A DISCOURSE Concerning Public Oaths, AND The Lawfulness of SWEARING in Judicial Proceedings.  
Written by Dr. GAUDEN, Bishop of EXETER.  
In order to answer the scruples of the QUAKERS.  1 Cor. 13. 2. Without charity I am nothing. 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose. Ne putemus in verbis Scripturarum esse Evangelium, sed in sensu; non in superficie, sed medulla; none in Sermonis cortice, sed in rationis radice. Hieronym. in Ep. ad Gal. 
LONDON, Printed for R. Royston, Bookseller to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, at the Angel in Ivy-lane, 1662.   

To the truly Honourable, ROBERT boil, Esquire, Son to the Earl of Cork, etc.  
SIR;  
SUch as have the happiness to know you, need no more than the mention of your Name, to put them in mind of your merit upon mankind; whose learned, industrious and pious accomplishments, have, as with the greatest modesty and civility, so with the least austerity or reproach, given the Nobility, Gentry, (yea and Clergy too) of these three Kingdoms at once to see in your studious and virtuous example, the best way of proportioning their lives and manners to the eminency of their Names and Stations; thereby to preserve or redeem themselves from that Civil war and sad captivity to which idleness, fermented by inordinate passions, or vain and vicious affections, is prone to expose not only their estates, healths and honours, but their religion, consciences and souls, while men of Noble birth, good breeding, ingenious parts and generous estates, do miserably debauch their Dignity, and squander away those noble advantages they have above other men, to do well and worthily. As if one should cut out goodly Timber-trees into Logs or Chips; and instead of stately Pillars or Beams, make only Bedstaffs, or Cat-sticks, or Toothpicks of them. So degenerating from all true sense of honour becoming Gentlemen and Christians, as to glory in their shame (I mean their sin and folly;) and to be ashamed of their true glory, which is, to be as rational and religious as they can be in this state of mortality.  
Your Nobleness will excuse me, if I venture to offend you, by telling the world (what I have many years longed to do) how high a value I have for you, of whom I have so pleasing and complete a prospect; not more for your rare endowments of Nature and Art, then for your rarer Ornaments of Grace and Virtue; while you neither superciliously fancy Learning to be any diminution to your Noble Birth, nor yet Piety to be any disparagement to your great Learning. I must not (now) in my maturer years compare you to our so famous Sir Philip Sidney (whom I heretofore valued very much, nor do I yet undervalue him) because I think you have out-vied his Eloquent Valour and Heroic Romances, with greater Essays and more useful Achievements both in Philosophy and Divinity.  
The more retired and solid grounds of the first (Philosophy) you are daily searching and discovering, with your generous Associates, by accurate and real Experiments; which are the Anatomies of Nature, and the Keys to her Cabinets, opening a Door to the true prospect as of the causes, so of the virtues, operations and efficacies of things, and by them to the Creator's glory; which is much eclipsed by that occult, conjectural and sceptical Philosophy, which is rather imaginary then real, a parturiency without birth, a meet abortion as to knowledge; indeed, a kind of Legerdemain in Learning, and Sophistry, rather than Science verified by Experience.  
The fountains also of the second (that is, Divinity) yourself have lately cleared, in vindicating by your Pen the Sacred, yet unaffected style of the Scriptures, with a most Eloquent and Learned Zeal, against some men's profane and Atheistical cavils, who are so wittily wicked, as to disdain even salvation itself, in that plain, but sure way, which the wisdom of God sees fittest for humane capacities: whereas few (I believe) of those curious Gallants would be so foolishly morose, as to refuse a fair Estate which were settled upon them in the ordinary legal way of Deeds, because it is not conveyed to them in such oratorious Harangues and flourishes of speech as they most fancy.  
I have dedicated this little Piece to your great Name, because it covets a resemblance to, yea and hath an emulation of, your candour and humanity toward all persons that are not wholly profligate in their opinions, or desperate in their actions. The design of this Tract is to correspond, as much as I may, with your principles and genius, who have the happiness to render the severest virtues amiable, and to confute the grossest Errors with the gentlest Truths.  
I confess both in Religion or Charity, and in reason of State or Policy, I am not for inflicting at first dash sharp Penalties on seduced or simple people, merely upon the account of their Opinions, (modestly dissenting in some lesser things from the Religion or Laws established; yet without any rude blaspheming or opposing them as to the main of Faith, Morality and Civil subjection) until such rational and charitable means have been used to convince them of their errors, as may at once discharge those duties of Humanity and Charity which we owe to all men, specially to our Countrymen and fellow-Christians.  
The Cudgel and Sword, Prisons and Banishments, Plunderings and Sequestrations were the late cruel and flagellant Methods of our most tyrannous times; which had nothing of Reason, Law or Religion to support them: but these are not (in my judgement) either the first or the fittest means to confute the falsities of men's private opinions, or to rectify the obliquities of their inconform but innocent actions, flowing from them upon the account of Conscience and plea of Religion. (Although it may be as just as necessary to repress by legal coertions and penalties those petulant obstinacies, which do resist all softer applications, and endanger the public tranquillity by giving affronts to settled Religion, or obstructions to the proceedings of Justice by established Laws.) I am indeed for (cuncta prius tentanda) those Divine Essays and Appeals first, which render men most unexcusable (quid amplius poteram, what could I have done more, etc.) using lenitives before lance, & fomentations before incisions or amputations, until there be no other remedy; then rigour and severity to some parts; becomes the greatest Charity to the whole; where not the scratch of a petty opinion, but the gangrene of an obstinate and rebellious humour forceth the abscission of one part, to prevent a deadly contagion to others, yea to the whole Body.  
Not that I think it any Religion to have an indifferency to that true Religion which is once established by public consent and Law, as best and fittest for the Nation; nor is it any part of Mercy always to suffer public Justice to be baffled by the refractoriness of any persons or parties. No, I am far from a tame permitting Tares to be openly scattered by the bold and evil hands of any men, who seek, as enemies, to choke that good seed of Religion which is sown by the public Ministry, and fenced by legal Authority.  
As I would have that Religion only settled in its Doctrinals, Devotionals, Discipline and Government, which is by public consent (according to the word of God and Catholic prudence) judged to be the best for Truth, Sanctity, Order & Decency (which, blessed be God, is in England:) so I would have It (and It only) to enjoy all public countenance and encouragements, by the injunction and protection of the Laws, by the favour and example of the Prince, by public maintenance and honour, by the use of public Churches and Oratories: To the Preachers and professors of this, public Offices and Employments of honour and authority, foreign and domestic, ecclesiastical, civil and military, should be chiefly appropriated; of these advantages dissenters should be generally deprived, because they are the proper honoraries of those who most serve the public Peace, by their due observance of the Religion and Laws established; from which whoso openly varies and dissents, lays the foundations, as of distraction and division, so of destruction and confusion.  
With these outward advantages added to that internal power of truth & holiness which are in the established Religion, it may (as I think) not only be happily supported, but easily prevail in a short time (by God's blessing) against all factious and feeble oppositions; unless the scandal, negligence, levity and luxury of its Ministers, Bishops, Presbyters and Professors overthrow it, by casting such immoral disgraces upon it as make people dissbelieve and abhor both it and them; as was in the case of Eli's Sons.  
But I confess I would not have this legal and avowed Religion of the Nation so rigorous, sharp and severe (as Sarah to Hagar) by the sudden over-awing or violent overlaying of all other different persuasions in peaceable men, as not to let them breath in the same common Air, or not to enjoy their lives, civil liberties and estates, with their dissenting consciences, in all modest privacy and safety: I abhor (as much as I dread) all racks and tortures of men's souls, or those cruel no less than curious scrutinies of men's consciences, which covet, first (like God) to search men's hearts, and then (like the Devil) delight to torment them in their Estates and Liberties, only because they are not so wise or apprehensive as themselves, but as honest (perhaps) and sincere in the sight of God.  
True; I think that some little pecuniary mulct, as one or two Shillings to the poor, for every Lords days absence from the public Church or Assembly, may be justly (laid as a mark of public dislike) upon Dissenters and Separaters from the established Religion; not for their private difference in judgement, (which possibly is not their fault) but for their public deformity in practice, to the scandal of the established Religion, and to the endangering of the public welfare, whose strength and stability consist in unity, and this in uniformity to the settled rule, and in conformity, to outward practice: yet still no Inquisition to be made into free men's Consciences, nor any great penalty laid upon them for their persuasions, further than their words and actions do discover their Principles, Opinions, Correspondencies, and Adherencies to be contrary and dangerous to the public Peace, Order and Justice, which all are founded in, and flourish by our settled Laws and Religion: Thus permitting sober men not a declared toleration, or public profession, by way of open rivalry to the established Religion, but only such an arbitrary connivance and conditional indulgence as gives them no trouble for their private and untroublesome Opinions, while they are kept in their breasts and closerts; or in their private houses and families: to which all dissenters ought in reason to be confined on the Lord's day, without any convention of strangers to them; though (perhaps) on the weekday they may have their meetings allowed, yet so as to be kept within parochial bounds, or to such a number of persons and families as shall be thought safe.  
But for Dissenters to have multitudinous Conventicles, as it were musters of their forces, when, where, and as many as they please, cannot be safe: for thereby they not only affront the established Religion, but confirm each other in their opinions; yea and (as Charcoals in heaps) they more kindle and inflame each, other by their numbers, to such proud animosities and rebellious confidences, as may hope to set up their Faction supreme, not only in the repute of Religion, but in civil power; which is the ambitious aim of all parties, (except that which is purely Christian, & wholly resolved into suffering principles.) All others (we see) whether Papists, or Presbyterians, or Anabaptists, or Independents, affect (summam Imperii) as Diotrephes, to have the preeminence; as Lucifer and Antichrist, to exalt themselves above all: and therefore they must by wise and vigilant power, as well as by good preaching & living, be kept▪ as fire, within the hearth of their private opinions and parties, left they prevail by popular Arts against the public established Religion, which is the Palladium or Conservator of civil peace and prosperity, and never to be rashly changed, or rudely contemned while it is authorised.  
The great Charity to which includes even a charity to all those which differ from its present settlement; who commonly are more miserable in the riotous mutations which their folly and rudeness affects, then in those sober restrictions of which they are so impatient, that from different persuasions they break out to petulant oppositions by Tongue and Pen; thence they are betrayed to seditious projects; and at last these must be brought forth in tumultuary and violent actions; which are so intolerable, that the very first sparks of their insolent and seditious Expressions, especially in Pulpits and Presses, aught by great penalties to be suppressed: there being nothing more unreasonable, then for any man rudely to blaspheme and reproach that Religion which his Prince and Country profess; unless he be so impudent (as many are) to blaspheme that also which himself owneth as the true Religion with them. This tenderness, moderation and indulgence I bear only to humble, modest and innocent dissenters, upon the account of Christian Charity, which ought in all things, becoming humanity, to exceed all other men, as Tertullian well observes.  
To which Christian Charity of mine towards sober dissenters, (besides the confidence I have of Truth and its prevalency) perhaps my native temper and candour may contribute something, which abhors, after the genius of Primitive Christians, all severity or rigours only upon the score of Religion, farther than is necessary for the cure of offenders, and the conservation of the public Peace. I know the roughness or smoothness of men's educations and complexions, like Esau's and jacobs, have much influence upon their opinions and conversations; yea, and upon their consciences too. If this may seem to some too great a facility and gentleness in me, yet it is an error on the right hand, and nearest the medium both of humanity as a man, and of charity as a Christian, measuring all Policies by Christ's golden Rule, To do as I would be done unto.  
Secondly, In point of State-Policy also, or methods of true Government, I do conceive that mere plagiary counsels and punitive courses are never likely to obtain the main End, which is to stop the contagion of errors, and to extirpate those depraved opinions, which are justly thought to be the spawn of dangerous actions: For, unless the generality of credulous people, who are spectators of those that differ and suffer for their opinions and consciences, do also see so much light of Reason and clear Religion, as may justify the severity of the Laws executed upon those offenders, who profess Conscience for their Disobedience, and Scripture for their Consciences; it is most certain, that the spectators of their sufferings will very much soften to a compassion for them; and by sympathising with their persons in affliction, they will, by degrees, symbolise with their opinions; easily running, as metal that is melted, into the same mould: at length the populacy, if not fortified by pregnant demonstrations of Truth against those spreading errors and their Pseudomartyrs, will mightily cry up their Piety, admire their Courage, & magnify their Constancy: At last they will conclude those sufferers to have some special support, or diviner Spirit above ordinary men, because they seem to be so much above the ordinary passions of fear and hope, self-love and preservation; which prospect of patience Justin Martyr tells us, was the first occasion of his examining the Doctrine of Christians, that he might see on what ground so fixed a constancy grew, which showed a Divine security midst humane infirmity.  
By such popular pity and applause, not only sufferers will be confirmed in their pertinacy, but their spectators also will daily increase and multiply, as the shoots of Trees do by the lopping off their branches: especially if the lives and actions of such dissenters and sufferers be morally just and civilly innocent. For nothing sooner discovers and blasts such cross opinions, and withers the glory of their factious spectators, then vile, injurious and insolent demeanour either in words or deeds; such as all men confess to deserve the Gaol and Gibbet. This indeed (as in the mad pranks of John of Leyden and his Anabaptistick crew in Germany, and so in our Hacket and other Disciplinarians in England; in the late presumption of the Presbyterian Reformations, and Independent Confusions, full of Perjury, Sacril●dge, Treason and innocent Blood) This, I say, will, as the barking of Trees round, presently bring any Opinionists and Factionists to public scorn and hatred; as it did those Papists who heretofore in the Marian Persecutions, in the horrid Powder-Plot, and in the late Irish Rebellion, full of perfidy and cruelty, have so blemished the repute of that Catholic cause, as it can never be redeemed from just jealousies, but by actions of extraordinary Loyalty, Meekness and Humanity; besides the renouncing of some opinions.  
