A help to holy walking, or, A guide to glory containing directions how to worship God, and to walk with him in the whole course of our lives / by Edward Bury.

CHAP. XI. Directions about Oaths.

THE next part of Divine Worship that I shall Direct you in, is the right Use of an Oath; for though rash swearing be an hor∣rible sin, as I intend, God willing, elsewhere to demonstrate. Yet an Oath in it self is Law∣ful, and necessary; yea, a Commanded part of God's Worship, Thou shalt fear the Lord, and serve him, and shalt swear by his Name, Deut. 6.13. The like we find, Deut. 10.20. My work therefore, in the first place, will be to shew you what an Oath is, and then to prove it Lawful, and afterwards to give you Directions in this, as I have done in other parts of God's Worship. An Oath is a part of that Religious Worship which we owe to God, in which, being Lawfully called there∣unto, we call God to witness the Truth of what we Assert, and our real intention to per∣form what we promise, and to reward, or punish us according to the Truth, or Falshood of what we say. That it is a part of Religi∣ous Worship, the Texts before quoted serve to prove, 2 Cor. 1.23. Moreover, I call God for a Record upon my Soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. 2 Chron. 6.22,23. If a Man sin against his Neighbour, and an

Oath be laid upon him, to make him Swear, and the Oath come before thine Altar, in this House, then hear thou from Heaven, and do, and Judge thy Servants by requiting the Wicked, by Recom∣pencing his way upon his own Head, and by Ju∣stifying the Righteous, by giving him according to his Righteousness, Lev. 19.12. Ye shall not swear by my Name falsly, neither shalt thou pro∣phane the Name of thy God, Exod. 2.7. You see 'tis a part of Religious Worship, for herein God is called to be a Witness to Justi∣fie, or to Condemn; who only knows the In∣tegrity of the Heart, and the sincerity of the Intentions; yea, sometimes 'tis put for the whole Worship of God, Isa. 19.18. Where swearing to the Lord is meant worshipping the Lord: Nay, we have the consent of all Na∣tions, that always have esteemed an Oath Sa∣cred, and Venerable. Poets, Philosophers, Heathens, and Infidels make Conscience of this Religious Band, and Reason shews it al∣so; for hereby we acknowledge the Wisdom, Power, and Justice of God: His Wisdom in Searching the Heart, and knowing the hidden thoughts, and intentions of it: His Power, in being able to punish it, and his Justice, in giving every Man accoding to his desert; and this Worship he will not give to another, Jer. 12.16. They taught my People to Swear by the Name of Baal, Amos 8.14. Zeph. 1.5. The Lawfulness of an Oath is confessed by most, and denyed by few, and those Contemptible, we have Scripture warrant for it; yea, the

Command of God, as you have heard, Exod. 22.10. Where an Oath was to be taken in the Case of lost Goods, Isa. 45.63. Ʋnto me every Tongue shall swear, Isa. 65.16. He that sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of Truth. Now, God would not have Commanded any thing that was sinful in it self, as a part of his Worship. Nay, he doth not only Command it, but lays down the qua∣lifications of an Oath, Jer. 4.2. Thou shalt swear the Lord Liveth in Truth, in Judgment, and in Righteousness; and in what Cases it ought to be required, Exod. 22.11. Neither can there any Reason be given, why 'tis not Lawful as well in Gospel times, as under the Law; it was not Ceremonious, nor Typical, neither in the Matter, Form, nor End: Nay, we have Examples of God himself, and there∣fore 'tis not intrins•…•…cally Evil, Gen. 22.16. By my self have I sworn, saith the Lord, Heb. 6.13. Because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Jer. 44.26. I have sworn by my great Name, saith the Lord, Amos 4.2. The Lord hath sworn by his Holiness. We have the Example of Christ, Mat. 5.18. For Verily I say unto you, till Heaven and Earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall in no wise pass, till all be fulfilled; compare this with Heb. 8.14. Surely, Blessing, I will Bless thee, &c. This is called God's Oath, and frequent are the Asservations of Christ: Verily, verily, we have the Exam∣ple of the Holy Angels also, Dan. 12.7. The Angel lift up his Hand, and sware by him that

