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judgement_n	lord_n	speak_v	word_n	5,998	5	4.2483	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70779	A treatise of oaths containing several weighty reasons why the people call'd Qvakers refuse to swear : and those confirmed by numerous testimonies out of Gentiles, Jews and Christians, both fathers, doctors and martyrs : presented to the King and great council of England, assembled in Parliament.	Penn, William, 1644-1718.; Richardson, Richard, 1623?-1689.; Parker, Alexander, 1628-1689.; Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.	1675 (1675)	Wing P1388; ESTC R17219	94,426	174

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 wha●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 Berghamst●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

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 w●k ●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.

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

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

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

Exercise or Mastery Let us keep these things that we attain both present and future good things by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ with whom to the Father with the holy Spirit be Glory Dominion Honour now and forever and ever Amen These Precepts were because of the Jewish Depravation but those perfect ones to despise and relinquish Riches stand manfully lay down thy Life for Preaching despise all Earthly things have nothing to do with this present Life do good to them that unjustly afflict thee if thou be defrauded bless thou if any slander thee honour thou him be over all things It was fit to hear these and such like things But now we discourse concerning an Oath And it is even as if when a man should come to Philosophy he should draw him away from those his Teachers and make him spell with Letters and Syllables Consider now what a Confusion it would be for a man that hath a w●ighty Scrip and a Staff and a Gown to go to the Grammar-School with Boyes and to learn the same things that they do would it not be a Matter of much Laughter but more from you for there is not so great a Difference betwixt Philosophy and the Elements of Speech as between the Jewish Matters and Ours but as much as is between Angels and Men. 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 And if it were a ridiculous thing to be yet instructed by these tell me now how great Condemnation and how great Confusion were it not to give Attention to those former And how then is it not Confusion that a Christian must be instructed that he must not swear But let us repress our Affections that we be not more laught at Let us now discourse concerning the Jewish Law to day What is that will he say Do not use thy Mouth to Swear nor be familiar with the Holy Name Why For as a Servant if he be continually scourged shall not be clear from Marks so neither he that sweareth Consider the Wisdom of that Wise Man He said not Do not use thy Mind but thy Mouth because he knew it to be all of the Mouth and which is easily amended c. The Punishment here that is opposed to it tells us that it is not Perjury but Swearing that is here to be removed Therefore TO SWEAR IS A SIN Verily the Soul is full of such Wounds and Scars But if thou swear because he doth not believe say thou Believe or if thou wilt not swear by thy self and I do not say that thou art contrary to the Law-giver Far be it for saith he Let your Word be YEA YEA and NAY NAY that herein I may condescend to you and bring you to this that I may free you from this Tyrannical Custom Will you learn why they allowed them of old to Swear not to Forswear It was because they swore by Idols You must not be confounded in these Laws in which they that were weak were conversant For if I now take a Greek I do not forthwith enjoyn him this but now I admonish him That Christ must be known But a Believer and one who hath learned him and heard if he should use the same Indulgence and Liberty as the Greek What Profit and Advantage would there be Christ hath made a Law that NONE SWEAR Tell me now what is done about this Law lest perchance coming again as the Apostle saith I do not spare We hope none will dispute whether Chrysostom was against All Swearing or that he understood Christ's Doctrine as we do yet no Body can Promise for them that endeavour to squeeze Swearing out of Christ's SWEAR NOT AT ALL. We have been the larger in this Authority partly because he excellently disputes it and partly because our Case needs it and lastly to show Christians their Apostacy that they may reform Jerom. Libr. Epistol part 3. Tract 2. Epist 2. Of Obedience Knowledge and Revenge LII Thou saidst if I mistake not That on this Account thou mayst justly render Evil for Evil and oughtest to swear with them that swear because the Lord sometimes swore and rendred Evil for Evil. First I know that all things are not fit for us that are Servants which are agreeable to the Master c. I know the Lord oftentimes swore who hath forbidden us to Swear Nor must we rashly speak Evil of or Blaspheme in this that he forbad another what he did himself because it may not be said the Lord swore as Lord whom none forbad to swear It is not lawful for us as Servants to Swear because we are Forbidden by the Law of our Lord to Swear But lest we should suffer an Offence by his Example since the time he forbad Us to Swear neither did he himself ever Swear c. Upon Zachary Book 2. Chap. 8. And love ye not a False Oath As to the Lord 's commanding in the Gospel But I say unto you Swear not at all but let your Word be YEA YEA NAY NAY He that shall Never Swear can never Forswear But he that sweareth let him hear that which is written Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in a vain thing for 〈◊〉 these things I hate saith the Lord according to the words of Malachy saying And ye did all that I hate In Precepts which belong to Life and are clear we ought not to ●eek an Allegory lest we seek a Knot in Rush as sayes the Comick On Jeremy 4. Book 1. chap. 3. And thou shalt Swear the Lord liveth in Truth and Righteousness and Judgment c. And how doth the Gospel forbid us to Swear But ●ere it is said for a Confession thou shalt Swear and for the Condemnation of Idols by which Israel swore Lastly Offences are taken away ●d he sweareth by the Lord 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 And it is also to be minded that an Oath hath these Companions Truth Judgment and Righteousness if these be wanting it is not Swearing but Forswearing Also on Matth. Book 1. chap. 5. But I say unto you Swear not at all neither by Heaven c. The Jews had alwayes this Custom of Swearing by the Elements as the Prophet's Speech often reproves them He that sweareth either reverenceth or loveth him by whom he sweareth In the Law it is commanded that we must not swear but by the Lord our God The Jews Swearing by the Angels and the City Jerusalem and the Temple and the Elements did worship the Carnal Creatures with the Honour and Observance of God Lastly consider that here the Saviour forbad not to swear by God but by Heaven c. and this was allowed by the Law as to little