But where harmlesness of life sets a gloss on Opiniont, and Errors thereby grow more lusty and rank, (as ill weeds in good ground:) there mere robust power or punitive severity can no more pull them up, than a strong arm doth thorns and bushes when they are deeply rooted; breaking off the stem or top of them, but leaving the roots still in the ground, which will spring again, and spread farther. Here nothing is so effectual to do execution upon errors, as clear demonstrations of Reason and Religion; which reaching men's Consciences, by the proper methods of conviction, do, like a sharp Spade and Mattock, fetch up the very roots and fibres of evil opinions, to the utter extirpation of such noxious plants in a short time, except where knavery and hypocrisy do husband Opinions to the best advantage of secular ends and interests of reputation, profit or power.  
After this charitable method and temper were those many learned Works and elaborate Tracts of the Ancient Fathers of the Church, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Cyprian, Saint Austin, Prosper, Cyril, Hilary, Optatus, Saint Jerom and others, written, conform to the Canons and Decrees of Ecclesiastical Councils, guided by the Word and Spirit of God; and seasonably applied by their skilful and charitable hands, to cure the maladies and stop the Gangrenes of such pestilent opinions as sprang up in their days from Heretics, Schismatics and fanatics. Nor did those holy men at any time so despise the meanness of any Christians outward condition, or the fatuity of their opinions, as not to set a great value on their souls, for which Christ had died; ever applying, first the sword of the Spirit, the Word of Truth, in meekness of wisdom, before they craved the assistance, or encouraged the severity of the secular Sword, from Christian Emperors and Magistrates; using all rational and religious means, until they found, that depraved opinions put men upon desperate actions, as in those of the Novatians, Donatists and Arrians, also of the Manichees, Euchites and Circumcellians, (a primitive kind of Quakers) who by a specious constancy in praying, and affectation of suffering, so seduced the vulgar people, that the numbers of their devout, idle and hungry associates, at length, gave them confidence to make a prey and spoil of other men's goods, estates and lives too; till by armed Forces they were repressed, and by just Laws prohibited, in Honorius and other Emperor's times.  
Then indeed Charity to the public peace and welfare must be preferred before any pity, charity, forbearance or indulgence to private persons, parties and opinions, which growing rude and insolent in their words or deeds, sufficiently discover they are not upon the pure account of Conscience, or principles of true Christian Religion; which is as far as Heaven from Hell, or Christ from Belial, from teaching or impelling men to any actings or approving of private sins and immoralities, much more from public conspiring and practisings of Factions, Schisms, Sedition and Rebellion in Churches and Kingdoms: for which Christ never gave any Commission to his Disciples, nor the least countenance; but on the contrary, most eminent precepts and examples of humility, meekness and patience under any sufferings for conscience sake; sufficient for ever to confute the most specious pretensions of any, who violently carry on their private Opinions and pretended Reformations, against the will and power of lawful Magistrates and settled Churches.  
I do judge it both Piety, Charity and Policy, to establish the rule of public Religion by L●wes for uniformity in Doctrine, Devotion, Discipline and Decency, accompanied, as with Rewards and Privileges to the Conformers, so with some moderate pecuniary Penalties on Dissenters, according to men's estates and influences: but, I confess, I am not for heavy mulcts, and rigorous exactions, which shall imprison, banish, impoverish or destroy modest Dissenters and their families only for the variety of their judgement; when their civil actions are otherwise moral, just and inoffensive. This severity would in some Countries (and possibly now in England) be not only destructive to many thousands, but very disadvantageous to the King and Kingdom, to the Trade and Commerce of the Nation, by opening a little Wicket of Royal Clemency only to some few, and shutting the great Gate to many, whose tender and unsatisfied, or scrupulous Consciences do as much expect, need and deserve it, as those that have it in petty matters; while all others scruples are driven to discontent and despair by denial of all▪ indulgence to them in greater scruples.  
There are but these four ways of treating any party that dissents from the public establishment of Religion and its Laws in any Church and Kingdom. 1. Either to impoverish, imprison, banish and destroy all Dissenters, as the King of Castille did the Moors of Granada; which is a very rough, barbarous, unwelcome and unchristian way, disallowed by all wise men of all persuasions: Or, Secondly, by rational convincing them of their errors; which is a work of time and dexterity, not to be done on the sudden, no more then bodily cures, without a miracle; though very worthy to bear a part in the Discipline of the Church, which should require of every one a reason why they differ from, or forsake the established Religion, and treat them according as their persuasion, passion, or pertinacy shall appear to the Conservators of Religion: Or, Thirdly, by changing established Laws for their sake; which is not for the Piety, Prudence, Honour and Safety of a Nation and Church, when it judgeth its Constitutions to be religious, righteous and convenient: Or, Fourthly, by way of discreet connivance and charitable indulgence, so far as the civil peace of the Nation will bear; until Reason and Religion (of whose prevalency wise and good men never despair) have by calm and charitable methods recovered people from the error of their ways, by the sacred Doctrine and good examples of those who conform to the established Laws in Church and State. This being first done, will render Dissenters unexcusable, and justify any severity which shall be inflicted upon the extravagancies of those opinions and actions which do any way perturb the public peace, or affront the established Religion.  
And in this particular case of the Quakers (who refuse all legal Oaths, upon scruples of Conscience, and so threaten either to subvert our Laws, or to obstruct all judicial proceedings, pleading for their disobedience to man's Laws, the express command of Christ and his Apostle Saint James) no sober man can think by mere penalties to reduce them to a conformity with our Laws, or to stop the spreading of their Opinions, until it be plainly showed, that it is not true Religion, but only Superstition in them; a fear where no fear is; a being righteous overmuch, by a mistake of Christ's meaning; a wresting of those Scriptures, by their own unlearnedness and unstableness, to their own destruction, as well as to the public perturbation.  
Noble Sir, this great work (for so it is, to convince weak and wilful men of the error of their ways) I have undertaken in this little Treatise, by God's blessing, not unseasonably (I hope) as to our times, nor unsuitably, as to my profession. If I may be happy to do any of them good (who possibly may err in this with no evil mind) by redeeming them from their mistakes, and so from the penalties of the Law, I shall more rejoice in that success, than those Soldiers did, who among the Ancients were rewarded with Civic Garlands for preserving any of their Countrymen and fellow-Citizens: which Honour (you know) the Roman valour esteemed more, than any victorious Laurels for destroying their Enemies. And in this charitable endeavour (prospered by God's grace) I shall the more seriously triumph, because I believe it most agreeable as to my Saviour's preoept and primitive examples of Christian Bishops, so to your generous Soul, whereby this piece may probably be fortified with the approbation of so pieus and judicious a person; whose single suffrage is to me more valuable than the sequacious and vulgar votes of thousands, whose empty brains and clamorous mouths, like hollow places where Echo hides herself, do commonly receive and report things, not as the Truth is in them, but as the noise and cry is loudest. I know you are as much above plebeian censures, as titular Honours, traditional Philosophy, and popular Religion; being every way judiciously devoted to God and his Truth, full of Loyalty to the King and Laws, also of sober Conformity to the established Religion of this Church, whose royal Law is that of Charity, the bond of perfection, and centre of Peace: In all which respects you deserve and have the love and honour of all worthy Persons, and particularly of him, who may, without vanity, own this as an instance of some worth in him, that he is,  
(SIR) Your most affectionate Friend and humble Servant, JOH. EXON. March 20, 1661.   

A DISCOURSE, Concerning Public Oaths, and the Lawfulness of Swearing in Judicial Proceedings, etc.  
FInding lately in the most Honourable House of Peers, 
The Occasion of writing this piece.  that a Law was likely to pass in order to punish, with great Penalties, those English Subjects, who, under the name of Quakers, shall refuse to take, as other legal Oaths, so those which are usually required in Judicial proceedings, thereby to prevent, either the alteration of the good Laws and Customs of England, according to private men's fancies, or the obstructions and violations of public Justice; (the free course of which (as that of the Blood and Spirits to the Natural) is the preservation of the Life and Health, the Peace and Honour, the Happiness and very Being of the Body Politic) which by the Laws and ancient Customs of this Kingdom of England cannot be duly administered, but by those forms of solemn and religious Oaths in the Name of the true God, which are the highest Obligations to Truth and Justice upon them that swear; also the greatest satisfactions or assurances that can be given to others, for the belief of what is so attested, and for acquiescency in what is so decided:  
I was hereupon bold thus far humbly to intercede with that Honourable House, 
My interceding for some respite of Penalty, till better information is offered to the Quakers.  in the behalf of those poor people who are likely to fall under the Penalties of that Law,  
That however I might consent to the passing of that Bill, out of that justice and charity which I owe to the public peace and welfare (to which all private Parties, Interests, and Charities must submit;) yet I craved so far a respite for some time as to the execution of those Penalties upon any of them, as Offenders, until some such rational and religious course were taken, as might best inform those men of the lawfulness, by God's as well as Man's Law, of imposing and taking such public Oaths: That so answering first their Scruples, and fairly removing their difficulties, either they might be brought to a cheerful Obedience in that particular; or else be left without excuse before God and man, while the truth of the Law was justified against their error, and the severity of it only imputable to their own obstinacy.  
I further recommended this previous method of Christian Charity or meekness of Wisdom, as best becoming the Piety, Humanity and Honour of that House; 2. as most agreeable to the wont Clemency of His Majesty to all His good Subjects; 3. as the aptest means to reclaim such as were gone astray from their duty, by the error of their fancy; 4. and to stop for the future the spreading of this and other dangerous Opinions, which are usually known under the name of Quakerism; the Cure of which is easilier done by rational applications, then by only rigid inflictions upon those, who pleading Conscience, will by the Vulgar be thought Martyrs for their Sufferings; their patience spreading a love and esteem of their Opinions, by that pity and sympathy which people will be prone to have for their persons. 5. I further asserted this humble motion as very suitable to my Profession, as a Minister of the Gospel, as the special care of the Bishops and Fathers of the Church; relations which carry in them great obligations to Humanity, Charity, Ministerial Duty, Episcopal Vigilancy, and Paternal Compassion to any men, specially Christians who are weak or ignorant, erroneous in their judgement or dangerous in their actions. 6. Lastly, I urged the pattern of Divine Justice, whose usual forerunner is Mercy; Vengeance rarely following but where Patience hath gone before, instructing men of their duty, warning them of the danger of their sins, bearing with their manners for a time, 
Zeph. 2. 2.  and calling them to repentance, before the Decree come forth to execution.  
To this purpose I am sure I spoke; how I worded my meaning I cannot exactly recollect; confessing, that I never found myself (who am thought neither a barren nor a diffident speaker) more surprised with an ingenuous horror in any Audience, then when I adventured to speak in that most august and honourable Assembly of the Lords in Parliament, where there are so many excellent Orators, and accurate Censors; among whom it is safer to hear then to speak, and easier to admire then imitate their judicious Eloquence.  
As the Motion seemed to have some favourable Acceptance in that Honourable House from many Lords Temporal, 
The Acceptance of the Motion.  and from some of my Brethren the Bishops; so I presume it will not be displeasing to their Piety and Charity, if I do that by a private and single hand, which I persuade myself all of them would readily assist me in by their joint suffrages and consent, if their leisure would permit them in common to consult and determine of this point. Nor can I but believe that His Majesty's Royal Clemency, which hath sought in the gentlest way to convince and conquer all His Enemies (whose Pride and Folly hath not made them desperate, and so the severest punishers of themselves) will graciously approve this my charitable endeavour, to redeem many of his well-meaning Subjects from those mistakes in Opinion, and mischiefs in Practice, which must either expose His Majesty and his Kingdoms to great troubles and dangers, if unpunished and permitted; or else compel His Native Gentleness to use at last (and it may be too late) those Severities, which not His own Benignity, but the public Necessity, will require of a Wise and Just King, whose Lenity to any party of his Subjects, contrary to Law, will soon become an injury to the Community, which cannot be safe or happy but by an uniform obedience to the same Laws, which must be the rules and measures of all men's public Actions, the tryers of their failings, and the inflicters of their punishments.  
This Office of Christian Charity I have undertaken for Christ his sake, 
Charity the only motive to this Intercession.  by whom I have received many mercies; not bespoken, or in the least sort obliged, by any of that Sect called Quakers, with whom I have so little correspondency, that I have not any acquaintance, not knowing any of that way by Face or Name, or one hours' conversation: They being a Generation of people so supercilious, or so shy, that they are scarce sociable or accessible; speaking much in their Conventicles behind men's backs, but seldom arguing any thing in presence of those that are best able to answer or satisfy them; seeming wiser in their own conceits then seven men that can render a reason. I have seen indeed some of their Papers, and received some of their Letters written to myself; truly, not very rudely, nor malapertly; yet with so abrupt and obscure a way (so blindly censorious, and boldly dictating,) that saving a few good words and godly phrases in them, I found very little of rational or Scriptural demonstration, many passages so far from the beauty and strength of Religion, that they had not the ordinary symmetry of Reason, or the lineaments of common sense in them; at least in my apprehension, who am wholly a stranger to any Canting or Chemical Divinity, which bubbles forth many specious Notions, fine Fancies and short-lived Conceptions, floating a little in an airy and empty brain, but not enduring the firm touch or breath of any serious judgement.  
Nor do I expect any thanks for my pains from any of that Faction, 
The general moroseness of the Quakers.  while they continue in their morose Opinions, in their surly, rude and uncourteous Manners. I do not hear that they are generally a people of so soft and ingenuous tempers, as to take any thing kindly or thankfully from those that are not of their own Persuasion: many of them seem to affect a ruserved and restical way of clownish, yea scornful, demeanour; prone to censure, despise and reproach not only their betters, but even their Benefactors and Instructors. Their rude and levelling humour denies to show common courtesy and wont tokens of civil respect to their Superiors; contrary to the reverend, gentle and humble behaviour of all God's people, in all Ages, Jews and Gentiles, than whom none were more full of inward humility, or of outward respect and civility, according to the custom of their Countries. Possibly, these Quakers may in a fit fear and flatter some men in power; but they do not seem much to regard any man with any true love or honour as to real worth, unless they be of their Fraternity; who pretending to a diviner spirit and higher lights than either Reason, Law or Scripture afford to other men, do think they have cause to glory in their own imaginations, and to despise all those who are not yet arrived to the pitch of their presumption.  
