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
all manner of Equivocations and mental Reservations for those Locusts that are broke loose out of the Bottomless Pit I mean the Jesuits But for true Christian Protestants who make a Profession of the pure and true Doctrine of the Gospel they ought in their Practise as in their Principles wholly to detest and abhor it Every honest Man ought to fear an Oath and not be forward rather avoid being brought to it except upon a Good and Lawful account and before-hand consider the binding Nature and Consequences thereof and when upon the Stage to remember he must Swear the Truth and nothing but the Truth therefore to be the more Cautious of what he saith for though one may happen to impose upon Men yet he never can upon God who hears and seeth all windings and turnings of the heart this rule holds for Young as well as for Old Men for young die as well as old though one would think according to the course of Nature they have a longer race to run yet Experience teaches it to be a mistake for more die under Thirty years then above however soon or late all must die Death is certain but the time uncertain and truly though some Perjured Young Men should live the longer yet this Sin would make their life but uncomfortable for being Enemies to God they cannot be at peace with their Consciences and themselves nor with others for there is a Curse tied to the back of Perjury which except they be wholly hardened and that on this side Hell is the greatest of all Judgments hunts them perpetually and makes them miserable for (i) Isa 57.20 21. The Wicked are like the Troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt There is no peace saith my God to the Wicked nor shall be As for Witnesses that are come to Age they ought to be the more weary of what they say because having already one Foot in the Grave they cannot tell how soon the whole Body shall be tumbled into 't Wherefore they ought to consider every Day and every Moment as being possible for it to be the last of their Life and when they give in their Evidence as if they were upon their Death-bed and come to their last Gasp and as if they were taking the Sacrament upon 't Surely in that Condition besides the immediate Presence of God no man that hath any sense of Religion would take the Holy Ordinance of the most Sacred Blood and Flesh of Our most blessed Saviour to be a Witness to a Lie and go out of this World with a False Oath in his Mouth to appear in the Presence of the All-seeing and All-knowing God of Truth to give an Account of himself I am Charitably loth to believe any one is so desperately Wicked as considering all these Circumstances would Swear Falsly If so when any is upon such an Account brought to his Oath let him look upon himself as at that very time lying under all such Circumstances for he can be sure of nothing to the contrary it being not impossible for him to Dye at that time of a Sudden Death which hath been and is still the case of many Now I say these Thoughts may work upon and Influence one on such an Occasion to say the Truth and not to suffer himself by any means to be Byassed in what he is upon nor to have any Regard to those he doth speak for or against from the King that Sitteth upon the Throne to the Beggar that lyes on the Dunghill he must be Partial only for the Truth and withal Consider that he Witnesseth not for men only but also for God who is Concerned called to be a Witness and whose Cause Truth is Every one that is Witness for another hath his own Witness for himself and must with Joh say (k) Job 16.19 Behold my Witness is in Heaven this God owns and I Wish that every one when he gives his Evidence would represent God speaking to him thus (l) Jerem. 29 23. Even I know and I am a Witness saith the Lord. It should make one Tremble to speak a Lie in the Presence of the God of Truth as no man when he doth an evil thing desires to have any one present and witness to what he doth for as Evil is a work of Darkness so he that commits it in any kind doth seek dark places and avoids the Light which would reprove him for his Work now if one when he doth a bad thing is so unwilling and afraid to be seen by any man for Shame from the Time of our First Parents is an Attendant of Sin how much more ought one to be ashamed and afraid to do Evil and speak Lies in God's Name in God's own Presence and under his Eye which none can avoid This Presence and Testimony of God is the only way to clear and secure all things at least for time to come Thus Samuel upon his going out of this World takes great care to make all things even between himself and the People (m) 1 Sam. 12 3 4 5. how He had not Defrauded nor Oppressed them neither taken any Bribe to blind his Eyes The Truth whereof he calls God to Witness to whom after his Death he was to give an