A copy of a paper sent to John Otway, Justice of the Peace, concerning swearing
Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.
1666
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A70287
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A copy of a paper sent to John Otway, Justice of the Peace, concerning swearing
Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.
[8] p.
s.n.,
[London :
1666?]
Caption title.
Signed at end: Francis Howgill.
This item appears at reel 591:14 bound following Wing C1514, "A journal of the life of ... Will. Caton," and at reel 2209:8.
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A
Copy
of
a
Paper
sent
to
John
Otway
,
Justice
of
the
Peace
,
concerning
SWEARING
.
My
Friend
,
THo
I
am
little
known
to
thee
,
or
acquainted
with
thee
,
as
to
any
Converse
or
Conversation
,
yet
hearing
of
thy
sobriety
,
and
readiness
to
hear
and
enquire
into
those
things
which
are
scrupled
among
Christians
;
and
what
may
be
said
for
or
against
any
thing
wherein
every
true
Christian
ought
to
be
satisfied
in
his
mind
,
before
he
can
believe
and
receive
it
as
a
Truth
(
to
have
his
Conscience
obliged
thereby
)
which
I
account
a
point
of
Wisdom
,
and
not
to
take
things
upon
Trust
,
and
Hear-say
,
and
Tradition
as
many
do
,
without
any
further
enquiry
;
Also
understanding
,
that
thou
hast
not
a
hand
in
Persecuting
thy
Neighbour
,
in
bringing
them
into
Bonds
,
and
others
which
I
know
thou
mightst
have
done
,
had
not
somthing
in
thy self
limited
thee
beyond
either
Law
or
Examples
,
which
I
hope
thou
wilt
never
have
cause
to
repent
thee
for
:
For
the
Meek
shall
inherit
the
Earth
;
and
to
the
Merciful
God
sheweth
Mercy
.
And
If
ever
there
was
an
Act
of
Mercy
,
this
is
one
,
To
be
tender
of
them
that
are
tender
of
Gods
Glory
and
Worship
,
when
so
great
severity
hath
been
used
against
them
that
fear
the
Lord
in
their
hearts
,
which
is
the
Seat
of
the
Lords
Judgment
in
Man.
Likewise
hearing
,
that
thou
at
a
publick
Session
at
Kendall
lately
,
in
thy
Charge
or
Speech
in
the
Court
,
spoke
something
about
Oaths
,
and
the
lawfulness
of
them
,
and
said
that
some
gave
false
Glosses
upon
Matth.
5.
and
James
5.
and
did
assert
the
Morality
of
them
among
Christians
,
and
how
the
Angel
Swore
after
Christ
had
given
that
Command
;
and
shewed
a
necessity
of
them
among
Christians
.
The
Consideration
of
these
things
,
with
some
other
,
was
an
inducement
unto
me
,
to
write
these
few
things
unto
thee
,
and
shall
leave
them
to
thy
Consideration
,
,
and
to
the
Spirit
of
the
Lord
in
thy self
to
Judge
according
to
that
,
and
seeing
I
am
a
Sufferer
at
this
day
,
and
a
great
one
too
,
upon
this
account
,
which
If
I
were
not
certainly
perswaded
upon
good
ground
of
the
truth
of
that
I
have
believed
in
this
particular
,
I
neither
could
nor
would
suffer
for
it
;
but
I
must
not
forcean
implicit
Faith
upon
any
,
only
Judging
it
may
induce
thee
the
more
to
consider
what
I
say
.
I
have
had
my
share
of
long
Contests
about
this
thing
amongst
my
Brethren
,
and
much
hath
been
written
about
this
particular
by
divers
Hands
,
whether
any
of
them
ever
reached
thy
hand
or
not
;
but
however
,
I
would
not
be
tedious
unto
thee
,
and
therefore
shall
contain
my self
in
as
narrow
a
compass
as
may
be
in
so
weighty
a
matter
,
for
which
many
thousands
have
and
are
like
to
suffer
.
