A TRUE TESTIMONY CONCERNING Oaths Swearing c. AS ALSO An Answer to the subject matter contained in Twelve Arguments or Reasons laid down in a Sermon preached at Carliste Aug. 17. 1664. by Allan Smalwood D.D. as he stiles himself to prove That our Saviour did not forbad all Swearing Wherein is fully cleared The Command of Christ and his Apostle Iames Swear not at all Matth. 5.34 Iam. 5.12 from the corrupt glosses limited sence and meanings of the said A. S. in his said Sermon and in his Reply to F.H. his Book called Oaths no Gospel Ordinance c. And also The unsatisfactoriness and unsoundness of the aforesaid Arguments fully discovered and the Command of Christ Swear not at all manifested to be an universal prohibition of all Oaths and Swearing whatsoever to his Disciples Written in the year 1668. By Ger. Benson Psal. 89.49 50. Remember O Lord the rebuke thy servants have wherewith thine enemies have blasphemed thee and slandered the footsteps of thiâ—â— Anointed London Printed in the Year 1669. To the READER READER VVHat I have written in this little Treatise not being after man neither by me received of man nor from man I have therefore made no use of the inticing words of mans wisdom neither of any mans testimony for the confirming the same but as the testimony therein born is for God the truth of his sayings not for man I have made use of no other witness than the Scriptures of truth which proceeded from the spirit that beareth witness because the spirit is truth and being so can neither deceive nor be deceived which spirit being of God is greater than man and so knoweth more For the things therein treated of are matters of faith therefore stands not in the wisdom of words or of men but in the power of God who shuts no man can open opens no man can shut Neither indeed is fallen man especially a swearer a competent witness in this controversie about swearing no man being a competent witness in his own cause Read then without prejudice own with understanding or answer in the ground without contending about words to no profit For the Kingdom of God consisteth not in words but in power neither in meat drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost A true TESTIMONY concerning Oathes and Swearing c. IN the day that Almighty God created Man before man was in his Image and according to his own likeness created he him male and female created he them and having finished the works of Creation he looked upon all that he had made and lo it was very good And having also made the Man of the Dust of the Earth He planted a Garden Eastward in Eden where he put the Man whom he had made And that Man might learn Obedience the Lord commanded him saying Thou shalt eat freely of every Tree of the Garden but of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Now in that day there was no strife or controversie for what the Lord commanded it was done as it 's written Psal. 33.9 For he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast And God was all in all and over all the Law-giver Judge and King And as then there was no sin in the World which God had made so neither was there any controversie or strife betwixt Man and his Maker or amongst the Creatures of God neither was there any Oath or Swearing nor any other outward or visible Sign Shadow Type or Figure in or by which the Lord was to be worshipped nor any need thereof for the Lord God who is the substance of all was all in all and over all God blessed for ever who was worshipped not in words but in deeds not with Oaths and Swearing neither in set Forms Shadows Signs or Figures but in Spirit and Truth in Love and true Obedience which was and is better than Sacrifice or the fat of Rams And in that day the Law of the Spirit which is Eternal and nor Moral was the rule and guide of Man in his Worship and Service of God with whom Man in his Spirit had unity and fellowship in the Light Life and Truth that is eternal and unchangeable And as it was in the beginning even so it is and shall be in the day of restauration of all things by Jesus Christ who is and was and is to come the Almighty Alpha and Omega the first and the last the true and faithful Witness the Author of all true witness-bearing But Man being in honour continued not for the Serpent being more subtile than any Beast of the field deceived the Woman with his limitted sence and meaning which he then gave to the positive Word and Command of God even as the spirit that now ruleth in all the Chileren of disobedience with his limitted sense and commodious interpretations as they are called of the Scriptures of Truth doth deceive the simple that lends an ear unto him and thereby brought her then as that spirit doth people now into the transgression of the Word and Command of God unto which no man ought to add any thing neither to diminish ought therefrom Deut. 4.2 Rev. 22. 18 19. And the Woman having eaten of that which in its self was good and therefore not intrinsically evil mark that gave unto her Husband with her and he did eate who having eaten contrary to the Word and Command of God sin entered into the world and the world into mans heart and death by sin the first ground or cause of unbelief And now in that day the Candle of the wicked being put out Death and Darkness passed over the Life and Truth of God in Man so that the Word and Truth of God the ground of true witness-bearing which was and is Eternal not Moral was hid from their eyes who had sinned And now Man being deprived of the Glory of God and ignorant of his Righteousness went after his own Inventions so that as it is written Death reigned from Adam until Moses Rom. 5.14 And now in that day the Lord had a Controversie with Man by reason of his sin and Man in his sin was in unbelief of the Word and Truth of God the ground of true witness-bearing Insomuch as that in process of time when Men began to be multiplied upon Earth the wickedness of Men waxed great so that they went into strife and contention one against another until blood touched blood And in this estate of Man Abimelech King of Gerar who was in the unbelief of the Word and Power of God and observing that God was with Abram he was afraid as it is written The workers of Iniquity are afraid where no fear or cause thereof is Psal. 53.4 5. and having a controversie against Abram concerning Sarah Gen. 20.9 said unto Abram Swear unto me here by God
