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ful oath, being imposed by lawful authority, in such matters, ought to be taken.

III. Whosoever taketh an oath, ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he is fully persuaded is the truth. Neither may any man bind himself by oath to any thing but what is good and just, and what he believeth so to be, and what he is able and resolved to perform. Yet it is a sin to refuse an oath touching any thing that is good and just, being imposed by lawful authority.

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IV. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the

in the earth, shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.

f1 Kings viii. 31. If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house. Neh. xiii. 25. And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters anto your sons, or for yourselves. Ezra x. 5. Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word: and they

sware.

III. & Exod. xx. 7. [See letter.] Jer. iv. 2. And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

9. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

iNumb. v. 19. And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse. Ver. 21. Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing; and the priest shall say unto the woman, The Lord make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell. Neh. v. 12. Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. Exod. xxii. 7. If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's h Gen. xxiv. 2. And Abraham said house; if the thief be found, let him unto his eldest servant of his house, pay double. Ver. 8. If the thief be that ruled over all that he had, Put, not found, then the master of the I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh; house shall be brought unto the judges, Ver. 3. And I will make thee swear to see whether he have put his hand by the Lord, the God of heaven, and unto his neighbour's goods. Ver. S. the God of the earth, that thou shalt For all manner of trespass, whether not take a wife unto my son of the it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for daughters of the Canaanites, among raiment, or for any manner of lost whom I dwell. Ver. 5. And the servant thing, which another challengeth to said unto him, Peradventure the wo- be his, the cause of both parties shall man will not be willing to follow me come before the judges; and whom unto this land: must I needs bring the judges shall condemn, he shall thy son again unto the land from pay double unto his neighbour. Ver. whence thou camest? Ver. 6. And 10. If a man deliver unto his neighAbraham said unto him, Beware thou bour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or that thou bring not my son thither any beast, to keep, and it die, or be again. Ver. 8. And if the woman will hurt, or driven away, no man seeing not be willing to follow thee, then thou it: Ver. 11. Then shall an oath of shalt be clear from this my oath only the Lord be between them both, that bring not my son thither again. Ver. he hath not put his hand unto his

words, without equivocation or mental reservation. It cannot oblige to sin; but in any thing not sinful, being taken, it binds to performance, although to a man's own hurt;1 nor is it to be violated, although made to hereticks or infidels.m

V. A vow is of the like nature with a promissory oath, and ought to be made with the like religious care, and to be performed with the like faithfulness."

VI. It is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone: and

neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.

IV. Jer. iv. 2. [See letter 8.] Ps. xxiv. 4. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

11 Sam. xxv. 22. So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him, by the morning-light, any that pisseth against the wall. Ver. 32. And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: Ver. 33. And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which has kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. Ver. 34. For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal, by the morning-light, any that pisseth against the wall. Ps. xv. 4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord: he that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

m Ezek. xvii. 16. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. Ver. 18. Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. Ver. 19. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head. Josh. ix. 18. And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured

against the princes. Ver. 19. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. With 2 Sam. xxi. 1. Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

V. Isa. xix. 21. And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it. Eccl. v. 4. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Ver. 5. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Ver. 6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? Ps. lxi. 8. So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows. lxvi. 13. I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings; I will pay thee my vows, Ver. 14. Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.

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VI. Ps. lxxvi. 11. Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. Jer. xliv. 25. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows. Ver. 26. Therefore hear ye the word of the

that it may be accepted, it is to be made voluntarily, out of faith, and conscience of duty, in way of thankfulness for mercy received, or for the obtaining of what we want; whereby we more strictly bind ourselves to necessary duties, or to other things, so far and so long as they may fitly conduce thereunto.P

VII. No man may vow to do any thing forbidden in the word of God, or what would hinder any duty therein commanded, or which is not in his power, and for the performance whereof he hath no promise of ability from God. In which respects, Popish monastical vows of perpetual single life, professed poverty, and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself."

Lord, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by by my great name, saith the Lord, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord God liveth.