First
of
all
,
There
was
a
time
when
there
was
no
Oaths
,
When
Man
was
made
in
the
Image
of
God
,
which
consists
in
Righteousness
and
true
Holiness
,
Equity
,
long
suffering
,
Patience
,
Goodness
,
Mercy
and
Truth
,
wherein
man
was
in
a
capacity
to
believe
in
God
,
and
men
to
believe
one
another
:
this
was
in
the
beginning
after
the
Heavens
and
the
Earth
was
made
,
and
all
things
that
are
therein
;
Then
there
were
no
Oaths
,
neither
needed
any
,
for
Truth
lived
and
man
in
it
,
and
that
spoke
;
and
a
certainer
Testimony
there
could
not
be
,
nor
a
greater
:
and
this
was
before
Sin
and
Unbelief
entred
.
2.
Whosoever
comes
to
witness
a
restoration
again
into
the
same
Image
by
Christ
,
the
second
Adam
,
as
all
that
are
born
of
God
and
are
true
Christians
indeed
do
come
to
,
there
will
be
nothing
but
Truth
speaking
and
ruling
in
the
heart
,
and
in
the
words
:
and
Oaths
ends
.
3.
But
after
man
had
transgressed
,
and
eaten
of
the
Tree
of
Knowledge
of
Good
and
Evil
,
and
went
from
the
power
of
God
,
and
had
broken
the
Covenant
of
God
,
he
lost
his
wisdom
,
and
folly
entred
;
he
lost
Truth
and
a
Lye
entred
and
Unbelief
:
so
that
he
believed
not
God
,
neither
the
Sons
of
Adam
in
the
Fall
could
believe
one
another
;
and
Sin
being
entred
,
and
Death
by
it
,
Deceit
grew
fast
and
Unbelief
,
and
but
a
few
in
a
Generation
bore
the
Image
of
God
before
the
Flood
,
as
Abel
,
Enoch
and
Seth
,
and
some
few
in
comparison
;
and
the
rest
generally
corrupted
their
waies
,
and
bore
another
Image
,
and
went
after
the
imagination
of
their
own
hearts
,
and
set
up
Images
and
Idols
;
and
also
after
the
Flood
when
the
earth
began
to
be
replenished
,
the
cursed
Seed
grew
faster
,
and
many
great
Nations
became
ignorant
of
the
True
God
,
and
made
Gods
of
Gold
and
Silver
,
Wood
and
Stone
,
and
reverenced
them
,
and
Worshipped
them
,
and
stood
in
fear
of
them
,
and
had
them
in
esteem
;
and
Swore
by
them
as
the
greatest
thing
,
and
gloried
in
them
.
4.
Abraham
who
feared
the
Lord
,
and
hearkned
unto
his
Voice
,
whom
the
Lord
singled
out
of
many
people
,
as
a
righteous
Root
of
whom
he
would
raise
up
a
righteous
Generation
;
and
more
righteous
than
the
rest
of
the
Nations
,
and
made
a
Covenant
with
him
,
and
he
was
called
The
Father
of
the
Faithful
,
and
was
the
Original
of
all
the
Tribes
of
Israel
,
and
the
thousands
of
the
people
;
but
the
most
of
them
became
vain
also
,
and
as
corrupt
as
other
Nations
.
And
the
four
hundred
years
that
they
had
lived
among
the
Egyptians
,
they
learned
too
much
their
manners
,
and
were
much
corrupted
and
darkned
in
their
understandings
,
and
therefore
the
Lord
was
wroth
with
them
,
and
few
were
made
partakers
of
the
Promise
,
because
of
their
Unbelief
.
5.