and came to restore the true witness-bearing as at the first which was and is the Righteousness of the Law of Oaths And the Apostle being an able Minister of the Spirit not of the Letter he was come to see the End of that which was abolished and preached the everlasting Gospel the word of Faith which was and is the Word of Truth the Author of true witness-bearing which was before any Oath or Swearing was And so as Christ his Lord and Master had done before when he said unto Pilate For this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the Truth Joh. 18.37 He in obedience to his Lord and Master did bear witness to and of the Truth And in witness-bearing did as the Servants of the Lord do call God to witness or appeal to the witness of God in men concerning the truth of what he declared without observing any set forms of words And as Sarai had done before when she said unto Abram The Lord judge betwixt thee and me yet did not swear at all But A. S. saith That calling God to witness is a formal Oathâ— because there is an attestation of the Name of God Answ. That the Name of God was used in witness-bearing before any Oath or Swearing was doth appear Gen. 3.3 where Eve before the Fall in witness-bearing used the Name of God when she said God hath said Ye shall not eat c. yet did not swear at all And Sarai after the Fall did use an attestation of the Name of God in witness-bearing when she said unto Abram The Lord judge betwixt thee and me Gen. 16.5 and yet Sarai did not swear at all in so doing And therefore the calling of God to witness or saying God is my witness c. without adding of somewhat more is neither Oath nor Swearing For if such attestations or mentioning the Name of God without somewhat more were swearing then it would follow That People did swear oftentimes in their Prayers As when they use that expression Oh God the Father of Heaven c. O God make haste to help us Amen Amen c. which for any to affirm were a great injury to the People Again If a bare attestation of the Name of God by what terms soever expressed were an Oath and Swearing without adding of some what more Then would the Magistrates in Judicial proceedings in cases where an Oath and Swearing is by the Law required receive such Attestations of the Name of God without denying them for Oaths and Swearing But such Attestations or the like without adding somewhat more is denied by the Magistrates in Judicial proceedings c. Therefore they are no formal or legal Oaths without addition of somewhat more which somewhat more being more than yea and nay cometh of evil For it must be confessed and it is the chiefest ground or cause that is alleadged for the lawfulness of some swearing under the Gospel that it is necessary for the ending of Controversies and Strife in Judicial proceedings c. That if an Oath or Swearing were lawful in any case whatsoever it must be in Judicial proceedings c. And I do not find in the Scriptures of Truth That any Oath was lawful but in such proceedings or the like emergent occasions All vain and prosane Oaths being forbidden by the Law And as the lawful use of Oaths under the Law was in legal or judicial proceedings so the definition or determination of what was a legal Oath or Swearing and what was neither Oath nor Swearing was by the Law and the Ministers of it and not by private or particular men For at this day there are several kinds or forms of Oaths required by the National Laws And yet the bare Attestation of the Name of God without addition of somewhat more is not answerable to any of them neither doth fully answer the requiring of the Law as the daily practise of the Law in the Courts of Judicature doth manifest which practice doth declare what a legal Oath is in the judgment of the National Laws And for illegal Oaths A. S. I hope will not contend By which Laws also it doth appear That the Law doth put a difference betwixt an Oath or Swearing and Witness-bearing and doth not confound them together as many men do As for instance in one particular When a Party or a Witness doth appear to answer a Libel or to give Evidence in the Ecclesiastical Courts upon his Appearance in the Court he is required to take his Oath and then the Book being held the Party having laid his hand thereupon some words being spoken to him by the Judge of the Court and after the Party having kissed the Book then is the Party said to be Sworn or to have taken his Oath And being so Sworn he is admonished to give in his Answer or his Evidence as the Case is at or before such a time so that the Evidence after given into the Court is the Witness-bearing and not the Oath which Evidence or Answer as the Case requires if he neglect or refuse to give he is proceeded against for refusing to give his Evidence or Answer And not as one that refuseth to Swear or take an Oath he having Sworn or taken his Oath before which Evidence if given is the Witness-bearing and not the Oath For if he refuse to swear he is proceeded against for refusing to swear although he offer to give his Evidence without swearing So that the Evidence is the witness-bearing and not the Oath By which it doth appear That an Oath is in and of it self a distinct thing from Witness-bearing which was before any Oaths was and is but a Bond or Tye for true Witness-bearing and not the substance For when the Evidence is given if what is Evidenced be false the Oath taken before or after doth not make it true And if it be truth that is Evidenced the refusing to take or add an Oath or give a Token Sign or Pledge doth not detract any thing from it By which it may appear to the unprejudiced in mind That the laying aside of an Oath and Swearing which was added for a time under the Law in witness-bearing because men had transgressed or gone from the Truth of God which was in the beginning before any Oath was in witness-bearing is not to destroy true witness-bearing but the reducing it to its primitive purity as it was in the beginning So that the true Witness Christ Jesus being made manifest all that believe in him and receive him to them he gives power to become the Sons of God and by his Spirit which is Truth and leads into all Truth he enableth them to do the Truth confess the Truth and speak the Truth from the heart unto their Neighbour or before a Magistrate in witness-bearing as it 's written A good man out of the good treasure in his heart he bringeth forth good things So that our Neighbour
therefore as they were not to swear by the Lord so neither might they swear by Heaven it being Gods Throne which would amount to swearing by God that sitteth thereon Neither by the Earth neither by Jerusalem neither by the Head which being the greatest of the Creatures the prohibition includeth also the lesser Therefore it is evident none of Christs words being spoken in vain That Christ Jesus did not onely forbid all swearing by the Creatures but also by the true God For if there had been any exception intended by Christ the Wisdom of God he doubtless would have mentioned it as well as he did vers 32. where it 's said Whosoever shall put away his Wife except it be for fornication causeth her to commit adultery c. For an Oath and Swearing not being in the beginning with God nor originally of him as true witness-bearing was but being added because the true witness-bearing was transgressed for a time viz. until Christ Jesus the true and faithful Witness and ground of all true witness bearing was made manifest to restore the true witness-bearing as it was at the first Now Christ being come and having chosen his Disciples out of the world to be his Witnesses and to place and restore the true witness-bearing unto and amongst them whom he had appointed to be Lights and good Examples unto the World he therefore took away Swearing which was not of Faith but was added because of transgression as before is said and as being more than Yea and Nay that he might restore and place the true witness-bearing which is of Faith and therefore to abide in the House and among the Houshold of God for ever For it is evident from the words of Christ where he saith Let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil that swearing being more than yea and nay the original ground or cause thereof in man came of the evil and not of the good in man And thus Christ Jesus