Liveth for ever. The like we have, Rev. 10.6. we read of the Saints Swearing. Gen. 14.22. & 42.15. Josh▪ 14.9. 1 Kings 20.3. Yea, in Gospel times, Paul, Rom. 1.9. God is my Witness, whom I serve in my Spirit, I say the Truth in Christ I lye not, my Conscience also bearing me Witness in the Holy Ghost, &c. We have the Custom of all Nations, which shews 'tis a Principle in Nature; who, when wit∣ness is wanting, take an Oath as a Religious Band; and because they know not the Heart, appeal to God, that doth know it: Neither is there any thing in an Oath that is intrinse∣cally Evil; neither the Matter, Form, nor End, the calling upon God, the Searcher of the Heart, to bear witness to the Sincerity of our Intentions, for the Satisfaction of others, that cannot otherwise be satisfied; what Evil can there be in that? Heb. 6.16. An Oath is for Confirmation, the end of all strife, 2 Cor. 1.23. Indeed all rash common Swearing is forbidden by Christ, and also by St. James.

1. Direct. As concerning Oaths, Conside∣ration must be had of the parties themselves concerned; and they are either the Parties re∣quiring an Oath, or the Parties of whom an Oath is required, for both of them require some Satisfaction: He that requires it should do it by Authority, and have a Lawful ground, or otherwise he cannot; he ought not to exact it by force: every Man cannot force another to Swear, and without just Cause no one ought; in such a Case they ought not to be

Obeyed: And for the Person Swearing, which is Agens Principalis, the chief Actor in the business: 'Tis necessary that he have the use of Reason, and that he be sui Juris, his own Man; and the things that he swears to give be at his own Dispose; and hence it follows, the Children, before they come to the right use of Reason, ought not to take an Oath, nei∣ther indeed should their Oaths be imposed, or regarded; neither doth such an Oath bind the Conscience, being Ignorantly taken; they are Ignorant of the Nature of an Oath, nei∣ther can they come with deliberation as they ought, or compare their Action with the Rule, or right Reason; therefore they ought not to be Admitted. But at what Age that is, I think is not easie to determine; for doubtless, some attain it soon, some later; but I think our Laws say Sixteen Years of Age, and be∣fore that time their Testimony is not Valid: And an Oath may bind the Conscience of some, if otherwise Lawful, though the Te∣stimony be not Valid by the Law. But alas! how Common, oh, too Common, is that Cu∣stomary Swearing of Children, even before they can speak plain, as if they suckt it in with their Mothers Milk, and had been taught it with their Mother Tongue, as doubtless, they are, either by Precept, or Example; for how many, before they can speak plain, lisp out Oaths against God himself, whose Name they Profanely abuse, to the dishonour of God, the shame of their Parents, the damage of

the Nation where they Live; for because of Oaths the Land mourns; and to the apparent hazard of their own Souls; who, without Re∣pentance, will Eternally Curse their Parents in Hell for their sinful Education. Again, Mad and Frantick Men are not fit to take an Oath for the same Reason; for though they once had the use of Reason, yet through their Distemper, 'tis lost. The like we may say of Fools and Idiots, that never had it, and so ne∣ver knew the use of an Oath; though too ma∣ny of them, though they cannot speak Rea∣son, can Swear, and Curse, and take the Name of God in vain; and their proneness to this, and other sins, and their backward∣ness to what is good, discovers them to be of the Sinful Off-spring of lapsed Adam, and is a strong Argument for Original Sin; and their want of the use of Reason is some extenuation of their Sin: God requires little where little was given, yet it excuseth not a toto, but a tanto; it discovers a foul Fountain, that thus bubbles up; their Words, their Actions, their Discourse is not to be heard, why then their Oaths? Again, Men, when far gone in Drink, or Passion, are not fit for this conside∣rate Duty, neither can they do it without Sin, because not with Mature Deliberation; though some Cases their promisory Oaths may bind them, and they ought not to break them, though it be to their own damage, Psal. 15.4. For Drunkenness, or Immoderate Passion is no Excuse of their Sin, but an Aggravation;

