of Faith Gal. 3.12 And so as it s written The Promise is sure to all the seed and not to that only which is of the Law but also to that which is of the Faith of Abraham Rom. 4.16 although they were never under the Law of any carnal commandment nor never dwelt in Canaan For all who are of Christ they are Abrahams seed and heirs according to promise Gal. 3.29 And so he is our peace who hath made both Jew and Gentile one and hath broken down the middle Wall of Partition betwixt them having abolished in his flesh the enmity the Law of Commandments contained in the Law written That so both Jew and Gentile through him might have access unto the Father by one Spirit and not by Swearing or observing any carnal Commandment and might worship the Father who is a Spirit not in the oldness of the letter but in the newness of the Spirit the Law and Power of the endless Life which was in the beginning with God before any Oath or Swearing was from which Word and Power of God that is Eternal not Moral Man departed when he sinned And as Christ is our Peace he is also our Peace-maker by taking away sin and finishing transgression the ground or cause of the Controversie betwixt God and Man and one man with another and bringing into the Heart everlasting Righteousness he reconcileth man unto God and one man unto another turning the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the Just. And Christ Jesus coming to do the will of God he fulfilled the Law which could not in any wise pass away till it was fulfilled Mat. 5.18 and having fulfilled the Law not destroyed it as he that fulfills and performs his Covenant in every particular he doth not destroy it although the Covenant once fulfilled is no longer obligatory to him that hath fulfilled it according to the will of God who gave the Law he took it away or out of the way and disanulled the first Covenant or Testament written in Tables of Stone that he might establish the second Heb. 10.9 called the new Covenant written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God not in Tables of Stone but in fleshy Tables of the Heart according to 2 Cor. 33. Heb. 8.10 10.16 And in that he saith a new Covenant he hath abrogated the old Covenant or Testament Heb. 8.13 For being Testaments they were not be of force both together the latter being in its self a revocation of the former and where a Testament is revoked there every Legacy or Gift therein contained is also revoked and taken away and not some particulars only but the whole which Testament or Covenant is established upon better Promises That so what was impossible for the Law or first Testament to do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.2 3. And thus Christ Jesus according to the will of God having fulfilled the Law not destroyed it which was not of Faith and therefore was not to abide for ever And the end of God in giving the Law which was but to continue for a time as a School-master to bring to Christ being accomplished in Christ he took away the Law or first Testament that made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 which was not of Faith being changeable and in the stead or place thereof he established the second Testament or new Covenant upon better promises which perfecteth for ever them that are Sanctified according to Heb. 10.9 which being the Law of Faith is unchangeable and abideth for ever So that Christ Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament the faithful dispenser of the manifold Graces of God unto all that believe came not only to reform the abuses of the Scribes and Pharisees in Swearing in the Temple in the first Priesthood and other things under the first Covenant but also to take away the things that were changeable which they had so abused and in the stead and place of them to establish that which is unchangeable the New Testament upon better promises Heb. 8.6 And in that he faith a New Testament he hath abrogated the Old Heb. 8.13 And therefore when Christ Jesus the true and faithful Witness was come who was to restore all things as in the beginning was set down on the Mountain and his Disciples whom he had chosen out of the World to be his Witnesses came to him and he being to make known unto them that were to bear witness of him the true Witness-bearing as it was in the beginning before any Oath or Swearing was amongst other his gracious words he said unto them who were of the Jews and then were come to be his Disciples and not to the multitude Ye are the Salt of the Earth ye are the Light of the World let your Light so shine before men that they seeing your good Works may glorifie your heavenly Father And that they being Iews might not be offended at what he was to say unto them He told them He was not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfil them And that not one jot or tittle should pass from the Law till it should be fulfilled mark that In which words is plainly shewed That as the Law was fulfilled by Christ it was to pass away being only given by God and added because of transgression for a time viz. till the Seed should come that was out of transgression and so the Law being temporary was changeable And having so prepared their minds he told them among other Precepts in the Law That it had been said of old time Thou shalt not for swear thy self but shalt perform thine Oaths to the Lord But I say unto you Swear not at all neither by Heaven for it is the Throne of God neither by the Earth c. but let your yea be yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Mat. 5.34 c. By which words which are the interpreters of the heart it is evident that the Oaths which they were under the Law to perform unto the Lord and which Christs words had reference unto were such Oaths as were required by the Law and those Oaths the Law required were by the Lord and not by the Creatures for all swearing by the Creatures was by the Law forbidden Which being so then the words following But I say unto you who were to be Lights of the World Swear not at all must needs be a prohibition of all Swearing by the Lord. And that he added Neither by Heaven c. Christ giveth a reason for the same Mat. 23.22 where he faith He that sweareth by Heaven he sweareth by the Throne of God and by Him that sitteth thereon who is the Lord And