having forbidden all swearing whatsoever as aforesaid and taken away the first ground or cause thereof in his Disciples he according to the will and promise of God in the place and stead thereof restored the pure Language the Word of Faith which is the Word of Truth that was in the beginning by the Light of which every one that believeth with his Heart cometh to know the Truth and so to do the Truth to confess and speak the Truth from his Heart unto his Neighbour or before a Magistrate in witness-bearing And this Witness being of God will not lye and is therefore the greater Witness which every one that believeth hath in himself according to 1 Iob. 5.9 10. And the Testimony that is born from this and according to this word of Truth in the heart in witness-bearing is in Truth in Righteousness and in Judgement being from and according to a good understanding And as the Truth which is in Christ the Wisdom and Power of God in mans heart is believed in it doth purifie and make clean the heart by taking away sin and unbelief out of the heart and so reconcileth it unto God and one man unto another And now the Testimony that is born according to the truth in the heart is that which God hath appointed to end all Controversie and Strife amongst men for now it is the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is Truth 1 Iohn 5.6 And it is the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth and so from all Oaths Shadows and Swearing in witness-bearing which having but a shadow and not the substance of true witness-bearing when the substance was come the shadows were to pass away So what Christ Jesus received of his Father that he made known to his Disciples as he said Iob. 17.8 I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and have believed that thou hast sent me Insomuch as the Apostle Iames when he writ his Epistle to the Tribes which were scattered abroad he put them in mind being Jews not Gentiles of that Precept of Christ where he saith Above all things my Brethren swear not c. Iam. 5.12 Not that Swearing was a greater offence than Murder or Adultery But they being Jews and not Gentiles by nature had a Command from God under the Law to swear c. were apt to think they might as well swear then as they might before Not at that time being so fully informed that Christ Iesus was the end of the Law for Righteousness to them that believe in him and that by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.39 For many among the Jews which then believed were at that time zealous of the Law of Moses insomuch as there were of them that taught the Brethren That except they were circumcised and kept the Law of Moses they could not be saved Act. 15. 21.20 So that although Adultery and Murder were as great sins as Swearing yet the Law which they were zealous of having forbidden the one and required the other it was more difficult to bring them off from Swearing than from Murder or Adultery And therefore as it 's usual amongst men to exhort those they are to watch over above all things to take heed of those evils they have been most addicted to and of those things they have been trained up in even so the Apostle exhorted them being Jews to remember the Command of Christ in whom they believed Swear not at all c. And although it be now concluded that Christ Jesus did intend by those words Swear not at all an absolute universal and unlimited prohibition of all manner of Swearing whatsoever as indeed it must be either all Swearing that was formerly commanded or else Christ in that Command forbid nothing which was not forbidden before nay by those words Swear not at all he made the case about Swearing more questionable dark and doubtful than it was before which for any to affirm were a great injury to Christ the Wisdom and Power of God And yet Christ Jesus in forbidding all manner of Swearing whatsoever did nothing but according to the will of his heavenly Father Nor did the Apostle Iames in putting the Jews in mind of his Masters Command Swear not at all any thing in opposition but in obedience to the requiring of Christ. And now of the things before written this is the sum That an Oath and Swearing was not in the beginning with God neither was the original ground or cause of an Oath Swearing of God And therefore neither was nor is an Oath or Swearing any part of the Law eternal nor of the essence of the worship and service of God in Spirit and Truth But the original ground or cause of an Oath and Swearing amongst men in the World was the
Unbelief of Man in God his Word and Truth of which Transgression was the first ground or cause which not being any fruit of the Spirit of God as true witness-bearing is entred into the World and the World into Mans heart by sin and death And therefore an Oath and Swearing is not any part of the worship and service of God now under the Spirits immediate Administration And the Law having but a shadow of good things then to come therefore could never make the Comers thereunto perfect as the bringing in of a better Hope doth And so Christ Jesus the true and faithful Witness that ends the Controversie between God and Man being the End of the Law under which the Oath for confirmation was to be unto them that were under it an end of all controversie and strife amongst men for Righteousness to all that believe which Law not being of Faith was to be taken away or out of the way when Faith was come which was before the Law which is not of faith was given or any Oath or Swearing was For as the Love of God to Israel appeared in giving them his Laws and Statutes notwithstanding they could not accomplish their eternal Peace and Happiness by reason of the weakness of the flesh neither could be taken away nor they freed therefrom until they were fulfilled and the end accomplished for which they were given Even so the Riches of the Love of God appeared in sending forth his Son to effect that which the Law could not do for man neither could man free himself from who being manifested in the flesh the Oath and Covenant of God was fulfilled in him And to as many as received and do receive him by believing in his Word which is night in the heart to do thereafter the heart cometh to be purified and made clean and being prepared by the Lord cometh to witness and feel the Love and Power of God to quicken it and enable it to every good work So that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things Mat. 12.35 Speaking the Truth to and witnessing the Truth for his Neighbour according to and from a good understanding And thus the righteousness of the Law cometh to be fulfilled by Christ in us who walk not according to the Flesh but according to the Spirit and the end of God in giving the Law accomplished according as it 's written 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the Law is love out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unsained So that the Law which required an Oath in witness-bearing nor any other part of the Law by Christ or any that are of him is not frustrated neither destroyed but the righteousness of the Law by true witness-bearing is fulfilled And being fulfilled was by Christ according to the will of God disanulled abrogated abolished and taken out of the way with all Oaths Swearing and Signs that were required by it And in the stead and place thereof the Law of the Spirit and of Faith the true witness-bearing as it was in the beginning before any Oath or Swearing was established by Christ in the House of God for ever By which Law of Faith the Victory over the World Sin and Unbelief cometh to be witnessed the first ground or cause of Swearing in the World And now the Righteousness of God without the Law written which is not of Faith is manifested by the Light of Christ that shineth in mans heart for to give unto man the knowledge of the things that are immediate of the Spirit and therefore are spiritual not moral being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets according to Rom. 3.21 And is not now called the Works of the Law but the Fruits of the Spirit which as the Apostle faith Ephes. 