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A39525
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A position and testimony against all swearing under the gospel In which may be seen, I. That Christ hath forbidden all sorts of oaths. II. What Christ hath substituted instead of an oath. III. Reasons for that prohibition and substitution. With an answer to all the material objections that are, or may be, alledged from the scriptures.
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Fisher, John, fl. 1692.
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1692
(1692)
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Wing F1009; ESTC R215434
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22,333
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59
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into Confess in which it was to be fulfilled in the time of the Gospel Therefore now it may be evident from hence that no Sentence or Prophecy spoken by the Prophets tho' expressed in Mosaical Terms or in such Terms as were under the Law ought to be expounded in any wise to contradict any of Christ's general Commands or Prohibitions but on the contrary they must be expressed in Gospel Terms that agree therewith as is manifest by the Apostle's Example aforesaid Object 4. In Isa. 65. 16. In a Prophecy relating to such times wherein new Heavens and a new Earth shall be created which must be in the last times it is said He that Sweareth in the Earth shall Swear by the true God Therefore it is lawful in the last times which are under the Gospel to Swear by the true God Answ. If according to the Apostle Paul's Example before noted in Rom. 14. 11. we change the word Swear by the true God into Confess unto the true God we may interpret it right and in Gospel terms and then we shall not make the Prophet seem to contradict Christ in Mat. 5. 34. who is Lord of all the Prophets Apostles and Angels And whom we are especially to hear and obey in all things Act. 3. 22. And also to confess him Phil. 2. 10. And therefore if there should seem at any time a disagreement between the Sayings of Christ and the Prophets or the Apostles either Christ's Sayings ought not be strained to comply with theirs who were his Servants but on the contrary their Sayings must yield and comply to his who is their Lord and whom we ought especially to hear and obey in all things as aforesaid Object 5. In Jerem. 12. 16 17. it is said concerning the Gentiles That if they will learn the ways of my People to Swear by my Name the Lord liveth as they taught my People to Swear by Baal then shall they be built in the midst of my People But if they will not obey then will I utterly pluck up and destroy that Nation saith the Lord. Now here is a Promise of Acceptance to those that will learn to Swear by God's Name and a Threatning of utter Destruction to such as will not therefore now how dare any refuse to Swear by the Name of God upon a solemn and a lawful Account Answ. This was spoken under the Law wherein Swearing was and though it was spoken to the Gentiles yet it was to such Gentiles as taught Israel to Swear by Baal and which must be in Baal's time that was long before the Gospel times Therefore what is this to Christians under the Gospel But if it could be proved that this Prophecy did relate to the Gentiles under the Gospel then according to Paul's Exposition of the word Swear under the Gospel dispensation it must be expounded that they must learn the ways of his People to Confess to his Name and that he liveth which is the duty of all Christians to do as in Mat. 10. 32. Rom. 10. 9 10. and 14. 11. Object 6. If Christ's Prohibition to Swear be so general that no Oath is lawful to Swear in any Case under the Gospel why did the Apostle in Heb. 6. 16. say For Men verily Swear by the greater and an Oath for Confirmation is to them an end of all Strife Answ. The Apostle spoke of such Men as were under the Law and by way of Similitude why they used an Oath in such times as God confirmed his Promise to Abraham by an Oath Now here is no Command in these words of the Apostle for Men to Swear nor any more tolleration for Men to Swear any Oath that live according to the Gospel than there is tolleration in Jam. 3. 9. for any to Curse Men because the Apostle there saith With the Tongue we bless Men and therewith curse we Men yet this ought not so to be as is manifest in the next Verse Object 7. If Christ's Saying in Mat. 5. 37. Whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil proves all Oaths to be evil because they are more than barely Yea yea and Nay nay how is it that God hath Sworn himself and commanded Men to Swear as in Gen. 22. 16. Deut. 16. 13 Surely God never did or commanded any thing that came from evil Answ. The doing of any thing after Christ hath forbidden it is from evil though not before because the breaking of Christ's Command is from evil and from the Devil for none else will tempt any one so to do except such as are his Servants and obey him Under the Law God allowed an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth which then could not come from evil because God never allowed any thing that came from evil but after Christ had forbidden this with other things that were allowed under the Law and commanded the contrary instead thereof the breaking of his Command cometh of evil and from the Devil that tempts Men thereunto Object 8. If all Oaths are forbidden by Christ and accounted then to be from evil how could the Angel have Sworn in Rev. 10. 6 Which was after Christ's Prohibition in Mat. 5. 34. Answ. That Angel had a peculiar Commission that extended through the Law and the Prophets wherein Swearing was and spoke as God's Representative or Ambassador which would be a presumption for Men to imitate for as God aforetime confirmed his Promise unto Abraham and to his whole Seed by an Oath Gen. 22. 16. so again by his Angel in Rev. 10. 6 7. he seems in like manner as by an Oath to confirm the same Promise that it should then quickly be fulfilled viz. that Time should be no longer but that the Mystery of God should be finished as he had declared to his Servants the Prophets therefore that was no Example for us to follow However if any shall still think this Answer not sufficient or full enough to the Matter let it be further considered That we read no where that Christ forbad Angels to Swear but he plainly commanded Men not to Swear at all So the evil lies in breaking Christ's Command and in Men that so do to whom his Command extended Object 9. Christ in Mat. 5. 34. forbad only such Oaths as are made by the Creatures as by Heaven Earth c. because he enumerates and mentions some such created things and all vain and rash Oaths in familiar Discourse because he saith in Verse 37. Let your Communication be Yea yea and Nay nay and whatsoever is more than these viz. in our Communication cometh of evil Answ. To Swear by the Creatures was forbidden in the Law because then none ought to Swear by any thing but by the Name of God and to Swear by God's Name in common Discourse is a taking of his Name in vain But Christ in the first place before he mentioned any Creature forbad such Oaths as were to be performed unto the Lord in old time that was under the Law which
