his Name as an Evidence of their Conversion to the Lord hath in so affirming opposed the Doctrine of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ and in so doing hath manifested himself to be no Minister of the Spirit of Christ nor of the Gospel for its evident that the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who were able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit did testifie That whosoever should call on the Name of the Lord should be saved Acts 2. 10. and the End of their Care Pains in preaching writing was That People whether Jews or Gentiles should believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that in believing and not by swearing they might have Life through his Name John 20. 31. And the Apostle Paul testified That he that confesseth with his Mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in his Heart that God raised him from the Dead shall be saved for with the Heart Man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Tongue confesseth unto Salvation Rom. 10. 9 10 11 12. And when the Eunuch asked Philip what hindered him to be baptized Philip said unto him If thou believest with all thy Heart thou mayest and the Eunuch answered and said but did not swear I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and thereupon Philip did baptize him Acts 8. 36 37 38. And when the Keeper of the Prison said unto Paul and Sylas Sirs what shall I do to be saved they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House Acts 16. 30 31. So that the Eunuch and the Keeper of the Prison confessing their Belief in Christ the Son of God was all the outward Evidence that the Apostles required of their Conversion unto God And Peter said Acts 10. 43. That unto Christ all the Prophets did bear witness that through his Name all that believe mark it is not said all that swear shall receive Remission of Sins And those that were pricked in their Hearts when they heard Peter's Sermon said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do to whom Peter answering said Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Acts. 2. 37. and Acts 13. 38 39. It is said That the Apostle preached through the Name of Christ the Forgiveness of Sins and that by him all that believe are justified from all Things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses So that although by the Law of Moses those who were under it and in Cases where an Oath was by the Law required could not be freed from an Oath yet by the Law of Christ and the Power of the Endless Life Heb. 7. 6. all the Disciples of Christ are freed and justified by Christ from all Oathes and Swearing under the Gospel And by confessing Christ to be the Son of God and believing in him we receive Christ and by receiving of him he dwelleth in us and we in him in whom God is well pleased to accept of us and in whom after that we believe we are sealed with the Spirit of Promise which is the Evidence and Earnest of our Inheritance according to Ephes. 1. 6 13 14. without any Oath or Swearing So that we have a Cloud of Witnesse that the Apostles and Ministers of Christ did not require of any Converts Jew or Gentile any Oath or swearing as an Evidence of their Conversion unto God but that they should confess that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and repent and believe the Gospel and thereupon without any Oath or swearing they were baptized and received the Promise of God which is the Holy Ghost Now these Things being so I do therefore deny J. S. his Assumption and Conclusion But J. S. further saith That the Lord sware by himself c. that unto him every Knee shall bow and every Tongue shall swear Isa. 45. 23. and also saith that this Prophecy is to receive its Accomplishment in Gospel Timâ—s and that swearing to the Lord is here prophesied of as that Divine Service and Homage by the performing whereof Gentile Converts were to declare their owning of and Conversion to the true God c. And for further Proof as he saith he quotes Isa. 19. 18. c. In that Day shall five Cities of the Land of Egypt speak the Language of Canaan and swear to the Lord of Hosts there shall be an Altar to the Lord in the midst of the Land of Egypt and a Pillar to the Lord at the Borders thereof and it shall be for a Sign and for a Witness unto the Lord of Hosts in the Land of Egypt for they shall cry unto the Lord and he shall send them a Saviour and the Lord shall be known unto Egypt and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that Day and shall do Sacrâ—fice and Oblation yea they shall vow a Vow unto the Lord and perform it and he shall be entreated of them and shall heal them c. For Answer to all which I say That the carnal Man as the carnal Jew looks for the fulfilling of the Letter but the spiritual Man looks for the Spirit for the Christians Laws and Priviledges under the Gospel are all spiritual and so are their Ordinances now J. S. being carnally-minded cannot discern the Things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. But instead of distinguishing aright between the Ordinances under the Law and the Ordinances under the Gospel between an Oath and VVitness-bearing hath confounded them together and though he read Moses and the Prophets yet it is evident by his Assirmations aforesaid that he knoweth not the Voice of God that spoke in the Prophets no more then those mentioned Acts 13. 