5.9 is in all Goodness Righteousness and Truth And Gal. 5.22 23. is Love Ioy Peace Long suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance c. And so the Cause being removed the Effect ceaseth From all which it is evident That true Witness-bearing was before any Oath or Swearing was And the Law that is Perfect and Eternal was though hid from their Eyes whose Minds were alienated from the Life and Light of God because of the hardness of their Hearts before the Law in the Tables of Stone was written And the Lord was worshipped in Spirit and Truth before any Oath or Swearing was And therefore an Oath and Swearing neither is nor ever was any part of the Law eternal nor of Faith neither any essential part of the Worship of God in Spirit and Truth which is unchangeable and spiritual So that the laying aside or taking away of an Oath and Swearing in witness-bearing is not to destroy witness-bearing but the reducing it to its Original Verity and Purity as it was in the beginning from all Oaths and Swearing which was added for a time to wit till the true Witness Christ Jesus and the true witness-bearing was made manifest and restored according to the Prophesies that were written of and concerning Christ And as true witness-bearing was in time before any Oath or Swearing was and therefore an Oath and Swearing was not neither is of the essence and substance of true witness-bearing even so the Truth was before any Lye although the Lyar is more ancient than the Swearer Now these things being so why should men professing God and Godliness and Christianity go about to continue an Oath and Swearing in witness-bearing under the Gospel which is everlasting and was preached to Abraham before the Law of Oaths was or any Swearing was commanded or required by God Gal. 3.8 which had its beginning and ending in time not being of the Law of Faith that abideth for ever and therefore was and is changable being of those things that might be shaken and so to be removed That true witness-bearing which being of Faith and therefore cannot be shaken may remain Therefore O ye called Christians let it not seem to you a thing so grievous to have the Bondwoman Unbelief and her Son Swearing cast out for assuredly it must not inherit the Kingdom of God with the Son of the Freewoman True Witness-bearing And now these things thus premised being a true Testimony concerning Oaths and Swearing c. I proceed to answer the subject matter contained and laid down in Twelve Arguments or Reasons whereby Allan Smallwood hath endeavoured to prove but in vain that our Saviour did not forbid all Swearing when he said unto his Disciples Swear not at all c. Mat. 5.34 Arg. 1. The first Argument as it is stated by A. S. in his Reply to F. H. his Book intituled Oaths no Gospel Ordinance c. is That the Father and the Son are one and the same God immutable in Nature and Will for mutability would argue imperfection and consequently cannot issue forth contrary Commands for that would evidence a contrariety or mutability in their Will And the Father having
the true and faithful Witness Christ Jesus in them from whom all true Witness-bearing is and so the true Witness-bearing as it was in the beginning which no Vail Shadow or natural Light can discern 1 Cor. 2.14 And thus all who do the Will of God by believing in him whom God hath sent they come to know Christs Doctrine Swear not at all to be his that sent him to be a Light to the Gentiles and the Glory to his People Israel And is it equal O ye sons of men That those whose eyes God hath opened and unto whom God hath given the Light of Eternal Life that they should be compelled to walk by the same guide the blind are led by in their witness-bearing Would it not be a thing unreasonable for to require him who hath his perfect sight when the Sun shines to shew him his way to require him to have a man take him by the hand and lead him on his way as the natural blind are led Hath not the Lord in all Ages put a difference betwixt them that feared his Name and trembled at his Word and those that feared him not but walked after the stubbornness of their own hearts and after their own inventions And if the Lord hath so done and so doth ought not all those who are his Ministers upon Earth to do the like But A.S. further saith That Oaths are commanded by the Moral Law and that the Ten Commandments are the summary of it And doth grant That Oaths are no Gospel Ordinance And also saith That our Saviour came not to destroy but fulfil the Moral Law And therefore Swearing being enjoyned by the Moral Law must be now of as much force as ever it was He also affirmeth That Christ did not abolish the Iudicial and Ceremonial Law once commanded by God because the one was peculiarly given to the Iews and so concerns us not at all And the other was temporary expiring at Christ's Death c. Answ. The words Law Covenant and Testament are general and comprehensive words every of them including or comprehending in themselves all the Words Sentences Gifts Ordinances or Precepts that was required and commanded the People of Israel by the Lord at that time And therefore ought not to be limited by man or distinguished into Morals Judicials and Ceremonials as thereby to lessen the Authority of one to set up another above it after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ who saith He that shall break one of the least of the Commands and teach men so shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.19 And it 's written Deut. 27 26. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 And Christ came not only to fulfil this or that part of the Law but the whole Law yea every iote and title that then was written Mat. 5.18 Neither is he said to be the end of this or that part whether by men called Moral Judicial or Ceremonial for the Spirit of the Lord hath made no such distinctions of the Law but of the Law in general yea all that was written in the Law of Moses in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning him Luke 24.44 And as the Law was fulfilled it was to pass away or to be taken out of the way the end being accomplished for which it was given And being abolished Eph. 2.15 abrogated and disanulled Heb. 8.13 and taken away or out of the way Heb. 10.9 Col. 2.14 2 Cor. 3.7 11. The Law or Power of the endless Life the Law of the Spirit and of Faith which is not Moral but Spiritual and Eternal the new Covenant or Testament which is unchangeable the Righteousness of God without the Law in the letter was and is manifested in the heart to do thereafter being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3.21 Ier. