Of Swearn!g ignorantly and by ;t!Je [reawes. 1y and in the frnfe as God is fworn by,_is _to idolize ir, and to afcribe to it the pro~er~ies of ~od. Ih 4~- t . .(Of which more anon. ) 2• It is neceiTary to a ju}f oath,. tl~at the matter be true as 1t ~~ affirtcr.Y or Jer. 4· :~.. ~tgative and alfo if it be promiffury, tliat the matter be, r. Honeil and lawful, 2· and poll\ble: And where a~1y one of _rh~fe a~c wan~ing,_ it is unla~ful. 3· ft _is nec:dful_that there be ~n honejf end : for the wd is a prmctpall mgredtenr m all mm·al good and ev~l. 4• It ts needful that It be done up 4 on a fufficicnt call and honefi motives, and nor unncceJTarily or Without jufi reafon. 5· And the manner and cil'cumftancn mufi be lawful. . ~· 3· And oath is an equivocal w?rd! taken fometi'mc:s for that whic~ is f~rmat!y fo 1 as be~ore def– cribcd; and fomerirne for that whrch IS bm thematter and txprtJ!ive f/Jrm without a11y real mrent of (wearing. a ·r, an Oath is taken either for the whole huma~·~: all complca!IY> conraining the word1 Jignifjingand ·the purpofe fignifyed; or elfe for the outward {ign or wo~ds aIon;. (As the word Prayer fignilieth fometime the bare form ol rvord1, and fomwme the word! and de[tre figh11ied by rhem: Ana as the word [acrament is fometime taken for the external figns only, and fornctimc for the frgnt with the muttlal covtnanting and af1ion1 fignified. ) Here it may be; quefii6ned. §. 4 • Q!_dl. Wlmbtr it be frr>taring ornot; which i< fr~quently ujid by i.~uorant cartlifi people, who rifi ~cJf. the word 1 or f orm of an O.ltb, mmter cujtom, not k,.nowmg what 1111 oath 11, nor havmg atrfthougbt or pur;"Je of appealing to God, or to the creature by which they [wear. Tbt r,•afon of thi doubt it, becazt[e it jtemeth to be but the m.1tter ot external part ofan oath ; and it i1 the form that JpeCifieth and denomina· tttb : He that jhould ignorantly [peak the word; of an oath· in 'Lat"ine Of' Greel( while he underftandtth not :be language and intendeth no fucb thing doth nut {wtar. 9· 5· Anfiv:r. In the full and properefl fcnfe of the word, It is before God no oath if-there be Anfi•'· 110 inttJtl of confirming your fpeech by an appeal to God, or to that which youfJJ'ear by. As a ludicrous HowfJnhe wa(hing and ufin~ the word~ of Baptifrn is no true~apti~n, no mo~c rh~n a CorpfC is a man (And ;;~:~.;r { 1 :s cf thus it is tJue whiCh the Papills fay, that the lnttnt1on ot the B1pnzer 1s neccffary to the btmg of thes~p1 iur· Baptifm: That is, It is necdT"ary to the Being of facramental adminijfratioJJ to the Baptizer himfelf) or B~p!i·L~d .:o before God, that he rtaUy intend to Baptize : and it is necdfary to the Being of Rapti[m before: God fhtmf_m J 1 ~ in the perfon baptized that be bimftlf if at age) or thofe that have power to dedicate him ro God ~~~~~~~; ~~ if he be an infant, do really intend it : and it is neceffary to the Beilfg of the exurnal ordin.mce in foro 311 Oat{) Ecclcfi.e, before the Church, that both the Baptizer and Baptized do profifs or fiem to intend it:) z. Bur if you H[e fuch words as are the ordinary form of an oath in a language which you·underfiand, fo as the hearers may jufily fuppofe you to undcrf\:and it, it is an oath, coram hominibJH, befort mtn, and in the latler n"rorvtr fenfe of the word : And it lba\1 be obligatory and pleadable againtl you in any Court of juflice by thofe you fwtaT to: yea ·ana God himjitj; doth take