The
Law
was
added
because
of
Transgression
four
hundred
and
thirty
years
after
the
Promise
was
made
;
or
as
some
account
from
the
Creation
two
thousand
years
,
which
Law
was
given
at
Sinai
to
Israel
,
and
not
to
the
Gentiles
;
as
it
is
written
to
Jacob
,
He
gave
his
Law
to
Israel
,
his
Statutes
to
every
Nation
he
did
not
so
;
which
Law
some
of
latter
times
have
divided
into
three
parts
,
Moral
,
Judaical
,
and
Ceremonial
:
which
distinction
I
do
not
read
of
particularly
in
the
Scripture
.
Moral
,
as
that
which
pertaineth
to
the
manner
of
Israel
,
how
they
ought
to
Worship
God
,
and
walk
towards
their
Neighbour
.
Ceremonial
,
that
which
pertained
to
the
Priests
and
People
,
as
to
Form
or
Discipline
,
which
was
shadowy
.
Judaical
,
as
that
which
belonged
to
their
Policy
or
State.
The
two
last
generally
are
acknowledged
(
if
I
may
say
parts
of
the
Law
)
to
be
ended
,
and
is
not
binding
unto
Christians
;
but
the
first
part
,
some
have
said
,
is
Moral
and
perpetual
;
the
discussing
of
which
would
take
up
more
time
and
reading
than
I
intend
to
trouble
thee
with
.
6.
Seeing
the
Law
,
all
of
it
was
added
because
of
(
Transgression
)
that
was
the
cause
its
evident
,
If
there
had
been
no
Transgression
there
had
needed
no
addition
of
a
Law
,
as
a
limit
or
rule
:
so
whosoever
comes
thro
Christ
Jesus
,
to
witness
Transgression
finished
,
and
an
end
of
Sin
,
they
become
dead
to
the
Law
(
tho
they
are
not
without
a
Law
to
God
)
for
it
hath
power
over
a
man
as
long
as
he
lives
,
to
convict
him
,
and
Judge
him
;
but
being
come
to
the
Image
of
God
against
such
,
there
is
no
Law
,
tho
they
are
not
without
one
,
as
I
said
,
to
God
and
his
Christ.
7.
But
because
the
Lord
would
not
suffer
Israel
to
walk
according
to
the
Heathen
,
he
in
love
to
them
,
gave
them
a
Law
sutable
to
the
State
they
were
in
before
the
Seed
Christ
was
manifest
,
and
the
Covenant
was
sutable
to
their
state
;
their
minds
was
outward
;
and
their
Covenant
was
outward
:
their
minds
was
mutable
,
their
Covenant
was
so
;
and
these
pertained
to
a
part
above
the
Seed
,
and
were
shadows
of
good
things
to
come
,
which
ended
all
in
Christ
(
tho
not
destroyed
)
so
the
Tabernacle
,
Temple
,
Priests
,
Oblations
and
Offerings
;
Sabbaths
,
Fasts
,
Feasts
,
Oaths
,
Tythes
,
Circumcision
,
and
the
like
,
tho
they
were
all
real
Commands
of
God
in
their
time
,
and
continued
unto
the
time
of
Reformation
,
that
is
,
till
the
Law
ended
,
and
the
Priesthood
,
Covenant
and
Hebrews
.
8.
It
is
granted
by
us
in
the
Covenant
,
the
Jews
might
Swear
,
and
did
in
Truth
and
Righteousness
,
and
were
Commanded
so
to
do
,
to
Swear
by
the
true
God
,
and
reverence
his
Name
and
sanctifie
it
;
and
least
they
should
Swear
as
the
Heathens
did
by
their
false
Gods
,
and
reverence
them
that
are
no
Gods
,
he
Commanded
to
Swear
,
and
fear
and
reverence
his
Name
that
was
the
living
God
;
and
I
look
upon
it
as
the
low
condescention
of
God
,
or
stooping
to
them
in
their
state
they
were
in
,
because
there
was
Unbelief
in
them
;
therefore
to
end
strife
they
might
Swear
,
and
it
was
permitted
them
,
even
as
it
was
to
have
a
King
when
their
hearts
was
set
upon
it
;
so
the
Lord
considering
their
state
,
the
Lord
Swore
by
himself
,
for
their
sakes
,
and
as
they
Swore
by
the
greatest
;
so
he
by
himself
,
being
there
was
no
greater
to
confirm
the
Truth
of
his
words
,
because
of
the
weakness
of
their
Faith
,
or
rather
Unbelief
.
