Truth Held Forth and Maintained, Part 1 · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. Concerning Oathes, which includes all Swearing.
IN the firſt …ovenant the Lords People were commanded to Swear by the Name of God, in which time of the Law Oathes were obſerved, in that Covenant which was faulty for if that Covenant had been faultleſs then ſhould no place been ſought for the ſecond, Heb. 8.7. Now that Ordinance did not ma…e perfect, as pertaining to the Conſcience, by which there came to be an end to that Covenant, and a better H…pe was brought in, which ſtood upon better Promiſes; for that Covenant, and the Ordinances thereof were only to continue till the time of Reformation, which ſtood only in Meats and Drinks, and divers Waſhings, and carnal Ordinances impoſed on them, until the time of Reformation, Heb. 9.10. Now Chriſt, the everlaſting Covenant of God to his People, fullfilled all Righteouſneſs under the Law, by which the Covenant of Grace took place, in which the Oath ended, for Chriſt is the Oath of God, and the end of all Oathes, Strife and Contention. Mat. 5.33. to 37. It was ſaid of old Time. Thou ſhalt not Forſwear thy ſelf, but ſhalt perform unto the Lord thine Oathes, but I ſay unto you, Svvear not at all. Plain Doctrine, eaſie to be underſtood, commanded by Chriſt. Not at all to ſwear, or not to Swear at all; there is not a plainer and more ſtrict Command contained in the holy Scriptures of Truth, than for people Not to Swear at all, which doth exclude from all manner of Oathes, otherwiſe Chriſt would not have mentioned Oathes, which were obſerved in the firſt Covenant of Works under the Law, in which time they were not to forſwear themſelves, but to perform their Oathes unto the Lord, which were to be conſcientiouſly performed, according to Truth, in what they were engaged, or had engaged themſelves in Gods Name to do. Now Chriſt, the Oath of God is come, and in him is fullfilled the Righteouſneſs of the Law; for he is the end of all Oathes, Strife and Contention; and the holy Apoſtles followed Chriſts Doctrine, and exhorted People to follow them, as for Enſample they were Followers of Chriſt, whoſe Command they obeyed, and directed People to perform the ſame, and that was, Above all things not to Swear at all, but to let their Yea be Yea and their Nay, Nay, leſt they fall into Condemnation, Mat. 5.33, 34, 35, 36, 37. James 5.12. Now the Apoſtles exhorting the Brethren to obſerve and keep cloſe to the Truth of God, according to the Doctrine of Chriſt, which was, Not to Swear at all; which doth manifeſt, by his calling them Brethren, that they whom he exhorted not to Swear at all, were Brethren in Covenant with the Apoſtle in the Church of Chriſt elſe why called he them Brethren? then if Brethren with the holy Men of God in the Church of Chriſt, then why ſhould any preſume to ſay, his Exhortation from Swearing did only include common Swearing, which it ſo, it muſt then follow, that there vvere common Svvearers in Covenant vvith the holy Apoſtle in the Church of Chriſt, vvhichwhich thing I do not believe, that any common Svvearers vvere in Covenant vvith the Apoſtle James in the Church; but that as they vvere Obſervers of the Oath in the Lavv, he exhorted them to believe in Chriſt, vvho had fulfilled all Righteouſneſs contained in the Law, in which the Oath was contained alſo. So that by fullfilling the Righteouſneſs of the Law, or that righteouſneſs of Works which was required in the Law, he alſo fulfilled the Righteouſneſs of the Oath… and being the end of all Oathes, Strife and Contention, be exhorted the People to believe in him, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life of Light, which lighteth every true Child of God, begotten through faith in him, to ſpeak the Truth each to the other in all caſes whatever without Swearing, which is according ſo what the Apoſtle James doth alſo direct, viz. Above all things, my Brethren, Swear not at all, but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay, for whatſoever is more than theſe, is evil; and we know that all evil is for condemnation, neither do the People of God cauſe any to Swear, but deſire that all may ſpeak Truth, and that they which ſpeak the Truth, and they that ſwear the Truth, may be received under one Penalty, without tranſgreſſing the Kings Law, by which men might live in outward peace, as to theſe things of Swearing, or not Swearing.