he that when they so prayed they had no Trespasses to forgive pag. 39. Answ. This will not seem so strange if it be considered that when our Lord taught his Diâ—ciples thus to pray they were but young and weak their Faith which should have given them Victory over Sin was weak and sometimes almost ready to wavâ—r and therefore in the very same Chapter he blames the Littleness of their Faith and frequently after in the same Book of Matthew calls them O ye of Little Faith They had not yet experienced the Work of Faith with Power in that Degree which afterwards they did for the Holy Ghost was not yet poured forth because that Iesus was not yet glorified Now this Form of Prayer was suited to their present Condition but it doth not appear that it was intended to be a standing Rule for them to pray by as long as they lived but as a Supplement to their Weakness until the Comforter the Spirit of Truth was come unto them which Christ promised to send them immediately after his Departure and as it were in his room But when the Comforter was come when they had received the Spirit of Truth in that more eminent Degree He was then to lead them into all Truth He was to teach them what they should pray for and that after an higher manner then hitherto they had prayed as our Saviour's words imply Iohn 16.2 and he did so as the Apostle witnessâ—th Likewise the Spirit helpeth our Iâ—firmities for we know not what we should ask for as we ought mark that for all their former Teaching but the Spirit it self maketh â—ntercâ—ssion for us with Groans which cannot be uttered From Scripture-Arguments he comes to Reason Who sayes he can be so confident to say He is free from all the Infiâ—mities of his Nature Answ. Every Infirmity of Nature is not Sin A man therefore may be free from Sin though not from all the Infirmities of his Nature Again He that saith he cannot fall by Error is already fallen by Pride Answ. This relates not to a Possibility of not sinninâ— but to an Impossibility of sâ—â—ning which is not the Subject of the present Controversie He goes on to shew That it is not they that give Incouragement to sin by denying a Possibility of being freed from it but we who believe such a Possibility Pray says he who is your Friend he that saith you have no Enemy or he that informs you where he lurks pag. 41. Answ. He all along mistates the Case either through Ignorance or Design yet I would not think the worst of him By Perfection by a State of Freedom from Sin we do not mean a State free from being tempted to sin Our blessed Saviour in whom was no sin in that sense was not free he was tempted by the Devil But to be tempted is no sin So that we do not tell People they have no Enemy but we tell them they have an Enemy we tell them where this Enemy lurks and how he works We tell them this Enemy may be overcome and also how Now then turn the Question the right Way and let me ask Who is thy Friend O Man He that tells thee Thou canst never overcome thy Enemy will be too hard for thee 't is in vain to expect a Compleat Victory or He that incourages thee to fight the good Fight of Faith and tells thee that Satan if thou resist him will flee before thee and not only â—o but that the God of Peace will â—râ—ad Satan under thy Feet and that shortly too Again He says It is one Step to Conversion to see our selves unconverted and one Step more to Happiness to percerve our selves Miserable Sinners Answ I grant indeed it is so But mâ—st we alwayes stand upon this one Step Must we never take another Step Never step forward He moves very slow indeed that takes but one step all his Life If we see our elves misererable sinners at the first step must we see our selves miserable sinners at the last step too which they do from the first step to the last confess themselves such or else they sin in so confessing this is miserable indeed miserable Comforters are all they who tell men they must be miserable Sinners as long as they live Let such take heed that they run not in vain Again He saith I need not guard my House when I am sure that no Thieves can enter Answ. This is also quite besides the business The Question is not whether no Thieves can enter although I do not guard my house but whether it is possible for me to keep the Theives from entring if I do guard my house That this is possible our Saviour expresly tells us If saith he the good man of the House had known at what Hour the Thief would come he would have watcht and not have suffered his House to be broken through So that the good man had Power and was able to have kept out the Thief if he had stood upon his Guard and the intent of this Parable was to excite the Disciples to Watchfulness which our Saviour did frequent lyinculcate to them What I say unto you I say unto all watch And again Watch and pray that ye enter not unto Temptation for there 's the Sin It is not a Sin to be tempted but it is a Sin to enter into the Temptation Now tâ—en if the Disciple watches and prayes it is possible for him to be kept from entring into Temptation and consequently possible for him to be kept from sinning which is directly to the Case Again he saith it is in vain to offer him Physick wo concludes himself well Answ. If any man that is not well concludes htmself well he is to blame but that is nothing to our purpoâ—e The Questionis Whether he that doth really receive the Physiâ—k and doth carefully observe the prescriptions of the Physician can be perfectly cured or no The Disease is Sin can man be perfectly cured of this Disease If he grants he may he yeilds the Cause if he denyes it her stâ—cts upon the Abilâ—ty of he Physician The poor Woman with the bloody issue had suffered much from many Physicians and spent all she had upon them but was never a whit the better Miserable Sinners at the first and miserale Sinners to the last her bloody Issue ran twelve Years together but when once she came to Christ he made her whole He works perfect Cures Will the Priest say that man may and shall be cured of his Disease of sinning but not in this Life not till he dies this is not Gospel surely for that is Glad-tidings but this is Sad-tidings to the poor patient that he must carry his Disease with him to his Grave and yet alwayes be taking costly Physick this if he believe it were enough one would think to send him forth with thither If such a cure could have
by the Rabbins and Jewish Doctors of old the Bishops and Clergy men in the Arrian and other Controversies the Cardinals Iesuits and Popish Priests in latter times How came it to pass that these men wrested the Scriptures was it for want of Humane Learning that could not be for that most of these men were profound Schollars great Linguists Vniversity men men of much Reading and great Learning is undeniable and yet these are the men that of all others have wrested the Scriptures most frequently and most perniciously What was the Reason of this surely if Humane Learning had been designed by God as the proper and necessary means of understanding the Scriptures aright they who had so much of that Learning should have understood them better then they did then whom none hath ever understood them worse nor is it a thing to be wondred at by any who shall consider the words of Christ I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Here then is the true cause why these learned men wrest the Scriptures They seek to understand them by that Wisdom from which the true Sense of them is hid they trust too much to their Brain Knowledge and Humane Learning and with that undertake to interpret Scripture not waiting for the Guidance of the Holy Spirit whose Office alone it is to lead into all Truth Experience therefore shews by the Errors of learned men in all Ages that Humane Learning whatever this Priest says is not the Key that can open the Scriptures aright none having more missed of the true Sense of them then they that have sought it by that Learning But saith he Though the Apostles were unlearned when Iesus called them yet to the Eternal Honour of Learning he made them learned in all Tongues by a Miracle before he sent them abroad to teach all Nations teaching us thereby that men wholely illiterate are not fit to preach the Gospel Answ. This at first Sight makes a shew as if it had something in it but look well upon it and it appears to be but a meer empty Flourish Christ he saith by a Miracle made his Apostles learned in all Tongues before he sent them abroad to teach all Nations Well what doth he infer Teaching us thereby saith he that men wholely illiterate are not fit to preach the Gospel Herein is a Fallacy he