P Deut. xxiii. 21. When thou shalt Vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. Ver. 22. But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. Ver. 23. That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill-offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. Ps. 1. 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High. Gen. xxviii. 20. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, Ver. 21. So that I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God: Ver. 22. And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto thee. 1 Sam. 1. 11. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. Ps. lxvi. 13, 14. [See letter ".] Ps. cxxxii. 2. How he sware unto the Lord, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob; Ver. 3. Surely I will not come into

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the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; Ver. 4. I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, Ver. 5. Until I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

VII. 9 Acts xxiii. 12. And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Ver. 14. And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. Mark vi. 26. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. Numb. xxx. 5. But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand; and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her. Ver. 8. But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she_bound her soul, of none effect; and the Lord shall forgive her. Ver. 12. But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the Lord shall forgive her. Ver. 13. Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

r Matt. xix. 11. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this

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CHAP. XXIII.-Of the Civil Magistrate.

supreme

LG Divil magistrates over for

Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained

glory, and the publick good; and, to this end, hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defence and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil-doers.*

II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate, when called thereunto: in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth; so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war upon just and necessary occasions.d

saying, save they to whom it is given. Ver. 12. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb; and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men; and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it..-1 Cor. vii. 2. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Ver. 9. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. Eph. iv. 28. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 1 Pet. iv. 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 1 Cor. vii. 23. Ye are bought with a price: be not ye the servants of men.

I. Rom. xiii. 1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Ver. 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Ver. 3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: Ver. 4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him

that doeth evil. 1 Pet. ii. 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Ver. 14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well.

II. b Prov. viii. 15. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. Ver. 16. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. Rom. xiii. 1, 2, 4. [See in letter ".]

Ps. ii. 10. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Ver. 11. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Ver. 12. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. 1 Tim. ii. 2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Ps.. lxxxii. 3. Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Ver. 4. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. 2 Sam. xxiii. 3. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 1 Pet. ii. 13. [See in letter ".]

d Luke iii. 14. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. Rom. xiii. 4. [See letter] Matt. viii. 9. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come,

III. The civil magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the word and sacraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven: yet he hath authority, and it is his duty, to take order, that unity and peace be preserved in the church, that the truth of God be kept pure and entire, that all blasphemies and heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline prevented or reformed, and all the ordinances of God duly settled, administered, and observed. For the better effecting whereof, he hath power to call

and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. Ver. 10. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. Acts x. 1. There was a certain man in Cesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, Ver. 2. A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. Rev. xvii. 14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. Ver. 16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

cles? Eph. iv. 11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; Ver. 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. 1 Cor. iv. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Ver. 2. Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. Rom. x. 15. And how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Heb. v. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

Isa. xlix. 23. And kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their queens thy nursing-mothers: they shall bow III. 2 Chron. xxvi. 18. And they down to thee with their face toward withstood Uzziah the king, and said the earth, and lick up the dust of thy unto him, It appertaineth not unto feet; and thou shalt know that I am thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord: for they shall not be ashanithe Lord, but to the priests the sons ed that wait for me. Ps. cxxii. 9. of Aaron, that are consecrated to Because of the house of the Lord our burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; God I will seek thy good. Ezra vii. for thou hast trespassed: neither shall 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the it be for thine honour from the Lord God of heaven, let it be diligently God. With Matt. xviii. 17. And if done for the house of the God of heahe shall neglect to hear them, tell it ven: for why should there be wrath unto the church: but if he neglect to against the realm of the king and his hear the church, let him be unto thee sons? Ver. 25. And thou, Ezra, after as an heathen man and a publican. the wisdom of thy God that is in And Matt. xvi. 19. And I will give thine hand, set magistrates and judges, unto thee the keys of the kingdom of which may judge all the people that heaven and whatsoever thou shalt are beyond the river, all such as know bind on earth shall be bound in hea- the laws of thy God; and teach ye ven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose them that know them not. Ver. 26. on earth shall be loosed in heaven. And whosoever will not do the law 1 Cor. xii. 28. And God hath set some of thy God, and the law of the king, in the church, first, apostles; secon- let judgment be executed speedily darily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; upon him, whether it be unto death, after that miracles; then gifts of or to banishment, or to confiscation healings, helps, governments, diversi- of goods, or to imprisonment. Ver. ties of tongues. Ver. 29. Are all 27. Blessed be the Lord God of our apostles? are all prophets? are all fathers, which hath put such a thing teachers? are all workers of mira- as this in the king's heart, to beau

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