In Judgment 3ly In Righteousness To these Three Conditions are opposed False Rash and unjust Oaths It is a Duty incumbent upon every one that takes an Oath to Swear in Truth that is truly and nothing but what is according to Truth not abusing Godâ—â— Name to attest an Untruth the words of our Oaths if minded are full and comprehensive to swear the Truth nothing but the Truth and the whole Truth that is to the best of my Remembrance Now Truth is a Divine Thing which is asserted by Oath wheâ— in the Dark There is a Truth of the thing spokeâ— of when we speak according as the thing is indeed or as near as possibly it can be and herein sometimes by reason of human weakness the whole Truth doth not come out for we do not always know things aâ— they are But there is also the Truth of the Mind that is one Swears as in his Mind and Conscienceâ— he is perswaded of the thing this must always Necessarily be in the Oath or else there is Perjury in the Case Now Truth relateth either to Divine things or to Human To the former when we entertain and have right Notions and Thoughts due and reverend Expressions of things immediately belonging to God as his Nature Attributes Works and Word The Truth required in regard to Human Things is either in common Society and Dealings between Man and Man or else in publick Judgments in Courts of Judicature which concerns the Judges upon the Bench fairly to Sum up Evidences and impartially to direct the Jury 2ly This Concerns the Jury-men not to receive any Prejudices or suffer themselves to be Byassed or Bribed nor to stand too much upon this that any of them will agree with the rest rather then to be Pinch'd or Suffer in being lock'd up very long when in their Conscience they are Convinced that most of the rest are in the Wrong an Honest Man will say I have rather to be Starved though there be hardly once in Seven Years any such Dilemma than to go against my own judgment and Conscience which when thus wounded will at one time or other rise and fly in their Faces 3ly This regard's the Plaintiff who is to promote his just Cause by Fair and Lawful Ways without False Accusations Subornation or such unwarrantable Practises 4thly The Defendant who in his own Defence must forbear using any malicious and unjust Means and make use of none but such as are according to Truth Law and Reason 5ly The Evidences are concerned whose Duty 't is with bearing true Witness to help and relieve their Neighbour in his just Cause when 't is in danger of being Oppressed And here I would have all Parties from the Judges to the Witnesses to mind that there is a great Day of Judgment a coming when all indifferently shall stand at the Bar to give God an Account of every Idle Word much more of every False and Unjust Judgment Evidence or other Sinful Dealing when the Secrets of all Men shall be made manifest and Mens own Consciences shall be Witnesses against themselves their own Judges and Tormentors and let them know how God ever is among them though in an invisible way and sees hears and sets down upon Record their false and unjust Dealings for (a) Prov. 15 3. the Eyes of the Lord for whom they judge and bear Witness are in every place beholding the Evil and the Good and (b) Zechar. 4.10 these Eyes of the Lord do run to and fro through the whole Earth So that he leaves not himself without Witness And the Qualification of those who are to judge the People whether under the Name of Judge or Jury are plainly set down in God's Word they must be (c) Exod. 18.21 Able Men such as fear God men of Truth hating Covetousness But we must return to Truth and somewhat longer insist upon it the Importance thereof is made out First By the many positive and reiterated Commands of God for us to Practise it in every thing we say or do Secondly Because God doth so often and so expresly Forbid us the Practise of the Vice contrary unto that heavenly Vertue namely to Lie for as Truth is the Daughter of God so a Lie is the Child of the Devil and often God in one and the same place doth Command one and Forbid the other God's great Commandment is that we should speak the Truth Love Follow and (d) 2 John 4. 3 John 3. 1 John 2.21 Walk in the Truth God is the God of Truth nay Truth it self and no Lie is of the Truth (e) John 1.17 Truth came by Jesus Christ and he himself (f) ch 14.6 is the Truth and (g) ch 18.37 For this cause he came into the World that he should bear witness unto the Truth The necessary Qualification for one to â—e admitted and abide in his Tabernacle is (h) Psal. 15.2 3. To speak the Truth in his Heart not to back-bite with his Tongue nor to take up a Reproach against his Neighbour See how Heart and Tongue are concern'd in matter of Truth to the same purpose the Psalmist says 24.3 4. Who shall stand in the Lord 's holy place he that hath not Sworn Deceitfully c. So that by the Rule of Contraries he that speaketh not the Truth in his Heart shall not abide in his Tabernacle nor he that hath Sworn deceitfully in his holy place This is the Mark by David given of an upright Man but the Character of the Wicked is that he speaks Lies For the Wicked are Estranged from the Womb they go astray assoon as they be Born speaking Lyes Psalm 58.3 but (i) Psal. 96.13 God shall Judge the World with Righteousness and the People with his Truth Here is the Pattern for men to Judge by as God doth with Righteousness and with Truth 'T is said of the Messiah the Lord Jesus (k) Isa. 42.3 He shall bring forth Judgement unto Truth Here is a Precedent for you O ye Judges of the Earth Judges Jury-men and Witnesses lay hand upon your Conscience and see whether there be not a just Cause to renew the Prophet's Complaint (l) Jerem. 9.5 They will deceive every one his Neighbour and will not speak the Truth they have taught their Tongue to speak Lies and they delight in Lies Psal 62.4 Another Prophet saith (m) Isa 59.15.4 Truth faileth and have we not a most just cause to complain of it and None calleth for Justice yea some call for 't but cannot obtain it Nor any pleadeth for Truth and though they do 't is to little or no purpose for they Trust in Vanity and speak Lies at least they Believe it I am much afraid that (n) 2 Thess 2.11 God hath sent a strong Delusion that men should Believe a Lie and many too Hear of a glorious Promise (o) Zacha. 8.3 Jerusalem shall be called a City of Truth Would to God we could say
so of London But with Grief and Sorrow I am afraid 't is not so 't is true but of very few To Lie is to tell for True that which one knows to be False or to affirm that to be False which he knows to be True Though a man may ignorantly tell a Lie yet not Lie for to Lie implies a design for to Deceive or to Hurt whereupon the difference is to be observed between telling a Lie and Lying or making a Lie for an honest and conscionable man may happen ignorantly and imprudently to tell a Lie upon a False Report as of such a man reported to be Dead when 't is not true but to Forge a Lie is with an evil Design and to Deceive the Intention and Contrivance is that which makes it Abominable and if it be so as 't is in ordinary Discourse and Conversation how much more upon the occasion of Oaths when God's most holy Name is made use of not in Private but in Publick and in Judgment whereby Truth which is part of Justice is perverted and Lie part of Injustice is set up There are Three sorts of Lies The Officious to do a Man some Service as to Lie to Save his Life Liberty c. The Merry or Pleasant to tell a Lie with an intent to Divert a Company And the Pernicious to Hurt one As to the Two First kinds I say that though Casuists differ about the Question whether or not they may be used which in my Opinion I think unlawful and look upon as Snares by degrees thorough Custom to be drawn from one kind to another yet all own the last called Pernicious to be most Wicked and by no means to be allowed [a] Psal. 5.6 Thou shalt destroy saith David them that Speak Leasing or Lies [b] Prov. 12.19 the Lip of Truth shall be established