Account of The People gave in their Witness that he had spoken the Truth but besides he had that of his own Conscience but that of God was the greatest of all for therein lyes the Comfort and Assurance of a Good Soul for (n) 1 John 5.9 If we receive the Witness of men the Witness of God is greater And this I Wish every man that is brought upon his Oath would Consider well Upon this Point one thing more I would Commend to the serious Consideration of Judges and Juries namely the Antecedents Concomitants and Consequents of Perjury among other things the Malicious Designs and Contrivances thorough the Suggestions of the Devil and Corruption of Man's Heart whereby the Guilty do inure themselves to and harden in Evil things thereby fitting and disposing themselves thorough ill Habit and Custom to commit any Villanies in the World according to their own Counsels by which at last they fall from worse things to worst of all Some of the Concomitants are Falsehood Hypocrisie Deceit Impiety c. all Punishable by the Laws of God and men As to the Consequents they are Dreadful Pernicious and Destructive for thereby a Dishonour is put upon God and Occasion offered his Enemies to Blaspheme a Scandal upon Religion followeth with a Stain upon a Nation this also will Ruin Persons Families and overthrow whole Kingdoms After this no man's Good Name Honour Estate Liberty or Life can be safe and secure So after this rate no man may call his own any thing he hath thus farewel Property and Right And what to Day is one man's case may to morrow be any one 's else so Division Distraction and Destruction are at hand as
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
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
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
Perjury is when God is called upon for a Witness to an Untruth which the Prophet speaks of (c) Isai 48.1 Hear ye this O House of Jacob which Swear by the Name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in Truth nor in Righteousness And 't is Perjury either when one Sweareth that to be true which he thinks or knows to be False or that to be False which he thinks or knows to be True or else when he Swears to do that which he doth not intend to perform or afterwards upon Second Thoughts and for some Wordly Considerations thô he at first intended yet breaks his Oath and Promise this is expresly Forbidden (d) Lev. 19.12 Ye shall not Swear by my Name falsly neither shalt thou Prophane the Name of thy God A Crime so odious unto him as the contrary Vertue is so acceptable that for the sake of those that are endued therewith God forbears inflicting his Punishments upon Cities and Nations these â—stand in the Breach when God is ready to break in we have his Word for it (e) Jer. 5.1 Run ye to and fro thorough the Streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad Places thereof if ye can find a Man â—f there be any that executeth Judgment thak seeketh the Truth and I will pardon it Judges are Sworn to judge according to Law and to do Justice and Witnesses to Swear the Truth yet saith God there (f) verse 2. Though they say the Lord liveth surely they Swear falsly Would to God that was not so True as 't is here But now there is as much Cause as ever for God to Expostulate among other things (g) chap. 7.9 Will ye Swear Falsly So then Perjury is a False Swearing or a known or imagined Untruth Confirmed by Oath with Deâ—eit which was either Purposed and Intended before the Oath was made or Resolved on afterwards which â—oth contain Two Things First the Matter which â—s an Untruth and the Manner that gives Being â—o't a false Oath with a Design and against Knowledge Now there is a Logical Untruth when we â—o not speak as the Thing is or when our Speech â—oth not agree with the Truth of the thing There â—s a Moral Untruth when our Speech agrees not â—ith our Mind that is when we Speak not as we Think or Know and this last chiefly makes the wilful â—nd malicious Perjury for one being imposed upon â—r-mistaken may happen to Swear an Untruth which â—e believes to be a Truth and so it may be called a â—ash and Prophane Oath yet not strict Perjury because the Speech agrees with the Mind though not â—ith the Truth of the thing And thus though a â—an Swears that which is False yet may not strictly â—e said to Swear Falsely because without a Design â—o Deceive However though herein the Sin be the â—ast yet still a Sin it is that from men deserves Puâ—ishment by reason of the Evil Consequences for â—ometimes a Man's Life and Fortune may happen â—hereby to lay at Stake besides that this is the way namely fear of Punishment to make men more Cautious how and what they Swear 't is the ready and proper way to speak in David's words (h) Psal 63.11 to have The Mouth of them that speak Lies to be stopped And this is the more to be minded