Jones on Article XXXIX: Of a Christian man's Oath
Thomas R. Jones, 1849
Commentaries on Article XXXIX: Rogers (1607)Ellis (1660)Burnet (1699)Beveridge (d. 1708)Welchman (1713)Practical Exposition (1716)Veneer (1725)Madan (1772)Hey (1796)Tomline (1799)Wilson (1821)Jones (1849)Trollope (1850)Browne (1850)Forbes (1867)Boultbee (1871)Maclear & Williams (1895)Green (1896)Gibson (1896)Jackson (1900)Bicknell (1919) · Article 39: text, context and Study
Article XXXIX. Of a Christian man's Oath
As we confess that vain and rash Swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ, and James his Apostle, so we judge, that Christian Religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the Magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the Prophet's teaching, in justice, judgement, and truth.
Text: Book of Common Prayer (1662)
Cleaned OCR; [...] marks passages cut for illegibility. See the scan. Text: An Exposition of the Thirty-nine Articles by the Reformers, being extracts carefully and fully selected from the works of Latimer, Ridley, Cranmer, Hooper, Jewel, Philpot, Pilkington, Coverdale, Becon, Bradford, Sandys, Grindal and others, by the Rev. Thomas R. Jones (London, 1849). Cleaned OCR from the Internet Archive scan; passages too garbled to recover are marked [...]. Public domain.
” May magistrates then lawfully require an oath of their sub- jects? Yes, most lawfully. Where is that declared in the word of God? We read that Abraham required an oath of his servant ; and the servant swore — at his master’s commandment. King Abimelech required an oath of Abraham, which was a
stranger in his land ; and Abraham did swear Divers such
like examples are to be found in the holy scriptures, w:hich do plainly declare that christian men may lawfully take an oath when it is required of them by such as are in authority. Arc not these the words of the law of God. ’ If a man delivers his neighbour money or vessels to keep, and it be stolen from him out of his house ; if the thief be found, he shall restore double. But if the thief be not found, then shall the good man of the house be brought before the gods, (that is to say, before the magistrates or head rulers) and shall swear that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour’s good.’ ” — Catechism of the Law.
” There is two manner of oaths ; the one of custom or of sport ; the other serious and grave, required and taken before
the magistrate or judge. The first is devilish, damnable, and naught of every part, and forbidden by God to all christian men. The other that is taken for the glory of God, the defence of the truth, or help of a man’s neighbour, as necessity shall require,
Read at the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/expositionofthir00jone