An exposition of the morall lavv, or Ten Commandements of almightie God set dovvne by vvay of exercitations, wherein is contained an explanation of diverse questions and positions for the right understanding thereof, together with an explication of these scriptures which depend upon, or belong unto every one of the commandements, all which are cleared out of the originall languages, the customes of the Iewes, and the distinctions of the schoolemen / by Iohn Weemse ...

EXERCITAT. II. Of the Iewes superstitious and deceitfull oathes. Commandement III.

Mat. 23.16. Whosoever shall sweare by the temple it is nothing but whosoever shall sweare by the gold of the tem∣ple is a debter.

THere is no people that abuseth the name of God more than the Iewes doe, applying these titles and speeches which belong onely to God, unto men;* 1.1 for when they write their familiar epistles to their friends, commending their friends epistle or letter which they have received, they say, Eloquia Domini, eloquia pura, giving that commendation to their epistles, which is due onely to the law of the Lord. Againe, when they flatter their friendes, desiring that they may bee intire with them, then they abuse the scripture; pateat accessus ad adytum sanctitatis tuae, they crave accesse to his holi∣nesse, which is proper onely to God. Thirdly, when they would testifie themselves thankefull,* 1.2 they say, Nomini tuo psallam, I will sing O Lord unto thy name. Fourthly, when they complaine that their friends have forsaken them, and are not kinde unto them, then they say, Cum exercitibus nostris non egrederis Domine, Lord thou goest not out with our armies. Fiftly, when they bid their friends unto a wedding or a banquet, they say, In te speravi Domine, non confundar, I have trus∣ted in thee, O Lord, let me not bee confounded. Thus wee see how these blinde wretches abuse the scriptures, and take the name of God in vaine, and we see how Christ

blameth them. Mat. 5. for swearing by the creatures.

* 1.3To prove that it was lawfull to sweare by the hea∣vens, they abused these scriptures. Amos 4.2. The Lord did sweare by his holinesse, that is, by the heavens (say they) whereas the Prophet meant that he swore by him∣selfe. So, Amos 8.7. The Lord hath sworne by the excel∣lency of Iacob: the Iewes tooke it for his temple and not for himselfe, whereas he swore by himselfe, because he had no greater to sweare by. Heb. 6.13. So they used to sweare deceitfully,* 1.4 and to sophisticate their oathes. Mat. 23.16. When they swore by the temple, they said, it was nothing; but to sweare by the gold of the temple, then he was a debter. So if he swore by the altar, it was no∣thing; but to sweare by the gift upon the altar, then he was a debter, but Christ sheweth them, that to sweare by the temple,* 1.5 was greater than to sweare by the gold of the temple; for the temple sanctified the gold, there∣fore it is greater than the gold: so the altar sanctified the gift upon the altar, and therefore it was a greater sinne to sweare by the altar, than by the gift upon the altar.

The Prophet Haggai propounded a question to the Priests. Hagg. 2.12. If one beare holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt doth touch bread or pottage, or wine, or oyle, or any meat, shall it be holy? and the Priests answered and said, no? Then said Haggai, if one that is un∣cleane by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be uncleane? and the Priests answered and said, it shall be uncleane. If a holy thing touch that which is common, will it make it holy? No: if an uncleane thing touch a cleane thing, will it make it uncleane? Yes: but here when the altar touched the gift, it sanctified it more, and made it holy. And here is the difference betwixt legall sanctification & Christs blood purging us; for Christs blood when it toucheth us, it maketh us holy, but it becometh not un∣cleane, whereas these things which were holy under the

law, might be polluted by uncleane things.

The forme of the oath amongst the Iewes at this day, is this,* 1.6 when he sweareth he holdeth the booke of the law in his hand, and he sweareth in the holy tongue after this manner. I Abraham sweare by the God of Israel, and by him who is long suffering and mercifull, that I owe nothing to this man N. and the Iudges say unto him a∣gaine, Wee attest thee by the great Lord, whether there bee any thing in thy hand which belongeth to that man. And when the curse of the law is pronounced, he answereth, Amen, Amen.

They have learned this tricke at this day,* 1.7 they hold that no oath bindeth them, but when they lay their hand upon their owne Torah, that is, the booke which is read in their owne Synagogues; but if they lay their hand upon any other bible before a Christian Magi∣strate; they will readily forsweare themselves, therefore sundry townes in Germany understanding this,* 1.8 the Ma∣gistrates will not take an oath of them, untill the Torah, their bible bee brought out of their Synagogues, and then they make them lay their hand upon it and sweare. Moreover in the day of their expiation, their Rabbi do absolve them from their perjuries, and all their deceits which they have used against the Christians; and they say, Optimus qui inter gentes est, dignus est cui caput con∣teratur tanquam serpenti, the best of the Christians is worthy to be trode upon, as the head of the serpent.

They will give their oath willingly in no other lan∣guage but in the Hebrew tongue;* 1.9 and they alledge that place of Esay for them. Esay. 19.18. In that day shall five cities speake the language of Canaan, and sweare to the Lord of hostes. And they say if the Egyptians must sweare in the language of Canaan, then all people should sweare in that language, and they account all other languages but the language of Ashdod. Neh. 13.24. and especially the

Latine tongue, which they hate above all other; but our Lord sanctified the Latine tongue as well as the rest, upon the crosse.

* 1.10The conclusion of this is, Those who know not Iesus Christ the angell of the covenant, in whom the Lord hath put his name, Exod. 23.21. will never sanctifie him in his attributes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Iewes abuse the names and attributes of God.
• * 1.2

  The Iewes abuse the Scriptures.
• * 1.3

  The Iewes thought it lawfull to sweare by the heavens.
• * 1.4

  How they did sophisti∣cate their oathes.
• * 1.5

  The Iewes swore by the Temple.
• * 1.6

  How the Iewes sweare, and the manner of their oath.
• * 1.7

  They will keepe no oath unlesse they sweare upon their own Torah.
• * 1.8

  How Christians make the Iewes to sweare.
• * 1.9

  The Iewes will not sweare willingly but in the Hebrew tongue.
• * 1.10

  Conclusion.