that in such Cases the Cause is not only between Man and Man between the Subject and the King whose Office is to punish the Guilty but chiefly between God and Men whose Holy Name is thereby abused for the end of Perjury whether Assertory or Promissory is Falsehood and Deceit If Vain Swearing be a Sin much more False Swearing Several Questions are put about matters of Oaths which here I shall not meddle with because not tâ— my purpose as whether unlawful or unpossible Oath are Binding which I conclude for the Negative and whether violent and extorted which I declare for the Affirmative if only they import a Wordly Cause and no detriment to God's Glory for which (i) Psal 15.4 David is my Security nor to other man's Rights Of all Sins Perjury is one of the most grievous and abominable and he that commits it is not Satisfied to make himself a Lyar but also must proclaim himself to be such with a Witness To caâ— the God of Truth to be a Witness to a Lie which no Man of Honour could endure of himself is to caâ—â— and in as much as in one lyes to make God a Lyaâ— like himself which is the highest degree of Blasphemâ— for [k] Tit. 1.2 God cannot Lie this is to Rob him of hâ— Truth one of his most Essential Attributes which he is so tender of and to deprive him of his Nature for take away Truth from God and he ceaseâ—â— to be God for his true Character and Mark 〈◊〉 Distinction from all is to be the True GOD. And if God himself [l] Exod. 19.26 Heb. 12.18 upon the Mount amidst Lightning Thunder Fire a Cloud Blackness Darkness and Tempest with the Voice of a Trumpet exceeding loud declared he will not hold him Guiltleâ— that taketh his Name in Vain that is he will noâ— leave them Unpunished what will he not do to him who in the highest degree doth thorough Perjury Prophane it seeing he Thunders such a Threatning against the least degree thereof And 't is observable that the Word in the Original in Vain which in the Chaldaick Syriack and Arabick is rendered Falsely with a Lie Precipitently or Rashly signifies the Breach of that Commandment in the least Degree But we are to take a special Notice of the dreadful Penalty contained in the reason annexed to the Commandment that God will not leave this Sin unpunished that he will not justify cleanse and expiate according to the Expressions of the other Languages we named but just now And this is the only Precept whereunto such a Threatning is annexed to shew how detestable that Sin is in the sight of God this is (m) 1 Kings 2.9 David's Expression when he gave Solomon charge about Shimei hold him not Guiltless that is Punish him So as to Perjury though men neglect to Punish it yet as to the Sinner he shall not escape his just and fearful Judgment for as the Sin is Grievous so God will Grievously punish it And if taking his Name in Vain by abusing it in every Trifle is to meet with so severe a Judgment as we said before so I say again what will it be and how heavy when that Holy Name is by some men Impiously made use of to Confirm their Lies In that Third Commandment by the Name of God are understood his Nature Attributes Works Word and all Divine Perfections whereby God hath made himself known unto us As we are Forbidden to Abuse so are we Commanded to make a Right Use thereof which consists in the inward Frame and Religious Disposition of our
Tempter doth cause the Temptation which is the snare to and mother of Sin It is a thing worthy of David to say as of every honest and true Christian to imitate (d) Psal 101. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house be that telleth shall not tarry in my sight If every master of Family would observe this rule a great deal of mischief and the ruin of Souls might thorough God's blessing be prevented keep Children and Servants from telling Lies and they will not suffer themselves to be brought to swear Lies By these means may be prevented from coming upon us the sad times complained of by the Prophet (e) Isa 59.14 Judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off for Truth is fallen in the street and Equity cannot enter But wo be to the Nation which is in such a case for thus the door lays open for Judgment and 't is well worth our serious inquiry whether a due care hath been taken by those who are concern'd to prevent and punish this and other Epidemical Sins which wholly to Enumerate would prove a great work I see too much cause to conclude for the Negative and by what we feel we must Judge of what we must fear we have warning pieces enough so the Murthering ones cannot be far behind rather near at hand We had a War with a witness we are in a kind of Dearth for tho' Provisions be not scarce yet are unreasonably dear may God keep it from ending in a Famine or being turned into a Plague which the Lord in his just Judgment when he pleases can send upon us for when