Christianismus primitivus, or, The ancient Christian religion, in its nature, certainty, excellency, and beauty, (internal and external) particularly considered, asserted, and vindicated from the many abuses which have invaded that sacred profession, by humane innovation, or pretended revelation comprehending likewise the general duties of mankind, in their respective relations : and particularly the obedience of all Christians to magistrates, and the necessity of Christian-moderation about things dispensible in matters of religion : with divers cases of conscience discussed and resolved / by Thomas Grantham ...

SECT. I.

MAny Christians are doubtful in this Case, but without sufficient grounds. For first,

The use of an Oath cannot be of the number of things which are sin∣ful in their own Nature, as Idolatry, Murther, and Lying are; Nay, it is so far from that, that the truth is, it is very sacred in it self: Because the Holy God (with whom Sin could never have to do) hath frequently used it, Gen. 22. 16. with Heb. 6. 13. By my Self have I sworn, saith the Lord, That in blessing I will bless thee. And again, The Lord swore, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever, Psalm 110. 4. And again, Once have I sworn by my Holiness, that I will not lye unto David, Psal. 89. 35. We must therefore have an holy apprehension of an Oath,

as a very solemn and sacred thing, and in no wise of a poluting conside∣ration in it self.

2. The holy Angels by God's appointment, have delivered their Mes∣sage with a solemn Oath, Rev. 10. 5, 6. The Angel lifted up his Hand to Heaven, and Swear by Him that liveth for ever and ever, — that there should be time no longer.

3. Before the Law was given, holy Men as they were taught of God, used an Oath in very solemn Cases. Gen. 14. 22. I have lift up my hand to the Lord, the most High God. Again, Now therefore swear unto me here by God, that thou wilt not deal falsly with me, — and Abraham said, I will swear, &c. Gen. 21. 23, 24. And ver. 31. He called that place, The Well of an Oath; for there they sware both of them. The same we find solemnly used by the Patriarks, Isaac and Jacob; and all this before the Law of Moses was. So that we may say, the use of an Oath is not of Moses, but of the Fathers, yea, of the Father of Heaven, even God himself. And moreover, when we find it given in express Precept to Israel, it is joyned with that in one entire Sentence, which is universally Moral and Perpetual; Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his Name. So that, me-thinks, he must be more than ordinarily bold, and blind too, that cries down the use of an Oath in all cases as sinful.

4. When the Apostle saith, Men verily Swear by the Greater; and an Oath for Confirmation, is to them an end of all Strife, and this in the Present-tense too, and not as the mention of some old or antiquated Custome. This Custome the Apostle doth not mention only without Censuring it, but makes it Argumentative in a great point of Faith; for this is his scope: If when any thing is Confirmed unto Men by an Oath, there is no further striving about the certainty of the matter at∣tested, that being the most solemn way in which Mortals can testifie what they know: Then Christians, the Heirs of Salvation, have a surer ground of hope concerning their Salvation, because God himself confirmed his Promise in that Case, by an Oath. Certainly, the Apostle refers to this Practice among Men as that which was vertuous, and would by it excite Christians to a Vertue like unto it, in that Case he had in hand, namely to believe (without any striving) that Record which God had Confirmed by Oath. And therefore

5. We must not pass by the common Approbation, that that way of witnessing things before Authority by an Oath, hath, and doth receive from God to this Day. For though no Man can assign any example (I suppose) of the Hand of the Lord going out against any Man, that (be∣ing lawfully called) hath given evidence by Oath against a Thief, Mur∣therer, or other Malefactor, or in any Cause depending, or Strife arising among Men, provided he hath only spoken the Truth without prejudice to the Person, &c. But on the contrary, How eminently hath the Lord pleaded the Honour of his Name, when by Perjury it hath been propha∣ned? No Man can be ignorant of this, who hath conversed with our English Historiographers, to which I will add that remarkable Example of God's Justice recounted by Eusebius, concerning three false Witnesses,

who by Oath and solemn Execration, accused Narcissus Bishop of Jeru∣salem. And the Judgment of the Lord followed them as they had im∣precated, the first being accidentally Burnt alive to Ashes; the second consumed with a wasting Disease; the third seeing the Hand of God fal∣len upon the two former, confessed the Perjury.

6. When Paul tells us, the Law is good if a Man use it lawfully; and then tells us, 'tis made for Perjured Persons, as well as other Offenders, 1 Tim. 1. 9, 10. What doth he less than plainly declare his Mind, that an Oath is lawful? 'tis only Perjury, or false Swearing, or bearing false Witness by Oath, which he condemns. For when he saith, the Law was not made for a Righteous Man, it's evident he speaks of the Penal Law only; for the preceptive part of all good Laws are made for Righteous Men, as well as for any others. Now then, let us see the opposition between a Righteous and a Wicked Man, in the sense of this Text: Here is the Murtherers of Fathers, and Murtherer of Mothers, the Per∣jured Person, &c. The Righteous Man in opposition to these, is he that nourisheth his Father and Mother, and sweareth nothing but that which is Truth. Paul is here speaking of the Law, as in the Hand of the Magi∣strate, and is so far from condemning the use of an Oath in the lawful use of this Law, that he justifieth it to be a part of the lawful use thereof.

7. An Oath being a Sacred Thing, and no Legal Ceremony, it seems to be part of that Religion which is Universal, which we have proved the Magistrate is to have care of; and to the intent that Witness (on which Mens Lives and Estates depend) should be made with the greatest Tie that may be upon the Conscience, God hath therefore ordained that the Testimony be given in his Name, which must put the greatest Awe of any thing upon the Conscience of Man. And hitherto may be referr'd the Third Commandment, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain. We may therefore, yea, we ought to take the Name of the Lord in Truth and Righteousness, else we make this Command to teach nothing which is Practical, and so give a very lame Exposition. And to take the Name of the Lord in Truth and Righteousness, what is this less than to attest what we say by a solemn Oath, when performing the office of a Witness before a Judg?

8. The consent of Nations, or the universal use of an Oath taken in the Name of the Greater, to wit, God, (or at least what the Nations take to be so) and therein to comport with the most holy Men we read of, shews that this Custome arises from that Dread of his Name, which He hath placed in Man's heart generally, and by the solemn use of an Oath in all cases of Importance, in Courts of Judicature, which are also his Ordinance, he seems to bear Rule by this Tie or solemn Band, not only in the Conscience of the Witness, but also over the whole Court it self, who regularly can do nothing, but that which must accord with the Evi∣dence which is given in the Name of the Lord; by this Power Men live, Men die, and their Estates are preserved, or destroyed. But if any abuse the Name of the Lord by false Witness, God first or last, will certainly

implead that wicked Man, that durst presume to speak a Lye in the Name of the Lord.

Notes

• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, jurant. Montanus.
• Euseb. l. 6. c. 8. but the 9 after the Greek.
• Here the Qua∣ker is convict∣ed by the Light in Men.