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the chriftian churches, to confirm his Rom.i. 9. affertions by oaths. -God is my witness, Gal. i. 20. whom I ferve in the gospel of his fon. Now the things which I write unto you, behold, 2 Cor. xi. before God, I lie not. The God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. You fee, the Apostle Paul makes use of oaths, both in effect, and in very express terms: Not indeed by heaven, nor by the earth, nor any other fuch like oath: he feeks no fuch vain fubterfuges against profaneness or perjury; but fwears, as he lived, in fim2Cor.i.12. plicity as well as fincerity, by the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Christ, than which a more awful name is not to be uttered by the voice of man.

I Cor.iii.5.

But who is Paul, or who is Apollos? That very God and Father of our Lord hath ftrengthened his own promises, to thofe that trust in him, by the confirmation of an oath. Be it, that the use of oaths is founded upon the corruption of our na

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ture, upon our falfhood and inftability; the Almighty, at leaft, is free from this suspicion: He is not to be charged with infincerity. Yet God, willing more abun- Hebr. vi. dantly to fhew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counfel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, that is, his immutable counsel, and inviolable oath, in which it was impoffible for God to lie, we might have a strong confolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope fet before us.

But if, in imitation of the plain example of the Supreme Being himself, and in oppofition, as we think, to none of his commands, in caufes of importance, for the fake of truth, in support of justice, at the call of charity, we engage our religion as well as honour, and submit to be bound by this accumulated obligation; let us not forget to imitate the fame perfect pattern in that fidelity also and truth, which may render the affiftance of oaths as little necef

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neceffary as poffible. This at least we may do fafely; without danger of offending God, and without cenfure from any fect of Chriftians. Whether it be lawful to fwear, or not; it is certainly a duty to fpeak truth, and to act honeftly. The controversy concerning oaths would come to a very defirable end, if all parties would but draw this conclufion from it.

However we may differ from those who fcruple the use of oaths, we must agree with them in this; that the most certain and unexceptionable way of gaining credit, is always to speak Truth. And if they be careful to give us this fecurity to rely upon, we have not much reason to complain of the exchange. Their practice will be the best vindication of their profeffions. Though we do right, on our Rom. xiv. part, to be fully perfuaded in our own mind;

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we may well permit them to plead confcience, who can give the moft inviolable fidelity for a proof of their conscientious

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nefs: let them freely enjoy any distinction or privilege, fo long as they never use it for a cloke of malicioufnefs, or of fraud.

I Pet. ii. 16.

And perfons of all perfuafions on this fubject, or on any other, may do well to reflect, that God is witness of every thing. Whether we invoke him or not, ftill he is prefent. Though we cautiously decline the use of his holy name, and fubftitute fome object of lefs veneration in his place; or if we trifle with him by mental refervations, or by putting to words a fense of our own, different from that which is acknowledged and understood; or if we refuse to swear at all from pretended or real fcruples; all these evafive expedients will be found infufficient to screen our infincerity from his refentment: Falfhood is offenfive to him, as certainly as Perjury. Lying lips are abomination to Prov. xii. the Lord. The Lord fhall root out all de- Pf. xii. 3. ceitful lips. Lord, who shall dwell in thy Pl.xv.1,2, even he that leadeth an un

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corrupt life, and doeth the thing which is right, and fpeaketh the truth from his heart; he that hath used no deceit in his tongue, nor done evil to his neighbour. He that jweareth unto his neighbour, or if he have not fworn unto him, disappointeth him not, though it were to his own hindrance. Whofo doeth these things shall never fall.

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