the Earth cannot bear the wickedness of her Inhabitants God thorough War Plague and Famine as thorough so many sluces doth ease it of that burthen and thereby hurries Man Woman and Child out of this World But let us come nearer home for 't is neither just nor fit we should entertain and cherish here that which abroad we declaim so much against with detestation I for my part am afraid and was ever since I attained to some years of ripe knowledge and discretion that Perjury and breach of solemn Oaths and Promises to God is one of the great National Sins for the Punishment whereof God who sometimes uses to punish one Sin with another hath permitted it to spread so much and become so Epidemical among us and I further look upon it as one of the causes of the Troubles and uneasy burthens which the Land labours and groans under and how many more may happen to be brought upon us God alone knows I am sure if we may by the prospect of present things judge of those that are to come we have much more reason to fear then to hope except thorough a speedy repentance we do prevent farther judgments for we must believe what the God of Truth hath declared that he will not hold him or them guiltless that do take his Name in vain for this Sin with Prophaneness Uncleanness Atheism Impiety Idolatry Blasphemy and so many more which like a dangerous Plague and deadly Gangrene daily gain upon us except they be stopped thorough the diligent care and good example of the Government Magistracy and Ministery for with the Law I must mix the Gospel will certainly bring Ruin and Destruction upon the Nation God hath already smitten us in several ways which any one not willingly blind may see and perceive and his hand is stretched out stil against us except thorough a speedy and sincere Reformation without which all our Fasting and Praying will be insignificant we prevail with him to cast the Rod into the fire That is in relation to God before whom we ought to Humble our selves and Repent As to Men Justice must be executed upon Offenders or else the evil shall not be removed nor the accursed thing put away whereby Men become accursed We read how careful God was before the taking of Jericho to forewarn his People not to have any thing to do with the accursed thing (f) Josh 6.18 And you in any wise keep your selves from the accursed thing lest ye make your selves accursed when ye take of the accursed thing and make the Camp of Israel a Curse and a Trouble for this brings Trouble upon any Nation in the World as it did upon Israel who Could not stand before their Enemies but turned their backs because they were accursed (g) Chap. 7.12 13. Neither said God will I be with you any more except ye destroy the accursed from amongst you and thou canst not stand before thine Enemies untill ye take away the accursed things from among you I know how every Sin is a Cursed thing but some are more then others and this in a special manner for (h) Deut. 27.19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the Stranger Fatherless and Widow Only these kinds are set down against the perverting of all manner of Judgment several of the species being put for the whole genus according to the way of God's Law wherein under one kind of Sin all of the same Nature are forbidden now the readiest way to pervert Judgment is by false swearing either in Judges and Juries who are sworn to Judge in Justice and Conscience according to Law or in Witnesses who by their Oath are bound to Swear the Truth so that an Oath which is appointed for a remedy becomes poison There are First an Inconsiderate false Swearing when thorough weakness a Man is enticed and drawn into 't Secondly An Ignorant Perjury when a Man being mistaken swears a thing to be true because he thinks it to be so though it be false And Thirdly A Wilfull Perjury when a Man Sweareth falsely either out of Malice against one or out of Covetousness or some such self end which all are bad but certainly this last is worst of all and unworthy of Mercy which argueth the corruptness of the Principle and demonstrateth the Heart whence it springs to be poisoned and towards preventing punishing and suppressing them that are infected therewith they that are concerned and whose Office it is ought to bend their intire strength make it their whole study and apply all their Wit Authority and Resolution O that the Vermine of Knights of the Post was wholly rooted out and the Nation purged of it at least never to appear at the springs of Justice and before the Courts of Judicature there to introduce Oppression and Confusion nor be suffered in any honest Company for they are the plague of human Society and ought to be lookt upon as Spyes who seek to find occasions and forge causes of doing mischief these are the firebrands of a Country to bring all therein into disorder and Ruin Perjury must be left for those who pretend there is a power on Earth that may dispense from Oaths and pardon the breach of them as 't is in the Kingdom of the Romish Anti-christ so must in the taking of them be
