And again, Jeremiah saith in the same chap. how shall I pardon thee for this, thy children have forsaken me, to wit, the Lord, and have sworn by them that are no gods.'

So you may see here to swear by other gods, and to forsake the Lord, it is a question how it shall be pardoned: so the oath which was to be sworn, was only by the Lord, and not by other gods.

Now look in Christendom, and see what abundance of pettish, frivolous, foolish, idle oaths there are amongst them, who are commanded by Christ not to swear at all, no, not the true oath; and in the time of the law it was a question by the prophet of their pardon, that did not swear by the Lord; and therefore what will become of you, that call yourselves christians, that swear so vainly, when your master Christ, forbids all swearing.

And in Jer. vii. and ix. there he reproves them for swearing falsely, and walking after other gods.

So you may see, false swearers were reproved in the time of the law and prophets, that was done before Christ came, who came to fulfil the true oath, that was to be performed to God: Christ, I say did end that, and did perform the oath of God and fulfil it.

And in Jer. xii. the Lord said he would have compassion of his people, and bring every man to his heritage, &c. if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, and swear by my name the Lord liveth, as they had taught my people to swear by Baal.'

So you may see here one cause of Israel's captivity, was going from God's ways and swearing by Baal, that they lost their inheritances and their land, and therefore if they would come to learn God's ways, and swear by the name of the Lord, that he lived, and leave swearing by Baal, they should inherit their land again.

So you may see here they were not to swear by books, or Baal, nor by any creature, nor any other name that would perish, but by the Lord that liveth; and this was the true oath, which was to be performed to the Lord in the old time of the law and prophets, but Christ in his time of the gospel, saith, 'swear not at all.'

And again, in Jer. xxiii. 'because of swearing the land mourns;' may it not be much more said of Christendom, because of swearing Christendom mourns; because Christ forbids all manner of swearing, though in the time of the law and prophets, they encouraged all true swearing, and forbad vain and false; but Christ forbids all swearing, true, vain, and false.

And in Jer. xxviii. you may see Zedekiah's oath to Jeremiah was, 'as the Lord lived, he would not put him to death;' so his oath was not by any creature nor books, nor by Baal, nor the gods of other nations, but was the true oath, according to the law and prophets, which was as VOL. V.-21

Christ called it in the old time, to be performed to the Lord;' but in his new time of the gospel, hesaith, 'swear not at all;' and this was the new thing brought to pass, which made the Jew's ears to tingle; and this is he that said, 'behold, I make all things new:' so swearing was in the old time of the law; but confessing is in the time of Christ and his gospel here is one new thing.

And in Hosea iv. by 'swearing, and lying, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood,' &c.

Such swearing as this, the law and the prophets were against: oh ye, therefore, that profess the everlasting gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, let not such things be found against you in Christendom, 'lest blood touch blood.'

For such before mentioned were commanded not to go to Bethaven, nor swear the Lord liveth,' &c.

And in Hosea x.' they have spoken words, swearing falsely, in making a covenant; thus judgment springs up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.'

So here you may see the effect of this false swearing, and see if a great crop of this hemlock may not be found in Christendom amongst the false swearers? and yet commanded by Christ not to swear at all.' And in Amos viii. they that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say thy God, O Dan, liveth, and the manner of Beersheba liveth, even they shall fall and not rise up again.'

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Now ye may see the sad judgment of God, that is upon them that swear by any thing but by the Lord, to whom they were to perform their oath, which oath Christ ends by his command: therefore, what think you will become of all you that swear by so many things in all Christendom and in the world; for if they shall fall and not rise up again, that swear by the sin of Samaria, and the manner of Beersheba,' which was forbidden by God in the law and prophets: therefore, I say, what will become of you Christendom that swear by so many things when Christ in his gospel commands you, not to swear at all;' judge yourselves.

And in Zeph. i. it is said,' them that worship the host of heaven, upon the house-tops, and them that worship and swear by the Lord, and by Malcham.'

So here are the false worshippers, that would worship and 'swear by the Lord and Malcham,' which were reproved by the law and prophets, for they were to swear only by the Lord, and worship and serve him only, and not the host of heaven,' the true oath to the Lord, and perform it, which oath Christ ends.

And therefore, you christians, consider how many sorts of things you swear by in Christendom, and by books and creatures; which if you

were as the true Jews, you must only swear by the Lord, and perform it to him, in truth and righteousness,' in which you swear, and therefore are not you reproved by the law and prophets; for Christ is a farther righteousness than the law and prophets; he says, 'swear not at all,' and Christ is called the Lord our righteousness.'

And do not you christians like unto those false Jews spoken of here in Zephania, that 'swear by the Lord and Malcham,' do not you pretend to be the professors and followers of Christ, that saith 'swear not at all,' and yet are you not found swearing not by the Lord, but by a book, and many other things, in which you are forbidden' not to swear at all;' so you are neither true to the command of the Lord in the law, nor to Christ.

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And in Zach. v. this is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth; for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side, according to it, and every one that sweareth, shall be cut off as on that side, according to it. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.'

Now consider this, all ye christians in Christendom, do you think the Lord will not perform what he hath said, and it must go over the face of the earth, and every one that stealeth, and every one that swears falsely.'