apparent between it is and it is not and what is more is all of evil Observ. Here this Author holds That Faith prescribes the simplicity of Speaking and Hearing for determining the businesses of our Life and what is more than such simplicity he counts to be all of evil Therefore whom ought Christians to follow or imitate Faith that prescribed such simplicity or Infidelity and Distrust that at first instead thereof prescribed or was the cause of prescribing Oaths 8. Chrysostom on Mat. Hom. 17. Then verily when they appeared unfaithful they called God to witness as giving a Surety for security for their words for an Oath is a Suretyship where their Behaviours have no trust or credit 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 draws God to be a Surety for Contracts and say that he will not trust except he have him Oh monstrous 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 Observ. Here this eminent Author whom and whose Authority the Martyrs often quoted and used shews the danger of using or invoking or as he calls it snatching God's sacred Name for a Surety c. in humane Affairs as well to such as require it as to those that so do it 9. Further by the Author in the same Discourse Ye know not what God is and with what Mouth he ought to be invocated But now we vainly distract that honourable Name which is a Name above every Name which is wonderful in all the Earth which the Devils hearing do tremble at Oh most contemptible Custom which hath done that Ought not one even to dread when God is named But even among the Jews this Name was so Reveverend that it was written on the Plate of the Mitre and none might bear these Letters of the Name of God but only the High Priest And now also we bear his Name tenderly If it was not lawful for all to name God simply how great Audaciousness is it to call it in witness Observ. Now let all consider what Reasons here are that with what Mouth and with what extraordinary Fear and Reverence God's Name ought to be used in any respect which surely can never rightly be done by those that have no Faith or Credit nor yet by all that are or may be required to use it in humane and earthly Affairs Therefore from hence may be seen an invincible Reason against all Swearing and the naming or using God's sacred Name any ways to confirm the truth of any Speech relating to humane and worldly Matters As for such as are true Men and dare not lie there is no need of any more than a simple affirming or denial and Swearing and also the using of God's sacred Name must consequently be in vain which all Christians will grant ought not to be and for those Men as are false and that their simple Assertion cannot be believed such are not worthy to have God's Name in their Mouths 10. Likewise still further by the same Author Tell me now if any should call down an Angel from Heaven and tell him That he must stand and hear our Sermons as if he must be thereby instructed would it not be a ridiculous and confused thing Observ. Here is a comparison against applying superiour things to earthly and inferiour uses 11. Also again by the same Author Do not use thy Mouth to Swear nor be familiar with the holy Name Observ. Here is a pretty Caution against using God's sacred Name in common and earthly Affairs because it is too great to be used so commonly and familiarly 12. Jerom on Jer. 4. Book 1. Chap. 3. And what is said in the old Testament The Lord liveth is an Oath to the condemning of all the Dead by whom all Idolatry Sweareth Observ. Here the words the Lord liveth as they were used in the old Testament in temporal Matters is counted an Oath by this learned Expositor 13. Theophylact. on Mat. 5. saith To Swear or adjure more to Yea and Nay is of the Devil Observ. Here 's a Reproof for such as cannot be content with the simplicity of Yea and Nay 14. Jansenius on Mat. 5. saith Yea and Amen are the same 2 Cor. 1. not Swearing but Affirming Observ. Here 's an Authority that Amen or Verily is but equivalent to Yea and so therefore may be used instead of an Oath Euthynnius Zagabonus on Mat. 5. Page 43. saith But let your Words be Yea yea and Nay nay c. Let your Speech be when you affirm Yea and when you deny Nay and use only these for or instead of Oaths to Confirmation and no other than Yea and Nay What is adjoyned besides these he calleth an Oath Observ. Here this Expositor is very strict for the simplicity of Yea and Nay and thinks that Christ esteemed any thing which is added beyond that to be an Oath 16. J. Fox Marty V. 3. p. 910 911. Elizabeth Young said I understand not what an Oath is and therefore I will take no such thing upon me And in Answer to the Bishop about it said Christ saith That whatever is more than Yea yea and Nay and Nay it cometh of evil Observ. Here this sincere Christian because not understanding the extent of Oaths dare venture no further than Yea yea and Nay nay whatever she suffered therefore which she then run the hazard of 17. Erasmus on Mat. 5. Two words be sufficient Nay and Yea whereby thou deniest that which thou dost not promise and whereby thou dost perform that which thou didst promise by plain word that thou wouldst do if there be any more besides these it must needs come of Evil and Sin Observ. Here is this learned Man's Judgment of the sufficiency of Nay and Yea and of the danger of exceeding them 18. Jacobus Faber on Mat 5. Pag. 23 24. 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 Who ever spoke more seriously than our Saviour Whom more necessary things Yet he never used other Speech than that Verily verily I say unto you or some other such like which was a true form or manner to them that Swore not Observ. Here this Author is plain concerning what we may only use instead of an Oath 19. Again further by the same Author If it be manifest that he that is called into Judgment be verily good and true it is enough to hear of him Yea or Nay but if that be not evident or that it bâ— evident that he is bad perhaps that 's required of him which ought not to be required Observ. Here 's another Testimony of thâ— sufficiency of Yea and Nay instead of an Oath to a true Man and the danger of requiring more though from