Souls in the Reverence we express in our Words and Discourses about it and in the Study we make how to Promote it in our Lives and Conversations that is both Inwardly and Outwardly in the Antecedent Concomitant and Consequent Circumstances thereof By the word to take is meaned to speak use or mention it Men are known by their Names so by God's Name God himself is to be understood and to give Men a warning I cannot too often mention how herein God naming the smaller fault in taking his Name in vain declared the hainousness of the greater for if taking only his Name in vain be a Sin how abominable is it when 't is Blasphemed or used to confirm a lie Not only the mentioning God's Name where it should not be used that is when there is no just cause for it is forbidden but also chiefly the abusing or using it amiss when we should do it with fear and holiness (a) Psal 99.3 for his Name is great and terrible and (b) Deut. 28.58 't is a glorious and a fearful Name yea (c) Psal 72.19 a glorious name to be blessed for ever (d) Psa 111.9 Holy and reverend is his Name That holy Name (e) Psal 113.2 3. The Lords name is to be praised from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same and blessed from this time forth and for evermore But false Swearers instead of blessing they curse it and if some only for taking God's holy Name in vain be called his Enemies for saith David (f) Psal 139.20 Thine Enemies take thy name in vain much more they who curse it By reason of the importance of this matter I shall now by the Grace of God in few words declare the meaning of that third precept whereof the end is that God will have the Majesty of his Name to be most Sacred unto us and so must not be despised or unreverently prophaned Hence followeth our duty to use it with a Religious veneration So that we must think or speak nothing of God's Nature Attributes Works Word and Ordinances but with an awful Reverence much less make use of it for self ends or worldly Interest but with a true sense and tenderness of heart never mention any thing relating to God but therein admire and adore his Wisdom justice Goodness and power and when others are wanting therein we may charitably warn them of their duty which if slighted the occasions of coming into such Companys must be avoided not to be hearers and Wittnesses of the dishonour put upon God and disparagement to our holy Religion the true Christian Reformed Protestant for such Men when once God hath left them to themselves they harden themselves turn the acts of Sin into an habit then the custom of sinning takes away the feeling of Sin from one sin they fall into another they daily (g) 2 Tim. 3.13 Wax worse and worse so except God gives them Repentance they cannot (h) Chap. 2.26 recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will and they cannot (i) 2 Pet. 2.14 cease from sin This I insist upon to shew the necessity of avoiding evil companys which corrupt good manners and are snares to draw Men into Drunkenness Whoredom Impiety Swearing Cursing Forswearing Blasphemy c. Now if there be so much evil when Men do rashly and unreverently take God's holy Name into their lips how much more then when 't is made use of for wicked ends And if God in this Precept doth exclude as he doth from pardon those who take his Name in vain how much more those who slight despise and prophane it to serve their own turns and as we hinted before an Oath is a calling upon God to be a Wittness of the truth of what we say or of the sincerity of our intention in what we promise So Men ought to be very cautious of affirming nothing but what they know to be true and have a great regard to the nature and greatness of an Oath wherein God is taken to Wittness against the Soul of the Swearer if he deceiveth And as a false Oath ought to be avoided so a due consideration ought to be had in taking of a lawful one and this should be in a legal way I mean when lawfully called and upon a necessary Account which as I said before is part of God's Worship as expressed in the Prophecy about the call and confederacy of the (k) Isa 19.18 Assyrians and Egyptians with Israel They shall swear to the Lord of hosts that is serve and worship him for in that day shall five Citys in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan and (l) Chap. 65.16 he that Sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of truth again (m) Jer. 12 16. And it shall come to pass if they will diligently learn the ways of my people to swear by my Name the Lord liveth as they taught my people to swear by Baal then shall they be built in the midst of my people When human Testimonies are failing