for ever but a Lyng tongue is but for a moment To Lie is to abuse God's Gifts who hath given us a Tongue truly to express our Mind and not to Deceive or otherwise Hurt our Neighbour 'T is for a good not for a Bad Use and we must not abuse the Gifts of God such are the Organs of Speech this also overthrows Human Society and breeds Jealousies Animosities and Causes Disorder and Confusion Certainly this kind of Lie is worst of all against God thorough the abuse of his Gift when others no greater Sinners are Dumb and God hath given thee the free Use of thy Tongue and also 't is against man with procuring his Harm The other Two sorts tho Evil yet in a less Degree then this and if according to the true Rule a Man though to save his own or Neighbour's Life ought not to tell a Lie much less to ruin his good Name Fortune or his Life God in his gracious Promise of the Restoration of Jerusalem after the Seventy Years Captivity gives them this Charge [c] Zach. 8.16 These are the things that ye shall do Speak every man the truth to his Neighbour execute the judgment of truth Which Precept the Apostle enlarges upon thus [d] Ephesians 4.25 Wherefore putting away Lying Speak every Man the truth with his Neighbour God having by Paul given a Character of the most wicked and worst of Men concludes it with this most abominable Brand [e] Rom. 1.25 26. they changed the truth of God into a Lie And see the judgment immediately at the tall of the sin the greatest on this side Hell that God inflicteth upon men For this cause God gave them up unto vile Affections and other terrible judgments expressed in that remaining part of the Chapter but God will in his just Judgment follow them further in the World to come for they who make Lies shall not only be excluded [f] Rev. 21 27.8 From entering into New Jerusalem but also lodg'd among every other wicked Man as Vnbelievers Abominable and Murtherers Wheremongers Sorcerers and Idolaters also Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the Second Death The Devil is by our blessed Saviour Branded with Two Things for being a Murtherer and a Lyar he doth but name the first Crime but the last he doth exaggerate and insist upon as if it was the Greatest of the Two He contents himself with saying [g] John 8.44 the Devil was a Murtherer from the beginning Of the other he saith He abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he Speaks a Lie he Speaks it of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it And therefore the Everlasting Fire is prepared for the Devil and his Angels and for his Children too who with him are [h] Jude 6. Reserved in or to Everlasting Chains under Darkness Those Lyars are those wandring Stars to whom if not pardoned is reserved the blackness of Darkness for ever If such terrible judgments and pains be reserved for the common Lyars that are the Devil's Children how much greater Degrees of Pains shall be inflicted upon those who were not content to Lie in their ordinary Discourse but who have highly aggravated it with their Perjuries and bringing in the Name of God to Countenance their pernicious Lies who not only have [i] 2 Tim. 3.8 Resisted the truth as St. Paul speaks but are gone further and to speak in another Apostle's Words [k] James 3.14 have Lied against the truth Now to the Second Qualification as he that Sweareth must do 't in Truth so he ought to Swear in Judgment or Considerately and with Discretion for [l] Psal 11â— 5 A Good Man will Guide his Affairs with Discretion making Conscience of all his ways especially of an Oath well weighing and advisedly considering what it is that he is to Swear and who it is by whom he Sweareth so as neither to prophane his Name or make it common with using it upon unnecessary and light occasions as expressed Matth. 5.34 35 36 37. Nor make use of it [m] Jam. 5.12 unadvisedly but Religiously and Reverently and only in matters of weighty Concernment and not as [n] Mat. 14.7 Herod who Promised with an Oath to give Herodias's Daughter whatsoever she would ask As Rash a thing as Man can hear of for she might have asked any thing else as well as John Baptist's Head And if this Condition is to be Observed in any thing certainly it must be in matters of Judicature which are so publick and the Consequences so great hereby Man is required to Swear in knowledge and wisdom therefore Children Fools Mad-men Atheists notoriously Impious and People Drunken when in the Fit must not be admitted to take an Oath for he who Swears must before-hand be well Instructed in the Thing in Question that requires his Oath for he is called thereby to confirm it and then he must well understand the binding Nature of an Oath and the Consequences thereof for he which makes no Conscience of an Oath is
after the manner of Adulteresses How so I will bring up a Company upon them and will give them to be Removed and Spoiled and the Company shall Stone them with Stones and dispatch them with Swords they shall slay their Sons and their Daughters and burn up their Houses with Fire When that Sin is not Punished with private Judgment at last God doth it with publick The Concealers the Denyers of Justice become Accessory and this bringeth publick Judgments upon Cities and whole Kingdoms And Thus saith God will I cause Lewdness to cease out of the Land that all Women may be taught not to do after your Lewdness The Lord not only maketh Adulteresses Examples of his Judgments but also makes them Examples to others as a Buoy to take Warning by When God hath been as it seemed only looking upon for a while then he sitteth upon the Judgment-seat and judgeth (m) ch 16.38 I will judge thee as Women that break Wedlock As indeed Punishment is ty'd to the Tail of Sin when un-repented (n) Rev. 2 20 21 22. I gave her Jezabel space to repent of her Fornication and she repented not behold I will cast her into a Bed and them that commit Adultery with her into great Tribulation But to return close to our Point and which is our main Design to ground it upon the Truth of God's Word which we lay our chief stress upon Before I conclude I desire the Reader to remember what our blessed Saviour the great and supream Judge said upon the matter and to make him take the more notice of it in few words I shall make a kind of Recapitulation of the Substance of it out of which it doth clearly appear that in this point of Divorce Two things occur to be Discussed which our blessed Lord doth by his Authority decide in the two places of Matthew's Gospel already Quoted in the first Occasionally when he purges of and refutes several false Glosses which the Scribes and Pharisees had put upon the Law but in the last he speaks to 't as being the matter in hand and directly to answer the Question put to him Whether for every Cause a Man might lawfully Divorce his Wife Which he denyed and gave reason for it out of Gen. 1 27. and 2.24 But because as the Evangelist Observes they came unto him Tempting him and this design was if possible to make him Contradict Moses (o) John ◠as at another time they would have done in the Case of the Woman taken in Adultery that they might have something wherewith to Accuse him here to Intangle him they brought in Moses's Authority who had commanded to give a Writing of Divorcement but of it he gave a Reason namely their Hardness of Heart whereat they could not be pleased And in the following Verse he Magisterially and by his Legislative Authority thus Decided it But I say c. These Words to be compared with those of Chap 5. which are Parallel and about the same Subject as quoted before and both do plainly affirm the self same thing which hath two parts the first about Divorce the Second about Marrying again after it As to the First there are Two Things one Expressed the other Implyed and this last as well as the first coutained in the Text Our Saviour affirm that no man may Divorce his Wife for every Cause vain and trivial as the Jews used to do but at the same time he declares there is one Cause and only that which he