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 according to the Promise of God That so the blessing of Abram might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that they together with the Jews to whom the Law in the letter was peculiarly given might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3.14 Rom. 4.16 And whereas A. S. faith That Christ did not abolish the Iudicial and Ceremonial Law once commanded by God because the one was peculiarly given to the Iews and the other was temporary expiring at Christs Death Answ. If Christ did not abolish the Judicial nor Ceremonial Law as they are called and distinguished by A. S. Then it must needs follow and be granted That Christ did abolish abrogate disanul take away or out of the way the Law which A. S. calls Moral or else Christ abolished no Law at all But it is evident from the plain testimony of the Scriptures of Truth before mentioned Eph. 2.15 Heb. 8.13 10.9 Col. 2.14 2 Cor. 3.7 11. That Jesus Christ did abolish abrogate disannul take away or out of the way the Law of Commandments contained in the Law written the old or first Covenant or Testament the hand-writing of Ordinances the Ministration of Death written with letters and engraven in stones And therefore If Christ as A. S. hath affirmed did not abolish the Judicial and Ceremonial Laws Then as is before said it must of necessity follow and be concluded That Christ Jesus did abolish abrogate disannul take away or out of the way that Law which A. S. calls Moral For the Scriptures testimony in the places before mentioned are either true or false To say they are false is blasphemy because they were written by Divine Inspiration and the infallible guidance of the Spirit of Truth And therefore being true Then that Law which A. S. calls Moral of which he also affirmeth an Oath and Swearing to be a part or required by was by Christ abolished abrogated disannulled taken away or out out of the way And the Law by which Swearing was commanded being abolished All Oaths and Swearing commanded or required by that Law must of necessity be abolished with the Law Now these things being so All the Arguments and Distinctions with all the Conclusions and clouds of Witnesses that A. S. hath laid down made and brought in to prove the lawfulness of some Swearing now under the Gospel from the Authority of the Moral Law as he calls it are made void and are become of none effect And therefore A. S. is worthy of blame in affirming so confidently That if Swearing be enjoyned by the Moral Law it must be of as much force now as ever And it may be of concern to A. S. before he begin his History of Oaths that he find out some other Law of God than that he call Moral to ground the lawfulness of Oaths upon lest he build upon a sandy Foundation and so labour in vain For himself acknowledgeth in pag. 303. of his Reply to F.H. it was a certain truth That Christ gave no new Command in matters of
Oaths nor in any other more than what was formerly enjoyned in the Moral Law And besides in his Epistle to the Reader he saith That no Orthodox man had ever said That Oaths were ever any Gospel Ordinance or to that effect but on the contrary their Tenent is That they are commanded in the Moral Law which Law being abolished as before is proved by Christ and no other Law of God being found that requires Swearing under the Gospel but on the contrary a positive Law of Christ given to his Disciples Not to swear at all It cannot be of any service to the Lord or his People to write such a History But rather to exhort People to mind the fear of the Lord and to have a regard to all his Commands which being in the Spirit that helps the infirm are not grievous and to walk in the Light of the Lord that they may have no occasion of stumbling at the Command of Christ Swear not at all For as it were a sin to deny obedience to any Ordinance or Command of God in its time even so it is a sin also for any to use or practise any Command of God as a part of his worship service for any other end or longer time that it was given for or ordained by God Which Errour Christians have justly condemned in the Jews for holding up for Ordinances and Commands of God Circumcision Passeover Temple the seventh Day Sabbath and many other things required and commanded by God in the Law or first Testament as Oaths and Swearing was under the first Testament commanded the Jews after that Christ Jesus was ascended to his Father and had sent the Spirit of Truth to lead his Disciples into all Truth which Truth being the substance of all Oaths Shadows Types Figures and Signs that were under the Law which had but a shadow of the good things to come Heb. 10. 1. Which when David in the Light of the Lord had manifested to him he being a Prophet in which Light he saw Light even the Law whereof the Lord had said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psal. 2.7 He then said having seen the end of that which was to be abolished that in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices the Lord took no delight neither had pleasure therein Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldest not but a body hast ordained me in Offerings and Sin Offerings thou hast no pleasure Heb. 10.5 6. So that although such as do not the Will of God do not see the end of that which is abolished neither know Christs Doctrine yet all who do believe in him whom God hath sent a Light into the World they know the Doctrine of Christ Swear not at all to be of God and according to godliness Iob. 7.16 17. But to proceed to A. S. his second Argument which runs thus Arg. 2. Whatsoever at all times as well under the Gospel as under the Law tends in an especial manner to the glory of God that is neither Ceremonial nor forbidden by Christ. But some Swearing at all times as well under the Gospel as under the Law tends in a special manner to the glory of God And therefore all Swearing is neither a Ceremonial Ordinance nor forbidden by Christ. Answ. God is not now nor ever was glorified in an especial manner by his Creatures but as they did and do obey his Commands and so do the thing he requireth of them As it 's written Obedience is better than Sacrifice and to do the will of God is better than the fat of Rams And although it be granted that some Swearing under the Law did tend to the glory of God as done in obedience to his requiring yet it doth not follow that now under the Gospel any swearing doth tend in an especial manner to the glory of God because the Law in or by which it was commanded as before is proved is abolished and swearing now forbidden by Christ Mat. 5.34 to all his Disciples And again as hath been before proved Swearing was never any essential part of the worship of God in Spirit and Truth because it was not any part of the Law Eternal neither in the beginning with God nor originally of him as the true witness-bearing was And therefore swearing under the Gospel not being required but forbidden by Christ without whom no man can glorifie God doth not tend in an especial manner to the glory of God as the true witness-bearing doth so that this Argument and the conclusion thereupon made is of no force to prove any swearing to tend in an especial manner to the glory of God But to do truth confess the truth and to speak the truth in witness-bearing or