for one Sin will not Excuse another. Again, if a Man be in his right mind, and otherwise qualified, yet 'tis necessary that he be sui juris, his own Man, at his own dispose, and not anothers, in the thing he swears, otherwise he cannot avoid sin, what Course soever he take: As, suppose a Son under the Tuition of a Father, or a Servant of a Master, should with∣out Parents, or Masters Consent, swear to go a Journey; as suppose in Popery, on a Pilgrimage; this is a Sin, because he is not at his own dispose: We read in the time of the Law, if a Woman Vowed a Vow, or a Maid in her Fathers House, if her Husband or Father approved not of it, it was void; con∣sider then whether Vows of single Life, or Marriage Promises without Parents consent, be valid; I am sure they are sinful: Those un∣der Authority should not dispose of them∣selves by Oath, without Parents Consent.

2. Direct. Having already shewn you who may swear, and who ought not to swear; I come, in the next place, to tell you by whom you ought to swear; and here also we shall meet with much Corruption in Practice, though an Oath is Lawful, when Lawfully re∣quired; as by a Lawful Magistrate, in a Law∣ful Cause, from a Person rightly qualified, as I hove already Discoursed, yet 'tis not Lawful to swear by whom he pleaseth; for an Oath, as I told you, is part of Divine Worship due to God; and his Glory is Concerned in it, and he will not give it to another, Gen. 21.53.

Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac; that is, by the God whom his Father feared: That we ought to swear by God, I have shewed you already, both by Scriptures and Exam∣ples, Deut. 6.13. & 10.20. and many more: But where we have any Injunction, or Tole∣ration, given to swear by any thing that is not God, is not easie to find; yea, it is plain Idolatry, to ascribe unto any Creature Divine Worship; 'tis a setting of them in the place of God, yea, a dishonouring of God, and setting up something else in his stead. In a Lawful Oath we do not only assert the Truth for that we do, or ought to do without an Oath, but we ascribe Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence; yea, the Justice, wisdom, and Truth to God: we acknowledge him to be the Searcher of the Heart, and the Tryer of the Reins; and that he is both the witness, Judge, and Revenger of Falshood, and Ly∣ing; and furthermore, by Prayer, and Invo∣cation God is called upon to give Testimony, with the Conscience of him that sweareth, that he speaketh the Truth from his Heart, with an Imprecation in which a Man acknow∣ledgeth that God is a just Revenger of a Lye, and binds himself to be punished by him if he swear falsly, or speaks an untruth wittingly or willingly: & now I appeal to any Man's Consci∣ence, if these things can be Attributed to any Creature, without gross Idolatry; can we ascribe to the Creature Omniscience, Omnipotence, Searching the Heart, and witnessing with the

Conscience, that we speak the Truth, and an ability to punish, or reward according to the Integrity of the Heart; to protect the Inno∣cent, and detect the Guilty? what is this, but to make them Gods, in giving to them the Incommunicable Attributes of God? Can all this be done without Idolatry? VVe may find God in Scripture complaining of this Sin, and threatning to punish such Sinners, Jer. 5.7. They have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no Gods: See Swearing by the Crea∣tures, is in God's Account, and Scripture Language, a forsaking of God, Jer. 12.16. They have taught my People to swear by the Name of Baal. God threatens such as Swear by the Sin of Samaria, that they shall fall, and never rise again, Amos 4.8. Now, this was swear∣ing by the Idols of Samaria, for Samaria was full of Idols: Let those look to it, that swear by the Popish Idol the Mass, or by our Lady, which they make their great Idol, and set her up as high, and in some cases higher than Christ himself. Nay, those that in their Oaths joyn any thing with God, as if he were not of him∣self sufficient, cannot be Excused, as those, Zeph. 1.4,5. That swear by God and Malchom; and the Excuse which many make, for this horrid Crime, is indeed the aggravation of the Sin; they say, what they swear by are petty trivial things, and therefore no Offence; they take not the Name of God in Vain: But is not the Offence the greater, when we give the Incommunicable Attribute of God to those

