of Saluation and Vamnation. 45 thi&gloriov.<andfearef•Hn•me,THE LOR'D A T Hr GOD. Ro'Tlancs 9· 5· Ofwhom .re thefathm., andof\•hom, cont'rning theJiejh, Chrift <'mt,who u G•douer all, bieffidfor euer, A,m. Publike,when the Magitlrate, without any perill to him that fweareth, cloth vpon iu{! caufe exaCt atefHmooy vnder the reuerencc ofanoarh. · Apritlateoath is, which two or more take priuarely,This,fo that it befparingly and wa. rily vfed, is Jawfull. For ifin ferious afraires, and matrer ofgreat importance, itboh1wfull in priuatc to admit God as a Iudge ~ why fi10uld he not aswell bee called to witnefio I Agaipe, the examples of holyn:en lhew ths praC!ife ofpriu>te oathes,as not ynlawful.l•– ccband L~tbfln co1~firmed their couenant one– with a11other by oath;the llke did 'Boo<. ia hi& cootraa with Ruth. I I I. An holy co11momorarion of the cre:::.ture, wher.eby wee,in the contemplation and admirnrionofthe dignity and excei!en~ cy th:reof, yceld an)tpprobation when wee name it,& celebratethe praiieofGod,bright– ly thining in thefame.. Pfai.649,IO· AndaO mmfl,~/lfeeit,t~nd decl:t~re tht tl'ork!of God,and .ihey ~>'11 vnderfland what he hnth wrought: VHt therigbttop.J fl1all begl.ld inthe Lord, and truft in him:tmd lfllthat ;ere <Vprigbt ofheart,flJ4!l re~ iD_)ct. Luk.z. I 8,19· And~llthry that. heArd it, \\lon:ieredllt thethings th4t were u/d them~fthe p,phMrds :bHt Mary ~ept allthcji things, and p~tulcredthemin herhe~trt.ler. 5. 2.2.. Feareye nQt me,J~.ith the LtJrd? ~r U!il/J!nat beaf'aidat ,myprefonce, which haqe pl.uedthef•uds for rh' bDltnds DJ thefia, by theptrpetualldecree, th4t il cannDt paffe ir?andthqu':htbe t\1aur.! thtro[rage, yet cant hey ?Wt prtl44ilc,thsughrhry roAre, yet CAn the; not pttjfo ouer it. I V. An oath, in which we mull regard : 1, How anoath is to be taken. z.How i< is robe performed. In taking an Olth, foure crrcnm– !lancesmu{\ be obfcrucd. I.The m~tter or parts ofan oarh:theparts arein number foure. I. Confirmation of a truth. •· InuocationOfGod aloae as awit– ndfe ofthe truth, ana a reueoger ofalye. 3· Confefsion,that God is areuenger ofperiury when he is brought in asa falfe witnos. 4. A bindiog-ouer voto puoilhment if wee vfe-de– ceir. II. The forme. Wemullfweare.t. truly, !ell we forf.,eare. >. lutlly,let'l wefweare to rhar.,hich is wicked. 3·· In iudgerneot, Je(l wefwearc ralhly,or fotl triRe.l<r+1 .ThoH fhaltf'Wc::rezrf,e Lord.Une-t.h, in truth, init~dge. mcnt,11ndrighteotifnes.ECa.48. I· Whichfi'e~trt by the name •f the L1rd,and m•ke mention ofrhe God ~fffracJ,lmt mt intruth nw iuri,ghteollfots, &c. Therefore theoath ofdrunkc:n, furious) andfr:zntickc men, alfo oarhcs of children, they doe not impo(e an obferuation of them, but by law oue no oathes. IlL The end, namely, to oonfirme fome necciTJtytruth in qucllion.Heb.6. 16. VI{en (Weare by 'him tb.eugmuer then themjilues:& .tn oathjDY confirm.:~tiD11) Mamong themanend tif allftrife. I call that a nece!fary tr"th, when fomedoubt' whichm\>!l,necelfaril,y be ceci– ded,caQnone otherwaybe detetJTimed, then by an oath : as wbeo Gods glory,our neigh– bours f.a.fety and credit; a mans own necefslty a"d faithfulnes is in quetlion.Rom. I. 9.qodu my 'JVt/11tr (whom IJerue in my!J;irit in the Go~ JP.tlofhu Son)thae without c"ft.ng I mal(; mrn. """•[you. z. Cor.:.z3. I tal(Codfor a rtcDfd vntomy foulelhat to fParej'ou, 1 c11menot tU yet vnto Corinth. I V,The diuers kindsor forts of oathes. Atl oath is publike orpriuate. B To this place may be a9ded anaffiutrati.n, th~ which albeit it bo like an oath, yet indeed is none)and it is nothin~s but ~o earnefi af– fcrtion ofour me1ning,t.1e nameofacrczrure being fomctime vfed. Such was Cbrifls aiTer– tion,Verily,verily,lfayvnt• y••· And Pauls,/ · c.l Godr. record in myJPirit. Where is botb an oath and alfeu<ration. r. Cor.t 5· 31.· 'By our. "<ioycing which I h•ue in lefm Chrifl, I die day– ty.r.Sam.1o.3.lndeed, .u the Lord lum!J,& .u tlryJoule litmh,thm ir b•t af/ep betvmnme~nd death. And furely, in fuch a kinde ofaiTcuera– tion there is great equity: for albeitit bevn• lawfull to fweare by creatures, le!l Gods ho– nour and power lhould bee attributed vmo them: yet thus farre may wevfe them in an C oath, as eo moke them pledges,and ~sit were cognifances ofGod•glory. The petfonnanceofan oath, is on this man– ner: Ifthe oath made,be ofa lawful! rhing,it mull be perfonned,bee it ofmuch difficultie, greatdammage, or extorted by force ofhim th.r made it.Pfal. i S·4·He th.rfwMmh to hit hindeY"nce, And changtth not, he.foall dwdl in Godttab<rn"<le. Yet may the Mogiflrate,as it lhall feeme right and conuenient, either anni– hilate or moderate fi1ch oarhes. Contrarily, if a man fweare to pcrforme things vnlawfull,& that by ignorance,error, or infirmity,or auy other way, his oath i!to be recalled. For we may not adde linne vnto linnc.t .Sanf.>;.2I. And Dauid[aid, Indeede D I haue i<tptalin vaine,thatthis foil•<> h.Jinthe \\>ildtrm.ffe,&co verfc 22. Su andmore ~tl(o doe GodvntotheentmieiifD•uid :f•rfimlyr wdl not leam •ff •Ithat he h<th,lrythe dawning ofthe day,any that piJ!ethag<iinj/tht 'Wall, v. 33· Da– llid f•id,'Bieffid be thy counfil,& blrffidbe tho11, ll>hich hajl ~tpt methis dayf•m con<ming t• jhed blouq, -.drhat minehand hRth not[a11ed me. 2. Sam. I 9· • 3. Dauid promifeth that Shimei lhouta not die:but t.Kin, 2 8 9·D•11iJ.fairh to Salomon, Th••gh I fwe<re[o,;rt thoujlu<lr not courrt him inn•ccr.r,but CAufrhis hoiirehettdrogoc dowm to thegraue with blood. V. SanC!ificarion of God's creatures and ordinaoces,the which is afeparaticn oftl1cm to an holy vfe.Thus ought •'cto faoC!ifie our meatesand drinke$,th< works ofour callincr, and marriage bed. ~ E z Tiie
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