on which we are built up to be that Temple Eph. 2.19 whereof Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone or the compleat Rule of Faith and Manners For indeed without the Scriptures now who can assuredly know what is the good and acceptable and perfect Will of God And how came these Men to be acquainted with this very Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles but by the Scriptures But after all this you will find your self much mistaken if you imagine that these Men make the written Oracles of God their principle of Religion or Rule of Life For the heads of them in several Books set up the Light of God within them for the only infallible Rule and they disparage the Holy Scriptures which they allow to be at the best but a shadow of Gods will Again their dissimulation of what they dare not deny to be the Word and Will of God concerning Swearing together with their impious despising of the same Holy Word is apparently visible in their Sophistical conclusion thus exprest with all the subtilty that the old Serpent could inspire into them So though it viz. Swearing was allowed in the Law viz. of Moses which is opposed by them in the precedent sentence and here to the Gospel Christ and his Apostles forbid it in his Gospel Here is a double fallacy in the first Member of the conclusion They would induce a conceit that as Divorce was by God and Moses permitted to the Jews to pass unpunished Mat. 19.8 Mal. 2.16 for the hardness of their hearts which yet was not approved by God as good in it self and therefore it is regulated by a Law for the security of the Woman which Law doth but permit the divorce but enjoyn the giving a Bill so Swearing was but allowed barely with prescription of forms for Solemnity and not commanded Deut. 6.13 10.12.20 Whereas Swearing by the Name of God was commanded which is devoted by the Fear of God in Scripture as a solemn part of his Holy Worship whereby Man gives God the Glory of his Sovereignity Providence Omnipresence Omniscience Omnipotence Veracity Justice and Equity The Prophets also who reached to the depth of the Law which was * Rom. 7.14 Jer. 4.2 12.16 Spiritual commanded Swearing under the Old Testament and * Esa 19.18 45.23 65.16 foretold in their Evangelical Sermons that way of serving God and Christ under the dispensation of the New Covenant when the Gentiles turn to the Lord mark the words of Esaiah which according to the Hebrew run thus He that blesseth himself in the Earth shall bless himself in God Amen as we render it not amiss but not to the full importance of the word Esa 11.9 the God of Truth and he that Sweareth in the Earth when it shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea in the new state of the Church when God calls his Servants by another Name Esa 65 16 17. And what is that new and blessed name but Christians Shall Swear by God Amen Christ himself expounds the word when in his Heavenly Epistle to the Church of Laodicea Apoc. 3.14 he takes to himself that glorious Title Amen The true and faithful witness who is invoked as a Witness and Judge of the Heart in every Oath made by his Name It is not to be omitted that the Oaths which God commanded to be used in judicial proceedings are enjoyned as fit means in their own nature for the discovery of truth Heb. 6.6 and decision of controversies which benefit and effect is common to all Nations in all Ages who are imbrued with an apprehension and fear of God as Judge of the World It is therefore an Imposture of these Wolves in Sheep-skins to attempt the persuasion that Swearing was only allowed and not as expresly commanded in the Law as these Dreamers Dream it to be forbidden in the Gospel Their second piece of juggling is this that by their taking no notice of the practice of all Nations not debauched into direct Atheisme and of the constant practice of Gods best servants who used Oaths for firm binding themselves and others in publick Confederacies and private transactions which were made between Gods servants on both sides and also between the people of Gado on one side and Idolatrous people on the other part of which proceedings the Sacred History of the World before the Law given by Moses Rom. 15.4 2 Tim. 3.15 1 Cor. 10.11 Heb. 10.1 Col. 2.17 yields a full Harvest of Precedents they divert us from looking after those things which as St. Paul says were before written for the instruction conviction reformation teaching and admonition of us upon whom the ends of the World are come Therefore though Jesus Christ brought that Grace and Truth whereof Moses in the Ceremonial Law by Gods wise contrivance gave the Jews a Shadow and that Shadow vanished when the Body of the Son of Righteousness appeared above the Horizon of the Church yet Christ in his Gospel did not diminish any thing of that natural Religion the seeds whereof God had once sown in the Hearts of all Mankind for the keeping up the Faith of his Providence and the fear of his Judgment which are the two Pillars of Justice without which no civil society can firmly subsist I now proceed to animadvert the false Doctrine either insinuated secretly by supposition or expressed openly by profession First It is falsly supposed that the Law of Moses doth not in any part of it concern or oblige us Christians I shall hereafter shew that Christs prohibition of Swearing in familiar Discourse and St. James's restraint of the Tongues outrage in passionate heates is no forbidding of what the Law commands But if the Law of Swearing oblige Christians or be but a precedent to direct them we must observe
that our Saviour said plainly and severely that except your Righteousness exceed beyond that of the Scribes and Pharisees Math. 5.20 ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that is ye cannot be Subjects of the Kingdom of the Messiah which now ye long to see Mark that Christ spake then to the Jews who were carried away with a reverence and esteem of the Scribes and Pharisees who partly enervated partly made void the Law of Moses by their new Traditions and false Interpretations Christ recovers the Law of Moses as it was expounded by the Prophets who preferred a Spiritual Obedience and sincere Righteousness and charitable Mercy before Sacrifices from noval corruptions and recommends it explain'd by himself to them who delighted to be counted the Disciples of Moses He propounds no superabundant Righteousness beyond the Law which cannot be exceeded in a tittle For there is nothing imaginable in the way of Righteousness as it imports a conformity of Man's Will unto God's Will beyond the loving of God with all the Heart Soul Vnderstanding Matt. 