the true and faithful Witness Christ Jesus in them from whom all true Witness-bearing is and so the true Witness-bearing as it was in the beginning which no Vail Shadow or natural Light can discern 1 Cor. 2.14 And thus all who do the Will of God by believing in him whom God hath sent they come to know Christs Doctrine Swear not at all to be his that sent him to be a Light to the Gentiles and the Glory to his People Israel And is it equal O ye sons of men That those whose eyes God hath opened and unto whom God hath given the Light of Eternal Life that they should be compelled to walk by the same guide the blind are led by in their witness-bearing Would it not be a thing unreasonable for to require him who hath his perfect sight when the Sun shines to shew him his way to require him to have a man take him by the hand and lead him on his way as the natural blind are led Hath not the Lord in all Ages put a difference betwixt them that feared his Name and trembled at his Word and those that feared him not but walked after the stubbornness of their own hearts and after their own inventions And if the Lord hath so done and so doth ought not all those who are his Ministers upon Earth to do the like But A.S. further saith That Oaths are commanded by the Moral Law and that the Ten Commandments are the summary of it And doth grant That Oaths are no Gospel Ordinance And also saith That our Saviour came not to destroy but fulfil the Moral Law And therefore Swearing being enjoyned by the Moral Law must be now of as much force as ever it was He also affirmeth That Christ did not abolish the Iudicial and Ceremonial Law once commanded by God because the one was peculiarly given to the Iews and so concerns us not at all And the other was temporary expiring at Christ's Death c. Answ. The words Law Covenant and Testament are general and comprehensive words every of them including or comprehending in themselves all the Words Sentences Gifts Ordinances or Precepts that was required and commanded the People of Israel by the Lord at that time And therefore ought not to be limited by man or distinguished into Morals Judicials and Ceremonials as thereby to lessen the Authority of one to set up another above it after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ who saith He that shall break one of the least of the Commands and teach men so shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.19 And it 's written Deut. 27 26. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 And Christ came not only to fulfil this or that part of the Law but the whole Law yea every iote and title that then was written Mat. 5.18 Neither is he said to be the end of this or that part whether by men called Moral Judicial or Ceremonial for the Spirit of the Lord hath made no such distinctions of the Law but of the Law in general yea all that was written in the Law of Moses in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning him Luke 24.44 And as the Law was fulfilled it was to pass away or to be taken out of the way the end being accomplished for which it was given And being abolished Eph. 2.15 abrogated and disanulled Heb. 8.13 and taken away or out of the way Heb. 10.9 Col. 2.14 2 Cor. 3.7 11. The Law or Power of the endless Life the Law of the Spirit and of Faith which is not Moral but Spiritual and Eternal the new Covenant or Testament which is unchangeable the Righteousness of God without the Law in the letter was and is manifested in the heart to do thereafter being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3.21 Ier. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 according to the Promise of God That so the blessing of Abram might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that they together with the Jews to whom the Law in the letter was peculiarly given might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3.14 Rom. 4.16 And whereas A. S. faith That Christ did not abolish the Iudicial and Ceremonial Law once commanded by God because the one was peculiarly given to the Iews and the other was temporary expiring at Christs Death Answ. If Christ did not abolish the Judicial nor Ceremonial Law as they are called and distinguished by A. S. Then it must needs follow and be granted That Christ did abolish abrogate disanul take away or out of the way the Law which A. S. calls Moral or else Christ abolished no Law at all But it is evident from the plain testimony of the Scriptures of Truth before mentioned Eph. 2.15 Heb. 8.13 10.9 Col. 2.14 2 Cor. 3.7 11. That Jesus Christ did abolish abrogate disannul take away or out of the way the Law of Commandments contained in the Law written the old or first Covenant or Testament the hand-writing of Ordinances the Ministration of Death written with letters and engraven in stones And therefore If Christ as A. S. hath affirmed did not abolish the Judicial and Ceremonial Laws Then as is before said it must of necessity follow and be concluded That Christ Jesus did abolish abrogate disannul take away or out of the way that Law which A. S. calls Moral For the Scriptures testimony in the places before mentioned are either true or false To say they are false is blasphemy because they were written by Divine Inspiration and the infallible guidance of the Spirit of Truth And therefore being true Then that Law which A. S. calls Moral of which he also affirmeth an Oath and Swearing to be a part or required by was by Christ abolished abrogated disannulled taken away or out out of the way And the Law by which Swearing was commanded being abolished All Oaths and Swearing commanded or required by that Law must of necessity be abolished with the Law Now these things being so All the Arguments and Distinctions with all the Conclusions and clouds of Witnesses that A. S. hath laid down made and brought in to prove the lawfulness of some Swearing now under the Gospel from the Authority of the Moral Law as he calls it are made void and are become of none effect And therefore A. S. is worthy of blame in affirming so confidently That if Swearing be enjoyned by the Moral Law it must be of as much force now as ever And it may be of concern to A. S. before he begin his History of Oaths that he find out some other Law of God than that he call Moral to ground the lawfulness of Oaths upon lest he build upon a sandy Foundation and so labour in vain For himself acknowledgeth in pag. 303. of his Reply to F.H. it was a certain truth That Christ gave no new Command in matters of
