Antichristianism REPROVED And the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles justified against SWEARING IN Answer to John Tombe's six Propositions for the lawfulness of Swearing All which Propositions are both against Christ and his Apostles Doctrine as is here proved according to the Scriptures For the satisfaction of all tender Consciences By Richard Hubberthorn Because of Oaths the Land mourns Hos. 4. And as said the Prophet everyone that sweareth shall be cut off Zach. 5.3 LONDON Printed and are to be sold at the sign of the Black-Spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls 1660. The Epistle John Tombs IS it not a shame for thee who art called a Baptist thus to manifest thy selâ— and divide thy self from thy own people Hast thou not taught people to swear first one way and then anâ—ther Did ever any of the Apostles so in the Primitive times But on the contrary that people should not swear at all And why dost thou bring the Scripture that was spoken to the Jewes and apply it to the Christians And why dost thou bring the Scripture where the Angel sware but brings not the Scripture which saith All Angels must worship the Son who saith Swear not at all So is not this like Anti-christ and Anti-Apostle that preaches up that which Christ and the Apostles denyed as in Matth. 5. and James 5. And whereas thou saist in thy Epistle that thy writing is short and indigested in that thou hast said truly for how can they that fear God digest it seeing it is so contrary unto Christ and the Apoâ—tles Doctrine And so both thou and it are become an ill savour to God and them that love him but thou shalt be rewarded according to thy work But God hath made thee manifest who hath so long been hiding thy self under so many false coverings but now art discovâ—red that thou should no more deceive the Nation R. H. An Answer to Iohn Tombs his Six Propositions in which he asserts Swearing to be lawful But on the contrary from the Scripture it is proved that the Believers and Christians are not to Swear at all Therefore to them that are in Christ Jesus no Oath is lawful WE read in the Scriptures of truth Mat. 5.19 That whosoever breaketh the least Commandmen and teacheth men so he shall be least or not at all in the Kingdom of God But we do find some men especially John Tombs breaking the commands of Christ and teaching men so therefore he is guilty of that judgement but to the first proposition which is this That some swearing is Lawful His proofs are these That which is not de toto genere in its whole kind evil may be Lawfull but swearing is not de toto genere or in its whole kind evil therefore some swearing may be Lawfull Answ. This argument is thus disproved To break any of Christs commands or to deny the Apostles Doctrine is de toto genere in its whole kind but to sweare at all by any Oath is to break the command of Christ and to deny the Apostles Doctrine as Mat. 5.35 35 36 37. and Jam. â— 12 Therefore to swear at all is not lawfull but evil according to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine and in the state of condemnation Jam. 5. Again John Tombs concluding that his major is manifest of it self goes To prove this minor thus That is not wholly evil about the use of which some Directions are given by God but God giveth directions about the use of swearing as Ier. 4.2 And thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in truth and judgment and in righteousness ergo Answ. By the same argument may it as well be proved that the Christians and believers in Christ may be circumcised offer innocence burnt offerings and sacrifices because for the use of it God gave some directions and therefore it is lawfull but as circumcision innocence burnt offerings and sacrifices of the Law is ended in Christ so is the Oaths which was among the Jews in him ended also to the believers and by him forbidden for as it was said in old time thou shalt swear and shalt perform thy oath to the Lord but Christ in the 5 of Mat. making mention of the Jews oath which God gave once directions for yet saith he swere not at all here Christ puts an end not onely to frivolous and vain oaths but to the true oaths which the Jews was once commanded of God to swear for these oaths are they which Christs words hath relation to for he came to end the Jews worships and oathes who is the oath of God Christ the truth and righteousness of God saith sweare not at all which ends the Jews which was to swear in truth and righteousness 2. Argument That which is approved by God is lawful but some swearing is approved by God Psal. 63.11 every one that sweareth by God shall glory ergo Answ. That Scripture Psal. 63.11 saith thus but the King shall rejoyce in God every one that sweareth by him shall glory but the mouth of them that speak lyes shall be stopped This was spoken of David the Anointed of God who was in that covenant of the Law wherein he might sweare in truth and righteousness that oath as the Lord liveth and as my soul liveth but there was some in that time which if they used that Oath the Lord liveth surely they sweare falsly Ier. 5.2 But what is that to the Christians under the new covenant who are under Christs command who saith swear not at all neither by that oath which David and the Jews swore by nor any other oath but if upon