by him that liveth for ever yet Christ unto whom all the Angels shal bow worship saith swear not at all so that all these arguments and Scriptures doth not prove that it is lawfull for the believers and Christians to swear at all but it is Tombs ignorance in his applying Scripture in disobeying Christs command Again to prove swearing lawfull John Tombs saith that Paul put an oath on the Thessolonians 1. Thes. 5.27 which words are these I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all the holy bretheren Now saith Tombs the Greek word translated I charge you by the Lord is I put the Lords oath on you or swear you that this Epistle be read to all the holy bretheren alike charge are 1. Tim. 6.13 2. Tim. 4.1 c. Answ. This is the long and thick mist of darkness which hath been long kept over the understandings of people that when the plain Scripture will not prove their ends and intents then they tell people it is otherwise in the Greek or Hebrew did not the translator of the Bible understand Greek as well as John Tombs or are we not to believe the Scripture as it speaks till again it be translated by him but least be should be wise in his own eyes as it is in the Greek is here set down that all that can read and understand it may judge whether Paul did put an oath upon them or did swear them to read that Epistle to the brethren As 1 Thes. 5.27 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} That is I oblige or charge you in the presence of God c. Not I put the Lords oath upon you or swear you as Iohn Tombs saith for if they did read the Epistle among the brethren then his obligation or charge to them was fulfilled but seeing Iohn Tombs saith he swore them he might have declared in what manner they were sworn seeing Paul was at Athens when he wrote to Thessolonicae Again he saith the like charge is in 1. Tiâ— 6.13 which acding to the Greek he would make an oath the words are these {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is I in oyn or command thee before God not a putting an oath upon them or causing them to swear as Iohn Tombs saith Again he saith there is the like charge or oath put upon them in 2. Tim 4.1 which in the Greek is thus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is I charge thee in the presence of God c. Not that he took him sworn or put an oath upon him or take him sworn that he should preach the word but did charge him to be instant in season and out of season in his ministry Again Iohn Tombs saith in the times of the Gospel Paul used this oath 2. Cor. 1.8 But as God is true c. Answ. Now those that minds this Scripture may see that Paul doth onely justifie Christs words in keeping to yea and nay saying that with him it was not yea and nay for saith he verse 18. but as God is true our word towards you was not yea and nay and verse 19. for the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us even by me and Silvanus and Timothius was not yea and nay for all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen So that this Scripture is so far from bringing people to oaths and swearing that he labours to bring them all to yea and nay in all things and so to Christ the substance in whom all the promises of God are yea so that the Apostle might well use these words that as God was true c See also were they true to their yea and nay the end of all oaths other Scripture Tombs brings to prove the Apostles did swear as Rom. 1.9 and 9.1 Gal. 1.20 Phil. 1.8 Answ. As to the fiâ—st Rom. 19. where the Apostle saith for God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you alwaies in my prayers is this a proof for men to swear and take oaths either for men or against men hath not the man hear lost the understanding of a man thus to compare and call this the Apostles oath when he takes God to witness that he prayes for the Saints continually and his saying in Rom 9. â— I speak the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart c. and Gal. 1.20 where the Apostle saith now the things that I write unto you behold before God I lye not is this an oath to testifie the truth of his writings against lyes indeed this we desire that John Tombs and the rest of the Priests in this Nation would write nothing but what God would witness unto the truth of and that they would speak truth before God and not lye then they would not thus abuse the Apostles words and plead for swearing from them when as the Apostles intend no such thing in their words here asserted and where as it is again said that the Apostle took an oath Phil. 1.8 where he saith for God is my record how greatly I long after you in the bowels of Jesus Christ Now let all honest and sober hearted men consider whether the truth of God and the Apostles that speak it forth be not abused that from a novice that is lifted up in pride and that would do or say any thing for his hire should bring those Scripture to plead for swearing and that lawfulness of oaths in all which the Apostle took God to witness his love to the Saints and labour in the work of his ministry signifiing to all that understand how that he spoke the truth and did not lye and kept to his yea and nay according to Christs doctrine and did not swear at all Now further to prove swearing Lawfull John Tombs brings This fifth argument That which hath a necessary use for the benefit of humane society is not unlawfull but some swearing hath a necessary use for the benefit of humane society ergo Answ. This argument is thus disproved and both the major and minor to be false For to break any command of Christ is of no necessary use for humane society but to swear any oath is to break his command ergo For Godliness is profitable unto all men in all their societies but he that swears goes from Godliness into ungodliness and transgrssion which transgression is of no use nor service amongst Christians so that John Tombs might as well have thus stated his Argument that to break Christs commend is of benefit to humane society therefore to break Christs command is lawfull c. and might thus have proved it that except we break Christs command we cannot preach for hire nor sue men at the Law for tythes nor live in pride ease and