22.37.40 and Strength and the loving of our Neighbor as our self on which two Commandments all the Law and the Prophets do depend These Christ came neither to make void nor to improve by any new Precept of Righteousness The Righteousness of God by Faith which is now fully and clearly revealed in the Gospel Rom. 1.17 3.21 22. is another thing far different from the inherent and active Righteousness which Christ in his Sermon so earnestly recommends to his new-come Auditors The conceit that Christ made up the defects of the Law and laid a yoke of more exact Righteousness upon Christians than Moses laid upon the Jews yet Papists say we may take up or refuse at pleasure because all these pretended additions which we may find as easily in the Old Testament as in the New are not Commandments but Counsels hath bred many pernicious errors and practises in the Church The Popish way of taking Christs additional Ordinances as they conceive for Counsels leading to a state of Perfection above common Christians hath begot the Doctrine of Works of Supererogation of Merit of Monkery and all the Superstitions and Frauds depending upon them The Phanatick way of false expounding Christs interpretations of the Old Law for New Precepts obliging all Christians hath put Anabaptists and others upon the conceit that the use of the Sword in the Magistrates hand and in the Soldiers and also Swearing is altogether inconsistent with Christianity But let it be considered whether it is likely that Christ would engage his raw Disciples to break the Law of Moses and in a refractory manner to disobey their Magistrates by refusal of Oaths which might be exacted of them almost every day Certainly if his Doctrine had been such and any number of his Disciples had been obedient to his new Law his adversaries who took much pain to little purpose in suborning witnesses against Christ might with ease have found ground enough of accusation and plenty of Witnesses who heard and practised his Doctrine or in their Courts saw it observed if Christs words had been taken at that time in the same sense as the Quakers do now to have overwhelmed our Saviour with the charge of abrogating Moses's Law Lastly is it imaginable that Christ our Blessed Lord and Master would so prevaricate as not to observe and practise what he taught and preached to his Disciples But our Blessed Saviour whom these Seducers affirm to have forbidden Swearing in a Court at the Command of a Magistrate and to have made this abstinence from Oaths a degree of Perfection above the Righteousness of the Law did himself at the great Council at Hierusalem after long and strange silence give an answer to the High Priest being required to speak upon his Oath and he submitted to the High Priest's adjuration by confessing himself to be Christ The High Priest as if he would use a Spiritual Rack to extort a confession from his silent Prisoner said I adjure thee by the living God Mat. 24 63. that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God The form of the Oath is pronounced by the Judge himself with the Matter inquired for Our Saviour's answer of assent is a taking of the Oath Thus Christ did and that he taught the contrary is contrary to Reason and to the sense of our Saviours Sermons who therein secures the Law of Moses to a Tittle and excludes from Heaven Matt. 5 17 18 19 any one that teaches the breach of the least Commandment in the Law Surely if his Auditors had then understood their new Master to have abrogated all the Precepts of Moses concerning Oaths in Judicature especially they would have accused him of contradicting himself and of disparaging Moses and of vilifying the Law of God and in that humor would have deserted him But it is evident that our Saviours Doctrine had a powerful Influence upon them another way Matt. 7 28 29. to raise their Wonder and Reverence of his Authority above that of the Scribes and Pharisees But the knotty question is not yet untied For it is said by many If our Saviour did not fill up as they expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Defects or the Shortness of the Law in points of Righteousness why doth he oppose his sayings to what was said of old in the Law and settle a new Rule of Righteousness Here lies the difficulty which I pray God direct me to clear First I say that the common exposition of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by fulfilling as the Evangelist uses it Matt. 3.15 when he relates our Blessed Saviours Speech wherewith he satisfied John the Baptist concerning Baptizing his Master Thus it becometh us to fulfil all Righteousness is very pertinent and apposite to the former member of the Sentence as much as 't is agreeable to the Truth For Christ that came to destroy the works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8.6.5 and to take away sin which is the breach of the Law by his Holy Life and Doctrine and by his expiatory Sacrifice might truly and fitly say he came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfil them And to reject this Sense of Christs words without manifesting the incongruity of it is an injurious dealing with Scripture On the other side the expounding of it Filling up or Supplying is supposed to be true before it is proved whereas it is not so agreeable to the opposition set between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certainly Filling up by Addition is not so directly opposite to the destruction of the Law and Prophets as Fulfilling them is which strengthens their Authority and Credit But let these Men who are so earnest for Christs improvement of the Law by addition of more excellent Precepts of exact Purity and heroick Patience shew how he hath supplied the defects of the Prophets