should have said if he would have said any thing to the Purpose that men wholely illiterate are not fit to preach the Gospel to all Nations which if it were true as it is not for illiterate men may speak by Interpreters which also was in use in the Primitive Church what is it to the Purpose If not having all Languages they should not be fit to preach to all Nations because all Nations could not understand their Speech will it therefore follow they are not fit to preach to their own Nation that doth understand their Speech But these Words All Nations he was willing in the last Clause to leave out that he might beguile the ignorant into a Conceit that none but Book-learned men can preach the Gospel but though he may twattle after this rate to his Parishioner whose Respects to his Person may perhaps induce him to swallow any thing that comes from him yet let him not think to impose such Sophistry upon us as ignorant as he takes us to be we understand Words better then so The Gift of Tongues to the Apostles doth not imply that men wholely illiterate are unfit to preach the Gospel What was the End of the Gift of Tongues was it to give the Apostles themselves the Knowledge and Vnderstanding of the Gospel was it to enable them to preach the Gospel sincerely and truly or was it that they might express themselves to the Understandings of those several Nations to whom they were to preach They were commanded to preach the Gospel to all Nations which that all Nations might understandingly hear it was expedient it should be preacht unto them in their respective proper Languages which that it might be the Use of Tongues was requisite and therefore given unto them who were designed to that so Vniversal Ambassage Observe then Reader what was indeed the very Reason and proper Service of Tongues namely that all Nations might hear and understand what was spoken So that the Gift of Tongues was not designed to enable the Apostles to preach the Gospel in such a Sense as if they had not been able to preach it at all without them but to enable them in the preaching of it so to express themselves in every Nation 's proper Dialect that they to whom they spake might understand what was spoken to them but as for the Ability which they had to preach the Gospel simply it self without Relation to other Nations that they received immediately from the Holy Ghost which was poured forth upon them and dwelt in them and by Virtue of this indwelling of the Spirit the most illiterate amongst them were able to preach the Gospel fully and effectually to those of their own Nation and any other who understood their Language without the additionall Gift of Tongues but the Priest in comparing humane Learning with the Gift of Tongues and then inferring that because the use of Tongues was needful to the Apostles in order to preach the Gospel to all Nations who could not otherwise have understood them therefore humane Learning is needful yea absolutely necessary in order to preach the Gospel to them of their own Nation and Language and who can understand us as well without it In this I say he covertly imposeth a Falshood upon his Reader which he ought not to have done He might rather have inferred thus That if the Apostles having received the Promise of the Father in the pouring forth of his Spirit upon on them were thereby enabled and fitted to preach the Gospel to their own Country-men in their own Mother-Tongue without the help of other Languages then such now as have received the same Spirit whether in the same measure is not material it being sufficient if the Measure received be suitable to the present Service are thereby made able to preach the Gospel in their own Mother-Tongue to such as understand that Tongue without the help of Humane Learning and this sets Humane Learning quite aside as to any Necessity of it in preaching the Gospel But he saith There was great Reason for choosing illiterate men then in order to the most succesful Promulgation of the Gospel and the Glory of God for had our Lord chosen the Philosophers and learned Rabbies of the time his whole Doctrine might have been opposed with greater Force of Argument and would have lost much of its Reputation by being ascribed to such mens Invention as if its Success had been wholly owing to their
By this he seems not rightly to understand how the Apostles and primitive Christians received the Knowledge of the Gospel for he is still harping upon the Gift of Tongues and Miracles as if he apprehended they had received the Knowledge of the Gospel by these means and that therefore it is Presumption in any now to expect to receive the Knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner as they received it but in this he greatly errs not distinguishing between the Effects and the Cause Tongues and Miracles were but the Effects of that divine Power wherewith they were filled of that holy Spirit which rested on them and dwelled in them Now the Apostles did not receive the Knowledge of the Gospel by Tongues and Miracles these were but Mediums to convey their Message to others and perswade a Belief of it but that which they received the Knowledge of the Gospel from was the Divine Power it self the Holy Spirit it self which dwelt in them from which the Tongues and Miracles did sometimes flow I say sometimes for they were not inseparable Effects of the Spirit for if they had been so then when and wheresoever the Spirit had appeared these Effects must unavoidably have followed but that they did not for all the true Believers received the Spirit yet did not all work Miracles nor speak with Tongues Thus Paul having told the Corinthians that the God of the World hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorius Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them shews them how the Knowledge of the Gospel is to be received for God saith he who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Iesus Christ. And in his Epistle to the Galatians he plainly shews that he received the Knowledge of the Gospel and Ability to preach Christ from the Revelation of Christ in him Seeing then that the Apostles and primitive Christians did receive the Knowledge of the Gospel from the immediate Teachings of the holy Spirit which dwelt in them and not from Tongues or Miracles and seeing this holy Spirit as I have before proved was promised to abide with the Saints forever to be their Teacher and Guide into all Truth I thence infer that the Cessation of Tongues and Miracles doth not at all render it any Presumption Vngodliness or Absurdity in those who are the Apostles Successors in Faith and Doctrine to expect to receive the Knowledge of the Gospel now in the same manner as it was communicated to them of old Yet that he may not seem wholely to exclude the Spirit he thus saith That the Spirit helpeth us to understand old Truths already revealed in Scripture we confess and pray for his Assistance therein c. page 103. Answ. Either he doth not speak sincerely or else he hath forgot himself but a little before page 92 93 94. he said that All the necessary Points of Religion whatsoever is necessary to Salvation whatsoever is either to be believed or done is in some Place or other in the holy Scriptures fitted to the most vulgar Capacity and shallowest Vnderstanding that the History of Chist's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascention is plain to be understood that the Duties of the first and second Table of the Law and the Love of God and our Neighbour which I have elsewhere shew'd comprehends the whole Law and the Prophets all the Evangelical Precepts and the Essentials of Religion are in the Gospel made 〈◊〉 easie Doctrines that he that runs may read them being fitted to the Capacity of the most unlearned that those Passages in the Scriptures which are of the greatest Concern are written in such a plain and familiar Style that the weakest and most illiterate shall never be able to excuse the neglect of them In a Word The great Law-giver he saith hath made those Doctrines most plain which are most necessary to be believed and those least necessary which are most difficult Now if he did believe himself when he said all this I wonder what he expects his Reader should believe of him when in behalf of himself and all his Brethren he here saith page 103. we confess the Spirit helpeth us to understand old Truths already revealed in the Scriptures and we pray for his Assistance therein Do they pray for the Assistance of the Spirit to help them understand those things which he saith are already fitted to the Capacity of the weakest most