Some men I find look upon these Quakers with an eye of public Fear and Jealousy, 
The fears and jealousies had of the Quakers.  lest the leaven of their Opinions and Practices, spreading far among the meaner sort of people (to whose humour that rude and confident way is very agreeable, while in a moment all their defects of Reason, Learning, Education, Religion, Loyalty and Civility are made up by a presumed spirit and light within them) lest, I say, it should, after the pattern of other Sects, both later and elder (such as were the Montanists, Manichees, Circumcellians, Euchites, Samosatenians, Anabaptists, Familists, Presbyterians and Independents) give occasion and confidence to common people to run to Tumults and Commottons under pretence of setting up God, and Christ, and the Spirit, by the way of new Powers, new Lights, and new Models in Church and State. Of which rare Fancies we have had of late so many Tragical Experiments in England, under other Names, Notions, and Pretensions.  
Certainly, it will become the public care and wisdom, 
A just cause to be had of any new Sect or Faction.  as not easily to permit the rise and spreading of any novel humours and ways contrary to the good Constitutions and well-tried Laws of this Church and Kingdom: so never to trust them, though never so soft and seemingly innocent at first. Horns, as in other Creatures, grow out of men's heads and hands too, as their Bones and Smews grow stronger, as their strength and members increase. Nothing but truly Christian and Evangelical Principles (which are in the good and old way) do secure Kings, or sufficiently bind Subjects to their good behaviour. Though Factions at first may seem but as a Cloud of an hand-breadth; yet they will in time grow big and black, covering the whole face of Heaven, and pouring down showers of Civil troubles upon any Church and Nation, if they be not dispelled by Authority. Let them go never so soft and silently at first, as Cats and Lions do on their Paws; yet they have all of them sharp Fangs, hidden and reserved Talons, till they find a fit prey and opportunity for their designs: than you shall see what cruel Claws they have. We see not only the greater Hornets of rigid Presbyterians, but the lesser Wasps of Independents, and the Gadflies or muskeetoes of Anabaptists, with other Infects, after their pious buzzing at first, used their stings at last, and in their season, both jointly and severally, they sought to sting to death this Church and Kingdom: though at first, like Serpents in Winter, they seemed very tame and meek, as to their principles and practices. There is a Wolf under the Sheep's clothing of all Novelizing Humorists. All of them did either begin, or continue, or increase our late Miseries, and will renew them by their emulations and ambitions, from which the miraculous mercies of God have delivered us. The only advantage which these our late Tragedies can afford us, is, to learn wisdom by them, to govern our hearts and affections with greater evenness and exactness, also to look to the Peace of Church & State with all possible circumspection and vigilancy; never to trust the most innocent smiles and harmless simplicities of any Innovators, dissenters and repugners against well-setled Laws and ancient Constitutions, no way contrary to Reason or Scripture.  
For my part, 
Quakers may be pitied, but not trusted.  though I have pity and charity for these silly Quakers, as they may now appear wrapped up in a kind of clownish garb, and ignorant plainness; yet I should forfeit my prudence much to trust their Hands: because I find the Tongues and Pens of some of them are full of bitterness, scorn and reproach; arguing much pride and presumption in their spirits, not beseeming truly mortified Christians, and least of all such as are, for the most part, but mean people for birth or breeding, for reason and understanding, as well as estates. And for the pretended Inspirations or inward Lights of which they vapour, I never yet saw any beams or effects of them, that might give the least cause to think of them above other poor men, who live by the more sure and sufficient light of the Scriptures and our Laws, which raise them to much a higher pitch of knowledge and prudence, sanctity and due obedience, than ever yet I observed in any of this way, who seem very much infected with affectation and self-conceit.  
I never conversed with any of their persons; and for their Writings, private or public, 
The usual manner of their writing and discourse.  (in which I suppose they show their best abilities) I must profess there appears to me so nothing of an excellent or extraordinary spirit in them, that there is much of silliness, and never well-catechised ignorance, ●et off with great confidence; an odd way of folly dressed up with some Scripture-phrases: like Sepulchers painted with sweet flowers and fair colours, but void of any true life and beauty within; either as convincing of sin and error, or as vindicating any truth or necessary point of duty and morality. They generally seem a busy, petulant and pragmatic sort of people, measuring themselves by themselves, admiring each other, even in their most ridiculous affectations and falsities: a kind of Dreamers, at once deceiving and being deceived, doting and glorying in their rude and contemptuous carriage toward all men that do not either favour or flatter them in their rusticity and petulancy, which hath in it a great seed of pride and ambition.  
Nor do they seem wholly void of other evil principles, 
Their Covetousness and Injustice in refusing to pay Tithes.  which look very like Covetousness and Injustice, while they deny to Ministers of the Gospel, never so able and faithful, that maintenance by Tithes, which by the Laws of the Land are as much due to them as any man's Estate, and by no Law of Christ forbidden, but rather allowed▪ yea, 
1 Cor. 9 13.  ordained and proportioned by the Lord under the Gospel, by a parity of justice and gratitude, in way of homage to Christ, and of due wages and hire to God's labourers, as the livelihood of those that serve God and his Church in holy ministrations. Nor is it a small insolence in them to endeavour, in an age of so much light and learning, to obtrude, yea oppose, the rudeness and silliness of their covetous and crude fancies, against the Prudence, Justice and Piety of this Church and Kingdom.  
But my design in this place is not to ravel into all the petty Opinions, 
My pity for them on a treple account.  Enthusiastic Raptures and odd practices of the Quakers: nor will I here severely perstringe them, because I have a great pity for them upon a threefold account. First, because I perceive them to be so very unlearned and unstable people; ever learning, but never coming to any solid knowledge of Truth, or any great improvement in Christian gifts; men of low parts, and small capacities as to any point of true wisdom or understanding in things Humane or Divine; tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine; easily seduced with specious pretensions and strange notions, even to Raptures and Enthusiasms, which are presented to them as rare novelties by some that are Masters of that Art, and Agitators for that Party; for what design, private or public, foreign or domestic, God knows. Some suspect Jesuitick Arts to be among them. 
Quakers suspected of Jesuitick Arts and designs.  Indeed they seem so far to conspire with the craftiest Lotolists, as they bear a most implacable hatred against the Church of England: and under religious pretensions they may in time undermine the civil Peace, as other Factions formerly have done. The way to make them better Subjects is to make them wiser men and seberer Christians, by some public care to have them better instructed as well as justly restrained.  
My Second ground of pity to them is, 
The first life or breeding of Quakers.  because they are a Sect lately bred by a kind of equivocal generation, as Vermine out of the putrid matter and corruptions of former times, in which so many Factions cast forth their spawn and filth to the deformity and confusion of all things Civil and Sacred in this Church and Kingdom. They had their beginning from the very rabble and dregs of people, uncatechised, undisciplined and ungoverned in England. No wonder to find these people fly to inspirations and new lights, when they were hatched in dark times, which sought to put out all the old light of Law and Gospel. They might easily run to Rudeness toward their betters, and Refractoriness against our Laws, and Obstinacy in their Errors, and Impatience of any just coertions, when they had their first original and extraction out of that squalor, mud, and fedity of times which destroyed all fear of God and reverence of Man, which denied the holy institution of Ministers, the orderly presidency of Bishops, the just authority of Magistrates, the freedom and honour of Parliaments, and the Sacred Majesty of Kings. All these being trodden under the feet of profane Levellers and cruel Usurpers, who can wonder that the impiety and scandal of those times should lead such silly people in those temptations, which sought by some unwonted ways to make even their obscurity remarkable at least by the parallel boldness of their Opinions, and the rudeness of their Actions?  
3. Lastly, I pity them, because to me it is no wonder, 
How they were first scared from all public Oaths.  if people of so plain breeding, of unpolished manners, (and possibly of no evil minds, compared to others of those times; though easy and unwary, as the Quakers for the most part are) if (I say) they were scared from all Swearing by the frequent forfeited Oaths and repeated Perjuries of those Times, in which the cruel Ambitions and disorderly Spirits of some men, like the Demoniac in the Gospel, broke all bonds of lawful Oaths, by which they were bound to God and the King; daily imposing, as any new Party or Interest prevailed, the Superfoetations of new and illegal Oaths, monstrous Vows, factious Covenants, desperate Engagements, and damnable Abjurations.  
Poor men, the Quakers, as well as others, had cause to fear lest if they took an Oath to day, they should to morrow be forced to renounce and abjure it; not as to own a quiet submission and profession of passive obedience to Powers at present prevalent and protecting (which is the way of temporary and reciprocal Oaths of Allegiance, among those Subjects whose fortunes lying on the frontiers of Dominions, expose them to the vicissitudes of Wars and change of Governors) but to a formal comprobation of most unjust Actions, yea to renounce and abjure the undoubted rights of others, to attest even by Oath the Usurpations of those as lawful, which were most diametrically contrary to the Laws of God and Man.  
This great temptation under which these Quakers then lived, 
The great temptation of those Times upon the Quakers.  makes me have much compassion for them; it being not only easy and obvious, but venial and almost commendable, for them to be carried to an utter aversation from all Swearing whatsoever, when they saw such desperate abuse and breaking of public and solemn Oaths in those dismal days. But as the abuse of things lawful and good must not take away the lawful use of them, no more than some men's gluttony and drunkenness may deprive us of all eating and drinking soberly: so neither may Christians therefore deny all Swearing, because some men cared not what and how they did Swear and Forswear. Here a little clearing of those superstitious fears and prejudices which first possessed these men against all Swearing, may at once let them see the liberty they have for doing that which our Laws require, and our Saviour in the Gospel no where absolutely forbids, but only regulates and restrains.  
Nor do I only thus pity the Quakers, 
The Quakers in some respects commendable.  but I praise them also in some respects; being as no enemy to their persons, so a friend to any thing that is good in them.  
First, 
1. For choosing to suffer rather than sin against their Consciences.  for their choosing (as they profess in those Papers given in that day to some of the Lords) rather to suffer then sin against their Consciences, and so against God; whose holy will shining on the Soul in Reason and Religion, either seeming or real, is indeed the present rule of Conscience: Nor may any man act contrary to these dictates which he judgeth to be Gods; though he err as to the Truth of the Rule, yet his judgement binds so far as it represents, though in a false Glass, the supposed light of Gods will. For he that will venture to act against Conscience, though erroneous, will also act against it though never so clear and perspicuous.  
Here the first care must be, that the (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) judgement be according to Truth, and then to act accordingly: Else, however the integrity of intention may be commendable, and so mitigate the fault; yet the sin of the action may be great, as to the enormity or aberration from the rule of eternal Truth and Justice. As that of Paul was when he persecuted and blasphemed the Christian Religion, being verily persuaded that he ought so to do, against that way. 
Acts 16 9  So others should think they did God good service, while they killed Christ's Disciples. 
Joh. 16. 2.  A Conscience thus erring, falls into the snare or dilemma of the Devil: if it act according to its error, 
The Dilemma or Snare of an erring conscience.  it sins materially against the intrinsical Justice and Truth of God and his holy Will, (the conformity to which is the measure of moral good and holiness:) if it act contrary to its appearing Principles, it sins formally and maliciously, as wilfully rebelling against the supposed will of God.  
So much it concerns every Christian to be fully informed of that Divine Truth and Light, 
Isa. 5. 20.  which alone shows the right and good way: Else they will easily be brought to call evil good, and good evil, to call light darkness, and darkness light; 
Eccl. 7. 16.  to be over-righteous, by adding to the commands of God, or over-wicked, by making or esteeming themselves sinners, when indeed they are not so: either negatively superstitious, 
Of superstitious fears.  in abstaining from that as sin which is no sin; or affirmatively superstitious, in counting that a duty which is not so. Both are injurious usurpations upon the sovereignty of God, whose Sceptre is infallible Truth, as his Sword is just and irresistible Power. So dangerous are erroneous fears, where no fear is; 
Psal. 53. 5.  or presumptuous confidences, where is no Divine permission. Men must not set up the Idols of their own imaginations in God's place; nor may they be falsaries, or forgers of that Coin, which as to duty is only then currant when it hath not only good metal, but also the clear stamp of God's express will on it. The Mint of humane fancies, either melancholy and timorous, or pragmatic and adventurous, is but an adulteration of Religion, and a kind of stuprating of Conscience. The will of God, 
The perfect and sure Rule of conscience.  which is clear either in right Reason or true Scripture-demonstration, is sufficient to make the man of God perfect to every good word and work, without any additions or detractions, 
2 Tim. 3. 16.  which are but as the Wens or witherings, the excrescencies or deficiencies of men's extravagant minds and actions; so far from advancing the peace of Conscience or the honour of true Religion, that they debase and deform both of them. As no Laws of men contrary to God's Word are to be actively obeyed; so Laws of men which are not contrary to right Reason and Scripture must not be disobeyed, but conscientiously observed for the Lords sake, 1 Pet. 2. 13. Rom. 13. 5. in whose wisdom and authority such Laws are made and executed. The contrary will not only trouble the public Peace, but that also of a man's own soul, at least, when after the vain flashes of light kindled from the sparks of their private fancies, they shall lie down in darkness as to their comfort and reward from God, 
Isa. 50. 11.  whose judgement is according to righteousness and truth.  
Secondly, 
2. Quakers commendable for their regard to the Scriptures.  I cannot but commend the Quakers for their declared esteem in this of the authority of the holy Scripture, as the rule of Faith and holy life. For as by their instances alleged out of Scripture they profess a fear to sin against the commands there given by Christ against Swearing: so I may charitably presume▪ however they are by many suspected to slight the Scriptures, and fly to Inspirations or Lights within them) that they will be no less strict in doing what therein is required of them, as to Truths to be believed, Mysteries to be celebrated, and Duties to be done to God and Man.  
