On Swearing
R. Clerke, D. D. Jeremiah 4:1-4 If you will return, O Israel, said the LORD, return to me: and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight… I. THE COMMAND. Did Christ countermand this? (Matthew 5:34.) The Son forbid in the Gospel what the Father bids in the law? God bids thee swear, so thy oath be truthful and needful; Christ forbids swearing which is truthless and needless. II. THE FORM. God bade us swear; now He tells us how. "The Lord liveth." It is, then, impiety to swear by creatures. God prevents all evasion by the name He here gives — "the Lord"; not any god the swearer would substitute, as some swear by angels, called in Scripture "Elohim," and superstition worships them as gods. III. THREE PARTICULARS. 1. "In truth." Perjury is impious — makes that which is the sign and seal of truth, the cloak of falsehood. 2. "In judgment." Swear not upon guess only. 3. "In righteousness." To any act against right or religion bind not thyself, let not any bind thee. (R. Clerke, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove. WEB: "If you will return, Israel," says Yahweh, "if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you shall not be removed;