any occasion they were required to testifie their obedience whether they would be subject to such or such things their answer was to be yea or nay and to keep there words which is more then the hypocrites and hirelings Priests in these times hath done by there oaths for this we have had good experience of that such as do now plead to swear for a thing hath sworn against the same thing do now preach against that which they have preached for so that they will preach pray or swear any thing for their bellie and for filthy Lucre and the oath which David was to swear in truth and righteousness who called Christ Lord he that was Davids Lord glory saith swear not at all who hath all power glory Again whereas John Tombs instanceth Abraham Isack David Solomon Elijah Mica Elisha the women of Shunem and Itai Vria and Samuel c. their swearing and entring into covenant to be examples for swearing Ans. All these were under the first covenant and was in that which Christ called the old time Mat. 5. and proves nothing that Christians in the new covenant should swear for although Abraham swore and Solomon swore yet Christ which was before Abraham and greater then Solomon saith swear not at all and al. though David swore yet he was Davids Lord which said swear not at all and though the Angels swore
by him that liveth for ever yet Christ unto whom all the Angels shal bow worship saith swear not at all so that all these arguments and Scriptures doth not prove that it is lawfull for the believers and Christians to swear at all but it is Tombs ignorance in his applying Scripture in disobeying Christs command Again to prove swearing lawfull John Tombs saith that Paul put an oath on the Thessolonians 1. Thes. 5.27 which words are these I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all the holy bretheren Now saith Tombs the Greek word translated I charge you by the Lord is I put the Lords oath on you or swear you that this Epistle be read to all the holy bretheren alike charge are 1. Tim. 6.13 2. Tim. 4.1 c. Answ. This is the long and thick mist of darkness which hath been long kept over the understandings of people that when the plain Scripture will not prove their ends and intents then they tell people it is otherwise in the Greek or Hebrew did not the translator of the Bible understand Greek as well as John Tombs or are we not to believe the Scripture as it speaks till again it be translated by him but least be should be wise in his own eyes as it is in the Greek is here set down that all that can read and understand it may judge whether Paul did put an oath upon them or did swear them to read that Epistle to the brethren As 1 Thes. 5.27 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} That is I oblige or charge you in the presence of God c. Not I put the Lords oath upon you or swear you as Iohn Tombs saith for if they did read the Epistle among the brethren then his obligation or charge to them was fulfilled but seeing Iohn Tombs saith he swore them he might have declared in what manner they were sworn seeing Paul was at Athens when he wrote to Thessolonicae Again he saith the like charge is in 1. Tiâ— 6.13 which acding to the Greek he would make an oath the words are these {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is I in oyn or command thee before God not a putting an oath upon them or causing them to swear as Iohn Tombs saith Again he saith there is the like charge or oath put upon them in 2. Tim 4.1 which in the Greek is thus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is I charge thee in the presence of God c. Not that he took him sworn or put an oath upon him or take him sworn that he should preach the word but did charge him to be instant in season and out of season in his ministry Again Iohn Tombs saith in the times of the Gospel Paul used this oath 2. Cor. 1.8 But as God is true c. Answ. Now those that minds this Scripture may see that Paul doth onely justifie Christs words in keeping to yea and nay saying that with him it was not yea and nay for saith he verse 18. but as God is true our word towards you was not yea and nay and verse 19. for the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us even by me and Silvanus and Timothius was not yea and nay for all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen So that this Scripture is so far from bringing people to oaths and swearing that he labours to bring them all to yea and nay in all things and so to Christ the substance in whom all the promises of God are yea so that the Apostle might well use these words that as God was true c See also were they true to their yea and nay the end of all oaths other Scripture Tombs brings to prove the Apostles did swear as Rom. 1.9 and 9.1 Gal. 1.20 Phil. 1.8 Answ. As to the fiâ—st Rom. 19. where the Apostle saith for God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention of you alwaies in my prayers is this a proof for men to swear and take oaths either for men or against men hath not the man hear lost the understanding of a man thus to compare and call this the Apostles oath when he takes God to witness that he prayes for the Saints continually and his saying in Rom 9. â— I speak the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart c. and Gal. 1.20 where the Apostle saith now the things that