perchance may thus contradict If an Oath be forbidden to men and a man imitates God in not Swearing how is it that God is related in the holy Scriptures to swear for he swore to Abraham as Moses witnesseth And it is written in the Psalms The Lord swore and will not repent c. For these things seem to be repugnant to the former and that thereby there is permitted to men a Liberty of Swearing But this is not so nor can any think so For God sweareth by none for how can he seeing he is Lord and Maker of all things But if any thing this must be said that His Word is an Oath inducing the Hearers by a sure Faithfulness that what he promiseth speaketh shall certainly be effected sith God sweareth not as Man but his Word to us is as an Oath for Vâ—rity And speaking to men he is said to swear And this also the Saints do utter after the manner of men that as they themselves speaking would have Credit to be given them so likewise they themselves should give Credit to God For as a man's Word confirmeth an Oath so also those things that God speaketh because of the Firmness and Immutability of his Will are to be reputed Oaths The same also that is there written confirmeth my Saying For the Lord hath sworn and will not repent as a thing not to be retracted by Repenting but certainly to be effected according to the Engagement of an Oath This also God doth declare in Genesis saying I have sworn by myself But that is not an Oath for he swore not by another which is proper for an Oath but by himself which contains not the Estimation of an Oath But this is done that the Sureness of his Promise may appear and how confidently that ought to be believed which is spoaken That sweet Psalmist will witness for me in his Psalm calling God to mind when he saith Where are thy ancieâ—t Mercies O Lord which thou swarest to David thy Servant in or by thy Truth For God sweareth not by his Truth But because he who is True speaketh in his Word That to men is for an Oath unto Belief So God doth not swear after the manner of men neither must we be induced thereby to take Oaths but let us so Say and so Do and so approve our selves in saying and doing that we need not an Oath for the Hearer and that our Words of themselves may have the Testimony of Truth For by that Way we shall plainly imitate God Hilary on Mat. 5.34 XLI Hilary a Father very Famous in the dayes of Constantius Son to Constantine but an Arrian and which was worse a Persecutor so that this Hilary was banished in his Commentary on those words in Matthew Ye have heard that it was said to them of old Thou shalt not Forswear thy self c. thus expresseth himself The Law set a Penalty for Perjury that the Conscience of Religion or Fear of an Oath might restrain the Deceitfulness of Minds for the rude and insolent People made frequent mention of their God by a familiar Course of Swearing But Faith doth remove the Custom of an Oath making the Businesses of our Life to be â—etermined in Truth and laying aside the affecting to deceive prescribing the Simplicity of Speaking and Hearing that what WAS WAS what WAS NOT WAS NOT that the Business of Deceiving might be apparent between IT IS and IT IS NOT and what is more is all of Evil For what is it is its Property alwayes that so it is and what is not it is its Nature that it is not Therefore to them that live in the Simplicity of Faith there is no NEED of the Religion or Superstition of an OATH with whom alwayes what is IS what is not IS NOT And by these both all their Words and Deeds are in Truth Neither by Heaven God not only suffers us not to make Oaths to God because all the Truth of God is to be held in the simplicity of our Word and Deed but also condemneth the Superstition of old Disobedience c. Suarez de Juram l. 1. c. 1 2. XLII The next Testimony we shall pitch upon in Confirmation of our Reasons and the Sense we take our Master's Precept in Swear not at all is afforded us out of the Apostolical Institutions asscribed to Clemens Romanus reported by Suarez in his Book de Juramentis Our Master saith Clemens hath commanded that we SHOULD NOT SWEAR no not by the True God but that our Word should be more credible then an Oath it self Which is a plain Indication of the Apostolical Doctrine to have been the absolute Prohibition of Oaths in that Sense wherein they were only reputed Lawful for if men ought not to Swear no not by the true God then consequently by no other Oath as his following words not only imply but express viz. That the Word of a Christian should be more credible then an Oath it self Again He that in the Law established to Swear well and forbad False Swearing commanded also NOT TO SWEAR AT ALL. Orthodoxagrapha p. 11. LXIII There is a Tract call'd The Gospel of Nicodemus We know it is reputed spurious but that makes nothing against us that disputes the Author and not the Mâ—tter for though Nicodemus never wrote such a Book certain it is that such a Book was written which is in Favour of Christianity as then received In the Place cited Pilate is made to say I adjure you by the Health of Caesar that these things that you say c. They answer'd We have a Law not to SWEAR because it is a Sin Whoever wrote it this Benefit cometh to our Argument that the Christians at that time thought an Oath a Sin for it is not to be doubted but he that gave that Answer knew it to be the Doctrine and Practice of Christians for he was therein to represent them Basilius Magnus on Psalm 14. XLV Basil called the Great another Champion of the like Fame and in the same time of Valens the Persecuting Arrian Emperor by whom he suffered Imprisonment and Cruel Threatnings see their Praises in Socrates Scolasticus on the 14th Psalm with us the 15th He that sweareth and deceiveth not his Neighbour so Basil hath it and upon it these words Here he seemeth to allow an Oath to a Perfect Man which in the Gospel is ALTOGETHER forbidden But I say unto you not to Swear at all What shall we say then That every where the Lord as well in the old as in the new Law hath the same Consideration of Commanding for desiring to anticipate the Effects of Sins and prevent them by Diligence and to extinguish Iniquity at the first beginnings As the old Law saith Thou shalt not commit Adultery the Lord saith Thou shalt not Lust The old Law saith Thou shalt not Kill the Lord ordaining Perfection saith Thou shalt not be Angry So also in this place the Prophet indeed
those of the Fathers and other Doctors of late Bp. Ro. Sanderson in his Oxford Lectures shows that is sometimes used in the Form of an Oath which is no Oath and so he defendeth Joseph from breaking God's Command that is not to have sworn so and therefore not to have sinned but to have used an Asseveration as if he had said as sure as Pharaoh liveth ye are Spyes So may Paul be defended against the breaking Christ's Command as if he had said as sure as ye or as some Greek Copies have it We Rejoyce in Christ Jesus For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they translate I protest by hath sometimes the same signification that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea hath as may be seen in Scapula For he sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated I protest by is a Particle sometimes of granting and affirming sometimes it is put for verily indeed and he interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the same word which is translated yea which Scapula saith is also sometimes used in Swearing and cites Aristophanes and Xenophon for it And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used also in Composition for affirming as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profusus lavishing which cannot signifie Swearing And how easily might the Transcriber through that common Use alter a Letter being of the same signification seeing in that very Verse in some Copies there is not only in another word an Alteration of a Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our and your but in another word five Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referring it to the Verse before yea a whole Word of Seven Letters added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And of about Thirty Greek Copies there are not Two of them that agree but they interfer some in one place some in another insomuch that there are Thousands of various Readings which many of the ancient Fathers diversly follow some one some another See the various Lections Variae Lectiones Graec. Nov. Test in Bp. Walton's Polyglot vol. 6. also the Preface and Beza's Epistle therein And consider how hard a thing it is to construe limit and lay the Interpretation of the Sayings of Christ and his Apostles and the Weight of a Doctrine and that as men would avoid Penalties too upon a Letter which yet alters not the Signification upon Credit of the Transcribers especially in Paul's Epistles wherein Peter sayes many things are hard to be understood and wrested by the Vnlearned which he must needs intend in such Learning as he himself had and that was not of Worldly Academics but from the Holy Spirit And these words which are joyned with that Particle are not such words as men use in Swearing but for a Ground of his Fidelity and a Remedy against their Incredulity and questioning of the Weight of his Assertions amongst whom other Teachers were preferred and who compelled him to speak as a Fool he says even to commend himself So that it is not strange if to them and not to other Churches he used such forcible Asseverations from the Testimony that they had of him of the Truth and Work of Christ in â—im and the Record thereof upon his Soul and his Joy therein that he spoak the Truth to them and did not lye so that he brings his Perfections against their Imperfections to gain Belief which can amount to no more then a Voluntary Condescension for the time being and cannot prove or countenance a Compulsory Promissory Formal Ceremonial Oath to be exacted or taken up for the future But Mark that the word Oath or Swear used both by Christ and the Apostle James in their Prohibition is never used by Paul in his Asseverations neither doth he ever apply it to Brethren bâ—t speaking to them of the Oath that was in old time and of men indefinitely that use to swear he saith Men swear and to them an Oath is for Confirmation that is as among the Jews and Heathen he doth not say to Vs or to You or We or Ye swear who are not in Strife which if had that been true it might have stood the present Oath-Advocates in stead So that such as will have it that Paul swore must being the word swear or Oath to prove it But if they could his Example then were not enough to invalidate to us now the Command of Christ for the Abolishing of Swearing no more then his shaving his Head at Cenchrea because he had a Vow or his purifying himself in the Temple and offering with the four Jews that had a Vow or his circumcising of Timothy because of the Jews can warrant us to the Observation of those legal Rites and Ceremonies which so long since are not only dead but deadly as the Fathers and Bp. Sanderson distinguish about them And those that would therefore bring in Swearing and Vows might under the same Colour bring in sacrificing and circumcising too LIV. ISIDORUS PELUSIOTA who as Euagrius Schol. writes lived at the same time with Cyrill and that the Fame of his Sayings and Doings was spead far and near and rise in every man's Mouth that He led on Earth the Life of an Angel and wrote many notable Works amongst which are his Epistles in one whereof he writeth against Swearing thus If thou art of our Flock and art ordered under a good Shepherd deny the Nature of Wild Beasts and obey his Voice that Forbiddeth to Swear AT ALL. Moreover not to Swear is not to require an Oath of another Now if thou wilt not swear neither require thou an Oath of another for two Causes either because he who is asked loves Truth or on the contrary to Lye If the man speaks Truth usually he will alwayes speak Truth without an Oath but if he is a Lyar he will Lye though he Swear Therefore for both these Causes one ought not to require an Oath LV. CHROMATIUS Bishop of Aquileia about or not long after that time upon these words But I say unto you Swear not at all paraphraseth thus The Law saith he given by Moses received a Growth Proficiency or Perfection by the Grace of the Doctrine of the Gospel In the Law it was commanded not to Forswear but in the Gospel NOT TO SWEAR Which very thing heretofore the Holy Ghost did premeditate that Solomon should command or teach saying Let not thy Mouth use to Swear And again As a Servant beaten continually is not lessened from the Paleness of his Stripes so every one that sweareth shall not be purg'd from Sin Wherefore it is not meet for us to Swear AT ALL For what need is there for any of us to Swear seeing that it is not at all LAWFUL FOR US TO LYE whose Words ought always to be so True so very Faithful that they may be accounted for Oaths And therefore the Lord not only forbids us to Forswear BUT EVEN TO SWEAR that we may not seem to speak Truth ONLY when we swear That we may not think that those whom he hath appointed to be True in all their Speech may have Liberty to Lye without an Oath For this is the Cause of an Oath Because that every one who sweareth doth swear to this End that he will speak that which is true and therefore the Lord would have no Difference to be between their Oath and their Word Because
as in an Oath there ought to be no Perfidiousness so in our Words there ought to be no Lye in that both Perjury and Lying is condemned by the Punishment of the Judgment of God seeing the Scripture saith The Mouth which Lyeth killeth the Soul Therefore whosoever speaketh Truth sweareth because it is written A Faithful Witness doth not Lye And therefore holy Scripture not without Cause often relates that God hath sworn because whatsoever is spoaken of God who is true and cannot lye is counted for an Oath because all which he speaks is true Now we find God sometimes swearing but it is for the Perfidiousness of the Jewish Infidelity who think that all Truth consists in the Credit of an Oath Therefore also God would swear that they who would not trust God speaking might trust him when he swore Therefore our Lord saith Ye have heard it said of old Thou shalt not Forswear But I say unto you SWEAR NOT AT ALL c. LVI THEODORET on Deut. 6. pag. 57. Why doth the Law command that they should swear by God Lest they should swear by false Gods For he said the same by the Prophet If thou takest the Names of Baalam out of thy Mouth and shalt swear The Lord liveth with Truth And here when he had said Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and shalt cleave unto him and shalt swear by his Name he subjoyned Ye shall not wâ—k â—ter other or strange Gods which are of the Gods of the Nations which are round about you Lyra saith the same LVII Ordinary Gloss on Mat. 5.37 hath this Sentence A Faithful Speech ought to be accounted for an Oath LVIII Johannes Damascenus Parallel lib. 3. cap. 16. bringeth a Testimony of one Nilus against Swearing There was one nam'd NILUS in Aegypt a Martyr mention'd by Eusebius Another Bishop of Constantinople spoaken of by Socrates both very famous the words are these It is not profitable to Swear but very pernicious and execrable and abominable Wherefore hereafter make an End of Swearing nor commit such a thing as that thy Tongue use Oaths In the same place he alledgeth Testimonies out of J. Chrysostom Hom. 13. ad Populum Antiochenum LIX CYRILL whom Evagrius Scholast styles Renown'd in his Commentary on Jeremy the 4th And shall swear the Lord liveth in Truth and in Judgment and in Righteousness saith Let us look who swear how we do not swear in Judgment but without Judgment so that our Oaths are by Custom rather then Judgment we are lashed therefore and the Word reproving that same thing saith and if he shall swear the Lord liveth in Truth in Righteousness and Judgment For we know it is said in the Gospel by the Lord unto his Disciples But I say unto you that you Swear NOT AT ALL. But let us consider also this Saying and if God grant both shall be rewarded For perhaps it first behoveth to swear in Truth in Judgment and in Righteousness and after one hath made Proficiency he may be made worthy NOT TO SWEAR AT ALL but may have YEA not needing Witnesses that IT IS SO and may have NAY not needing Witnesses that IT IS VERILY NOT So. And sayes Cyrill further Let none because he hears that God swore to Abraham use to swear For as that which is called Wrath in God is not Wrath nor doth it signifie a Passion but a Punishing Power or some such like Motion so neither is Swearing SWEARING For God doth not Swear but shews the Certainty that what he saith shall come to pass certainly For the Oath of God is his own Word filling the Hearers and making every one believe that what he hath promised and said shall surely come to pass LX. CASSIODORUS on Psalm 94. saith Hence it is that men are forbidden to swear because by their own Power they cannot perform their Promises This Cassiodorus was Famous about the year 500. LXI OLYMPIODORUS was also Famous about the same time who on Eccl. 8. saith thus Keep the Mouth of the King and do not study concerning the Word of the Oath of God but go far from the Face of it viz. of an Oath that is Refrain and depart from it and do not AT ALL endure to take an Oath into thy Mouth LXII ISIDORUS HISPALENSIS was famous about that time and liv'd with him they calld St. Gregory who disliked the bringing in the Title of Universal Bishop and also the Use of Swearing his Words are these Many are slow to believe which are moved at the Belief of the Word But they do grieveously offend who compel them to Swear that speak to them LXIII ANTIOCHUS said to be a Man famous for Holiness Learning living in Palestine about the time of Heraclius the Emperor that was about the Year 614. In his Pandects of Scripture Hom. 62. concerning Swearing saith thus in the Greek which see for the Latine Translation is in some things imperfect The old Law as giving Laws to Children which for their Age were not capable of more holy Doctrine not unseasonably commands To Swear nothing to their Neighbour in Deceit But us our Lord and Saviour commandeth NOT TO SWEAR AT ALL neither out of Season nor in Season for he saith to us Let your YEA be YEA and your NAY NAY for whatsoever is more is of the Evil. And saith he to the first People of a Stiff Neck I commanded Thou shalt not forswear but shalt perform thy Vows unto the Lord as to them that were Hard-hearted and Disobedient to me But to you that believe in me to whom I have given Power to become the Sons of God that are born again of the holy Spirit I command NOT TO SWEAR AT ALL neither little nor great Oaths that a Difference may plainly appear who are Bastards and who true Sons Let us therefore Dear Friends fear him who hath vouchsafed us so much Honour even the Lord and Father with all Fear as sincere ingenuous Servants let us keep his Commandments NOT TO SWEAR AT ALL lest he say as in Isa 1. I have nourish'd and brought up Children and they have rebell'd against me Let 's not be Sleighters and Despisers of this Commandment of the Lord for those things that are said and done without an Oath are more credited by Men and more pleasing to God LXIV In the next Century BEDA an English man the most famous of those Dayes and styl'd Venerable in his Exposition upon these words Before all things my Brethren swear not c.
