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modeft way of Affirmation or Negation, without backing it with any thing like an Oath.

And this would lead me to the last thing in the Words, Our Saviour's Direction, (for avoiding of common Swearing) to the Veracity and Simplicity of Difcourfe. But this, for want of time, I must refer to another Opportunity.

Now to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, be all Praife, &c.

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SERMON XXVI.

But let

MATT. V. 37.

your Communication be yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatfoever is more than thefe, cometh of

Evil.

HA

The Fourth Sermon on this Text.

AVING, in fome former Discourses on our Saviour's Explication of the Third Commandment, obferved both what was good and commendable, and what was faulty and defective in the Doctrine of the Jewish Teachers upon this Commandment; I came at laft to our Saviour's Improvements upon it, of which I took Notice of these Four,

I. That he condemns all rash customary Swearing in Converfation.

II. That he difallows of all fwearing by the Creatures.

III. That he Afferts the Obligation of several Oaths which they made void and elufory.

IV. That he enjoins fuch a Simplicity and Veracity in Converfation, that we may be trufted upon our Word without an Oath.

Now having fpoke to the Three first of these, I come now to the Fourth and Laft, our Saviour's

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Doctrine

[SERM, Doctrine concerning the Simplicity and Veracity we are to use in Converfation, from these Words which I have read; But let your Communication be yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than thefe, cometh of evil. In which Words we have,

1. First a Precept; but let be yea, yea; nay, nay.

your

Communication

2. Secondly, The Reafon of this Precept; For whatfoever is more than thefe, cometh of evil.

I. I begin with the Precept, in which, for finding out the Meaning of it, we must enquire what is to be understood by the Word Communication, and then what by its being yea, yea; nay,

nay.

1. As to the Word Communication, it is in the Original ayos, Speech, or Discourse,

2. And as to its being, yea, yea; nay, nay; there are two things which I take to be meant by that; firft, as to the Form of our Speech, that it fhould be plain and fimple, not involved in Equivocation, not stuffed with Compliments, or interlarded with Oaths; but by bare Affirmations or Negations expreffing our Mind. Secondly, as to the Matter, that our Speech be True and Sincere, not flattering, falfe, diffembling, or inconftant, but that we be Men of our Word; which will fo establish our Reputation, that there will be no need of backing our Words with Oaths,

.

From the Words of the Precept then, thus explained, there are thefe Three Things worthy of our Obfervation.

1. That our Saviour's Doctrine about Oaths is to be reftrained to Speech or Difcourfe, and not

to

be extended, as the Quakers and Anabaptists do, to the whole Life and Converfation.

2. That it is our Duty to use a Simplicity in Discourse, by plain Affirmation or Negation.

3. That it is our Duty to be True and Sincere in our Speech and Difcourfe; contrary to Flattery, Falfhood, Inconftancy, and all other Species of Infincerity.

I. That our Saviour's Doctrine about Oaths, is to be reftrained to Speech or Difcourfe, and not to be extended to the whole Life and Converfation; for which I will offer briefly thefe two or three Reasons. 1. That the Original Word ayos, fignifies Speech, but never the Life and Converfation. 2. That there are feveral Sentences and Precepts in Scripture, which, taken alone, are manifeftly too general, and must be limited by the Antithefis or oppofite Sentence which follows. I will give you an Inftance or two of this for your clearer understanding it. Solomon fays, Prov. xv. 15. All the Days of the Afflicted are Evil. To take this Sentence alone, it is a very ftrange Doctrine; and feems utterly Inconfiftent with one of our Saviour's Precepts, where he commands us to rejoice and be exceeding glad, when we are perfecuted for Righteoufnefs fake: But the following Antithefis clears the whole Matter, which is in thefe Words; But be that is of a merry Heart hath a continual Feaft. By which we understand, that by the Afflicted in the former part of the Sentence, is to be meant only the Melancholy, Dejected, Heart-broken Perfon, of whom it is certainly true, that he has never a good Day; for he it is who is the oppofite to him that is of a merry Heart: So when our Saviour fays, Lay

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not

vi. 19.

not up for your felves Treafures upon Earth, Matt. This would be very strange Doctrine, that Parents are not to lay any Thing up for their Children; that in a Year of Plenty we may not lay up for a Year of Scarcity; or that in those Callings which require great Stocks to manage them, Men may not lay in fuch Stocks. But the following Antithefis clears the whole Thing; But lay up for your felves Treafures in Heaven; from which we understand, that the preceding Prohi bition relates only to fuch a laying up of Treasure upon Earth, as withdraws our Hearts from Heaven. So when our Saviour fays, Job. vi, 27. Labour not for the Meat which perisheth; This would be a strange Precept, as if we were forbid Diligence in a lawful Calling; but the following Antithefis explains it, but Labour for that Meat which endureth to everlasting Life; for this fhews us, that the Meaning of the Precept, is only that the Labour forbid, is such a Labour as hinders our Labouring for Heaven. So here, to look on the first Part of the Discourse, one would think all Oaths whatsoever are forbid, till we come to what our Saviour fets in Opposition to it; but let your Speech or Communication be yea, yea; nay, nay; which fhews us that his Intent was only to banish the common Oaths which Men bring in, in their ordinary Speech one with another: Oaths being to be referved for graver Purposes, than our common Talk and Difcourfe. 3. And that this must be the Sense, and not a total Prohibition of all Oaths, appears from feveral other Paffages of Scripture, where they are Honourably spoke of, and made a Part of the Honour peculiarly due to Almighty God. But having spoke to this at the

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