God and their office, or love unto them of whom they have governance. And such rebukes and punishments of them that offend must be done in due time, lest by delay the offenders fall headlong" into all manner of mischief, and not only be evil themselves, but also do hurt unto many men, drawing other, by their evil example, to sin and outrage after them: as one thief may both rob many men, and also make many thieves; and one seditious person may allure many, and annoy° a whole town or country. And such evil persons that be so great offenders to God and the commonweal, charity requireth to be cut from the body of the commonweal, lest they corrupt other good and honest persons; like as a good surgeon cutteth away a rotten' and festered member, for love he hath to the whole body, lest it infect other members adjoining unto it. Thus it is declared unto you what true charity or Christian love is, so plainly, that no man need to be deceived; which love whosoever keepeth, not only toward God (whom he is bound to love above all things) but also toward his neighbour, as well friend as foe, it shall surely keep him from all offence of God, and just offence of man. Therefore bear well away this one short lesson, That by true Christian charity, God ought to be loved above all things, and all men ought to be loved", good and evil, friend and foe, and to all such we ought, as we may, to do good; those that be good, of love to encourage and cherish, because they be good, and those that be evil, of love to procure and seek their correction and due punishment, that they may thereby either be brought to goodness, or at the least that God and the commonwealth may be less hurt and offended. And if we thus direct our life by Christian love and charity, then Christ doth promise and assure us, that he loveth us, that we be the children of our heavenly father, reconciled to his favour, very members of Christ; and that, after this short time of this present and mortal life, we shall have with him everlasting life in his everlasting kingdom of heaven. Therefore to him, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for evera. Amen. n headlong] headlings A.B. headlongs C. annoy] noy A.B.C. P to God] of God A.B.C. 9 cut] cut off A.B.C. r rotten] putrified A.B. • unto it] to it A.B.C. toward] towards B.C. " above all things, and all men ought to be loved] omitted D. * and seek] omitted A.B. y less] the less A.B.C. z everlasting] eternal A.B. a now and for ever] now and ever A.B.C. A SERMO Na AGAINST How and in what causes it is lawful to swear. Swearing and Perjury. ALMIGHTY God, to the intent his most holy name should be had in honour, and evermore be magnified of the people, commandeth that no man should take his name vainly in his mouth, threatening punishment unto him that unreverently abuseth it by swearing, forswearing, and blasphemy. To the intent therefore that this commandment may be the better known and kept, it shall be declared unto you, both how it is lawful for Christian people to swear, and also what peril and danger it is vainly to swear, or to be forsworn. First, when judges require oaths of the people for declaration or opening of the truth, or for execution of justice, this manner of swearing is lawful. Also when men make faithful promises, with calling to witness of the name of God, to keepd covenants, honest promises, statutes, laws, and good customs, as Christian princes do in their conclusions of peace, for conservation of commonwealths; and private persons promise their fidelity in matrimony, or one to another in honesty and true friendship: and all men when they do swear to keep common laws, and local statutes, and good customs, for due order to be had and continued among men; when subjects do swear to be true and faithful to their king and sovereign lord; and when judges, magistrates, and officers swear truly to execute their offices; and when a man would affirm the truth to the setting forth of God's glory; for the salvation of the people, in open preaching of the gospel, or in giving of good council privately for their souls' health: all these manner of swearings, for causes necessary and honest, be lawful. But when men do swear of custom, in reasoning, buying, and selling, or other daily communications", (as many be common and great swearers,) such kind of swearing is ungodly, unlawful, and forbidden by the commandment of God: for such swearing is nothing else but taking of God's holy name in vain. And here is to be noted, that lawful swearing is not forbidden, but commanded by Almighty God: for we have examples of Christ and godly men, in holy scripture, that did swear themselves, and required oaths of others likewise; and God's commandment is, Thou shalt dread thy Lord God, Deut. 6. [13.] and shalt swear by his name. And Almighty God by his prophet David saith, All men shall be praised that swear" Ps. 63. [11.] by him. Gen. 24. [3.] Thus did our saviour Christ swear divers times, saying, Verily, verily and St. Paul sweareth thus, I call God to John 3. [3.] witness: and Abraham, waxing old, required an oath of2 Cor. 1. [23.] his servant, that he should procure a wife for his son Isaac, which should come of his own kindred: and the servant did swear that he would perform his master's will. Abra- Gen. 21. [23.] ham also, being required, did swear unto Abimelech the king of Geraris, that he should not hurt him, nor his posterity; and likewiseo did Abimelech swear unto Abraham. And David did swear to be and continue a faithful friend [1 Sam. 20. 16, to Jonathan'; and Jonathan did swear to become a faithful 17, 42.] friend uuto David. Also God once commanded, that if a thing were laid to [Exod. 22. 