names Fornication for which a Man may lawfully put away his Wife For when he denies that any man may Divorce his Wife except for the Cause of Fornication at the same time he implieth that Fornication is a lawful Cause to put her away and every Divorce Grounded upon that Cause and none else Is Lawful or else why should he make that Exception If his Intention had been to Teach that there is no just cause in the World for a Husband to Divorce his Wife he would absolutely have spoken it thus for no Cause whatsoever and not have assigned one with an Exception Saving for the Cause of Fornication he must be Blind who cannot or Obstinate that will not see this Truth out of both these places But they both do also afford another Truth as a just and right Consequence of the former if the Divorce be unlawful then a second Marriage is unlawful which by the Rules of Contraries implies that if the Divorce be Lawful then a Second Marriage is also lawful so any man who hath put away his Wife for the cause of Fornication may marry another for there is no middle either make the Divorce Unlawful and the second Marriage Unlawful or the Divorce Lawful and a second Marriage so These two things are so depending one upon another and so much the Consequence one of another that we see our Saviour doth injoyn them together that having spoken of the Divorce he presently and immediately mentions a Marriage of both Parties in the 5th chapt of the Woman and in the 19th of both Man and Woman 'T is said Whosoever shall put away his Wife saving for the Cause of Fornication causeth her to commit Adultery How doth he cause her to commit Adultery Because she Marrieth another if she would continue Single there would be no Adultery committed but she marrying another Husband and the Marriage with the first holding still and not being dissolved because Fornication which is the true Cause of Divorce did not intervene then such Marriages are meer Adulteries So then the Husband who hath unlawfully Divorced his Wife if he marrieth another committeth Adultery and the Wife that is thus unlawfully Divorced if she marrieth another Husband doth also commit Adultery but neither Husband nor Wife if lawfully Divorced though he marries another Wife and she another Husband do commit Adultery as observed before by the Rule of Contraries A second Marriage is an Effect of a Divorce so if the Cause be Good and Lawful or Unjust and Unlawful the Effect must be such It is well known how by the Jewish Law and Custom a Woman Divorced might and did marry another and our Saviour finds no Fault with this nor with marrying again but with their Divorce without just Ground and Cause for if they were lawfully Divorced they might Marry again For as observed before Marriage is the Remedy which God hath appointed against Incontinency so that those who are lawfully Divorced if they have not the Gift of Chastity as the Apostle saith to avoid Fornication must Marry 1 Cor. 7. What must a Man do after he hath put away his Wife and she after she hath been put away and they cannot Contain must he turn an Whore-monger and she an Harlot How can this be justified after a lawful Divorce With Paul I may say (p) Heb. 13.4 Marriage is Honourable with all but Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will Judge Heb. 13.4 In his due time thô often (q)
Prov 8.11 Because Sentence against an Evil Work is not executed speedily therefore the Heart of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do Evil. But let such unto themselves apply what the Apostle saith (r) 2 Pet. 2.3 Their Judgment Lingereth not and their Damnation Slumbereth not Thus we proved the Point with clear Evidence out of Scripture Human Laws and strength of Reason which might be more Enlarged upon if Occasion required it This I must add That 't is a sad Case a loud and crying Sin that must need reach up to Heaven when Justice cannot be obtained against neither Adulteress nor Adulterer as if there was a Combination against it to provoke God and Men to the utmost till God's time be come to render it who being most just never fails to do 't when he thinks fit but sometimes when he doth men take no notice of it thô I think it to be one of the chief Causes of the heaviest and most frequent Judgments inflicted upon the Nation for as it is one of if not the most common National Sin and none in Scripture more often nor more strictly Forbidden as most of any contrary to God's holy and pure Nature So those who commit and continue in it must look for the most dreadful and terrible Judgments which God's Justice Anger and Vengeance for the Contempt of his Authority and Breach of his Laws can in this World and in that which is to come pour upon wretched and presumptuous Sinners Besides I would have all Offenders in this kind to know That there is not in the World a Meaner Wretch than the Lewd and Vicious Man who doth the Devil's Drudgery and being a meer Slave to his Passion is thereby put upon the most Indecent Basest Vilest Shameful and most Dangerous Shifts that can be is ever Restless being continually Spurred on by his Lust which first in this World will (s) Hos 4.11 Take away his Heart for Whoredom and Wine do so and except God shews Mercy for want of that Purity which in Relation to Women the Apostle so (t) 1 Tim. 5 ◠carefully Commends to his young Disciple shall in the next hurry and deliver him into everlasting Burnings For the Truth and justice of God require that the Fire of Lust wherein they Burned here should hereafter be punished with Eternal Flames For saith the Apostle Them that walk after the Flesh 2 Pet. 2.9.10 in the Lust of Vncleanness God reserveth unto the Day of judgment to be Punished with a Pain Adequate to their Sin FINIS A CHARGE TO Judges Juries Witnesses CONCERNING OATHS HAVING of late been Summoned to give in upon Oath my Evidence in a weighty Business I was at first Amazed and at a stand then moved with just Indignation to hear several Men with a Brazen-face to Swear for Truth that which in my Conscience I knew certainly to be False for I speak only of those Things and Circumstances which come within the Sphere of my certain Knowledge and upon serious Thoughts such prostitute Wretches tho they speak but to one part of a Cause yet they give Men reasonable Grounds of entertaining an Ill Opinion of the whole For no good Cause may be supported by evil and unlawful Means which at last will Discredit Blast and Ruin it In the mean while such Practices of Swearing falsely do bring Dishonour upon God Scandal upon our holy Religion and are a Shame to a Nation and if not as much as 't is possible Suppressed and Prevented God the Judge of the whole Earth will in his due time require it at the Hands of those in whose Power it lieth and whose Duty it is to do 't Wherefore upon so just and necessary an Account I look upon my self as bound to give in my Evidence and I Wish Judges Jury-men and specially Witnesses may so take notice of and mind what I shall say as every one to do their Duty in their respective Stations for herein I shall bear Witness for God as for men And my great Motive why I now commit to Paper these few Lines and Serious Thoughts of mine 't is only to bear Record unto the Truth For (a) 2 Cor. 13.8 I can do nothing against but for the Truth which I think I am called to thorough the Occasion which is the Ground of all this Which to Prosecute I shall make use of both Law and Gospel I Thank God when I appeared in this Business I never but once before had been Summoned to bear Witness upon Oath for I own it I fear an Oath the fewer the better and the least Account one is to give God about these matters for therein Men thô unwillingly and Ignorantly yet thorough want of Memory or some Mistakes are in danger of Failing Wherefore I shall ever avoid as much as I may being brought under an Oath without a just and necessary Cause rashly and hastily to venture upon 't is usually attended with bitter Effects and is the cause of much Evil of Sin as of Punishment from