The Lawfulness, AND Obligation of Oaths.  
A SERMON Preached at the ASSIZES Held at KINGSTON upon THAMES, July 21. 1681.  
By JOHN TILLOTSON D. D. Dean of Canterbury, and Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY.  
LONDON, Printed for Brabazon Aylmer, at the Three Pigeons over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill: And William Rogers at the Sun, over against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet, 1681.   

To the Right Worshipful and my Honoured Friend JOSEPH REEVE Esq High Sheriff of the County of SURREY.  
SIR,  
WHen I had performed the Service which you were pleased to call me to in the preaching of this Sermon, I had no thoughts of making it more public. And yet in this also I was the more easily induced to comply with your desire, because of the suitableness of the Argument to the Age in which we live: Wherein as men have run into the wildest extremities in other things, so particularly in the matter of Oaths; some making conscience of taking any Oath at all, and too many none at all of breaking them.  
To convince the great mistake of the one extreme, and to check the growing evil and mischief of the other, is the chief design of this Discourse. To which I shall be very glad if by God's blessing it may prove any wise serviceable. I am  
Sir, Your very faithful and humble Servant JOHN TILLOTSON.   

The Lawfulness, AND Obligation of Oaths.  
A SERMON Preached at the Assizes held at Kingston upon Thames, July 21. 1681.  Heb. vi. 16. And an Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. 
THE necessity of Religion to the support of humane Society in nothing appears more evidently than in this, That the obligation of an Oath, which is so necessary for the maintenance of peace and justice among men, depends wholly upon the sense and belief of a Deity. For no reason can be imagined why any man that doth not believe a God, should make the least conscience of an Oath; which is nothing else but a solemn appeal to God as a witness of the truth of what we say. So that whoever promotes Atheism and Infidelity doth the most destructive thing imaginable to humane Society, because he takes away the reverence and obligation of Oaths: And whenever that is generally cast off, humane Society must disband, and all things run into disorder. The just sense whereof made David cry out to God with so much earnestness, as if the World had been cracking, and the frame of it ready to break in pieces, Psal. 12. Help, Lord, for the righteous man ceaseth, and the faithful fail from among the children of men: Intimating, That when Faith fails from among men, nothing but a particular and immediate interposition of the Divine providence can preserve the World from falling into confusion. And our Blessed Saviour gives this as a sign of the end of the World, and the approaching dissolution of all things, when faith and truth shall hardly be found among men, Luke 18. 8. When the Son of man comes, shall he find Faith on the earth? This state of things doth loudly call for his coming to destroy the World, which is even ready to dissolve and fall in pieces of itself, when these Bands and Pillars of humane Society do break and fail. And surely never in any Age was this Sign of the coming of the Son of man more glaring and terrible than in this degenerate Age wherein we live, when almost all sorts of men seem to have broke loose from all obligations to faith and truth.  
And therefore I do not know any Argument more proper and useful to be treated of upon this Occasion than of the Nature and Obligation of an Oath, which is the utmost security that one man can give to another, of the truth of what he says; the strongest tye of fidelity, the surest ground of Judicial proceedings, and the most firm and sacred bond that can be laid upon all that are concerned in the administration of public Justice; upon Judge, and Jury, and Witnesses.  
And for this reason I have pitched upon these Words; In which the Apostle declares to us the great use and necessity of Oaths among men; An Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. He had said before, that for our greater assurance and comfort God hath confirmed his promises to us by an Oath; condescending herein to deal with us after the manner of men, who, when they would give credit to a doubtful matter, confirm what they say by an Oath. And generally when any doubt or controversy ariseth between Parties concerning a matter of fact, one side affirming, and the other denying, an end is put to this contest by an Oath; An Oath for confirmation being to them an end of all strife: An Oath for confirmation, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for the greater assurance and establishment of a thing: Not, that an Oath is always a certain and infallible decision of things according to truth and right; but, that this is the utmost credit that we can give to any thing, and the last resort of truth and confidence among men: After this we can go no farther; for if the Religion of an Oath will not oblige men to speak truth, nothing will. This is the utmost security that men can give, and must therefore be the final decision of all contests; An Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.  