saith Because he desires entirely to draw out the deadly Poison of the Tongue in his Hearers he forbad to detract or slander any man or to judge his Neighbour who forbad to grieve in Adversities which are open Sins he adds this also seeming light to some that he may take away the Custom of Swearing For that this also is not to be esteem'd a light matter plainly appears to them that carefully consider that Sentence of the Lord where he faith Of every idle Word that men shall speak they shall give Account in the Day of Judgment That ye fall not into Condemnation Therefore saith he I restrain you from the Fault of Swearing lest by Swearing frequently true things ye fall sometimes also into Forswearing but stand so far from the Vice of Forswearing that you will not Swear neither but by the greatest Necessity But he also falls under the Judgment of Guilt who although he never Forswear yet sweareth true oftener then there is need namely he offends in the very Idleness of superfluous Speech and he offendeth the Judge which forbad both every unprofitable Word and OATH From this chief man among the English of that time it is manifest that this was the Doctrine they then held as further appears from H. Spelman that learn'd English Knight in his Book of Brittish Councils Canons c. in the Exceptions or select Collections of Egbert Arch Bishop of York Artic. 19. That no Priest whaâ—soever may swear an Oath but let him speak all things simply in Purity ond Truth And in the same Author and Council Art 18. the chief of Monasteries Priests Deacons should say without Swearing when they were to purge and clear themselves only thus I speak the Truth in Christ I lye not And in pag. 259. In England at the Council of Berghamstâ—d about the Year 750. Artic. 17. That a Bishop or a King's Word or Affirmation without an Oath is irrefragable This agrees with Blastaris Canons above mention'd And at this Day in some Countries as the Electoral Arch-Bishops in Germany of Colen Mentz and Triers and many Noble Men in their Station speak without an Oath upon their Honour c. Certainly then it is much below the Nobility of true Christians in their Spiritual Station to Swear as Chrysostom and the Ancients have well observ'd LXV HAIMO lived about 840. who on the Revelations saith That it 's lawful only for Men and Angels to swear but to Men it is forbidden LXVI AMBROSIUS ANSBERTUS Gallus Presbyter Seeing the Lord cohibits the Faithful from every Oath saying Swear not at all neither by Heaven c. but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay what abounds more then them is from the Evil Who stretcheth out his Hand to Heaven and sweareth by him that liveth forever Are not his Sayings and Actings set for Examples for Believers to imitate But only in that men are often deceived by an Oath but he who is the Truth never is deceived for he would not have prohibited men from an Oath if he had not known Sin to be in it For what do we understand to be figured by the Hand of the Angel unless as before noted a Dispensation of Redemption of Mankind For his Hand is the Operation of our Salvation although also if it may be so said the same Son be his Right-Hand as when the Word of the Father speaketh he sheweth that he is the Word of the Father LXVIII THEOPHYLACT Arch-Bishop of the Bulgarians whom some place in the Ninth Century others after to be sure very Famous being as it were their Apostle in his Comment on Mat. 5. saith To swear or adjure more to Yea or Nay is of the Devil Moreover sayes he if thou shouldst say That the Law also given to Moses was evil because it commandeth to swear Learn that then it was not Evil to swear but after Christ it is Evil as also to be circumcised and in brief whatsoever is Jewish For it is convenient for a Child to suck but not at all for a Man LXIX Barnard The Truth needs not an Oath De modo bene vivendi Ser. 32. De perjurio A Faithful Word holds the Place of an Oath as he cannot Lye who doth not Speak so he cannot Forswear who doth not undertake to Swear grounded on Matthew 5. LXX PASCHALIUS RATBERTUS on Mat. 5. Ye have heard c. In this place as also every where in those things the Perfection in Righteousness is renew'd for by what every one swears he either worships loveth or fears it Therefore by the Law for the carnal People it was lawful to swear by God and this was allow'd as to little Ones that as they offer'd Sacrifices to God lest they should offer them to Idols so also it was permitted to them to swear by God Not that they did this well but because it was better to give it to God then to Devils LXXI OTHO BRUNFELSIUS on Mat. 5. But let your Word be Yea c. That is the Duty of a Christian man to be so sure in his Words that being Unsworn he surpass any Jew or Heathen swearing by all his holy Things namely in these bare Words only Yea Yea Nay Nay Such Faithfulness Constancy is commended in good men by prophane Authors Read Seneca Cicero Valerius Maximus But thou wilt say I shall not be trusted unless I swear Even so it is permitted by the Popes to swear good Words in a good Cause But such Distrust ought not to reign in the Faithful But if we trust not Words what should an Oath do It is a Proverb None is less trusted then he which shall often swear Moreover Who gave Power to Popes to break the Command of God LXXII DRUTHMARUS on Math. 5. Lest the Jews should Swear by Idols Names the Lord suffered them to swear by his own Name The Lord taught us Perfection that such Trust is to be among Christians that there should be no need to interpose the Name of God for Witness LXXIII JANSENIUS on Matth. 5. If all Christians were such as they ought to be it would certainly be needless both to require and take an Oath I think this more Christian and not to Swear at all nor Compel to Swear more Spiritual Yea and Amen are the same 2 Cor. 1. not Swearing but Affirming So Christ swore not See Bernard Hom. 69. in Cant. De more bene vivendi Serm. 32. LXXIV ALBERTUS MAGNUS on Mat. 5. Swearing is by Indulgence Thomas Aquinas cites Rabanus on Mat. 5. LXXV Alex. de Ales citeth HUG CARDINAL saying The Lord Forbad Swearing lest any should desire to swear as a Good Thing also that none might fall into Perjury LXXVI REMIGIUS on Rom. 1. Who never Swears never Forswears LXXVII RUFFINUS on Psal 14. Not to Swear at all is of Perfect Men. See also Smaragdus on Mat. 5. Titelmannus on Psal 14. Brugensis on Mat. 5. Ludolphus Carthusianus vita Christi part 2. cap. 12. Rupertus de
being in the dayes of Gideon Judg. 8. Bef Christ 800. years in the dayes of Hosea Joel and Amos. Bef Christ 620. years in the dayes of Josiah Bef Christ 593. years Bef Christ 500. years These Three Persons liv'd in the time of Jeremiah and Ezekiel Bef Christ 560. years Bef Christ 422. years in the time of Ahasuerus Ezra 4. Bef Christ 422. years in the dayes of Haggai Zachariah Bef Christ 400. years Bef Christ 394. years These two lived in the days of Malachi Bef Christ 266. years Bef Christ 337. Years Bef Christ 336. Years If it be a great Good not to Swear at all what is it to Impose an Oath Page 583. Page 515. Euseb Eccl. Hist lib. 4. cap. 15. Euseb lib. 4. cap. 16. Tertullian was a Lawyer Son to a Centurion of Proâ—consular Dignity See his Life Rigaltius adds I will speak plainly that the Emperor is Lord but after the common manner Tertul. ad Scap. c. 1 2. Apol. c. 33. * I do offer Sacrifice by Prayer c. 30. Tertul. de Idololatria cap. 11. It is confest by le Prieur that the Christians did deny all Swearing Bruno and Cassiodorus on Psalm 14. Psalm 61. This Cassiodorus was a Roman Senator Counsellor of Theodoricus about the year 490. * There are about 2000. Corrections in Tertullian his Works Suarez de Juram c. 2. * Infidelity keeps Company with Swearing And for a Christian to Swear is with Clem. Alexandr to turn Infidel again He makes two Prohibitions as we do 1. Swear not by God 2. by no Creatures Ibid. Tract 35. Mat. 26. Num. 5.19 1 King 22.16 Orig. against all Swearing with us and Compelling Orig. on Jer. 4.1 2. Cypr. Epist ad Corn. n. 5 Cyprian de Mortal Euseb apud Stob. de Jureâ—ur c. 27. Athanas his Abhorrence and Derision of Oaths Athanasius his Reason and Dislike of Oaths Object Answ Athanasius will not have it that God ever swoar properly strictly taken only in a way of speaking having the Truth Immutability of the truest and greatest Oath This if that Clemens should have been first because he liv'd in Paul's time but we were not willing to begin our Testimonies with a Suspicion howbeit it is an Ancient Writing l. 6. c. 25. Socrat. Eccl. Hist lib. 4. cap. 21. * Pray mark where Basil layeth the Blame if a Word go not for an Oath Joseph swore not Paul swore not Ad Nepotes above 300. l. Basil Mag. can 29. Basil's Expedient to remove Oaths The Reason of prohibiting Oaths God swears not Paul did not Swear See Tertullian before to whom this agrees Mark how Gregor Naz. speaks of the Scripture in Comparison of God's Omnipresence with the mind and the sense and regard man ought to have of it Greg. Naz. his Account of an Oath Greg. Naz. on Cant. Hom. 18. Exhortat ad Virgin Ambrose on Mat. 5. * He was for Inspiration Perfection Psalm 109. Ambr. Com. on Heb. c. 6. Oaths founded on Defect not to be encouraged then not to be imposed Id. Hom. Psa 5. Ad pop Antioch Hom. 19. The Reason of Oaths Against the Dispraise of solitary Life l. 1. Of Compunction of Heart l. 1. Against the Jews Hom. 34. Agreeing with Euse bius before The Godly Zeal of Chrysostom Commendable Much less to force others Chrys calls Swearing Compelling to Swear at all an Error then we are Orthodox See his great Praise in Soc. Schol. l. 6. c. 3. He was of the Race of Senators Remember Tertullian's Case by this Homil. 28. Ecclog de juram Hom. 5. ad pop Avitioc Chrysost against giving an Oath Chrysost exexhorts to be Right Quakers by Trembling not Swearing Against Compelling to Swear shows how to avoid it He differs much from those that punish us for not swearing On Mat. Homil. 17. â— Object Constancy in not Swearing getteth Veneration Object Great Reaâ—on Object This is True Christian Doctrine With Christians it ought to be so What Evil is it then to hale men back again upon Penalties * A great Enemy to Images †The Reason why God admitted Oaths No Ordinance of God or man originally but Corruption insensibly brought it God only suffer'd it by a true Deity till the Times of Reformation Object His Reason our Reason Object Much regarded and observed by venerable Antiquity said Jamâ—s and the Fathers part 2. page 36. Act. Mon. v. 1. p. 701. A Great â—ruth Forswearing ends in No Swearing Excellently distinguisht and the Sordidness of Oaths fully represented According to Eusebius The Unhappiness of Swearing especially against Conscience His Advice about the Matter when drove to a Pinch Object His Caution to those that impose Oaths and Reflection upon the Practice Lying as bad as Swearing in his Esteem Admirably well argued His Rebuke to the Clergy for tendring the Gospels or Bible to swear on Again the Original of an Oath He concurs with us The Definition of an Oath A severe Declamation against Compelling People to swear Again of the Danger of Compelling People to swear Object Object Object Object * An Oath is a Binding of God for our Security A Pathetical Censure of Oaths and them that use them even in Courts With what Tenderness God's Name should be used Chrysostom's Boldness He testifies our Mind †Mark the great Zeal of Chrysost in this place * Men never could plead Conscience for not being believed without an Oath many have to be credited without one * This was Chrysostom 's Exhortation Now it s said How can we Trade without an Oath Object Encouragement to sustain the Penalty Our Doctrine made an Axiom by Chrysostom Hom. 10. p. 101. God never â—wore properly An excellent Reason why Oaths were permitted This between the Two Stars seems a self-contradiction but doubtless he intends it of the 2d Prohibition in a further Reason why Oaths were permitted This between the Two Stars seems a self-contradiction but doubtless he intends it of the 2d Prohibition in a further Reason why Oaths were permitted If men can't Swear safely then it is more dangerous to swear then not to swear and it is better for People nay they are bound to refuse it de mendâ—c It is obscure intricate De Verb. Jacobi Ante omnia nolite jurare Serm. 28. * If it belongs to the Righteousness of the Kingdom of Heaven Not to Swear then what will become of those that not only break that Commandment of Swear not at all but teach men so to do nay punish men for not obeying such Anti-Evangelical Doctrine †Then certainly they are to be rejected of true Christians Euseb Pam. Socr. Schol. Evagr. c. Thes 1.1 Phil. 3.15 Soc. l. 6. c. 1â— Evagr. l. cap. 11. c. 9. Euseb Eccl. His l. 8 c. 28. l. 4. c. â—5 Pelagiuâ— a Brittain an 400. wrote Notable Books saith Sennaida who lived soon after him See Baronius an 1310. Joh. Walden against John Wicklâ—f and Waldenses Reiner Rub. Capitan W. Wâ—dford Gui Carmel Vâ—ss Histor Pelag. l. 5 p. 2. Bp. Vsher de Success de Juramentis l. 1. c. 1 2. Agreeing with Chrysostom L. 1. c. 15. Ep. lib. 1. Epist 155. Not to require an Oath by any means of another man On Mat. 5. Suspicion the Cause of an Oath On Deut. 6. A smart and true Answer Nilus forbids Oaths On Jer. 4. Cyril See Catena 65. Graeâ— Patr. on Luk. 1. p. 23. On Psal 94. agreeth with Augustine On Eccles 8. Chap. 31. Beda in Ep. Jam. c. 5. Spelm. Brit. Council p. 260. On the Revelations p. 196. * He makes Oaths Jewish at least in Opposition to Evangelical because imperfect permitted to the Jews in Condescension p. 3. q. 59. See Bibliotheca veter Patrum They all agre in the Reason of suffering Oathes under the Law viz. the Jews Weakness Vid. Baron Anno 1310. Joh. Walden adv Wicklif Waldens Reiner Rub. Capitan W. Woodford De Success l. 6. Ban. Anno 1310. n. 3. J. Fox Mart. v. 1. p. 527. Men honoured by Protestants J. Fox Mart. v. 1. p. 554 to 558. Geff. Chauc Works fol. 86. J. Fox Mart. v. 1. p. 614 618. J. Fox Mart. v. 1. p. 623 359. J. Fox Mart. v. 1. p. 687. * If they could not it was then held none could so that then it was denying all Tenders Ibid. p. 701 702. J. Fox Mart. v. 3. p. 910 911. Spots Hist pag. 61. W.C. Albrid p. 193 194 195. Morl. Hist p. 217 218. J. Fox Mart. v. 2. p. 420. Comm. on Mat. 5. Erasm here plainly forbiddeth all Swearing on any account Comm. on Jam. 5. Then not by God for the common people esteemed him sacred Gloss on Mat. 5. p. 22. On Mat. 5. fol. 18. Comm. on Mat. 5. On 1 King 12. n. 3. II. On Mat. 5. p. 23 24. De quaest jur Christ p. 306. pag. 227. Hom. 18. in Cant. pag. 276. Const 6. 11. Comm. on 1 Tim. 1. pag. 210. Lindenbrog Cod. lâ—g antiquar Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. On Mat. 5. De Jur. Bell. ac Pac. p. 2. c. 26. ad 47. De juram Praelect 5. Viz. All their Reverent Fathers in God Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans and theâ— Judges of the Land Justices of the Peace and all Officers term'd Ecclesiastical or Civil Judges Priests and People NO Christians else would they suffer Christ's Doctrine to be obeyed who not only enforce OATHS on Strangers but having the like Dâ—ffidence One Father in God of Another one Judge and Justice of another impose them on their Brethren and Fathers with Equal Dâ—strust
Neither by any other Oath be added after such a plain Prohibition as My Brethren Above all things Swear not And why must Yea and Nay be substituted in the room of an Oath if it was yet intended by the Apostle that Christians might rise higher in their Evidence then a bare Affirming or Denying that is Though their Yea be never so truly Yea and their Nay never so sincerely Nay or the very Truth of the Matter be spoaken which is the Import of the Words yet that they ought to swear What is this but to contradict the natural Tendency of the Command of Christ and his Apostles which is plainly this If your Yea be Yea it is enough if your Nay be Nay it is sufficient for Christians ought not to swear if they do they fall into Condemnation in that they break their Master's Command who hath told them that Whatsoever is more then Yea or Nay cometh of Evil which is the Ground of all Oaths for they ought to mean so simply and honestly in what they say as that they should never need to swear in order to tell the Truth Our 4 th and last Consideration and that which to us seemeth of great Moment to clear up our Lord and Saviour's sense and rescue the Passage from the Violence of Objectors is this Clause For whatsoever is MORE then Yea Yea and Nay Nay cometh of Evil. This cannot be intended of more Words then Yea Yea and Nay Nay provided they are not of an higher Strain but of the same Degree of Speach importing a plain Assertion or Denyal of a thing for it is not the Number but Nature of the Words spoaken that is here prohibited Nor can it be only understood of Perjury for every body knows that to be evil in it self which is more then that which cometh OF or because of Evil Therefore it must be understood as well of Swearing as of Forswearing which is not Evil it self yet cometh of or by Reason of Evil in the World Nor is there any thing more then Yea and Nay besides Perjury which can be intended but an Oath and therefore that was intended Christ doth not only prohibit Evil it self but that which is Evil by Superfluity to Evangelical Sincerity and that Swearing is be it of what sort it will wherever Yea is Yea and Nay is Nay In short If what is More then Yea and Nay cometh of Evil then because any Swearing as well as Forswearing is more then Yea and Nay it follows that any Swearing cometh of Evil and therefore ought to be rejected of Christians Nor will our English Translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shelter our Objectors For Communication doth not exclude those many Cases that require Evidences among men no nor any the least Action of Man's Life on the contrary they have a great Place in Human Communication which is comprehensive of the various Discourses and Transactions of a Man's Life as 2 Kings 9.11 2 Sam. 3.17 Eph. 4.29 Col. 3.8 1 Cor. 15.33 It is a word of the same Extent with Conversation which takes in all that can happen between man and man in this World Thus the Psalmist To him that ordereth his Conversation aright Psalm 50.23 So the Apostle Let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel Phil. 1.27 Besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred Word as in Joh. 1.1 and the Italian and French Translations have it Let your Word be Yea Yea Nay Nay as much as if Christ had said As I do not only condemn the Act for Adultery which the Law did but also the Conception of the Mind and not only Murder but Revenge likewise so I do not only condemn Forswearing which is done to my hand in the Law of God but prohibit Swearing at all for I make that to be Unlawful which the Law doth not