our refuge is in going to God and calling him to Wittness for he is the Eternal and unchangeable Truth not only the right and proper Wittness of the Truth but as the only assertor thereof who alone can bring to light the hidden things of darkness for (n) Psal 139.2 he knows our thoughts afar off and is the only searcher of the heart wherefore that makes him so jealous and angry when that which belongs only to him is transfered to the Creature or to Idols that makes him so heavily complain and threaten [o] Jer. 5.7 how shall I pardon thee for this thy Children have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no Gods That is worshiped them which I will not pardon and the reason why he will not pardon is set down lower They have belyed the Lord v. 12. called him to be Witness to their lies sworn falsely in his Name O the sad condition of perjured men they think all is well with them but God hath found them out and points at them (p) Isa 28.15 because ye have said we have made a Covenant with death and with hell are we at agreement when its overflowing scourge shall pass thorough it shall not come unto us and the ground of all this confidence or carnal security is this for we have made lies our refuge and under falsehood have we hid our selves But men must have a great care not to turn into Iniury and contempt of God that which is intended for his honour and service for Oaths were instituted as for peace among men so for the honour and glory of God wherefore 't is one of the Ten Commandements and one of the first table as immediately relating to God and as Princes and Magistrates are keepers of both Tables of the Law so they and those under them as 't is their duty
ought to have a care that that which is intended for his glory be not turned to his dishonour as 't is a most wicked impiety when Men swear falsely by God's Name so 't is a sinful compliance and unpardonable neglect for those whose duty 't is to punish such crimes not to do it for God is deprived of his Nature and of his Truth when he is made or suffered to be made an Wittnes to and approver of a lie whereby his glorious Name is most abominably prophaned Perjury and False Swearing which as it was the occasion so 't is the chief subject of the present discourse is of so high a concernment that of the Ten Commandements it takes up no less then two for as in the Third we are forbidden to take the Name of God in vain so in the Ninth we are prohibited to bear False Wittness against our Neighbour See how both these God's Honour and our Neighbour's Safety are twisted together for as thereby such men sin against God so they extreamly wrong their Neighbour which is contrary to that rule of Justice contained in our Saviours Sermon upon the Mount all (q) Mat. 7.12 things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Now certainly no Man would have another to Swear him falsely out of his good Name Liberty Fortune and Life therefore they should not do so to others But this People care neither for the Law nor the Prophets nor for Jesus Christ or God himself if False Swearing against and wronging our Neighbour in private be forbidden much more in publick in a Solemn way under notion of Justice and in Courts of Judicature whereby every thing a Man hath is laid at Stake Poor (r) 1 Kings 21.10 13. Naboth by two False Wittnesses who are well and properly called Sons of Belial was Sworn not only out of his Vineyard but also out of his Life for indeed one who is a False Wittness to Swear another out of his Estate will make no difficulty to Swear him out of his Life If there had been no False Wittness the High Priest Scribes and Pharisees had wanted a pretence to accuse our Blessed Saviour which to compass (Å¿) Mat. 26.59 they sought for false Wittnesses and therein found an occasion to put him to death according to the Prophecy long before [t] Psal 35.11 False Wittnesses did rise up they laid to my charge things that I knew not as David had also said before [u] Psal 27.12 False witnesses are risen up against me This generation of Men were of all Ages as old as the Devil their Father who from the beginning was a Liar and is the [w] Job 1.6 7. Rev. 12.10 slanderer and false accuser of God's People as we see it in the case of Job Certainly God will avenge himself and Men for that wherein they are so abominably wronged in every thing belonging to them even in the Mind and Judgment of some who thorough false swearing are imposed upon for the perjured Man doth cheat and deceive seduce and impose upon Reason it self both to the Ruin of private men and overthrowing of whole Nations for not only some privave men but also the publick doth suffer Some Jews do write how when upon Mount Sinai the Tables were given as soon as the Law against Perjury was pronounced the whole World was shaken as if this had been the most