Now from this assertion of the Apostle concerning the great use and end of Oaths among men, I shall take occasion,  
1. To consider the nature of an Oath, and the kinds of it.  
2. To show the great use and even necessity of Oaths, in many cases.  
3. To vindicate the lawfulness of them, where they are necessary.  
4. To show the sacred obligation of an Oath. I shall be as brief in these as the just handling of them will bear.  
1. For the nature of an Oath, and the kinds of it. An Oath is an invocation of God, or an appeal to him as a witness of the truth of what we say. So that an Oath is a sacred thing, as being an act of Religion and an invocation of the Name of God: And this, whether the Name of God be expressly mentioned in it or not. If a man only say, I swear, or I take my Oath, that a thing is, or is not, so, or so; or that I will, or will not, do such a thing: Or if a man answer upon his Oath, being adjured and required so to do: Or if a man swear by Heaven, or by Earth, or by any other thing that hath relation to God; in all these cases a man doth virtually call God to witness; and in so doing, he doth by consequence invoke him as a Judge and an Avenger, in case what he swears be not true. And if this be expressed, the oath is a formal Imprecation; but whether it be, or not, a curse upon ourselves is always employed in case of perjury.  
There are two sorts of Oaths, Assertory, and Promissory. An assertory oath is when a man affirms or denies upon oath a matter of fact, past, or present: when he swears that a thing was, or is so, or not so. A promissory oath is a promise confirmed by an oath, which always respects something that is future: And if the promise be made directly and immediately to God, than it is called a Vow; if to men, an Oath. I proceed to the  
II. Thing, which is to show the great use and even necessity of Oaths, in many cases: Which is so great, that humane Society can very hardly, if at all, subsist long without them. Government would many times be very insecure: And for the faithful discharge of Offices of great trust, in which the welfare of the Public is nearly concerned, it is not possible to find any security equal to that of an Oath; because the obligation of that reacheth to the most secret and hidden practices of men, and takes hold of them in many cases where the penalty of no humane Law can have any awe or force upon them: And especially, it is (as the Civil Law expresseth it) maximum expediendarum litium remedium, the best means of ending controversies: And where men's estates or lives are concerned, no evidence but what is assured by an Oath will be thought sufficient to decide the matter, so as to give full and general satisfaction to mankind. For in matters of so great concernment, when men have all the assurance that can be had, and not till then, they are contented to sit down and rest satisfied with it. And among all Nations an Oath hath always been thought the only permptory and satisfactory way of deciding such controversies.  
III. The third thing I proposed, was to vindicate the Lawfulness of Oaths, where they are necessary. And it is a very strong inducement to believe the lawfulness of them, that the unavoidable condition of humane affairs hath made them so necessary. The Apostle takes it for granted that an Oath is not only of great use in humane affairs, but in many cases of great necessity, to confirm a doubtful thing, and to put an end to controversies, which cannot otherwise be decided to the satisfaction of the Parties contending; An oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. And indeed it is hardly imaginable that God should not have left that lawful, which is so evidently necessary to the peace and security of Mankind.  
But because there is a Sect, sprung up in our memory, which hath called in question the lawfulness of all Oaths, to the great mischief and disturbance of humane Society, I shall endeavour to search this matter to the bottom, and to manifest how unreasonable and groundless this Opinion is. And to this end, I shall  
First, prove the lawfulness of Oaths from the authority of this Text, and from the reasons plainly contained, or strongly implied in it.  
Secondly, I shall show the weakness and insufficiency of the grounds of the contrary Opinion; whether from reason, or from Scripture, which last they principally rely upon; and if it could be made out from thence would determine the case.  
1. I shall prove the lawfulness of Oaths from the authority of this Text, and the reasons plainly contained, or strongly employed in it. Because the Apostle doth not only speak of the use of Oaths among men without any manner of censure and reproof, but as a commendable custom and practice, and in many cases necessary, for the confirmation of doubtful matters, and in order to the final decision of Controversies and Differences among men. For  
First. He speaks of it as the general practice of Mankind, to confirm things by an oath in order to the ending of differences. And indeed there is nothing that hath more universally obtained in all Ages and Nations of the World: than which there is not a more certain indication that a thing is agreeable to the Law of Nature and the best Reason of Mankind. And that this was no degenerate practice of Mankind, like that of Idolatry, is from hence evident; that when God separated a People to himself, it was practised among them, by the holy Patriarches, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and was afterwards not only allowed, but in many Cases commanded by the Law of Moses; which had it been a thing evil in itself and forbidden by the Law of Nature, would not have been done.  
Secondly. Another undeniable Argument from the Text of the Lawfulness of Oaths is, that God himself, in condescension to the Custom of men who use to confirm and give credit to what they say by an Oath, is represented by the Apostle as confirming his promise to us by an oath, vers. 13. When God made the promise to Abraham, because he could swear by none greater, he swears by himself. For men verily swear by the greater; and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: which he certainly would not have done, had an oath been unlawful in itself. For that had been to comply with men in an evil practice, and by his own example to give countenance to it in the highest manner: But though God condescend to represent himself to us after the manner of men, he never does it in any thing that is in its own nature evil and sinful.  