illiterate and unlearned which are suited to the shallowest Vnderstanding nay which are made so plain and easie that he that runs may read them What else were this but to mock the holy Ghost by invocating his Assistance to help them understand that which they confess they understand already and which they affirm to be so plain and easie that the weakest the shallowest the most unlearned may understand And yet of this kind do they reckon all necessary Points in Religion all the Duties of the first and second Table of the Law the Love of God and our Neighbour the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension all the Commands of the Gospel all the Essentials of Religion and in short whatsoever is either to be believed or done necessary to Salvation but what then hath he left for bimself and his Brethren to pray for the Assistance of the Spirit to help them to understand Nothing that is necessary to Salvation to be sure no Essential of Religion no Gospel Precept no Part of the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension none of the Duties of the first or second Table nothing of the Love of God or our Neighbour what can it be then Some difficult Passages which himself confesseth are least necessary to be believed as the Circumstances of the Levitical Rites the Genealogies in Scripture and Apocalyptical Propheâ—ies these are his own Instances page 93. nay in order to Salvation not at all necessary either to be believed or done See now what his fair Flourish of Praying for the Spirit is come to Besides to say they are already 〈◊〉 in Scripture and yet say he want the assistance of the Spirit to help him understand them is a Contradiction for what he doth not understand is not already revealed but vailed to him if he already understand it he in vain implores Assistance to help him to understand it if he doth not already understand it then it is not yet revealed to him but hid or covered from him in praying for the Assistance of the Spirit to understand it he acknowledgeth the Necessity of the Spirit 's Teaching and confesseth that Revelation is to be expected in this Age. But saith he to pretend to such Miraculous Inspirations as the Apostles once had or to nâ—w Revelations beyond what was discoverâ— to them is an horrible Cheat c. Answ
That the Inspirations which the Apostles had or the Teaching of the Spirit whereby the mind of God was communicated to them had no Dependency upon Miracles I have shewed before As for New Revelations it is a Phrase of his own not used by us and if by New he intend New as to Substance he doth not rightly represent us for we do not expect a Revelation of any other Gospel of any other Way of Salvation of any other Essâ—ntials in the Christian Religion then what were revealed to the primitive Christians and have been in all Ages revealed to the â—aints in 〈◊〉 Dâ—gree or other and which by the divinely inspired Penmen were committed to writing and are declared of in the holy Scriptures but as no Prophecy of old â—ime came by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost so nâ—ither can the true Sense and Meaning of thoâ—e heavenly Doctrines contained in the holy â—criptures be comprehended or understood by the Wit and Wisdom of man in his highest Natural Attainments but only alone by the Openings and Discoveries of that holy Spirit by which they were at first revealed Those divine Mysteries are Mysteries indeed and remain so as a sealed Book which neither the unlearned nor yet the most learned in the wisdom of this World is able by that Learning to open until Christ the Lamb doth open them And these Heavenly things and divine Mysteries so opened by him who hath the Key of David wherewith he openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man with all his humane Learning openeth are not New Revelations that is New things revealed but rather renewed Revelations that is Old things revealed anew The same Gospel the same Way of Salvation the same Essentials of Religion the same Principles and Doctrine in a word the same Good Old Truths which were revealed to the Saints of old and are recorded in the holy Scriptures revealed now anew And this Revelation is absolutely necessary for without it there is no true no certain no living Knowledge of God the Father or of Jesus Christ his Son This our Saviour told the Iews No man sayes he knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Humane Learning cannot do it Nor can the Doctrines of the Gospel or the Mysteries of God's Kingdom be known to man but by the Revâ—lation of the Holy Spirit Humane Learning cannot discover them for The things of God saith Paul knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Perhaps the Priest will say They are revealed in the Scriptures But I shall then tell him That Revelation is necessary yea of Necessity even to understand the Scriptures For he himself observes p. 96. that it is not the Letter but the Sense that is the Word of God If so it is not enough for any man to have and read the Letter only though he spend his Age therein but if he expect profit thereby he must come to the true Sense which how learned soever he be in the Wisdom of this World he never can attain unto until the holy Spirit reveal it to him And to this purpose must his own words serve if they will serve to any purpose at all namely We confess that the Spirit helpeth us to understand old Truths already revealâ—d iâ— Scripture and we pray for his Assistance therein pag. 103. In which words though he mistakes in saying they are revealed already to him that doth not understand them yet by confessing that the Spirit doth help to understand and praying for his Assistance therein he acknowledges that the Truths contained in the Scriptures are to be revealed by the Spirit Having promised this I hold my self the less concern'd to take notice of what he sayes concerned new Revelations because he speaks upâ—n a false Ground and shoots at random Yet some things scattered here and there in his Discourse I may speak briefly to to make him more sensible of his Mistakes 1 st He says These New Revelations highly disparage the Scriptures Answ. He that desires and waits to have the Truth 's Record in the Scriptures revealed to him by the same Spirit from which they were written doth not at all disparage the Scriptures but honours them But he sayes The Scripture if it be true and may be believed declares it self to be a perfect and sufficient Rule in order to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.17 Answ. The Scripture so far as it hath escaped Corruption from Mis-transcribing Mis-translating Mis-printing and the like is true and not only may but ought to be believed But I do not find it declares that of it self which he hath here declared of it from 2 Tim. 3.17 namely that it is a perfect and sufficient Rule in order to Salvation That place sayes thus Vers. 16. for the 17th Verse depends on that and is imperfect without it All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness Vers. 17. That the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnisht unto all Good Works Now to let pass the Translation which is not altogether so well as it might be here is no mention of a Rule at â—ll The Scripture is here said to be profitable but I hope the Priest will not say every thing that is profitable is a perfect and sufficient Rule He sayes humane Learning is profitable and not only so but necâ—ssary yea of Necessity to the Understanding Preaching the Gospel will he therefore make humane Learning the Rule But how regardless is this man of speaking Truth who so confidently sayes the Scripture declares it self to be a perfect and sufficient Rule in order to Salvation whenaâ— that Scripture which he brings to prove this hath no such words in it But he adds That the Scripture accurses all that shall preach any other Doctrine Gal. 1.8 9. Answ. If he means any other Doctrine then this which he has preached concerning the Scripture being a perfect and sufficient Rule he errs and wrongs the Text. For the Apostle there sayes If any man preach any â—â—her Gâ—spel unto you then that we haâ—e preached and you have received let him be acursed And so say I He that preaches any other Gospel then what was then preached by the Apostle the Curse and Wo is to him But let me withal tell my Adversary he did unadvisedly to bring these two Scriptures together For in that to Timothy the Apostle saith That the Man of God may be perfect but that the Priest denyes it is possible for him to be So that he preaches not only another but a directly contrary Doctrine to what the Apostle preacht Let him look again then and consider whether he has not brought the Curse to his own Door Again he sayes pag. 104. Consider how contrary these new Revelations are to God's
