Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.' So if the vile body be changed and fashioned like unto his glorious body, it is not the same, and consequently do not ye undervalue the Lord Jesus Christ and his body, ye that are giving such bynames to his body, as humane, and humanity? yea, some have been so bold, as to say he is in heaven with a natural and carnal body; but these have been some of the grossest sort of professors. And the most sort of professors say, he is in heaven with a humane body. But these are not scripture terms or names, for if your vile, natural and humane bodies must be changed, and made like unto his glorious body, then howcan ye say that Christ is in heaven with a carnal, natural, or humane body? For man, [that is, the natural,] knows not the things of God, and [carnal,] is sold under sin, as the apostle tells you. And is not humane from the ground? but doth not Christ say, he is from above? the second man is the Lord from heaven, and his body is a glorious body, and he is the heavenly, spiritual man. Therefore, all that profess scriptures and christianity, let them keep to scripture terms, and to those names, which God and Christ and the holy men of God in scripture had given to it and him, which are found words not to be condemned. Worcester Prison, the 25th of the 11th month, 1675.

G. F.

Reader, be pleased to observe, that the author of this treatise having the ancient approved Bible, printed in Queen Elizabeth's reign; most of the quotations being taken out of the same, differs in some expressions from our new translation, but not in substance.

A SMALL TREATISE CONCERNING SWEARING

IN THE OLD TIME OF THE LAW, WITH ITS USE:

And an end put to it in the Gospel by Jesus Christ: who forbiddeth all swearing, and sets up Yea and Nay instead thereof.-By G. F.

Concerning swearing by the name of the Lord before the law, and in the law; its time, use, and service, which was to continue until Christ came, who fulfils the law, and says, 'swear not at all,' and sets up yea and nay instead of it.

And how all false and vain swearing was forbidden by the law, and all swearing is forbidden by Christ, yea, the oath of the Lord, which was to end differences.

And how Christ performs God's oath, and commands yea, yea, and nay, nay, instead of it.

And to end the trespasses and differences in his church, he sets up two or three witnesses: Christ saith, 'out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.' Matt. xviii. 16.

And the apostle saith, 2 Cor. xii. 1, 'in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.'

And the apostle James, who forbids swearing, says, 'so speak ye, and so do ye.' James v. and James ii. 12.

Wherein all may plainly see that they that were to swear, it was to the Lord, and perform their oath to him; and as for false oaths that they did swear, they were forbidden by the Lord in his law; and this oath that they were to perform to the Lord, was the oath that Christ forbad.

For before the law you may see Abraham said to his servant, I will make thee to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth.' Gen. xxiv.

So this swearing was not by any book, or any creature, but by the Lord, &c. And this was the oath which was to be performed to the Lord, which Christ speaks of and forbad, as was commanded in the law, and not to swear falsely.

And in the time of the law you may see in Exod. xxii. 11, when there was any matter of difference amongst the children of Israel about outward things, then the oath of the Lord should be between them; and this oath was to end the difference: so still you may see it was the oath of the Lord, it was not an oath by the book, or by any creature.

And this oath was not to be commonly taken, for that was a 'taking God's name in vain,' (as christians do now,) they were not to swear by the Lord but upon great occasions.

Levit. v. For if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it, if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.' So you may see here, how that no man was to swear, but upon special occasion; whosoever did hear any swearing, if he did not discover it, he was to bear his iniquity: and therefore consider, all ye that profess yourselves christians, and the gospel, what a great iniquity you are in by swearing, and others that hear it, and do not discover it, for such things were to be punished by the law of God.

And now do ye think that the gospel gives you liberty to belch out so many oaths? Oh no! for Christ forbids in his gospel, the 'true swearing by the Lord,' which was to be performed to him, and to be taken but upon urgent business to end controversies in the old time of the law: that is the oath that Christ ends, and sets up yea and nay above it and the law; and Christ forbad, much more the vain and false swearing. And do ye think that the Jews do not hiss at you, that call yourselves

christians in gospel times, that belch out so many oaths in your needless talk, when their law punishes all common swearers, and those that hear swearing and do not discover it, must bear their iniquity; for this is taking God's name in vain, and using swearing, or oaths in those places which God did not command them, but upon special occasions, for his service, and to end controversies, &c. was this oath commanded to be performed to the Lord, which oath, as I said before, Christ ends and forbids. For if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do good or evil, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him, when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these, he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing, and he shall bring his trespass-offering unto the Lord for his sins,' &c. Levit. v.

So now, if there was any offering to be offered for the trespass in swearing needlessly in the old time of the law, is not Christ the offering that has ended all offerings for trespasses, and is an offering for man's sins and trespasses to be looked at, and obeyed above all? not that man should trespass more in swearing, and say Christ is offered up for his trespass, and presume thereby to add sin unto sin.

So Christ ends all swearing, and is the offering that is offered up to the Lord for all true christians for their sins. And in Levit. xix. 'ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shall ye profane the name of thy God, I am the Lord.'

So you may see here, swearing falsely was forbidden by the law of God, and swearing idly is a profaning the name of the Lord; for God did not give his oath to his people to swear idly in their customary talk, nor falsely, but to be performed to the Lord upon special occasions; and that is the oath, as I said before, Christ forbad and ends.

