Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. That it is lawfull to take an oath, contrarie to the doctrine of the Manichees and Anabaptiſts.
NEuertheleſſe,§. Sect. 1. That all maner of ſwearing is not condemned howſoeur a lawfull oath is the ordinance of God, and a part of his glorie, and to the furthering of our owne and our neighbors good, yet the Manichees of old, and the Anabaptiſts of latter daies, hauehave ſimply condemned all manner of ſwearing both publike and priuate, as euill and vnlawfull. But that this their opinion is falſe, hereticall and wicked, it may euidently appeare by theſe reaſons: Firſt, becauſe a lawfull oath is a part of Gods worſhip and ſeruice, which is expreſly commanded in his word. For whereas in the third Commandement he forbiddeth to take his name in vaine by vſuall or falſe ſwearing, there in the affirmatiue part he inioyneth that wee ſhould vſe the holie name of God in a lawfull oath, for the ſetting foorth of his glorie: and thus this commandement is expounded by Moſes and the Prophets. So Deut. 6.13.Deut. 6.13. and 10.20. Eſa. 65.16. Thou ſhalt feare the Lord thy God and ſerue him, and ſhalt ſweare by his name. And Deut. 10.20. Eſa. 65.16. He that ſhall bleſſe in the earth, ſhall bleſſe himſelfe in the true God, and hee that ſweareth in the earth ſhall ſweare by the true God. Iere. 4.2.Ierem. 4.2. Thou ſhalt ſweare the Lord liueth, in truth, in iudgement, and in righteouſneſſe.
Yea ſo excellent and neceſſarie a part of Gods ſeruice is a lawfull oath, that ſometimes it is put for his whole worſhip. Pſal. 63.11.Pſal. 63.11. All that ſweare by him ſhall reioyce before him, that is, all that worſhip and ſerue him. So Eſa. 19.18. it is ſaid that the Egyptians ſhall ſpeake the language of Canaan, Eſa. 19.18. and 48.1.and ſhall ſweare by the Lord of hoſtes; that is, ſhall make profeſſion of his true religion. And chap. 48.1. Heare this O houſe of Iacob, which ſweare by the name of the Lord: that is, profeſſe the religion of the true God.
So that a lawfull oath is ſingular part of his worſhip,§. Sect. 2. which,A lawfull oath is a part of Gods worſhip. as occaſion ſerueth, hee will not hauehave omitted: and therefore he not only commandeth it, but alſo hath ſworne, that thoſe who worſhip him ſhall ſweare by his name: Eſa. 45.23.Eſa. 45.23. I hauehave ſworne by my ſelfe, &c. that eueryevery knee ſhall bow vntounto me, and eueryevery tongue ſhall ſweare by me. Which dutie that they may bee incouraged to performe, hee hath promiſed to reward it in this life:Iere. 12.16. Ierem. 12.16. If they will learne the waies of my people, to ſweare by my name, the Lord liueth &c. then ſhall they be built in the middeſt of my people: and in the life to come with eternall happineſſe: for he that ſweareth and changeth not, though it be to his owne hindrance, hee ſhall dwell in Gods holie mountaine.Pſal. 15.4. §. Sect. 3. By a lawfull oath God is glorified. Pſal. 15.4.
Secondly, a lawfull oath is commendable, becauſe it tendeth to the aduancement of Gods glorie, and the good of mankinde. God in a lawfull oath is glorified: firſt, becauſe therein we acknowledge his omnipreſence; for in vaine doe we call God to witneſſe, vnleſſe he were preſent eueryevery where and readie to heare vsus.
Secondly, his omniſcience: for when we call God to witneſſe of our ſecret actions, thoughts and intentions, which can by no other meanes be demonſtrated, we acknowledge that hee is of infinite knowledge,Iob 42.2. Pſal. 139.2. Ierem. 17.10. Heb. 4.13. and that nothing is hid from him, that he is the ſearcher of the heart and reines, and that all things lie naked in his view.
Thirdly, his truth is acknowledged when as men appeale vntounto him as vntounto a witneſſe who cannot deceiue nor be deceiued, and who ſpeaking the truth himſelfe doth alſo defend it in others, and puniſh the contrarie falſehood.