Honour of Christianity The Honour of Christianity is that it out-strips and excells all other Professions of Religion whatsoever It is no Honour to Christianity to stand but upon equall terms with any other Religion whether Heathenish or Jewish but it mounts far above them all and leads them that sincerely embrace it to a Perfection beyond whatever was attainable in any of them yet in them Oaths were attainable It is no Derogation to the Honour of Christianity that it hath made its Adherents so Upright just and true that they dare not speak a Falshood though others dare swear it Is it any Derogation from the Honour of Religion that the Professors of it are men of Credit worthy to be believed and if he allow them to be such there is then he confesseth page 61. No Need at all of an Oath The primitive Christians saith Bp. Gauden did so keep up the Sanctity and Credit of their Profession among Vnbelievers that it was Security enough in all Cases to say Christianus sum I am a Christian. If any urged them further to any Oath for matter or manner or Authority unlawful they repeated this as the ONLY Satisfaction they could give There needed no more then the Veracity of their BARE WORD But was this a Derogation from the Honour of Christianity No They kept up saith he the Sanctity and Credit of their Profession by this Nay hear what he saith further upon this Subject Certainly the Affairs of Christians both PVBLICK and private would be NO LESS to their Honour and Ease if there were in NO CASE any need or use of ANY Oaths or Swearing but such an Authentick Veracity and Iust Credulity on all Sides as might WELL spare even the MOST TRVE sincere and lawful Oaths keeping on all Sides as great a Distance from Lying as from false Swearing The abolishing then of Oaths would no way derogate from the Honour of Christianity But the continuing of Oaths doth greatly derogate from the Honour of Christianity Why are Oaths continued Because saith m Opponent there is not that Truth in Men that can make their bare Testimony of sufficient Credit for if there were he confesseth there would be no need at all of an Oath What can more derogate from the Honour of Christianity then that its Followers should be so devoid of Truth as not to deserve Credit Again Why are Oaths continued Because saith my Opponent all men are Lyars Mankind is generally leavened with Hypocrisie and Fear Favour Malice or Interest sway with the far greater Part of Men. If his far greater Part of Men are such as have no Relation to Christianity his Instance then relates not to the matter but if they are such as by profession thereof have Relation thereunto How great a Derogation is this from the Honour of Christianity Doth it not pluck down Christianity from its Superexcellent Sphere and debase it to an Equality with Heathenism The most Barbarous Heathen could be believed with an Oath and canst not thou a strong grown Christian having thy Religion seated in the Rational Powers page 5. be believed without an Oath What then art thou better in this respect then the misbelieving Heathen or how art thou in this Case an Honour to thy Religion more then that Miscreant is to his Let none therefore imagine that the abolishing of oaths doth any way derogate from the Honour of Christianity but let all endeavour by living virtuous just and holy Lives and by speaking the Truth upon all occasions Plainly and sincerely to leave no Cause nor Place for Oaths and thereby will Christianity be adorned and its Honour highly advanced But saith he While the Apostle saith An Oath for Confirmation is the End of Strife if you take away an Oath you take away that which by God is ordained to be the most effectual means of ending it page 63. Answ. He should rather have said was ordained then is ordained if he had intended to deal fairly for it was to them of old time under the Law which was a State of Weakness and Childhood and so of Contention and Strife that Oaths were appointed but in the New Testament which is the Gospel of Peace there is no such ordination there Oaths are taken away not ordained Now it was to that State of Weakness the Apostle refers when he speaks of an Oath Heb. 6. for he writes there to the Hebrews who had been under the Law which shews he had Reference to the State of the Iews but in all his Epistles to the believing Gentiles there is no such thing to be found Besides he fetcheth the occasion of his Discourse in that Place from the Old Time wherein Swearing was allowed shewing how God confirmed his Promise by an Oath to Abraham ver 13. and then addeth ver â—6 For MEN verily swear by the Greater and an Oath for Confirmation is to THEM an End of all Strife He doth not say WE swear by the Greater and an Oath to US is an End of all Strife but MEN swear and to THEM an Oath is an End c. which plainly carrieth the Intent of his Words to them that were under that State of the Law And this will appear yet more plain if we observe that when in the following verses he speaks of the Heirs of that Promise and the strong Consolation they have thereby he doth not then use the words MEN and THEM but WE and US Wherein God saith he wâ—lling more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the Immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two Immutable things in which it was impossible for God to Lye WE might have a strong Consolation who have fled for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope is set before VS which Hope WE have c ver 17 18 19. So that when he spake of what waâ— done in in the old time wherein swearing was lawful he expresseth himself by the words MEN and THEM but when he speaks of what relates more immediately to the New Testament time he expresses himself by the Words WE and US intiâ—ating that as he distinguished between the times and States of Law and Gospel Old Testament and New so also he put a Difference between Men and Saints for as in another Case he saith Though we walk in the Flesh we do not war after the Flesh so say I in this Case Though Saints are men yet they do not walk as men The same which the Apostle also intimates in his Reproof to some among the Corinthians Whereas saith he there is among you Envying and Strife and Divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men Here he plainly shews that walking in Strife and Contention walking as Men is not the Sainâ—s State but a Carnal State whence we may fairâ—y infer that when he speaks in Heb 6 of Mens Swearing he doth not by Men intend â—aints true Bâ—lievers the New-Testament Church but such as were under the Old Dispensation to
a part of the moral and eternal Law Nay does he not himself call those Sacrifices Types and Figures pag. 50. And are they not then ceremonial notwithstanding they were used before the Levitical Law was given But of this more anon Here he makes a Digression to fall upon some others who it seems have offended him in what they have written concerning the Nature and Power of the divine Will He names only Szydlovius the Dutch-man but hints at some others of our own Nation who he sayes by their Writings have not a little contributed to the Debauching of this present Age. Who these are he does not say but it is most probable they are some of those that for corrupt Interests have intrudâ—d themselves into the Priesthood But be they who they will seeing he acknowledges that this Discourse is beside our Subject I will at this time however step over it and meet him again at pag. 66. where resuming his former Argument he sayes thus That an Oath is not a part of the Ceremonial Law is clear from what hath been said concerning the Morality of it which proved it a part of Natural Religion and Iustice c. Answ. That which hath hitherto been said by him to prove the Morality of an Oath is no more then what he might have said to prove the Morality of Circumcision Sacrifices That was used by the Patriarchs before the Levitical Law was given so were these if then that is therefore moral because so us'd then are these also therefore moral because so used But if Circumcision and Sacrifices are not therefore moral although so used then neither is an Oath therefore moral although so used So that hitherto he hath done in effect nothing towards the proving an Oath a part of the moral and eternal Law which he must do before he can make it an Act of Natural Religion and Justice Besides he sayes here pag. 66. that the