§. X.
All Swearing is forbidden—But considering these clear Words of our Saviour, Matt. v. 33, 34. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old Time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths. But I say unto you, Swear not at all, neither by Heaven, &c. But let your Communication be yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of Evil. As also the Words of the Apostle James v. 12. But above all Things, my Brethren, swear not, neither by Heaven, neither by the Earth, neither by any other Oath; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay, lest ye fall into Condemnation. I say, considering these clear Words, it is admirable how any one that professeth the Name of Christ can pronounce any Oath with a quiet Conscience, far less to persecute other Christians, that dare not swear, because of their Master Christ’s Authority. For did any one purpose seriously, and in the most rigid Manner, to forbid any Thing comprehended under any General, can they use a more full and general Prohibition, and that without any Exception? I think not. For Christ, First, proposeth it to us negatively, Swear not at all, neither by Heaven, not by the Earth, nor by Jerusalem, nor by thy Head, &c. And again, Swear not by Heaven, nor by Earth, nor by any other Oath. Secondly, He presseth it affirmatively, But let your Communication be yea, yea, and nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of Evil. And saith James, Lest ye fall into Condemnation.
Without Exception.Which Words both all and every one of them do make such a full Prohibition, and so free of all Exception, that it is strange how Men that boast the Scripture is the Rule of their Faith and Life, can counterfeit any Exception! Certainly Reason ought to teach every one, that it is not lawful to make void a general Prohibition coming from God by such Opposition, unless the Exception be as clearly and evidently expressed as the Prohibition: Neither is it enough to endeavour to confirm it by Consequences and Probabilities, which are obscure and uncertain, and not sufficient to bring Quiet to the Conscience. For if they say, That there is therefore an Exception and Limitation in the Words, because there are found Exceptions in the other general Prohibition of this Fifth Chapter, as in the forbidding of Divorcement, where Christ saith, It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his Wife, let him give her a Writing of Divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his Wife, saving for the Cause of Fornication, causeth her to commit Adultery; if, I say, they plead this, they not only labour in vain, but also fight against themselves, because they can produce no Exception of this general Command of not Swearing, expressed by God to any under the New Covenant, after Christ gave this Prohibition so clear as that which is made in the Prohibition itself. Also Oaths before a Magistrate.Moreover, if Christ would have excepted Oaths made before Magistrates, certainly he had then expressed, adding, Except in Judgment, before the Magistrate, or the like; as he did in that of Divorcement by these Words, Saving for the Cause of Fornication: Which being so, it is not lawful for us to except or distinguish, or, which is all one, make void this general Prohibition of Christ; it would be far less agreeable to Christian Holiness to bring upon our Heads the Crimes of so many Oaths, which by Reason of this Corruption and Exception are so frequent among Christians.
The Concurrence of the ancient Fathers therein.Neither is it to be omitted that without Doubt the most learned Doctors of each Sect know, That these fore-mentioned Words were understood by the ancient Fathers of the first three hundred Years after Christ to be a Prohibition of all Sorts of Oaths. It is not then without Reason that we wonder that the Popish Doctors and Priests bind themselves by an Oath to interpret the Holy Scriptures according to the universal Exposition of the Holy Fathers; who nevertheless understood those controverted Texts quite contrary to what these modern Doctors do. And from thence also do clearly appear the Vanity and foolish Certainty (so to speak) of Popish Traditions; for if by the Writings of the Fathers, so called, the Faith of the Church of those Ages may be demonstrated, it is clear they have departed from the Faith of the Church of the first three Ages in the Point of Swearing. Moreover, because not only Papists, but also Lutherans and Calvinists, and some others, do restrict the Words of Christ and James, I think it needful to make manifest the vain Foundation upon which that Presumption in this Matter is built.