petty things; if there be no need of an Oath, why dost thou swear? If there be, why dost not swear by God, when thou hast so many direct Commands, and so many Examples of God, Angels, and the best of Men. Nei∣ther is the Practice of some of the Holy Fa∣thers, an Excuse sufficient; Joseph's swearing by the Life of Pharaoh, is by most, if not all Learned Expositors, judged his failing, learn∣ed by Custom in Pharaohs Court, and will no more warrant the Practice, than Noah's, Lot's, and David's Example will Drunkenness, In∣cest, Murder, or Adultery: And whereas some use the Expression, as thy Soul Liveth, &c. This is not properly an Oath, but an Asservera∣tion, wherein God is also tacitely invoked to witness the Truth; it signifies such a thing is as really True, as thou art alive, yet doth invoke his to witness this Truth; 'tis hard to say which is the greater Sin, to swear rashly by God, which is Blasphemy, or to Swear by the Creatures, which is Idolatry.

3. Direct. Having shewed you who may swear, and by whom; I shall, in the next place, speak of the Matter of an Oath, and here also many Offend. An Oath, for the Matter, must be about Lawful things, and possible, or else it cannot be a Lawful Oath: If we swear to do an unlawful thing, we must not perform it, for 'tis a double Transgres∣sion; if to do an impossible thing, we cannot do it; a rash Oath is better broken than kept: VVhat a Snare then do Men run into, and

how do they put themselves upon a Necessity of sinning, that swear in their Rage to do what God forbids them to do? Swear to do that which they must not perform: See this in David, when he had rashly sworn the death of Nabal, and all his Houshold, many of them, no doubt, Innocent Persons, yet af∣ter was pacified by wise Abigail, and blesseth God for the preventing the shedding of Inno∣cent Blood, 1 Sam. 25.32,33. The like Oath we read of Saul, who swore the Death of In∣nocent Jonathan, but was prevented by the People. When Herod performed his rash Oath to Herodias's Daughter, and cut off John Baptists Head. But a Lawful Oath is a∣greeable to the mind and will of God, about things Honest, Just, Good, Possible, and Weigty, and in thy Power: If it be impos∣sible, then thou canst not do it, and therefore thou shouldest make no such promisory Oath. Now, a thing may be impossible several ways, as in Nature; as for a Man to flye, or a Fish to speak: Some things, though possible in Nature, yet impossible in regard of Time, or other-like Circumstances; 'tis possible to go to Lon∣don, and to Rome, but 'tis impossible to be at both places the same day: And some things may be possible in Nature, yet impossible by Accident; as for a Man to swear to come to s ch a place, by such a time, and he be taken Captive by the Enemy, or fall dangerously Sick, &c. in such a Case 'tis well to put in such a Caution, If God permit; the bond of

such an Oath is loosed, as it was in Abraham's Servant, in case the Maid would not come with him. Again, we ought not to swear to perform unlawful things, any thing which is the breach of God's Law; as to kill a Man, to Steal, or to Commit Adultery, &c. What∣soever is against Piety towards God, or Cha∣rity towards Man: Whatsoever is against the good of the Church, or the Glory of God, and the Common-wealth thou Livest in: what∣soever hath any evil in it, ought not to be the Matter of an Oath; for an Oath ought not to be Vinculun Iniquitatis, a band of Iniquity. No Man is, or can be tyed to break God's Law; or if such an Oath be taken, it ought not to be kept: Hence Herod sins both in Swearing, and also in performing his Oath. But some will say, if he had not performed it he had been perjured: I Answer, when a Man swears to break a Command of God, he is perjured as soon as he hath sworn, because he took an unlawful Oath; and if he perform it he adds sin to sin, as Herod did Murther to Perjury; and such a Man must Repent of his rash Oath, and not add sin to sin, in persisting in his rashness, to the further breaking of Gods Commands. The Holy Ghost gives us a Rule for swearing, Jer. 4.2. Thou shalt swear the Lord Liveth, in Truth, in Judgment, and in Righteousness. In Truth, for otherwise thou wilt forswear thy self; for thou must not take an Oath against thy Conscience, nor of doubt∣ful things, which thou knowest not to be true.