ceremonial Law is a System of Types and Shadows and in pag. 50. he calls the Sacrifices that were offered by the Patriarchs before the Leviticall Law was given Types and Figures by which he plainly alloweth them to be ceremonial notwithstanding they were used before the Levitical Law was given And yet he would have Oaths to be not Ceremonial but Moral for that very Reason beâ—auâ—e used before the Levitical Law was given So little is he consistent to himself But he adds Whatsoever was purely Ceremonial was purely Typical and if you cannot find in the Gospel an Antitype for an Oâ—t you may then be satisfied that the Command of Swearing was no part of the Ceremonial Law page 67. Answ. He is a great deal forwarder to affirm then to prove Where will he find particular Antitypes in the Gospel for all the Ceremonies in the Law Were not the Priests Garments Ceâ—emonial I would know of him then what Aaron's Breeches were a Tâ—pe of Let him find out an Antitype for them in the Gospel And we read Moses was commanded to kill a Ram and to take of his Blood and put it upon the Tâ—p of the right Ear of Aaron â—â—d upon the Tip of the right Ear of his Sons and uâ—on the Thumb of their right Hand and upâ—n the great Toâ— of their right Foot I demand of â—im what these Ceremonies were Types of if he can find Antitypes for â—hem in the Gospel he may do well to bring them forth and if he cannot yet I would not have him thence infer that the Command for these things was no Part of the Ceremonial Law but rather consider how over hasty he was in concluding the Command of swearing to be no Part of the Ceremonial Law unless an Antitype for an Oath can be found in the Gospel But saith he If you say an Oath was a Type of any thing pertaining to the times of the Gospel shew what was its Antitype or thing represented by it Answ. That I will do by and by after I have shewed the occasion and rise of Swearing which is the Type Man was created righteous holy pure innocent There was no Guile no Fraud no Deceit in him nothing but Sincerity Vprightness and Truth In this State there was no Vse nor Need of Oaths for while he abode in this his Word was Truth he spake a pure Language but man falling from this State set open a Door as it were to Fraud Treachery Perfidy Lying Falshood c. and thereby to Iealousies Suspicions Distrusts Incredulities c. These being entred wrought men by Degrees to that pass that not daring to relie upon one anothers Words and Promises they sought other Expedients to secure themselves by whereof Oaths was one so that Oaths entred through Transgression for want of Truth and Sincerity and the further men went from the Truth into Falshood the more frequent did the Use of Oaths grow This Bishop Gauden acknowledges out of Polybius In the better and simpler Ages of the World saith he Oaths were seldom used in Iudicatures but after that Perfidy and Lying encreased the Vse of Oaths encreased c. But this Perfidy and Lying as it had a time of Increase so it was to have a time of Decrease it was not to continue alwayes Men were not to be perfidious and false alwayes and consequently Oaths were not alwayes to last Now when the Gospel comes to be preached and received which is the Power of God to Salvation to all them that believe in it that purges out the old leaven of Hypocrisie Malice and Deceit that cleanseth the Heart from Guile Fraud Lying Falshood Perfidy and all Unrighteousness and renews man into the Image of God bringing him again into that Truth Sincerity and Uprightness which by Transgression he had lost And man thus redeemed speaks Truth again and bears true Witness without and Oath and is believed too without an Oath by all that are redeemed from Unbelief for in this Gospel-State the pure Language is again lâ—arnt and spoken which God by his Prophet promised to turn to the People And there is not a deceitful Tongue in the Mouth of those that are thus redeemed but having put away Lying they speak every man Truth with his Neighbour Now this Truth-speaking this True Witness-â—earing this Pure Language under the Gospel is the Antitype of an Oath the very thing that was represented by an Oath in the time of the Law and the Antitype the Truth being come which is more peculiar to the Gospel for the Law was given by Moses but the Grace and Truth came by Iesus Christ The Type which was the Oath is at an End Thus what the Prophet in the time of the Law delivered in the Type by the Word Swear That the Apostle in the time of the Gospel expresseth in the Antitype by the Word Confess plainly shewing that the Type was ended As therefore he argues that if his Parishioner cannot find an Antitype for an Oath in the Gospel he may then
this place he sayes Rationes boni mali sunt aeternae i. e. The Reasons of Good and Evil are eternal Answ. For what Reason he brought this Sentence I do not see unless he would from thence infer that an Oath is a part of the Eternal Law because the Reasons of an Oath are Eternal But if this be his Meaning he had need consider that the Reasons of an Oath in his own account are Lying Hypocrisie and Malice and I hope he will not say these are Eternal But if he will have it that the Reasons of Good and Evil are Eternal what are the Effects of Good and Evil are they Eternal too For that an Oath is the Effect of Evil he has already too far granted to deny I have now followed him to his fourth and last Proposition by which he undertook to prove that all Oaths are not forbidden by Christ viz. that some Oaths are used in the New Testament His Instances are of Paul and the Angel Those of Paul are these which follow Rom 1.9 For God is my Witness whom I serve with my Spirit in the Gospel of his Son that c. Answ. To say barely and simply God is my Witness is not an Oath Read Isa. 43.10 Ye are my Witnesses saith the Lord so vers 12. Therefore ye are my Witnesses saith the Lord that I am God Again Chap. 44.8 Ye are even my Witnesses c. Here God is pleased to call men his Witnesses as Paul in the other place calls God his Witness Now either God in these words did swear or he did not swear if any will say he did swear in saying of Men Ye are my Witnesses then they will make God to swear by Men the greater by the lesser whereas God whenever he is said to swear is alwayes said to swear by himself because he could swear by no Greater But if God in saying Ye are my Witnesses did not swear it follows then that Paul might say God is my Witness and yet not Swear How oft did Moses call Heaven and Earth to witness Did he swear will the Priest say by Heaven and Earth That was never allowed But if this manner of Speech be Swearing what will become of Paul in another Case where he sayes The High Priest does bear me witness c. Which is all one as if he had said The High Priest is my Witness Now if my Adversary will make Paul to swear by God in saying God is my Witness how will he avoid making him swear by the High Priest also in saying The High Priest is my Witness Yet he will not dare to charge Paul directly with Swearing by the High I â—est although indirectly he does for he knows full well that so to have sworn had been unlawful even when Swearing was lawful But if Paul did not swear in saying The High Priest is my Witness it is evident that that Form of Speech is not an Oath Besides how extreamly absurd is this Construction of Paul's words For if I should have Occasion to say Iohn is my Witness or Iames is my Witness that I did or said so or so by the same Reason by which the Priest would prove that Paul swore by God in saying God is my Witness he may as well infer that I swear by Iohn or Iames in saying Iohn or Iames is my Witness But his Weakness in this is too plain to need any further Detection His next Instance is Rom. 9.1 I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost Answ. To speak the Truth in Christ is not an Oath In the time when Oaths were lawful it was not lawful to swear but in Solemn Weighty and Extraordinary Occasions but to speak the Truth in Christ was and is lawful upon all Occasions And indeed if Paul should have sworn as oft as he spake the Truth in Christ he would have been a very common Swearer But if to speak the Truth in Christ be not Swearing how can it be an Oath to say I speak the Truth in Christ But this is not all he adds My Conscience also bearing me Witness in the Holy Ghost What will he infer from hence will he make Paul here to swear by his Conscience also Doubtless Paul made more Conscience of Swearing then so This however tends to overturn his former Instance for if Paul did not swear by his Conscience in saying My Conscience bears