vanity nor keep our places of profits and benefits which is necessary for our society of Priests ergo But we whose eyes God hath opened do see that all his book tends to the perswading of people to swear when Christ hath said swear not at all and that which he now would swear for again would swear against for the same advantage and profits which he hath in his eye yea or he would perswade all men not to swear and bring Scripture to prove it upon the same account so that what he doth in this kind is because of advantage for two years since he did not preach this doctrine nor write those arguments Now it being proved that the followers of Christ and believers in him are not to swear at all then all those promissory oaths upon which John Tombs hath grounded his other propositions is not to be taken But again to prove an oath of supremacy to King Caesar he brings the example and rule of Christ and argues thus if the Lord Christ in the dayes of his flesh did accowledge Caesar as supreme Governor in his dominions and did subject himself to his jurisdiction in answering before the Roman Deputy and was obedient to his parants real or supposed then all Christians even the highest Ecclesiastical Prelate should be subject to the King as supreme Governor in his Dominions and for proof of this brings Mat. 22.21 when the Pharises shewed Jesus the Tribute money Christ bid them give unto Caesar that which was Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods so then it was the tribute money that was due to Caesar but doth this prove that Christ did swear or was any example of swearing to Caesar or account Caesar the head of the Church and Ruler in Ecclesiastical things so that this Scripture proves the contrary then for that which thou brings it for those Pharisees that brought the money to Christ said they knew that he respected no mans person but taught the way of God in Truth so then if Christ be our example and rule in this then to the supream King or Kings we must not respect their persons but give them their due which is that tribute which hath their own superscription upon it and we must teach the way of God in Truth and give unto God the things which are Gods which is all honour glory and rule in spiritual matters and give to Christ alone the preheminence which is head of his body which is his Church and we must not swear at all neither for nor against any man for Christ did not swear neither for nor against Cesar and we must live peaceably with all men not envy nor fight for nor against any man and this is quite contrary to what Jo. Tombs would perswade people or to what he understands from the Scripture which would make people believe that Christ was an example of the oath of supremacy to Cesar so that people may well be blind and ignorant who hath such Teachers But we also shall follow the example of Christ as 1 Tim. 6.13 who did witnesse a good confession before Pontius Pilate and this is a good confession before any King or Ruler now to say that we have obeyed the Truth from our heart and have not broken the Commands of Christ by swearing for nor against any neither have we transgrest the example of Christ in respecting any mans person neither do we in our hearts envy any man King Ruler nor people but hath love even to our enemies and can do good to them that hate us and can pray for them that persecute us and do desire and daily labour that all men might come to the knowledge of the Truth that they might be saved And this good Confession we can witnesse before the King or any in Authority and say that God is our witnesse and our Conscience also bears us witnesse in the sight of God as the Apostle did and we can say also that we speak the Truth before God and lye not for our eyes is not blinded with gifts and rewards neither have we taken Oaths Covenants nor Protestations for Parties Powers or Religions but since we knew the way of Christ we have walked in it and kept to his Commandment and Oath which is yea and nay in all things and so have not entred into condemnation with those that are given to change but the unchangeable Priest the unchangeable Covenant and unchangeable Law hath been our Rule and of this we need not be ashamed but in Gods power and Authoritie can we hold up our heads when others do bow down their backs alwayes crouching under every power and change of Government as Davids enemies did Psal. 69.23 for that is their place and condition as the Apostle doth witnesse Rom. 11.10 Again Jo. Tombs saith that Paul a Saint was subject to the judgement of Caesar and appealed to him then he acknowledged him supream c. ergo Ans. Paul was a prisoner for the word of God and testimony of Jesus and appealed to Caesar for justice because he was unjustly accused and had not done any thing worthy of bonds or of death therefore according to their Law he ought to be set free but Paul did not call Caesar the supream head of the Church and chief Ruler in Ecclesiastical things for if Caesar had been the supream head of the Church of which Paul was a member he would but have needed little appealing unto for setting of him at liberty but in such Arguments as Tombs hath used is manifest the ignorance of foolish men wherein their folly appears to all men as the Scripture saith 2 Tim. 3.9 And whereas thou sayest that there is holy and harmlesse Christians and many upright soules whose Consciences are very tender and many godly persons that have excepted against that Oath and the lawfulnesse of taking of it as fearing it may take away the liberty of their Consciences which is dearer to them then their lives Ans. These that are so are in a better condition then thy self and to such thy ministry if received would beget them from their holy and harmlesse state into transgression of Christs command and from the tendernesse of Conscience into hardnesse of heart and now to answer their objections thou tells them that it was imposed for excluding of the Popes jurisdiction c. if so why dost thou preach it up to be imposed upon the holy harmlesse godly Christians who are redeemed from the Popes power and jurisdiction and is come into the doctrine of Christ and into the life of Christ which is out of all such Oaths Thou art a miserable Comforter to tender Consciences but thy end is seen and therefore thou cannot deceive many but for those that thou hast before mentioned who are holy harmlesse upright and godly which are tender of an Oath they ought to be thy Teachers who thy self art far from righteousnesse or tendernesse of Conscience therefore for thee it is a shame to be