The only Caution that here must be given them is, 
Caution against misunderstanding and wresting the Scriptures.  to take heed that they do not wrest the Scriptures (2 Pel. 3. 16.) by their ignorant and unstable minds; that they believe not every Spirit, or seeming and partial Allegation of Scripture; since the Devil oft feathers his temptations and fiery darts (as against Christ, Mat. 3.) with Scriptural Citations partially and preposterously applied. Not the Letter in its abruptness or nakedness of sense must be swallowed presently, but the mind of God must be searched out in the scope and end also, in the manner and emphasis of what is expressed. Scripture is indeed sufficient for the substance of all necessary Truths to be believed, and Duties to be done, or left undone; but it doth not stretch itself to the instances of every particular circumstance or ceremony, which private Prudence or public Laws may regulate, according to order and decency, to edification.  
Nor is Scripture to be well understood in retail (that is) by single places, taken apart by themselves, but in wholesale, by the proportion of Faith, 
Rom. 12. 6.  the analogous or concurrent sense, which is made up or twisted from many places. Many things in some Scriptures are expressed darkly, metaphorically, figuratively, parabolically, comparatively, by way of allusion, in Metonymies, Synecdoches, Ironies, and Hyperboles, in Vniversalities, which are limited to the subject intended. Many popular expressions have special regard to particular times, places, persons, customs and usages; and must be so taken, as temporary and occasional. These must have commodious interpretations, consonant to that grand tenor of God's word, which as the life and spirit runs through all the parts of it, but resides most eminently in some places, (as the Soul in the Brain or Heart) which are as the essential, vital, integral and principal parts of Scripture; the main standards and measure of all others, and of true Religion, both as to Morals and Evangelicals, Mysteries to be believed, and Duties to be performed.  
Unless we observe these prudentials in searching the mind of God, and taking the true meaning of the Scriptures, we shall (as Saint Austin observes) draw poison with Spiders from those sweet flowers which would afford us honey. 
2 Pet. 1. 10.  A depraved and private interpretation is the corruption, wrack & torture of Scripture, whose every line is as the Sunbeams, light and strait of itself; but erroneous minds, like Glasses of Refraction, or false Mediums, pervert them from their simplicity to their own destruction, as S. Peter speaks. 
2 Pet. 3. 16.   
It were endless to enumerate those places of Scripture which have either more or less, 
The true sense of Scriptures, how to be found out.  or something other in their meaning and design, than the Letter seems to hold forth in the bare words of it.  
Extraordinary Commands, as to Abraham for sacrificing his Son Isaac, to the Israelites to rob, by way of borrowing, and recompense the Egyptians; the heroic impulses and actions of others, as Moses, Phineas, Elias, and Samson; Commands to do things less comely and honest, either in a reality, or in a vision and representation, as Hosea's marrying an Harlot; 
Hosea 1. 2.  the faults or failings of others, which were holy men as to their integrity, barely recorded, but not there blamed, as Rebecca's and Jacob's supplanting by a lie and fraud; the officious lies of the Midwives, Rahab and others, David's feigning himself mad; the equivocations and dissimulations of others; These and such like, that have any thing in them which seems or is contrary to the constant rule of Morality, Piety, Sanctity, Honesty and Veracity, must be salved by such an interpretation, and taken in such a sense, as may no way bring them into an ordinary rule or imitable example, contrary to the express and constant command of God in his Word, which is never to be allayed by the mixtures of humane Passions, Frailties and Infirmities.  
So in things that are preceptive, 
Of commands affirmative & negative in Scripture.  either enjoining or forbidding, by way of proverbial speaking, the meaning must not be stretched on the tenter or rack of the Letter; but as we gather some fruit that grow with thick shells, only to gain the small kernels in them, so in these, no more is to be collected from the Letter then what may have due regard to the design and scope of the speaker. So in the fifth, sixth, and seventh Chapters of Saint Matthew, Christ's Sermon in the mount hath many such expressions: 
Mat. 5. 29, 30. 6. 16.  as of anointing the Head & Face in fasting; pulling out the right Eye, and cutting off the right Hand; giving to them that ask; to sell all and give to the poor; to turn the other Cheek to the smiters. These do not run Christians upon maiming and deforming their Bodies, or expose them to poverty and stupidity; but only they teach them to bear with patience repeated injuries, rather than be put beyond the bounds of Christian patience and charity; and to sustain any outward difficulties, rather than inward enormities of lust or covetousness, and the like.  
So not to lay up treasure on earth; 
Mat. 6. 19 25, 31, 34.  to take no thought for their life, or care for to morrow; Labour not for the meat that perisheth, etc. Joh. 6. 27. to call no man Father or Master on Earth Mat. 23.9. not to salute any man by the way, Luk. 10. 4. not to put on costly Raiment or Jewels, etc. 1 Pet. 3. 3. So Hosea 6. 6. I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: So, Rend your Hearts, and not your Garments, Joel 2. 13. Who hath required these things at your hands? Isa. 1. 11, 12, 13. viz. in this hypocritical fashion. 
Of Scripture general negatives limited.  These seeming Negatives, are not absolutely but comparatively spoken, to such a degree of love or care, or fear, reverence and duty, as are due to God's great Commands and chief Designs, which must be the main bias of men's affections and obediential actions, as most intent to morality, and not to content themselves with empty formalities.  
So in Ironical assenting, or seeming concessions, which are the sharpest prohibitions and reproaches: as, 
Mat. 23. 31.  Fill ye up then the measure of your Fathers; He that is filthy let him be filthy still, 
Rev. 22. 11.  and he that is unjust be unjust still. These are not spoken in a flat and plain way, but in such a dialect and emphasis of familiar Oratory as the times and country did well understand, to signify other than the words sounded, either more or less. And it had been a very ridiculous childishness to have urged the Letter in its syllabical appearance, and against its rational meaning; which (as S. Austin long ago observed) must never be so put upon the bias of the bare words, as to sway or swerve them contrary to that Divine Verity, Morality and Sanctity which shines most clearly in other places, and whose light must be brought to enlighten those that are more involved and obscured, by reason of some proper phrase or idiotism of expressing things after the manner of men in those times: Else many things spoken even of God, and by God himself, and holy men after the manner of men, as seeing, hearing, smelling, being injured, angry, and repenting, etc. will be as blasphemies and irreconcilable (as both Jewish Rabbins and Christian Doctors observe) to his essential Attributes and immutable Perfections. 
R●b. Maimon. in Morch Nabucihn.  Here the words look to the appearance (as when Angels are called young men, Mark 16. 5. Joh. 20. 12. Luk. 24. 4.) but the sense must look to the essence and reality.  
Men will make as mad work of Scripture as Hogs will do with Gardens and Fields, when in stead of orderly ploughing and sowing, that we may reap a fair and fruitful Harvest, we inordinately and rashly root up all things by a confused rudeness, which ends either in barrenness, or in briers and thorns, endless janglings and perplexities.  
What long and sad contentions have the Papists made in the Western Churches the last 300. years, 
The Papists rigid urging the Letter.  by rigidly urging those words of Consecration in the Lord's Supper to a literal severity, making the Bread after Consecration so much Christ's Body substantially and not sacramentally, which all good Christians believe) that there remains no more natural substance of the Bread, but only under the accidents of Bread, the sole and entire substance of Christ's Body; the same which is at once in Heaven and in every place where this Sacrament is celebrated, yea in every crumb of it? By which Superseraphick opinion, Faith must not only forsake the senses and look above them, but flatly deny and contradict them, in every verdict which they give of their proper objects, according to experience and right Reason, which are a part of the Creator's light to mankind. And all this by a magisterial, novel and seraphic severity, beyond the judgement of the ancient Churches, is imposed by pressing the (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) rigid Letter of the words in that part of the blessed Sacrament, and allowing no Metonymy or Symbolical speaking, which is so frequent in Scripture-Mysteries, and sacred correspondencies between the signs and things signified (as the Lamb is called the Passeover, and Christ our Passeover, and the Rock, Vine, Dove, etc.) While yet in the other part of the same Sacrament they are forced to subdue and soften the words to their due sense by such Metonymues and Tropes as must make the Cup to signify or mean the Wine, and the Cup or Wine to signify the New Testament in Christ's Blood.  
Certainly, as in such expressions which Christ there useth, and which we read in other Scriptures of parallel sense, to set forth Divine Mysteries (by their adapted Signs and Symbols, or Emblems and Seals) there must be believed something more sublime in them then the narrowness of the words, or perhaps the hearts of men in this world can fully comprehend; so, to be sure, nothing is by Scripture imposed upon us to be believed which is flatly contradictive to right Reason, and the suffrages of all our senses, and to the Analogy of Faith in the Scriptures. But here the meaning of the words must be measured by semblable places and like expressions, which are not wanting in the Scriptures; and yet are not so wrested by any Christians that are Masters of Sense, Reason, and true Religion, who do not cease by believing to be rational Creatures, or to be men by being Christians.  
If the Quakers will fairly admit such Cautions and limitations as they do to other places, in the interpreting these Scriptures which they chiefly allege to justify their denial of all Swearing whatever, I shall not doubt to reconcile them to my sense of them, nor shall I grudge to give them this second commendation, for their due regard to Scripture as the sure and sufficient rule of a Christians actions for the main and substance of them. But these Scriptures must be duly examined, exactly weighed, and aptly reduced to that standard of Truth which is most constant and clear in both Morals & Fiducials.  
Thirdly, 
A third commendation of the Quakers, for their fearing an Oath.  Yea, I shall add a third (Commendation of these Quakers (who shall rise in judgement at the last day against many of those that speak much against them) for this, That they seem to have so great a fear of an Oath, that out of a jealousy of Swearing amiss, they will not swear at all. 
Eccl. 9 2.  Although they are superstitious in the degree of their fear (which I shall prove to be not justly grounded on the words they allege,) yet no good man can blame them to have, as God commands, 
Zach. 8. 17.  a just abhorrence of the sin of profane, easy, trivial, familiar, false and inconsiderate Swearing, for which the Land mourneth, Jer. 23. 10. which so disposeth men (as Saint Austin says) to false Swearing and gross Perjury; 
Jurandi facilitate in perjurium labimur.  which are sins of the first magnitude. Nor can indeed much credit be given (any more than to a Liar) to any man that swears never so solemnly and in Judicature, who is a common Swearer, 
August. Contemptor religionis ad jurandum facilis.  and hath no reverence either of the Majesty of God or the sacredness of an Oath.  
I formerly observed the great dread and just horror of all Swearing, 
Ulpian. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Eccles 23. 11.  (even that which the Laws required) wherewith the poor. Quakers might easily be scared and possessed in those barbarous times of their first breeding, when so many lawful 
* Ezek. 17. 18, 19  Oaths were despised and impudently violated; nay when Perjury and Rebellion were adopted to the Family of Religion, and voted for Reformation; when men were grown so preposterously zealous for God, that they would both lie and forswear to advance his Interest and Kingdom (as they pretended) in the World; till themselves become as Sodom and Gomorrah, the abhorrence and abomination of all people of common honesty, who saw the Land not only defiled with innocent blood, but most sadly mourning under the burden of such prodigious Swear and hypocritical forswearing, as were not only vulgar and trivial, but solemn and authoritative.  
It was and is well done of the Quakers to be wary of such Swearing, because the brands of Perjury (as the Devils stigmatizings) are among the marks of fin hardliest to be wiped off or worn out, without a wound and scar on the conscience, no less than the credit and reputation of a Christian.  
But yet I cannot consent to them, 
But not for their Superstitious fear, against the good ends of Oaths in judicature.  nor commend them, for their being righteous overmuch, by their absolutely denying and condemning, as sinful, the solemn, sacred and judicial manner of Swearing required by the Laws of this Kingdom, and allowed by this and all other Christian and Reformed Churches: In which Oaths either the recognition of a known Truth, or the agnition of a Right, or the profession of a loyal Duty, or a sure Testimony in matter of Fact, are required both in allegiance to the Prince, and in justice and charity to our neighbours, for the trial of doubtful Cases, and determining of them in judgement, 
Jer. 4. 2.  righteousness and truth, as with least error in themselves, so with most reverence and fear of God, the fountain of Justice, Truth, Order and Peace (whose the judgement, power, 
Deut. 1. 17.  and authority is;) also with most security to the public peace and welfare, which are bound up in the due execution of Justice and lastly, to the most satisfaction of all men, who can desire or expect no higher appeal or attestation, than the Omniscience and Omnipotence of the Judge of all the earth, called as a witness upon their souls.  
These grand and public concerns, in which Gods glory and the good of mankind are involved and carried on by the sacred solemnity of public and legal Oaths, as they do command a great strictness and conscientious cautiousness in all such Swearing, so they do, upon Scriptural, moral, and political grounds, sufficiently justify the use of that Swearing which they thus require, and which without this method of religious justice cannot be obtained in the now inveterate wickedness and degeneracy of humane Nature: For a 〈◊〉 and remedy to which good Laws are appointed, and these executed with that equity, sanctity and solemnity, which at once befits both men and Christians; that is, persons related and responsible not only to humane society and authority, but owners of, and appealers to, divine Justice and Vengeance: of whose last great and dreadful Tribunal our little Courts of Justice and judicial proceedings on Earth are previous Emblems and Forerunners.  
For the preserving and asserting these great and good Ends is that Law now enacted against the Errors and Obstinacies of the Quakers; 
The end of the Law against the Quakers.  seeking by just penalties to remove those Obstructions which their contrary declared principles and avowed practices endeavour to put upon all judicial proceedings; yea, and to shake that mutual security which both King and Subjects have by the interchange of their respective Oaths to each other, in the name of the blessed God. These good & necessary Ends do justify the severity of those means which the wisdom of the Parliament applies, consonant to God's word: nor may any Subjects complain, since, as the Law is imposed by all Estates, so upon all sorts of people without respect of persons: nor can any Nation be thought cruel to it self, or to inflict too severe punishments on itself, when not only the regard to the personal offence, but the care and caution for the public welfare and indemnity is the measure of such Penalties inflicted.  