me witness or my Conscience is my Witness which is all one and which if he had done he had done Evil and his Example had not been imitable then neither did he swear by God when he said God is my Witness His next Instance is 2 Cor. 1.18 But as God is true And Vers. 3. Moreover I call God for a Record against my Soul that c. Answ. 1. In the first of these Verses But as God is true the Particle as by which the Priest would make these words sound an Oath is not in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but put in by the Translator which they who do not read Greek may observe in their English Bibles where they will find the word as in a different and smaller Print then the rest Which Beza observing in his Latin Translation renders it thus Imo fidelis Deus novit sermonem nostrum apud vos non fuesse etiam non And Tomson who turned it out of his Latin into English gives it thus Yea God is faithful that our Word to youward was not yea and nay From all which it may appear that the Apostle in these words intended no more then a solemn Assâ—veration which is not an Oath as if he had directly said as Beza's Latin runs God who is faithful knows that c. and as upon another Case in the same Epistle though with somewhat more of Circumlocâ—tion he did say The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which is blessed for evermore knoweth that I lye not 2 Cor. 11.31 which is another Instance the Priest gives of Paul's Swearing which words though somewhat more periphrastically exprest amount to no more in point of an Oath then if he had only said God knows I lye not For the Oath if there had been any had lain in those two words God knows The same is to be observed in the words above-mentioned viz. I call God for a Record upon my Soul which though it sounds a greater Earnestness is â—et no more in Substance then if he had barely said I call God to witness which barely and simply to do is not an Oath as I have shewed before upon the first Instance But how absurd is it even to think that the Apostle Paul upon no greater Occasion neither then the recounting to the Corinthians the manner of his Escape out of Damascus through a Window into a Baskâ—t should take a solemn Oath by God that he did not lye which is he had taken he had doâ—e Evil
Skill and Learning and not to the mighty Power of God Answ. The Reason holds good still Experience shews that these learned men that call themselves Ministers of the Gospel now do extol and cry up their humane learning beyond the Power of God for they make that Learning such an indespensible Qualification and of such absolute Necessity that though a man be indued with Power from on high though he hath received the Promise of the Father though he be full of the Holy Ghost and of Faith yet if he be not skâ—lled in humane Learning or at least supposed to be they say he is not fit to preach the Gospel But he saith That was a time extraordinary the Disciples being to plant the Gospel in all Nations and probably understanding no Language but the Syrian Christ therefore rains upon them cloven Tongues whereby they were capacitated to preach the Gospel to all People and Nations under Heaven page 100. Answ. If that was an extraordinary time and occasion in and upon which Tongues were given he is the more to blame for inferring from thence a Necessity of Humane Learning in ordinary times and upon ordinary occasions He should have remembred what himself saith page 128. That it is a most grand Fallacy to draw an universal Conclusion from particular Premises But a time he saith was coming when these Tongues should cease the main Work being done page 101. Answ. 'T is true Tongues being given but for a particular Service were to cease that Service being answered but the Teaching of the Spirit was not to cease it had no Dependency upon Tongues and therefore was not to cease with them it was before them and was to continue after them The Comforter the Spirit of Truth which Christ said he would pray the Father to send to his Disciples was to abide with them forever and he was to be their Teacher and to guide them into all Truth Besides the Apostle Paul writing to the Church at Ephesus amongst whom being of one Tongue there was no need of Tongues and by whom we read of no Miracles wrought tells them He ceaseth not to pray for them that God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of himself From whence it is evident First That divine Revelation had no Dependence upon Tongues or Miracles Secondly That although Tongues were for a particular Service and Season and therefore were to cease yet that the Ministration of the Spirit by divine Revelation was not to cease but to continue in the Church of Christ therefore also he exhorts the Thessalonians not to quench the Spirit 1 Thes. 5.19 But he saith It would be presumption in them who pretend to be the Apostles Successors to expect to receive all Gospel Knowledge in the same manner and in all those Wayes wherein it was communicated to the Apostles page 101. Answ. How far he will strain the Word all in the last Clause I know not but if by all those Ways he intends no more then an inward Manifestation and immediate Revelation of the mind and Will of God to them by the Spirit of Truth which dwells in them I will adventure to tell him it is no Presumption at all in those who are the Apostles Successors to expect to receive the Knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner for as our Saviour prayed not for them only but all such also as should believe on him through their Word So what he promised concerning sending the Comforter to be in them to teach them to take of his and shew it unto them to guide them into all Truth and to abide with them forever he did not promise with Restriction and Limitation to them only but with an extensive Relation to all that should believe on him This appears First from the Words of Christ He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believed on him should receive This is spoken indefinitely of all Believers without any Restraint to Persons time or place for the Invitation is general If any Man thirst let him come unto me and drink c. Secondly It does appear that this inward immediate and spiritual Teaching was known and received by the Saints of old in general of whom we read not that they spake with Tongues or wrought Miracles The very little Children Babes in Christ to whom Iohn writ had received the Anointing Ye have an Vnction from the holy One and ye know all things the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and iâ— Truth and no Lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him Hence it is manifest that in the Primitive Church the Saints in general had the Spirit poured on them had the Anointing in them that the End of it was to teach and guide them and that they were taught and guided by it Thirdly Besides this inward and immediate Teaching of the Spirit of God by which the Knowledge of the Gospel is communicated being the very End for which the Conforter was sent and as I may say the natural Effects of his coming implied in those Words of Christ He shall teach you all things he shall testifie of me he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you he shall guide you into all Truth c. it must either be granted that these Effects of his Coming are now received and known in the true Church or denied that the Comforter is now received and doth abide with Believers at all The Consequence whereof would be that Christ hath left his People Comfortless which he hath assured them he will not do but if the Comforter the Spirit of Truth be now to be expected he is faithful that promised if he is to be in the Saints and to abide with them forever if his Office be to testifie of Christ to receive of Christ's and shâ—w it unto them to teach them all things and to guide them into all Truth I hope Reader thou wilt not think it Presumption in them that are truly the Apostles Successors in Faith and Doctrine to expect to receive the Knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner as they received it Again he saith it is as ungodly and absurd to depend upon extraordinary Revelations and Miracles while we neglect the ordinary means under which we live as it is for an Husbandman to give over his Husbandry in expectation of being provided for by daily Miracles page 102. And a little lower he saith Though God's Hand be not shortned but that it is in his Power to give the Church now the same Gift of Tongues of Working Miracles and the rest as he was pleased to do in the Primitive Age of the Church c. Answ.