I write unto you behold before God I lye not is this an oath to testifie the truth of his writings against lyes indeed this we desire that John Tombs and the rest of the Priests in this Nation would write nothing but what God would witness unto the truth of and that they would speak truth before God and not lye then they would not thus abuse the Apostles words and plead for swearing from them when as the Apostles intend no such thing in their words here asserted and where as it is again said that the Apostle took an oath Phil. 1.8 where he saith for God is my record how greatly I long after you in the bowels of Jesus Christ Now let all honest and sober hearted men consider whether the truth of God and the Apostles that speak it forth be not abused that from a novice that is lifted up in pride and that would do or say any thing for his hire should bring those Scripture to plead for swearing and that lawfulness of oaths in all which the Apostle took God to witness his love to the Saints and labour in the work of his ministry signifiing to all that understand how that he spoke the truth and did not lye and kept to his yea and nay according to Christs doctrine and did not swear at all Now further to prove swearing Lawfull John Tombs brings This fifth argument That which hath a necessary use for the benefit of humane society is not unlawfull but some swearing hath a necessary use for the benefit of humane society ergo Answ. This argument is thus disproved and both the major and minor to be false For to break any command of Christ is of no necessary use for humane society but to swear any oath is to break his command ergo For Godliness is profitable unto all men in all their societies but he that swears goes from Godliness into ungodliness and transgrssion which transgression is of no use nor service amongst Christians so that John Tombs might as well have thus stated his Argument that to break Christs commend is of benefit to humane society therefore to break Christs command is lawfull c. and might thus have proved it that except we break Christs command we cannot preach for hire nor sue men at the Law for tythes nor live in pride ease and
an imposer of Oaths upon tender Consciences who professeth thy self a Minister of Christ who did forbid all swearing and his Minister did preach against it and said above all things swear not at all lest they fall into condemnation but it is manifest that thy Ministry is to bring people into condemnation and not into the obedience to Christs command therefore they that fear God will turn away from such 2 Tim. 3.5 Now saith Jo. Tombs the grand objection against swearing is our Saviours words Mat. 5.34 35 36 37. and Jam. 5.12 which words saith he doth seem expresly and fully to forbid any swearing at all excluding some sorts of Oaths by name and the rest by general terms that our Communication should be yea yea nay nay and what is more cometh of evil or of the evil One yet saith he we must of necessity find out a limitation of the speeches as we do and the limitation is this that is frequent vain light prophane unnecessary customary passionate swearing or in secular matters of no importance which in these Scriptures are forbidden Ans. Indeed it doth plainly appear that thou must of necessity either disprove Christs words or else deny thy own seeing they are contrary the one to the other so therefore thou sayest that it was those Oaths above mentioned that was forbidden by Christ and the Apostles And I shall shew it plainly that thou hast no necessity to limit Christs words to vain and prophane swearing out onely that thou would have thy words true and his false for Christs words in Mat. 5. doth not intend such Oaths for he speaks of the true Oaths which was used amongst the Jewes and such Oaths as Christ told them they were to perform for it was not said in old time that they should perform vain light prophane unnecessâ—ry customary and passionate Oaths but such as they were to perform betwixt the Lord and them and the solemn vowes and Covenants which they made in old time to their Kings and one unto another the Christians now by the command of Christ was not to swear these Oaths neither any Oath true nor false so that Christ is not to be limited to intend vain Oaths when as for instance Christ mentions the Jewes swearing who was in the Commandment who did deny all vain customary false and passionate swearing so that Jo. Tombs limitation is taken away and Christs meaning must be as large as his words which is not to swear at all by any Oath but to keep to yea and nay in all promises professions and engagements upon all occasions and so to keep out of the condemnation whereby all peoples Consciences may be kept clean to the Lord in all things and they brought to the exercise of a good Conscience for the Lord is now teaching his people himself and bringing them to obey the doctrine of his Son in which they may find peace for their soules and not to be in bondage unto such Teachers as are given to change with every Government who preach as the false Prophets did for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread and such are they who preach the lawfulnesse of swearing or sinning against Christs command but the Lord hath made them manifest and is redeeming his elect and chosen from amongst