call Unlawful Therefore when your Evidence is called for Swear not at all but let your Word be Yea Yea and Nay Nay that is Do not speak Untruth for that is Evil Don't Swear for that comes of Evil. To conclude People swear to the End they may speak Truth Christ would have men speak Truth to the End they might not swear he would not have his Followers upon such base Reserves but their Word to carry the Weight of an Oath in it that as others ought not to be guilty of Perjury Christians ought not to be guilty of Lying For such is the Advance from Moses to Christ Jew to Christian that as the Christian needs not the Jew's Curb so his Lye is greater then the Jew's Perjury because his Yea or Nay ought to be of more Value then the other's Oath X. And lastly Besides these express Prohibitions Swearing is forbidden by the very Nature of Christianity and unworthy of him that is the Author of it who came not to implant so imperfect a Religion as that which needed Oaths or should leave Fraud the Ground of Swearing unextirpated but to promulgate that Gospel which retrives ancient Sincerity builds up Waste Places restores those Breaches Oaths entred at and leads into the Ancient Holy Paths of Integrity they never trod in He is that Powerful Lord which cureth the Diseases of all them that come unto him and Mystical Serpent exalted that relieves all that believingly look up to him His Office is to make an End of Sin that made way for Swearing and introduce that Everlasting Righteousness which never needs it The Religion he taught is no less then Regeneration and Perfection such Veracity as hath not the least Wavering Sincerity throughout that it might not only exceed the Righteousness of the Swearing Jews but that Law which permitted it till the Times of Restitution which he brought to the Degenerated World who said Swear not at all for the Law that permitted Oaths was given by Moses but Grace and Truth that ends them came by Jesus Christ who therefore prohibits them And not only is this Gospel of Christ or the Holy Religion he taught of so pure and excellent a Nature but those who will be his Disciples are oblieged to obey it insomuch that he himself hath said If ye love me keep my Commandments and if ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love Again Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me For I say unto you that except your Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no Case enter the Kingdom of Heaven Be ye therefore Perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect These are the weighty Sayings of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and certainly he who breaks not the least Commandment forbidden Vers 19. who can Suffer rather then Revenge love Enemies and be perfect as his Heavenly Father is perfect is above the Obligation of an Oath unto Truth-speaking His Disciples preacht
not another Gospel then their Master's who prayed that those who believed might be sanctified THROUGHOUT in Body Soul and Spirit which is a perfect Removal of the Ground of Swearing and they were exhorted to press after the Mark of the Price of this High and Holy Calling until they should all come unto a perfect Man unto the Measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ Jesus For even hereunto saith Peter were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an Example that ye should follow his Steps who did no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth And saith John As he is so are we in this World If No Guile be found in our Mouths then No Oaths for they came because of Guile And if we ought to resemble him in this World then must our Communication be Yea Yea and Nay Nay that is we must live the Life of Truth and speak the Words of Truth which ought to be of greater Force then Oaths that come of Evil. If the Righteousness of the Law ought to be fulfilled in us we ought not to swear because we ought to be so Righteous as not to Lye This is Evangelical for as he that conceives not a foul or revengeful Thought need not to purge himself of Adultery and Murder Neither is there any Reason that man should purge himself of Lying by Sweating that doth not so much as countenance an untrue Thought The Language of the same Apostle to the Ephesians further explains this Evangelical Evidence But ye have not so learned Christ if so be that ye have heard him have been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus That ye put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is Corrupt according to the Deceitful Lusts be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind that you put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Wherefore PVTTING AWAY LYING SPEAK EVERY MAN TRVTH with his Neighbour Beyond which there can be no Assurance given or desired And if Christians ought never to Lye it is most certain they need never to Swear for Swearing is built upon Lying Take away Lying and there remains no more Ground for Swearing Truth-speaking comes in the room thereof And this not only the Christian-Doctrine teaches and requires but Christ the blessed Author of it is ready to work in the Hearts of the Children of Men would they but come and learn of him who is Meek Lowly filled with Grace and Truth And we must needs say It is a shameful thing and very Dishonourable to the Christian-Religion that those who pretend themselves to be the Followers of Christ for so true Christians ought to be should so degenerate from his Example and Doctrine as to want and use scarcing Asseverations dispenced with in some of the weakest Times of Knowledge and such horrible Imprecations never known to ancient Jews and Christians to ascertain one another of their Faith and Truth Religion must needs have suffered a great Ebb and Christianity a fearful Ecclips since those brighter Ages of its Profession For Bishop Gauden himself in his Discourse of Oaths confesses That the ancient Christians were so strict and exact that there was no need of an Oath among them yea they so kept 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 But to fortifie what we have hitherto urged in Defence of our Judgment and Practice and to the End it may more fully appear that our Tenderness in this great Case of Oaths comes not from any Sower Sullen or Superstitious Humor or that we would trouble the World with any New fangled Opinion we shall produce the concurrent Testimonies of several Famous and Good Men for above these Two Thousand Years among Gentiles Jews and Christians enough to make an Occumenical Council We shall cite them out of the best Editions we have been able to procure and as truly and punctually as we can render them digested in Order of Time Memorable TESTIMONIES against Swearing collected out of the Writings of Gentiles Jews Christians some of which were deliver'd to the World several Ages before Swear not at all was writ by Matthew or spoaken by Christ which makes Swearing but especially Punishing for not Swearing among Christians so much the more Disallowable The Whole publisht not only in Favour of our Cause but for the Instruction of the World and to their Just Honour that said writ them as durable Monuments of their Virtue I. The Sayings of the Gentiles or Heathens in Dislike of Oaths Our two first Testimonies shall be the Practice of two great People the Persians and Scythian Diodorus Siculus lib. 16. I. AMong the Persians saith Diodorus Siculus Giving the Right Hand was the Token of Truth-speaking He that did it Deceitfully was counted more Detestable then if he had Sworn Which plainly implyes that Swearing was Detested among them as well as that they needed not to Swear who so much used Truth-speaking Quint. Curt. in vit Alex. II. The Scythians as it is reported by Q. Curtius in their Conference with Alexander upon Occasion of an expected Security told him Think not that the Scythians confirm their Friendship by Oath They Swear by keeping their Word Which is not only a Proof of their Disuse of Common Oaths but Swearing at all even in Matters of greatest Importance Plutarch Rom. Quest 28. III. So Religious was Hercules saith Plutarch that he never swore but once If it was Religiously done to swear but once in a Man's Life it had been more Religiously done not to swear at all How just and severe a Censure is this out of an Heathen's Mouth upon the Practice of Dissolute Christians Hesiod Theogon p. 88. IV. Hesiod in his Theogonia places an Oath amongst the Brood of Contention An Oath saith he greatly hurts men Again presently An Oath goes with corrupt Judgments or an Oath flyes away together with cotrupt Judgments that is when Justice appears among men Oaths vanish as his Scope in that place shews Seciad in Stob. 28. V. It was one part of the Doctrine of the Seven Sages so famous in Greece That men ought not to Swear Stob. Serm. 3. VI. Solon the famous Law-giver of Athens and one of those Seven Sages exhorted the People to observe Honesty more strictly then an Oath As if he had said Honesty is to be preferred before Swearing as another Saying of his imports A good Man should have that Repute as not to need an Oath it is a Diminution to his Credit to be put to Swear Bp. Gaud. of Oaths p. 41. Theognis ver 660. VII Theognis the Greek Poet writing of a Person Swearing saith Neither ought he to swear this or any thing This Thing or Swearing it self shall not be What is this less then Swear not at
all Valer. Max. lib. 8. cap. 18. Laert. Hermip Orig. contr Cels VIII Pythagoras a Grave and Virtuous Person being earnestly intreated of the Crotonian-Senators for his Advice in things relating to the Government did in his â—raâ—ion among other Excellent Sentences with more then ordinary Emphasis lay this down in the Nature of a Maxim Let no man attest God by an Oath though in Courts of Judicature but use to speak such things as that he may be credited without an Oath H. Grot. on Mat. 5.34 IX Clineas a Just Greek and Follower of Pythagoras out of Love to Truth and Respect he bore his Master's Doctrine that injoyned him to fear and shun an Oath chose to pay Three Talents which amount to about Three Hundred Pound rather then he would take any Oath Whose Example Basilius Magnus upbraided the Christians of his Time with that were then learning to Swear Hierocles Comment in Carm. Pythag. p. 28. X. Hierocles testifies That Pythagoras in enjoyning them to revere an Oath not only prohibits Forswearing but requires them also to abstain from Swearing And Aeshilus makes a sincere Beckon to a Matter a firm Oath Stobaus Serm. 114. XI Socrates that worthy Gentile and great Promoter of Virtue among the Athenians among many Excellent Sentences delivered this That Good Men must let the World see how that their Manners or Dealings are more firm then an Oath Which both proves that he saw a more Excellent Righteousness then Swearing Truth it self and believed it attainable for he manifestly exhorts Good Men to that Integrity which is a greater Caution then an Oath He was put to Death for testifying against the Heathen Idols acknowledging one only God Plut. in Lacon Epoph XII Lysander the great Spartan Captain thought an Oath of so little Value in comparison of Truth that he bestowed this contemptuous Saying upon Swearing Children are to be deceived with Tâ—yes and Men with Oaths Implying that Sincerity is a greater Security then an Oath Isocr ad Demon. XIII Isocrates a Greek Orator in his Oration to Demonicum advises Not to take an Oath for Money Matters Also he teaches That Good Men should shew themselves more credible then an Oath Plat. de Leg. 12. XIV Plato call'd Divine forbids Swearing in solemn Cases That none swear himself That none require an Oath of another He speaks there how Rhadamanthus brought in Swearing by the Gods but that his Art therein was not agreeable to that Time it seems he accounted it an Art of Policy But that in all Actions or Causes Laws which are made with Understanding should take away Swearing from both Adversaries For saith he it is an Horrible Thing that when many Judgments are done in a City well near half the People are forsworn in them Therefore let the Presidents of Judgments not permit any to swear in Actions not even for Perswasions sake but that he persevere in that which is Just with a fitting Speech c. Valer. Max. 10. Cic. pro Corn. Balb. Diog. Laert. in vit Xenocr XV. Xenocrates was so renowned at Athens for his Virtuous Life and great Integrity that being called to give his Evidence by Oath all the Judges stood up and forbad the Tender because they would not have it thought that Truth depended more upon an Oath then the Word of an Honest Man Menander XVI Menander the Greek Poet saith Flee an Oath though thou shouldst swear justly Cherillus in Perseid XVII Cherillus saith Oaths bring not Credit to the Man but the Man must bring Credit to the Oaths What serve they for then to Deceive It seems by this that Credit is better then an Oath for it is the Credit that is the Security not the Oath Stobaeus in Jur. c. 27. XVIII Alexides in Olynth saith A Wise Man ought alwayes to give Credit not to Swearers but to the Things themselves Then Oaths are vain for it is not the meer Oath but the Likelihood of the Truth of the Evidence from the Consideration and Comparing of the Circumstances that turns the Scale Simocat Epist 33. F. XIX Simocatus Perfidiousness appears securer then Faithfulness and an Oath imposed is a fit Engin for Deceit Strange that faithful Yea and Nay is stopt when Perfidiousness with an Oath can pass all Guards Courts and Offices He manifestly links Oaths and Perfidiousness and gives the Praise to Faithfulness H. Grâ—t on Mat. 5. XX. Epictetus a famous and grave Stoick counselled to Refuse an Oath ALTOGETHER Quint. l. 8. XXI Quintilian saith that in Time past it was a kind of Infamy for Grave and Approved Men to Swear as if their Authority should suffice for Credit Therefore the Priests or Flamins were not compelled to it for then to compel a Noble Man to Swear were like putting him upon the Rack c. Which shows an Oath to be an Unnatural and Extorting Way of Evidence and that they preferred Vâ—rtue and Truth before an Oath Plutarch Rom. quest 44. XXII Plutarch in his 44th Rom. qu. upon the Custom of the Romans holding it Unlawful for the Flamen Dialis or Chief Priest to Swear puts the Question Why is it not Lawful for Jupiter ' s Priest to Swear Is it because an Oath ministred unto Freemen is as it were the Rack Torture tendered unto them For certain it is that the Soul as well as the Body of the Priest ought to continue free and not be forced by any Torture whatsoever or for that it is not meet to Distrust or Discredit him in small Matters who is believed in Great and Divine Things or rather because every Oath endeth with Detestation and Malediction of Perjury And considering that all Maledictions be odious and abominable therefore it is not thought good that any other Priests whatsoever should Curse or pronounce any Malediction And in this respect was the Priestess of Minerva in Athens highly commended for that she would never curse Alcibiades notwithstanding the People commanded her so to do For I am quoth she ordained a Priestess to pray for Men and not to curse them Or last of all was it because the Peril of Perjury would reach in common to the whole Common-wealth if a Wicked Godless and Forsworn Person should have the Charge and Superintendence of the Prayers Vows and Sacrifices made in the behalf of the City Thus far Plutarch whose Morals have the Praise among all the Writings of Philosophers who is also commended himself very highly for his Virtue and Wisdom See his Life M. Aur. Ant. in Descript bon Vir. XXIII M. Aurelius Antoninus that Philosophical Roman Emperor in his Description of a Good Man sayes That the Integrity of a truly good man is such that there is no need of an Oath for him Certainly then he was far from imposing Oaths upon his People who both by his Exam-and Precept prefrr'd Integrity before an Oath Libanius XXIV Libanius a Greek Orator though otherwise no Admirer of Christians reckons this amongst the