Affections as well as to the Members of the Body opposes nothing but what the Pharisees indulged In like manner in dealing with the third Commandment Christ forbids not what the Law which he himself being the Word of God did give unto Moses and by his hand unto the People did Command and Establish but that sinful swearing in ordinary communication which being grown customary peradventure with the Leaders as well as the following people these Masters in Israel connived at who sought their own Glory and Profit and never seriously considered the honour of God which Christ sought to advance in all that he did and taught And now I hope I have evinced that Christ did not set up a new and more perfect rule of Righteousness than what of old was given by God and that he hath cleared it from the corruption and restored it to its integrity from the defalcation of the Scribes and Pharisees without addition or detraction and without crossing or abolishing his own Law concerning reverent swearing by the Name of God I do not think it needful to take notice now of the fond and senseless Traditions of the Pharisees concerning the binding force of Oaths which varied with them according to the several forms of them as they were expressive either of the Name of God the Creator or of the Creatures and in the names of several Creatures they deferred more Virtue to some than to others though the preference be ridiculous because unreasonable Mal. 23.16.22 as our Saviour hath related and censured them Our Saviour in this Prohibition of Swearing now under debate appears clearly to have had a reflexive Eye upon some of their frivolous niceties But these are besides the lines of the main matter in question and may without prejudice to the Cause be past over without any further handling It is high time now to conclude this Section SECTION IV. Concerning the Nature of an Oath AN Oath being the subject Matter of the Controversy the right understanding of it will conduce much to the stating clearing and determining the Question concerning the consistency thereof with Christianity I shall therefore explain the nature of an Oath by a more resplendent Light than that of the Natural Conscience which yet is a Divine Light and spark of Piety which God in his Wife and Holy Providence kept alive in the World for the preservation of Humane Society from our Universal Confusion The Holy Scripture informs us abundantly of the nature and use of Swearing which is common to God the Creator and the Creatures that bear the Image of God both Angels and Men. By the way hence we may collect the absurdity of all them who deny deliberate Swearing upon weighty motives as an Imperfection whereas indeed to swear in due manner upon just grounds Mat. 5. â—8 is to be perfect in Truth Sincerity and Constancy as our Heavenly Father is Perfect and to make Christians even before the Resurrection in some measure equal to Angels Now though there be a great difference between the Oath of the Creator Heb. 6. â—3 Jer. 22. â—â— Deut. 32. â—0 41. Jer. 51. â—4 Psal 89. â—5 Amos. 4. â—â— Heb. 6. â—7 who because he hath none Superior or Greater than himself swears by Himself by his Life hy his Holiness that is his incommunicable Majesty and the Oath of the Creature who swears by God in the way of an Appeal to a Sovereign Lord who is both a sharp-sighted witness of Truth and a severe avenger of falshood yet there is somewhat common to both for which in propriety of speech Swearing is by the Holy Ghost attributed to both I do therefore describe an Oath in general to be the binding ones self immutably to speak and act according to Truth and Faithfulness St. Paul leads me to this description by saying that God willing to shew more abundantly the unchangeableness of his Counsel to the Heirs of the Promise confirmed it by the interposition of an Oath Numb â—0 2 c. All swearing as Moses teaches us is binding the person with a Bond to be constant and true to his word that goes out of his mouth Now God is above the power of being bound by others but yet may and doth bind himself by himself and to himself primarily and secondarily by a gracious condescention to his Creatures But Man who is subject to the power of others may not onely bind himself of his own accord by an Oath but may also and sometimes ought to suffer this sacred Bond to be imposed on him and to put it on himself For persons under the Authority of Magistrates Parents Masters are bound by the express Law of God to take such Oaths which upon just grounds are exacted of them and those of equal quality may by God's Warrant bind themselves each to other by interchangeable Oaths It is superfluous now to recite at large all the examples of these obligations recorded in Scripture which frequently occur to the Reader and are set up by God as Pillars for the direction of Travellers Psal 1.105 or to use David's words are designed to be a Light to our Feet and a Lantern to our Paths But the Swearer whether by his own motion or at the command or intreaty of another ought to bind himself to nothing but what is agreeable to Goodness and Justice God the Fountain and Measure of Goodness and Justice can do no other And Man made at first in the likeness of God ought to do no other Therefore the two celebrated Axiomes of Divines which depend one on the other are true and fixed Rules of Conscience 1. An Oath ought not to be made the Bond of Iniquity 2. An Oath taken to that purpose binds to nothing but Repentance Now that by which a person binds himself in swearing is suitable to his own nature or quality and condition God who is an independent Being as his Name by which he revealed himself to Moses imports I am that I am or more concisely Exod. 14. I am binds himself by the very mention of and reflexion upon his own indeficient and invariable Life and Holiness Tit. 1. Heb. 6.18 2 Tim. 13. Mal. 3 6. Jam. 1 17. who can equally neither Lye nor Dye who is one and changes not and is incapable of variation and ingages himself by his immutability to constancy in his word But Man who is a Creature dependent and obnoxions to God his Sovereign Lord Lawgiver and Judge binds himself over to the vengeance of God if he fail in the Truth and Sincerity of his Swearing by an open or at least an imperfect invocation of God to be first a witness to his Assertion or Ingagement and then to be the Judge and Avenger if he fail of Truth and Honesty in either Furthermore it is necessary for us to the right understanding of God's Swearing to observe what very many do not take notice of or do not enough consider and therefore set up their rest