Now, there is a double Truth, one of the Tongue, and another of the Mind; that of the Tongue is when a thing is really so, as 'tis attested; that of the Mind, when a Man thinks in his Conscience he speaks nothing but the Truth; In Judgment not rash, or ven∣trously, but with due Consideration of the Nature of the thing, to be worthy the weight of an Oath, the Nature of God, whom we call to witness, and under whose Divine Judg∣ment we set our selves, in Case we speak false; and in Righteousness, that the thing we swear be Lawful, and possible, and like to bring Glory to God, and good to our selves, or others.

4. Direct. The next thing to be considered, is the form of an Oath, for this also is stum∣bled at by some, and is to be minded as well as the Matter; this should be agreeable, or at least not contradictory to the word of God. Now, the Form of an Oath is either Exter∣nal, or Internal; the External Form consists in words, or signs, or both; the Internal Form consists in the true Sense and Interpre∣tation of the words of the Oath; a little of these in their Order. The External some∣times consists in words, without signs, and thus a Man swears, and calls God to witness the Truth of his Intentions in plain words; and this Oath is variously worded, according to the Use, and Custom of the Countrey Men Live in: And thus we may find, as be∣fore hath been proved, God, Angels, and

Men have thus sworn. Sometimes also Men swear, and affirm by signs without words, and this is most frequent where there are many that enter into an Oath, or Covenant, when the words of the Oath, or Covenant are either read, or spoken; and those that are willing to enter into that bond, make it known by some External sign or token, by some Action or Gesture, as by a nod with the Head, bowing the Body, standing up, or to a side, lifting up the Hand, or otherwise, according as they shall be required by the Imposer; or by wri∣ting down their Names: By any of those they may testifie their consent, and this is as binding and Obligatory, as if the words were uttered. And sometimes we may find an Oath taken both by words and signs, and this is the most Solemn manner of Swearing: Thus God frequently is said to lift up his Hand, when he swears to his People; thus the Angel, Dan. 12.7. he held up his Right Hand; and his Left Hand to Heaven, and sware by him that Liveth for ever; and this hath been the Custom of Heathens, and Infidels, as well as Chri∣stians, in making Oaths, and Covenants: Divers are the Rites and Ceremonies which the Heathens have used at such times; yea, many and various are the Customes of the Godly in such Cases: One was the putting the Hand under the Thigh; thus Abraham sware his Servant, Gen. 24.2. And thus Joseph sware unto his Father Jacob, Gen. 47.29. Another Form much in Use, was lifting up the

Hand, as was even now spoken of; this was used by God, Angels, and Men; by God, Deut. 32.40. For I lift up my Hand, and say, I Live for ever. By Abraham, Gen. 19.22. I have lift up my Hand unto the Lord most High; and false swearers are said to have a Right Hand of Deceit, because they lift it up de∣ceitfully, Psal. 144.8 11. And various have been the Ceremonies that have been used a∣mong Christians in the Primitive Times, and in succeeding Generations; among us the put∣ting the hand upon the Bible, and kissing it is most in Use, or both; which is but a profes∣sing sign of our consent, and I know not any cause of Scruple in it; thus for the External. The Internal Form of an Oath is the right sense and Interpretation of the words; and therefore an Oath should not consist in aequi∣valent, or ambiguous words, or phrases; for then a Man may take them in a different sense from the Imposers mind, and may require one thing, and another may attest another; but the sense should be obvious to both giver and taker, or otherwise nothing; or at least we know not what is witnessed, and the Oath proves vain; nay, the very end of an Oath, which is the Investigation of Truth, is closed, Heb. 6.16. An Oath is the end of strife; and thus the Name of God is taken in vain, and this part of his Worship prophaned, and a∣bused; and 'tis no better than a Lye, when we affirm by Oath, what in the Imposers sense is not true, and so it proves Perjury: But

the words should be taken in the plain Com∣mon sense, which is obvious to all. Neither should there be equivocation, or Mental re∣servation used in an Oath; this is the sallaci∣ous dealing of the Papists, who by this means think to evade all Oaths, and delude the Im∣poser, but they most delude themselves, and wrong their own Souls; for God will not be mocked, whose Worship is abused: They hide part in their Minds, and so subvert the sense; as thus, they swear they were not at Rome, and think in their Minds, not an Hun∣dred years agoe; but what is mentire, but contra mentum ire, though this may serve, in foro humano, God can easily detect such jug∣ling deceits, and will never hold those guilt∣less, that thus take his Name in Vain, and, like Jezebel, deceive under pretence of Re∣ligion.