Thirdly. From the great usefulness of Oaths in humane affairs, to give credit and confirmation to our word, and to put an end to Contestations. Now that which serves to such excellent purposes, and is so convenient for humane society, and for mutual security and confidence among men, ought not easily to be presumed unlawful, till it be plainly proved to be so. And if we consider the nature of an oath, and every thing belonging to it, there is nothing that hath the least appearance of evil in it. There is surely no evil in it, as it is an act of religion; nor as it is an Appeal to God as a witness and avenger in case we swear falsely; nor as it is a confirmation of a doubtful matter; nor as it puts an end to strife and controversy. And these are all the essential ingredients of an Oath, and the ends of it; and they are all so good, that they rather commend it, than give the least colour of ground to condemn it. I proceed in the  
2d. Place, to show the weakness and insufficiency of the grounds of the contrary opinion; whether from Reason, or from Scripture.  
First, from Reason. They say the necessity of an Oath is occasioned by the want of truth and fidelity among men. And that every man ought to demean himself with that faithfulness and integrity as may give credit and confirmation to his word; and then Oaths will be needless. This pretence will be fully answered, if we consider these two things.  
1st. That in matters of great importance no other obligation, besides that of an oath, hath been thought sufficient amongst the best and wisest of men to assert their fidelity to one another. Even the best men (to use the words of a great Author) have not trusted the best men without it. As we see in very remarkable instances, where Oaths have passed between those who might be thought to have the greatest confidence in one another: As between Abraham and his old faithful servant Eliezer, concerning the choice of a Wise for his Son: Between Father and Son, Jacob and Joseph, concerning the burial of his Father in the Land of Canaan: Between two of the dearest and most intimate Friends, David and Jonathan, to assure their friendship to one another; and it had its effect long after Jonathan's death in the saving of Mephibosheth, when reason of State and the security of his Throne seemed to move David strongly to the contrary; for it is expressly said 2 Sam. 21. 7. that David spared Mephibosheth, Jonathan's Son, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them; implying, that had it not been for his Oath, other considerations might probably have prevailed with him to have permitted him to have been cut off with the rest of Saul's Children.  
2dly. This Reason, which is alleged against Oaths among men, is much stronger against God's confirming his promises to us by an Oath. For he who is Truth itself is surely of all other most to be credited upon his bare word, and his oath needless to give confirmation to it; and yet he condescends to add his oath to his word; and therefore that reason is evidently of no force.  
Secondly, from Scripture. Our Saviour seems altogether to forbid swearing in any case, Matth. 5. 33, 34. Ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself: but I say unto you swear not at all; neither by heaven, etc. But let your communication be yea, yea, and nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. And this Law St. James recites, chap. 5. ver. 12. as that which Christians ought to have a very particular and principal regard to; above all things my Brethren swear not: And he makes the breach of this Law a damning sin, lest ye fall into Condemnation. But the Authority of our Saviour alone is sufficient, and therefore I shall only consider that Text.  
And, because here lies the main strength of this opinion of the unlawfulness of Oaths, it is very fit that this Text be fully considered; and that it be made very evident, that it was not our Saviour's meaning by this prohibition wholly to forbid the use of Oaths.  
But before I enter upon this matter, I will readily grant, that there is scarce any Error whatsoever that hath a more plausible colour from Scripture, than this; which makes the case of those who are seduced into it the more pityable: But than it ought to be considered, how much this Doctrine of the unlawfulness of oaths reflects upon the Christian Religion; since it is so evidently prejudicial both to humane Society in general, and particularly to those persons that entertain it: neither of which ought rashly to be supposed and taken for granted, concerning any Law delivered by our Saviour: Because upon these terms it will be very hard for us to vindicate the divine wisdom of our Saviour's Doctrine, and the Reasonableness of the Christian Religion. Of the inconvenience of this Doctrine to humane Society, I have spoken already. But besides this, it is very prejudicial to them that believe it. It renders them suspected to Government, and in many cases incapable of the common, benefits of Justice and other privileges of humane Society, and exposeth them to great penalties, as the constitution of all Laws and Governments at present is; and it is not easy to imagine how they should be otherwise. And which is very considerable in this matter, it sets those who refuse Oaths upon very unequal terms with the rest of Mankind, if where the estates and lives of men are equally concerned, their bare testimonies shall be admitted without an Oath, and others shall be obliged to speak upon Oath: Nothing being more certain in experience, than that many men will lie for their interest, when they will not be perjured; God having planted in the natural Consciences of men a secret dread of perjury above most other sins. And this inconvenience is so great, as to render those who refuse oaths in all cases almost intolerable to humane Society. I speak not this either to bring them into trouble, or to persuade them to measure truth by their interest: But on the other hand I must needs say, that it is no Argument either of a wise or good man to take up any opinion, especially such a one as is greatly to his prejudice upon slight grounds. And this very consideration, that it is so much to their inconvenience, may justly move them to be very careful in the examination of it.  