Praises of a Christian Emperor He is sayes he so far from being blackt with Perjury that he is even afraid to swear the Truth It seems then they swore not in his time and that Libanius an Enemy to Christians preferr'd and admired Swear not at all Auson Epist 2. XXV We shall conclude with Ausonius whose Saying seems to be all contracted or those other Testimonies digested into one Axiom that is To swear or speak falsly is one and the same thing These are the Reflections upon Oaths we receive from Heathens who by the Light they had both discerned the Scope of the Evangelical Doctrine Swear not at all preceptively laid down by Christ our Lord Mat. 5.34 and prest it earnestly And which is more to their Honour but to the Christians Shame several of them lived it sincerely II. Testimonies from the Jews in Dislike of all Swearing H. Grot. Com. on Mat. 5.34 XXVI Maimonides out of the most ancient of the Jewish Rabbies extracts this memorable Axiom IT IS BEST FOR A MAN NOT TO SWEAR AT ALL. Raimund p. 135. XXVII Raimundus quotes him thus Maimonides in tract de juramentis IT IS A GREAT GOOD FOR A MAN NOT TO SWEAR AT ALL The ancient and lawful Doctrine of the Synagogue Jofeph de bello Judaico l. 2. c. 7. XXVIII The Esseni or Essaeans saith Josephus keep their Promise and account every Word they speak of more force then if they had bound it with an Oath and they shun Oaths worse then Perjury for they esteem him condemned for a Lyar who is not believed without calling God to witness These Essaeans were the most Religious of the Jewish Pepole though the Pharisees made the greatest Noise amongst the Rabble Philo de decalogo p. 583. XXIX Philo that excellent Jew relates thus much concerning the same Essaeans That what soever they said was firmer then an Oath And that to Swear was counted amongst them a thing superfluous Philo Judeus on Com. 3d. XXX The same Philo himself thus taught in his Treatise on the Ten Commandments Commandment 3 d. Thou shalt not take the Name of God in vain Many Wayes saith he do men sin against this Commandment so THAT IT IS BETTER NOT TO SWEAR AT ALL but so well accustom thy self to speak Truth alwaies that thy Bare Word shall have the Force and Virtue of an Oath It is become a Proverb That to swear well and holily is a second Voyage for he that sweareth is suspected of Lying and Perjury It is saith he most profitable and agreeable to the reasonable Nature to abstain ALTOGETHER from Swearing Whatsoever a godly Man speaks let it go for an Oath The Wisdom and Moderation of this worthy Personage reflects just Blame upon those that Pillage their Neighbours because they Conscientiously Refuse an Oath But that men who pretend to be the Disciples of Jesus Christ should commit these Cruelties aggravates their Evils and doubt less their Guilt How can they ever hope to look their Lord with Comfort in the Face who so severely Treat their Fellow-Servants Certainly Jews and Heathens will one Day rise up in Judgment against such Christians for their Unnatural Carriage towards their Brethren This is not to Love Enemies but injure Friends Jews and Heathens are become Names of Reproach yet to the Rebuke of Christians as they call themselves they not only discern'd the Rise and Ground of Oaths but the Evil of using them even while they were tolerated and both avoided them and exhorted others to that Integrity which had no need of them These Testimonies though they are of Weight with us and we hope they will have a due Impress upon the Minds of many of our Readers yet because nothing produced out of Jews and Gentiles may advance our Cause with some or render it ever the more acceptable We shall next betake our selves to the more Christian Ages of the World for Approbation of our Judgment who we are sure will kindly entertain us their Liberality being Extraordinary to our Cause and from whom we shall never want Votes for SWEAR NOT AT ALL while their Works are in the World May our Superiors joyn theirs with them and we have Reason to believe that our Deliverance from the Yoak of Oaths will be the happy Issue of this necessary Address III. Testimonies from Christians both Fathers Doctors and Martyrs in Dislike of All Swearing Polycarpus XXXI The first Testimony recorded against Swearing after the Apostles Times was that of Polycarpus who had lived with the Apostles and was said to have been Disciple to John not the least of the Apostles for at his Death when the Governour bid him Swear Defie Christ c. he said Fourscore and Six Years have I served him yet hath he never offended me in any thing The Proconsul still urged and said Swear by the Fortune of Caesar to whom Polycarpus answered If thou requirest this Vain-glory that I Protest the Fortune of Caesar as thou sayest feigning thou knowest not who I am hear freely I AM A CHRISTIAN This Good man began his Fourscore and Six Years which was about Twenty Years after James wrote Above all things my Brethren Swear Not and several years before John the Apostle deceased for he is called his Disciple See his History and Commendation in Eusebius We know it is objected by some That he refused to Swear only because he could not swear by that Oath which is a Guess and no Confutation of what we alledge But if that had been Polycarpus's Reason why did he not rather say The Law of God forbids Swearing by Idols 'T is certain the first Christians would not Swear but thought Polycarpus's Answer Security enough to them that demanded their Oath He refused all Oaths as a Christian therefore saying he was a Christian was Reason sufficient why he would not take that Oath Justin Martyr Apol. 2. pro Christianis ad Anton. Pium oper p. 63. XXXII It was some time before his Suffering that Justin Martyr who is the first we find writing of it publisht an Apology for the Christians in the year 150. as himself saith and a second after that wherein he tells us after the Doctrine of his Master That we should NOT SWEAR AT ALL but alwayes speak the Truth He that is Christ hath thus commanded SWEAR NOT AT ALL but let your YEA be YEA and your NAY NAY and what is more then these is of Evil. See his Praise and Martyrdom in Eusebius soon after Polycarpus Euseb Eccl. Hist lib. 5. c. 1. XXXIII Under the same Emperor says Eusebius suffered also Ponticus of Fifteen Years of Age and Blandina a Virgin with all kind of Bitter Torments the Tormentors now and then urging them to Swear which they constantly Refused Euseb ibid. lib. 6. cap. 4. XXXIV And in the next Emperor's Reign Basilides a Souldier of Authority amongst the Hoast being appointed to lead Potamiena to Execution and by her convinced of the Truth in Christ was
he will swear well avoid it or if thou thinkest he will swear amiss avoid it so much the rather For although he swear well yet thou as far as relates to thy Conscience art become the Cause of his Perjury because thou compellest him to take an Oath with this Intention not barely that he should Swear but that he should Forswear for if thou hadst thought he would have sworn honestly thou wouldst not have forced him to swear at all Oh foolish man that compellest another to Swear Thou knowest not what thou doest He although he forswear himself yet does it with Advantage but thou without any Advantage art found a Partaker of his Perjury He that does not stick at Lying does not fear Swearing for he that tells a Lye goes beyond the Truth in his Heart and he that swears falsly passes over God in his Words What then is the Difference between passing over God and going beyond the Truth seeing God is Truth it self This is the only Difference That when we Lye we pass over the Truth in our Heart but when we Forswear we pass over God in Words For to men we give Satisfaction by WORDS to God by CONSCIENCE God himself who forbad Forswearing even he afterward commanded NOT TO SWEAR He therefore that is not afraid to set light by the Commands of God in Swearing will not be afraid to do the like in Forswearing But what wouldst thou have Doth he fear God or doth he not fear him If he be one that fears God he will not Lye though he be not sworn but if he be one that does not fear God he cannot speak Truth though he be sworn Hear ye CLERGY-MEN who bring the HOLY GOSPELS for men to swear upon How can ye be secure from that Oath who sow the Seed of Perjury He that brings the Fire by which an House is burnt is he a Stranger to the Burning or who reaches a Sword whereby a man is slain is not he an Accessory to the Slaughter So he that gives the Opportunity of Forswearing is a Partaker of the Perjury If it were well done to swear ye said rightly that we gave them the Gospel to Swear not to Forswear But now ye know THAT IT IS A SIN EVEN TO SWEAR WELL how can ye be acquitted that give the Occasion of Sinning against God Let the Fire cease and there is no Burning take away the Sword and the man is not slain SO TAKE AWAY SWEARING AND THERE IS NO FORSWEARING Be these things spoaken of them that swear by God But as for them that swear by the Elements their Iniquity is more detestable for Heaven and Earth and the rest of the Elements God made for his own Service not for men to swear by For behold in the Law it is commanded that they should swear by none but God He therefore that swears by Heaven or by the Earth or whatsoever it is he swears by makes a God of it Therefore every one commits Idolatry who swears by any thing besides God if it were at all lawful to swear because he does not perform his Oaths to the Lord his God but to the Elements And so he commits a double Sin first in that he swears and 2 dly in making a God of that by which he swears c. Again in Chap. 23. Homil. 43. on these words Wo unto you Blind Guides who say Whosoever shall swear by the Temple it is nothing but whosoever shall swear by the Gold of the Temple he is a Debter Many Christians saith he now adayes do so unwisely understand many things for lo if there shall be any Cause he seems to do a small matter who swears by God but he that swears by the Gospel seems to have done some greater thing To whom it may be said Fools The holy Scriptures are for God not God for the Scriptures for God is GREATER which sanctifieth the Gospel then the Gospel which is sanctified of God Again Hom 9. on Acts of the Apostles ch 3. To this conduces not a little not to Swear and not to be Angry for in not being Angry we shall not have an Enemy and cast off a mans Oath and withal thou shalt cast off those things that concern Wrath and shalt extinguish all Anger For Wrath and an Oath are like the Wind. We set forth sail but there is no benefit of the Sail if there be no Wind so if we do not cry out nor swear we cut the Sinnews of Wrath. Come tell me for what Cause an Oath was introduced and why it was allowed Let us tell its Original and whence it sprung up again and how and by whom and by our Declaration we shall gratifie your Attention For he that doth justly must necessarily be also studious of Wisdom and he that is not yet such is not worthy to hear a Discourse For Abraham made Covenants and sacrificed Sacrifices and offered Offerings and as yet there was not an Oath Whence then came in an Oath When Evils increased when all things became topsiturvy when they inclined to Idolatry then verily when they appear'd unfaithful they called God to witness as giving a Surety for Security for their Words for an Oath is a Suretiship where their Behaviours have no Trust or Credit Whereupon first he that swears is taxed If he have no Credit without an Oath and the greatest Surety And because men so little trust one another they seek God for a Surety not Man Secondly He is in the same Crime who receives an Oath if he draw God to be a Surety for Contracts and say THAT HE WILL NOT TRVST EXCEPT HE HAVE HIM Oh monstruous thing Oh shameful Disgrace Thou a Worm Dust and Ashes and a Vapour darest thou snatch thy Lord who art such an one for a Surety and compellest to accept him Tell me if a Fellow-Servant should say to your Children striving among themselves and not trusting one another Unless the common Master become a Surety there is no trusting would not many Stripes be inflicted that he might learn that he should make use of him as a Lord in other things not in these What do I speak of a Fellow-Servant For if one would have a more Venerable Man would not the Case have Disgrace in it But I shall saith he therefore neither compel him because this is also amongst men He may say thus Sometimes thou may'st not receive a Surety to thine What then And I shall lose saith he what is given I would not say this but do not thou endure that God be reproached Therefore he which Compels hath a MORE Unavoidable Punishment then he which Swears Likewise he also which swears when none requires this also is harder that one swears for a Half-Penny for a little Commodity for Unrighteousness And these things are so dangerous when there are no Perjuries but if Perjuries are committed then all things are confounded and both he that swears and he that receives an Oath
ones that as they offered Sacrifices to God lest they should sacrifice to Idols so also they were suffered to Swear by God Not that they did this rightly but that it was better to yield that to God then to Devils But the Truth of the Gospel doth not receive an Oath since every faithful Word is for an Oath Those of after Times that in some respect allow of an Oath ground most upon the Authority of Augustine as he from the larger acceptation of the Word Swear and Oath which he extends to that which Nazianzen as before calls but a firm Faithfulness joyned to his words which yet he will not admit of but to a Paul a Planter of Churches speaking by the Spirit of God to them he had begotten in the Gospel in Danger to be seduced by False Apostles and to sleight him and seek a Proof of Christ speaking in him compelled by them to seem a Fool in glorying and so driven and no otherwise to seem a Swearer too yea even to an Augustine and so to compel him even Augustine to say It is a hard Question I have alwayes avoided it But though he durst not condemn it altogether out of Reverence to the Apostle which he thought used it because of the Form of Speech yet to shew that he did little encourage men to practise it as any Act at all of the Worship of God much less an August Act He saith That False Swearing is Deadly True Swearing Dangerous No-Swearing Safe God only Swears Safely who cannot be deceived Augustine de Sermone Domini Serm. 28. LIII And Augustine himself confesseth That it was usual to alledge Christianity for not Swearing bringing in one Saying It is not lawful for a Christian to Swear when an Oath is required of him Lam a Christian it is not lawful to swear And on Psalm 88. as allowing the Unlawfulness he saith It is well that God hath forbidden men to Swear lest by Custom of it inasmuch as we are apt to Mistake we commit Perjury There is none but God can safely Swear c. And in that very Book which is alledged for it he saith I say unto you SWEAR NOT AT ALL lest by Swearing ye come to a Facility of Swearing from a Facility to a Custom and from a Custom ye fall into Perjury But if any think that Book makes most for them let them consider the Author hath retracted it for what Cause let himself speak in the end of his Book of Retractations For sure that which we have here cited out of it agreeth with his other Works which contain much more to this Purpose Where sayes he wouldst thou chuse to walk Upon the Brink of a Precipice or far from it I think far from it So he which swears walks in the Border and walketh with unsure Feet because humane If thou stumblest down thou goest if thou fallest down thou goest We would fain know if a most August Act of God's Worship be nighest the Pit's Brink or farthest from it for there all ought to chuse to walk in whose Way they that walk walk safely their Place is sure and their Foot-steps shall not slide but the Wicked's Feet are in slippery Places where Augustine says Swearers walk Consider what he saith on those words of Christ in Mat. 5. It is the Righteousness of the Pharisees not to Forswear This he confirmeth who forbiddeth to swear which belongeth to the Righteousness of the Kingdom of Heaven For as he which doth not speak cannot speak a Lye so he cannot Forswear which doth not Swear He goes on to excuse Paul and sayes That an Oath is not among good things but among evil things and used for the Infirmity of others which is Evil from which we pray that we may be daily delivered But there is this to be said for Augustine and some others after him that he and they write not clearer in a Point so constantly maintained His Horizon then was over-casting apace Apostacy as a mighty Torrent did not only swell and beat against the Simplicity of the Christian-Doctrine and Discipline but like an Unruly and impetuous Sea broak down the Banks of Primitive Society and made way for all sort of Superstition worldly Interest Fraud that to say no more then he did was to incur perhaps the Censure of the Grandees of his Age who had joyn'd Earthly Policy to Christian-Religion and cast off the Blessed Yoak of their Self-denying Lord to swim in the Delicious Liberty of the World A Time full of such Circumstances as seem'd to conspire the Return of Oaths that were not dead but retired only For as men grew False and Distrustful Truth became burdensom and Yea and Nay no Security with them and therefore declin'd or rather exil'd them their Government Old Judaism or Gentilism pleas'd them better 'T was harder Living that Watchful Life that was sufficient to credit a Yea or Nay then to take an Oath that dependeth upon the saying of so many Words only This was considerable and made Swearing then and continues it grateful to our very Times But sad it is that Oaths rid thus in Sate while Integrity went Barefoot and Evangelical Yea and Nay turn'd off for a Non-sufficient and that too not without Fines Prisons and a great deal of Reproach However we must acknowledge that the Gravity and Christian Care of this Person and other his Contemporaries appeared in not only disswading but deterring those Ages from the Brink for so he calls Swearing at all and turning their Faces after the Woman now on her Flight into the Wilderness During all which Time the Witnesses though fewest in Number and mystically cloathed in Sack-cloth forbore not to prophesie even in this Particular And we hope having no certain Knowledge to the contrary that most of them at least that were Men fearing God and serving him according to what they knew and in that Manner they were perswaded was most acceptable to him And as Irenaeus said of the Poets and Philosophers These Men every one seeing that which was connatural from Part of the Divine-sown-Reason spoak excellently and where right and consistent with themselves they are ours Iren. lib. 5. cap. 18. So we sincerely declare of Men differing from us that as we desire the Good of all so we can own the Good in all and the Truth in all and receive it from them though in other Respects our Adversaries and would have all to do the like with us and each other And howbeit our Adversaries may have hard Thoughts of some of the Persons our Matter leads us to instance as Men interessed in the Doctrine and Practices of those darker Times they lived in and of us for making Use of such for Authorities yet we hope they would also judge it an hard and very cruel Thing to repute them utter Cast-awayes And though we know that Men differ within themselves and all of them more or less from the Truth yet