9.
But
we
do
not
read
of
all
the
Oaths
amongst
the
Jews
for
some
there
was
that
feared
an
Oath
,
that
ever
they
were
imposed
under
any
outward
penalties
,
as
they
have
been
of
late
among
Christians
in
name
;
but
for
all
the
Scriptures
and
Examples
that
have
been
or
can
be
brought
,
to
prove
Oaths
lawful
under
that
Ministration
and
Covenant
to
save
all
men
the
labour
,
who
would
contend
for
the
Jews
Swearing
,
we
allow
the
same
and
assent
to
them
;
so
thus
them
that
will
contend
and
prove
Swearing
,
then
they
shall
contend
without
an
Adversary
for
me
or
that
People
I
own
in
Judgment
.
10.
But
the
great
thing
that
seems
to
carry
all
the
weight
on
its
back
,
is
the
Morality
of
it
still
among
Christians
,
as
some
plead
;
unto
which
I
answer
,
Was
not
the
Sabbath
of
the
Jews
,
as
Moral
of
that
of
Oaths
,
or
any
other
Command
in
the
Ten
,
or
elsewhere
,
which
I
have
heard
some
Parish
Priests
say
was
Moral
and
perpetual
among
Christians
,
and
yet
they
themselves
break
it
by
practice
;
the
Command
reached
only
to
the
Seventh
day
,
and
whoso
alters
it
,
lets
up
another
thing
,
and
then
how
is
it
Moral
.
The
like
Doctrine
they
teach
about
Oaths
,
and
hath
darkned
peoples
understandings
without
distinguishing
betwixt
time
and
time
,
and
Ministration
and
Ministration
;
but
some
say
,
Christ
came
not
to
destroy
the
Law
Moral
but
to
fulfil
it
;
it
is
granted
again
,
some
say
,
tho
they
very
far
strain
the
words
in
the
third
Commandment
,
we
are
not
only
forbidden
to
take
Gods
Name
in
vain
,
but
to
sanctifie
by
praying
,
praising
,
and
Swearing
upon
occasion
:
If
I
grant
all
these
under
the
Gospel
in
force
,
in
the
substance
as
under
the
Law
;
I
say
,
leave
nothing
of
the
shadow
,
or
Type
,
or
Ceremony
,
as
to
be
standing
or
binding
among
Christians
(
as
it
is
not
.
)
It
s
granted
,
the
substance
of
all
had
nothing
of
force
under
the
Gospel
:
For
the
Law
had
a
Shadow
of
good
things
to
come
that
came
by
Moses
,
but
the
Grace
,
the
Truth
came
by
Jesus
Christ
,
the
substance
(
and
he
is
the
substance
)
and
he
living
in
a
Christian
,
speaks
and
testifies
the
Truth
,
and
there
need
no
other
in
any
Judicature
,
and
that
was
never
denied
by
us
but
often
profered
,
but
seldom
received
.
Incense
was
the
Ceremony
of
praying
and
praising
,
but
the
substance
is
lifting
up
the
heart
to
the
Lord
,
from
the
motion
of
his
Spirit
▪
and
Praising
is
making
melody
in
the
heart
to
the
Lord.
And
Circumcision
of
the
heart
is
the
substance
of
the
Circumcision
in
the
Flesh
,
Rom.
2.
