Look at things spiritual, (the Church) and things temporal, (the world) and say if you can, that the same attitude, the same passions, and worldly wisdom, are not as visibly active in the one, as in the other. For if Christ at leaving the world had said to his disciples, "labor to be rich; make full provision for the flesh; be conformed to the world; court the favor and interest of great men. Clothe yourselves with all the worldly honors, distinctions, and powers you can get"; I appeal to every man, whether Churches need to do any thing else, than that which they now do, and have done for ages, to prove their faithfulness to such a Master, and their full obedience to His precepts. And now, what is all this in truth and reality, but the same whore riding upon the same beast, not here or there, but through all fallen Christendom, where God has only, in every age, people, and language, His seven thousands, who have not bowed the knee to mammon? (riches)

Can it be said that Mammon (riches) is less served by Christians, than by Jews and Infidels? Or can there be a fuller proof that Christians, Jews, and Infidels, are equally fallen from God and all divine worship, since truth itself has told us, that we cannot serve God and mammon? (riches) Is not this as unalterable a truth, and as great a truth, as if it had been said, You cannot serve God and Baal? Or can it with any truth or sense be affirmed, that the one who serves riches has more of Christ in him than the man that serves Baal, or is less an Idolater because he is called a Christian, a Jew, or an Infidel? Look at all of those things which Christ charged upon the Jewish Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, and you will see them all acted out again in the fallen state of Christendom. And if God's prophet Hosea were again in the world, he would have just the same complaints against the fallen Christian Church, as he had against the old carnal stiff-necked Jews, namely, "that of their Silver and Gold they had made themselves Idols," Hosea 7:4. For though Idol-Gods of Gold are not now worshipped either by Jews or Christians, yet silver and gold with that which belongs to them is the mammon god, that sits and reigns in their hearts. How else could there be that universal strife through all Christendom, who should stand in the richest and highest place, to preach up the humility of Christ, and offer spiritual sacrifices unto God? What god but mammon could put into the hearts of Christ's ambassadors, to make, or want to make a gain of that gospel, which from the beginning to the end means nothing else but death to self, and separation from every view, temper, and affection, that has any connection with the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life? Our blessed Lord said a word to the Jews, that must have made their ears to tingle, when he told them that they "had made his Father's house a den of thieves"; because sheep and oxen were sold, and money-changers were sitting in the outer court of the temple. Now if you will say, that mammon has brought forth no profanation like this in our Christian Church, your best proof must be this, because our Church-sale, is not oxen and sheep, but holy things, cures of souls, the selling of insurance, and real estate etc., and our money-changers, our buyers, and sellers, are chiefly consecrated persons.

Again, "You have heard," says our Lord, "That it has been said by them of old; you shall not forswear yourself, but shall perform unto the Lord your oaths." The Jews practiced promissory oaths, and thought all was well, when there was a performance of them. But this, with numbers of other Jewish practices, was not to be allowed in this kingdom of God, that was then come into the world. Christ totally rejects, and absolutely forbids it, saying, "I say unto you, swear not at all." But instead, He appoints and absolutely demands a most perfect simplicity of language, to support and adorn the mutual interaction of those whom He had created again unto righteousness, and given power to become sons of God saying, "let your communication be "yes, yes", and "no, no", for whatever else is more than this, comes of evil." What more could have been done by Christ to prevent the use, or hinder the entrance of an oath into His Church? What then shall we say of the present Christendom? For if Christ had commanded the direct contrary, had He said, "behold I give you this new commandment," let not a simple yes and no be of any avail in all your communication, but let oaths be required of all that bear My name, as a proof that they belong to Me, and act in all their dealings as become Saints; "for whatsoever is less than this, comes of evil." Had this been Christ's new commandment, all the Churches of Christendom, Popish as well as Protestant, might have much to boast of their obedience to it. For through town and country, in all ignorant villages, in all learned colleges, in all courts spiritual and temporal, what with law-oaths, corporation-oaths, office-oaths, trade-oaths, qualification-oaths, election-oaths, etc, There is more swearing and forswearing, than all history reports of any idol-worshipping nations doing. It was said of old, "Because of swearing, the land mourns"; it is full as true to say now, because of swearing, the land rejoices in iniquity, is full of profaneness, and without any fear or awe of the Divine Majesty, daily swallowing down all manner of oaths, in the same good state of mind, and with as much serious reflection, as drunkards swallow down their liquor. "He that despises Me," says Christ, "Despises not Me, but Him that sent Me." Can that Church, or nation, which absolutely requires that which Christ has absolutely forbidden, be free from the most open and public despising of Christ, which in full contrariety to His express word, refuses the sufficiency of that yes and no, which He has commanded to be sufficient. What is still more astonishing, compels all orders of Christians to swear by that very book, which says to all, whether high or low, prince, priest, or people, swear not at all?