who knows our thoughts and intentions and the conformity of our words to our Knowledge and Purposes And then there goes a curse upon our selves along with our Prayer to God There is always an imprecation of Vengeance added to the invocation of God's testimony in case we speak otherwise than we know or intend Herein we acknowledge God to be Vindicem falsi a just and powerful Revenger of Falshood Deceit and particularly of our abuse of him by drawing him down to countenance our lies and fraud These things are so cleer that I need not enlarge my Lecture upon the proof of them But these evident Truths I lay now as the premises out of which I shall anon draw my conclusion And that will the easier obtain credit if to the nature of an Oath we briefly recollect the Ends Vses and Benefits of an Oath which are indeed too many to be particularly recounted and unfolded at this time The main ends of swearing are two 1. The Glory of God which naturally results from Man's serious acknowledgements of God's Sovereignty and all those excellencies which are requisite to such a Witness and Judge as we make our Appeal to whensoever we swear in sobriety 2. The good of others or our selves which we are bound to procure and promote For it is designed as a means 1. To cleer the Truth and to preserve the Reputation of Men charged unjustly 2. To discover Crimes Heb. 6.16 that evil may be taken away from a society 3. To put an end to Controversies 4. For the firmer binding of Contracts In many cases all other means of giving satisfaction to Magistrates Friends c. may be ineffectual in matters of moment where the requiring and taking of an Oath may have a good effect to procure Quiet Peace and Justice I need say no more and what I have said is warranted by the Law of God and the good customs of the Nations which are not only recorded but approved by God in Scripture It is therefore perversly done by those Fanaticks whereof the Anabaptists are a part who do maintain in shew at least the Holy Scriptures to be a Rule of Faith and Life and defend their Authority against the Quakers to refuse deliberate Oaths which are so frequently commanded Psal 15.1 4. 63.11 and commended in Scriptures because Christ in one place restrains Men from rash light and vain Oaths which are very near a kin to perjury and because one Apostle forbids hasty Swearing in fits of impatience which make Men unfit even for Prayer much more for Swearing For that St. James meant no more 1 Tim. 2.8 it is manifest because another Apostle who was led by the same Holy Spirit of Truth and that Spirit never contradicts himself doth in his Divinely-inspired Epistles pretty froquently make use of an Oath upon several weighty occasions 2 Cor. 1.23 1 Cor. 15.31 Gal. 1.20 1 Thess 2 5 10. Rom. 9 1. whereof one was the vindication of his own reputation because the credit of his Apostleship and the success of his Ministry did in a good measure depend upon it And the same Apostle St. Paul charges others by Oath to perform their Duty or what he thought expedient for the publick benefit of the Churches See 1 Tim. 6.13 14. 1 Thess 5.27 This last instance wherein St. Paul adjures the Christians of Thessalonica is a paralel for Words and for the power of imposing of an Oath with the High Priest's adjuration of Christ himself before-mentioned Let now the Anabaptists find a more commodious way of reconciling the Apostles in this matter if they can than this which we offer saying The Gospel of our Lord Jesus preached by his Apostles forbids temerarious swearing in anger by Heaven or Earth or in any other form of an Oath unto which Men were then accustomed who were wont to express their Oath by a Creature concealing or sparing the name of God for this is the true meaning of the words Nor any other Oath which these Men vainly urge for their cause but at the same time the Gospel allows swearing by God or by the Lord upon grave and important occasions with judgement and also charging inferiors under an Oath to do their Duty But the Quakers are no less if not more irrational then the former for they do not deny the Scriptures which Jews for the Old Testament and Christians for the Old and New Testament acknowledge to be written by Divine Inspiration to be True but they fondly affirm that nothing is the Rule of Humane Life but the Light of God within us We deny not the Light of God within us to be the Director of us but acknowledge that God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath enlightened his House the Church which was larger or lesser as he saw good to proportion the frame of it under several dispensations of Grace with his Word both outwardly published and inwardly applyed 2 Cor. 4 6. and by both ways doth shine in our Hearts And we further affirm That since God hath committed his living and lightsome Oracles to Writing and the Churches custody as a Standard whereby we may try the Spirits whether they are of God the Father of Lights or of the Prince of darkness who doth frequently transform himself into an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11.14 that he may with false Light delude and secure Men into his Kingdom of Darkness nothing ought to be accepted attended and followed as the Light of God within us but what is agreeable to the Light of God without us and shines in the Candlestick that is the Church which Christ hath set up to bear the Light To come close then to the purpose is it not a perverseness and giddiness of Spirit in these Men to allow the Truth of the New Testament which commends the Holy Scriptures of the Old as directors of us in all those Duties to God and Man which concern all Nations whom God would have come to the knowledge of the Truth and yet to condemn them who direct their actions particularly in taking Oaths by this Rule Again since the Light of God within us is as they acknowledge an infallible Rule and we in Swearing deliberately do follow that Light of God which shined in the Hearts of all Nations as well as of the Patriarchs and of Gods Servants both before and after the separation of the Jews from the wide World to be Gods chosen and peculiar people and of the Prophets and of the Apostles and the practice of these Men agreeable to Gods revealed word and will shews that the Light of Conscience which directed and moved the Nations to Swear was no other than the Candle of the Lord is it not a prodigious obstinancy in this froward Generation not to entertain this light but to condemn all those that do receive it and walk by it Till then the Quakers can and do by some evidence as clear as that is for which we
