A09432:443
A godly and learned exposition of Christs Sermon in the Mount
A godly and learned exposition of Christs Sermon in the Mount: preached in Cambridge by that reverend and judicious divine M. William Perkins. Published at the request of his executors by Th. Pierson preacher of Gods word. Whereunto is adjoined a twofold table: one, of special points here handled; the other, of choice places of Scripture here quotedA godly and learned exposition of Christs Sermon in the Mount: preached in Cambridge by that reuerend and iudicious diuine M. William Perkins. Published at the request of his exequutors by Th. Pierson preacher of Gods word. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table: one, of speciall points here handled; the other, of choise places of Scripture here quoted
Cambridge : Printed by Thomas Brooke and Cantrell Legge, printers to the University of Cambridge, 1608Cambridge : Printed by Thomas Brooke and Cantrell Legge, printers to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge, 1608
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Here two questions must be scanned: first, when may a man lawfully swear, and when not? for Christs speech forbidding ordinary swearing, seems to grant, that there is a time wherein a man may lawfully take an oath. There be two times and cases wherein a man1 may lawfully take an oath. First, when the magistrate ministereth an oath unto a man upon a just occasion: for the magistrate hath the power of God in this case, and therefore when he justly requires it of man, then may he lawfully swear. Secondly, when a mans own calling general or particular, necessarily requires an oath; and that is in four cases: I. when the taking of an oath serveth to maintain, procure, or win unto God any part of his glory, or to preserve the same from disgrace. In this regard, Paul moved with a godly zeal, useth an oath in sundry of his Epistles, for the confirmation of his doctrine, that the Churches to whom he writ might be stablished in the truth, and so glorify God the more. II. When his oath serveth to maintain or further his own or others salvation, or preservation in soul or body; in this case aPaul calls God for a record unto his soul, that he came not to Corinth to spare them. And David, to further himself in the way of salvation, bbound himself by an oath that he would keep Gods commandments. ⟨p. 158⟩III. When the oath serves to confirm and stablish peace and society between party and party, country and country, kingdom & kingdom. Thus did Abraham and Abimelech swear each to other, Gen. 21. 23. and Jacob and Laban, Gen. 31. 53. and by virtue hereof do subjects bind themselves by oath in allegiance to their Princes, and soldiers to their Governors. IV. When a man by oath and not otherwise, may either free himself from temporal losses, or procure to himself temporal benefits which be of great weight and moment: for an oath for confirmation is among men the end of all strife: now we know that much strife and controversy doth arise about worldly affairs. And in this regard a man by oath may lawfully purge himself of infamy and slander. In these four cases, a man may lawfully swear, not only publicly before the Magistrate, but also privately, so it be with due reverence and good conscience.