Laſtly, his iuſtice and power is in a lawfull oath confeſſed and acknowledged, when as wee appeale vntounto him as a witneſſe of infallible truth, and vnpartiall iuſtice, who will giuegive a iuſt teſtimonie without reſpect of perſons; and as vntounto an vpright and moſt powerfull Iudge who is able to patronize and reward truth, and to puniſh falſehood and vntruth.
Secondly, it is profitable for men, becauſe it is the chiefe confirmation of our aſſurance in any truth,§. Sect. 4. A lawfull oath is profitable for men. and more to bee credited and reſpected, then the moſt manifeſt arguments and trueſt witneſſes that can be produced: and therefore the Apoſtle ſaith,Heb. 6.16. that an oath for confirmation is the end of all ſtrife, Heb. 6.16. And conſequently great is the profit which is bringeth no mankinde, ſeeing it is a notable meanes, not only for the maintaining of truth and iuſtice, but alſo for the taking away of diſcord and diſſenſions, and for the eſtabliſhing of peace and Chriſtian friendſhip.
Laſtly,§. Sect. 5. The vſe of a lawfull oath vvarranted by examples. the vſe of a lawfull oath is not only warranted, but alſo commended vntounto vsus by manifold examples in the Scriptures. As firſt, the Saints and holie men of God, for the confirmation of neceſſarie and vndemonſtrable truths, and to put an end to controuerſies and diſſenſions, hauehave vſed to ſweare one to another: As Abraham and Iſaac to Abimilech, Iacob to Laban, Ioſeph to Iacob, Dauid to Ionathan, Elias to Obadiah, and many other. And leſt it ſhould bee obiected, that howſoeuer they were holy Saints of God, yet they were men, and might therefore erre; we are further to know, that the holie men of God as they were the penmen of holie Scripture, immediatly inſpired by the holie Ghoſt, and conſequently exempted from all error and ſinne, did in the penning of the Scriptures confirme the truth of God by a lawfull and pious oath. Examples hereof are manifold: Rom. 1.9. God is my witneſſe, Rom. 1.9. and 9.1.whom I ſerue in my ſpirit. And 9.1. I ſay the truth in Chriſt, I lie not my conſcience bearing me witneſſe in the holy Ghoſt. The like paces wee hauehave, 1. Cor. 15.31.2. Cor. 1.23. and 11.31. and 12.19. Gal. 1.10. Phil. 1.8.1. Theſ. 2.5.10.2. Theſ. 2.1.
So likewiſe the holy Angels, who are priuiledged from ſin and error, hauehave vſed the name of their great Lord and Maſter in ſwearing by it.Dan. 12.7. Dan. 12.7. it is ſaid that the Angell held vp his right hand and his left hand vntounto heauen, and ſware by him that liueth for euer. Apoc. 10.5.6.So Apoc. 10.5.6. But what ſhould I ſtand vponupon the example of the creatures, when as the great Creator of heauen and earth hath approoued the holie vſe of an oath in his owne practiſe?Gen. 22.16. Geneſ. 22.16. By my ſelfe hauehave I ſworne (ſaith the Lord) becauſe thou haſt done this thing, &c. Numb. 14.28.Numb. 14.28. As I liue (ſaith the Lord) I will ſurely doe vntounto you euen as ye hauehave ſpoken in mine eares. So Pſal. 110.4. and 132. 11. Eſa. 14.24. and 45.23. and 54.9. Iere. 44.26. Luk. 1.73. Rom. 14.11. Heb. 6.13.16.