This being premised, I come now to explain this Prohibition of our Saviour; and to this purpose, I desire these three things may be well considered.  
First, That several circumstances of these words of our Saviour do manifestly show that they ought to be interpreted in a limited sense, as only forbidding swearing in common conversation; needless and heedless oaths (as one expresseth it) and in general, all voluntary swearing, unless upon some great and weighty cause, in which the glory of God and the good of the souls of Men is concerned. For that in such cases a voluntary oath may be lawful, I am induced to believe from the example of St. Paul, who useth it more than once upon such occasions; of which I shall hereafter give particular instances.  
And this was the sense of Wise men among the Heathens, that men should not swear but upon necessity and great occasion. Thus Eusebius the Philosopher in Stobaeus, counsels men. Some (says he) advise men to be careful to swear the truth; but I advise principally that men do not easily swear at all, that is, not upon any slight, but only upon weighty occasions: To the same purpose Epictetus, eat oaths wholly, if it be possible; if not, however as much as thou canst: And so likewise Simplicius in his Comment upon him, We ought wholly to shun swearing, except upon occasions of great necessity: And Quintilian among the Romans, In totum jurare, nisi ubi necesse est, gravi viro parum convenit; To swear at all, except where it is necessary, does not well suit with a wise man.  
And, that this Prohibition of our Saviour's ought to be understood of oaths in ordinary conversation, appears from the opposition which our Saviour makes, Swear not at all; but let your communication be yea, yea; That is, in your ordinary commerce and affairs do not interpose oaths, but say and do. And this is very much confirmed, in that our Saviour does not under this general Prohibition, instance in such oaths as are expressly by the name of God: The reason whereof is this; The Jews thought it unlawful in ordinary communication to swear expressly by the name of God, but lawful to swear by the Creatures, as by Heaven and Earth, etc. So that our Saviour's meaning is, as if he had said; You think you may swear in common conversation, provided you do not swear by the name of God; but I say unto you, let your communication be without oaths of any kind: you shall not so much as swear by heaven or by earth, because God is virtually invoked in every oath. And unless we suppose this to be our Saviour's meaning, I do not see what good Reason can be given why our Saviour should only forbid them to swear by the Creatures, and not much rather by the Name of God; such oaths being surely of all others most to be avoided, as being the most direct abuse and profanation of the Name of God.  
Secondly, It is very considerable to the explaining of this Prohibition, that there are the like general expressions in other Jewish Authors concerning this very matter, which yet must of necessity be thus limited. Maimonides, from the ancient Rabbis, gives this Rule, that it is best not to swear at all. And Philo useth almost the same words. And Rabbi Jonathan comes very near our Saviour's expression, when he says, The just man will not swear at all; not so much as by the common Names of God, nor by his Attributes, nor by his Works, as by Heaven, or the Angels, or the Law. Now it is not imaginable, that these learned Jews should condemn Oaths in all cases, when the Law of Moses did in many cases expressly require them. And therefore they are to be understood of voluntary oaths in ordinary conversation. And that the Jews meant this by not swearing at all, seems to be very plain from a passage in Josephus, who says that the Sect of the Essenes' forbade their Disciples to swear at all; and yet he tells us at the same time, that they who were admitted into that Sect, took an oath to observe the Laws and Rules of it. So that they who forbade to swear at all, allowed of Oaths imposed by the Authority of Superiors.  
Thirdly, which will peremptorily decide this matter, this Prohibition of our Saviour's cannot be understood to forbid all Oaths, without a plain contradiction to the undoubted practice of the primitive Christians, and of the Apostles, and even of our Lord himself. Origen and Tertullian tell us, that the Christians refused to swear by the Emperor's Genius; not because it was an Oath, but because they thought it to be Idolatrous: But the same Tertullian says, that the Christians were willing to swear per salutem Imperatoris, by the health and safety of the Emperor. Athanasius, being accused to Constantius, purged himself by oath, and desired that his Accuser might be put to his Oath, sub attestatione veritatis, by calling the truth to witness: by which form (says he) we Christians are wont to swear. But, which is more than this, St. Paul, upon weighty occasions, does several times in his Epistles call God to witness for the truth of what he says; which is the very formality of an Oath. God is my witness, Rom. 1. 9 As God is true, our word was not yea and nay, 2 Cor. 1. 18. and v. 23. I call God for a record upon my Soul. Before God I lie not, Gal. 1. 20. God is my record, Philip. 1. 8. God is my witness, 1 Thess. 2. 5. These are all unquestionable oaths; which we cannot imagine St. Paul would have used, had they been directly contrary to our Saviour's Law. And whereas some defend this upon account of his extraordinary Inspiration, I cannot possibly see how this mends the matter. For surely it is very inconvenient to say that they who were to teach the Precepts of Christ to others, did themselves break them by Inspiration.  