will believe a man without Swearâ—ng and he that is naught will not trust a man though he Swear But among you that are furnished with Evangelical Plainness there is neither place to distrust nor to imagine Deceit But let your Plain Communication be regarded for no less True and Stedfast then any manner of Oath of the Jews or Pagans how holy soever it be As often as you confirm any thing confirm it with all your Heart and perform indeed the thing that you speak As oft as you deny any thing deny it with your whole Heart neither let any thing else be in your Heart then your Mouth speaketh that there be no Counterfeiting in you seeing you are Disciples of the Truth Thus far we hope is put altogether out of Question Whether many Learned and Christian Men have not flatly denyed the Vse of Oaths to True Christians And though we need not the Contribution that is afforded us by several School and other Roman Doctors yet to evidence a kind of Succession and Universality of Testimony to this Doctrine we think it not improper to mention some of them The Judgment of Shoolmen and others in this Point XCVII T. AQUINAS Non jâ—rare omnino c. Not to swear at all c. The Lord had taught before Wrong is not to be done to our Neighbour as in forbidding Anger with Murder Lust Adultery putting away of one's Wife and now he teacheth consequently that we must abstain from the wronging of God when he doth not forbid only Forswearing as Evil but also an Oath as the Occasion of Evil from whence he saith hear thou again For it was said of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self and lest that they might make to themselves the Creatures Gods he commandeth to render the Oaths to God and not to swear by the Creatures from whence it follows Render to God c. that is If one shall happen to swear by the Creator not by the Creature whence he saith in Deuteronomy Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and by his Name shalt swear and this was allowed by the Law as to Children that as they did offer Sacrifice to Idols they should not offer them to Idols so they were permitted to swear by God not that they might do this rightly but that it might be better to give this to God them to Devils Chrysostom upon Matthew For no man sweareth frequently that sometimes may not forswear as he that makes it a Custom to speak many things sometimes he speaks unfit things Augustine against Fauslus The Lord was more willing that we not Swearing might come short of the Truth then Swearing the Truth to come nearer to Perjury Whence it follows I say unto you Swear not at all Augustine on the Words of the Lord in the Mountain in which he confirms the Righteousness of the Pharisees which is Not to Forswear For be cannot Forswear that doth not Swear XCVIII CAJETAN Again Ye have heard He perfects another Precept of the Old Law concerning Perjury because it was said to them of old time Thou shalt not Forswear Exod. 20. Thou shalt not take the Name of thy God in vain And Levit. 19. Thou shalt not Forswear in the Name of the Lord but shalt render to the Lord thy Oaths The first part of this Precept namely Thou shalt not Forswear is negative forbidding Evil in its kind for Perjury is Evil of it self therefore by no Reason it can be excâ—sed But the second part namely Thou shalt render to the Lord thy Oaths is affirmative and doth not signifie to fulfil the Oaths which thou hast promised as it appears and thereupon nothing follows of fulfilling of Promises but it signifies that the Oaths to God are to be rendred that is that Swearing must be by the Lord not by the Creatures For these words are not in the Law but the Sense of them is Deut. 6. Thou shalt swear by the Name of the Lord thy God Where Swearing is not commanded but is but regulated that it should be by the Name of God and not by the Name of the Creatures For the Law commandeth that this Act of Religion which is to swear should be exhibited to God and to no Creatures or Idols whatsoever But I say unto you He perfecteth both the Precepts adjoyning two Precepts the one negative the other affirmative Not to Swear at all Lo a negative Precept wherein two things are contained that is Not to Swear and Not at all he forbids us to Swear at all by all means as well in expressing God as not in expressing God suppose by Heaven and Earth and by the rest of the Creatures And in this he perfects the Precept concerning not Forswearing not only by taking away an Oath but the Occasion of Forswearing for 't is impossible to incur Forswearing without an Oath and also the Precept of performing the Oath to God by taking away the Care of Performing for where nothing is sworn there is no need of any Care of performing the Oath to God CV ALPHONSUS de Avendano It 's to be noted out of Cajetan that in this the Lord perfected the Command of not Forswearing by taking away not only Forswearing but the Occasion of not Forswearing because without an Oath it is impossible to incur Perjury An Oath was not necessary by the first Intention of Nature for if men had continued in the Truth they had not lyed and because Christ came that he might bring back men to this first Innocency an Oath was not necessary supposing that men ought to return unto it then to men that live according to the Simplicity of the Gospel an Oath is not necessary and therefore not Good Reasons for avoiding Caths from the same Author 1 st Lest by Swearing they fall into Perjury for which Cause Swearing is of an ill Report amongst the Saints as in Ambrose Psalm 18. 2 dly For Reverence of the Name of God 3 dly For the mutual Confidence which one Christian should have of another which ought to be so great that every one should be sure and not possible to be deceived in the least thing although he should speak in a single Assertion and for the Authority of the Saints which do seem to forbid all Oaths to Christians and that the Truth of the Gospel receives no Oath as good and desirable of it self seeing every one is of Evil. Lastly Out of Cajetan The Lord perfecteth this Precept of not Forswearing by taking away not only Perjury but the Occasion of it and taking away the Care For where there is no Swearing there is no need of Care of Rendering Oh! how Sincere and True would the Lord make his Christians that all Affirmations should be included in Three Letters only all Denyals in other Three that the Truth should be so familiar to us as to be included in the Compendium of Three Letters C. FRANCISCUS de MENDOCA Olysiponensis Dr. Theol. in Eburens Academia Sacr. lit
Interpres in 4. lib. Reg. Tom. 3. Speak saith he of me c. In the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. testifie from the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which not only sigâ—ifieth to speak but also to bear Testimony as it is to be seen Ex. 〈◊〉 n. 14. Deut. 19. n. 15. Job 16. n. 9. et passiâ— alibâ— and many other places as if there were no Difference with the Hebrews of speaking and testifying nor without Cause for there ought to be so much Veracity of Good Men that their Simple Speech may be accounted sworn and their private Conference be accounted a publick Testimony which was to be accounted the Fidelity of Cato who was believed in a Court-Case even Unsworn which also S. Jerome in his Epistle to Celantia inculcates Let there be saith he so much Love of Truth in thee that whatsoever thou sayest thou mayst think to be sworn The same Jerome to that of Mat. 5. Swear not c. The Gospel-Truth saith he doth not receive an Oath sith every Faithful Speech is for an Oath To which Opinion is agreeable the Doctrine of Philo Alex. in his Book of the Decalogue It will be most profitable saith he and most agreeable to the rational Nature to abstain Altogether from Swearing and be so accustom'd to Truth that one's single Word may have the Force of an Oath The like relateth Josephus in the second Book of the Jewish War cap. 7. De his Esseni most sincere Worshippers of Truth vericultoribus The Hebrew Elders also when they would make their Innocency about the man kill'd by an Uncertain Author testified with an Oath as the Rabbins Solomon and Moses in Lyran. affirm Deut. 21. Nevertheless they are brought in by the Scripture asseverating it only with simple Speech And they shall say saith he Our Hands have not shed this Blood nor our Eyes seen it Because the simple and Naked Speech of a Wise Man is equivalent to an Oath which St. Bernard vehemently commendeth in Comite Theobaldo in Epist 38. to the same And indeed saith he in other Princes if at any time we take a Word of Lightness or Falseness we account it neither new nor wonderful But with Count Theobald we do not at all patiently hear Yea Nay to whom as it is said Simply to speak is to Swear and a light Lye is accounted a heavy Perjury for among very many Ensigns of Virtue which do very much ennoble your Dignity and make your Name Renowned and Famous throughout the World the Constancy of Truth is especially praised in you 3. Certainly God himself hath tantundem so much to speak nakedly and to swear by himself holily For that he promised with an Oath an Off-spring to David which should sit on his Throne is read no where in the Scripture And yet Abner 2 King 3. n. 9. acknowledges an Off-spring sworn to David The Lord do so to Abner saith he and add these things to him unless as the Lord hath sworn to David so I do with him And in Psalm 88. God himself saith Once have I sworn in my Holiness if I Lye to David c. Also the Land of Canaan is no where found in the holy Scriptures promised to the ancient Fathers with an Oath but God promised it simply to Abraham Gen. 12 13 17. to Isaac Gen. 26. to Jacob Gen. 28. Yet Moses in Deut. 1. Possess saith he the Land for which the Lord sware to your Fathers Philo Alex. in the Book of Abraham at the end looses the Knot notably That therefore the simple Promise of God in those places is called an Oath because it hath the Force of an Oath CI. JACOBUS FABER It is the part of a Spiritual Man not only Not to Swear in a Vain Thing but also not in any Serious thing for you which are such are true Unto true men it 's sufficient that a true man gain Belief if he say that the Lord hath commanded Yea Yea in Affirming Nay Nay in Denying But if with incredulous and Evil men a Speech also be had concerning a serious and necessary Matter why shall one Swear for their Badness that he may gain Belief with them Who ever spake more seriously then our Saviour Who more necessary things Yet he never used other Speech then that Verely verely I say unto you or some other such like which was a true Form or Manner to them that swore not Therefore that now some Swear to gain Belief concerning some profitable and necessary things which they think is to be given rather to the Oath then to the Person Perhaps also there is a Danger when an Oath is required in Judgment lest he that exacteth it sin For if it be manifest that he that is called into Judgment be verely good and true it is enough to hear of him Yea or Nay but if that be not evident or that it be evident that he is bad perhaps that 's required of him which ought not to be required What then It is lawful to Adjure For the Lord made Answer to an Adjuration but he did not Swear and Adjurations are found in the New Law But if any one being Adjured of another speak the Truth by answearing Yea or Nay or by declaring the thing requir'd neither the one nor the other offendeth but if he speak a Falsity he offends and incurs the Offence of a False Testimony but perchance he sinneth less then if by Swearing he had also fallen into the Guilt of Perjury For as he that being adjured answereth in Truth doth not Swear so he that answereth in Falsness doth not Forswear but he is a False Witness but he also who hath adjured is altogether guitless for there is no doubt but he hath required that which was lawful to require And although it s not my Purpose to contradict the Ordinances of Judgments yet I may think this to be more Christian both Nâ—t to Swear at all neither to Compel to Swear to be more Spiritual But yet if the Badness of men would permit it although you would have this Sentence of the Lord concerning not Swearing to be applyed to the Believers common and daily Custom of speaking for he speaks to his Disciples which is very true especially if the old Law which the Lord declares Thou shalt not Forswear but shalt render to the Lord thine Oaths was given concerning common and daily Speech but afterwards the Lord amendeth another thing which was written in the Old Law that the Law might be perfect and that he might shew how he hath fulfilled it and it may be fulfilled of others as Matthew shews CII SUAREZ He affirmeth Christ did not Swear because that which he could not lawfully do he could not simply do but he could not lawfully swear therefore he could not at all But that he never swore is proved because that he himself commanded or counselled Not to swear at all but simply to speak Yea it is Nay
it is not c. therefore ought to go before the Example It is spoaken of him only sometimes that he said Amen or Truly or Verily which we have before shewed to be no Particle of Swearing It 's not only forbidden in the New but also in the Old Testaments Not to Swear as Hos 4. Zach. 5. quoteth Tertullian lib. de Idololat cap. 11. saying I am silent about Perjury seeing that indeed it is not lawful to Swear And those very words of Christ Swear not at all signifie this seeing he subjoyns Neither by Heaven c. as if he had said not only greater Oaths but also these which seem less you are to take heed of and it is apparent from the Reason which he adjoyns saying Neither by Heaven If therefore Christ forbiddeth to swear by Heaven because God dwells therein much more he forbiddeth to swear by God c. Now he forbiddeth all manner of Swearing by the Creatures and every Oath by God himself as Greg. Nyssen rightly argues and Christ himself hath plainly so declared Mat. 23. Lastly The following Words of Christ are opposit Let your Word be Yea and Nay for by them he declareth that he before forbad the Addition of any Oath 2 dly Jerome answers Swearing was permitted to the Jews as to Children but Evangelical Verity receives not Swearing seeing every Faithful Word is for an Oath The same Doctrine and Exposition doth Chrysostom follow Theophylact after Christ It is an Evil to Swear as to be Circumcised and in brief whatsoever is Jewish Beda also Castro and Druthmarus confess and Bernard himself denyes not that it is the Counsel of Christ not to Swear And Precepts are not contray to Counsels Libr. 1. cap. 14. p. 282. Whether an Oath be an elicit Act of Religious Virtue There may be a Reason of Doubting because every Act of Religion is Principally intended for the Worship of God But an Oath is not made primarily and of it self per se for the Worship of God but for confirming c. as Heb. 6. From whence it seems plainly to follow That an Oath is not an Act of Religion It may be declared by Reason because 1 st It is impossible that man can bring God for a Witness although he would never so fain Therefore the Name of God is taken in vain as often as it is taken to swear Therefore it is Evil in it self per se 2 dly Grant this were possible to bring God for a Witness it seems disorderly to bring the Person of God to confirm men's Businesses Covenants or Words because it is disorderly to order things of an higher Order to those that are inferiour Much more is it disorderly to mix the sacred Authority of God to the prophane or common Words and Businesses of Men. 3 dly Though-in some Case an Oath might be used without Inconvenience yet it is so exposed to Dangers that it can scarce be done without Crime But in the Law of Grace because of the Perfection of it not only Sins are to be forbid but also those things which do morally and nearest entangle into Sin For he that loveth Danger shall perish in it He quotes Clemens Romanus lib. 6. Constitut Apost as before Our Master commanded that we should not Swear no not by the true God that our Word should be counted more firm and credible then an Oath it self He quotes also Greg. Nazianzen as before upon these words But I say unto you c. He forbiddeth all manner of Swearing by the Creatures even with Respect to God Hence it follows from the forcibler as I said that he forbad all Swearing by God himself as Gregory Nazianzen rightly argues as before on Cant. Homil. 18. And Christ himself plainly so declared Mat. 23. He that Sweareth by Heaven Sweareth by the Throne of God c. Lastly The words withstand which Christ subjoyns Let your Word be c. For by them he declares that he had before forbidden the adding of any Oath Therefore Jerome answered That Oaths c. were permitted to the Jews as to Children He uses many other Arguments and quotes many Authors as may be seen at large in his Book concerning Swearing CIII JO. MAJOR HADINGTONIANI on Mat. 5. Not to Swear at all That Precept was given to the Disciples the Basis of the first Church CIV JO AC CAMER and P. LOSELER VILLERIUS's Marginal Note upon Mat. 5.37 Whatsoever you vouch vouch it barely and whatsoever you deny deny it barely without any more words CV Bible imprinted An. 1559. in Quarto What is more is of Evil Marginal Note From an evil Conscience or from the Devil CVI. MARLORAT on Mat. 5. saith Some men not bad hold against Swearing Maldonat on Mat. 5. reckons up several against Swearing CVII PETER CHARRON Doctor of Law in Paris in his Book of Wisdom chap. 37. An Oath what is it but a Symptom and shameful Mark of Distrust Infidelity Ignorance Humane Infirmity both in him that Requires it that Gives it that Ordains it alluding to Christ's Words saith he Quod amplius est a malo What is more is from the Devil CVIII BEZA on James 5.12 That which you have to say or affirm speak or affirm it simply and without an Oath and that you have to deny deny it simply and flatly CIX Folio Bible printed Ann. 1578. Marginal Note on Mat. 5.34 Swear not at all Let Simplicity and Truth be your Words and then you shall not be so light and ready to Swear CX LODOVICUS SOTO Major In the Gospel this Particle Amen is often used by Christ our Lord confirming his Words by it as Hierem also noteth yet it 's not to be thought that none be deceived that Christ our Lord swore or would have to Swear as often as he useth this Word or Form of Confirming but rather so to have been willing more to Confirm and Perswade and Commend those Things which he taught and especially by Reiterating or Repeating this Word as he often useth for neither in this doubling of the Word for nought that Christ our Lord sometimes useth it in the Gospel but rather it hath a great Emphasis Encrease that is great Moment and Weight to perswade and gain Belief as Augustine rightly teacheth and explaineth in his 41. Tract upon the Gospel of John expounding those Words of Christ saying Amen or verely verely I say to you He that doth Sin is the Servant of Sin although therefore that it be not a Swearing yet it is a certain greater Confirmation and Asseveration of those Things which are spoaken yet nevertheless it is not Swearing for otherwise is it likely that Christ the Lord who himself dâ—horts others from Swearing at all for Danger of Forswearing should himself Swear so often for he not only forbad his to Swear Mat. 5. but also at the same Time and that very wholsomly that they should only use in their Speech a simple Affirmation and Denyal without any Oath saying Swear