in our communications doth not only tend to the glory of God but also to the benefit of our Neighbour and is therefore acceptable unto God and profitable unto Men. And so I proceed to the third Argument which is this Arg. 3. If Christ forbad Swearing Then it was either because it was repugnant to our duty to God or repugnant to our duty to our Neighbour But some Swearing is neither repugnant to our duty to God whose glory in sundry particulars it advanceth nor repugnant to our duty to our Neighbour to whom thereby much advantage may accrue in several respects And therefore Christ forbad not all Swearing Answ. This Argument is framed much like the question put to Christ concerning the man that was blind from his birth Who did sin this man or his Parents that he was born blind To which question Jesus answered Neither hath this man sinned nor his Parents but that the work of God might be made manifest So I may say What if Christ forbad swearing neither because it was repugnant to our duty to God nor to our Neighbour but that the Work Power and Will of God might be made manifest in and by Christ and to make known unto his Disciples That all power in Heaven and Earth was committed unto him Mat. 28.18 And that as he had power to take away He had also power to give alter and change Laws the Government being laid upon his shoulders Isa. 9.6 to whom also all Judgment was committed But for further Answer I say whatever is acted by man as an essential part of the worship and service of God which the Lord doth not require is repugnant to our duty to God and so hath the Lord testified in all ages as appears Gen. 4.5 Isa. 58. Ier. 14.11 12 13. Isa. 1.10 c. Mat. 15.8 9. But swearing under the Gospel the Lord hath not required but forbidden as before is proved Therefore it is repugnant to our duty to God whom we are to obey and our superiours in him and for him and being repugnant to our duty to God it cannot be truly advantagious to our Neighbours whom we are to love as our selves Again there is nothing of advantage can accrue to our Neighbour by swearing which true witness-bearing doth not
fully supply where it is received Nay there is much more surety to our Neighbour by true witness-bearing than by swearing because a true witness will not lye The fourth Argument is thus formed Arg. 4. That interpretation of our Saviours words Swear not at all which renders the following words vain and impertinent is false c. Answ. That Christ intended what he said I hope no Christian will deny And that those words Swear not at all were spoken by Christ and are in themselves a prohibition of all swearing whatsoever is evident And that they were spoken by Christ not by way of compliance with what had been said before to them of old time but in the contrary thereof is apparent by the words But I say unto you Swear not at all Which words if they signifie nothing but what was before said Then should they not only be to no purpose but hurtful by making the case of swearing more dark and questionable than it was before under the Law which for any man to affirm were a great injury to Christ Jesus the Wisdom of God And therefore Christ having spoken all those words But I say unto you Swear not at all neither by Heaven c. And that in the contrary of what was said before as the word but and the words not at all do import It is manifest that Christ did in that command Swear not at all forbid somewhat that was not forbidden by the Law And consequently all swearing whatsoever whether by the Lord or by the Creatures And that Christ added neither by Heaven the Earth Jerusalem the Head they being the chiefest of the visible Creatures all the other creatures being the lesser or inferiour are included the greater comprehending the less so that the words following and precedent are all significant and useful For being the words of Christ not any of them are to be rejected but all and every word established And therefore it were more beseeming Christians to give all diligence to observe the Law and Command of Christ then to invent and frame Arguments against his words which are in themselves plain and have no ambiguity in them and being so according to the rule when in words there is no ambiguity there no Exposition is to be made against the words expressed For in doubtful speech we utter not a doubtful sence but only that which we mean Therefore he which speaketh one thing and meaneth another neither doth he utter that which the word signifieth because he meaneth not so neither that which he meaneth because he speaketh it not Which for any man to affirm of the words of Christ Swear not at all were as before is said a great injury to Christ the Wisdom of God and to the Spirit of Truth from which the Scriptures of Truth were given forth All which words of Christ being in themselves prohibitions of Swearing and no exceptions as the words of Christ in the case of Divorcement were where it 's said Except for the cause of Fornication do the more confirm and illustrate the extent of the Command And being the words of Christ the Wisdom of God they are neither vain nor impertinent No more than those words in the fourth Commandment In it thou shalt do no manner of work nor thy Son c. All which were included in those general words before-going Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Or the enumerating all those words written in the Tables of Stone which were all briefly comprehended in those few words Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart ' And thy Neighbour as thy self And yet the Wisdom of God which is wiser than men knowing whereof we as men have need spoke all those words in the Law And where the Law-giver hath made no exception he to whom the Law is given ought not And so I conclude That the Law of Christ Swear not at all is perfect and a full prohibition of all swearing unto his Disciples and being perfect no man ought to add any thing thereunto or diminish any thing from it And so I proceed to the fifth Argument Arg. 5. Nothing that of it self is not intrinsically evil is forbidden by Christ and that is proved by induction But Swearing is not of it self intrinsically evil And therefore Christ did not forbid it Answ. The thing in Dispute is not Whether Christ did ever forbid any thing that was not of it self evil But whether Christ hath forbidden all Swearing Which that Christ hath forbidden all swearing his own words which are the interpreters of the heart do prove And one single testimony of the Scriptures of Truth is of more strength than a thousand surmises or meer humane witnesses And therefore Swearing being forbidden by Christ Mat. 5.34 it is the duty of Christians to apply themselves to yield obedience to his Command and not to frame Arguments to evade the same or to ask a Reason wherefore he so did And yet we read That God commanded Circumcision and Sacrifices which in themselves are not evil and yet forbidden in the New Covenant And we also read That God forbad Adam to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil which Tree and its Fruit of themselves were not intrinsically evil And the use of several other Creatures under the Law was forbidden the People of Israel And what God the Father did forbid it was by his Word And Christ the Word and Power of God he forbid his Disciples to go into the way of the Gentiles and not to enter into any of the Cities of the Samaritans Mat. 10.5 And he charged his Disciples they should tell the Vision to no man until c. Mat. 17. 