But I go yet farther, and shall urge an example beyond all exception.  
Our Saviour himself (who surely would not be the first example of breaking his own Laws) did not refuse to answer upon Oath, being called thereto at his Trial. So we find Matth. 26. 63. The high Priest said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God; that is, he required him to answer this question upon Oath. For among the Jews, the form of giving an oath to witnesses and others, was not by tendering a formal oath to them, as the custom is among us; but by adjuring them, that is, requiring them to answer upon oath: As is plain from Levit. 5. 1. If a man hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness whether he hath seen or known of such a thing, if he do not utter it, than he shall bear his Iniquity. If he have heard the voice of swearing, that is, if being adjured or demanded to answer upon oath, concerning what he hath seen or heard, he do not utter the truth, he is perjured. Now to this adjuration of the high Priest, our Saviour answered, thou hast said: which words are not an avoiding to answer (as some have thought) but a direct answer; as if he had said, it is as thou sayest; it is even so, I am the Son of God. For upon this answer the high Priest said, he hath spoken blasphemy. But, to put the matter beyond all doubt, St. Mark tells us, Mark 14. 61. that he being asked by the high Priest, Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed? He answered, I am. So that unless we will interpret our Saviour's Doctrine contrary to his own practice, we cannot understand him to forbid all Oaths; and consequently they are not unlawful.  
I have been the longer upon this, that I might give clear satisfaction in this matter to those that are willing to receive it.  
As for the Ceremonies in use among us in the taking of Oaths, it is no just Exception against them, that they are not found in Scripture. For this was always matter of Liberty; and several Nations have used several Rites and Ceremonies in their Oaths. It was the custom of the Grecians, to swear laying their hands upon the Altar, quod sanctissimum jusjurandum est habitum, (saith 〈◊〉 Gellius) which was looked upon as the most sacred form of Swearing. The Romans were wont Jovem Lapidem jurare; that is, he that swore by Jupiter held a Flintstone in his hand, and flung it violently from him, with these words, Si sciens fallo ita me Jupiter bonis omnibus ejiciat ut ego hunc Lapidem; If I knowingly falsify, God so throw me out of all my possessions as I do this stone.  
In Scripture there are two Ceremonies mentioned of Swearing. One, of putting the hand under the Thigh of him to whom the Oath was made. Thus Eliezer swore to Abraham, Gen. 24. and Joseph to Jacob, Gen. 47. The other was by lifting up the hand to heaven: Thus Abraham expresseth the manner of an Oath, Gen. 14. 22. I have lift up my hand to the most high God. And thus God condescending to the manner of men, expresseth himself, Deut. 32. 40. If I lift up my hand to heaven, and swear. In allusion to this custom the Psalmist describes the Perjured person, Psal. 144. 8. Whose mouth speaketh vanity; and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. And there is not the least intimation in Scripture, that either of these Ceremonies were prescribed and appointed by God, but voluntarily instituted and taken up by men. And thus among us the Ceremony of Swearing is by laying the hand on the holy Gospel, and kissing the Book; which is both very solemn and significant. And this is the reason why this solemn kind of Oath is called a corporal Oath, and was anciently so called; because the sign or ceremony of it is performed by some part of the Body. And this Solemnity is an aggravation of the Perjury, because it makes it both more deliberate, and more scandalous.  