11.] pledge to any man, or left with him to keep, if the same thing were stolen, or lost, that the keeper thereof should be sworn before judges, that he did not convey it away, nor used any deceit in causing the same to be conveyed away, by his consent or knowledge. And St. Paul saith, That in all matters of controversy between two persons, whereas one saith yea, and the other nay, so as no due proof can be had of the truth, the end of every such controversy must be Heb. 6. [16.] an oath ministered by a judge. And, moreover, God by the prophet Jeremy saith, Thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, Jer. 4. [2.] in truth, in judgment, in righteousness. So that whosoevery sweareth when he is required of a judge, let him be h communications] communica tion A.B.C. 1 i forbidden] prohibited A.B. forbidden] forbid A. 1 commanded by] commanded of A.B.C. m of others] of other A.B.C. A swear] sweareth A. • and likewise] and so likewise A.B.C. P Jonathan] Jonathas A.B.C. 9 Jonathan] Jonathas A.B.C. r whosoever] whoso A. What condition to have. The second. The third. sure in his conscience that his oath have three conditions", and he shall never need to be afraid of perjury. First, he that sweareth must swear trulyt; that is, he an oath ought must (setting apart" all favour and affection to the parties) have the truth only before his eyes, and, for love thereof, say and speak that which he knoweth to be truth, and no further. The second is, he that taketh an oath, must do it with judgment; not rashly and unadvisedly, but soberly, considering what an oath is. The third is, he that sweareth, must swear in righteousness; that is, for the very zeal and love which he beareth to the defence of innocency, to the maintenance of the truth, and to the righteousness of the matter or cause: all profit, disprofit, all love and favour unto the person for friendship or kindred laid apart. Thus an oath (if it have with it these three conditions) is a part of God's glory, which we are bound by his comby the name of mandments2 to give unto him: for he willeth that we shall swear only by his name; not that he hath pleasure in oaths; but like as he commanded the Jews to offer sacrifices unto him, not for any delight that he had in them, but to keep the Jews from committing of idolatry; so, he commanding us to swear by his holy name, doth not teach us that he delighteth in swearing, but he thereby forbidIsaiah 42. [8.] deth all men to give his glory to any creature in heaven, Why we be willed in scripture to swear God. [Ps. 15. 4.] Commodities had by lawful oaths made and observed. earth, or water. Hitherto you see, that oaths lawful are commanded of God, used of patriarchs and prophets, of Christ himself, and of his apostle Paul. Therefore Christian people must think lawful oaths both godly and necessary. For by lawful promise and covenants, confirmed by oaths, princes and their countries are confirmed in common tranquillity and peace. By holy promises, with calling the name of God to witness we be made lively members of Christ, when we profess his religion receiving the sacrament of baptism. By like holy promise the sacrament of matrimony knitteth man and wife in perpetual love, that they desire not to be separated for any displeasure or adversity that shall after happen. By lawful oaths, which kings, s three conditions] these three conditions A.B.C. the that sweareth must swear setting apart] secluding A.B. y if it have] if it hath A. 2 commandments] commandment A.B.C. b in oaths] in our oaths A.B.C. by lawful promise] by lawful promises A. lawful promise B. e with calling the name of God to witness] with attestation of God's name A.B. is forbidden. princes, judges, and magistrates do swear, common laws are kept inviolate, justice is indifferently ministered, harmless persons, fatherless childrene, widows and poor men, are defended from murderers, oppressors, and thieves, that they suffer no wrong, nor take any harm. By lawful oaths, mutual society, amity, and good order is kept continually in all commonalties, as boroughs, cities, towns, and villages: and by lawful oaths malefactors are searched out, wrong doers are punished, and they which sustain wrong are restored to their right: therefore lawful swearing cannot be evil, which bringeth unto us so many godly, good, and necessary commodities. Wherefore when Christ so Vain swearing earnestly forbad swearing, it may not be understood as though he did forbid all manner of oaths: but he forbiddeth all vain swearing and forswearing both by God, and by his creaturess, as the common use of swearing in buying, selling, and in our daily communication, to the intent every Christian man's word should be as well regarded in such matters, as if he should confirm his communication with an oath: for every Christian man's word, saith St. Hierome, should be so true, that it should be regarded as an oath. And Chrysostom witnessing the same, saith, It is not convenient to swear: for what needeth us to swear, when it is not lawful for one of us to make a lie unto another? Peradventure some will say, I am compelled to An objection. swear, for else men that do commune with me, or do buy and sell with me, will not believe me. To this answereth An answer. St. Chrysostom, that he that thus saith, sheweth himself to be an unjust and a deceitful person: for if he were a trusty man, and his deeds taken to agree with his words, he should not need to swear at all: for he that useth truth and plainness in his bargaining and communication, he shall have no need, by such vain swearing, to bring himself in credence with his neighbours, nor his neighbours will not mistrust his sayings. And if his credence be so much lost indeed, that he thinketh no man will believe him without he swear, then he may well think his credence is clean gone: for truth it is, as Theophylactus writeth, that no man is less trusted, than he that useth much to swear: and Almighty God by the wise man saith, That man which Ecclus. [23.11.] sweareth much shall be full of sin, and the scourge of God shall not depart from his house. But here some men will say, for excusing of their many Another objec d harmless] innocent A.B. e fatherless children] orphans A.B. f be understood] be so understanded A. so be understanded B.C. and by his creatures] and his creatures A. tion. |