27. and being unlearned in the School of Christ hath rendered the Prophets Words literally which the Apostle Paul who was a Minister of the Spirit renders spiritually as is evident from Rom. 14. 9 10. As I live saith the Lord every Knee shall bow to me and every Tongue shall confess to God And Phil. 2 10 11. it is said That at the Name of Jesus every Knee shall bow both of Things in Heaven and Things in Earth and Things under the Earth and that every Tongue shall confess mark it is not said swear that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the Glory of God the Father From which scriptures it is evident that as that Promise or Prophecy Isa 45. 23. had Relation to Gospel Times so it had Relation to Gospel Worship which is in Newness of Spirit by confessing to God and Christ and by believing in Christ and not by swearing according to the Oldness of the Letter which doth further appear from Christ's own Words Mat. 10. 32. But I say unto you whosoever shall confess me before Men him will I confess before my Heavenly
Father so also Rom. 10. 9 10. So that it is evident that Confession under the Gospel is answerable to Swearing under the Law for by confessing to God and appealing to him in Witness bearing his Power and Omniscience is as much acknowledged in discerning whether Truth be spoken in Witness-bearing under the Gospel as it was under the Law by wearing for though the Form which was shadowy changed yet the Worship it self which was the Substance remaineth and therefore if Times and Dispensations be rightly discerned the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do agree And as for that Text of Scripture quoted by J. S. out of Isa. 19. 18. In that Day shall five Cities in the Land of Egypt speak the Language of Canaan and swear c. Answer This Scripture hath not Reference to all the People of the Gentiles as is evident from the Words themselves which only speaks of five Cities in Egypt whereas the Gentiles inhabited many Nations neither doth it altogether relate to Gospel-Times when the whole People called the Gentiles were to be received as the People of God but is rather a Prophecy of the joyning of the People that inhabited those Cities in Egypt unto the Jews and owning of their Worship by speaking their Language by swearing to the Lord of Hosts and bringing their Sacrifices to the Altar of the Lord after the Manner of the Jews who befâ—re were Strangers to the VVorship of the true God and that by so doing it should be a Sign and a VVitness unto the Lord of Hosts of their Conversion unto him for these Prophecies had a double Intendment and Accomplishment viz. One in the material Temple under the first Covenant another in the spiritual Temple the Church under the Gospel or New-Covenant for it is evident that before the Coming of the Messiah there was an Association of some of the Gentiles unto the Church of the Jews for after the rebuilding of the Temple and before the Death of Christ there was a Number of Proselites out of divers Nations both for that by Reason of the many Dispersions of the Jews in the Captivity and their Commerce with other Nations their Customs and Religion were more commonly known and because these times were to be as a Preparative to the general Calling of the Gentiles It is also evident that upon the good Escape of the Jews in Babylon many turned to their Religion and the Scriptures shew to us several Examples Esther 8. 17. Acts 2. 10. Mat. 23. 15. yea the Pharisees took Pride in converting others to Judaism so that these Prophecies did not only imply a general Conversion of the Gentiles simply so as to exclude the Particular in the mean Time Therefore as the Prophesies aforesaid had a double Meaning so also they had a double Accomplishment the one in the material Temple under the Law during which Dispensation he that blessed himself in the Earth should bless himself in the God of Truth and he that did swear in the Earth should swear by the God of Truth under which Dispensation there was also an Altar Sacrifices and Oblations c. The other in the spiritual Temple the Church under the Gospel under which the true Worshippers do worship the Father in Spirit and Truth John 4. 22. By praising God in the Spirit and confessing unto his Name believing in Christ Jesus witnessing the Truth according to Christ's Command let your Yea be Yea and Nay Nay for when these Prophecies were given sorth the Gospel-Worship was not then fully revealed see 1 Pet. 11 12. And therefore as the Prophecies had Relation to the Time before Christ's Sufferings thâ—y had then Relation to the Worship which was then required and practised under the Law but when the Law was changed there was then also a Change of those External Rites and Shadowy Things viz. Cursing Swearing Altars Sacrifices Oblations c. which were not of the Essence and Substance of the true Worship of God although the true Worship of God changed not and it is evident Dan. 9. 26. 