I shall speak but briefly to the  
IV. And last particular, viz. the sacred obligation of an Oath: because it is a solemn appeal to God as a witness of the truth of what we say: To God, I say, from whose piercing and allseeing eye, from whose perfect and infinite knowledge, nothing is or can be hid: So that there is not a thought in our heart but he sees it, nor a word in our tongue but he discerns the truth or falsehood of it. Whenever we swear, we appeal to his knowledge, and refer ourselves to his just judgement, who is the powerful Patron and Protector of Right, and the Almighty Judge and Avenger of all falsehood and unrighteousness. So that it is not possible for men to lay a more sacred and solemn obligation upon their Consciences, than by the Religion of an Oath. Moses very well expresseth it, by binding our souls with a bond. Numb. 30. 2. If a man swear an oath, to bind his soul with a bond; intimating that he that swears, lays the strongest obligation upon himself, and puts his Soul in pawn for the truth of what he says. And this obligation no man can violate, but at the utmost peril of the judgement and vengeance of God. For every Oath implies a Curse upon ourselves, in case of Perjury, as Plutarch observes. And this was always the sense of Mankind, concerning the obligation of Oaths. Nullum vinculum ad astringendam fidem majores nostri jurejurando arctius esse voluerunt, saith Tully; Our forefathers had no stricter bond, whereby to oblige the faith of men to one another, than that of an Oath. To the same purpose is that in the Comedian, Aliud si scirem, qui firmare meam apud vos possem fidem, sanctius quam jusjurandum, id pollicerer tibi. If I knew any thing more sacred than an Oath, whereby to confirm to you the truth of what I say, I would make use of it.  
I will crave your patience a little longer, whilst by way of inference from this Discourse, I represent to you the great Sin of Swearing in common conversation, upon trivial and needless occasions; and the heinousness of the sin of Perjury.  
1. First. The great sin of Swearing, upon trivial and needless occasions, in common conversation. Because an Oath is a solemn thing, and reserved for great occasions, to give confirmation to our word in some weighty matter, and to put an end to controversies which cannot otherwise be peremptorily and satisfactorily decided. And therefore to use Oaths upon light occasions, argues great profaneness and irreverence of Almighty God. So Ulpian the great Roman Lawyer observes, Nonnullos esse faciles ad jurandum contemptu Religionis, that men's proneness to swearing comes from a contempt of Religion; than which nothing disposeth men more to Atheism and Infidelity. Besides that it doth many times surprise men unawares into Perjury: And how can it be otherwise, when men use to interlard all their careless talk with Oaths, but that they must often be perjured? And which is worse, it prepares men for deliberate perjury: For with those who are accustomed to swear upon light occasions, an Oath will go off with them more roundly about weightier matters. From a common custom of swearing (saith Hierocles) men easily slide into perjury: Therefore (says he) if thou wouldst not be perjured, do not use to swear. And this perhaps is the meaning of St. James, when he cautions Christians so vehemently against common swearing, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (for so some of the best ancient Copies read it) lest ye fall into hypocrisy, that is, lest ye lie and be perjured, by using yourselves to rash and inconsiderate swearing.  
And men expose themselves to this danger to no purpose; Oaths in common discourse being so far from confirming a man's word, that with wise men they much weaken it: For common swearing (if it have any serious meaning at all) argues in a man a perpetual distrust of his own reputation, and is an acknowledgement that he thinks his bare word not to be worthy of credit. And it is so far from adorning and filling a man's discourse, that it makes it look swollen and bloated, and more bold and blustering than becomes persons of gentle and good breeding. Besides, that it is a great incivility, because it highly offends and grates upon all sober and considerate persons; who cannot be presumed with any manner of ease and patience to hear God affronted, and his great and glorious Name so irreverently tossed upon every slight occasion.  
And it is no excuse to men that many times they do it ignorantly, and not observing and knowing what they do. For certainly it is no extenuation of a fault, that a man hath got the habit of it so perfect, that he commits it when he does not think of it: Which consideration should make men oppose the beginnings of this Vice, lest it grow into a habit very hard to be left. Nemo novit, nisi qui expertus est, quam sit difficile consuetudinem jurandi extinguere, saith St. Austin; No man knows, but he that hath tried, how hard it is to get rid of this custom of Swearing: But yet it is certain men may do it, by resolution, and great care of themselves: For he that can choose whether he will speak or not, can choose whether he will swear or not when he speaks. Major consuetudo majorem intentionem flagitat; the more inveterate a custom is, the greater care should be used to break ourselves of it.  
In short, This practice is so contrary to so plain a Precept of our Saviour, and by the breach whereof we incur so great a danger (as St. James assures us) that it must be a great charity that can find out a way to reconcile a common custom of swearing with a serious belief of the Christian Religion: Which I would to God those who are concerned would seriously lay to heart. Especially, since this Sin of all others hath the least of Temptation to it. Profit or Pleasure there is none in it; nor any thing in men's natural tempers to incite them to it. For though some men pour out Oaths so freely as if they came naturally from them, yet surely no man is born of a swearing constitution.  
All that can be pretended for it, is Custom and Fashion: But, to show that this is no Excuse, it is very observable, that it is particularly in the matter of Oaths and Perjury that the Holy Ghost gives that caution, Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.  