where Yea and Nay have lost Credance however that no Judge or other ought in any Case to compel any Man to swear against his Will Peter Martyr who deserves well of the English Protestants confesseth That Christians ought to live so Charitably and Uprightly as not to need an Oath and that they may not be called upon to Swear Again Let us so live that there may be no need for us to Swear either by God or any other Thing at all and this sayes he is that same AT ALL which Christ spoak of N. Zegerus upon Mat. 5.34 tells us That the most Ancient Writers from thence concluded all Oaths forbidden and that the bare Word of Christians ought to be more Sacred and Firm then the most Religious Oaths of the Jews CXVI H. GROTIUS a great Learned Man excludes all Oaths not only such as are used in common Conversation but such as relate to Trade or pecuniary Matters allowing some othâ—rs for avoiding Infamy for preserving a Friend for a great Service to their Country as not morally necessary and by Precept but only by Consequence and Remedy concluding that it is best to live so as not to need an Oath And so both many of those Oaths imposed upon us are laid aside by him and also he gives many Cautions shewing that it is best not to Swear at all if it may possibly be avoided But in Answer to his Interpretation All Oaths are forbid that are performable to the Lord Now unles the vain inconsiderate Oaths such as are used in common Traffique are only those that are to be perform'd to the Lord Solemn Oaths such as the Law allow'd are also prohibited Besides the Yea and Nay of a true Christian is as capable of all those good Services as an Oath if the Sanctity of his Faith and Profession be allowed And if any Prejudices come to a Man's Friend Country or Self because his Yea and Nay is rejected it will never lye at his Door who offers all Christ permits him and his Conscience will dispense with but on the Distruster's Side especially when he that in Conscience can't Swear offers as large CAUTION as he that SWEARS and is willing to undergo Equal Punishment in Case of Vntruth that the other by Law sustains for Perjury And those that will have it to relate to Rash and not Judicial Oaths quite cross the Text for Christ prohibits not only vain and superfluous Oaths as now called such as were alwayes unlawful even under the Law but such as were allowed in the Times of the Law rendring them also by Evangelical Verity under the Gospel Vain superfluous and Vnlawful For well said Bp. Sanderson No Need to forbid by a new Command Things that of themselves were alwayes unlawful Otherwise we must read Christ's Words thus Ye have heard by them of Old Time thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths but I say unto you Swear not at all except before a Judge as if Swearing before a Judge under the Law were not an Oath performable to the Lord and such it self the Place most expresly forbids or thus Of Old it was said thou shalt not forswear thy self but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay thâ— is perform to God thine Oaths in Truth and Righteousness But I who say more then was said of Old say unto you Swear not at all but perform thine Oaths to God in Truth and Righteousness The Inconherence of which must needs be obvious to every considerate Person yet it is the only Reading that â—an be left upon those Interpretations We say that what God dispensed with under the Law he resolved to remove under the Gospel and to wind up Things to a higher Pitch of Truth Righteousness from Adultery in the Act to Adultery in the Thought from Revenge to Sufferance from True Swearing to NO Swearing at all whereby all Abuse of Oaths and Perjury come to be removed with the Oaths themselves by working out of Man's Heart that Fraud and Falshood that brought them in and implanting Evangelical Verity in room thereof which speaketh the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth to his Neighbour and makes a like Matter of Conscience to tâ—ll a Lye as to Forswear And it is known to Almighty God and we most heartily desire it may be known and belived by you that we have no other End nor Inducement to this so general Refusal we are found in throughout the Nation CXVII Bp. USHER is so tender in this Point that set aside his Vindication of the Waldenses in his Sum of Christian Religion he makes it necessary to the taking of an Oath that it be considered First If the Party we deal with really doubt of the Thing we affirm or deny thereby making Distrust the Cause of Swearing and implying that not Custom but real Diffidencâ— should only continue Swearing consequently not to continue where Distrust is done away Secondly It is to be weighed if the Party's Doubt whereof we speak be Weighty and Worthy of an Oath which we fear is seldom thought upon Custom prevailing even to Triffles as well as most excessive vain Swearing in Common Conversation Thirdly If the Question be Weighty wâ—eâ—her saith the Bishop the Doubt may be ended with Truly or Verely or doubting it Verely Verely as Christ did for you by his Example we ought to forbear an Oath Mat. 5.37 Wherefore should it not especially among Christians Fourthly Whether there be not yet any other fit Means to try out the Matter before we come to an Oath This is our Case and we make it our Sober Request that it would please you to consider this Particular for doubtless an Expedient may very easily be found without bringing us under the Bondage of an Oath CXVIII JER TAYLER Chaplain in Ordinary to K. Charles I. and late Bishop of Doun and Conner in his Book call'd ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Course of Sermons London printed 1673. Serm. Of Christian Simplicity fol. 228. Thus Our blessed Lord would not have his Disciples to Swear at all not in publick Judicature if the Necessity of the World would permit him to be obey'd If Christians will live according to the Religion the WORD of a Christian were a sufficient Instrument to give Testimony and to make Promises and to secure a Faith and upon that Supposition Oaths were useless and therefore forbidden because there would be no Necessity to invoke God's Name in Promises or Affirmations if men were INDEED Christians and therefore in that Case would be a Taking in vain But because MANY are not and they that are in NAME oftentimes are in nothing els it became necessary that Men should Swear in Judgment and in publick Courts But consider who it was that invented and made the Necessity of Oaths of Bonds of Securities all the Artifices of Human Diffidence and Dishonesty These Things were indeed found out by Men but
p. 10 18. Polycarpus p. 40 45. Ponticus p. 41 45. Potamicna p. 42. Jer. of Prague p. 126. Prateolus p. 100. Le Pricur p. 45. Protestants of Piedmont p. 128. Publicani p. 100. J. Purrey p. 124. Pythagoras p. 30 31. Q Quintilian p. 34 R Rabanus p. 107 115. Raimundus pag. 37. Reiner p. 120. Remigius p. 115. Rhadamanthus p. 32. Rigaltius p. 46. Ruffinus p. 115. Rupertus p. 115. S Mich. Sadler pag. 127. Ger. Sagarel p. 128. Grae. Sages p. 30. Rob. Sanderson p. 20 101 104. W. Sawtree p. 126. Scapula p. 102. Scultetus p. 43 46. Scythians p. 29. Simocat p. 34. Smaragdus p. 115 Sociad p. 30. Socrat. Schol. pag. 51 60 63 71. Solon p. 30. Lod. Soto Major p. 144. H. Spelman p. 111. Spotswood p. 127. Stobaeus p. 30 34. Swarez p. 47 58 100 140. W. Swinderby p. 122. Jer. Taylor pag. 155. Tertullian p. 42 52 100. Gr. Thaumaturgus p. 51. Theodoret p. 11. 106. Theognis p. 30. Theophylact p. 100 113 141. W. Thorp p. 124 126. Titelmannus p. 10. Treatise of Peace p. 163. Archiep. Triers p. 111. V Valerius Max. p. 30 33. Villerius p. 143. Vossius p. 100. J. Usher p. 100 121 128 152. W Walden p. 100. Waldenses p. 100 120. Bp. Walton p. 102. W. White p. 126. J. Wickliff p. 121. Wickliffists p. 101. Widsord p. 100 Em. Willy p. 124. X Xenocrates p. 33 15. Xenophon p. 102. Y Eliz. Young p. 125. Z Euthymius Zagabonus p. 126. Some Inducements Offer'd TO Answer this REQVEST From a Consideration of the Cause and End of an Oath And those REASONS AND TESTIMONIES Given by us against the USE and IMPOSITION of it The GROUND or Reason of Swearing THis we think all will agree to have been the Degeneration of Man from primitive Integrity at what time Yea and Nay were enough for when men grew corrupt they distrusted each other and had recourse to extraordinary Wayes to awe one another into Truth's-speaking as a Remedy against Falseness else what need had there been of an Oath or any Extraordinary Way of Evidence when every Syllable was freighted with Truth and Integrity It had been a meer taking of God's Holy Name in vain Truth then flowed naturally and wanted no such Expedient to Extort its Evidence Thus Polybius though an Heathen in his Story of the Romans saith Among the Ancients Oaths were seldom used in Judicatures themselves but when Perfidiousness increased Oaths increased or then the Use of them first came in Basilius Magnus saith Oaths are an Effect of Sin Gregorius Nazianzonus in his Dialogue against Swearing saith An Oath is nothing else but a certain consumation of Mischiefs Ambrosius saith Swearing is only in Condescension to a Defect Chrysostom saith An Oath came in when Evils increased when men appeared unfaithful when all things became Topsy Turvy Again To swear is of the Devil seeing Christ saith What is more then Yea c. is of Evil. Swearing took its Beginning for want of Truth or Punctuality Augustin saith An Oath is not among good but Evil Things and used for the Infirmity of others which is Evil from which we pray that we may be daily delivered Chromatius saith What need we swear seeing it is unlawful to Lye Which shows that Lying was the Occasion of Oaths and by leaving off Lying Oaths vanquish as unprofitable Titelmannus saith that an Oath belongs not to Virtue Albertus Magnus saith Swearing is by Indulgence Ludulphus saith An Oath was permitted of Infirmity Burgensis cites Jerome saying Our Saviour teacheth that an Oath sprung from the Vices of Men. Bp. Gauden also tells us That the Evils of mens Hearts and Manners the Jealousies and Distrusts the Dissimulations and Frauds of many Christians their Vncharitableness and Insecurities are such as by their Diseases do make solemn Oaths and judicial Swearing necessary not ABSOLUTELY MORALLY or PRECEPTIVELY but as a Remedy or Expedient Jerom with many of the Fathers Chrysostom Theodoret and others here omitted because largly cited hereafter make this the Reason why God indulged the Jews in the Use of Swearing That they were but in the State of Infancy and that they might be kept from Swearing by false Gods which the Scripture is plain in For thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and swear by HIS Name Ye shall not go after other Gods for God is a Jealous God c. Which shews that he dispensed with Swearing by his Name that he might take them off from Swearing by False God's because they would thereby acknowledge them and not the True God so that Swearing is only better then Idolatry It will remain that we give our REASONS why we cannot take this Liberty and Swear as well as other Men have done and yet do I. THe first is drawn from the Cause and Ground of Oaths viz. Perfidiousness Distrust and Falshood God's Injunctions to avoid those hateful Crimes The Ability he hath given man to answer his Commands and Man's Duty to make that use of God's Gift For if Swearing came in by Perfidiousness Distrust Dissimulation and Falshood it is a most just Consequence that it ought to go out with them or that as the Rise and Increasing of those Evils were the Rise and Increasing of Oaths so the Decreasing and Extirpation of those Evils should be the Decreasing and Abolishing of Oaths otherwise there would be no Truth in the Rule of Contraries nor Reason in that ancient Maxim Cessante ratione Legis cessat lex That the Ceasing of the Reason of the Law is the Cessation of the Law Expedients are no longer useful then to obtain what they are designed to Means are swallowed up of their Ends Diseased Men only want Remedies and Lame Men Crutches Honesty needs neither Whip nor Spur She is Security for her self and Men of Virtue will speak Truth without Extortings for Oaths are a sort of Racks to the Mind altogether useless where Integrity swayes This we presume no man of Reason will deny viz. That Swearing came in and ought to go out with Perfidiousness and we hope it will be as easie to grant at least it will be very easie to prove That God hath frequently both by Prophets and Apostles reproved men for such Impieties and strictly required Truth and Righteousness as Isa 59 3 4. Jer. 9.3 5. Rom. 12.19 Gal. 5.19 20 21. Col. 3 8 9 10. Josh 24.14 1 Sam. 12.24 1 King 2.4 Eph. 4.25 and by abundance of other Places in Holy Scripture And that God should enjoyn man any thing that he hath not impowered him to perform is unworthy of any man acknowledging a God so much as to conceive It is true that the unprofitable Servant in the Parable is represented to entertain so blasphemous a Thought of his Maker that he was so hard a Master as to reap where he did not sow but the same Parable also acquaints us of the dreadful Consequence of that Presumption The Prophet Micha preached
another Doctrine The Lord hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do Justly to love Mercy and to walk Humbly with thy God For this End hath the Grace of God appeared unto all Men as speaks the Apostle Paul to Titus that they should be taught to deny Vngodliness and Worâ—dly Lusts which entering over-running the World made way among other Expedients for that of Oaths so that to live that Life which needs No Oath man is both requir'd and impower'd And as it is only his Fault and Condemnation if he doth not so certainly there can be no Obligation upon him who liveth that Life of Truth and Intetegrity to perpetuate that which rose and therefore ought to fall with Falshood and Perfidiousness the Reason of the thing it self excuses him for he that fears Untruth needs not swear because he will not lye to prevent which men exact Swearing And he that doth not fear telling Untruth what is his Oath worth He that makes no Conscience of that Law that forbids Lying will he make any Conscience of Forswearing Veracity is the best Security and Truth speaking the Noblest Tye and Firmest Testimony that can be given This we declare to you to be both our Judgment and Attainment We speak not Boastingly but with Humility before the Great Lord of Heaven and Earth to whose alone Power we do unanimously asscribe the Honour He hath taught us to speak the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth as plainly and readily without an Oath as with an Oath and to abhor Lying as much as Perjury so that for us to swear were to take his Holy Name in vain Nor are we therein singular for that not only Christian Fathers Mar and Doctors but also Jews and Heathens have had this Sense of the Rise and Use of Oaths as will hereafter fully appear II. Our second Reason why we refuse to comply with this Custom and our Superiours ought not to impose it is this It would Gratifie Distrusts Humor Jealousies and Subject Truth and those that love it to the same Checks Curbs and Preventions that have been invented against Fraud whereby the Honour of a Nobler Profession the Power of a veracious Example and the just Difference that ought to be made betwixt Trustiness and Diffidence Integrity and Perfidiousness are utterly lost How is is possible for men to recover that ancient Confidence that good men reposed in one another if some don't lead the Way and hold forth to the World a Principle and Conversation beyond the Necessity of such extraordinary Expedients At present People lie all in a Heap and the Greatest Truth finds no more Favour then the greatest Fraud Fidelity must wear the Shackles worldly Prudence hath made against the Evil Consequences of Couzennage and subject her self to the Customs brought up through Fraud or go to Gaol Be pleased to consider that Trustiness did not all at once quit the World nor will it return universally in the Twinkle of an Eye Things must be allowed their Time for Rise Progress and Perfection And if ever you would see the World planted with Primitive Simplicity and Faithfulness rather cherish then make men Sufferers for Refusing to Swear especially if they offer the same Caution to the Law with him that will swear We dare not Swear because we dare not Lye and that it may appear to the World that we can speak the Truth upon easier Terms then an Oath For us then to be forc'd to swear is to make us do a needless thing or to suspect our own Honesty The first we dare not because as we have said it is to take God's Name in vain and we have no Reason to distrust our selves being no wayes conscious of fraudulent Purposes Why then should we swear But much rather why should we be imposed upon It is a Saying asscribed to Solon That a good man should have that Repute as not to need an Oath that it is a Diminution to his Credit to be put to Swear It becomes not an Evangelical Man to Swear was a primitive Axiom but more of that anon In the mean while please to remember you have a Practice among you to exempt your Lords in several Cases placing the Value of an Oath in their bare Avouchment upon their Honour supposing that men of those Titles should have so much Worth as that their Word might be of equal Force with a Common Man's Oath And if you will please to understand Honour in the Sense of the most ancient and best of Philosophers to wit VIRTVE your own Custom gives Authority to our Reason makes you to say with us That Virtue needs not Swear much less have Oaths imposed upon her to tell Truth the only Use of Oaths It was Evangelically spoaken of Clemens Alexandrinus That a Good Life is a firm Oath which was memorably verified by the Judges of Athens who though Heathens forbad the Tendering of Xenocrates an Oath because of their great Opinion of his Integrity which was Three Hundred Years before Christ came in the Flesh III. Our third Reason for Non conformity to your Custom is the Fear we have lest by Complying we should be guilty of Rebellion against the Discoveries God hath made to our Souls of his ancient holy Way of Truth consequently of concealing his Goodness to us and depriving him of that Glory the World of that Advantage this honest Testimony may bring to him them He has redeem'd us from Fraud 'T is he only that hath begotten this Conscientiousness in us and we dare not put this Light under a Bushel neither can we deny his Work or him to have the Honour of it We intreat you take this Tenderness of ours into Christian Consideration IV. Oaths have in great measure lost of the Reason of their primitive Institution since they have not that Awful Influence which was and only can be a Pretence for using them on the contrary they are become the familiar parts of Discourse and help to make up a great share of the A la mode Conversation and those who decline their Company or reprove their Practice are to go for a sort of Nice and squâ—amish Conscienc'd Men. These Swear without Fear or Wit yet would be thought Witty in Swearing Fearless they can't Some are curious in their Impiety Old Oaths are too dull for men of their Invention who almost shift Oaths with their Fashions Nay the most judicial Oaths are commonly administred and taken with so little Reverence and Devotion to say nothing of the Perjuries that through Ignorance or Design are too frequently committed that we can't but cry out Oh the great Depravity that is in the World How low is Man faln from the primitive Rule of Life Well may the Prophet's Complaint be ours for If ever Land mourned because of OATHS with great Sadness we say it this doth And what more effectual Remedy can any People