9. And that they should call no man Master upon the Earth Mat. 23. 9. None of which of themselves were intrinsically evil But that which concerns us as Christians and so under the Law of Christ is not so much to enquire whether or no such a thing be good in or of it self But whether or no it be good for us to practice yea or nay For as said the Apostle What is not of Faith is Sin And therefore that is good for Christians to do which the Lord requires of them But to proceed to the sixth Argument the force whereof is this Arg. 6. Either Christ forbad not the taking of an Oath upon just occasion or else St. Paul though assisted by the Holy Ghost understood not the Text. Or If he understood it he acted against it and that not rashly but upon deliberation Because in his Epistle he calls God to witness which is a formal Oath Answ. That the Apostle Paul did know the mind of Christ in that Precept Swear not at all is believed But that he acted contrary contrary thereto when he said God is my witness or called God to witness is denied For as he knew Christ had forbidden all swearing he also knew that Christ was the true and faithful Witness the first and the last
in part should be done away foâ— true witness-bearing though without an Oath never did prejudice to any as Oaths and Swearing have done when the witness born before or after hath been false as daily experience doth testifie And what if some now as heretofore believe not the Command of Christ shall their unbelief make the Faith of God of none effect God forbid For seeing that true saying is asmuch or more than swearing and that Christ hath said That for every idle word men shall give an account in the day of Iudgment And that the Lyar as well as the false Swearer shall he shut out of the Kingdom of God Therefore every one that feareth the Lord for thereafter as a man feareth is Gods displeasure is as much bound by his Word as by an Oath and there being no more security to the Magistrate by an Oath than by true saying or witness-bearing neither benefit to our Neighbour Therefore if the same outward punishment were inflicted upon the Liar as false Swearer the difference in a short time would not be great because experience doth evidence That he that makes no conscience of his words will not matter to Swear falsly for Conscience sake to God And it may be believed That one reason why strife doth so much in these dayes abound amongst men notwithstanding that Oaths and Swearing abound is because that the true witness-bearing as it was before swearing was is not received in Judicial proceedings for want of an Oath and Swearing Again To say That Christ did forbid all Swearing because his Father would have it so is a better reason than any A. S. hath produced to the contrary But to proceed to A. S. his ninth Argument viz. Arg. 9. That our Saviour gave no new Moral Command And consequently did not prohibit that Swearing which long before had been Commanded by God Answ. The question in dispute is not Whether Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant did give any new Moral Command But Whether he forbad all Swearing to his Disciples which that he did his own words Mat. 5.34 Swear not at all do prove As for the word Moral it is a word of Art invented by the wisdom which is from below which is not subject to the Law of God For it 's evident That the Penmen of the Scriptures did never make use of that word Moral when they writ and declared the Testimony of God And therefore the Apostles Caveat in such things is useful Col. 2.8 Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of man after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. For the Law of the new Covenant in Christ Jesus is Spiritual and Eternal not Moral and according to the Promise of God Ier. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 the commands thereof are by the Lord according to his Promise put into the mind and written in the heart of man written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3.3 And therefore is called the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.2 and the Law of Faith Rom. 3.27 and not Moral by way of excellency above the Law of the letter as the Scriptures do declare 2 Cor. 3. And Christ said unto his Disciples If ye love me keep my Commandments Joh. 14.15 And when he commanded them to go and teach all Nations c. They were to teach them to observe not the Law of Moses but all things whatsoever he had Commanded them Mat. 28.19 20. And in Iob. 14.26 He told them The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father would send in his Name he should teach them all things and bring all things to their remembrance whatsoever he had said unto them And Ioh. 16.12 13. Christ told them He had yet many things to say unto them but they could not then bear them Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth c. So that Christ did not send them to the Law called Moral for to be their guide written in tables of stone but promised to send the Spirit of Truth to guide them into all Truth and to shew them things to come So that although Christians do and are to practise and observe many of those things which were commanded in the Law as being originally of God of which the Law had a shadow but not the substance Heb. 10.1 yet they do not observe them because they find them to have been Commanded in the Law of Moses but as they are Commands of Christ in the new Covenant written in the heart and put into the mind by the Spirit of the Lord that quickneth and giveth Life and power to do thereafter Heb. 8.10 Rom. 10.8 For now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed both by the Law and the Prophets Even the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe Rom. 3.21 22. But the Law is not of Faith neither ever was any Oath or Swearing of the Law of Faith as true witness-bearing was and is So that by the works of the Law which is not of Faith no man is or can be Justified but by Faith without the deeds of the Law a man is Justified according to Rom. 3.28 3.20 And now those things which were commanded in the Law which were Eternal as the Love of God c. was Eternal not Moral of which the Law engraven in stone had a shadow although they continue under the Gospel yet as was said They are not the works of the Law which made nothing perfect but the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 23. and therefore are perfect as Love Joy Peace long-Suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against such there is no Law But against Swearing there is a Law as before is proved So that which was impossible to the Law in regard of the weakness of the flesh to do God sending his Son for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit the law and power of an endless life For as before is said Swearing was never any part of the Law Eternal or of Faith therefore the taking of it away was no addition to or substraction from the Law Eternal or of Faith And although the Lord had limitted Moses and in him all others from adding unto and taking from what was then written in the Law yet he had not limited himself to what he had then given in command to Israel not to the Gentiles and but for a time until the Seed should come Gal. 3.19 and so was temporary And it being acknowledged by A.S. that Oaths are no Gospel Ordinance and before proved that Christ did abolish abrogate disannul and take away the Law yea that Law which