in part should be done away foâ— true witness-bearing though without an Oath never did prejudice to any as Oaths and Swearing have done when the witness born before or after hath been false as daily experience doth testifie And what if some now as heretofore believe not the Command of Christ shall their unbelief make the Faith of God of none effect God forbid For seeing that true saying is asmuch or more than swearing and that Christ hath said That for every idle word men shall give an account in the day of Iudgment And that the Lyar as well as the false Swearer shall he shut out of the Kingdom of God Therefore every one that feareth the Lord for thereafter as a man feareth is Gods displeasure is as much bound by his Word as by an Oath and there being no more security to the Magistrate by an Oath than by true saying or witness-bearing neither benefit to our Neighbour Therefore if the same outward punishment were inflicted upon the Liar as false Swearer the difference in a short time would not be great because experience doth evidence That he that makes no conscience of his words will not matter to Swear falsly for Conscience sake to God And it may be believed That one reason why strife doth so much in these dayes abound amongst men notwithstanding that Oaths and Swearing abound is because that the true witness-bearing as it was before swearing was is not received in Judicial proceedings for want of an Oath and Swearing Again To say That Christ did forbid all Swearing because his Father would have it so is a better reason than any A. S. hath produced to the contrary But to proceed to A. S. his ninth Argument viz. Arg. 9. That our Saviour gave no new Moral Command And consequently did not prohibit that Swearing which long before had been Commanded by God Answ. The question in dispute is not Whether Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant did give any new Moral Command But Whether he forbad all Swearing to his Disciples which that he did his own words Mat. 5.34 Swear not at all do prove As for the word Moral it is a word of Art invented by the wisdom which is from below which is not subject to the Law of God For it 's evident That the Penmen of the Scriptures did never make use of that word Moral when they writ and declared the Testimony of God And therefore the Apostles Caveat in such things is useful Col. 2.8 Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of man after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. For the Law of the new Covenant in Christ Jesus is Spiritual and Eternal not Moral and according to the Promise of God Ier. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 the commands thereof are by the Lord according to his Promise put into the mind and written in the heart of man written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3.3 And therefore is called the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.2 and the Law of Faith Rom. 3.27 and not Moral by way of excellency above the Law of the letter as the Scriptures do declare 2 Cor. 3. And Christ said unto his Disciples If ye love me keep my Commandments Joh. 14.15 And when he commanded them to go and teach all Nations c. They were to teach them to observe not the Law of Moses but all things whatsoever he had Commanded them Mat. 28.19 20. And in Iob. 14.26 He told them The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father would send in his Name he should teach them all things and bring all things to their remembrance whatsoever he had said unto them And Ioh. 16.12 13. Christ told them He had yet many things to say unto them but they could not then bear them Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth c. So that Christ did not send them to the Law called Moral for to be their guide written in tables of stone but promised to send the Spirit of Truth to guide them into all Truth and to shew them things to come So that although Christians do and are to practise and observe many of those things which were commanded in the Law as being originally of God of which the Law had a shadow but not the substance Heb. 10.1 yet they do not observe them because they find them to have been Commanded in the Law of Moses but as they are Commands of Christ in the new Covenant written in the heart and put into the mind by the Spirit of the Lord that quickneth and giveth Life and power to do thereafter Heb. 8.10 Rom. 10.8 For now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed both by the Law and the Prophets Even the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe Rom. 3.21 22. But the Law is not of Faith neither ever was any Oath or Swearing of the Law of Faith as true witness-bearing was and is So that by the works of the Law which is not of Faith no man is or can be Justified but by Faith without the deeds of the Law a man is Justified according to Rom. 3.28 3.20 And now those things which were commanded in the Law which were Eternal as the Love of God c. was Eternal not Moral of which the Law engraven in stone had a shadow although they continue under the Gospel yet as was said They are not the works of the Law which made nothing perfect but the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 23. and therefore are perfect as Love Joy Peace long-Suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such there is no Law But against Swearing there is a Law as before is proved So that which was impossible to the Law in regard of the weakness of the flesh to do God sending his Son for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit the law and power of an endless life For as before is said Swearing was never any part of the Law Eternal or of Faith therefore the taking of it away was no addition to or substraction from the Law Eternal or of Faith And although the Lord had limitted Moses and in him all others from adding unto and taking from what was then written in the Law yet he had not limited himself to what he had then given in command to Israel not to the Gentiles and but for a time until the Seed should come Gal. 3.19 and so was temporary And it being acknowledged by A.S. that Oaths are no Gospel Ordinance and before proved that Christ did abolish abrogate disannul and take away the Law yea that Law which