Against all this the Quakers plead their consciences, 
The ground of the Quakers plea for their not Swearing.  which they say will not permit them in any case to Swear. The ground of this their conscientious Resolution of not Swearing, lest they should sin, is produced, as appears by their Papers, from those too pregnant places, Mat. 5. 34. where our Saviour citing the old Law from Exod. 20. 7. Leu. 19 12. & Deu. 5. 11. as allowed by the Jews, commanding them to swear only by the name of the Lord; and in those cases not to forswear themselves, but to perform their Oaths to the Lord; adds by way of reformation, But I say unto you, Swear not at all: and Saint James 5. 12. where the Apostle to the same sense and words repeats the command of Christ, Above all things, my Brethren, swear not at all.  
Both places indeed seem at first sight pointblank (as some Commentators observe) to forbid all manner of swearing among Christians, 
P●●má fancy ille videtur seizes Ev●ng●licus, 〈…〉 Christianos 〈…〉.  both have emphatical or vehement words. The first, Christ's Authority, reforming not only the Pharisaic corruptions of the Times, but even the Mosaic indulgences in some things, which were rather not de●●ed for the hardness of the Jews Hearts, then positively granted: I say unto you, Swear not at all; 
Mat. 19 8.  that is, not by those Oaths in which you make now no scruple to swear and forswear.  
So the Apostle Saint James, writing to the dispersed Jews; Above all things, my Brethren, swear not: evidently referring to the words of our Saviour, and the same ends.  
Nor are the fears and scruples of the Quakers in point of swearing to be wholly despised; when they have two such notable Texts in their way, which seem to stand, as the Angel of the Lord against Balaam, with a Sword in their hand to stop the way of any Swearing whatsoever. Both Texts are allowed on all hands, as the word of God; All are agreed that the words are a divine and strict prohibition against the sin of Swearing; and therefore in all charity the words ought to be cleared, and their scruples removed.  
The Questions about the interpretation, 
Three Questions.  scope, and meaning of the words are: 1. Whether all Swearing be utterly forbidden, because it is and ever was in its nature a sin against morality.  
2. Or whether all Swearing is therefore now a sin, because thus forbidden by a positive Law of Christ under the Gospel.  
3. Or whether only some sort of Swearing, which is a sin, is forbidden, but not such Swearing as is no sin, but rather an act of special veneration, or sanctifying Gods name, also an act of justice and charity to our neighbours or our selves.  
As to the first Question, 
1. Question answered: Swearing was lawful among the Jews.  whether all Swearing be now by Christ forbidden, because it is and ever was in its Nature a sin against Morality, that is, against the eternal rectitude and goodness of the Divine Nature and Will:  
I suppose the Quakers are not herein positive; nor dare they condemn as morally and always evil, all swearing by the Name of the most high God. For which practice of old among the Jews we have not only so many precedents or examples of holy men, approved by God, as Abraham, Jacob, David, and others, (yea and the example of God himself (as I shall after instance in) swearing by himself, as the high and holy one, whose supreme power and inimitable excellency is the highest asseveration or ascertaining of what is so spoken, either to win us to belief, or to strike us with terror, leaving men without excuse, if being so happy as to have the Oath of God to assure them of a truth, yet they will not believe God, no not swearing for their sake, as Tertullian speaks) But also we have express commands of God: First, that great one in the Decalogue, where the Negative, of not taking God's name in vain, or falsely, doth include the Assirmative, of using the name of God in thinking or meditating, in reading and writing, in speaking, praying, blessing, praising, promising or attesting, vowing or swearing, with due reverence and adoration to his Divine Majesty, which is intimated by his holy name, as the summary of all his Attributes. And agreeable to this great Command are those many other places so frequent in the Old Testament, which command the people of God to swear only by his Name, Deut. 6. 13. and this in righteousness, judgement, and truth, Jer. 4. 2. of which I shall after give more particular account, when I prove that moral, divine and eternal good which is in lawful swearing.  
Hence Gods frequent reproof, 
Zach. 5. 4. Mal. 3. 5.  threatening and punishing with a curse, not all men that did swear, but only such as swore falsely, either as to their present judgements and intentions, or as to their after violating of their Oaths, to the profaning of the name of God; yea, and those who by trivial, light, and inconsiderate swearing, took the name of God in vain, having no reverence to his Majesty when they made mention of his name with their lips: lastly, those that swore, though truly, 
Jer. 12. 16. Zeph. 1. 5.  by false Gods, as Baal, or by any Creature, as if it were to them in stead of God.  
This than I suppose is so clear, even to the sillicst and most scrupulous Quakers, that they cannot doubt of the lawfulness of swearing lawfully among the Jews, not only as permitted, but commanded.  
Nay (perhaps) they will grant that a Christian in some cases may give his Oath to an Heathen Prince, or others of different Religion from Christianity, when in cases of safety, or ransom, or life, or other great concerns, they may be thereto required of them, and will by no other way be satisfied: It being a Principle of natural Divinity bred in the hearts of all mankind, that the invocation, attestation and adjuration in the name of the God which they respectively own, is the greatest assurance which can be given or desired; as I shall make to appear afterward, when I come to show the consent and practise of Nations as to deciding of Controversies by swearing.  
The scruple than lies only upon these prohibitions in the Gospel given by Christ and the Apostle Saint james; 
〈◊〉, whether among Christians all Swearing be so bidden.  forbidding absolutely (as they suppose) all swearing, at least among Christians, whatever was used or indulged among the jews (as were Revenge, Polygamy and Divorces, and other political dispensations, for the uncharitableness, wantonness and hardness of their hearts) Christ, as they presume, restoring the communication of Christians both public and private to that integrity of mind, simplicity of speech and sanctity of manners, which may deserve of one another as much credit as if they swore; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. joseph. de Essenis.  according to that strictness which the Esseni among the jews used, whose word was, As sure as an Oath. So that they say, we may not in charity either exact of our Brethren, or give to them any Oath; since they deserve to be believed upon the same terms which they believe others, that is, their bare Yea or Nay, simple affirmings or denyings, without any swearing; which they think an old judaic superfluity of speech now circumcised, and precisely cut off from the lips of Christians: No man deserving to be believed on his Oath, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Cl. Alex.  who hath lost by lying the credit of his bare word; nor any man deserving to be confirmed by any honest man's Oath, who hath not the charity and humanity to believe him without it.  
And certainly the affairs of Christians, both public and private, would be no less to their honour and ease, if there were in no case any need or use of any Oaths or Swearing; but such an authentic veracity and just credulity on all sides, as might well spare even the most true, sincere and lawful Oaths, keeping on all sides as great a distance from lying as from false swearing. And certainly as these two, true speaking and true swearing, are near of kind, of the same Father, God, and the same Mother, an honest and veracious heart; so the other two, lying and false-swearing, are progenies of the same parentage, of their Father the Devil, and from a perfidious heart. Perjury and Lying are of the same Web or Spinning; only the first hath the stronger twist, and the deeper dye or tincture of Hell, being more the Devils colour and in gram.  
The Eutopian desire and aim of these Quakers is not to be found fault with, if it were feisable. Yea, 
The specious design o● the Quakers not practicable.  it were to be wished that the evils of men's hearts and manners, the jealousies and distrusts, the dissimulations and frauds of many Christians, 
Quamvis jurato nollem tibi credere.  their uncharitableness, unsatisfactions and insecurities, were not such, as by their diseases do make these applications of solemn Oaths and judicial swear necessary; not absolutely, 
Juram●ntum non aliter qàam medicamentum urgente necessitate usurpandum.  and morally, or preceptively (as the Schoolmen note well) but by way of consequence and remedy; as good new Laws are necessary for the curb or cure of new evils in Polities and Kingdoms. Possibly as Christians (truly such) we should need no swear in public or private: but as men, weak and unworthy, 
Non adhib●tur ju●jurandum nisi ad subveniendum desect●i.  we cannot well be without such Oaths to end Controversies, and to secure, as much as man can do, the exact proceedings of Justice.  
If it do appear that all swearing is absolutely by our Lord Christ forbidden to his Disciples, 
Levitas hominum & inconstantia diffidentiam geavit, cui remedium quaesitum est ju●ejucando. Grotius.  God forbid we should not obey his word, and rather change the Laws of man, then violate his commands, to whom we Christians owe the highest love, loyalty and obedience. But if it shall appear to religious Reason, that the words of Christ do not import any such absolute forbidding of all use of swearing, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Cle.  but by the scope of them and the analogy of Scripture they have another true interpretation and limited meaning, we must not be so much slaves to the Letter, as to lead Truth and Reason captive, or to deprive ourselves of that religious liberty which is left us, and so is not only lawful for Christians to use, but in some cases it may be prudentially necessary, as to the expediences of men's jealousies, lives, liberties, estates, and good names, even in private; much more in the dispensations of justice to the public peace, and general satisfaction of whole Polities and Communities, wherein men live socially, under law and government.  
The Controversy therefore which is risen between the Quakers and almost all other Christians will come into this narrow room. 
The true state of the Controversy.   
1. Not whether a Christian may swear vainly and rashly, 
Not whether vain swearing be forbidden.  by a spontaneous and occasional easiness, either promising or asserting, although it be a truth, and by the true God, but without reverence to God, and in matters of so little, yea no importance or difficulty, as neither deserve, nor need, nor require an Oath. To this we all agree with the Quakers, Christ's words condemning all such profane and trivial swearing; much more if it be in fraud and falsity, which makes such Oaths, as the Coin of an Usurper, which is false metal and stamp too, a complicated sin, and one of the strongest chains of darkness which the Devil and a man's own lusts hamper the Soul withal.  
2. Not is it any question whether Christians may swear in any case by any Creature as such, 
No● whether one may swear by any Creature.  not relating by it and through it to God above all, who is the Alpha and Omega, the centre and circumference of all things, from whom they have their being, and in whom is the Idea or Prototype of all their perfections. To terminate an Oath in a Creature, is to put the stamp of Divinity on it, to make it an Idol in God's stead, and to profane his holy name, by swearing by it as by a false God. The swearing by any Creature as such, we all own to be a great sin, according to those instances which our Lord Christ, and Saint james from his mouth, give us, when they explain their meaning of Swear not at all, etc.  
3. Nor is it a question whether an Oath made by the name of any Creature, 
Nor whether an Oath by any Creatures name may be broken.  and in a thing lawful, may yet be broken; or whether it be a sin to swear falsely by them. All agree, that though the Oath be rash, as by a Creature, yet it binds in things lawful no less at least to truth and justice then any simple promise; and it may be something more. Here that is true, Fieri non debuit, factum valet: Like Bastards, they should not have been begot, but they must be kept; unless the matter be sinful, as Herod's Oath was which beheaded john Baptist, Mat. 14. 9  
4. But the question is, 
4. The only question is, whether all Swearing is forbidden to Christians.  Whether those words of Christ and the Apostle do utterly forbid all Swearing in any case whatsoever to all Christians; so that by the Law of Christ it is a sin to swear, as in private, so in public transactions, or any Courts of Judicature, be the matter of the Oath never so just and true, and the manner of it never so solemn and sacred, and the Authority requiring them never so lawful in civil respects.  
This the Quakers affirm, led thereto, as they profess, merely by the Conscience of that obedience they oweto Christ, whose will they say is expressly declared in those words to all his Disciples, Not to swear at all, in no case, at no time, upon no man's command. Nor do they argue any thing further by way of rational deduction, moral grounds, or religious principles, either from the nature of an Oath, or from the consent of other Scriptures, or from the Divine Attributes and glory; but barely insist upon the words, and urge the (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) Letter, as an absolute or universal Negative, without any limitation or dispensation: So feeding on the rind or shell of the Letter, and gnawing the bone of the bare words, that they never come at the kernel and marrow, or true meaning of them.  
On the other side, I do deny, 
All Swearing is not by Christ or the Apostle Saint James forbidden.  in the behalf of my own Conscience, and the consentient sense of this Church and Kingdom, yea, of all Christian and Reformed Churches of any renown, That all swearing is forbidden by those words of Christ and his Apostle: But that our Saviour's words are to be understood with such a limited sense and strict interpretation as suited to his scope and design, which was to rectify popular errors, and remove common abuses in Swearing, but not wholly to forbid the use of it in a religious and lawful way.  
And because it is not sufficient in order to my design (which is to justify the legal proceedings of this Kingdom's justice by Oaths, and to satisfy the scruples of the Quakers) to oppose my Nay to their Yea, or to offer the husk and chaff of words void of such Reasons as either slow from the nature of all things and all actions as good or evil morally, or from the will of God revealed in the Scriptures, which is a Treasury of right Reason as well as a Rule of true Religion; I will endeavour to give those Reasons which induce me to believe, that the Quakers (as Christ said to the Saducees) do err not knowing, or not right understanding, 
Mat. 22. 29.  the mind of Christ in those Scriptures, which is not to forbid all Swearing, nor such as the just and religious Laws of England do require of all under its subjection in some cases.  
I will not seek to oppress or confound the Quakers with the show of many Reasons, as if I would carry the cause by number and not by weight; but content myself with those few which are most pregnant, plain, and easy to be understood by them.  
1. Reason; 
Reasons to prove all swearing is not forbidden by Christ.  From the occasion of Christ's and the Apostles words, and the scope or end of them, to which his own instances by way of explication of his meaning do best direct us, both as to what he forbids and enjoins: to some of which the Quakers themselves do consent.  
2. Reason; From the moral and religious nature, end and use of Oaths, which God had instituted and approved, without any repeal by Christ or his Apostles.  
3. Reason; From other places of the New Testament which give light to these, both by principles granted and suitable examples expressed.  
To these Reasons I will add (by way of full measure heaped up and running over the concurrent judgement of other Christians and Churches, ancient and modern, in their interpretation of these words; with answer to the Allegations made from the sayings and manners of some Primitive Christians.  
This done, the conclusion will easily follow with great clearness and good authority to all that are truly wise, and have their eyes opened and senses exercised to discern good and evil.  