And lastly, it deserves to be considered, that this sin is so much the greater because of the frequent returns of it, in those that are accustomed to it. So that although it were but small in itself (as it is not) yet the frequent practice of this sin would quickly mount it up to a great score.  
2. Secondly, To represent the heinousness of the sin of Perjury. But before I aggravate this Crime, it is fit to let men know how many ways they may be guilty of it.  
1st. When a man asserts upon oath what he knows to be otherwise: Or promiseth what he does not intend to perform. In both these cases the very act of swearing is Perjury. And so likewise when a man promiseth upon oath to do that which it is unlawful for him to do; because this oath is contrary to a former obligation.  
2dly. When a man is uncertain whether what he swears to be true. This likewise is Perjury, in the act; though not of the same degree of guilt with the former, because it is not so fully and directly against his knowledge and conscience. For men ought to be certain of the truth of what they assert upon oath, and not to swear at venture. And therefore no man ought positively to swear to the truth of any thing but what he himself hath seen or heard: This being the highest assurance men are capable of in this world. In like manner, he is guilty of perjury in the same degree, who promiseth upon oath what he is not morally and reasonably certain he shall be able to perform.  
3dly. They are likewise guilty of Perjury, who do not use great plainness and simplicity in oaths; but answer aequivocally and doubtfully, or with reservation of something in their minds, thinking thereby to salve the truth of what they say. And we all know who they are that make use of these arts, and maintain them to be lawful; to the infinite scandal of the Christian Religion, and prejudice of humane Society, by doing what in them lies to destroy all Faith and mutual Confidence among men. For what can be a greater affront to God, than to use his Name to deceive men? And what can more directly overthrow the great end and use of oaths, which are for confirmation, and to put an end to strife? Whereas by these arts the thing is left in the same uncertainty it was before, and there is no decision of it. For there is hardly any form of words can be devised so plain, as not to be liable to Equivocation: To be sure, a man when he swears, may always reserve something in his mind which will quite alter the sense of what ever he can say or promise upon oath. And this may be laid down for a certain Rule, That all departure from the simplicity of an oath, is a degree of Perjury; and a man is never a whit the less forsworn, because his perjury is a little finer and more artificial than ordinary. And though men think by this device to save themselves harmless from the guilt of so great a Sin, they do really increase it, by adding to their iniquity the impudent folly of mocking God and deceiving themselves.  
And whereas it is pleaded, in the favour of mental reservation, that the whole Proposition, as made up of what is expressed in words and of that which is reserved in the mind, is true; For instance, if a man being asked upon Oath whether he be a Priest, shall answer he is not, reserving in his mind that he is not a Priest of Bacchus, or some such thing, the whole Proposition is true, and then they say a man may swear to that which is true, without danger of perjury: This is of no force, because, though the whole Proposition be true, it is deceitful, and contrary to that sincerity which ought to be in an oath: And the end of an oath is hereby likewise defeated, which is to ascertain the truth of what we say: But if a man reserve something in his mind which altars the truth of what he says, the thing is still as doubtful and uncertain as it was before. Besides, if this be a good reason; a man may swear with reservation in all cases, because the reason equally extends to all cases; for if the truth of the Proposition, as made up of what is expressed in words and reserved in the mind, will excuse a man from Perjury, than no man can be perjured that swears with reservation: But this the Casuists of the Roman Church do not allow, but only in some particular cases, as before an incompetent Judge, or the like; for they see well enough that if this were allowed in all cases, it would destroy all faith among men. And therefore since the reason extends alike to all cases, it is plain that it is to be allowed in none.  
4thly. He is guilty of Perjury after the act, who having a real intention when he swears, to perform what he promiseth, yet afterwards neglects to do it: Not for want of Power (for so long as that continues the obligation ceaseth) but for want of Will, and due regard to his oath.  