important of all If Men would but read and consult Scriptures thereby to be guided and make God's Word their rule there would not be so much cause in the World to complain as there is about this matter They might read how positive how clear and how full it is thereupon They might find therein grounds enough to be disswaded from it the hainousness of the Sin that ends in blasphemy its Character of those who commit it namely God's Enemies [x] Psal 139.20 Thine Enemies take thy Name in vain the Curse they undergo the punishment they must expect and so many more such Circumstances which attend that sin How many in the World that make no Conscience at all to swallow down an Oath who know not mind not and care not for the bitter Consequences thereof a hundred to one are such for there are more wicked then good and honest Men and this thing our Juries should seriously consider of and weigh more then number Evidences Though there be some in the World who like the unrighteous Judge fear neither God nor Man or if they do rather Man then God yet these few things I shall lay before those who happen to read these lines and may be concerned in what I say we have to do with a just and true God who seeth heareth and remembereth all and will call us all to an account for what we think speak and do for after Death follows Judgment we all must certainly die the time when we know not for we have no certain lease of our lives all our days are in God's hand So a Forsworn Man may happen to go out of this World with a False Oath in his mouth and thus appear before God to receive his private Judgment and then O fool though thorough Perjury thou shouldest gain the whole World what profit is it for thee if it be with the loss of thy Soul (y) Deut. 5.24 Chap. 9.3 Heb. 12.24 For the Lord our God is a consuming fire and a jealous God of his Name of his Honour and of his Truth naked such as it is without painting or disguising how beautiful is it in it self unstained 't is an Attribute so Essential and so acceptable to God as belongs to the Nature and to the Three Persons the God of Truth Christ the Truth the Spirit of Truth and that excellent Truth so much commended by St John in his 2d and 3d. Epistles The Law (z) Tim. 1.9 10. saith Scripture is made for liars for perjured persons and the worst sort of Men so according to this Law they shall be judged in the mean time God in his word doth not simply forbid the crimes of Lying and perjury but thunders Threatnings against those who commit them 't is said (a) Mat. 5.33 Exod 20.7 Levit. 19.12 Deut. 15.21 Thou shalt not forswear thy self and ye shall not swear by my Name falsely and among other grievous things for which God calls people in question this is one (b) Jer. 7.9 Will ye swear falsely and if to convince those that are such you want Evidences I will help you to some without exception for (c) Mal. 3.5 I will come near to you to Judgment and I will be a swift Wittness against false Swearers and he will himself Judge not only false Wittnesses but also corrupt Judges and Juries Take notice of a Temporal judgment upon this account (d) Zech. 5.3 4. I will bring forth saith the Lord of hosts a Curse into the
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
Effects of Oppression for thereby man's right and just Cause are oppressed and we know what the wise King saith in the Case (o) Eccles 7.7 Surely Oppression makes a Wise Man Mad. He that loseth his own loseth his Wits with a surely therefore will he endeavour to see himself Righted and if Lawful ways because they be Corrupted and Abused do fail then God knows what the next Step will be Right oppressed is sometimes turned into Fury and this is the ready way to set Men together by the Ears and to make them to Cut one another's Throats the Mine and Thine is the ground of Discord in the World and therefore 't is but just that every one should enjoy his own whereupon God the Sovereign Judge saith (p) Ezekiel 21.27 I will overturn overturn overturn it and it shall be no more until he come whose Right it is and I will give it him Though Men will not I will Therefore when Perjury is found to be in a Cause which appears by Contradictory Depositions for 't is not possible for a Thing to be and not to be a man cannot at the same time be in Two several Places so in the same Circumstance of a Matter one to Swear for the other against is a palpable Contradiction for two contrary Oaths about the same thing cannot be True but if one be the other necessarily must be False as if one Swears that such a man at such a time was in the Countrey and I Swear that same Person at that same time was in the City because for several Days together I met with Saw Discoursed had Meetings Walk'd Managed Businesses with and visited him in his own House and I cannot believe that a Spirit had assumed that Man's Body to