receive and submit unto the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures manifest that this pretended Light within them which is directly opposite to the Light which hitherto hath enlightened all the World which did not extinguish it by Atheism or wink against it with wilful folly is of God we cannot but conclude that the use of Oaths is still as warrantable from the very Nature and benefit of them as ever it was And as the superstitions which though contrary to the common Notions of a God and to the natural principles of Piety yet by Satans malicious subtilty and the vanity of Mans mind are ingrafted upon the stock of natural Religion do not extirpate the root of natural Religion which will maintain true Piety to Gods Glory when by good husbandry the corrupt grafts are cut off and the root and branch are cultivated aright for the service of the true God so the various abuses of Oaths frequent in all Ages with prophane despisers of God and by vicious custom too general with Professors of Religion do not in themselves directly and should not by consequence eliminate the religious practice of Swearing For the banishment of a Sacrament as the Latines call an Oath out of humane Society is a step to supersede all Worship of God and to remove an Oath out of all procedures of Judicature is no little artifice to extinguish the fear of God in the World SECT V. Concerning the summe and end of the Gospel THat we may yet draw nearer to an end and hit our Mark close and deep it will be fit to consider the intimate and peculiar quality of the Gospel to which these pretenders to Evangelical perfection say that an Oath is irreconcileable The Gospel as it stands in opposition to the Law of Works Rom. 3. â— 28 â— 5 â— whereby Man was to seek Righteousness and Life by his own perfect obedience is called by St. Paul the Law of Faith whereby Man being by the general corruption of humane nature and by his singular sinfulness obnoxious to Gods wrath which is the Messenger of Death obtains Righteousness Luk. 1. â—9 〈◊〉 Cor. 5. â—8 19 〈…〉 3.9 and Life by Faith on Christs Blood The Gospel then is a way of peace a word of reconciliation a ministery of Righteousness Peace and Life which are purchased by the Death of Christ and by the Blood of his Cross The primary ends of the Gospel are these two inseparable benefits which our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ hath compassed by his Death and works by the power of the Gospel upon the Consciences of Believers Reconciliation and Reformation of Man who was in a state of enmity with God both active and passive by his Sin Rom. 5. â—0 Col. 1. â—1 22 〈◊〉 Pet. 3. â—8 2. â—3 Tit. 2.11 â—2 In one word this is the Reduction of the lost sheep or the fugitive servant unto God in the way of Peace and Holiness The saving Grace therefore of the Gospel teaches all mankind which is enlightened with its beams to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and piously in this present World We are moreover to observe that from the first foundation of a Church which immediately was after Mans Sin and Sentence began to be built upon the promised Messiah who is the Rock of Salvation common to all Ages God did set up a way of Worship which had relation to Christ the Lamb of God 〈◊〉 Pet. 1. â—9 20. fore-designed by God and manifested in Gods own season This instituted Religion in several shadows drawn out by Gods hand in such proportions as he thought fit conteined the Salvation by Christ and the Doctrine of Faith and Repentance of which the Law given to Man in his state of integrity made no words and gave no hopes of Salvation that way The Gospel therefore first in the cloudy Pillar which was the guide of Patriarchs and Prophets and then in the brightness of its Revelation by Christ since all is accomplished and preached to the Nations superadds to the Law Rom. â—â— 17 the Righteousness of God from Faith to Faith but it pares off nothing of the Religion and Righteousness which Man owes to God and to his Neighbour by that natural dependence upon God and that order to his neighbour Act. â—â— 26 which God established by Creation of Mankind after his own Image and of one blood to bind them together This indeed is that which we call the Law of Nature which God unfolded and taught the Patriarchs the first Fathers of Families and founders of humane Society And the grace of the Gospel is so far from loosening the Bond of this Law that on the contrary by addition of the inestimable benefit of Redemption to our deep engagement by Creation it ties more strictly the Redeemed of the Lord who are enlarged from the bondage under Sin and made the Servants of Righteousness to yield up all their Members once abused to the service of uncleanness and iniquity Rom â—â— 19 to become now the servants and instruments of Righteousness unto sanctification This then being the end and efficacy of the Gospel to clear the light of the Law of Nature and to strengthen the holy bonds of Love to God and Man how is it imaginable that the Tongue is restrained now by the Gospel from being still made an instrument of Religion and Righteousness Since the Evangelical Prayer of our Saviours framing for our use is that Gods name should be hallowed in all the World can we think that silence and total abstinence from taking up the name of God in an Oath with reverence upon just occasions sanctifies or magnifies the Name of God Mal. â—â— 11 Or is it consonant to that enlargement of Gods honour which is the effect of the Gospel in regard of persons and to the maintenance of it by all acts of Piety which our Saviour professes to have been his work and care that Heathens and Infidels should still by the Law of Nature be bound to acknowledge and honour the Name of God by Swearing in a due manner and Christians should have their hands tied from lifting up to Heaven 2 Cor 14. and their Tongues from calling upon his Name and giving him the Glory due unto it Indeed the Apostle says what participation is there between righteousness and the transgression of the Law what communion of Light with Darkness or what agreement of Christ with Belial Let it therefore first be proved that an Oath is the transgression of the Law Maâ—â— 33 before it be cast out of the Kingdom of God as inconsistent with the Righteousness thereof â—â—h 5. â— which Christ commands us to seek Let an Oath which is indeed a Light according to the Apostles sentence because it doth discover and manifest somtime Truth and somtime many shameful things which are done in secret be proved to be an unprofitable deed of Darkness or else let
of their Persons but of their Doctrines the reception whereof concerns a Mans own Salvation And if the common reason of all Men directed by such Light as God affords them do enable them to choose that Church among the several pretending Societies of Christians at this day with which he may safely hold Communion then the same reason with the same aids will be sufficient to guide him to determine what Doctrines of Faith and Manners he may safely receive For God hath given unto us all one Rule of Faith and Manners which is common to the Stewards and to the inferiour Servants of his House the Church Neither is it now possible to make a right Judgment of a particular Church but by conferring of their Doctrine with that Rule For the Light cannot be discerned whether it be True or False by the Candlestick but the Candlestick must be judged of by the Light which it upholds and that must be tried by something else Thus it is evident that every one must pass a Sentence within himself of what