Againſt this the Anabaptiſts obiect the ſaying of our Sauiour,§. Sect. 6. An obiection out of Math. 5.34. anſwered. Mat.chap.5. verſ.34. But I ſay vntounto you, ſweare not at all, neither by heauen, for it is the throne of God, &c. Whence they gather, that howſoeuer ſwearing was vſed and allowed vnderunder the Law, yet no manner of oathes are lawfull in the time of the Goſpell. To which I anſwere, that their interpretation of theſe words is both wicked and abſurd: firſt, becauſe they hereby make this Scripture contradict other places which directly inioyne a lawfull oath. Secondly, hereby they make Chriſt condemne the practiſe of his holy Saints, and euen of the penmen of the holy Scriptures, yea of God the Father himſelfe, as before hath bin ſhewed. Yea they make Chriſts precept contrarie to his owne practiſe, for he himſelf vponupon waightie occaſion vſed that earneſt and ſolemne aſſeueration, Amen, Amen; Verely, verely: which though it ſhould be no oath,Heb. 6.14. as the Apoſtle ſeemeth to implie that it is, Heb. 6.14. yet is it at leaſt a vehement aſſeueration, and conſequently more then, yea, yea, and nay, nay. And moreouer, they make our Sauiour to contradict his owne words, verſe 17. where he ſaith, that he came not to deſtroy the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them: for if he ſhould take away the vſe of a lawfull oath, hee ſhould deſtroy part of the Morall law, which inioyneth it as a part of Gods ſeruice, and conſequently ſhould ſpoile God his Father of a part of his worſhippe, which was not only required vnderunder the Law, but alſo it was foretold that the Church of Chriſt ſhould alſo vſe it in the time of the Goſpell:Eſa. 19.18. and 65.16. Eſa. 19.18. and 65.16. Thirdly, hereby they ouerthrow the law of nature and nations, which eſtabliſhed a lawfull oath in waightie and neceſſary cauſes euen before the law of Moſes, as appeareth in the ſtorie of the Patriarchs. Laſtly, they hereby weaken truth, by plucking from it the chiefe band whereby it is ſtrengthened and confirmed; they take away the meanes to end controuerſies, and together with it peace, amitie, and agreement, and ſo leaue a wide doore open to iealouſie, ſuſpition, diſcord and diſſenſion.
This interpretation therefore is not to be receiued,§. Sect. 7. Math. 5.34 expounded. but rather another which admitteth none of the former abſurdities, and better agreeth with the maine drift and ſcope of Chriſt in this place. Now the drift of Chriſt was not to take away the vſe of an oath, and ſo to diſanull a part of the law, againſt which in the beginning of his ſpeech he proteſted, but to vindicate and free it from the corrupt gloſſes and falſe expoſitions of the Phariſies; who tooke away the ſpirituall vnderſtanding which is the chiefe life of law, and expounded the Commandements (like the Papiſts in theſe daies) in a litterall and groſſe ſenſe onelyonly, namely, of the outward fact alone in the groſſeſt kinde. For example, that the ſixth Commandement onelyonly forbiddeth actuall killing; the ſeuenth, actuall vncleanneſſe; and the third, periurie and falſe ſwearing by the name of God. For howſoeuer they had the name of God himſelfe in ſome outward reuerence, yet they taught that it was lawfull to ſweare in their ordinarie communication by the creatures, which did not immediatly appertaine to Gods worſhip and ſeruice, as the heauens, the earth, the altar, their head and ſuch like; becauſe the Commandement onelyonly forbiddeth to take the name of the Lord our God in vaine. And ſecondly, they taught that if a man had ſworne by theſe creatures, and did not keepe his oath, yet hee ſinned not,Leuit. 19.12. becauſe it is ſaid, Leuit. 19.12. Yee ſhall not ſweare by my name falſely, neither ſhalt thou defile the name of thy God. And this appeareth both in the 5.Matth. 5.23. and 23. Chapters of Mat. where Chriſt laboureth to confute this falſe doctrine, and to reforme theſe abuſes. In the fifth Chapter, and verſe 33. he propoundeth their doctrine; Yee hauehave heard that it was ſaid to them of old time, Thou ſhalt not forſweare thy ſelfe, but ſhalt performe thine oathes to the Lord: but I ſay vntounto you, Sweare not at all, neither by heauen, for it is the throne of God, &c. Where hee ſheweth that they had in their doctrine condemned forſwearing, and not vaine ſwearing, and this falſe ſwearing by the name of God alone, and not by the creatures. So in the 23.Mat. 23.16.17. Chapter, verſe 16.17.18. they taught that they might ſweare by the Temple, by the Altar, and by their head, and that all this was nothing, neither in regard of their vaine ſwearing, nor yet forſwearing by theſe creatures. Now our Sauiour laboureth to free the pure law of God from theſe ſpots of their falſe interpretations, and ſheweth, that not only hee who had ſlaine a man was a murtherer, but hee who had been vniuſtly angrie with him in his heart, and had reuiled him with his tongue; that he alſo was an adulterer before God, who in his heart had luſted after a woman, as well as he who had lien with her.