both God and men He that easily and hastily doth Swear will as easily and hastily Forswear for when he makes no Conscience to take an Oath he will make none to break it Neither would I multiply Oaths for many Oaths many Snares To go upon sure Grounds and Explain the matter we must first see upon what Occasion an Oath is taken and what it is because too often thorough the Unrighteousness Malice and Craftiness of False and Self-ended Men Truth is driven into Corners which yet God in his due time and sometimes in an Extraordinary manner will bring to light to the Confusion of the Wicked that would have suppressed it Therefore because one man will not Trust another and that men do suspect the Sincerity and are in the Dark about the Thoughts one of another upon such an account God who alone knows and is the Searcher of the Heart (b) Heb. 4.13 For all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do is called upon to be a Witness of the Truth of that which is in Question and Sworn for (c) chap. 6.16 An Oath for Confirmation to men is saith the Apostle an end of all Strife Not to sow foment and promote it and shelter Villanies under God's most holy and sacred Name for this overthrows the good Ends for which an Oath was intended and perverts Justice and Equity over-turns the whole World and tends to Disorder Confusion and Ruin all Effects of Perjury Now an Oath is a calling of God to Witness for the Confirmation of what we Say or Promise 'T is a Religious and Necessary Confirmation of Things doubtful by calling on God to be a Witness of Truth and a Revenger of Falsehood which last part is much to be taken notice of though many who Swear mind it not and there is a great Reason why God should avenge the Abuse of his Name for if
often the meanest men cannot endure to be named as witnesses unto a Lye how much more will the most Infinite Glorious True and Holy God suffer his Sacred Name to be so Abused as to Shelter and Countenance a Lye An Oath was ever lookt upon as a Thing so Sacred that in all important matters men could find nothing Surer or Stronger to Tye one another to the Truth of what they said or promised then to put them to their Oath Thus Abimelech to make sure of Isaac said to him (d) Gen. 26.28 Let there be now an Oath betwixt us c. that thou wilt not hurt us For when Men or Women do take an Oath they thereby (e) Numb 30.10 Bind their Soul by a Bond with an Oath And we read how before that time Abimelech had made Abraham to Swear (f) Gen. 21.23 Now therefore Swear thou unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me nor with my Son nor with my Son's Son Thus also Abraham made his Eldest Servant (g) Gen. 24.2 to Swear about the Charge he gave him concerning a Wife for Isaac And we are to Observe the Servant's Conscientious Care and Tenderness about the Oath v. 5. and Abraham's explaining how far he Thought to Bind him by his Oath v. 8. which Oath the Servant remembers v. 37. So Jonathan after he to assure David of his sincere Love had Sworn and said to him The Lord do so and much more to Jonathan (h) 1 Sam. 20.13.17 He caused David to swear This is the last and surest way to engage men to be True as to make God concerned in their Dealings of one with another for 't is supposed that though they care not for men yet they will have a regard unto God who will not fail soon or late to avenge his own Honour if wronged Wherefore because we must Swear by a Greater (i) Heb. 6.16 For Men verily Swear by the Greater than themselves and that 's by God or in his Name for Three Reasons First God hath expresly Commanded it (k) Deuter 6.13 Isa 45.23 Heb. 6.13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his Name And when God Sweareth he Sweareth by himself l I have sworn by my self The 2d Reason because an Oath is a Religious Invocation which is due to God alone Thirdly Because God alone knows the Heart and he is able to judge of the Truth or Falsehood of our Thoughts So then when we call God to Witness we render that high and special Worship that is due only to him for thereby we bear Witness that God is present every where sees and avenges all Falsehood and Unrighteousnesses of men which things are proper to God alone So then to Swear in God's Name is a part of his Worship wherefore not only as we said before God Commanded to Swear by his Name but hath also Forbidden to Swear by False gods and Creatures not so much as (l) Exod. 23.13 Joshua 23.7 To make mention of their Names or to let them he heard out of their mouths which Joshua interpreteth by causing to Swear The Lawfulness of Oaths by what we Observed but a little before doth appear out of God's Precept and Example Whereupon we are to take Notice how God Sweareth by several of his Attributes which he doth to condescend unto man's weakness and unbelief for we are apt enough to mistrust his Word and therefore to give us gracious and infallible Security of his Promises and Threatnings too he confirms them by an Oath Thus he Sweareth sometimes by his Life (m) Numb 14.21.28 Isa 49.18 As I live saith the Lord in several places of Scripture for he is the Living God a Characteristical Note of the True God At other times he Sweareth (n) Psal 89.35 by his Holiness which is his Nature Again he Swears (o) Isa 62.8 By his Right hand and by the Arm of his Strength That is by his Power that he being Almighty is able to do what he Promiseth or Threatneth And also he Swears by and in his Truth as to (p) Psal 132 11. David and whensoever he Sweareth he doth it by his Truth (q) Tit. 1.2 For he cannot Lye So he doth by (r) Jerem. 44.26 his great Name and that which comprehends all (s) Isa 45.23 He Swears by himself that is by his Nature and Attributes Because Oaths are sometimes necessary God hath given Rules and Directions about them we have them thus (t) Jerem. 4.2 And thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in Truth in Judgment and in Righteousness This is plain enough so that men may not pretend Ignorance we must Swear the Lord liveth that is by the Life of the Lord of the living God which was the ordinary Form of Oaths used not only in those times or before by the People of God as we read of 1 Sam. 14 39.45 and chap. 19 6. but also long before among the Heathens to Swear by the Life of their Kings which Joseph learned in Pharaoh's House to Swear (u) Gen. 42.15 16 by the life of Pharaoh Also in our Saviour's time one was to speak the Truth by the Life of God thus the High-priest said to Christ (w) Matth. 26.63 I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the son of God This was their way whensoever any one was to Swear This speaking the Truth in God's Name is in Scripture called to give him the Glory thus Joshua exhorteth Achan (x) Josh 7.19 My Son give I pray thee Glory to the Lord God of Israel make Confession unto him and tell me now what thou hast done Hide it not from me After this manner the Pharisees dealt with the Man whom the Lord Jesus had restored unto his Sight (y) John 9.24 Give God the Praise Thus when any one was to Swear there was a Compellation in God's Name for such a one to speak the Truth whereby when it came out Glory was given unto God so every one that Sweareth must do 't (z) Psal 63.11 Isai 65.16 by the Lord and he that sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of truth Not by Baal or any Idol whatsoever as forbidden in several places of Holy Scripture To this manner of Oath and Phrase the Lord Liveth answers (a) 1 Sam. 25.22 Rom. 1.9 2 Cor. 1.23 so also and more do God unto me and God is my Witness and I call God for a Record upon my soul All which import that as we call upon God to be a Witness to the Truth of what we say so it implies an Imprecation that he would take Vengeance of us if we Swear falsely in his Name which ought not to be made use of but upon Account oâ— Necessity that is of Religion Charity and Justice He then who Sweareth must do it in God's Name and that 1st In Truth 2ly