And in Numb. xxx. 'if a man did swear an oath, and bound his soul to the Lord with a bond, he was not to break it, but he shall do according to all that hath proceeded out of his mouth, either vows or oaths. So here you may see they were to perform their oath unto the Lord; which oath of the Lord bound their souls as with a bond; and this was the oath which Christ, the oath of God, came to fulfil,' and forbids amongst the Jews, which had this oath to perform to the Lord.

And so Christ is the oath of God, by which all souls of men and women are bound to perform what proceeds out of their mouths at yea and nay, without swearing, and not to break their word which proceeds out of their mouths.

And in Deut. vi. 'it is said, thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and swear by his name,' mark, by his name, not by the four books of Moses, not by any other name, but by the name of the Lord;' not by any creature, but by the name of the Lord: this was the true oath which

was to be performed to the Lord in the old time, (which as I said be fore,) this is the oath which Christ forbids, and ends.

And in Deut. x. ' thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name:' so not by any other name under the whole heaven, or book, but by the name of God, and perform their oath to him: but this was his people's swearing; but God sware by himself concerning his Son, who brings people from under the law that commands swearing, who ends both law and swearing and so what people do now, must be done in the name of Jesus, at yea and nay; and they know that 'there is no salvation by any other name under the whole heaven, but by the name of Jesus, who does fulfil the oath of God to him and us, that God sware, and ends and forbids the oath that men sware unto God under the law in the old time: and now commands yea and nay to be spoken in lieu of an oath, for whatsoever is more than that, is evil.

And the apostle saith, Colos. iii. 17. whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of Jesus Christ.' &c.

Now mark, this comprehends all that ever a man does or says in word or deed, it must be done in the name of Jesus, whose name is above every name.'

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- And in Joshua ii. it may be seen how Rahab the harlot, said unto the spies, now therefore I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord.' So you may see though she was of another nation, and a harlot, yet the spies did swear unto her by the Lord, according to her desire, and this oath was to be performed unto the Lord:' she did not tie them to swear to her by the books of Moses, nor desire it, nor by their own customary oaths of her country, but by the Lord, which was to be performed to the Lord' and this is the oath that Christ ends, and sets up yea and nay instead of it.

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And in Joshua xxiii. it is said, that ye come not amongst those nations, that remain among you, neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them:' here you may see it was forbidden to swear by the gods of other nations, but only to swear by the name of the Lord which was the true oath that Christ ends.

So this one oath by the Lord, that people was to swear by his name in the time of the law, it was a type of that oath that the Lord sware concerning his Son, who ends and forbids this true oath in the old time of the law, who comes to fulfil the law, and gathers people into his own name above every name, where salvation is; and commands them, let their yea yea, and nay, nay, for whatsoever is more is evil.' And in 1 Sam. xix. when Saul sware, it was by the Lord, not by books nor creatures.

be

And in 1 Sam. xxiv. David when he sware unto Saul, it was by the

Lord, and not by books nor creatures, nor by the gods of other nations; and this was the true oath which was to be performed to the Lord in the old law, which Christ forbids and ends.

And in 1 Sam. xxx. 'the young man of Egypt that was servant to Amalek; who said unto David, swear unto me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, nor deliver me unto my master.' &c.

And so here you may see though they were of other nations, it was in vain to put any oath to the Jews but the oath of the Lord, which was to be performed to the Lord in the old law, which Christ forbids, and ends, and his apostle James. James v. 12.

And Joab, 2 Sam. xix. when he 'sware to David it was by the Lord.' And in 1 Kings when David sware to Bathsheba, that Solomon should reign after him, it was by the Lord, and when David sware that Shimei should not die,' it was by the Lord, as you may see in 1 Kings ii.

And when Solomon sware, it was by the Lord; and when he made Shimei to swear, it was by the Lord, though he broke it, which was to have been performed to the Lord.

And Solomon saith in 1 Kings viii. if a man trespass against his neighbour, and he require an oath of him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before the altar in this house: then hear thou in heaven, and judge thy servants, and condemn the wicked.' So here you may see the use of the true oath, and swearing by the Lord, and it was to come before his altar in his house; which house, and oath, and altar, and law, has Christ ended and fulfilled; and all these before mentioned did not swear by books or creatures, or any other name, but by the Lord in the old time, which was to be performed to the Lord.'

So this oath and swearing was to end the trespass; and Christ comes to end trespasses, and swearing,' and the oath, and to blot out our sins and trespasses, and sets up yea and nay instead of the true oath which was to be performed to the Lord, and whatsoever is more is evil.'

And in 2 Chron. xv. ' And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and all Judah rejoiced at the oath which they had sworn with all their hearts.' &c.

So here you may see again that swearing was by the Lord, and to the Lord, and not by any books or creatures, but only to the Lord, and 'to be performed to him, (which, as I said before,) this is the oath which Christ forbids and ends.'

And Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah swear by God,' for he knew that that was the oath he was to take, and not force him to swear by his own god or idols, as you may see. 2 Chron. xxxvi.

So this was the true oath to swear by the Lord, though he did not perform it, which Christ ends.

And in Nehem. xiii. he made the people to swear by God,' which