he must Believe and Doe Our Saviour reproves those who will not employ their Talent of Reason Luk. 12.57 Lam. 3.40 and make use of their Light this way saying But why do ye not even of your selves Judge what is right or just Again every Christian is bound to judge himself for what he hath done to search and try his ways whether they have been and are conformable to the Law of God God hath set up Conscience a Domestick Judge within a Man 's own Brest who is a swift witness and an impartial Judge And the sincere proceeding in judgment of our selves is the certain way both to make and to keep our Peace with God For St. 1 Cor. 11.31 Paul says If we would Judge our selves we should not be judged The Master says Judge not to wit others least ye be judged and the servant says Judge your selves and ye shall not be judged But God the Supreme Judge of all hath delegated his own power to certain Ministers whom he hath honoured with one of his own Names to wit Elohim and armed them with Authority to judge and punish other Men See this Title given to Judges Ps 82.1.6 Ex. 22.28 Act. 23.5 Levit. 19.22 where we should read Honor the face of the old Man and fear thy Judge I am the Lord Age is to be honoured Authority is to be feared if they be proved Malefactors These are by Gods Ordinance advanced to sit upon the Throne of the Lord 1 Chron. 29.23 that they may judge for the Lord 2 Chron. 19.7 and their Sentence pronounced according to Justice and Equity is the Judgement of God Deut. 1.17 This Judicial power derived from above Joh. 19.11 Act. 25.9.10 our Saviour owned in Pontius Pilate and the Apostle St. Paul in Augustus Caesar whom he accounted a compleat Judge even in matters of Religion and therefore made an Appeal from the Jews to the Roman Emperor Briefly it is a main point of Christian Doctrine that Christians must be subject to the Judicial Authority of the Powers ordained by God in the Civil Government of the World Rom. 13.1.6 Tit. 3.1 I will not now run out to shew what spiritual power of Government and Jurisdiction the Lord hath given to his Ministers intrusted with the Pastoral charge for edification and not for destruction which the See Mat. 18.17 19.28 Here our Saviour promises to the twelve Apostles that in the Regeneration when all things are made new under the spiritual Kingdom of the Messiah they shall be the Judges of Gods Israel Read 1 Cor. 5 3.4.5 12.28 2 Cor. 10.8 1 Tim. 5.17.19 Tit. 3.10 Holy Scripture abundantly testifies To conclude then if Christs words Judge not should be taken in their utmost latitude the Lord himself would be taken for the Author of Confusion and not of Peace in the State and in the Church the subverter of his own Ordinances and his Gospel which is a word of Peace would be made an Engine to turn the World upside down Thus we see a necessity of limiting them by the distinction of private persons judging others which cannot be done without the bold intrusion upon Gods Office and of Publick Ministers of Gods Government judging those who are under their Power which is a lawful execution of their delegated authority Secondly Christ hath given us another distinction of the manner of judging in cases wherein Men are allowed to judge For he says Judge not according to the appearance Joh. 7.24 but judge righteous judgment Here is a double charge judge not to wit hastily rashly upon weak grounds of slight and superficial shews and yet judge Righteous Judgment that is according to the Merit of the Cause upon clear evidence I need say no more to shew that this prohibition is not to be understood in an unbounded sense We may observe the like of our Saviours inhibition Mat. 5.39 Mat. 13.38.39 1 Pet. 5.8.9 Jam. 4.7 Heb. 12.4 Phil. 2.17 Apoc. 12.11 But I say unto you resist not Evil which must be limited by the distinctions of the Evil to be resisted and of the persons resisting For every private Christian is a Souldier who must stoutly resist that Evil one that Enemy both of God and Man the Devil and Sin which is the Work of the Devil yea every temptation unto Sin is to be resisted sometimes even unto Blood not actively by shedding the blood of others but passively by suffering our own to be shed and by willingly pouring it out as a drink-offering upon the Sacrifice of our Faith For in the spiritual warfare Christians are more then conquerors when they love not their Lives unto Death itself But the Magistrate is armed with a Sword and hath a Commission to resist every evil work to stop the course and to repress the force of Sin in others for the publick welfare and peace of the State If therefore a Magistrate draw his Sword to execute Justice he must not put it up in his sheath and be quiet if the Malefactor shall say oh Sir you must remember the command of our Saviour Resist not evil and the check given to Peter when he was unseasonably and rashly over-valiant Put up thy Sword into its place Mat. 26.52 for all that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword Thus the resisting evil is unwarrantable in private persons but necessary in publick officers To close up all if it be an intollerable abuse of the Gospel-prohibitions aforesaid to extend them to all occasions whereas in many cases they are not of any force it is equally irrational to stretch this negative Swear not to the utmost extent of the words when they cannot consist with that Law of God written in the Heart of Man which is also established by the Law written by Moses at Gods command and given to his own people for a Rule of Religion and Righteousness and is farther urged by the Prophets who were sparing in pressing carnal Ordinances but earnest in exacting the everlasting Righteousness of God and is confirmed by our Blessed Saviours Declaration that he came not to abrogate any part of that Law nor to infringe any piece of Gods Righteousness whereof an Oath reverently taken upon a just occasion is a part Let the Adversaries then if they can shew a Disparity between these Prohibitions why the one concerning Judging and Resisting must be limited and the other concerning Swearing ought not or may not without injury to our Blessed Saviours Authority In the mean time I conclude in the words of St. Paul who with modesty and care to decline the suspicion of exercising a Dominion over the Faith of his Brethren 2 Cor. 1.24 1. Cor. 10.15 referred his Doctrine to be determined by common reason upon the general principles of Religion I speak as unto Men of discretion judge ye what I say FINIS