Condemneth the Wicked that is him who Prophaned his Temple and his Altar by a false Oath then Execution followeth the Sentence for he brings his Way upon his Head And also he justifies the Righteous and gives him according to his Righteousness Let all men that are brought to their Oath take a special notice of this that God is both Witness and Avenger wherefore there must be an awful Reverence of God's most Holy and Sacred Name which is made use of upon Occasion not upon Common and Trivial but only necessary just and weighty Accounts Wherefore the Nature and Use of an Oath are to be known before one Sweareth First the Nature by considering three things the Person to be Sworn by that is GOD the Parts of the Oath or the several Actions included and implied in it which are Four 1st An Assertion by way of Affirming or Denying either barely or with Obligation to or from something The 2d An Acknowledgment of God's Omniscience Almightiness Justice and other like Attributes The 3d An Invocation of him to bear Witness to the Truth of what we say The 4th an Imprecation against our selves if we do speak Falsly that is a referring over and offering ourselves into his Hands to be Punished by his power and justice Then the Purpose or Use to which these Actions are to be applyed are to be Considered that is the ending of a Controversy which otherwise cannot be conveniently ended So that an Oath is a Religious Service of God whereby we refer ourselves unto him as a competent and fit Witness and Judge of the Truth and Falshood of our Speeches about a Controverted matter for the ending thereof Now the Use of an Oath must be known in Two Things 1st Of just Occasions of using it as when the matter is of moment either in it self or in the Consequents and Effects of it as for the Satisfying of another that requires and will accept of it or binding of one's self either to another as (a) Gen. 47 31. Jacob caused Joseph to Swear or to himself (b) 1 Kings 2.23 as Solomon Sware that Adonijah should Dye 2ly We must know the just manner of an Oath in regard of using it upon such an occasion and that in the Three ways I mentioned before which men cannot be too much put in mind of namely in Judgment that is in a serious Consideration of the Cause of our Swearing and Greatness of the Name of God by which we Swear in Truth that is a perfect Agreement betwixt the meaning of the words of him that Sweareth and betwixt both these and the things themselves of which the Speech is and that also according to the Intention of him that tendereth the Oath so far as he shall manifest his Intentions to him that Sweareth Also in Righteousness that is in Reverence to God Care of doing Good not Hurt unto our Neighbours by Swearing and Aiming at the right end which is quietly determining of a Doubt by interposing God's Name to shew our high Opinion of him for thus God and Man have their due and that is Righteousness in every act that every one whom it concerns may have that which is due to him therein It must be observed how in matter of Oaths there are an Affirmative and a Negative part that is Things Commanded and Things Forbidden for every one of the Ten Commandments when it commands a Vertue doth at the same time forbid the Vices contrary to it and when a Vice is forbidden the Vertues contrary are commanded though Commanding is expressed in Affirmative Terms as Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it Holy The Forbidding is declared in Negative Terms Thou shalt not wherein is contained every other Precept of the First and Second Tables of the Law of God Now men ought to take Notice how Negative Precepts are of a larger extent and more binding than Affirmative for these bind only Semper non ad Semper at Certain Times not at all Times but the Negative do bind Always and at all times as I am bound to Help and Assist and be Charitable to my Neighbour but that is only when he wants my help and as far as I am able which I am not always neither doth he always stand in need of being helped but the Negative Precept goes further for I stand bound never to hurt him to do him Wrong and Injury at no time whatsoever This I now take notice of in relation to the Third Commandment not to take the Name of the Lord in vain which I shall have occasion to speak of as being the Ground which in this matter I am to go upon for therein the Abuses of an Oath are forbidden and 't is Abused in Two ways 1st In the Taking 2ly In the Keeping thereof In relation to the First as to the matter for it's Object or Subject for the Object the Thing or Person Sworn by for the Subject whether Affirmative or Promissive As to the First the Thing must be True and the Oath Necessary not Trivial which deserves not an Oath As to the Second the thing Promised ought not to be either Impossible or Unlawful As to the manner of using the Oath it must not be taken 1st Ignorantly 2ly Without Cause or just Inducement thereto 3ly Irreverently 4ly Ragingly or in the bitterness of Passion 5ly Maliciously with a Design of Hurting any Man 6ly Nor Falsly Have a great Care of Negative Oaths wherein lays a great danger of Forswearing therefore not to be tendered nor taken for they can be no Proofs only sometimes strong Presumptions Indeed one may well say I never heard such a man say so or I never saw him do so but no man may say He never said or did so he might say and do so though you never heard or saw him speak or do 't A Negative Assertion may by a good Consequence be drawn from a Positive thus Such a man at such a time to my certain Knowledge was in the City therefore at the same time he was not in the Countrey for at once he could not be in both places but I may not Swear such a one at such a time was not in the City because I did not see him for he might be there and you not see him only in this Case if the place be within such a narrow compass that he cannot be in 't when you are there but you must see him as for Instance At such a Day and such an Hour we were Twelve at Table in such a place he was none of the Twelve therefore he was not there though one may say he was not at Table yet he may not say he was not in the Room for he might be hidden in some secret part thereof All this I say to shew how Cautious men ought to be in point of Oaths but I see this matter is so Copious as I find it draws me very far wherefore I must restrain it only to my present Purpose namely Perjury
of all their Judgments And as the Understanding ought to be Sound and the Heart Upright so must the Conscience to love search find out and judge according to Truth be very wary and cautious to do nothing against it rather detest abhor and punish all Lies Falshood and any thing conttary to 't Besides these they must not want Moral Vertue but avoid things contrary thereunto Now Justice is one of the Four Moral Vertues and as nothing is so apt to pervert it as Covetousness for it makes men seek after Bribes and both Blindeth the Eyes and Corrupteth the Heart so they that are appointed to do Justice ought not only to be free from but also to (s) 1 Coloss 3.5 Hate Covetousness which by the Apostle is well called Idolatry because Riches is the god of adored and served by the Covetous Man in few words the same Apostle calls the Love of Money which is Covetousness the Root of all Evil. This is the most pernicious Rock of all which Judges can run upon This very same Sin though they had every other Quality for the Place doth Unqualify them for it and highly declares them Uncapable of Except they hate Covetousness all other good Qualities are Insignificant and it is Pity a great Shame and Scandal to any Court of Judicature that any one who ever was Branded with and Convicted of Bribery should be suffered to sit upon the Bench and have Daily Occasion to satisfy his Covetousness and Pervert Justice and Judgment of such speaks David when (t) Psalm 26.10 he saith Their Right-hand is full of Bribes but Fire shall Consume the Tabernacles of bribery Job 15.34 We have in Scripture another most considerable Charge though to the same Purpose as Moses's in King Jehoshaphat's Instructions to his Judges thus (u) 2 Chron. 