The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

• Forward
• Chapter 1: Of the Holy Scriptures
• Chapter 2: Of God and of the Holy Trinity
• Chapter 3: Of God's Decree
• Chapter 4: Of Creation
• Chapter 5: Of Divine Providence
• Chapter 6: Of the Fall of Man, Of Sin, And of the Punishment Thereof
• Chapter 7: Of God's Covenant
• Chapter 8: Of Christ the Mediator
• Chapter 9: Of Free Will
• Chapter 10: Of Effectual Calling
• Chapter 11: Of Justification
• Chapter 12: Of Adoption
• Chapter 13: Of Sanctification
• Chapter 14: Of Saving Faith
• Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation
• Chapter 16: Of Good Works
• Chapter 17: Of The Perseverance of the Saints
• Chapter 18: Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation
• Chapter 19: Of the Law of God
• Chapter 20: Of the Gospel, and of the Extent of the Grace Thereof
• Chapter 21: Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience
• Chapter 22: Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.
• Chapter 23: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows
• Chapter 24: Of the Civil Magistrate
• Chapter 25: Of Marriage
• Chapter 26: Of the Church
• Chapter 27: Of the Communion of Saints
• Chapter 28: Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
• Chapter 29: Of Baptism
• Chapter 30: Of the Lord's Supper
• Chapter 31: Of the State of Man after Death and Of the Resurrection of the Dead.
• Chapter 32: Of the Last Judgment
• Closing Statement & Signatories

Chapter 23: Of Lawful Oaths and Vows

1. A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, wherein the person swearing in truth, righteousness, and judgement, solemnly calleth God to witness what he sweareth, and to judge him according to the truth or falseness thereof.
(Exod. 20:7; Deut. 10:20; Jer. 4:2; 2 Chron. 6:22, 23)

2. The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear; and therein it is to be used, with all holy fear and reverence; therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred; yet as in matter of weight and moment, for confirmation of truth, and ending all strife, an oath is warranted by the word of God; so a lawful oath being imposed by lawful authority in such matters, ought to be taken.
(Matt. 5:34, 37; James 5:12; Heb. 6:16, 2 Cor. 1:23; Neh. 13:25)

3. Whosoever taketh an oath warranted by the Word of God, ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he knoweth to be truth; for that by rash, false, and vain oaths, the Lord is provoked, and for them this land mourns.
(Levit. 19:12; Jer. 23:10)

4. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation.
(Ps. 24:4)

5. A vow, which is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone, is to be made and performed with all religious care and faithfulness; but popish monastical vows of perpetual single life, professed poverty, and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.
(Ps. 76:11; Gen. 28:20-22; 1 Cor. 7:2, 9; Eph. 4:28; Matt. 19:11)