Defensor, Liber Scintillarum Chapter 36. On Oaths

Defensor, Liber Scintillarum Chapter 36. On Oaths

"The Book of Sparks," written c. 650-750 CE by Defensor, a monk at St Martin's Abbey at Ligugé, France. Translation from Migne completed by me. Biblical verses based on Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner Version), modified and revised to fit the text in Migne and to reflect current translation norms. Translation of Isidore's "Sentences 2.31" taken from my own translation, available on this site.

Source: PL 88:665-666 

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Christ

• (Matthew 5)

You have heard that it was said to the ancients: Do not perjure yourself.

but pay your oaths to the Lord.

But I say to you: Do not swear at all, neither by heaven, nor by earth:

But let your speech be yes, yes: no, no:

that which is over and above these, is of evil.

• (Matthew 23)

He that swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and He who sits upon it.

Paul

• (Hebrews 6)

Men swear by one greater than themselves: and an oath for confirmation is the end of all their controversy.

Solomon

• (Proverbs 12)

He who lies is a fraudulent witness.

• (Sirach 23)

Do not accustom your mouth to swearing.

A man that swears much shall be filled with iniquity, and a scourge shall not depart from his house.

If he swears in vain, he shall not be justified.

Do not accustom your mouth to indiscreet speech: for therein is the word of sin.

Isidore of Seville

• (Sentences 2.31)

Just as a man who does not speak cannot lie, he who does not swear cannot swear falsely. It is not against the commandment of God to swear, but when we make use of swearing, we leave ourselves open to a charge of perjury. Therefore; never swear, for fear of perjury.
Many, in order to deceive, perjure themselves, so that through faith in the oath, they authorize the deceptive words; when they perjure and lie, they deceive a man. Sometimes we are deceived, being seduced by false tears: and we believe, while they weep, those who ought not to be believed at all.
Mostly we take ourselves to talk without an oath, but one's disbelief forces us to swear. When such necessity arises, we make usage of swearing. Many who are not moved to put trust in a statement are slow to believe. But they who compel those speaking to them to swear commit a great offence.

 By whatever artful word a man swears, God, who witnesses the conscience, receives it as it is understood by the one to whom it is sworn. This man is twice guilty: first by taking the Lord's name in vain and second by deceiving his neighbour.
An oath which recklessly promised evil, is not to be kept, as if one should swear to an adulteress a promise to remain with her forever. For it is more tolerable to not fulfill an oath, than to remain forever defiled from a shameful crime.