that mind that is carnal and therefore is not subject to the Law of Christ according to Rom. 8 7. But all who mind the things of the Spirit they do the Will of God and so knows Christs Doctrine to be his that sent him when he said Swear not at all And that there was a time when God was purely worshipped and truly served before any Oath was And that there was a time when Israel was commanded to fear the Lord and serve him and swear by his Name by which it is evident That swearing was no essential part of the Worship of God in Spirit and Truth and therefore was but temporary And that there was a time when Israel was to seek the place which the Lord should chase to put his Name there viz. Ierusalem and thither they were to come and bring their burnt Offerings Deut. 12.5 6 7. Ioh. 4.20 And there was and is a time that neither in the Mountain nor yet at Ierusalem they should worship the Father Ioh. 4.21 And there was a time that the condition of the Heir should not differ from a Servant c. And there was an appointed time when he should be Lord of all and receive the adoption of a Son Gal. 4.1 to 6. But the Well is deep and whilst People have or at the least make use of nothing to draw the Water with but what they have and receive from man by man and of man they will receive little refreshment or satisfaction in these things before-mentioned Nevertheless when they in their hearts shall turn to the Lord the Vail shall be done away for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Light and it is the Light that God hath commanded to shine in mens hearts for to give unto them the knowledge of the things that are of his Spirit which the Natural man understands not nor can the Wisdom which is from below find out And now I come to A.S. his twelfth Argument or last Reason which was and is Arg. 12. The general practise of Christendom who could not all be so ignorant as to misunderstand the meaning of these words Swear not at all Or so wicked as not only rashly but advisedly to act against them Answ. It is written Thou shalt not follow a Multitude to do evil And also That when King Herod heard that the Holy Child Iesus was born he was troubled and all Ierusalem with him and gathering together all the Chief Priests and Scribes of the People he asked of them Where Christ should be born And they said at Bethlem c. Mat. 2.1 c. And yet the Chief Priests and Elders of the People were so wicked that they assembled together and consulted how they might take Iesus by subtilty and kill him Mat. 26.3 4. concerning whom the Apostle Acts 3.17 bore witness That they did what they did unto him ignorantly because they knew him not and therefore exhorted them to repentance So that it may be possible That all those in Christendom mentioned by A. S. to own swearing as men might in this case of swearing be ignorant the time of ignorance being winked at And therefore this Reason given by A.S. to prove that Christ did not forbid all swearing when he had said Swear not at all is neither sound nor satisfactory especially the Scriptures following well considered Ioh. 5.34 36. 8.43 Mat. 11.25 to which many others might be added And yet my belief is That the Lord in no Age hath left himself without witness concerning the truth and extent of the Command of Christ aforesaid although born by Babes and poor Fishermen or other persons unlearned in the many languages and therefore little esteemed of the world though highly esteemed of God but by the world hated and their testimony rejected as erronious And yet greater was he that was in them than he that was in the World and so they had the greater witness for if the witness of men be great the witness of God is greater which every one that believeth hath in himself 1 Ioh. 5.9 10. And he that keepeth the commands of Christ he dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him according to 1 Ioh. 3.23 24. And I also believe concerning many of them who have affirmed as their judgment the lawfulness of some swearing under the Gospel That if they had lived in these our dayes wherein the Lord God out of the riches of his Love and the abundance of his Light which he hath commanded to shine out of darkness after the long night of Apostacy in the hearts of the heirs of his Righteousness for to give unto them the knowledge of his Glory and of the true witness-bearing in the face of Jesus Christ as it was before any Oath or Swearing was that they would have come to have seen and also to have acknowledged as many in these dayes blessed be the Name of the Lord for his unspeakable gift have done their mistakes in the case of swearing and by confessing their sins and acknowledging their mistakes have given glory to the Lord and conformed their judgments practises to the command of Christ Swear not at all And with Solomon have born their testimony That in making many Books there is no end and in reading of them much wearisomness to the flesh And that the end of all is to learn to fear the Lord and keep his Commandments which is the whole duty of man Eccles. 12.12 13. And now having born my testimony for the Lord concerning Oaths and Swearing according to that in my Conscience and the Scriptures of Truth and that not in a way of opposing the Son of God against his Father nor the Scriptures of the New Testament against the Old nor by making any Text of Scripture contradictory in it self But in and by such a way as they are established in unity one with another Neither with a contending or opposing spirit against any Law or Ordinance of man that ought to be submitted unto for the Lords sake But in the spirit of love and meekness for the clearing my Conscience before the Lord and his People in yielding a Reason wherefore I and some others may not take any Oath or Swear at all although we should be required thereunto by a lawful Magistrate I have peace causing rather in this case to fall into the hands of men and by submission unto their punishment which hitherto blessed be God I and some others have found not according to the rigour of the Law but with some moderation thereby testifying my practice to be according to my judgment against all resistance of the powers which God hath set over me and that not for fear of wrath but for Conscience sake to God who is able not only to destroy my body but to cast both soul and body into Hell fire Assuredly beleeving that whilest I have a respect unto all the Commands of Christ Jesus I shall never be ashamed And if in this matter concerning Swearing any should yet remain otherwise minded and seem to be contentious about words and forms I say we have no such custome in the Churches of Christ. For where glory is given to God on high there is peace on Earth and good will to all men on Earth below And all who wait in the Light of God as it shineth in their hearts 〈◊〉 in due time shall have the same Truth revealed unto them 〈◊〉 which I have herein born my Testimony And I and others 〈…〉 o walk in that whereunto we through the Grace of God are come That so we may not be ashamed of our Testimony for the Lord though born through much suffering THE END