constant Method in regard they come naked without any Miracles to attest them for when did God ever send any new Doctrine and did not also give the Preachers thereof a Power of Working Miracles c Answ. This all depends upon the word New New Revelations and New Doctrines which â— have before shewed to be a Mistake and that we are not concerned therein if by Nâ—w Doctrines he means such Doctrines as are essâ—ntial to Salvation we do not pretend or expect to have any New Gospel or such New Doctrines revealed to us but we say the Good Old Gospel and the Doctrines of it which were of old revealed to the Apostles and Saints in the first Ages of Christianity and which are declared of in the Scriptures of Truth are now after the long Night of thick Darkness which hath covered the Earth and that general Apostacy wherein all the World wondred after and worshipped the Beast and the Inhabitants of the Earth were made drunk with the Wine of the Fornication of the great Whore of which all Nations had drunk again revealed by the same Spirit which Christ promised to send to his Disciples to be in them to teach them all things to guide them into all Truth to take of his and shew it unto them and to abide with them forever the Spirit of Christ being still free in his manifold Discoveries and Revelations beyond Utterance the highest Degree whereof is in no wise repugnant to those Essential Truths declared of in Scripture And it is observable that although the Gospel was preached in Demonstration and Power by the Apostles and Disciples in the Beginning and that too universally yet Iohn in his Vision of the future State of the Church saw the Gospel preacht again by an Angel flying in the midst of Heaven thereby intimating that the Gospel should be preached in the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power after the â—postacy as well as it had been before Yet we read not of any Miracles he wrought though he was an Angel Yet in the next page he has another fling at New Revelations which he sayes do manifestly contradict the Faith of the primitive Christians Answ. To this I shall not need to say much Let them look to it whom it concerns That it concerns not us I have already shewed The Faith which we have received is the same with that of the primitive Christians the Author of it is the same the Finisher of it the same and we have received it after the same manner that they received it of old namely by the Gift of God But other Gospel then that which they had we do not expect Again in pag. 106 107. Upon his old Text of new Revelations he runs into an Extravagant Vein of Rayllery charging us with Falshood Rayling Nonsense and Blasphemy that we would bring the World into Egyptian Darkness and all this and much more for a Dream a meer Fancy a Miserable Mistake c. that we follow a False and Fantastick Light and adore a Lye for divine Revelation c. Answ. In this Case what fitter Answer can be given then that which Michael gave the Devil The Lord Rebuke thee Unhappy Man whom nothing less would satisfie then to dash himself against that Stone which if it fall upon him will dash him to pieces 〈…〉 enough that he hath reviled and vilified â—s throughout his whole Book but he must also blaspheme the Light of the Son of God and the Operaâ—ion of the Holy Ghost in calling the one a False Fantastick Light and the other a Lye Well let him remember that the Apostle hath said He that despiseth despiseth not Man but God who hath also given unto us his good Spirit And let him beware of persisting in this Course lest he bring on himself an irreversible Doom which he may read Mat. 12.31 32. Yet would not this man for all this be thought to deny all Revelation neither For sayes he I own those Revelations which are upon Record in the holy Bible which iâ— the Word of God wherein he hath revealed his Will to the Church c. pag. â—07 Answ. He seems not rightly to understand Revelation but rather to have taken in some strange Notion concerning it I would gladly know of him how he would be understood when he sayes God has revealed his Will to the Church in the Holy Bible He sayes The Letter is not the Word but the Sense pag. 96. Does he mean then that this Sense is so revealed in the Bible that he that reads the Letter though he hath no Assistance therein but only his own natural Understanding shall be sure to find the true Sense and understand the Will of God This his words import Yet this he cannot reasonably intend if he will consist with himself because he else-where not only urges the Necessity of Humane Learning but also confesses the Spirit doth help them to understand the Scriptures and that they therefore pray for his Assistance therein pag. 103. But if he means that the Will of God is so revealed in the Scriptures that they can understand it with the Help and Assistance of the Spirit but not without which is the fair import of confessing the Spirit doth help and praying for its Assistance therein what else then I pray is this but to say They can understand the Will of God in the Scriptures when the Spirit revealeth it unto them but not otherwise For if they could understand the Will of God without the Help of the Spirit in vain do they invoke his Assistance but if they cannot understand the Will of God in the Scriptures without the Help of the Spirit and therefore implore his Assistance that shews the Necessity of the Spirit 's Teaching and if the Spirit vouchsafe his Help and do open and make known the Will of God to them that is Revelation How egregiously absurd then it is for this man to exclaim as he does against Revelation who upon his own Principle cannot understand the Will of God without it let the Reader judge But he charges the Quakers with saying The Bible is a Dead Letter but the Word of God is Quick and Powerful so is not the Bible p. 107. Answ. The Word Bible signifies a Book and the Book or Bible the Priests call the Word of God This Man called it so but just now I own said he those Revelations which are upon Record in the Holy Bible which is the Wâ—rd of God pag. 107. Hereupon to shew them how grosly they mistake they have been sometimes asked How it can be that the Bible should be tâ—e â—ord of God seeing the Word of God is quick and powerful and the Bible or Bookâ— a Dead Letter Some of them being by this a little awakened to avoid the Absuâ—dity tell us They do not 〈◊〉 can that the Letter is the Word of God but the Sense so says this man p. 96. But why then do they mean one
considered that the very Phrase of Speech necessarily implies an exceeding or out doing of what was done before an Instance of which we have in 1 Kings 12.11 My Father saith Rehoboam to his People chastized you with Whips BVT I wâ—ll chastize you with Scorpions where the Particle But imports an hither Degree of Chastizement a Degree of Severity beyond what his Father had used and was so understood by the People upon which they revolted so in this Place Christ saith it hath been said to them of old time thou shalt not for swear thyself BUT I say unto you swear not at all As if he had said Moses said Do not for swear but I who am greater then Moses and whose Ministration exceeds in Glory the Ministration of Moses say Do not swear at all Moses forbids false and vain Swearing but I who go beyond Moses forbid all Swearing Moses allowed of some Swearing but I who am to have the Preeminence in all things allow no Swearing at all And indeed if Christ should have forbid no more then Moses before him had done but should have allowed the same Swearing to his Followers that Moses did to the Jews wherein would he who ought to have the Preeminence in all things have had any Preeminence of Moses in the Case of Swearing Besides in restraining this general Prohibition of Christ to the erroneous Glosses of the Pharisees only the Priest will render the Words of our Saviour Christ Superfluous and Vain for all agree that Moses had forbidden not only false Swearing and vain Swearing when he said Ye shall not swear by my Name falsly neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God but Swearing by Creatures also when he commanded them to swear by the Name of God so that the false and erroneous Glosses of the Pharisees were before forbidden by Moses and they are therefore called the erroneous Glosses of the Pharisees because the Pharisees did therein err from the Law He therefore that shall restrain and limit Christ's words to forbid only the erroneous Glosses of the Pharisees will make Christ to speak after this manner Ye have heard that Moses said of old Thou shalt not swear falsly nor vainly nor by Creatures but I say unto you You shall not swear at all falsly nor vainly nor by Creatures How idle and impertinent would such a Speech have been How much below the Wisdom of a Man much more the Wisdom of God! yet this is the plain Consequent of limiting Christ's Words to forbid only the erroneous Glosses of the Pharisees or no more then Moses had forbidden before him and yet this as absurd as it is is the interpretation my Adversary gives page 79. The Prhiâ—iâ—ion he saith is limited to those things the Jews were wont to swear by as Jerusalem the Temple the Altar the Head c. whereas the Opposition which is implied in the adversative Particle BVT standing not between For swearing and Vain or Creature-swearing but between Forswearing and no Swearing shews plainly that Christ intended to forbid all Swearing for it is as if he had said Moses forbad some Swearing but I forbid all Swearing Moses allowed some Oaths but I allow none Moses permitted more causes of Divorce then I do Moses allowed Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth Blow for Blow but I allow no such thing Moses allowed Swearing in some Cases but I allow it in none Thus doth the Gospel out-shine the Law thus doth the Son excel the Servant and bring in a Righteousness beyond not only that of the Scribes and Pharisees but even of the Mosaick Law also But as the Priest would restrain the Words of Christ Swear not at all to the abuse of the Tongue in common Talk and Communication page 81. So the Words of the Apostle Iames Above all things my Brethren swear not neither by Heaven nor by the Earth nor by any other Oath c. these also will he not let pass without a Limitation The Apostle he saith doth mean only all Oaths of that Kind there mentioned namely by any created being page 82. And this he would infer from the Apostle's leaving out some of those Instances which our Saviour mentioned as Ierusalem the Altar the Temple c. and breaking off with this Clause Nor by any other Oath Answ. The contrary may with much better Reason be infer'd from hence for these Words are exclusive of all Sorts of Oaths No Caâ—h whatsoever whether true or false by God or Creature Solemn or Vain can escape the Reach of these Words But he saith Without Doubt St. James offers at a Repetition of our Saviour's Doctrine and that he forbad only such Oaths as our Saviour had forbidden Answ. 