such who have made a prey upon people and fed upon their sins but not upon the life which the Saints was in A true Testimony of the Jews swearing under the Law mentioned in 113. Scriptures with a distinction also of the Apostate Christians swearing without either Law or Gospel for example in their oaths And also the Christians state under the gospel ministration and new Covenant how they are by Christ commanded not to swear at all plainly made manifest from the Scripture THe Jews swear the Apostate Christians swear but the true Christians who are redeemed out of the Apostacy that sees Christ Jesus that was before the Jewes and Apostates cannot swear at all in whom we see that the doctrine of the Jews was to swear the doctrine of the Apostates is to swear the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles was not to swear at all the Jews sware by the living God but the Apostates by the book which is not comparable to the Jews swearing Here is a list of the Scriptures which was spoken to them of the old time and the Law and first Covenant who swore and was to swear and perform their oaths to the Lord which Christ ends who saith swear not at all but in all your Communications let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more cometh of evil and this said be to whom all power in heaven and earth was given who put down swearing in the Law first Covenant and old time which were true Oaths not frivolous for the frivolous was judged by them of the Law first Covenant and old time for that Oath which Christ puts down was that which was sworn to the Lord and was to be performed in the state of the Law first Covenant and the old time since man was drove from God into the earth which Law first Covenant Christ ends and Oath and redeems man out of the earth and makes all things new who saith swear not at all now as followeth are the Scriptures which was spoken to the Jews and them of the old time that swore Abimelech and his Captain and Abraham sware Gen. 21.23 24 31. Christ which was before Abraham was said swear not at all that is the Covenant that ends Abrahams and Abimelechs Covenant and saith they must keep to yea and nay in their communications And the Lord sware unto Abraham Gen. 24.7 that unto his seed he would give the land and that Oath was performed and Christ being come who was before Abraham who saith swear not at all And Abrahams servant swore to Abraham Gen. 2.4.9.37 And Esau sware to Jacob and sold his birth-right Gen. 25.33 and Joseph sware by the life of Pharaoh Gen. 42.15 but Christ reigns over the house of Joseph and Jacob which saith swear not at all and the house of Esau must be as stubble And chap. 26.3 the Lord said he would perform his oath to Abraham which he sware that his seed should be as the stars of heaven this was before Christ was come in the flesh who was bâ—fore Abraham who saith swear not at all And Isaac and Abimelechs Captain sware and an oath was betwixt them and this was in the old time and in Isaac was the seed called Christ Jesus who said swear not at all Gen 26.30.31 chap. 31.53 Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac in whom as I said before the seed should be called who reignes over the house of Jacob who said swear not at all but in all your communications let your yea be yea and your nay nay this was in the new time the other was in the old And Joseph sware unto Jacob in Egypt in the old time but Christ as I
the false swearers Mal. 3.5 did not Christ cry wo unto the Jews and Pharisees that said it was nothing to swear by the Temple and told them they that sware by the Temple and the Gold of the Temple offended these were the Jews that he told of swearing by the Altar and the offering and sware by all things that was on the Altar and he that sware by the Temple sware by him that dwelt in the Temple and he that sware by Heaven sware by the Throne of God and him that sat thereon Christ spake these things to the Jews he cryed wo against who was not believers Mat. 23.16 to the 22 this was spoken to the Jews and Pharisees that knew not Christ that that was in the swearing against which he cryed woe who saw not the substance of the Altar and Temple that they sware by and the things thereon who saith sweare not at all Mat. 5. Peter cursed and sware Mat. 26.74 Mat. 14 71.72· but after he repented the Jews oath was to swear by the Lord and the Christians was to keep to yea and nay in their communications not to swear at all Mat. 5. Jam. 5. and the Jews was not to swear by the Books of Moses nor the Prophets as the Apostate Christians who swore by the contents of the Books but their oath was to swear by the Lord and the Jews was not to swear by the Gods of the Heathen for Amos told them that sware by the sin of Samaria should fall and never rise again Amos 8.14 And the Lord swore to the children of Israel that they should not make mention of the names of their Gods nor sware by them for the Heathen sware by their Gods but the Jews were to swear by the Living God and perform their oaths to the Lord Jos 23.7 which Christ ends And the Jews when they were under transgression they sware by the Gold and by the Altar and by the Temple and the Christians that are apostatized from the Apostles have sworn by the Epistles and the Evangelists for which they have no example from