The fear of an oath. Or, Some cautions to be used about swearing, if…

1. With respect to themselves. The Christians first Care begins at home, how he may order himself aright, & so as to keep a good Conscience towards God, & towards man; & this Holy Fear will stimulate him unto it: and upon the account of an Oath, it will instigate him;

1. Negatively, Not to make him to refuse at all to Swear when he is called unto it. The Fear of God doth not lead men to Superstition, tho' it makes them to keep close to the Command: nor is it to hinder Duty, but to put us into a right frame for the doing of it, and then to make us afraid of bringing our selves under the Guilt of neglecting it. That all Swearing is forbidden to Christians in Gospel-times, is Erroneously argued from Mat. 5.34. I say unto ye, Swear not at all; neither by Heaven, &c. and ⟨p. 16⟩in James 5.12. where the same precept is repeated: For our Saviour and the Apostle after Him, do there only forbid Common Swearing, in ordinary Communication; and Swearing by False objects, to which an Oath ought not to be addressed. Not only is God Himself frequently brought in Swearing, in the Scripture; And Holy men, both in the times of the Law, and of the Gospel, doing it after the most Solemn manner; but God Himself hath appointed an Oath, to be the last remedy against endless quarrels; and to put a final issue to Controversies between men, Exod. 22.11. Then shall an Oath of the Lord be between them both, &c. Yea, Swearing by Gods Name, is used for a distinguishing note between the True and False Religion, Jer. 4.2. Thou shalt Swear, the Lord Liveth, &c. Zeph. 1.5. That Swear by the Lord, and that Swear by Malcham. And there are those Calls in the Providence of God wherein, if a man withholds his Oath, he will both dishonour God, and injure his Neighbour, and when it is so, this Fear will put him upon doing the thing.