27 28 where it is said That the Messiah shall confirm the Covenant with many for one Week and in the midst of the Week he shall cause the Sacrifices and the Oblations to cease for in Christ all Signs had their Accomplishment for the Apostle saith Signs are not for them that believe but for them that believe not 1 Cor. â—4 22. So that J. S. from these Prophecies might as well conclude that Christians in Gospel-times ought to have Altars offer Sacrifices and Oblations as the Jews had and did under the Law as that Christians may lawfully swear but Christians in Christ Jesus do believe and know that those Sacrifices in which there is a Remembrance again of Sins the Lord under the New Testament hath not required and that in Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices for Sia the Lord hath no Pleasure for all those caâ—nal Ordinances were imposed as saith the Apostle only until the Time of Reformation see Heb. 9. 10. Heb. 10. 3 4 c. So that we having a positive Command from Jesus Christ viz. swear not at all c Mat. â— 34. and that from the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word is to be established and there being no Command from Jesus Christ the Mediator of the New Testament who is the Christians only Law giver Law-maker and Prince in Matters of Faith and Worship we are not bound as Christians to the Observation of any Command that comes either from Moses or any other that is not our Law-maker and Master and it is observable that one of the most solemn Laws contained in the two Tables viz. that which ordained the seaventh Day to be kept Holy Day unto which is adjoyned an unchangeable Reason namely because God rested that Day when he had made the visible World yet this Law is annulled and abrogated amongst all Christians even from the Beginning of Christianity for Want of Ratification of it from our Lord and Master Jesus Christ who is our Law-maker and Prince And therefore Christians in Christ Jesus and in the Faith of him having no Command or Example from Christ to swear in any case I do conclude that Swearing in the Time of the Gospel is no Evidence of the Conversion of 〈◊〉 People unto God neither is Swearing by the Lord of Hosts that pure Language and undefiled Religion which was at the first revealed unto Adam in Paradice for it is evident that Swearing hath defiled many but pure Religion and true Witness-bearing never did defile any But how should a better Account of divine Mysteries be expected from J. S. that knows so little of them as his Writings do plainly shew And now I proceed to his 5th and last Argument in the first Section of his said Book Arg. 5. That the holyest Christian may lawfully and laudably do that which by the Spirit of Christ that spoke in the Prophets hath made the doing thereof in Gospel-Times the
the carnal Ordinances and Rites were by God's Ordination to cease So that notwithstanding J. S's Affirmation aforesaid it both was and is not only possible but reasonable that this Prophecy should have Relation to the Time before Christ's Death in Reference to the Accomplishment thereof as aforesaid there being as it is said 500 Years between the Return of the Jews out of Babylon after the Captivity and the Death of Christ for it 's written The Lord was never slack in performing his Promises in no Age leaving himself without Witness And therefore although Swearing by the Name of God was mentioned it being then a carnal Ordinance or Rite annexed to the VVorship of God under the first Testament until the Time of Reformation by VVay of Example not that the whole VVorship of God under the first Testament consisted in Swearing but is there put only for an Example the rest of the VVorship and Service of the Lord under that Testament being intended yet it doth not follow that Swearing or any other carnal Ordinance was to be in Gospel-Times only or any Condition by the observing or performing of which the Gentiles were to be ingrafted into Christ for the Law being changed there was also a Change of those Conditions required by the Law for the Law gave Life upon Condition of perfect Obedience in all Things the Gospel gives Life upon Condition of Repentance and believing in Christ Jesus who saith Swear not at all c. And therefore J S. his affirming That except Swearing be added to the Worship of God under the Gospel all other Wayes of confessing and worshipping the true God all other Acts of Invocation of God are not serious enough to put People in a Capacity of finding Acceptance with the Lord or accepting of them as sincere Disciples or ingrafting them into the Evangelical Church which his Affirmation is so contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles and Ministers as that I do believe that J. S. is the first that ever adventured upon such an erroneous assertion for it is manifest that neither Christ Jesus or any of his Apostles or any Ministers of the Gospel of Christ ever taught or preached any such Doctrine but on the contrary taught and preached Faith and Repentance as the only condition under the Gospel to put people in a capacity of finding acceptance with the Lord and being saved as may appear from these Scriptures following with many others viz. Mark 1. 