to be to them for a great Oath plainly declares to sagacious Readers and such Tertullian's African Speech requires as Rigaltius sayes of his Writings which have been altered of them that could not comprehend them But is it likely that a Man so severe that condemned the very subscribing of a Writing wherein an Oath was contained and for this Reason because Christ forbad to Swear at all and thought it needless to speak of Perjury because it was not lawful to swear should yet allow it in himself and others to swear even by that which was not God Besides Suarez reckons him amongst those Fathers who were more especially against Swearing Thus are the Conspirers against this part of the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles Primitive Fathers and Martyrs forc'd out of that Sanctuary they betook themselves to in the Sentence of this intricate Doctor Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 7. XXXVI Clemens Alexandrinus his Contemporary famous for Learning and Strict Living to help him in his Mystical Meaning of an Oath sayes He who is once a Believer why shall he make himself an Unbeliever as that he hath also need to Swear and doth not so lead his Life that the same to wit his Life be a firm and definite Oath and shew the Faithfulness of Confession in a constant and stable Speech Far be it that he who is approved and discerned in such Piety should be propense to Lye or to Swear He who liveth justly transgressing in nothing of these things that should be done the same sweareth truly and holily by his Deeds and Works Mark how this agrees with Tertullian's improper Swearing the Testimony of the Tongue is superfluous to him It sufficeth to add unto his Affirming or Denying this viz. I SPEAK TRULY that he beget Faith in them who perceive not the Stability of his Answer For it behoveth him as I judge saith he to have a Life worthy of Credit or Faith among those that are without that an Oath be not sought from him Neither doth he Swear as being one who hath determined to put for his Affirming YEA for his Denying NAY Where is there any need of an Oath to him that so lives as one that is attain'd to the height of Truth He therefore that doth not Swear is far from Forswearing He that transgresseth in nothing that is covenanted and agreed HE MAY NEVER SWEAR Seeing he is fully perswaded that God is every where and is ashamed not to speak Truth and professeth that it is a thing unbeseeming and unworthy for him to speak False he is content with this that God and his own Conscience know it and therefore he doth not Lye nor do any thing besides or against what is covenanted and agreed By that means he neither sweareth if he be asked nor denyes so as to speak false though he dye upon the Rack for it Likewise in his 5th 7th and 8th Books of Strom. also in his 3d Book of his Paedagogue with Gentianus Hervetus's Notes on it where he forbids to set Two Prices and commands but one single one and to speak Truth WITHOUT an Oath c. Origen in Matth. Tract 25. XXXVII Origen his Successor a Man of equal Fame for Learning and Piety succeeds him also in this Testimony concerning Swearing Because saith he the Jews have a Custom to swear by Heaven to the fore-going Prohibition Christ added this also to reprove them because they more easily swore by Heaven then by God because he deals alike unreasonably who sweareth by HEAVEN as he that swears by the TEMPLE or by the ALTAR in that who sweareth by Heaven seemeth to swear by him that sitteth in that Throne and doth not escape Danger as he thinks because he sweareth not by God himself but by the Throne of God And these things he speaks to the Jews forbidding them to give heed to the Traditions of the Pharisees otherwise before HE MANIFESTLY FORBAD TO SWEAR AT ALL. The Chief Priest said unto him I adjure thee by the Living God that thou tell us if thou be the Christ the Son of God In the Law we find the Use of Adjuring The Priest shall adjure the Woman with the Adjurations of this Curse Also Ahab said unto Michaeas I adjure thee that thou tell me the Truth in the Name of the Lord. The King adjured the Prophet not by Command of the Law but by his own Will And now the Priest adjures Jesus by the Living God But I account that a Man that will live according to the Gospel MUST NOT ADJURE ANOTHER For it is even like that which the Lord himself forbids in the Gospel BUT I SAY UNTO YOU SWEAR NOT AT ALL. For if it be not lawful to swear as to the Gospel-Command of Christ it is also true that it is not lawful to Adjure another or compel him to Swear Huetius upon him addeth that Athanasius Chrysostom Epiphanius Hilary and many more were of of the same Mind with him and if so we may without Offence add upon that Respect our Superiors seem to carry to their Names that it must needs be very remote from the Doctrine of the ancient Church to fine imprison and bitterly treat those that for Conscience of that Gospel-Command do scruple an Oath in this Age. If thou wilt return O Israel saith the Lord and put away thy Abominations then shalt thou not remove And thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in Truth and Judgment and Righteousness Origen here tells us That this is a Reproof of them that did not Swear in Judgment but without Judgment Howbeit we know saith he that the Lord said unto his Disciples But I say unto you SWEAR NOT AT ALL. Perhaps formerly it behoved them to Swear in Truth Judgment and Righteousness that after any had given Proof of his Integrity he might be thought worthy of being believed WITHOUT ANY OATH AT ALL. But once having YEA he needs no Witness that it is YEA and having NAY he needs no other Evidence to prove that it is NAY Thus doth Origen prefer and extol Evangelical Verity wrapt up in solemn Yea or Nay above the Swearing that was in Truth Judgment and Righteousness under the Dispensation of the Law Socrates Scolast lib. 4. cap. 22. of his Ecclesiastical History XXXVIII Gregory Thaumaturgus so called from his working of Miracles on Eccles lib. 46. cap. 8. saith It is meet to give diligent heed to the Words of the King and to flee an Oath by all means especially that which is taken in the Name of God See his great Praise his Works and Miracles Cyprian Lib. 3. Testim ad Quirin XXXIX Cyprian a famous Father and faithful Martyr who lived about the middle of the Age in the beginning of which Origen flourished in his third Book of Testimonies to Quirinus Who hath desired me said Cyprian to draw out of the holy Scriptures certain Heads belonging to the Religious Discipline of our Sect for so he calleth his own
the Christian Religion His 12th Head amongst them is Not to Swear Again Writing of Pastors and Teachers he biddeth them Remember what the Lord taught and said Let your saying be Yea Yea and Nay Nay In another Place he saith It is unlawful for any man to compel another to take an Oath Hitherto the Christians being under most cruel Sufferings generally kept faithful to the Command of Christ in this Point and so we find very little in their Writings about it besides a simple and bare asserting of it as the Doctrine of Christ not to swear at all as well as it was of Moses not to swear falsly or vainly for more was no way needful in that it was not Contested but universally so Received But after that Christian-Emperors had engaged themselves in Parties then it seems many out of Flattery and to engage them to their Sect took Liberty to Swear even by the Health of the Emperor as is objected against us by some out of Eusebius but such he did not account Religious neither that a Religious Part so to do much less an August Act and least of all a most August Act of Divine Worship as some would have it seeing Stobaeus observes from him That whereas many exhorted that they be honest and faithful in an Oath he for his part esteemed it not the Part of a Religious Man not to avoid even Swearing it self And we believe it will be a hard Matter to find any in the Greek Church especially for the first Three Hundred Years that would allow Swearing so large a Place in Sacred Things yea or in later Ages either even in the Latin Church nay of those who have allowed it in some Cases many or most of them have denyed it any Place at all in the Worship of God as of it self accounting it an Abatement rather then an Advancement to Christianity which no part of the true Worship of God can be But some perhaps taking of Tertullian's word Augustior or more August which he sayes the Safety of the Emperor is in Comparison of all the Genius's to be the highest Act of God's Worship they would have us swear by that after the Example of those mention'd in some Christian-Emperors Times Tertullian's Sense we shall easily grant for it is so and we do so in that we commend our Prince and Governours to God to God only with earnest and sincere Desires for his and their Safety above all such Genius's as Tertullian calls Daemonia But we justly deny upon the score of what we have made appear to the contrary even from Tertullian himself and others That he or the Christians in his time or for Two Hundred Years before or a Hundred Years after did swear as some would have us least of all as a most August Act of the Worship of God without which all others are unacceptable or that those who did swear afterwards were the most Religious seeing Eusebius esteems otherwise and not he only but also those very Devout Men that we have already produced besides many which might and may be mentioned For all that we have yet met with in those Times that speak of it speak against it and of the following Times Men of greatest Renown and Authority labour'd with all Earnestness to expel Oaths the Society of Christians and cure them of that Distemper by inculcating the Doctrine of Integrity that needs no Oath proving by holy Scripture that it was the plain and absolute Law of Christ that Christians ought not to swear at all and by other Arguments that the Original of Oaths was neither from God nor good Men But they crept into Use through the Corruption of Times and meer Carelesness of Governments for when they could not trust one another they called their God's to witness but God separating Abraham and his Posterity from among them to himself the better to draw them from Idols commanded them to swear by him only as much as if he would have said If you will Swear let it be by my Name rather then Idols that so you may though it be after a mean manner acknowledge a real Deity the Only Lord of all But how long was this Condescension to last But till the Fulness of Time came That with other Permissions removed all Swearing Christ bringing men to the Truth in the Inward Parts as in the Beginning before Swearing was in being for from the Beginning it was not so But to shew what other Fathers Reasons Testimonies against this Heathenish and Jewish Usage indeed Bondage were at the coming in of the Apostacy we shall begin with Athanasius a Man that was in great Renown in the dayes of Constantine the Great and whose Creed is the Faith and Test of Christendom at this day Athanasius on the Passion of Christ XL. The Evangelical Sentence of the Lord is Let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay Thus far we who are in Christ may confirm our Words with Asseverations and with no further Progress let us flee to or approach Oaths that we alledge not God for Witness for Corruptible Money 's sake especially since Moses so sets down the Law Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in a vain thing For if any one is plainly worthy to name God he is also worthy of Belief For whosoever is meet for greater things he will be much more fit for less On the contrary if he be not worthy Belief that he may be credited without an Oath surely he is not one that is worthy to name God If he be not faithful in Word how will God by any means be the Witness of an Oath for him who is destitute of Faith to which God hath Respect Again The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him in Truth by which alone the Lord can be called upon Wherefore why do they swear by God who are not trusted even in small Matters Otherwise an Oath is a Testimony of Truth and not a Judge of Businesses sith men do swear not that they may signifie Businesses but that they may confirm the Truth and that they may shew that those things which they produce are without Lying If therefore he that swears hath Faith and Truth WHAT USE IS THERE OF AN OATH But if he hath no Faith nor Truth why do we undertake such an Impiety that for poor silly Men and those mortal too we call to Witness GOD that is above men For if it be a base Part to call to witness an Earthly King to the lowest Judicatures as one that is greater then both Actors and Judges why do we cite him that is uncreated to created things and make God to be despised of men HOUT that exceeds all Iniquity and Audaciousness What then is to be done NO MORE but that our YEA be YEA and our NAY be NAY and in short THAT WE DO NOT LYE But if we shall seem to speak Truth and imitate the true God some
seemeth to assent to an Oath but the Lord to take away all Occasion of Perjury and willing to prevent the Dangers of Swearers takes away Swearing ALTOGETHER For he names an Oath in many places the immutable and firm Constancy of any thing or purpose I have sworn and have stedfastly purposed to keep the Judgments of thy Righteousness Also The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Not that David brought the Lord for a Witness of his Sayings and to get Belief to his Doubting but that he confirmed the Grace of his Profession by an Immutable and firm Decree so also he could have said here that is He that sweareth and deceiveth not his Neighbour that it may agree with the Saying of our Saviour Let your Word be YEA YEA NAY NAY To things that are thou mayst affirm and assent but of things that are not although all men urge thee yet thou mayst never be drawn by any means to affirm against the Nature of the Truth Is the thing not done let there be a Denyal is it done let it be affirmed by Word And he that shall not assent to him so affirming let him look to it and feel the Harm of his Unbelief It is a base and a very foolish thing to accuse one's self as one unworthy of being believed and to betake and refer one's self to the Security of an Oath Now there are some Speeches which have the Forms of Oaths and yet are no Oaths at all but rather Remedies to perswade as Joseph to make the Aegyptian familiar with him swore by the Health of Pharaoh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 live Pharaoh And the Apostle willing to shew his Love to the Corinthians said By the Glorying of you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord For he did not depart from the Doctrine of the Gospel who by a thing before all most dear unto him simply sought Belief to the Truth He refused to swear at the Council of Chalcedon And speaking of Clineas a Pythagorean who might have avoided a Mulct of Three Talents if he would have sworn which he rather suffered saith In keeping these things he seems to have heard that Command concerning an Oath that is forbidden us And he upbraided the Christians of his time with it that would swear This Basil the Great in his 29th Canon to Amphilochius writes thus Because an Oath is ALTOGETHER FORBIDDEN such an one as is taken to an Evil Purpose is much more to be condemned Again If an Oath simply as such be prohibited of greater Reason when it is to effect some Mischievous End The Cure consisteth in a twofold Admonition 1. NOT TO SWEAR 2. TO SVPPRESS THE FORM OF OATHS Blastaris Syntagma Tit. E. c. 32. XLV There was an ancient Law made to this effect It is FORBIDDEN to all from the Bishop and Clergy-Men to the Readers to TAKE ANY OATH AT ALL. Blastaris also brings in this Objection But since those are punished who swear falsly and those are passed by who swear well some may say Therefore it is permitted to swear To which he answers But where shall we dispose o◠how shall we dispense with the Evangelical Precept in the Gospel THAT FORBIDS STAKING ANY OATH AT ALL Adding But I believe that the Gospel endeavoured to root out that Wicked Stem as I may say which is in sinful me◠and FOR THAT CAVSE PROHIBITED AN OATH which is as the Door or In-let to Perjury Gregor Nyssenus on Cant. orat 13. XLVI Gregory Nissenus Brother to Basil spoaken of by Socrates Scolasticus in the same place and in lib. 5. cap. 9. His Works are Famous And in his Explanation on the Canticles bestows this Testimony upon us He who by Moses established the Beginnings of the Law by himself fulfilled all the Law and the Prophets as he saith in the Evangels I came not to destroy the Law but fulfil it who taking away Anger abolisheth Killing also and together with Lust took away Adultery He also casts out of men's Lives accursed Perjuries whilst by the Prohibition of an Oath he has put in his Sith as it were to Security For it cannot be that any should not keep an Oath when there is no Oath Therefore saith he You have heard that it was said to them of old time Thou shalt not Forswear but shalt render to the Lord thy Oaths but I say unto you SWEAR NOT AT ALL neither by Heaven c. but let your YEA be YEA and your NAY NAY for whatsoever is more is of the Devil Thus do they mostly end which shows how they understood Christ's Words Greg. Nazianz. in his Dialogue against Swearing Jamb 20. XLVII Gregory Nazianzen a great Man in the Church also speaketh to the same Purpose in his Dialogue against Swearing saying B. What Oath dost thou leave to us A. I wish I might leave none and that there were never any more But thou sayest We have heard that God himself sometimes swore The holy Scriptures record that But is there any thing better then God Surely nothing is found better then He If therefore nothing be better then he it should follow that he never swears B. Why therefore do they record that he swore A. When God saith any thing that is the Oath of God B. And how doth he swear by himself A. How He should not at all be God if he should lye B. Thou speakest strangely A. No Wonder that is the Nature of God peculiarly that he cannot lye There is none that can deny this 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 is my Judgment for now we have made a long Progress wherefore a Wise Man will abstain from Oaths B. What then Dost thou give to some as Infants a kind of first Food that they may at length receive a succeeding kind of Meat A. Thou judgest right and wisely B. But Paul also swore as they say A. Who said so Oh what a vain Jangler was he that said it Quoth he God is my Witness and God knoweth Those words are not an Oath but a certain Asseveration in such great things constant and inviolable B. Wilt thou allow the same also to me A. I wish that to thy Power thou wouldst plainly become a Paul and so thou wouldst have a Right Rule of thine Actions B. What if I use an Oath Unwillingly but to free me from Danger A. Let another allow thee that B. What if an Oath be written and not pronounced with the Voice A. And what 's the Meaning of a Writing Surely amongst all other Obligations a Writing doth more bind and