Christ nor Scriptures which said they might not swear by Heaven for it was Gods Throne for he that sware by the Throne sware by him that sat thereon nor they should not swear by the Earth nor the head And James that followed the Doctrine of Christ one of his Disciples said swear not at all And Zachary saith in his prophesie every one that sweareth shall be cut off Zac. 5.3 the Lord would cut off the swearer that swears by the Lord and swears by Malcham Zeph. 1.5 So the King sware secretly to Jeremiah as the Lord liveth Jer. 38.16 and the Jews was to learn the ways of the Lord and sware by the Name of the Lord that liveth as they had taught the people to swear by Baall so there was the false oath judged by the Prophet Jer. 12 16. but Christ who ends the Prophets and the Jews outward ends the oath and saith swear not at all And the Lord sware in his wrath to the Jews that they should not enter into his rest Psal 95.11 the Apostle saith Heb. 3.10 11 they entred not because of unbeliefe therefore he sware in his wrath for they erred in their hearts from the oath which would have brought them in that turned against them And he saith verily men swear by the greater chap 6.13.16 how God sware by himself because he could not swear by a greater and how men sware by the greater and their oath was to end the strife in the Law but this is made by an oath Christ Jesus the Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck the Apostle doth not bring that to the Hebrews that they should swear but as a similitude the substance of which is Christ and that men sware by a greater then themselves and because God could not find a greater be sware by himself and the oath in the Law ended the strife among men and made the peace but Christ Jesus that ends the Law ends the oath and destroyes the Divil the Author of strife and reconciles man to God in peace he through death destroying him who had the power of death the Devil Heb. 2.14 chap. 7.2.1 and Zhecharias when he Prophesied saw the oath which God sware to Abraham Luke 1.71 and none of these places in the new Testament doth prove that the Christians did swear for they had the oath of God performed that enjoyed Christ Jesus and who enjoyeth the oath of God performed the end of the Prophets he saith unto them they must not swear at all Now if you say the Angel sware in the Revelations and in Daniel by him that lived for ever and ever this was a true oath Dan. 12.7 Rev. 10.6 who sware concerning the mystery of God being finished which God sware to the Prophets his Servants which comes to enjoy the mystery of God Christ Jesus they have the end of the Prophets and servants the mystery to him the Angels must bow I bring forth my only begotten Son into the World let all the Angels worship him who saith swear not at all And Christ said unto the Jews and to his Disciples how men had sworn in the old time and was to perform their oath to the Lord and that was the true oath and Christ saith I say unto you now swear not at all and let them see that men should not forswear themselves but perform their oaths to the Lord and so he distinguished between the true and the false and then bid them they should not swear at all mark not at all neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by their head nor by Jerusalem for he gives them the reason but tells them what they must say and what they must do that takes away all swearing let your communication be yea yea nay nay whatsoever is more then these comes of evil Mat. 5.33 34 35 36 37. And this is the Doctrine of Christ that faith swear not at all who was the oath of God performed And James one of the Disciples and Apostles of Christ Jesus that abode in his Doctrine said above all things my brethren swear not at all neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by any other oath and then the Apostle taught people what they should do and said let your yea be yea and your nay nay least you fall into condemnation And so Christ and the Apostle did not say they were to swear by the Lord and told them these were frivolous oaths they denyed but told them they was not to swear at all not by any oath for if they did they fell into condemnation So the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles who ended oaths denyed swearing and all oaths said they were to keep to yea and nay and their yea was to be yea and nay nay which keept them out of condemnation and who lives in this are redeemed out of the Apostacy since the Apostles daies to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine that knows the oath performed and Law and first Covenant and Moses and a greater then Solomon before Abraham was though these swore yet he saith swear not at all and this is my beloved Son hear him and there is the top stone laid and Christ reignes Mat. 5. All these Scriptures which are in all 113. are brought to oppose Christs Doctrine by the Apostates which prove nothing that the Christians should swear The oath of God his Law being kept his promise was performed which brought the Jews into the outward Land of Canaan which had the types and figures and shaddows which Christ ends the oath Law and first Covenant and types and figures and shaddows and redeems out of the Earthly Canaan and from the Earth to God and so brings into the Land of the Living THE END