14 15. where it is said that Jesus came to Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and said the time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand repent and believe the Gospel and John 8. 24. Christ said unto the Jews who doutless were Swearers except that ye believe that I am he ye shall dye in your Sins and Joh. 3. 15 16. I'ts said that whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish but have Eternal Life for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life And Paul and Silas said to the Goaler who asked them saying Sirs what shall I do to be saved believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and all thine house Acts 16. 30 31. See Rom. 10. 9 to ver 14. and Acts 13. 38 39. Paul said Be it known unto you Men and Brethren that through this Man is preached unto you the Forgiveness of Sins and by him all that believe are justified from all Things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses By which Scripture it is evident that although the Gentiles that joyned themselves unto the Jews Religion before Christ's Death could not be exempted from Swearing in such Cases where Swearing was required by the Law of Moses yet after Christ was come in the Flesh and had given forth that Command Swear not at all c. not only the Gentiles but the Jews also that believed in Christ were by Christ Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament freed from all Swearing and from all other carnal Rites and Commands required by the Law of Moses they were freed after Christ's Death Now these Scriptures being true it is evident that Swearing by the Name of the Lord is no Condition under the Gospel upon the Performance whereof any People either Jew or Gentile were admitted or retained as Members of the Church of Christ under the Gospel And therefore the not learning to swear by the Name of God or refusing to swear at all doth not all render People under the Gospel obnoxious to the Dint of God's fearful Doom as J. S. hath presumptuously and erroneously asserted And now having answered the Subject Matter in Reference to Swearing contained in J. S. his five Arguments aforesaid I do conclude That Oathes are no Gospel-Ordinances and that therefore Christians in Christ Jesus and in the Faith of him are not oblieged in Witness-bearing now in Gospel Times by or from any Command or Example in the Old Testament to swear at all and that Christ being their only Law-maker and great Prophet whom to hear and obey in all Things God the Father hath commanded all Men without Respect of Persons it doth follow that all Christ's Disciples ought to obey his Command Mat. 5. 34. c. But I say unto you swear not at all c. And I do further say that all that hear the Voice of Christ and have his Word abiding in them do witness Acceptance in him Ephes. 1. 6. without Oath or Swearing And all they that are in him that is true they according to the Example of the holy Men of God in all Ages and according to the Example of the Apostle Paul in Matters of great Concern in Witness-bearing do and may call God to witness or appeal to the Witness of God who searcheth and knows all Hearts concerning the Truth of their Testimony that so by the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word may be established according to Christ's Command Mat. 18 16. which Appeal to the Witness of God simply of it self without the Addition of somewhat more neither was nor is either any Legal Oath or Swearing which somewhat more being added to Witness-bearing is that which doth give unto it the Denomination of an Oath or Swearing as may appear from the Examples before-mentioned and as the daily Practice in the Courts of Judicature do prove So that if a true Difference were put by Men as the Spirit of the Lord doth put a Difference between Matters and Things that do differ the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do agree but when and where Matters and Things that do differ as Swearing and Witness bearing do differ are confounded together as J. S. hath confounded Swearing and Witness bearing as if no Witness-bearing could be without an Oath or Swearing and the old carnal Rites and Ordinances which were temporary he hath confounded with the Ordinances and Worship of God under the New-Testament which are spiritual and eternal And therefore and for that J. S. hath asserted Doctrines and Conclusions contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and Ministers of the New Testament his Doctrines and Conclusions are to be rejected by all Christ's Disciples and the Doctrines and Commands of Christ and his Apostles and Ministers are to be received and obeyed And as for the Matters contained in the second Section of his said Book they are fully answer'd in my former Testmiony concerning Oathes and Swearing c. printed in the Year 1668. and also in a Book entituled The Case of the Qnakers concerning Oathes defended as Evangelical c. printed in this present Year 1674. And as for the Matters contained in J. S's third Section of his Book aforesaid they are also fully answer'd in the said Book printed 1674. Written forth in the 7th Moneth 1674. Ger. Benson THE END