Therefore, look unto yourselves, how this curse of the Lord, how it will consume you that swear, and forswear? seeing Christ has commanded 'swear not at all: and therefore, as you love your eternal good, and your souls, and Christ Jesus, and God, lay away all manner of swearing and forswearing, and stealing, as he commands you, that the blessings may come into your houses, and not the curse, for God will be a swift witness against the swearer, against the adulterer, and against the falseswearer, &c. and will come near to you to judgment.' Mal. iii.

So you may see all false swearers, and vain swearers were judged in the time of the law and prophets, and true swearers, and performers of their oaths to the Lord, were justified, which was in the old time of the law and prophets; but in the new time of Christ,' the new thing brought forth, he saith in his time, 'swear not at all;' which makes the professing Jews, and such like, their ears to tingle.'

So you may see clearly by the law and the prophets, all swearers and swearing by the creatures, by the gods, and all common vain swearing was forbidden, and that they were only to swear by the Lord, and perform their oath unto him:' nay, if they used the form of the law to swear by the Lord, and did not swear truly, in 'truth and righteousness,'

it was forbidden, and not accepted, except it were in truth and righteousness; and that oath which was to be sworn in truth and righteousness according to the law, Christ the righteousness of God, that fulfils the righteousness of the law, forbids that oath, who performs and fulfils the oath of God, and saith, 'swear not at all.'

And Christ saith in Matt. v. 'ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths; but I say unto you, swear not at all:' [mark, not at all.] Now these words of Christ relate to the oaths that they were to perform to the Lord, for forswearing and vain swearing was forbidden by the law and prophets; so Christ's words cannot relate only to people that forswear themselves, ('not to swear at all,') but also to such as were to perform their oaths to the Lord, and swear by the Lord; as in the old time was commanded; not to forswear themselves,' but to perform their oath to the Lord;' as you may see in the old time, in Exod. xx. and Levit. xix. and Deut. v.

And now you may see in the new time, i. e. gospel time, Christ saith, 'but I say unto you, swear not at all:' and what you, were these? was it not to the multitude of the Jews and his disciples that were Jews that he taught upon the mountain: now by the law of God and the prophets, in their old time, they were not to forswear themselves, but to perform their oath to the Lord:' now in Christ's new time, he saith, 'swear not at all.'

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So the pharisees and Jews did not then discern the times and seasons that were in their father's hands;' as multitudes of christians do not now, Matt. xvi. Acts i.

And Christ goes on and says, 'swear not neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King: neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white, or black; but let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.'

So as Christ Jesus forbad swearing at all, which relates to the true oath that was to be sworn to by the Lord, according to the law in the old time; I say Christ, that doth fulfil the oath of God, then he comes and saith, (farther relating to those other oaths which he particularizes,) 'neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by Jerusalem, nor by the head, &c. and when he hath forbidden the true oath, and all those other oaths; then he teaches them what they shall say instead of an oath, to wit, yea, yea, nay, nay, and whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.'

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Now in the old Bible it is, but your communication shall be yea, yea, nay, nay, for whatsoever is added more than these, it cometh of evil:' this Christ speaks in respect of swearing; yea, of that oath which was

to be performed to the Lord,' as well as all the other oaths; and he is to be believed and obeyed; for plainer words than these, cannot be in the scriptures: and this cannot be meant, that Christ forbids' swearing only in communication,' for that was forbidden in the time of the law; and if the oath that was commanded to be performed to the Lord was forbidden by Christ; then much more all vain and other oaths, which both law and gospel forbids.

And Christ saith in Matt. xxiii. woe unto you blind guides, which say, whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, is a debtor: ye fools and blind; for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 'And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty: ye fools and blind; for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? whoso, therefore, shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon; and whoso sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and him that dwells therein; and he that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and him that sitteth thereon.'

So all the swearing of these fools and blind guides, that guided people to swear so, were not blessed by Christ in their doings; but he cried woe against them;' and these were the Jews that were to 'swear only to the Lord, and perform their oath by the Lord;' and what do ye think do not all them that swear by the book, swear by them that gave forth the book, to wit, God and the prophets, Christ and his apostles,' that gave forth the book, and the things therein contained.

For swearing by Baal, and swearing by the temple, or by the gold of the temple; or swearing by the altar, or by the gift that was offered thereon; or swearing by the heavens, or by the earth; or swearing by the head, these were all inventions of the Jews, and practised by the blind guides, and heathen, who sware by their gods, inventions of their own; for the law of God commanded to 'swear by, the Lord, and by his name,' and not by any other gods or books, or creatures, or heaven, or earth, or head, or altar, or temple, as ye may see in many scriptures before quoted; where the Lord saith, 'ye shall swear by my name,' and perform the oath to the Lord, which Christ speaks of, when he saith, 'swear not at all;' and what do ye think he mentioned that oath for, which was to be performed to the Lord, if it were not to forbid it? he that was the oath of the Lord, and a farther righteousness than the righteousness of the law; for Christ did not come to fulfil those vain and frivolous oaths that men commanded and practised, but the oath that God had commanded, and cried woe against them that were in the practice of those oaths which God never commanded, nor led into them: and so you may see all along it was the command of the Lord, and by his law and pro