The first Reason is from the occasion, 
1. First Reason from the occasion, scope and end of Christ● words.  scope and end of our Saviour's words, and so of the Apostles. For these, as the bias of all speech, do best discover the speakers mind; there being no surer way to wrest and pervert Scriptures, then to take them abruptly and absolutely, when they have a relative, comparative, or limited sense in the aim and purpose of the speaker.  
Our blessed Saviour in this Divine Sermon on the Mount (of which Saint Matthew gives us so large an account) makes it his main aim and scope, 
The end or design of our Saviour's Sermon in the Mount to reform abuses; not to take away the right use of things.  first, to set forth those spiritual, heavenly and eternal blessings, which beyond those sensible, earthly and temporary ones (which were so much of old set before the Jews to invite them to obedience of God's Laws) were now to be chiefly regarded by Christians, as their peculiar comforts, hopes and rewards under the Gospel; which though attended with many persecutions, yet was not without many blessings peculiar to true believers: from vers. 3. to vers. 12.  
Secondly, our Saviour gives many singular lessons or precepts of more eminent diligence, patience, charity, mortification, self-denial, sincerity, conspicuity, perseverance and perfection of obedience required now under the Gospel, above what either the Letter of the Mosaic Law seemed to exact, or by the Pharisaical Interpretations were taught to the jews. So that unless their righteousness did exceed that so popularly admired of the Pharisees, they could not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, vers. 20.  
Thirdly, our Saviour with much earnestness and exactness applies in this Sermon to reform those abuses, which either by the Pharisaical glosses (either too much loosening or restraining the meaning of God's Law) or by their depraved examples, or by popular custom had prevailed among the jews, contrary to the true meaning of the moral Law of God, and the primitive Institution, which gives us the clearest view of the Lawgivers intention.  
For the exact observation of which, however by Divine indulgence and connivance, or by the hardness and uncharitableness of their own hearts, and the customary depravedness of times and manners, they might seem to have had some temporary dispensation heretofore granted to them, or at least had presumed to take it to themselves; yet now under the Evangelical strictness to which Christ came to restore or raise the Church, they might not fancy to themselves any such liberty, but were to keep themselves in thought, look, desire, word and deed, to that sanctity and severity which was required by the Law, and most conform to the holy Will, Attributes and Nature of that God whom they ought to imitate as their heavenly Father in all sacred perfections, which humane Nature, assisted by the light of the Gospel, 
Mat. 5. 45, 48.  the grace of God's Spirit, and the visible example of Christ, was capable to attain, at least sincerely to aim at and endeavour.  
So vers. 22. He tells them that not only wilful murder, or malicious kill, was forbidden, but rash, unreasonable and irreconcilable anger.  
Vers. 28. That not only Adultery, but all lust inordinate after a Woman (that is not in order to marriage, and the honest ends of it) were so severely forbidden, under pain of Hell fire, that it were better to deny those sensual pleasures of the flesh, which seem as dear to men as the delight of their eyes, or the strength of their hands, then to indulge them with the danger of their souls.  
Vers. 32. So in the case of humorous and lascivious Divorces usually given to Wives upon no just cause, Christ restrains that indulgence only to the case of a Wives deserving to be put away, for having broke her conjugal vow and band of Matrimony by her Adultery.  
Not to instance in many other particulars of abuses which Christ reckons up and reforms in that Sermon; (as touching private Revenge, vers. 39 not public and vindicative justice; so of loving our enemies, vers. 44. of alms, prayer and fasting, without ostentation, pride or hypocrisy, against immoderate love and care for things of this world, and the like) the immediately next is this of Swearing, vers. 33, 34. In which, as in many other things, the jews had much depraved both the true nature and use of Oaths.  
1. They pretended indeed (as Philo and josephus tell us) a great reverence of the Name of God, 
The depravedness of the Jews in this point of Swearing. Indicorum est in levicu●is ad Deum trans●urrere; sufficit per creaturas jurare. Ex Philon. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  and seemed to make great conscience of swearing in small matters by the name of the Lord, according to the Letter of the Scripture; yea, they made scruple to swear at all in any case by (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the Lord liveth. For which the Heathens mocked the jews; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  as in that of Martial, Jura, verpe, per Anchialum. These Oaths they thought binding; nor would they in these easily swear or forswear themselves. Which regard to their Gods was in use among the gravest Heathens; as is observed out of Homer: therefore they took any obvious thing to swear by.  
2. But they indulged themselves in other familiar Oaths, 
Probatieres' Ju●ae●um magistri absterreb 〈◊〉 bemines a fa●ilitante jurandi in qua D●us nominaretur; at quo minus in quotidiano usu purres minores jurarent, non interdicebant. Grotius.  or forms of common Swearing (as many Christians now do) by whatever came next to their minds or tongues: as by the Temple and holy City, by their own or others Heads, Hands, Lives and Souls; so by Heaven, and Earth, and the Light. Thus waving the attestation of God's omniscient Justice, and the swearing by his name (as was commanded) in righteousness, judgement and truth, they put this Character of Divinity on the Creatures, no way competent for them, unless as they are in relation to, depending on, and derived from the blessed God.  
3. These vulgar Oaths they used not only in a familiarity and facility of inconsiderate swearing, upon small and light occasions, yea, and in asserting of things not true, as to their knowledge and intention, which was doubly a false swearing; but in things of weight and concern, as to that charity, justice, and equity which they owed to others, they chose this way of Creature-Swearing, both promissory and assertory, 
Jurabant Judaei per creaturas obvias; n●c se istis teneri cred●bant, quum tamen omne jusjurandum in Deo terminatur, in quo & agnoscunt omnia. B. August.  because they fancied such Oaths, being not with the solemnity of invocating Gods name, were not binding upon their Souls either as to truth or right; but they might play with them at fast and loose, according as their own interest or pleasure did sway them. Hence as they swore amiss in point of form, so also as to the matter, without any regard in these cases to that Command of God against forswearing, and for the performance of Oaths to the Lord (which places Christ citys, and to which Law they professed to adhere, so far only as they used the name of God; else they dispensed with their Oaths, and easily digested even perjury itself.)  
Upon this occasion, and to reform these gross abuses, our blessed Saviour gives this Command, Swear not at all; that is, (as Erasmus paraphraseth) not after those usual, 
Christus non simpliciter jurare ve●uit, sed ●o more qu● vulgato si●bat. E●asm.  presumptuous and unlawful forms, by the names of Creatures, of which he gives so many following instances to express his meaning. For he doth not instance in the lawful use of religious Oaths, by the name of the true God, which was not only allowed, but, in such cases as did require an Oath, with its due circumstances of Judgement, Justice and Truth, commanded.  
2. He tells them, that even in those Oaths which were attested only by the naming of any Creature, as by Heaven, or Earth, or Jerusalem, or their Head, etc. there was a tacit calling of God to witness, 
In omnibus jurande modis taci●● D●us continetur.  since every Creature depends on God, and relates to him as the Centre and Circumference, the Source and Sea of all things. Heaven is God's Throne, Earth God's Footstool, the Temple God's Sanctuary, Jerusalem the City of God, the most eminent place of the great King of Heaven's residency on Earth.  
3. He implies, 
Unlawful Oaths as to form do bind in things lawful.  that however such various and irregular forms of Oaths, by the name of any Creature, were as to the manner of them unlawful, yet they obliged men to perform them, if the matter of them were lawful; nor were they excused from perjury or false-swearing in those cases, if in assertory Oaths they swore falsely, 
Non putabant Judaei se teneri jurejurando si per ista jurassent; nic reddendum Domino tale juramenum: Quum tamen n●hil tam vile in creaturis Dei ut per hoc quisquam pejera●dum arbitretur; quum á summis ad insima. Dei providentiâ reguntur creata. Aust. Ser. 18. de Verbis Apost.  or in promissory, either not intending to perform what they so swore, or not after performing them, so far as was in their power. But the Yea and Nay, the Affirmative or Negative of such swearing in word, aught to be also Yea and Nay in the purpose and performance. And although they ought not so to swear, yet having so sworn they were obliged to the moral ends of an Oath, 
Qui per salutem suam jurat Deum jurare videtur; resp. 〈◊〉 en● m Divini numinis jurat. Ulpian.  which is to make it good in Truth and Faith.  
Agreeable to the same end and scope, and almost in the same words, Saint james writes to the dispersed Christian jews, who still retained that evil Custom of ordinary Swearing by the Creatures, as Heaven and Earth, and other such like Oaths, without any conscience of the manner or matter, or making good in effect such Oaths.  
The meaning therefore of both places (as the learned Grotius and others observe) is no more than to take away the ordinary abuse of such swearing, 
The meaning o● Christ's words against Swearing.  but not that right use which God had allowed and commanded in his word: 
Non vetat Christus ju●jurandum ut rem in se 〈◊〉; sed ut rem quà nisi in negotiis maximi momenti usu pare non liceat; & in illis quam potest religi●sissime. Grotius. Erasm, in loc. Multos uno ictu solvit nodos; non simpl●citer vetando juromentum, sed eo modo qualiter vulgo fi●bat: quemadmodum vetuit iram, laborem, ●●ram de terrenis, vindictam, etc.  Nor is there more implied in these words, as to the subject matter, then in those, where God complains, that because of Swearing the land mourns, Hos. 4.2, 3. that is, by unlawful Oaths; and the curse shall come into the house of the Swearer, Zach. 5.4. that is, such as use idle, false, and forbidden Swearing, Zach. 8.17. Not those who swear as they might do by the name of the Lord in righteousness, judgement and truth, which God no where reproves.  
As if one should inveigh against drinking and feasting, and singing, and danoing and dalliance, there where the usual viot, excess and wantonness of any people had generally run these things to an inordinacy; which doth no way condemn the sober, modest and seasonable use of them.  
That this thus limited sense of Christ's words against the abuse of Swearing, 
This limited sense of Christ against some, not all Swearing, proved by his affirmative command of Yea and Nay.  so familiar among the jews, was Christ's meaning in the negative part of his words, appears by the affirmative part of them, which the Quakers themselves will, I suppose, confess must not be taken in an exclusive latitude, or such a broad universality of command, as enjoins us to use no other words in any communication by way of affirming or denying any thing, but only Yea, Yea, and Nay, Nay. Which words the Quakers so much affect to use, as if they would fancy themselves literally or verbally tied to those Monosyllables, and those to be repeated in all their assertions or promises: yet none of them in case of more full declaring their assent or descent upon any matter, do scruple to use such paraphrases or enlargements of speech as the matter or the party's understanding or diffidence may require. For if they would keep all their communication to those precise words, Yea, Yea, Nay, Nay, they would be no less obstructive to civil and private conversation, than they seek to be to judicial proceedings by their refusing at all to swear.  
Doubtless our Saviour's own larger expressing of himself in many cases, 
R. Maimonidis dictum, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S●picus ubi negat, dicit Non; ubi affirmat, Etiam. D●cterium erat illo●um temporum, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  by such periphrases or commentaries of words as amount to affirmations or negations (besides and beyond the bare terms of Yea, Yea, and Nay, Nay) do abundantly justify (together with the practice of all the Apostles) that these proverbial Phrases or Epitomes of speech here commanded under the words of Yea and Nay, do only import that plainness or simplicity of Christians meaning and doing as may be consonant to their words, in truth and honesty, without fraud or falsity in common speech: not at all forbidding either more ample expressions of their sense in private converses, nor yet forbidding such religious and judicious use of Swearing in great and public matters, 
Hinc naucus dicitur homo levis & inconstans, cujus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erata 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Festus.  as are necessary to carry on humane affairs with justice and Peace; but only such false, frivolous and fraudulent Oaths, as for the matter, manner and meaning are by the Law of God, by all right Reason and Religion prohibited; and which then were so familiarly used and abused by the jews, 
Justorum Etiame st etiam, & Non est non. Dius. in't. Proverb. Hebr.— Contra omnia solum Et respond bat, vel Non— Ausonius ad Paulinum.  upon those presumptions and dispensations which they had taken up. As then the affirmative part of Christ's words are not to be understood literally, as a confining of all Christians communication to Yea and Nay, but only to that truth and honesty of mind, intent and action which Christ aims at, and beyond which whatever is of fraud and falsity is from evil in men's hearts: so as to the negation of swearing not at all, it cannot in Reason or Religion be extended further than that swearing which is from evil, and tends to evil; not that which is from good, 
Concordent dictis sacta; pactis promissisque v●stris idem robur & veritas esto, as si sirmata essent juramentis. Coram Deo negatio vel affirmatio simplex loto juramenti habetur. V●tatur om●is disconvenientia aut animi aut facti cum juramento. Grot. in loc▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, nec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Philo.  and tends to good; namely, the veneration of God, and love of Truth and justice, which are not from the evil one, the Devil, nor from evil principles in men, nor for evil designs.  
As for that absolute and universal Negative which they urge from the words of Christ, 
Negatives & Affirmatives in Sc●●pture limited in the sense, though seeming universal in the Letter or words.  of not swearing at all, nothing is more clear and usual in Scripture then to confine the meaning of such Generals to the particular subject and scope intended, as I formerly showed in many instances out of the holy Scriptures: but yet further to clear this truth from the most short and exact way of the Scripture-style, which is in the commands of the Decalogue,  
In the second Command we are forbidden to make to ourselves any graven Image or similitude of Creatures in the way of Worship or Religion: yet we read, that Moses in the Tabernacle made the Cherubins; so did Solomon several Images of Flowers and Beasts in the Temple, and for his Throne, and without sin.  
So in the fourth Command, All manner of work is forbidden on the Sabbath day: yet the intent is only against ordinary works of our civil callings, not against works of Religion, or decency, or charity, or necessity; against which the Pharisaical rigour and severity had stretched the Letter of the Law beyond the meaning: as our Saviour convinceth them, Mat. 12. Mark 2. 27. Luk. 14. 3.  