5. Direct. If thou wouldst honour God in this part of his Worship, see then that thou aimest at right Ends. In thy Oath, the End must be Lawful, and good, or the Duty will prove a Sin, and a Snare. A Man may swear that which is Truth, and yet if his End be bad, it will prove his Sin. Now, the End of an Oath, as I said before, should be for the Confirmation of some necessary Truth in Question, which cannot otherwise be proved, Heb. 6.16. Men swear by him that is greater than themselves, and an Oath for confirmation to them is the End of all strife. Now, it should be a weighty business that requires an Oath,

and a necessary Truth that is in Question, some doubtful Matter, which cannot other∣wise be found out, or proved, that cannot be Evidenced, but by an Oath. In this Case we find the Apostle vindicating himself this way, when there was no other way to do it, Rom. 1.9. God is my Witness, whom I serve with my Spirit, that without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my Prayers, 2 Cor. 1.23. I call God to Record, upon my Soul, &c. We see he appeals to God, the Searcher of all Hearts, to witness with him, and for him, his Affection to them. 'Tis the Glory of God in the manifestation of Truth; and our own, and Neighbours good should be princi∣pally minded in this Duty; but too many have by, and base, and low Ends in it, and not accordingly. When a thing depends up∣on the Faith of the Speaker, and cannot otherwise be found out, and yet is necessary to be known, an Oath of the Lord may be Imposed, Exod. 22.10,11. If a Man deli∣ver unto his Neighbour an Ass, or an Ox, or a Sheep, or any Beast to keep, and it dye, or be hurt, or be driven away, no man seeing it, then shall an Oath of the Lord be between them both, that he hath not put his Hand to his Neighbours goods, and the Owner of it shall accept thereof, &c. There are some things that are not fit for an Oath, as those that have been handed down to us, by Tradition; as whether there were ever any such Cities, as Troy, or Carthage, and whe∣ther they were Sackt, or spoyled; though

we are confidently assured, this is a Truth, we ought not to swear it, because 'tis out of the reach of Personal knowledge: We must swear no more than we Personally know to be true. Some things also are obvious to Com∣mon Sense, as that a Quadrangle hath four Angles, a Triangle three, &c. these things are not doubtful, and an Oath will not make them more clear; but a thing which cannot otherwise be determined, when we dare not rest upon the Credit of the Revealer, when 'tis doubtful, and cannot be proved but by witness; and this witness is suspected either to want knowledge, or Conscience, every Man being a Lyar, Rom. 3.4. Now, because there is so little Faith and Justice among Men, 'tis necessary to appeal to God himself to wit∣ness, which cannot deceive, nor be deceived; and this is done by an Oath, which is the ne Plus Ʋltra, the End of Contention: For he that makes no Conscience of this, is not fit for Humane Society. The very Heathens themselves, when they sware by their Idol-gods, were careful of swearing falsly; yet among Christians in Name, every one hath not this care; nay, 'tis too evidently known that many take little care of their words, or Oath. But this is a strong Bond, and none will break it that fear God, or make Consci∣ence of any thing. But how much do those stray from the very End of an Oath, which is the Investigation of Truth, that affirm by an Oath that which they know to be false, and

call God to witness to a lye; the very Heathens will rise up in Judgment against them, and Condemn them; those that seek thereby to hide the Truth, and not to manifest it, and mind not God's Glory, but their Neighbours Injury by it, as wicked Doeg in his Informa∣tion against David; though he speaks the Truth, 'tis to a bad End. Thos also are guil∣ty that swear to that they know not, though it prove to be true, yet they are perjured Per∣sons, they swear the knowledge of it which they did not know; those also that swear vain∣ly, idly, and to no purpose; those that swear and never intend to make good their Oaths, or if they did intend it, do not do it. Surely these Men when they call God to witness their Lyes, do not believe there is any God, or that he takes any notice of them, or think they can deceive God, as well as Men, or that he approves of it; but he will call them to an Account, and set their Oaths in Order against them.