19.5 6 7. And he said to the Judges take heed what ye do for ye judge not for men but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgment Wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it for there is no Iniquity with the Lord our God nor Respect of Persons nor taking of Gifts This is very full and comprehensive first to shew how Cautious Judges and Juries must be of what they do not to be Rash or Hasty or Corrupt in their Judgments and though they be appointed by men as Princes c. as those Princes and Kings themselves are appointed by God so Justice is Originally in and derived from God for that saying of Divine Wisdom of the Son of God is most true (w) Prov. 8.15 16. By me Princes Rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the Earth by me Kings reign and decree Justice Not only from but by me in my Name and Authority Wherefore Jehoshaphats Reason is very true First Negatively Ye judge not for men Then Positively but for God with this weighty Consideration that God is with them in the judgment If Judges should judge for Men that is for those who appointed them for that Office then they would judge for the Absent for Princes who gave them their Places are not present at their judgments and therefore if they have a mind to know what passes in such Courts they stand in need of being informed by others for they cannot know it by themselves but when they judge for God 't is for him who being every where is always with them heareth seeth and observeth all their Proceedings and knows all by himself and therefore needs not being informed by men of what passeth there (x) Heb. 4 13. for There is not any Creature or thing that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do Therefore Judges in the Discharge of the Duty of their places ought to look upon and eye God and not men or at least God chiefly and primarily Wherefore this good King Jehoshaphat would have not the fear of himself be upon his Judges as if he would turn them out of their places or undergo his Displeasure if they did not Right but he would work upon them out of a more noble and higher Motive not out of a Principle of Interest but of Conscience and that makes him point at the very Spring of all Justice Equity Rewards and Pains when he saith let the Fear of God be upon you and they ought to have a great care and it ought to be their whole and constant Study to do 't by a Reason drawn from the Purity of the Nature and Actings of God for there is no Iniquity with the Lord our God as the Spring is so the Streams derived from it ought to be God's Representatives upon Earth in administring of Justice ought to imitate him and not suffer Justice which is pure in it's Source to be corrupt and defiled by themselves as the Pipes thorough which it is conveyed for as it is Written Be ye Holy as I am Holy so they are Commanded Be ye Just for I am Just or else thorough his just Judgment they may happen to be Infatuated and deprived of their Understanding a heavy Punishment for (y) Job 12.17 God maketh the Judges Fools Now as to Witnesses besides what I have already said upon the matter the Charge is (a) Exod. 23.1 Put not thine Hand with the Wicked to be an unrighteous Witness Which argues how sometimes there is amongst the Wicked a Combination to be false Witnesses to pervert Right and Justice (b) Prov 24.28 Be not a Witness against thy Neighbour without Cause and Deceive not with thy Lips Without a just Cause and a lawful Call men ought not to intrude to be Witnesses against any one no Enmity Envy or Jealousy should prompt us to it but when we are Summoned then have a care not to tell Lies but to speak the Truth from the Heart The â—inth Precept is very Positive and Universal renewed and confirmed in several other places (c) Exod. 20.16 Deuter. 5.20 Matth. 19.18 Luke 18.20 Rom. 13.9 Not to bear false Witness The Character which Solomon gives of a False Witness is this (d) Prov. 2â— 18. A Man that beareth false Witness â—gainst his Neighbour is a Maul and a â—word and a sharp â—rrow A Dart a â—â—ammer and not barely an Arrow but a Sharp one ail these Offensive Arms whereof some break things in pieces others divide and this to shew the Mortality of the Wound made by such False Tongues Now such Villanies as these are the more Abominable because there is nothing to be pleaded for to excuse it 't is no Mischance no Ignorance no Mistake nor Infirmity but it proceeds out of a rotten Principle out of a corrupt Spring from the Heart wherein it is designedly deliberately and maliciously Contrived and Hatched For saith the Lord Jesus out of the Heart proceed among other horrid Sins (d) Matth. 15.19 False Witness and Blasphemies The wise King makes
a comparison and shews the difference between the true and the false Witness sometimes with joyning them together in the same verse as thus (a) Prov. 12.17 He that speaketh truth sheweth righteousness but a false wittness deceit One is a just man the other a deceiver Again (b) Chap. 14.5 A faithful wittness will not lie hut a false wittness will utter lies At other times he speaks of them disjointly and separatly that we may the better know whom to trust and value and whom not out of that contrariety opposition and antipathy which is between them (c) v. 25. thus A true wittness delivereth souls from Trouble Vexation and Oppression which the false one doth promote and encourage for the deceitful speaketh lies [d] Chap. 19.28 an ungodly wittness scorneth judgment both Justice and Punishment but a godly wittness makes Conscience of an Oath and of all his ways and saith with David [e] Psal 119.120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgments Because Men are apt enough to follow evil Examples and to do as they see others do to swim as we use to say with the stream as if for company sake to do as many others could justify at least excuse our faults God to prevent such an unsound notion and hinder that pernicious practise hath declared his mind thus (f) Exod. 23.2 Neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment this in the beginning of the same verse he forbiddeth and calls it to follow a multitude to do evil But to make an end of this part of my Discourse I can shew home the foulness and detestableness of this Sin no better then with adding what Solomon saith (g) Prov. 6.16 17 18 19. Among the six things which the Lord doth hate and the Seven that are an Abomination unto him they are almost if not all reduced to this wicked Sin for a lying Tongue is one of them a false witness that speaks Lies is another and I think that under them are also to be found hands that shed Innocent blood which a lying Tongue also doth an heart that deviseth wicked Imaginations feet that be swift in running to mischief and him that soweth discord among brethren Which all do arise out of the same Spring We have spoken of the Distemper now we must come to the Remedy As the corruption of human Nature is such that most Men will not out of a Principle of Love do Good nor forbear doing Evil therefore what Love cannot do Fear must Oderunt peccare boni Virtutis amore oderunt peccare mali formidine paenae Good men hate Sin because they love Virtue but bad men avoid it for fear of being punished wherefore a Law is necessary as a Curb for as the Sanctions thereof do promise Rewards to â—hose that keep it so they threaten with Punishment â—he breakers thereof and this is the way to restrain â—nd keep them in aw Law and Sin are relatives â—or if there was no Law there would be no Sin â—or (h) 1 John 3.4 Sin is the Transgression of the Law and (i) Rom. 3.20 By â—â—e Law is the knowledge of Sin and (k) Chap. 4.15 Where no â—aw is there is no Transgression on the other side 〈◊〉 there was no Sin there would be no need of Law (l) Gal. 3.19 for The Law was added because of Transgressions â—or saith the Apostle (m) 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for 〈◊〉 Righteous man but for the Lawless and disobedient Wherefore God to restrain this most wicked Sin of Perjury hath made Laws and appointed against it Temporal and Bodily as well as Spiritual and Eternal Punishments or else as Impunity is an encouragement â—o commit Crimes without these Temporal Punishments there would be no living in the world for the Wicked do little mind Eternal Pains 't is Fear of the Present that works upon them if any thing can for this reason there are in the Word of God heavy â—udgments threatned against the Wicked in this kind â—ot only in the Third Commandment as we already observed but in other places too (n) Prov 19 5. A False Witness shall not be Vnpunished and he that speaketh Lies shall not escape To tell Lies is very bad but to tell â—t in God's Name is worst of all For thus A Nomine Domini incipit omne Malum God threatned it with Sword and Famine and in his due time brought it to pass (o) Jerem. 