So likewiſe hee refuteth their falſe doctrine concerning oathes, and ſheweth that we muſt not in our ordinarie communication ſweare at all, no not by the creatures, becauſe in theſe oathes the name of God is obliquely and indirectly taken in vaine, there remaining in them ſome prints and characters of Gods power and Maieſtie: for they who ſweare by heauen, ſweare indirectly by God, becauſe heauen is his throne; ſo they what ſweare by the earth, ſweare alſo by him, becauſe it is his footſtoole; and in like manner the Temple and Altar belong to his worſhip, and our heads they are his workmanſhip; and conſequently his name in them is taken in vaine by vſuall ſwearing in ordinarie communication, and much more in periurie and falſe ſwearing, though not directly, yet indirectly and obliquely.
But they further vrge that our Sauiour expreſſely forbiddeth vsus to ſweare at all,§. Sect. 8. The former obiection further vrged and anſwered. and therefore wee muſt not ſweare neither by the creatures, nor by God himſelfe, neither truly nor falſely, neither in ordinarie communication, nor yet before a Magiſtrate. To which I anſwere, that theſe words, at all, are not to be referred to the oath it ſelfe, as though Chriſt ſhould forbid to ſweare in all caſes, which reference; as I hauehave ſhewed, implieth many abſurdities: but it is to bee referred to the forme and manner of the oath, namely, that we muſt not ſweare at all falſely, raſhly, and vſually in our ordinarie communication, neither directly by the name of God, nor indirectly by the creatures, which notwithſtanding the Phariſies taught to be lawfull. For that our Sauiour ſpeaketh here only of priuate oathes it is manifeſt, in that they did not in their publike oathes before the Magiſtrates ſweare by the creatures, but by the name of God alone. And ſo alſo it may bee gathered out of the text it ſelfe: for hee ſaith, let your communication, or ordinarie ſpeech one to another be, yea yea, nay nay: neither doth hee forbid them to ſweare by the name of God, which was vſed in publike oathes, but by the creatures, namely, the heauen, earth, altar, &c.
Yea,§. Sect. 9. That an oath in priuate may be vſed lavvfully. will ſome man ſay, but howſoeuer publike oathes before the Magiſtrates, and for the confirming of new Conuerts in the truth of Chriſtian religion, may bee lawfull, yet priuate oathes are here vtterly condemned. I anſwere, that Chriſt here onelyonly forbiddeth raſh, vaine and vſuall ſwearing, when neither the waightineſſe nor neceſſitie of the cauſe requireth it, as being a matter which is not worth the prouing, by ſuch a ſoueraigne witneſſe and Iudge, or which may bee proued by other arguments and witneſſes. Otherwiſe in waightie and neceſſarie cauſes, it is lawfull for the confirmation of truth, the ending of controuerſies, the taking away of doubtings, iealouſies, and ſuſpitions, and for the preſeruing of a mans good name and credit,Exod. 22.10. to ſweare priuately as well as publikely, ſeeing the maine ends of a lawfull oath are attained vntounto, as well in the one as in the other. Examples hereof we hauehave in Abraham and Iſaac ſwearing to Abimilech, Iacob to Laban, Ioſeph to Iacob, Dauid to Ionathan, and in many others.
Laſtly,§. Sect. 10. Obiect. 2. Iam. 5.12. they obiect the ſaying of Iames, chap. 5. verſe. 12. But aboue all things, my brethren, ſweare not, neither by heauen, nor by earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay, leſt ye fall into condemnation. The which words are all one in ſubſtance with thoſe of our Sauiour Chriſts, and therefore admit of the ſame interpretation, and conſequently the obiection needeth no other anſwere; otherwiſe Iames ſhould condemne Paul, the holie Ghoſt ſhould be contrarie to himſelfe, and all thoſe abſurdities before ſpoken of muſt neceſſarilie follow.