And
Christ
the
substance
of
the
Passover
;
and
Christ
is
the
substance
of
that
Shaddow
or
Ceremony
of
Swearing
,
and
that
which
every
Christian
ought
to
do
,
is
to
speak
the
Truth
,
and
to
testifie
the
Truth
from
the
heart
,
and
this
is
the
substance
,
and
that
which
is
required
under
the
Gospel
;
and
this
we
never
refused
,
and
this
divers
learned
men
hath
confessed
is
the
sum
;
read
Isa.
45.
23.
and
compare
Rom.
14.
&
11.
and
so
is
Confession
of
a
Truth
,
and
testifying
the
same
about
any
matter
,
be
not
equivolent
with
an
Oath
under
the
Law.
11.
As
for
Matthew
5.
and
James
5.
we
give
no
glosses
upon
them
,
but
do
receive
the
words
as
they
are
,
the
Precepts
of
Christ
and
James
;
and
we
cannot
allow
all
those
Glossers
,
who
would
pervert
their
words
from
their
jenuine
sence
,
which
we
take
clearly
to
be
a
limitation
from
all
Swearing
whatsoever
under
the
Gospel
;
and
not
only
in
Communication
,
but
even
before
all
men
,
and
at
all
times
;
not
only
from
vain
Oaths
,
and
false
Swearing
,
and
by
the
Creatures
,
but
from
all
Swearing
whatsoever
,
the
Scripture
is
so
evident
and
so
clear
,
that
its
much
that
any
should
stumble
at
the
Commands
;
the
very
stop
of
the
Chapter
clears
the
thing
;
yea
,
even
some
who
have
contended
against
us
,
have
been
made
to
confess
that
the
perfection
of
obedience
required
under
the
Gospel
,
was
above
that
the
Mosaical
Law
did
exact
or
teach
;
and
from
these
Scriptures
,
so
Dr.
Gauden
and
Vsher
,
the
one
contended
against
the
Quakers
,
the
other
for
the
Waldenses
against
the
Romanists
.
Christ
saith
of
old
time
it
hath
been
said
,
Thou
shalt
not
kill
;
Thou
shalt
not
commit
Adultery
;
Thou
shalt
not
for
swear
thy self
,
nor
by
the
Creatures
;
and
if
they
were
not
to
Swear
by
them
alone
,
nor
the
Altar
,
neither
Head
nor
Foot
,
then
,
why
now
by
the
Bible
or
upon
a
Book
,
seeing
that
it
s
made
of
Creatures
?
But
it
s
said
by
the
Contents
of
the
Book
what
doth
the
Book
contain
more
then
true
words
;
and
if
the
Heaven
of
Heavens
cannot
contain
him
,
I
am
sure
the
Book
cannot
.
Away
with
this
Imposed
Traditional
Ceremony
.
But
Christ
saith
,
Whosoever
is
angry
with
his
Brother
,
is
in
danger
of
Judgment
.
And
again
,
Love
your
Enemies
;
And
whoso
looks
upon
a
woman
,
and
lusteth
after
her
,
hath
committed
Adultery
:
But
I
say
,
Swear
not
all
,
but
let
your
yea
be
yea
,
and
your
nay
,
nay
,
whatsoever
is
more
cometh
of
Evil
;
So
that
its
evident
he
speaks
of
a
further
perfection
of
obedience
under
the
Gospel
,
than
under
the
Law
:
For
if
it
be
only
vain
Oaths
and
false
Swearing
,
and
by
the
Creatures
that
he
prohibits
,
then
the
Law
had
said
as
much
,
and
he
said
no
more
than
the
Law
,
for
these
were
reproved
by
the
Law
;
but
its
manifest
he
required
a
more
exact
obedience
than
under
the
Law
;
and
likewise
those
things
that
had
been
permitted
because
of
the
hardness
of
their
hearts
,
he
took
away
and
brought
them
by
his
Doctrin
to
that
state
which
was
in
the
beginning
before
darkness
and
hardness
was
.
And
as
concerning
the
Angels
Swearing
,
to
which
of
the
Angels
said
he
,
Thou
art
my
Son
,
this
day
have
I
begotten
thee
?