'T is true indeed he did forbid only such Oaths as our Saviour had forbidden and he could forbid no other because our Saviour had forbidden All advancing his Followers into an higher State then ever Oaths were used in for Oaths were but as Expedients to supply the Defect and Weakness of a shadowy and legal State and this the Apostle well knew But if we well consider the manner of his expressing himself we shall find he speaks so full and home to the Purpose as if he had either met with or foreseen the Tricks and Devices which have since been used to elude Christ's Command For after he had first given a general Prohibition Above All Things my Brethren Swear No. and then particularly forbidden the Erroneous Glosses of the Pharisees namely Swearing by Creatures c. neither by Heaven neither by the Earth that he might be sure to leave No Oath unforbidden he closes up his Sentence with these comprehensive words Neither by any other Oath Thus does the Disciple explain and confirm the Doctrine of his Master And herein doth the Wisdom of God shine forth in that the Apostle repeating his Master's Doctrine which himself in the Mount was an Ear-Witness of should be directed by the Holy Ghost so to express himself that if any should fancy Christ's Words not so general a Prohibition as indeed they were but should think he allowed of some other Oath though he condemned those of the Pharisees they might here be convinced of their Mistake and assured that he allowed neither those Oaths used by the Pharisees nor any other Oath whatsoever And moreover to take away all Occasion of Stumbling and leave nothing whereon such a Mistake might be grounded it is observable that the Word Communication which is used by our Saviour Let your Communication be Yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of Evil Mat 5.37 and from which very Word they that contend for Swearing do wrest Christ's Meaning from a general Prohibition of all Swearing to a particular Prohibition of Swearing in Common Talk or Communication is not used by the Apostle but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest ye fall into Condemnation Jam 5.12 as if the Holy Ghost had designedly omitted it to secure this
Text from the like Violence But to go on The Priest sayes Christ told them that in ordinary Communication those plain Assâ—verations of Yea and Nay are enough to give Credit to what we say if we would use our selves to speak Truth Answ. And if men would use themselves to speak Truth would not this be enough to give Credit to what they say in all Cases For if Truth be spoken what more can be desired in any Case He said himself but a little before speaking of the most solemn Use of Oaths If there were that Truth in men that their bare Testimony were of sufficient Credit then there were no need at all of an Oath pag. 61. And has he so soon forgot himself Nay he sayes now again pag. 83 While St. James saith Let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay his Meaning is Let your Promise be Performance and let your Word be the Truth to the end that among all with whom you converse you may be believed without an Oath If this be indeed the Apostle's Meaning as indeed I believe it is with what Face can any say he allowed Swearing in some Cases who renders it so utterly Nâ—â—dless in all For if their Promise was to be Performance that is the gâ—ing promised was to be as safe and sure as if it were already performed if their word was to be the truth then which there cannot be more in the most solemn Oath and if the End why it should be thus was this that among all with whom they conversed they might be believed WITHOVT an OATH what room I pray did the Apostle then leave for any Oath at all Will not such a Promise as is Performance such a Word as is the Truth reach all Cases serve all Occasions and answer all Ends in Humane Society Then farewel Swearing Thus have I cleared the words of our blessed Saviour and his Holy Apostle from the erroneous Glosses of the Pharisees of this Age who say that Christ and his Apostle did forbid no more but the erroneous Glosses of the Pharisees of that Age I shall now give the Reader a few Instances by which he may see what was the Judgment of the primitive Christians in this Case and so draw this Chapter to a Conclusion Pâ—lycarpus who lived in the time of the Apostles being requir'd by the Magistrate to Swear by the Fortune of Caesar refused giving this only Reason I am a Christian and was therefore Burned to Death Basilides a Roman-Soldier who led Pontamiena to Execution and by her constant Martyrdom was turned to Christ being required to swear refused it utterly plainly affirming that it was not at all lawful for him to swear because he was a Christian for which he lost his Head Orâ—gâ—n speaking of those Particulars which Christ forbad to swear by as Heaven the Earth the Altar c. sayes These things Christ speaks to the Iews forbidding them to give heed to the Traditions of the Pharisees otherwise sayes he before Christ manifestly forbad to SWEAR AT ALL Basil sirnamed the Great on Psal. 14. Lord who shall abid in thy Tabernacle He that Sweareth c. hath these words Here viz. in thâ— Law he seemeth to allow an Oath to a Perfect Man which in the Gospel is altogether forbidden But I say unto you Swear not at all In this place sayes he the Prophet is contented with an Oath if it be just and true but our Lord cuts off the very Occasion of Forswearing For even he that swears truly may peradventure be deceived some time or other but he that never swears at all is out of all Danger of Forswearing Gregory Nazianzen in his Dialogue against Swearing discourses thus B. What if I use an Oath unwillingly but to free me from Danger A. Let another allow thee that as much as to say Be the Danger what is will I cannot allow thee to Swear B. What if we be drawn by Necessity to give an Oath A. Why didst thou not rather dye for surely thou shouldst rather Dye then do it And that he speaketh here of ALL OATHS even the most solemn observe what he sayes a little before B. But what wilt thou say to me of the Old Covenant surely it doth not prohibit an Oath but requires a true one A No Wonder at that time only it was prescribed in the Law concerning Murder but now it is not lawful for any Cause so much as to smite or beat then the End of an Evil Deed only came into Judgment but now that also which moveth to the End This says he is my Judgment Observe his Way of Reasoning from the Instance of Murder to this of Swearing that as in the Case of Murder there 's more forbidden by Christ then was by Moses for Moses forbad the End only of Evil sayes he but Christ forbids that which moveth to that End so also in the Case of Swearing there is more forâ—idden by Christ then was by Moses which could not be unless all Swearing whatsoever were forbidden by Christ. Epiphanius sayes In the Law as well as the Gospel it is commanded not to use another Name in Swearing but in the Gospel he commanded not to Swear neither by Heaven nor Earth nor other Oath but let Yea be Yea Nay Nay for what is more then theâ—e is of Evil Therefore I suppose that the Lord ordained concerning this because of some men's Allegations that would swear by other Names and first That we must not Swear no not by the Lord himself nor by any other Oath for it is an Evil Thing to SWEAR AT ALL. Chrysostom says A Christian must avoid Oaths by all means hearing the Sentence of Christ which saith It was said to them of Old Thou shalt not Forswear but I say unto you Swear not at all Let none say therefore I Swear in a just Matter It is not lawful to swear neither in a JUST nor Unjust Thing Again says he If to swear TRULY be a Crime and a transgressing of the Commandment where shall we place Perjury Again speaking to them that tender Oaths to others But if thou fearest nothing else sayes he at least fear that Book which thou takest in thy Hand bidding another swear and when thou turnest it over and mark'st what Christ hath there commanded concerning Oaths Tremble and forbear Quest. What doth it then say of Oaths there Answ. But I say unto you Swear not at all Dost thou make that Law on Oath which forbids to swear Oh injurious Oh unjust thing This cannot be understood of vain Oaths for it is evident he speaks here of Iudicial Oaths taken upon the Bible Again What then if any require an Oath and impose a Necessity of Swearing Let the Fear of the Lord be more forcible to thee says he then all Necessity or Compulsion for if thou wilt alwayes object such like Occasions thou wilt keep none of those things which are commaded Again reproving the Clergy-men for tendring the