6. Direct. If thou wilt not Offend by thy Oaths, take heed then of rash, foolish, cu∣stomary swearing, too much in use in our Times, and for which the Land mourns, Jer. 23.10. It connot but be distastful to God, who will not hold him guiltless, that takes his Name in vain; to have his Name tossed by every Drunken Sot, upon the Ale Bench; and when Men thunder out Oaths and Curses up∣on Earth, 'tis no wonder if God Thunder out his Judgments from Heaven. When those

ill-boading Fowls feed so near the brink of the bottomless Pit; 'tis a sad Presaging that God's Judgements are near. Customary swearing can∣not be without much sin, for the very Nature of an Oath being an Act of Religious Worship to God, shews it should be taken upon mature Deliberation, and serious Meditation; but Common Experience shews in Customary swearing these things are wanting, but the Name of God is irreverently tossed in their filthy Mouths; and thus many Men Curse away their Blessings, for the most of Men are guilty this way; they swear down Vengeance from Heaven upon them, and oft-times upon their Posterity; for the Curse of God haunts the House of the Swearer, Zach. 5.3,4. And God will be a swift witness against them, Mal. 3.5. The Common swearers cross the very End of an Oath, which is, as I said, the In∣vestigation of Truth, of some necessary weigh∣ty Truth, which cannot otherwise be made to appear: But many of their Oaths are spent for the obscuring of Truth, and the Justifying of Lyes; and if Truth be spoken, 'tis either about such trivial matters, unfit to have the Name of God mentioned, or added to them; neither is it any great matter whether they are affirmed or no, and no Body so much as de∣sires any such Confirmation by it, or is little the better Credited to the Oaths of a Custo∣mary Swearer, than they do to their words; for Common Swearers are oft-times account∣ed Common Lyers, and an hundred Oaths will

not Sugar some of their Stories, and make them fit to be swallowed, when they speak, as oft they do, against Reason, and Experi∣ence; for many Men use their Oaths to fill up, or, as they think, to adorn their Discourse, instead of other Eloquence; but such Rheto∣rical Figures may be used in an Oration in Hell. They think themselves the bravest men, that can swear the biggest Oaths, and wish damnation to themselves in the fittest Expres∣sions, and indeed they are some of the De∣vils stoutest Champions: But from such many times an Oath either needs not, or boots not, if they speak Reason they may be believed without, if not, an hundred Oaths will not make it pass for currant. Now, if we search out the Original from whence these Oaths proceed, we may find from a sinful Custom, and a depraved Nature they learnt to swear; but, it was when they learnt to talk; and in some 'tis more Custom than Curstness: It be∣fals them, as with men in some Distempers, their Excrements pass from them at unawares, so do their Oaths, they know not when they swear; but 'tis a bad Custom, which makes God our Enemy, and Hell our Portion: were there but a Law made, that for every Oath they sware, they should lose a Joynt, or for∣feit a Pound, and duly Executed, it would make men break off such a Custom: Some∣times those rash Oaths proceed from some perturbation of the mind; as Anger, &c. which is a short madness, and indeed 'tis a

right mad mans part they Act, when another Offends them, and they flye in the Face of God: Sometimes 'tis the Fruit of Gaming, and unlawful Recreation; but sure 'tis a bad Tree that yieldeth such unsavoury Fruit: Take heed therefore of these, and swear not at all, but upon just Occasion; an Oath in it self is not sinful, as is Murder, Adultery, &c. no more is it desirable, for it self; as Love, Charity, &c. but 'tis to be used as Physick, when other Food will not serve, not for, its own sake, but for Healths sake, for Truths sake. 'Tis an Holy thing, and the more Ho∣ly a thing is, the more dangerous, if abused; 'tis bad playing with edged Tools, yet many Prophanely call God to Witness at their Cards, Dice, Tables, or invoke him to their Assistance; those make too bold with God, and shall have no thanks for their Labour. In this Sin there is nothing to bait a Temptation; it carries neither Profit nor Pleasure along with it, and the Actors in this sin serve the Devil for nothing, yet they shall not go un-rewar∣ded.