And
again
,
I
bring
forth
my
first
begotten
Son
,
and
let
the
Angels
worship
him
:
and
therefore
the
Ministration
of
the
Son
is
above
the
Angels
,
and
both
Angels
and
their
Ministration
are
to
give
way
unto
Christ
,
and
he
must
be
worshipped
;
and
no
example
of
either
Angels
or
men
ought
or
can
violate
the
Commands
of
Christ.
12.
It
was
a
Doctrin
believed
and
received
among
the
Primitive
Christians
not
to
Swear
at
all
,
that
there
was
no
question
made
of
it
,
tho
in
the
times
of
Persecution
,
when
their
Liberties
and
Lives
lay
upon
it
,
yet
they
denied
to
Swear
,
and
keep
in
the
first
Gospel
Doctrin
taught
,
and
would
not
violate
it
.
A
Cloud
of
Witnesses
I
might
bring
to
confirm
the
truth
of
what
I
say
in
that
particular
,
but
that
I
intend
this
only
as
a
Manuscript
and
no
further
;
so
I
will
not
be
tedious
,
but
only
take
a
few
Fathers
whose
Doctrin
is
generally
received
.
Origen
saith
,
It
behooves
not
a
man
,
who
lives
according
to
the
Gospel
,
to
Swear
at
all
.
Chrysostome
forbids
not
only
Swearing
,
but
to
Swear
at
all
.
Jerom
,
The
Gospel
Truth
admits
not
of
an
Oath
.
Austin
,
Any
man
that
is
a
common
Swearer
,
no
more
credit
can
be
given
than
to
a
Lyar
,
a
thing
too
much
in
use
in
our
Age
,
yet
none
debarred
from
Swearing
in
Judicature
.
Jerom
upon
Mat.
5.
and
James
5.
These
are
his
words
,
It
was
permitted
to
the
Jews
,
being
in
wickedness
and
infancy
to
offer
Sacrifice
to
God
,
least
they
should
Sacrifice
to
Idols
,
so
they
might
Swear
by
God
,
not
that
it
was
righ
ful
so
to
do
,
but
because
it
was
better
to
Swear
by
the
Lord
,
than
by
false
Gods
or
Devils
;
but
the
great
Evangelical
Sincerity
and
Truth
admits
not
of
an
Oath
,
since
every
True
Saying
is
equivolent
thereunto
.
Theophalact
,
Hillary
,
Athanasius
,
Theodoret
,
and
Lactantius
,
and
others
taught
much
against
Swearing
without
any
limitation
.
Polybius
observes
in
the
best
and
purest
times
,
and
simpler
Ages
of
the
World
,
Oaths
were
never
used
in
Judicature
;
but
after
Unbelief
and
Lying
increased
,
Oaths
increased
.
Justin
Martyr
saith
,
It
was
enough
security
in
all
Cases
to
say
,
I
am
a
Christian
;
and
if
any
Oath
either
for
matter
or
manner
was
tendred
,
they
repeated
this
as
the
only
satisfaction
they
could
give
,
I
am
a
Christian.
Polycarpus
and
Basilides
,
both
Martyrs
,
denied
to
Swear
at
all
,
and
what
is
this
become
such
a
strange
,
new
,
and
dangerous
Doctrin
amongst
us
in
those
days
that
profess
Christianity
;
as
that
now
are
reckoned
good
Members
either
of
Church
or
State
but
Swearers
,
But
I
have
done
,
desiring
thee
to
peruse
these
things
over
in
the
same
love
that
I
writ
them
,
and
what
ever
thou
dost
hold
thy
hand
from
Persecution
,
for
assuredly
God
will
bring
a
rebuke
upon
the
Nation
for
it
,
and
all
them
that
withstand
the
Lord
in
his
People
.
Farewel
.
Thy
True
Friend
,
Francis
Howgill
.