Chapter 23 - Of Lawful Oaths and Vows

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A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, wherein the person swearing in truth, righteousness, and judgment, solemnly calls God to witness what he swears, and to judge him according to the truth or falseness thereof.

Scripture References

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    • Exodus 20: 7

      7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

    • Deuteronomy 10: 20

      20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.

    • Jeremiah 4: 2

      2 And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
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    • 2 Chronicles 6: 22-23

      22 If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house; 23 Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.

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The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear; and therein it is to be used, with all holy fear and reverence; therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred; yet as in matter of weight and moment, for confirmation of truth, and ending all strife, an oath is warranted by the word of God; so a lawful oath being imposed by lawful authority in such matters, ought to be taken.

Scripture References

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    • Matthew 5: 34, 37
    • James 5: 12

      12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

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    • Hebrews 6: 16

      16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

    • 2 Corinthians 1: 23

      23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

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    • Nehemiah 13: 25

      25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying , Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

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Whosoever takes an oath warranted by the word of God, ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he knows to be truth; for that by rash, false, and vain oaths, the Lord is provoked, and for them this land mourns.

Scripture References

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    • Leviticus 19: 12

      12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD .
    • Jeremiah 23: 10

      10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.

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An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation.

Scripture References

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    • Psalms 24: 4

      4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

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A vow, which is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone, is to be made and performed with all religious care and faithfulness; but popish monastical vows of perpetual single life, professed poverty, and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.

Scripture References

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    • Psalms 76: 11

      11 Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.
    • Genesis 28: 20-22

      20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
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    • 1 Corinthians 7: 2, 9
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    • Ephesians 4: 28

      28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

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    • Matthew 19: 11

      11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.