In the sixth Command, Thou shalt not kill, 
Sicut Non occides est generale praeceptum, cum debitis tamen circumstantiis occisio potest & licita esse & necessaria. Caje●.  the putting men to death in just and legal ways, or in self-defense, is not forbidden, but only as to private revenge and malice.  
So the tenth Command, Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy Neighbours, is to be understood only of an 
* Isa. 57 17. Haba●. 2. 9  evil and injurious coveting of what is our Neighbours; but not of such a desire as is commensurate to Justice and Charity, which desires, in honest ways of buying or exchanging, to get those things which our want requires, and our Neighbour's sufficiency willingly affords us: Else we must always want, but never wish, or fairly endeavour for supply, by those ways of commutative justice, 
Societatis commune vinculum mutua indi gentia.  which by mutual necessities invite men to society.  
Such commodious Interpretations of Scriptures are as necessary to attain their true meaning, 
Talibus benigna interpritatio adhibenda.  as the contrary wrest of them upon a bare Letter are pernicious to all Reason, Justice and true Religion; 
Decalogus summa peccata nominat; catera ex ment auth●ris vult colligi.  and indeed contrary to the very word of the Law, and the intent of the Lawgiver: Else what shall we make of that seeming contradiction, Jer. 7. 22. I spoke not to your Fathers, nor commanded them in the day I brought them out of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings, etc. But this thing I I commanded them, Obey my voice, etc. Here the principal intention of God must give the Interpretation, and take away the Contradiction.  
Nor are affirmative places of Scripture to be many times less limited from their seeming Latitude, 
Limitations of general affirmatives in Scripture.  Indefiniteness and Universality. As, All things are yours, takes not away meum and tuum, 
1 Cor. 3. 21.  the properties of Christians, as to what they have by private right and possession. 
1 Cor. 6. 12. 10. 23.  So, All things are lawful, must not be stretched to any immoral licentiousness; but confined to such things as are by no word of God forbidden, but left in an indifferency, and to be used as Reason and Religion requires, or the moral end of all things doth permit. 
1 Cor. 10. 33.  So, I please all men in all things. 
Tit. 1. 15.  So, To the pure all things are pure; the meaning must not be, after the Manichean and Familistical imagination, as if such as are pure might do or use any thing, even to those mixtures which are morally impure or sinful; for these are always and at all times forbidden to all men, who may not fancy that pure which God hath marked with the brand of sinful impurity; nor may they count that sinfully impure on which God hath set no such stamp, ●y any Law forbidding it.  
If Scriptures (as I have largely showed) must be understood only by the bark or shell of words, and not by the kernel and intent, we shall make those expressions to be approbations which are the sharpest reproofs and prohibitions, yet by way of Irony and seeming concession. As Eccl. 11. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; walk in the ways of thine heart and the light of thine eyes.  
So Christ's commending the unjust Steward doth not import his justifying of his 〈◊〉, 
Luk. 16. 8.  but of that prudence (though sinister) which he showed to preserve himself from temporal extremities: the more to reproach the improvidence, negligence and supineness of those who will not use honest means for their eternal preservation.  
It were easy by many more parallel instances (besides those I for merly gave) to▪ manifest to the Quakers, or any men (not wilfully shutting their eyes against that light of Reason and Religion which shines in the Scriptures) That since the Holy Oracles of God are spoken or written for the instruction of men, 
Non tam ex verborum apicibus, quam ex rei ipsius natura m●tienda sunt multa Scripturae loca. Grotius.  and in such a familiar style or mode of speech as was used among men in the several times, languages and occasions of writing them, which the Hearers or Readers then easily understood; it cannot be any part of Religion so to urge any Letter, Phrase or Form of speech, as to swerve the sense of words from the evident scope, intent or end of the speaker, which is gathered both from the rise or occasion and end why he spoke, and any additional instances which are oft given as explications and special marks or boundaries of the speakers meaning; which are here evident. For the Jews were not blamable for swearing by the name of the true God, as by the Law and Prophets they were commanded, in righteousness, judgement and truth, (nay they even superstitiously waved this kind of swearing) but for their new and customary forms of swearing by the Creature, and fancying it no forswearing themselves in case they were false, either in intention or execution. This being the usual and almost only swearing in fashion among them, it is no wonder that our Saviour aiming only at this, gives such a prohibition of Swear not at all; that is, not at all for matter or manner as you have accustomed yourselves to swear, contrary to, or beyond what God allows in his Law: which was the thing I was to prove. 
Second Reason for the lawfulness of some Swearing from the light of Nature.   
2. My second Reason to prove that our Saviour and the Apostle do not forbid all swearing, with its due reverence and integrity, is from the moral nature, end and use of an Oath.  
First, by the light of Reason, and principles of innate Divinity (yet unextinguished in the heart of mankind) it hath ever been and still is owned and used as a special part of Religion, 
Inter Aegyptios' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Diod. Sicul.  a solemn agnition of the Divine Being and Attributes, in Omniscience, Justice and Power; which all men attest, as believing that none can escape that Witness and Judge of all things. Thus Egyptians, Scythians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nullum vinculum ad astringendam fidem jurejurando majores sanctius esse voluere. Tullius. Offic. l. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Hierocles.  and all Nations that had any thing Civil and Religious among them, have used some form of Swearing by their respective Deities, as a special honour and appeal to their Sovereignty; as the only means in cases dubious to give satisfaction, gain credit, and make men assured of the veracity and honesty of the speaker, in their promises and testimonies, in their leagues and contracts.  
And however the noblest and wisest of the Heathens required no less veracity and certainty in the bare words than Oaths of men; 
Phala. Ep. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perjurus est, 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  yet they highly distinguished between swearing and forswearing, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.) This last they thought a great sin, and to be punished by the Gods; if either they meant not as they swore, or performed not what they had justly sworn: yea, and they oft brought in their Gods, and Jupiter himself as chief, swearing.  
Polybius observes, that in the better and simpler ages of the world Oaths were seldom used in Judicatures: 
R●rus apud veteres jurandi ususin judiciis, sed crescente perfidia crevit jurispurandi usus. Polyb.  but after that perfidy and lying increased, the use of Oaths increased, as the only remedy meet to restrain those mischiefs; that where men could not see or be sure, the omniscience and vengeance of God should be invocated on men's consciences, 
In totum jurare nisi ●bi necesse est, gravi viro parum convenit. Quintil.  which none could elude or escape.  
Hierocles also tells us, 
Obres egregies & necessarias, quae citra j●sjarandum obtineri nequeant. Hierocles.  That men ought not to swear but for great and necessary ends, which cannot otherways be obtained. But where the end was good, and this a necessary means, there they thought agreeable to true Reason and Religion, that swearing was a lawful means.  
Secondly, God himself, 
The true God commanding Swearing in Scripture among Jews.  the great pattern of all holiness and perfection, would not have given so many express commands and regulations concerning Swearing, if all swearing had in its nature been morally and so eternally evil.  
The moral precept is Exod. 20. 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, or upon falsity: which imports a lawful use of God's name; as is explained L●●. 19 12. Ye shall not Swear by my name falsely, nor shalt thou profane the name of the Lord thy God. Which sense is further cleared, Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him, and shalt swear by his name: which is repeated Deut. 10. 20. So of vowing by an Oath to God Num. 30. 2. Deu 23. 21. So Is. 45. 23. To me every tongu● shall swear. So again, Isa. 65. 16. He that sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of Truth. Jer. 4. 2. And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgement and in righteousness, i. e. To what we know to be and just.  
Nor doth the Lord ever by the Prophets condemn the Jews for swearing simply and sincerely, but only for vain, false, 
Mal. 3. 5.  perfidious, and perjurious swearing; as he doth Zedekiah, 
Ezek. 17. 16.  for despising the Oath he had given to King Nabuchadnezzar.  
Answerably we read the unblamed practice of many holy men, Abraham, Jacob, Joshua, David, and others, who themselves swore, and exacted Oaths and adjured others, without any sin or offence, in such serious and weighty cases which the Law of God, right Reason, justice and Charity did permit or require. Among the jews all public testimonies were ratified by an Oath, as Buxtorse, Drusius, and others observe, 
Apud Judaeos in judiciis omnia jurisjurandi religione firmata, Dei n●●mine interposito. Drusius.  who write of the civil administrations of justice among them.  
Yea, we find (as I formerly touched) the Lord himself confirming this by his own great and most holy example, 
* Gen. 22. 16, 17.  swearing more than once by himself, by his own life and great name, to create credit, and give confirmation to what he saith.  
If then, from all these premises it be clear, 
Deut. 1 8.  that some swearing is morally lawful, as an act extraordinary of Religion, 
Jer. 22. 5.  a high glorifying of God by appeal to him, 
Heb. 3. 11.  agreeable to the express Law of God, even in the third Commandment, in which we are not only forbidden to profane the name of God, but the affirmative is also included, of sanctifying his name by all ways of praying, praising, vowing and swearing, as he allows us; if in doing thus upon just occasion, private or public (in a lawful manner) we sin not against any moral Law of Pretty, justice or Charity; it must undeniably follow, that Christ did not by this procept Evangelical forbid or annul the old Law, as to the sanctity and morality of an Oath, but only take away the corruption and abuse: It being no design of our Lord to do so, as he expressly assures the jews, to take off their jealousies and prejudices in this kind, That he came not to destroy or diminish, but fulfil the Law (moral.) However he came in the way of fulfilling to abrogate the Ceremonial, yea and the politic Laws too, so far as they were peculiar to the Jewish polity in Church and State. This speech of Christ being the Key which opens his meaning in all his following emendations of judaic pravities, and in all the constitutions of Evangelical rectitudes; it must needs be preposterous to contradict so clear and emphatic, a Scripture, in order to fix such an interpretation on these places (at which the Quakers now stumble) as is only conform to their own fancy, but contrary to the evident tenor of both Law and Gospel, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Clem. Alex.  in this particular of lawful swearing, in lawful cases and manner, which was a part of that moral Law which Christ signally tells them he did not come, or ever intended, to abolish, but to maintain, so far as the love of God and our Neighbour are great accomplishments of all Laws; to both which religious swearing is most conform, it being to God's glory and our Neighbours good. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Phil. Jud.  There is no danger then of doing hurt to our own consciences, any more than in serious affirmations or negations; an Oath having only the attestation of God to it, who is witness of all we say and do.  
3. The third Reason for the limiting these words of Christ against some, 
Third Reason to prove some Swearing lawful under the Gospel among Christians.  but not all kind of swearing under the Gospel, is from those after-evidences in the Gospel, which sufficiently clear the meaning of our Saviour.  
First, his own frequent asseverations, Amen, Amen, are by many esteemed as a solemn form of assertion, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In veritate, forma juram●nti apud Judaeos. Capellus è R. Jonah.  next degree to swearing, by attestation of the truth of God upon the certainty of his words.  
But if this amount not to so much in our Saviour's form of averring what he uttered; yet we read in the Apostle Saint Paul's writings more than once, not only attestations, but obtestations and adjurations of others, as Saint Austin observes, even to the very form of Swearing. Rom. 1. 9 God is my witness, etc. Gal. 1. 20. Behold, before God I lie not. 1 Cor. 15. 31. I protest by your Rejoicing; which hath the very form of common Oaths among the Greeks: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, per jovem. 2 Cor. 11. 31. The God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord jesus Christ, etc. 
1 Tim. 6. 13.   
As a ground to justify his own practice in things weighty and of great concern to God's glory, 
Quis credet Paulum praec●p●i D●minici suisse ●mm●m●rem? Grotius. Juravit Paulus, at non in resu●, non in re modica alterius; sed in r●bus maximi m●m●nti, ad D●um & aliorum salutim pertinentibus.  the vindicating of his own fidelity, and the inducing others to belief, in cases that cannot otherwise be so fully cleared, decided and confirmed to them; this great Apostle, who well knew his Master's meaning, tells us, That, 
* Heb. 6. 16.  an Oath (not was, but) is among men for an end of all controversy or strife: and therefore men swear by God, as greater than themselves, and all Creatures whatsoever: intimating, that the sanctity and validity of an Oath still remains in use under the Gospel, as among all men, where the matter, form and ends required by the moral Law, and immutable principles of Piety, justice and Charity, are duly observed.  
Nor doth the Apostle there or any where intimate that this former liberty of Swearing by the Law of God among the jews was abrogated under the Gospel, as if Christians might not Swear in any case: which had been so necessary a lesson, as none more in practics; considering that all those civilised Nations where he most preached, and to whom he wrote so many Epistles, would never have believed all swearing unlawful; which the light of nature dictated, and the law of God allowed, with due regulation, unless they had some special precept from the Apostle, that he had so received it of the Lord: which had he written, he had contradicted himself as to his practice, and made himself an offender.  
But the reproof of Christ, and so of the Apostle Saint James, was peculiar to the corrupt custom among the Jews, to whom Christ spoke, and the Apostle Saint James wrote that Epistle: especially in promissory Oaths, to which the learned Gro●ius thinks the words of Christ wholly and only relate. 
Apparet Christum hoc l●co agere de juramento promissorio H. Grotius. Rev. 10. 56.   
To conclude this Reason; we read the Angel in the Revelation by his example justifying the lawfulness of some swearing, for he is brought in thus, lifting up his hand to heaven, and swearing by him that liveth for ever and ever, etc. after the same manner as the Angel in Daniel did swear lifting up both his hands to Heaven. 
Dan, 1●. 7.   