5 12. They have belyed the Lord saith the Prophet and said it is not he neither shall Evil come upon us neither shall we see Sword nor Famine Thus flattering themselves in their vain and carnal Security but hear what is added (p) v. 15.16 17 Lo I will bring a Nation upon you from far O House of Israel saith the Lord it is a mighty Nation it is an antient Nation whose Language thou knowest not c. they shall eat up thine Harvest and thy Bread which thy Sons and thy Daughters should eat c. These were the Chaldeans who in time did the Work when they Besieged Took and Destroyed Jerusalem To this same Purpose but more generally speaks another Prophet and this judgment to be by Fire (q) Zech. 5.4 that shall consume Timber and Stones as it had befalleâ— the City which was Burnt and one of the Reasons oâ— this judgments was as there expressed for Swearing falsly by his name Upon the same Ground the Prophet quoted just before 2 Chron. 36.13 threatneth the Ruin of Jerusalem which happened in Zedekiah's days who had forsworn himself for 't is observed that when (r) Ezek. 17 13. Nebuchadanezar did set him upon the Throne he made hiâ— Swear by God which Oath he broke and Perjured himself which Perjury how odiously taken by God we may see it in the Prophet speaking of the K of Babylon hath made a Covenant with him v. 15 16. and hath taken an Oath of him but he despised the Oath and brake the Covenant But saith God Shall he escape that doth such things or Shall he break the Covenant and be delivered No saith the Lord seeing he despised the Oath by breaking the Covenant when he had given his hand and hath done all these things he shall not escape v. 18. As it was justly Avenged on him And this very Oath Sworn to an Infidel because in God's Name God calls it his Oath and with a strong Asseveration threatneth a Punishment for it Therefore thus saith the Lord God as I Live surely mine 〈◊〉 that he hath despised and my Covenant that he hath broken v. 18. even it will I recompence upon his own Head All was executed and he heavily Punished for it God to avenge the prophaning of his Holy Name doth punish not only private Persons and Families but also Kings and Kingdoms wherefore all are concerned in the Punishment thereof and
Repentance it doth not follow they must be deprived of Baptism for all this might be said of Circumcision and yet God commanded Children to be Circumcised and to oppose this as contrary to reason is to Dispute against God who would have Circumcision a Sacrament of Regeneration for as I observed before 't is called Circumcision of the Heart and without Hands to be administred to Children whereby we are taught 't is not always necessary the Truth signified in a Sacrament should go before the Sign sometimes 't is enough it should follow at least in part so that except one would make which were a kind of Blasphemy the Mercy of God less towards us and our Children than towards the Jews and their Seed we must not deprive them of Baptism the Seal of that Covenant no more than they were not deprived of Circumcision for by these Two Sacraments God did and doth separate some from others to offer them his Salvation They who have no right to the Promises must joyn themselves to Christ's Flock before they receive his Mark Thus God instructed Abraham in the Doctrine of Faith and in his Covenant before he gave him Circumcision but once having admitted him into the Church he ordered his Seed to be made partakers of the same benefit Out of what hath been said one would hope every Rational Man would be satisfied how Infants ought to be Baptised and the Sign not to be denyed those who may have the Thing signifyed But because I know (a) Matth. 13.11 'T is not given to all to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but only to those whom God is pleased to reveal it to for 't is not any man's Parts or Learning that can do 't (b) 1 Cor. 3.6 Paul may Plant Apollos may Water but God alone can give the Increase To him must be left the Success of things all I now can do is to beseech the Lord to open (c) Luke 24.45 the Understanding of those who are concerned As he did that of his Apostles that they might Vnderstand the Scriptures and open their Heart as that of [d] Acts 16.14 Lidia to attend unto the Things spoken Some other things there are relating to this matter wherein Anabaptists differ from us which we must not omit The First is about the outward Act used in Baptism They would have it done with Dipping whence they have gotten the Name of Dippers and 't is the signification of the Greek Word whence comes the word Baptism And though as much as we can we must close with the Ceremony of the Institution yet that outward Rite is not of the Essence of the Sacrament and that which is used hath the same Effect and Signification It doth not appear any where that they that were Baptised were dipped under Water for they had been in some Danger of being Drowned but that they went into the River or other Water and he who Baptised as John Baptist or other poured it upon their Head whereupon they were accounted to have been under Water as in some kind they had been but those who at that time were Baptised were persons come to Years and consequently more able to resist the Coldness of the Water in cold Weather in case any Quantity had been poured upon them which yet was but little But leaving aside the Difference of Climates Hot or Cold of Constitutions Weak and Strong of Age Childhood and Manhood or Inconveniency that might arise therefrom I say in the Church Sprinkling hath succeeded Dipping and not without Ground in Scripture for the word Sprinkling is used for the Thing signified and of this we have Two Witnesses St. Paul is the first (e) Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water There are Sprinkling and Washing And chap. 12.24 't is spoken of the blood of Sprinkling The other is St. Peter (f) 1 Pet. 1.2 Thorough Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ If the Thing signified be represented with Sprinkling so may the Sign be administred with Sprinkling and the Child lying upon it's back in man's Arms may be said to be under the Water sprinkled upon it's Face We also find in Scripture that the Administration of that Sacrament is both as to the Sign and Thing signified called Washing so that there is no certain and constant Obligation to the strictness of the Greek word and to the outward Rite of Dipping and Sprinkling Answers the end of the Sacrament and the Analogy between the visible and the invisible parts of it as well as Dipping and we see in the Lord's Supper there is no Obligation to any certain Posture so that provided there be no Superstition nor Idolatry it may well be received Sitting Kneeling or Standing Another thing we differ in is about Rebaptisation Hence they are called Anabaptists from baptising again those that were baptised before The Church of Rome doth not rebaptise those who from us turn to them nor we those who from them come to us but Anabaptists do all that come to them out of other Perswasions and though the Lord's-Supper be administred many times yet