7. Direct. If thou wouldst not Offend God by thy Oaths, take heed of false Swearing, for this is the most dangerous of all. If a Man shall Answer for every Idle word, as Christ himself affirms, Mat. 12.36. and for every vain Oath, he be lyable to Damnation, as St. James affirms, James 5.12. much more then for false swearing, wherein Men call forth God to witness to their lye, and so in Effect

they deny him to be God; but their Dam∣nation sleepeth not. God tells us, by his Prophet Zach. 5.4. That his Curse shall enter into the House of him that sweareth falsly, and there remain, and consume both the Timber and the Stones thereof; and the Prophet David makes it a mark of a Citizen of Heaven, that having sworn to his Neighbour, will Faithfully perform, though it prove to his own Injury, and dis-advantage, Psal. 15.4. And indeed he is not fit for Humane Society, that regards not his Oath, for what Bond will then hold him? Now, there are two sorts of Oaths, and in either a man may sorswear himself: There are assertatory Oaths, when a man saith such and such a thing was done, or it was not done, or it was done thus or thus, or these and these words were thus spoken, and calls God to witness the same, that he speaks the Truth, the whole Truth, and no∣thing but the Truth; if now he knows, that what he saith is contrary to the Truth, this is direct Perjury, and a sin, which, without Re∣pentance, will certainly sink him into Hell, and is a shrewd Sign of an Hardened Heart, and a wicked Mind. Nay, if he affirm that to be true upon Oath, which is doubtful to him, and of his own knowledge he knoweth not whether it be true or false, he cannot be Excused: As if he should upon Oath affirm such a man, in Ireland, to be dead, and know not whether he be Living or dead, he is guil∣ty of this Sin if it prove true, and the man is

dead; this doth not Excuse him, for ought he knew he might be Living. A man should certainly know the Truth of that which he positively asserts by Oath. Again, there are promissory Oaths, in which a Man is bound to another, to do such a thing for him, or give such and such a thing to him; and doth not only promise, but Swears to fulfill his Promise: As when a man swears to be a Faith∣ful and Loyal Subject to his Sovereign, or a Faithful Souldier to his Captain, or a Loyal Wife to her Husband; or to give such a thing to his Friend, and calls God to Witness the sincerity of his Heart, and to punish him if he prove false; and when he takes this Oath intends not to perform the thing Promised; this, in God's Account, is Perjury: Though Man cannot perceive it, God doth, who is called to Witness the Integrity of his Heart, when there is no such matter. Nay, his Fact is not Excused, though the guilt is lessened, if afterward he perform it; for when he took it, it was with an intent to deceive: Or if he take not his Oath in the known Sense of him that requires it, this is not Justifiable; for an Oath is for the securing, or Satisfaction of the Imposer, and ought to be without Fraud, or aequivocation, or Mental reservation in the Sense of him that Administreth it. Again, though a man's Intentions be never so Sincere when he takes his Oath, if afterward he fail in the performance, if the thing promised be Lawful, and possible, he cannot clear himself

from Perjury. And though every false Oath be dangerous and deadly, yet there are aggra∣vations that make some worse than others: As to take a false Oath before a Magistrate, in a Publick Assembly, in a Court of Judica∣tory, whereby an unjust Verdict is procured from the Jury, an unjust Sentence from the Judge, whereby the Innocent Person loseth his Life, or Lively-hood; this is worse than in a private Cause, to a private Person, in a business of small Concernment. The Godly, in all Ages, have been very careful to perform their Oaths; as Joshua to the Gibonites, though gotten by Fraud, and great Cause; God is Offended at the breach of Covenant, as we find many Years after, when Saul, in his Zeal, had Slain some of them, God brought a three Years Famine upon the Land, and was never satisfied, till seven of Saul's Sons were Hanged, Josh. 9.19. 2 Sam. 21.1,2.