In which forms we cannot think the holy and good Angels would have so solemnly appeared on record in Old & New Testament, as exemplary to the Church and people of God, if the great Angel of the Covenant, our Lord jesus Christ, had precisely forbidden all Swearing; either because in its nature morally and utterly unlawful (which cannot be said without blasphemy, and contradiction to the Law of God of old) or as now become evil and unlawful, because absolutely forbidden by a positive Evangelical command, without any moral reason either alleged or imaginable from any nature of sin. Which false gloss of Christ's words cannot be reconciled with the other principles, places and examples, evident and authoritative, in the Gospel; or with that express and signal Oracle of Christ, which is a salvo for all that is morally good, that he came not to destroy any part or tittle of the Law, which had any moral, internal and eternal holiness in it; as being therefore expressed in his revealed will or word, because it is conform to the glory of God's nature and essence, which all reasonable Creatures ought ever to fear, reverence, adore and admire above all things. As those do, who by religious swearing give glory to God, as the supreme judge of all men and things, as the searcher of all hearts, and as the infallible dispenser of justice. Which sacred celebrations of the Divine Glory and Majesty in solemn Swearing being no way derogating from God's honour, but highly advancing it in the world, and no way injurious to our selves or others, but advantageous to Justice, Truth, Charity and Peace, cannot be looked upon as abolished or forbidden by Christ to us Christians.  
Fourthly, 
The judgement of all Christian Churches and eminent Divines.  having thus examined First the occasion and intention of our Saviour's words, Secondly, the moral nature of an Oath, Thirdly, the Evangelical practice; my Fourth and last work is to justify this limited sense and Interpretation of our Saviour's and the Apostles words, which I have given consonant to the practice of the Church of England, by the concurrent judgement of other Churches, and learned Interpreters, both ancient and modern.  
Nor that I think any humane or Ecclesiastical authority sways much, if any thing, with the Quakers, who are most-what strangers to all Learning, and not much to be moved by any such Engine: but only to confute the more evidently their singularity and pertinacy; also to satisfy others of my Countrymen, that this is no novel Interpretation put upon the words of Christ and his Apostle, whose true meaning the ancient and later Churches might without any vanity be thought to understand, as well as any of this new Generation. And certainly we may with more modesty appeal to, and acquiesce with conscience in their judgement of places dark and dubious, then listen to any men in later times, who superciliously descent from them all. Doubtless if the Catholic Church hath been a faithful preserver of the Scriptures, it may not be suspected to have been an unfaithful Interpreter of them in any main points of Faith or of Morality, and such as this of sober, serious, reverend and judicial Swearing.  
The primitive Christians were not only very cautious of Swearing rashly, vainly, falsely; 
Primitive Christians & Father's judgement.  but if they took any Oath, they made such conscience of keeping it, that they would sooner die, then break it wilfully or basely.  
Indeed, in private conversation Christians were then esteemed so strict, exact and cautious of their words in asserting or promising, that there was no need of an Oath among them: yea, they so kept up the sanctity and credit of their profession among unbelievers, that it was security enough in all cases to say, Christian's sum, I am a Christian. If any urged them further to any Oath, for matter, or manner, or authority unlawful, they repeated this, as the only satisfaction they could give. There needed no more than the veracity of their bare word. They thought it not lawful for them in such cases to Swear; being in this emulators of the 
* Esseni ad observationem religionis jurejurando adacti. Joseph.  Esseni among the Jews, of whom josephus tells us, that their word was as sure as an Oath; and that they avoided not only all forswearing, but all swearing, or that which brought their fidelity in question, and lessened the reputation of their Sect. 
Ios. bell. lord. l. 2. c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
Thus Christians, that they might not come short of the Esseni among the jews, 
Just. Mart. asserit, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ep●●●et. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Menan. Jurisjurandi fidem nec promittes nec exigas. Fi micus ad Lollianum. Flamini diuli jurare nefas. Plut. Eâ esto probitate ut nec Iurato tibi credant.  who would not swear but in Judicature, or of any men in this pious severity, especially in abstaining from all unlawful swearing, did keep themselves from all kind of swearing, especially Heathenish and Idolatrous; their profession and reputation being test enough to their words: Nor did they think any men under Heaven were so worthy as Christians to make good some of the ancient and soberest Heathens dictates in this kind. Such as were that of Menander, so to avoid evil Swearing, as not to swear, though in things just and true. And that of Solon, A good man should have that credit, that no man should believe him the more for his swearing; it being some diminution to his reputation, to be put to swear, or to need an Oath to gain credit. Diogenes Laert. tells us, that the Athenians would not suffer Xenocrates, a man of great integrity and honour, to take his Oath at the Altar, as a thing unworthy of his reputation. Nor did the Romans exact Oaths of their chief Priests; Indignum credentes, viro tanta sanctimoniae sine juramento non credere.  
Hence we find some of the Ancient Fathers, 
Origen. Tract. 5. in Matth. Non oportet ut vir qui Evangelicè vivit juret omnino. Chrysost. Hom. 5. Gen. Hom. 19 ad pop. Antony's Mat. 5. ad Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Vir bonus non pejerabit, ne Deum Iudib●io habeat; sed ne jurabit quidem, ne quando vel consuetudine in perjurium cadat. Lactantius. Evangelica veritas non recipit juramentum. Hieron. Ne facilitate jurandi in perjurium prolabamur. Aust. Ser. In Verba D●mini.  as Origen, chrysostom, Theophylact, Oecumenius, Hilary, Athanasius, S. Jerom, Theodoret, Lactantius and others, frequently inveighing without any limitation or reserve against Christians swearing, as to private conversation: yea and Saint Austin himself, in his Sermon on these words of Christ, adviseth to abstain from cesie and ordinary swearing in cases never so true and honest; lest by wontedness of swearing we get a proneness to swear, even falsely. S. Basil commends Clinias a famous Greek, that he rather suffered a mulct of three Talents, than he would save it by swearing, to the loss of his honour; which he thought caution sufficient for his honesty.  
Not that Saint Austin held it unlawful for a Christian in any case of great and weighty concern solemnly to give Oath, 
Tu autem malum non facis, qui bene uteris juratione; quae si non bona & propter se appetenda, tamin necessaria est, ut alteri persuadeas quod utiliter suades. Aust.  as a further ratification of Truth and justice; yea he asserts it as lawful, and proves it by those instances of the Apostle Paul's swearing or obtestation in his Epistles which I formerly produced. Not as if (faith he) Saint Paul had forgot, or were ignorant of the words of Christ; but by his practice he shows us the meaning of them is, only to forbid false and frivolous swearing.  
As the graver and eminentest of the jews did not deny Oaths of Allegiance to Herod and their Governors (as josephus tells us) so neither did the Christians, 
Joseph. Antiq. l. 17. c. 3.  however the zeal of some of the Ancients in their Sermons or Homilies to the people, wholly cry down all customary and vain swearing, especially according to the wont forms of Heathenish swearing: as by their Gods, or Emperors, and the like.  
So Polycarpus (in the first Century) answered the Perfect, 
Jura per fortun●m caesaris, & te dimittam. Resp. Christianus sum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anno Christi, 205. Baron. Annal. Tertul. Apol. cap. 31. Juramus ut non per Genios caesarum; ●ta per salutem eorum, quae est augustior omnibus geniis. Veget. l. 2. Milites jurant per Deum, per Christum, & Spiritum Sanctum, & per Majestatem Imperatoris, se strenue factu●os qua praeceperit Imperator, nunquam deserturos militiam, nec mortem recusaturos pro Rom. Rep.  who promised to dismiss him if he would swear by the Fortune of Cesar; but he refused, affirming, I am a Christian.  
In like manner Basilides the Martyr, when the Officers exacted an Oath of him, replied▪ It is not lawful for me being a a Christian to swear. So Speratus the Martyr about the same time denied to swear so, because he knew not what the Genius of the Emperor meant.  
Tertullian tells us in the second Century, That Christians would not swear by the Genius, or Daemon, or Fortune of Cesar: but by the health or safety of the Emperor they did; because they understood by that, God and the Lord Christ.  
And when other Christians did in public cases swear, being required by Authority: yet the Bishops of the Church were not put to swear: as Basilius a Bishop pleaded for his privilege, when in the Council of Chalcedon he was required to give Oath; the sanctity of his Life and honour of his Order being assurance sufficient for his truth.  
The Christian Soldiers, as Vegetius tells us, took Oath in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to obey their Commanders, not to desert their Colours, and to die for the common welfare: which was called Sacramentum militare, both before and after Christianity had prevailed in the Empire. And hence the name Sacrament came to be applied to Christian Mysteries, which are special and solemn dedications of them to the true God and Saviour.  
In the Nicene Council Arrius with an Oath renounced his heretical Opinion. 
Concil. Nicen.  So in the Ephesine Council it was ordered that Nestorius should abjure all heterodox and profane Doctrines. 
Ephesinum.   
In the Sixth Synod of Constantinople, 
Constantinopolitanum.  Gregorius the Librarian made Oath (tactis Evangeliis) upon the Bible, that he left the Books in the Library such as he found them, without any blotting out, or inserting; which Oath I wish the Romish Expurgators had taken and kept, as to their Edition of ancient Church-Authors, Fathers and others.  
Athanasius, 
Athanasius Juramento se pur●at à calumniis, Apologia ad Constantium. Manu extentâ Deum in animam testor, etc.  who seems and is very zealous against profane and popular swearing, yet in his Apology to Constantius purges himself by Oath from the calumnies cast upon him by impudent persons, citing for his defence the example of S. Paul.  
Nor is it any news to read of Christian Kings and Magistrates requiring, and Subjects giving their Faith by Oath, in matters civil, sacred and solemn, when the form of Oaths were such as consisted with the truth of Christian Religion, and the honour of the true God: Nor did any Canons of the Church ever forbid such Swearing.  
Indeed while Christians lived in persecution, without any protection from the civil Indicatories, there can be no examples of their Swearing after the heathenish manner. But when Christianity and Christians came to be wrapped up in the Imperial Laws, and defended by the Supreme powers, and were enabled to vindicate their civil rights in judicial proceeding, they did not think that unlawful which God had of old commanded; 
Juramentum est Actus 〈◊〉. Aquin.  which hath a moral, that is, an eternal, good end in it; as an act of trust and appeal, of agnition and veneration toward God, of justice and satisfaction to man, also of private and public charity, 
Qui jurat aut ex●cratur aut colit eum quem jura●. Hieron.  as the Schoolmen truly observe, for the ending of controversies and taking away of jealousies. Only due circumstances were strictly required, according to the word of God, in judgement, righteousness and truth.  
Yea we read, of old, some condemned by the orthodox part of the Church (as S. Austin and others tell us) for this error among others, 
Aug. Ep. 137.  that they denied all swearing to be lawful. So did the Samosat●nians, and some Pelagians in Syracuse; so the Massilians and Euchites; 
Bern. in Cant. Hom. 69.  so in S. Bernard's days some of the Albigenses: and of later days some Anabaptists, and now the Quakers: whether out of policy and art, or simplicity and ignorance, God knows.  
It were as needless as endless (in respect of the Quakers satisfaction, 
The judgement of modern Divines.  who do not value them) to produce the consonant judgements of Modern Writers of the Reformed Churches or the Romanists, and the most eminent Divines among them; which may easily be seen in the Harmony of their Confessions, or in their particular Tracts in this Subject (Swearing.) All agreeing, as in just severity against false, idle and profane Oaths; against all perjury, intentional and eventual:  
So they do all assent to the moral good in a judicious and solemn swearing, with due circumstances, upon just occasions, by lawful Call of Authority, in cases honest and true; especially to end controversies, to secure Princes, and preserve the common welfare in justice and Peace. Nor do they think that by any positive Law of Christ all swearing is become now unlawful to christian's (among whom the same end, use, necessity and sanctity of Oaths may be and still are to be had, which was once lawful to the Jews, and used in all Nations) but only that kind of evil swearing which then was become customary, and thought either not sinful, or venial. This is, and ever was forbidden, as by the Law of God of old, so by the renewed vigour and force of it which Christ restored, after it had been so much depraved by the Pharisaical presumption and popular profaneness; which imposed rigours where God had laid none, and affected liberties where God had given none.  
Agreeably, all eminent Writers of the Greek and Roman Church, among the learnedest Papists, Lutherans and Calvinists, Canonists and Cas●ists, as well as those in these British Churches, do assert the Authority of lawful Magistrates to require and impose religious Oaths; and the duty of Subjects to obey both God and them in taking them as becomes Christians with due reverence to the Majesty of God, and with fitting obedience to these commands of Superiors, who have their power from God, and are to use it to his Glory. Nor do they disallow even private and spontaneous attestations of God in weighty matters; as to quench the fire of jealousy, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hierocles.  or to purge away an unjust infamy, or to give some such security as justice and charity may require for our own and others goods: as a sober Heathen tells us, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Isocrates. Conclusion.  to the just condemnation of Christians, who in trivial affairs venture to prostitute the sacredness of an Oath.  
And thus I have with greater prolixity than I intended (my wont fault and Apology) endeavoured to vindicate the Divine and true sense of our Saviour's words: First, to remove the crying sin of Swearing vainly, rashly, irreverently, profanely, falsely, in small or great matters: Next, to show the moral end and religious use of Oaths lawful for matter and form; and particularly those required in Judicial proceedings according to the Laws and Customs of England, both Ecclesiastical and Civil, or common, agreeable to the word of God, and the judgement of the best Christians in all Ages.  
Having herein no design, but to give Testimony to that Truth which I believe, to justify the sanctity of our Laws, to serve His Majesty, and to do the duty of a good Subject, a good Christian, a good Minister of Christ, and a good Bishop of this Church; dispelling the needless scruples and superstitious fears of these poor people called Quakers, showing them their safe liberty to obey, and how to escape the Penalties for disobeying the Laws and obstructing Justice by refusing lawful Oaths.  
If my pains and charity may be acceptable to those who are now distinguished by the name of Quakers or Antijurists, or to any of my Countrymen, to clear their understandings, to remove their scruples, and reduce them to due obedience, safety and peace, I shall obtain my end; either by redeeming them from the Penalties of the Law, by rectifying their judgements, or at least by stopping the contagion of their error and superstition to others in this point; which will not only conduce to men's private, but to the public Peace, in the due administration of Justice, by the right use of religious Oaths, and to the Glory of the true God, by whose name only men do Swear in judicial proceedings.  
I pray God give 〈◊〉 blessing to my endeavours; that true Religion, Justice and Peace may again flourish in this Church and Kingdom: to which ends I wholly devote this and all my endeavours.  
FINIS.