Now that Perjury is a most heinous Sin, is evident, because it is contrary to so plain and great a Law of God; one of the ten Words or Precepts of the Moral Law, Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; thou shalt not bring or apply the name of God to a falsehood: Or, as Josephus renders it, Thou shalt not adjure God to a false thing: Which our Saviour renders yet more plainly, Matth. 5. 33. Thou shalt not forswear thyself. For he seems to refer to the third Commandment when he says, Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, as he had done before to the 6th. and 7th. when he says, It was said to them of old time, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery. So that the primary, if not the sole intention of this Law, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, is to forbid the great sin of Perjury. And I do not remember that in Scripture the phrase of taking God's name in vain, is used in any other sense. And thus it is certainly used, Prov. 30. 9 Lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of the Lord my God in vain: i. e. lest Poverty should tempt me to steal, and stealth should engage me in Perjury. For among the Jews an oath was tendered to him that was suspected of theft, as appears from Levit. 6. 2. where it is said, If any one be guilty of theft, and lieth concerning it, or sweareth falsely; he shall restore all that about which he hath sworn falsely. Left I steal, and take the name of the Lord my God in vain; that is, be perjured, being examined upon oath concerning a thing stolen. And for this reason the thief and the perjured person are put together, Zech. 5. 4. where it is said, that a curse shall enter into the house of the thief, and of him that sweareth falsely by the name of God. From all which it is very probable, that the whole intention of the 3d. Commandment is to forbid this great sin of Perjury. To deter men from which, a severe threatening is there added; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain; that is, he will most severely punish such a one. And 'tis very obserauble, that there is no threatening added to any other Commandment, but to this and the second; Intimating to us that next to Idolatry and the worship of a false God, Perjury is one of the greatest affronts that can be offered to the divine Majesty. This is one of those sins that cries so loud to Heaven, and quickens the pace of God's judgements, Mal. 3. 9 I will come near to you in judgement, and be a swift witness against the swearer. For this God threatens utter destruction to the man and his house, Zech. 5. 4. speaking of the curse that goeth over the face of the whole earth; God (says he) will bring it forth, and it shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsely by the name of God, and shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it, with the timber thereof and the stones thereof. It shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it. This sin by the secret judgement of God undermines Estates and Families, to the utter ruin of them. And among the Heathen it was always reckoned one of the greatest of Crimes, and which they did believe God did not only punish upon the guilty person himself, but upon his family and posterity; and many times upon whole Nations, as the Prophet also tells us, that because of Oaths the Land mourns.  
I need not use many words to aggravate this sin; it is certainly a Crime of the highest nature. Deliberate Perjury being directly against a man's knowledge, so that no man can commit it without staring his Conscience in the face; which is one of the greatest aggravations of any Crime. And it is equally a sin against both Tables; being the highest affront to God, and of most injurious consequence to men. It is an horrible abuse of the name of God, an open contempt of his Judgement, and an insolent defiance of his Vengeance: And in respect of men, it is not only a wrong to this or that particular person who suffers by it, but Treason against humane Society; subverting at once the foundations of public Peace and Justice, and the private security of every man's life and fortune. It is a defeating of the best and last way that the wisdom of men could devise for the decision of doubtful matters. Solomon very fully and elegantly expresseth the destructive nature of this sin, Prov. 25. 18. A false witness against his neighbour, is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow: Intimating, that amongst all the instruments of ruin and mischief that have been devised by mankind, none is of more pernicious consequence to humane Society than Perjury, and breach of Faith. It is a pestilence that usually walketh in darkness, and a secret stab and blow against which many times there is no possibility of defence.  
And therefore it highly concerns those who upon these and the like occasions are called upon their Oath, whether as Jurors or Witnesses, to set God before their eyes, and to have his fear in their hearts, whenever they come to take an oath: And to govern and discharge their consciences in this matter by known and approved Rules, and by the Resolutions of pious and wise men; and not by the loose Reasonings and Resolutions of Pamphlets, sent abroad to serve the turns of unpeaceable and ill-minded men (whether Atheists, or Papists, or others) on purpose to debauch the Consciences of men by teaching them to play fast and loose with oaths. And it is a very sad sign of the decay of Christian Religion amongst us, to see so many who call themselves Christians, to make so little conscience of so great a sin, as even the Light of Nature would blush and tremble at.  
I will conclude all with those excellent Sayings of the Son of Sirach concerning these two sins (I have been speaking of) of Profane Swearing, and Perjury, Eccle. 23. 9, 10, etc. Accustom not thy mouth to swearing; neither use thyself to the naming of the holy One. A man that useth much swearing shall be filled with iniquity; and the plague shall never depart from his house. If he shall offend, his sin shall be upon him; and if he acknowledge not his sin, he maketh a double offence. And if he swear falsely, he shall not be innocent, but his house shall be full of calamities. And to represent to us the dreadful nature of this sin of Perjury, There is (saith he) a word that is clothed about with death, meaning a rash and false Oath; There is a word that is clothed about with death, God grant it be not found in the heritage of Jacob: For all such things shall be far from the godly; and they will not wallow in these sins. From which God preserve all good men, and make them careful to preserve themselves; as they value the present peace of their own consciences, and the favour of Almighty God in this World and the other, for his Mercies sake in Jesus Christ. To whom, etc.  
FINIS.