Christ loosened no bonds of the Law of Nature nor of the Laws of Nations which were agreeable to natural Justice and humanity but binds Christians by new bonds of peace in obedience to Magistrates Parents and Masters although they be harsh and froward And now I come to mine Argument which I shall frame out of these Propositions 1. The Soveraign Magistrate and those who are sent by him according to the Evangelical Doctrine have received in their Divine Ordination a power to use all means that either by Gods appointment are or in common prudence seem to the Wisdom of the State directly conducible to the preservation of the Peace and promotion of Righteousness and for punishment of Offenders all which indeed is the publick good and for the procuring whereof God hath armed his Deputies with a Sword or a coercive power that the fear or the feeling of it may constrain Men to obedience All this is written with a Sun-beam in the New Testament See Joh. 19.11 Rom. 13.1 c. And it is further confirmed by what I have already produced to shew that the Gospel takes no flower out of the Crowns of Kings though they were infidels much less if they be faithful For if St. Pauls Logick be good that Servants being made Christians ought the rather to serve their Masters being converted because they are believers and beloved 1 Tim. 6.2 we may by proportion conclude that the Magistrates embracement of the Christian Faith doth not impair his Authority and ought not to diminish the Subjects inclination to serve and obey and is an indeerment of the King to his People 2. An Oath seasonably administred and duely taken is a fit means to preserve Peace by a firm obligation of Subjects to their Soveraign whereof we have an example 2 Kings 11.17 and to secure and promote Justice and to carry on judicial proceedings in discovery of right and wrong and in conviction of Offenders To prove this I need say no more than advise any doubter to look upon the judgment and practice of all polished Nations under the Sun since the Foundations of Kingdomes and Republicks in the World And if all that be counted but a general corruption of reason like the general Idolatry of the Nations estranged from God let him remember that the use and force of Oaths is founded upon no other basis but the hearty Faith and sincere fear of Gods power and vengeance But I shall drive the Nail to the Head by Gods own Sentence who established Swearing in his own government as a means proper to produce the effects aforesaid and tells the Jews for their credit that their political Laws did exceed those of all Nations for Wisdom and Righteousness Deut. 4.5.8 Now the use of Oaths is an ingredient of very many Laws in the Government 3. The Magistrate who stands accomptable to Christ Apoc. 19.16 who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords for the exercise of his power in order to the ends of Governement may and ought to require Oaths of the Subject as the occasions viz. of secuting the Kings Life and Honour the preservation of the publick Weal and Peace the ending of Controversies and the execution of Justice or the like do require Otherwise he will hardly be able to clear himself of imprudence or of remisness in refusing the choice and use of such means as God himself hath approved and appointed in the course of Government I think I may now upon these premises safely and rationally infer Ergo the Magistrate according to the Gospel may put his Subject of what Religion soever to his Oath to Swear by the true God I wave the Question of requiring Jews and Infidels to Swear upon the Gospel that it is by Jesus Christ whom we confess to be the true God but they do not own as such I have now suffciently proved as I think and hope that all who are both rational and impartial will apprehend that the Gospel of Christ doth not infringe but confirm that power that Magistrates in joy'd by the Law of Nature that is to say by Gods general ordination of humane Society throughout the World and the Kings of Gods special anoyntment and appointment over his people were endowed with by his Statutes to tender Oaths to their Subjects and to require their obedience in taking them supposing still that the use of them be referr'd to their proper ends See an example of an Oath imposed by Solomon 1 King 2.42 Rom. 13.4 I have now but little to do farther for the proof that the same Gospel binds Christians to take such Oathes as are administred to them by their lawful Superiours For God both in the way of Nature and also in the course of Grace doth nothing in vain and as St. Paul says expresly Gods Minister doth not carry a Sword in vain and is as much bound to draw it for the defence of Gods honour which is concerned in Swearing as the servants of Secular Kings are obliged to fight for the Life or Honour of their Master which rule of Worldly State Christ hath consecrated by his Sentence Joh. 18.36 But the Magistrates power is rendered vain and ineffectual if the subject can clude his Authority and resolve his commands into such wind as shakes no Corn by his obstinate refusal to swear I shall therefore urge but one Argument to satisfie the Subjects Conscience in this case The Gospel of Christ Rom. 13 1-7 Tit. 3.1 1 Pet. 2.13.14.17 taught by the Apostles to all Nations lays upon all Christians a necessity of submission and obedience with a readiness to every good work unto the supereminent powers and principalities of the World and to the Administrators of Government commissioned by them not only for Wrath and yet that terror arising from the apprehension of the Sword that gliters in the Magistrates hand is justified by St. Paul but also out of Conscience Quakers mark that to wit Conscience binds to no things but obedience in this case rightly stated or reverence of Christ by whom Kings Reign and Princes Decree Justice Prov. 8.15 Eph. 6.1 And this universal obedience like that which Children owe to their Parents is limited but by one Rule obey in all things in the Lord. It reaches to things indifferent as the obedience of the Rechabites did Jer. 35.8.9.10.18.19 which God commended and rewarded with a Blessing But Obedience to our Superiours in those things which are so far from being evidently repugnant to the Will and Command of the Lord that they are consonant to the express Word of God and agreeable to his Ordinances is an Evangelical Duty unavoidable upon any pretence whatsoever where there is a possibility of performance If you consult the Allegations out of St. Paul and St. Peter and confer them together the perspicuity of the words will not permit you to doubt of the truth of this Proposition But Swearing in the manner aforesaid when it is