act all that part with me nor that I saw a Vision or was in a Dream all that while Hence it clearly appears that there is a Perjury in the Case for as some have Sworn the Truth so others have that which is False Wherefore the matter is very well worth strictly and narrowly Inquiring into to find out the Truth and see at whose Door the Perjury lyes there to Punish it that hereafter Men be not exposed to the Mercy of such Wretches and Villains And what I say is for one side as well as for the other for I am Partial for neither only for the Truth the justice of the Cause is what I stand for and am no ways Byassed by the Merits of Persons Upon such Accounts Men ought to Swear for no other End than to bear Record unto the Truth which I pray God to Discover as he is the most True and Faithful Witness and as he is the Great and Supream Judge to cause an Exemplary Punishment to be made of this loud and crying Wickedness as they that are concerned to do it shall answer to God at the last Day for Judges Juries Witnesses Parties and every Man shall some time before the Iudge of the whole Earth stand to be Tryed and Judged when there shall be no Dissembling nor Concealing of the Truth but all things shall then be manifest and be seen even just as they are In the mean time what Laws are in being against the Crime ought exactly to be put in Execution and wherein they are Defective and Wanting it may easily be Supplyed by the Legislative Power when those in whose Hands is the Executive part who have so many Occasions to observe where 't is Wanting and where not do according to their Duty represent it to them Thus all will unanimously concur to set up the Glory of God the Good and Welfare of the Nation and to the Immortal Praise of all those that will be Instrumental therein or to their Eternal Confusion if they neglect it (q) Psalm 94.2 Psalm 63.11 Then lift up thy self thou Judge of the Earth and the Mouth of them that speak Lies shall be stopped FINIS A DISCOURSE ABOUT INFANT BAPTISM THE Doctrine of the Sacraments is of so high a Concernment in the great Mystery of our Salvation that the Enemy thereof Satan hath raised many of his strongest Batteries against it They are the Seals of God's Pardon which he doth what he can to Tear or at least to Deface thereby to Deprive us of the Assurance of God's Love in Christ As to the First which is Baptism how many Disputes and Questions hath he started against it With Papists we have no less than Seven about it whereof the Two First relate also to the Lord's Supper As first to the number There are but Two Sacraments and they would have Seven 2ly The Vertue of the Sacrament doth not depend upon the Intention of him who administers it 3ly It is not lawful for Lay-men or Women to Baptise 4ly The Baptism of John had the same Vertue and was as Effectual as that afterwards Administred by the Apostles 5ly Baptism ought to be administred according to Christ's Institution without any Addition Diminution or Alteration whatsoever 6ly Every Child Baptised is not thereby Regenerated and every one that hath the Sign hath not the Thing Signified 7ly Baptism is not absolutely necessary to Salvation for some are Saved without it but it ought not to be neglected or delayed See how sometimes God suffereth men from one Error to fall into another and to maintain one they multiply others Thus Anabaptists to Assert that Infants ought not to be Baptised hold the Quintessence of the Damnable Pelagian Heresy 1st That they have no Sin 2ly That there is no Original Sin at all 3ly That no Sin comes by Nature but is Learned only by Example and Imitation of others 4ly That all that dye in Infancy shall certainly go to Heaven for none is Damned but for Actual Sins Against what Scripture saith First All Infants are Sinners (a) Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me 'T is the case not only of David but of every one else (b) Isai 48.8 For we are called Transgressors from the Womb and (c) Ephess 2 3. by Nature we are children of Wrath even as others Then Secondly Many Infants have been made Vessels of Wrath and the Effects of God's Wrath for Sin are fallen upon them as in the Flood in the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah God's Order to Saul (d) 1 Sam. 15.3 was to Destroy utterly the Infants and Sucklings of the Amalekites And the Psalmist (e) Psalm 147.9 declareth him Happy that dasheth the little ones of the Babylonians against the Stones But Thirdly All Sin is not Learned by Example as we see in the Case Cain who had no Example of any Murther Committed before him Their Fourth Assertion is Rash and without Ground in Scripture But now to the Point The Word Baptism in Scripture hath several Significations It is first taken for the whole Holy Sacrament instituted by our Lord sometimes for the Sign (f) Matth. 3.11 Water and other times