you thereby to be obliged thus to men : And if it be a 'propha»e cau{elcji [wearing, men mul1 call ir an oatb; for they fee not the heart; even as they mufi raRe him to De Baptized that profeffcth. to intend it : and in foro huma-,w, it is fa indeed; And G0d himfclf will account you a {tnner, even one that"' ufc the txttmal form of an oath, and that which before men, iJ an oath, to the wrong of his name :md honour and to the fcandal of others. And it will not excufc you that you k;_new not thitt it war an oath, or that you ~new not the natttre of an oath, or that you rathly ufed it, nor confidcring that ir was an oath: For you were bound to have knonm and to have confidered: you jhoufd have done it, and might have done it if you would. But if they were wordJ which you could 1tot k,_no'R' to have been the form or txprtffionl of .sn oath, but the hearers might perceive that you meant no fuch thing, but fomcthing cHe, then you are excufabk, if you had jufl cau!e to u[e them. · §· 6. 11. As to.the cafe:of{wearing by Creatuw,how far it is finful ; it is jufi likethe cafe of worjhipO ping Imagrs, or by Images: He that worfhippeth an Imagt or any Creature 1J! Gad; and ultimately ter~ How far minatetb his worfi1ip in it, doth commit diretl and full Idolatry : which is fo much the greater fin, by [wearing by how much the bafer th.e thi~g is which he idoli:r.eth : But if he make the Image or Creature bm his Creature~ 1!1 a mediumof that worfh1p wh1ch lhould be immediately offered to God, in whom it is ttltimatdy ttrmi~ fin. nattd, then it is not gro{r Ido~atry, but it is f~lfe a~d fnrbidden worjhip of the true . God: But if the ~=-t~~~.o~;~· Creature be made but t~e medzum of that worjh:p whtch God would have offered h1m by a mtdirtm If~. 6s. 16. then it is l:n¥fi'tl fo to ufe or worlhip it ; (As to honour and admire God as appearing in his works~ )er. 4 :z.. to give th~t worf?i~o~ honour to our Parextl and Rttfert as hi1 Officel'l, which is ttltimauly termbtatcd in God) )Ufl fo 1t IS m the cafe of [wearing: for [wearing is a part of the R>orjhip of God. He that Jweareth by any C~eature as a_G?d, or as t~e _av:nger of tho~e that by faHhood elude ~ht: judgement of tt~f~s &. 1 ~:· m_an, do.rh commit Idolatry m tt; As Julr>n d1d when he !wore by the Su11; ( wh1ch he praifed by Zoph~I. ~. bts Orattons and worfh1pped as God). But he that only fw eareth fo by a Cr,;awrt, as ro immd God J~r. '·'· t6. ultimattly as the wi11u[s and avenger, but yet fo as that the creature only is 11amed, or fa named as hafh lfa. 19. ti. an appeara1ue of Idolatry or tendeth to enrife the mind from God, or fcandaloufly ro obfcure his ho~ nour, or in any other forbidden way, dorh fwear by the trut God intemiMaUy, but !nafin(ul rhanner. But he that directly fw<areth by God (upon a jufi call ), and bJ• the creature (or name~h the creature rather, ) but m a JUfi and clear and inoffenfive fubordin.Jtjon to God, is cXcUfable. So wC ufe ro lay our hands on the Bible and thus to rv:ear CS? help mt God, and the Co•twli of tbiJ Book J. Thuj on great occafions many good men m theu wrmngs to clear themfelvcs from forne-calumr\y have faid ( l eaUGod, and A~tgels, and Men to witneji ].' Many in namingCreatHreJ i'mcnd rather a Cmfe rharl a fwcaring by the Creature : as [If it be not fo; let God tlif!roy me by thi1 fire or tbif water, &c. J Hhf\ Q!efl. 1
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