svvearing and this vvas among the Jevvs and though these are proofs for their swearing yet Christ a greater then Solomon who was greater then David and Solomon who were kings saith swear not at all he which hath all power in heaven given to him And here they were to swear before the Altar in the house of God as said king Solomon but this is nothing to the Christians that they should swear but Christ that ends the oath ends the Altar and the Temple and said it should be thrown down so Solomon was made by an oath for David sware to his Mother that Solomon should reign so according to the oath he was so Christ who ends the oaths that is a greater then Solomon that redeems from the earth makes kings to reign upon the earth which are not to swear and saith swear not at all And you may see Gedaliah sware 2 Kin. 25.24 Jer. 40.9 and said be ye Servants to the Caldees and Sampson made the children of Judah swear that they would not kill him Judg. 1.5.12 and the spies sware to Rahab that they would not open the matter and if she uttered the matter they were quit of the oath Jos. 2.12 20. and Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezar which had caused him to swear by God 2 Chron. 36.13 And the children of Israel sware together to serve the Lord and rejoyced at the oath they had sworn with their hearts 2 Chr. 15.14 15. now as these Scriptures is to prove that these sware but all who came to the joy which remains in Christ Jesus they come to him which ends the swearing and ends the oaths and then they joy in the oath Christ Jesus who is of the tribe of Judah who ends the swearing who is a greater then Sampson and none of these Scriptures prove that the true Christians sware after Christ forbade them Moses said to the Lord remember Abraham Isaac and Israel to whom thou sware by thy self I will multiply thy seed and give you this land here you may see this was to the Jews who had the land which when Christ came among them him they was to hear who ended the oaths and said they should not swear they persecuted him Exod. 32 13· thou shalt serve the Lord and cleave to him and swear by his name Deut. 10.11 and thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in righteousnesse and truth and in judgment Jer. 4 2. and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the true God Isa. 65.16 now here is the oath that was to be performed to the Lord and Christ the righteousnesse of God and truth ends the oath that was to be sworn in righteousnesse and saith swear not at all to whom every knee must bow And the Lord said he had sworn by himself his word was gone out in righteousnesse every knee should bow and every tongue should swear to him this was the true oath and the house of Jacob sware by the name of the Lord but not in truth and righteousnesse these was the vain oaths which the Prophet forbade and was forbidden by the Jews Isa. 45.23 chap. 48.1 and the true oath was that which was sworn by the Lord and then the Jews bowed to him but God saith this is my beloved Son hear him who saith swear not at all and they that be true Christians do the thing that he commands John 5. And Israel sware not in truth and righteousnesse though they said the Lord lived yet they sware falsly amongst them that seek not the truth nor execute true judgment Jer. 5 2. the Lord saith I swear by my self that this house shall be wasted if they would not hear the words of God Jer. 22.5 and the Lord swore unto the Fathers that he would give them the land that flowed with milk and honey now mind this oath brought them into the land that had the types and figures and shadows which when Christ comes he ends this oath and types and figures and shadows King David said Psal. 63.11 the king shall rejoyce in God and all that swear by him shall rejoyce in him this was a true oath and David sware to the Lord and vowed to the mighty God Ps. 132.2 and David said unto the Lord where are thy former mercies which thou sware unto thy servant in truth Psal. 89.49 he honoureth him that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not shall not be removed Psal. 15 4. now this is to prove swearing to them that were under the Law and to the Jews and that King David sware and the Prophets sware which Christ the end of the Prophets and David saith swear not at all him that David calls Lord and this is my beloved Son whose voice is to be heard saith God Whosoever voweth a vow to the Lord or sweareth an oath to bind himself by a bond he shall not break it here they were to perform their oaths to the Lord Num. 30.2 Deut. 26.15 when the children of Israel walked in the law of God they should possesse the land which he sware unto them so they possessed the oath as a true Christian possesses Christ who forbids that oath and walks in the light and so he possesseth the word which is the honey and the milk as the Jews possessed the land that flowed with milk and honey that kept the Lords oath and his law but they departed from it but the new Covenant being witnessed and the law written in the heart and mind that possess it they shall not depart from the Lord Ezra caused the chief Priests and all Israel to swear and that they would do according to the law now these were the Jews in the law which Christ ends Ez 10.5 Isa. 3.7 in the time of confusion the man shall swear he will not be a healer this was in the time when they had transgressed the oath of God and his Law ch. 19.18 Egypt shall speak the land of Canaan and shall swear by the Lord and they were not to swear falsly Lev. 6.3.5 and the Jews was not to swear to pronounce with their lips to do evil and if he did it ignorantly he was to confess it cha. 5.4 and they should not swear by the Name of the Lord faslly chap. 19.20 and swearing faslly was forbidden by the Prophet to the Jews Jer. 7.9 And Jeremiah cryed out the Land was full of Adultry and Oaths Chap. 2 3.10 These was not the oaths that Christ said they should perform to the Lord And by swearing and killing and lying blood toucheth blood Hos. 4.2 these were the rebukable oaths and while they were in â—hat state playing the harlot they were not to sweare the Lord lives when they were in the rebellious state then they were rebukable and could not swear the true oath but went to the false oathes and Hosea told the Jews they sware faslly so the Prophet judged the false oaths but Christ ended the true Hos. 10.4 And Malaci told the Jews the Lord would rise a witness against