obliege us 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 that B. What if the Books of the holy Scriptures be not used A. What! Is Religion placed in a Leaf Is God absent by this Means It is evident that thou fearest Paper or Parchment and I fear God more This is a frequent Disease to many and usual neither is it otherwise then if a Man beat the Master and Disgrace him and make his Servant a Free-man and do him Honour What a notable Reproach should that be or as if a Man should preserve the King's Image and in the mean time destroy the King B. It is even as thou sayest But I would have thee say what is more to be shewn A. Many use to say I swore with my Tongue but my Mind is free from Swearing Any thing may be more cunningly excused then an Oath Let him not suffer any Colour to be made for himself For this is an Oath And how much Mischief tell me comes from Deceit it self Let us see what an Oath is Nothing else but the very Meaning or Mind of those things which we set down Thou wouldst have me add what remains Surely an Oath is nothing else but a certain Consummation as it were of Mischiefs O Dangerous Flame B. But Plato doth some such thing He is Religiously aware that he swear not by any God A. Truly I know what thou art about to say There was a certain Plane Tree by which alone he made Oath But he did not swear rightly neither by that For he had an Understanding in something but what a just religious Oath should be that he could not understand And what was this tell me now A certain Shadow of an Oath a Declaration without a Name an Oath no Oath as the Philosophers swore by a strange and unknown God Lastly it is nothing else but to make Oath by any thing Here our Speech let be an End Thou threatnest that thou wilt leave me athirst sooner then I would A. If an Oath seem a small thing to thee truly I cannot commend thee But if it is as it is in the number of horrible things I will also dare to produce a mighty thing I do adjure by a very Oath it self that thou abstain from and beware of Oaths and thou hast the Victory B. I wish I had What Fruit gets he that often sweareth Laughter What more That when he speaks Truth he shall not be believed In another place he saith That to swear by Creatures is to swear with regard to God himself so Christ himself saith Mat. 5.35 and chap. 23.16 23. Caesarius Num. 43. XLVIII Caesarius Brother to Gregory Nazianzen in his spiritual Sentences hath this Sentence Flee ALL Swearing or EVERY Oath How then shall we get Belief As well by Speech as by virtuous Actions and Carriages that gain Belief to our Speech Perjury is a Denying of God What need of God in this Matter Interpose and put in ure thy Actions Epiphan adv Heres lib. 1. ord 19. §. 6. XLIX Epiphanius whom Sâ—crates Scholasticus lib. 6. cap. 9. calls a Man of great Fame and Renown and a Virtuous and Godly Person in his first Book against Heresies â—not accounting Denying to Swear an Heresie but rather the contrary as may appear by his words which are these 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 Yea Nay Nay BE AS AN OATH as Petavius translates it for what is more then these is of Evil. Therefore I suppose that the Lord ordained concerning this because of some mens 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 Therefore he is Evil that compels not only to swear by God but by other things c. Ambros de Virgin lib. 3. L. Ambrose soon after being a Lay man or Citizen of Milan was by the People against his Will chosen Bishop of that City for his great Worth and Godliness whose Writings are of great Account And speaking of the Inconveniency occasion'd by an Oath saith Wherefore not without Cause doth the Lord in the Gospel command not to Swear that there may be no Cause of Forswearing that there may be no Necessity of Offending He that Sweareth not certainly he never Forsweareth but he that Sweareth sometimes he must needs fall into Perjury because all Men are subject to Lye Do not therefore Swear lest thou beginnest to Forswear Therefore the Lord who came to teach the little Ones to INSPIRE Novices to confirm the Perfect saith in the Gospel YE MUST NOT SWEAR AT ALL because he spoak to the Weak Lastly He spoak not only to the Apostles but to the Multitude for he would not have thee to Swear lest thou shouldst Forswear And he added Not to swear neither by Heaven nor by the Earth c. namely by those things that are not subject to thy Power The Lord Sware and shall not Repent He may swear who cannot repent of his Oath And what did the Lord swear That Christ is a Priest forever Is that Uncertain Is that Impossible the Lord has sworn Can it any way be changed Do not therefore use the Example of an Oath because thou hast not Power to fulfil an Oath Also in his Commentary on the Hebrews he saith Because Mankind is incredulous God condescendeth to us if even he sweareth for us So that he shews that not to be an Argument for Swearing to be desired seeing it is only in Condescension to a Defect not to be encouraged from it to swear or to require it Chrysost on Gen. hom 15. LI. Chrysostom in those dayes very Famous in the Church and therefore styl'd the Golden Doctor in his 15th Homily on Genesis saith A Christian must flee 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 Business IT IS NOT LAWFUL TO SWEAR NEITHER IN A JUST NOR UNJUST THING To swear is of the Devil seeing Christ faith For what is more is of Evil or the Evil One. Swearing took not its Beginning from the Will but from Negligence only Thou hast heard saith he the Wisdom of Christ saying That not only to Forswear but also in ANY MANNER TO SWEAR is Devilish and all a Device of the Evil One. IF TO SWEAR IS FOUND TO BE DEVILISH how are they to be punished who Forswear IF TO SWEAR TRULY BE A CRIME and a transgressing of the Commandment where shall we place Perjury Speaking of a
since there may be some Truth and Sincerity we cannot but acknowledge and embrace And we hope the Reasons and Authorities of others they bring and the Concessions and Confessions they make may and indeed ought to be of Weight in that Point at least to shew that it is no new strange or unreasonable Thing for us to refuse Oaths And though some might with a Mixture of Supâ—rstition and Wâ—ll-worship undertake and maintain that Strictness and Preciseness which some of the holy Ancients by the Spirit of Truth were led to practise the ancient Histâ—ries of whom from Eye-Witnesses as the Word signifies of some of them we in a great Part believe And some later more Enlightened and Zealous Men taking Offence thereat but especially at the Hypocrisie and Abomination palliated by such fair Pretences have streined much in Opposition to that Evangelical Doctrine yet is the Doctrine nevertheless a Truth in it self Nor can we believe that all that were accounted Hereticks were out of the Catholick or Universal Church for the Word Catholick signifies Vniversal containing all that are in the Church that is in God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ in all Times and those were not all of the same Mind in all Things as may be read in the Holy Scriptures and also in Eusebius and other Ecclesiastical Histories where Men are commended for Holiness and Virtue yet at much Difference in some Things Synesius though he believed not the Resurrection was chosen to minister and afterward was made a Bishop the Charity of Christians was so great in that Age. And some accounted Hereticks suffered Martyrdom that are commended or excused by Eusebius one in particular that dyed with Polycarpus and another called Asclepius called Marcionites See also the beginning of his eighth Book concerning the Divisions among them that afterward suffered for the Testimony of the Universal or Catholick Truth nor can we receive their Judgment that branded those with the Name of Hereticks Pelagians c. who denyed Swearing in those declining Ages and suppressed their Works under that Name and Aspersion only not allowing them to speak for themselves to us of latter Times We see how unjustly we our selves are aspersed in almost every Doctrine we hold and that under Pretence of serving God particularly with seeking to work our Salvation by our own Power and when they have made us this Belief they bestow Pelagianism upon it for Fathers have Right to name their own Children whereas of all other People we especially disclaim our own Ability and wait to be renewed and guided by the Spirit of Christ and to be found in his Righteousness and therefore on the other hand reputed Phanaticks Enthusiasts c. and mocked for being moved by the Spirit following the Light c. But let their Example or Authority be as it will or however they were in other Respects the Doctrine of the ancient primitive Fathers and Practice of that Church as also the Doctrine of famous Men among themselves neither of which Sort dare they condemn for Hereticks do sufficiently defend them from the Aspersion of Heresie in that Particular And so we shall come to our remaining Testimonies it being our Business not to maintain every one of their Principles we cite but this Doctrine of Swear not at all to have had the Voice of several Ages to confirm it The ancient Waldenses reputed to have continued Vncorrupted with the Grosness of the Apostacy ever since the Apostles Times see their History in P. Perin S. Moreland and Bp Vsher de Succes we have good Cause to say denyed the taking of any Oath in what Sense the Primitive Christians and Fathers refused and that was altogether Sure their Enemies charg'd them with it for above three hundred Years and we cannot find they then denyed the Charge We suppose none will attempt to prove they did Though one of our Adversaries joyns with theirs traducing them for Perjurers and with them abuses that worthy and learned Man Bp. Vsher who defends them from that improbable and contradictory Aspersion of Lying and Forswearing and yet of Denying to Sweaâ— who sayes that they were as far from Lying and Forswearing as their Enemies were from Modâ—sty and Truth which did appear in that they were charg'd by them Not to swear at all Peruse that part of his Book de Successione where he treats of them and where also you may read of their Succession how that the Syrians Armenians came out of the East into Thracia thence in process of Time into Bulgaria and Sclavonia thence into Italy and Lumbardy and were called by several Names of several People or at several Times as Manichees Waldenses Albingenses Cathari or Puritans Patrins Publicans Humiliati c. who were charged with denying Swearing And how that several of the better sort of the Clergy and of the nobler Laity who refused the present Use of Baptism and the Lord's Supper were burnt under the Name of Manichees Suarez also reckons-up the Catharists Alba. Bagnald and others which Prateolus and Castro relate the Waldenses the Anabaptists c. And which Jansenius also out of Augustine Epist 89. the Pelagians out of Hilary Syracusanus Epist 88. Bernard homil 69. on Cant. The Fathers sayes he seem to favour this Opinion especially Basil hom in Psal 14. Chrysostom hom 19.78 ad popul and 17. on Mat And Theophylact on Mat. 5. Origen Tract 35. Mat. Tertullian de Idololat Clem. Rom. l. 6. Constitut Apost Maldonat on Mat. 5.34 saith the Anabaptists the Wickliffists some Syracusans a kind of Pelagians denyed Swearing and that Origen was not far off that Opinion Here the Hereticks as accounted and the Fathers are reckoned up together as holding the same Opinions Sure in this they were not Hereticks for then the Fathers should be condemned with them and called Hereticks too as well as they or else these Men are partial and contradictory On Jam. 5. of the words of the Apostle thus Ser. 30. Perhaps it is meet for the Lord alone to swear who cannot forswear And so he goes on to shew how hard it is for men to avoid Perjury In Serm. 3. ad competentes Let them not only abstain from Perjury but from Swearing because he doth not Lye who saith A man Swearing much shall not depart from Iniquity and the Plague shall not depart from his House Eccles 23. But if it were an August Act of the Worship of God he would on the contrary have exhorted at least if not commanded them to swear which we never read any Command for but in Opposition to Idols even in the time of the Old-Testament-Writings as the Testimonies before alledged declare and in the time of the New no Command at all but on the contrary a Prohibition by the Lord himself and another by his Apostle nor any Example for that of Paul's was but an Asseveration as by the Testimonies already produced and to be alledged appears For besides
the Necessity of these was from him that is the Father of all Lyes from him that hath made many fair Promises but never kept any or if he did it was to do a bigger MISCHIEF to slatter the more For so does the DEVIL See Jews Antiquities Chap. 12 Pag. 52. Concerning the Pythaegoreans the Esseni and concerning the Just Man at Athens which they would not have to swear And what the Scholiast on Aristophanes Lib. 12. p. 286. saith of Rhadamanthus CXIX Lastly Bp. CAUDEN in his Discourse for Solemn Swearing sayes thus much against it 1. That Dissimulations Frauds Jealousies c. gave Rise to Oaths 2. That The Ancient Christians and Fathers that they might not be short of the Esseni who WOULD NOT TAKE AN OATH REFUSED TO SWEAR saying to the Heathen Christianus sum I am a Christian to each other Yea yea Nay nay thereby keeping up the Sanctity and Credit of their Profession 3. That as Christians truly such we should possibly need no Swearing for an Oath is not sayes he Moral or Preceptive but an Expedient or Remedy only against Falseness Lastly That neither a true Christian and good Man need to be Compelled to Swear in Order to the Awing him into Truth-telling Nor is ill Mens Swearing of much Credit with more to that Purpose What Need then is there of either's Swearing The Substance of all which is this Oaths rise with Fraud Mens growing False and Jealous Swearing or Awing by Oaths into True Evidence became an Expedient and during this imbecil and imperfect State of Mankind Almighty God that hath been ever wont to stoop to Man's Weakness condescended to yield the Jews that Custom provided that they refrain'd from Common and Idolatrous Oaths and when they were called to Swear they did it by the Name of the True God thereby manifesting their Acknowledgment of him but Christ who is the Restorer of Breaches the Builder of waste Places the Bringer back of the Captivity of his People where Oaths were first wanted and learned and the Setter up of the Kingdom of God which stands in Righteousness redeems into Truth-speaking which fulfils the Law by taking away the Occasion of an Oath and such as are the true humble and faithful Followers of this worthy Leader need no Oath to compel them into Truth to whom Truth is Natural being freed by it Joh. 8.32 from Fraud Falseness and consequently from Swearing which took Occasion by it to enter the World Now we profess our selves in the Fear of Almighty God to be such as have thus learned Christ Jesus and for the Reverence and Holy Love we bear to his Righteous Commandment we can't take an Oath in any Case Object 'T is True and you say well Oaths only serve till Truth-speaking comes and you say it is come to you But how shall we know that Answ We intreat you to try us No Man can be justly condemn'd before he be guilty nor reputed guilty in the Sight of men till discover'd You will have as easie a Way to catch us at Lying as others at Forswearing and if you find us such inflict the same Punishment for Our Lye which is enacted for their Perjury Be pleased to consider I. The Rise of OATHS II The Prohibition of CHRIST III. The Judgment of so many good HEATHENS IV. The Belief Practice of so many primitive CHRISTIANS Celebâ—ious FATHERS Godly MARTYRS and Learned PROTESTANTS V. The Caution they use who in any Sense allow of an Oath VI. That it is matter of Faith and What is not of Faith is Sin And that we cannot alter our Minds without Conviction unless we should turn Hypocrites And what Security can or will you have from our Oaths who must first make us to break the Tye of our own Conscience before we can take them It can't be thought we should keep with you when you make us break with our selves VII Consider what express Scripture we have for it and that in the Judgment and Martyrdom of many good and famous Persons VIII Be pleased to weigh the great PERJURY that is now in our World and daily Numerous Oaths belcht forth by some to show they dare be bold with Sacred Things by others to vent Passion by too many as they impiously think to grace their Matter whilst others have so great Doubt of their own Credit that they Swear to drive what they say home and not a few use it meerly to fill up vacant places being barren of better Matter We tkink that instead of taking Advantage against us for Not Swearing in so Forswearing an Age we should rather receive Incouragement for speaking That Truth without an Oath which others are compell'd to by Oath if yet they speak it False-speaking necessitated the Use of Oaths say many But Oaths proving now not the Remedy but the Disease What better Expedient can be used then to come back to Truth-speaking which endeth Oaths in their first Cause or Occasion at least However that such as are not Sick should be oblig'd to take the Potions of the Sick only to keep them Company That seems Vnreasonable IX Be pleased to consider the perishing Difficulties we meet withal in our Commerce in the World particularly as Creditors Executors Merchants Ship-Masters Apprentices c. Men making us pay because of our Tenderness in this Matter Oh the OPPRESSION that is exercised in Petty Courts and Sessions upon many Hundreds of us who know not which Way to Right our selves an Oath still being required in the Case the Refusal of which for Conscience sake exposing us to great Losses both of Estate Liberty and sometimes Life by Tedious and Cruel Imprisonments X. But the Loss and Trouble is not alwayes our own Our Neighbours frequently become Sufferers against our Wills First In that we can perform no Office in common with them however otherwise able to discharge it Secondly Nor can we serve them in the Capacity of Witnesses which Qualification goes a great Way towards the Maintenance of Justice and all because our solemn Word will not be received instead of an Oath Relieving us here is a double Benefit for our Neighbours share with us in it and it manifestly tends to the Preservation of Society And whatever any may please to think of us we are as willing and ready to contribute all Honest Assistance to the Maintenance of Justice and answering the Ends of Government according to our Ability and Conscience as any Sort of Men that live under it XI And Lastly We intreat you further to consider that Our CAUTION is as large as the Man that Swears For though you make a Difference between him that tells an Vntruth and he that Forswears in Favour of the former yet we cheerfully submit our selves to the Punishment of the Perjured if we break our WORD do you but please to take us into equal Priviledge with the Swearer If there be any Dammage we conceive it is done to Vs who sustain the same Punishment for an Vntruth