If the swearing law was to order, that instead of kissing the Bible, the swearer should say, "In remembrance of, and in regard to the words of Christ, forbidding me to swear, I make this oath," who would not see the open contempt of Christ and His Gospel? But the contempt of both is as truly there, when the Bible is kissed by the swearer; for the Book has nothing relating to oaths, but those words of Christ, which absolutely forbid the use of them. Instead, of a "so help me God and His Holy Gospel," it might have been much better, if every swearing law through all Christendom had obliged every swearer to finish his oath with these words, "let God and His Holy Gospel pardon me in this one thing."

If it here be asked, whether I would have all private Christians to become beggar, and lose all their right and title to house and land, which by the laws of Christendom, cannot be preserved without certain promissory oaths? I say no. But my answer is, that as the Jews were of old carried captive into Babylon, so as real a captivity, and full as great, must happen to all private Christians, born and living under a fallen state of governing Christendom. For whether it be a Pope, or a Nebuchadnezzar, Popish, or Protestant Church governors, that make the goods and properties of private Christians, only possible to be possessed by obedience to their swearing laws, the captivity is the same. And as God bore with the want of a Jerusalem-worship in those Jews, whose captivity did not allow them to perform it, so it may well be hoped and believed, that He will bear with that want of Gospel purity, in the yes and no of private Christians, which their captivity under a fallen state of Christian government does not permit them to adhere to. And also, that the piety of private Christians, loving and longing after Gospel-purity of communication, under the Church-captivity, will be as acceptable to God, as the piety of captive Jews was, who though living under heathen laws, and forced to say their prayers in Babylon, yet they always had their eyes turned towards, and their hearts longing after Jerusalem and its holy worship.

What I write, is not to show that Christendom's oaths, and the manner of them, are not to be submitted to by any private good Christian, but to show in the plainest manner, that the laws of Christendom, which make them necessary, are a full proof that the spirit which governs all Christendom, is fallen away from the Spirit of Christ. And also to show, that gross impiety runs through all the Christian world,

When the matter of an oath is a manifest lie, or an engagement to do some wicked thing, all is to be suffered, rather than take it. But where there is nothing false or bad, affirmed or promised, nor any blame chargeable, but that of going further than our Lord's "yes" and "no," it is plain from

But here let it be well observed, that nothing that has here been said, is intended to blame the piety of those, who on no account whatsoever will be prevailed upon to take any kind of oath, because our Lord and Master has said, "swear not at all." I am so far from blaming this, or looking upon it, as the effect of a false or blind piety, that I wish with all my heart, it may come to be the piety of all the three estates of this Kingdom; and that all swearing, whether in secular or religious matters, may by all the authority of the nation be as utterly condemned, as absolutely renounced, and declared to be as antichristian, as the Pope's supremacy. In a word, that which calls for, and requires oaths among Christians, requires that which Christ forbids; but governing Christendom everywhere establishes, requires, and even compels Christians to swear, therefore governing Christendom is fallen from Christ, and acts by and through that spirit, which being contrary to Christ, is and must be called antichrist.