Baptism is not or ought not to be but once because Baptism is the Sacrament of Initiation and the Lord's-Supper of Nutrition and Increase Baptism is a Regenerating and the Lord's Supper a Confirming and Strengthening Ordinance Now as there is but one beginning of spiritual Life thorough Regeneration and there is but one Introduction and admission into the Covenant so the Sacrament of these things ought only once to be administred but as during our whole Life we need spiritual Nourishment so the Sacrament of it ought often to be reiterated as in our natural Life we are born but once but we must Eat often to preserve our Life I must resolve a Difficulty and then I have done 'T is said in one place [g] Ephes 4.5 One Lord one Faith one Baptism And in another 't is spoken of the Doctrines [h] Heb. 6.2 of Baptisms as of many There is certainly but one Sacrament of Baptism instituted by our Lord Jesus In that first place the Apostle exhorteth the Ephesians to Unity for this reason that our whole Salvation is grounded upon it in it's Principle Progress and End One God One Lord One Faith One Baptism one Hope one Body and one Spirit whereby all these are united In consequence of this we find [c] Acts 4.32 the multitude of those that believed were of One Heart and of One Soul Philip. 1.27 and ought to stand fast in one Spirit with one Mind So that this admits of no difficulty But in the other place the Apostle exhorteth the Hebrews to tend to a perfection and make a further progress in the knowledge and way to Salvation the Principles thereof having been laid before whereof
house of him that sweareth falsely by my Name and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the Timber thereof and the Stones thereof This is Lightning Thunderbolt and fire from Heaven and I doubt we have here too much cause with the Prophet to say because of Swearing Cursing and Forswearing (e) Jer. 23.10 the land mourneth This is one of our Loud and Epidemical Sins which hath â—rought upon us the many Judgments we labour â—nder As God hath said he will be a Wittness against False Swearers so he hath declared he will be Judge too (f) Psal 9.8 God shall Judge the World in Righteousness he shall minister judgment to the People in uprightness 'T is as if he had said I will be a just Judge And thus with Abraham we may say (g) Gen. 18.21 Shall not the judge of all the Earth do Right Now if God judgeâ— in Justice without Mercy who can stand in Judgment (h) Rom. 2.2 We are sure saith the Apostle that the judgment of God is according to truth against theâ— which commit such things as are named in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter amongst whom are Covenant breakers that is perjured persons and such others as make no Conscience of their ways and changed the truth of God into a lie (i) Isai 1.23.24 Therefore saith the Lord the Lord of hosts the mighty one of Israel Ah I will ease my self of mine Adversaries and avenge me of mine Enemies But who are those Adversaries who are those Enemies in the foregoing verse they are thus described Every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards they Judge not the Fatherless neither doth the Cause of the Widow come unto them These are their Sins these Things they Commit and Omit therefore upon them will I visit their Injustices whether they be Witnesses in Swearing Falsely or Judges in perverting Judgment The Great Day of the General Assizes of the World is coming on when we all Judges Juries Witnesses Plaintiffs and Defendants must stand at the Bar and then God shall want no Witnesses but the Guilty Mens Consciences which now are Asleep and Seared with a hot Iron will Awake be Quickned and fly into their Faces and be as a Thousand Witnesses to Convict as many Judges to Condemn and as a Thousand Executioners to Torment them the Devil himself who is here a Seducer will then be an Informer and Accuser Now we are assured that (k) Acts 17.31 God hath appointed a Day in the which he will Judge the World in Righteousness by the Man whom he hath Ordained Such a Man as is God also that knows all things and needeth not that any one should tâ—ll him what is in Man for he searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and this God-Man Judge of the World is named elsewhere (l) 2 Cor. 5.10 and Rom. 14.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be Good or Evil called (m) Jude 6 the Judgment of the great Day though many wish there was no Judgment Day yet 't is such a Truth as they may not deny and the Thoughts thereof should make all wicked Men to Tremble if they be not worse and more hardned than (n) Acts 24 25. Felix an Heathen was who Trembled when Paul reasoned of Judgment to come And now let first the Judges hear their Charge what is their Duty here and what shall be Required of them hereafter I mean not only the Judges upon the Bench but also the Juries whose Verdict is the Sentence and only in point of Law are guided by the Judges The Thing ought to answer the Name 't is called Verdict quasi Verum Dictum therefore let it not be Falsum Dictum a False and Unjust Sentence thorough Seduction of the Judgment or Bribery for Judges such as indeed they are ought not to be influenced by any corrupt Practises whether Judges upon the Bench or Jury-men in the Court (o) Psal 2.10 Therefore be Instructed Ye Judges of the Earth which is a Charge by David's Pen given by the Judge of all the Earth And hear what saith upon the matter the great Law-giver under God I mean Moses (p) Deut. 1.16 17. And I charged your Judges at that time saying Hear the Causes between your Brethren and Judge righteously between every Man and his Brother and the Stranger that is with him Ye shall not Respect Persons in Judgment but ye shall Hear the Small as the Great You shall not be afraid of the Face of Man for the Judgment is God's Herein they were told of the Duty of their Office first to hear which must neither de denyed nor delayed and according to what they hear they are bound to judge justly whether between Jew and Jew or between Jew and a Stranger for Justice ought equally and impartially to be render'd unto all without any Byass or Regard of Persons in Judgment whether Friends or Enemies Relations or Strangers Great or Small Poor or Rich and because some men are often apt to be dazled and influenced by the greatness and wordly Advantage of others either out of Interest Love or Fear here Judgeâ— are charged not to mind any such thing nor to suffer themselves to be wrought upon by any such outward Advantages and wordly Considerations and the Reason is given in the Text For the Judgment is God's and not Man's The Heathens in their Hieroglyphicks represented Justice one of the Four Moral Cardinal or chief Vertues by the Figure of a Woman Blindfolded and holding Scales in her Hand the first to signify she ought not to look upon or see any thing in the Parties to Byass her Judgment the second that the justice of the Cause without any regard to the Person must decide the Dispute and both to require an Impariality in the Judge always looking on God as present with them (q) Psal 82 1 For God Judgeth among the gods In Jetro's Prudent Advice to Moses about Judges he mentioneth Four Qualifications required in all that are in such a station (r) Exod. 18.21 Able Men such as fear God men of Truth hating Covetousness First Men endued with Knowledge and Understanding which are natural Parts necessary for those that are in such places for else how can they that want judgment in themselves be competent Judges over others The Understanding is the Light of the Soul whereby it must be guided and which without it lyes in Darkness wherefore it concerns those that appoint Judges to make choice of such as God hath fitted for the place and given them Endowments proper for it But this is not enough all Natural Gifts are defective without Grace therefore the Heart of Judges should be Sanctified with the Fear of God This ought to direct their Knowledge and here must be the Ground