exacted by a lawful Superior is a good Work done in the Name of the Lord as I have abundantly proved already Therefore some Swearing is not only consistent with Christianity but also required by the Gospel It remains only for me to show for the direction and satisfaction of Christians in several cases of a more private concernment that Oaths taken or given without the interposition of the Magistrates Authority either upon a single persons own Motion of Spirit impelled thereto by weighty considerations or out of compliance with a Neighbour are not repugnant but agreeable to the Rules of the Gospel Here I shall for brevities sake produce but one argument which hath Light and Strength enough to prove my conclusion and may lead the Reader to frame more by proportion out of the Gospel if he please for the fuller Conviction of the Adversary to stop his Mouth with number if weight will not bear down his reason The Gospel doth always allow 1 Cor. 10.21 1 Pet. 4.11 Rom. 15.2.3 1 Cor. 10.24 Phil. 2.4 and as the importance of the matter requires commands Christians to do whatsoever doth directly and by the nature of the act it self tend to the Glory of God which ought to be the aim which we intend in all our deliberate actions and in like manner to perform freely whatsoever really conduces to the good peace and welfare of our Neighbor whom we are bound to love as our selves by the Law and Gospel But the due Swearing in many things that concern our selves or for the satisfaction of our Brother or for a mutual engagement to do what is agreeable to Piety Justice and Charity doth bring Glory to the Name of God and procures the good of our selves and others And therefore is not by the Gospel wholly banished out of the conversation of Christians The Assumption is manifestly true For it is apparent to sence and reason that when a Christian calls God to witness regard judge and revenge falshood upon the Head and Soul of perjur'd persons he sets forth the Glory of God as much as Jacob and Laban or Jonathan and David or any of the former days before or under the Law did And common experience teaches us what satisfaction and benefit we mutually give and receive by an Oath reverently taken The conclusion therefore naturally flows from the premises and abides firm as built upon a Rock that Christianity hath not made the Third Commandment a mere insignificant or useless Cypher to us by forbidding Oaths which leaves no place for the honouring of Gods Name that way and stops up the passage against Piety and Impiety both together I confess that a great measure of Christian Prudence is requisite in the private use of Oaths above what is needful in Oaths administred by authority For our submission to the wisdom of the State enjoyned us by God absolves us from much of the trouble and care about the sufficient weight in the ground of the Oath whereas now the whole burden of the Oath with all the circumstances to qualifie and legitimate the same lies upon the discretion of the private Christian who ought to have a full assurance in his own Mind Rom. 14. â—5 of the warrantableness of the action Therefore the sparing use of private Oaths is safe commendable and comfortable For according to St. 1 Cor. 6.12 10.23 Pauls golden rule All things that are lawful for us are not always expedient neither do they always edifie And Christs precept of abstinence from Swearing in ordinary discourse doth in a manner restrain his Warrant concerning Oaths to matters not only serious but also weighty which need such an inforcement of belief or engagement Being now arrived at this conclusion I will imitate my Adversaries a little and quote the Testimony of a Heathen who was beholden to the Gospel for his refined Morality but a profest Enemy to Christ Hierocles one of the †By the way we may observe that it was a cunning Stratagem of Satan in that age that he might yet support his sinking Kingdom to revive and set up the Pythagorcan and Platonick Philosophy the Morality whereof they improved not without borrowing Light from the Christian Religion But the Devils design was by Philosophy to baffle Faith and to discountenance Christianity as being at the best but useless which could do no more to advance Vertue than Paganism it self This is evident by the Writings of Porphyrie Jamblichus Hierocles and the like Platonick School at Alexandria in his accurrate Coment on the Golden Verses of Phythagoras explicating that Precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reverence an Oath discourses thus as I shall render his sence faithfully without transcribing the Greek He calls an humane Oath the Image of Gods Oath whereby God establisheth the immutable Law and order of the Vniverse the helper of humane affairs and Procurator of constancy and truth which reduces the versatile free will into order and affixedness both in words and deeds The Reverence of an Oath is the keeping of what is Sworn to as much as in us lies without violation which by a voluntary necessity trimmes them that reverence an Oath to the constancy and truth of a Divine Habit or Constitution None but they who are possest with political Virtues can swear aright * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word of the Law Maâ— 5.33 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naughtiness or vitiousness is the Mother of false or for-swearing How is it possible that a covetous voluptuous or cowardly person should ever do other then put off the reverence of an Oath and when ever he imagins that some advantage may be reaped by Perjury barter away Divine Goods for those which are mortal and fading Now the best course of care to preserve the reverence of an Oath is not to use it frequently nor at adventure nor upon light occurrents nor for the filling up of talk nor for the giving credit to a relation but as far as it is possible to reserve the use of it for things that are equally necessary and precious and them only when their Security appears not any other way to be procured but by the truth issuing from an Oath And then our Oaths will gain credit when our whole conversation bears harmony with it to show that in humane matters nothing is more precious with us than Truth whether we be unsworn or swear Now this precept charges us not onely to Swear aright but also to abstain from Oaths For so we shall alwayes swear aright if we do not * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not alwayâ— signifie the Abuse of a thing but sometimes the full use oâ— a thing to the utmost of ouâ— power and liberty So St. Pauâ— who never had thoughts of abusing his power in the Gospel resolved to deny himself bâ— not using his full power of lâ—ving upon the Gospel 1 Coâ— 9 18. And the transitoriness