A Golden Chain

Again, if a lawful oath by virtue of Gods commandments bind conscience, then it must needs be that the Roman Church hath long erred, in that she teacheth and maintaineth that governors,¹ as namely the Pope and other inferior Bishops, have power to give relaxations and dispensations, not only for oaths unlawful (from which the word of God doth sufficiently free us, though they should never give absolution) but from a true and lawful oath made wittingly and willingly without error or deceit, of a thing honest and possible; as when the Pope frees the subjects of this land, as occasion is offered, from their sworn allegiance and loyalty to which they are bound, not only by the law of nature, but also by a solemn and particular oath to the Supremacy, which none ever deemed unlawful but such as carry traitors hearts. Now this erroneous divinity would easily be revoked, if men did but consider the nature of an oath, one part whereof is Invocation, in which we pray unto God, first that he would become a witness unto us that we speak the truth and purpose not to deceive: secondly if we fail and break our promise, that he would take revenge upon us: and in both these petitions we bind our selves immediately to God himself: and God again who is the ordainer of the oath, accepts this bond and knits it by his commandment, till it be accomplished. Hence it follows, that no creature can have power to untie the bond of an oath that is truly and lawfully an oath, unless we will exalt the creatures above God himself. And the Jewish teachers gave better counsel when they commanded the people to perform their oaths to the Lord, for ⟨p. 859⟩the preventing of perjury, and our Saviour Christ in that gainsays them not. Math. 5.33.

Againe, if a lawfull oath by vertue of Gods commandements bind conscience, then it must needes be that the Romane Church hath long erred, in that shee teacheth and maintaineth that gouernours,¹ as namely the Pope and other inferiour Bishops, haue power to giue relaxations and dispensations, not onely for oathes vnlawfull (from which the word of God doth sufficiently free vs, though they should neuer giue absolution) but from a true and lawfull oath made wittingly and willingly without error or deceit, of a thing honest and possible; as when the Pope frees the subiects of this land, as occasion is offered, from their sworne allegiance and loyaltie to which they are bound, not onely by the law of nature, but also by a solemne and particular oath to the Supremacie, which none euer deemed vnlawfull but such as carrie traytours hearts. Now this erronious diuinitie would easily be reuoked, if men did but consider the nature of an oath, one part whereof is Inuocation, in which we pray vnto God, first that he would become a witnes vnto vs that we speake the truth and purpose not to deceiue: secondly if we faile and breake our promise, that he would take reuenge vpon vs: and in both these petitions we bind our selues immediatly to God himselfe: and God againe who is the ordainer of the oath, accepts this bond and knits it by his commandement, till it be accomplished. Hence it follows, that no creature can haue power to vntie the bond of an oath that is truly and lawfully an oath, vnlesse we will exalt the creatures aboue God himselfe. And the Iewish teachers gaue better counsell when they commanded the people to performe their oathes to the Lord, for