Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common…Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common…

But if the things which by oath we promise, be unlawful or impossible, then such oaths do not bind the conscience, ⟨p. 54⟩but are presently void, as soon as the unlawfulness or impossibility appeareth.¹ For an oath ought not to be the bond of iniquity; and those oaths are laudably broken, which are unlawfully made; neither can they tie us unto impossibilities, because the things so promised are out of our power to perform them. But that we may speak of them more distinctly, an oath is unlawful, first, when as we swear to perform such things, as are repugnant and contrary to the law and revealed will of God; and therefore is not to be observed: first, because by such an oath we make the Lord to confirm our testimony against himself, and to be our surety for the performance of that, which is wicked and odious in his sight. Secondly, because these oaths made unto men, infringe and disannul our oath which we have formerly made unto God in baptism, whereby we have bound our selves to yield absolute obedience unto Gods revealed will. Now this ought not to be, both because our first oath must stand, as having already bound our conscience to performance, and therefore may not be frustrated and made void with a latter; and also because an oath made unto God, must be preferred before an oath made unto men; in that he is our supreme Judge, and sovereign Lord, unto whom we owe our selves, our obedience and fealty, and all that belongeth unto us. Even as an after oath made to a rebel, enemy, or stranger, cannot disannul our former oath, whereby we have obliged our selves to yield obedience to our lawful Prince.

But if the things which by oath we promise, be vnlawfull or impossible, then such oathes doe not binde the conscience, ⟨p. 54⟩but are presently voide, as soone as the vnlawfulnes or impossibilitie appeareth.¹ For an oath ought not to be the bond of iniquitie; and those oathes are laudably broken, which are vnlawfully made; neither can they tie vs vnto impossibilities, because the things so promised are out of our power to performe them. But that we may speake of them more distinctly, an oath is vnlawfull, first, when as wee sweare to performe such things, as are repugnant and contrarie to the law and reuealed will of God; and therefore is not to bee obserued: first, because by such an oath we make the Lord to confirme our testimonie against himselfe, and to bee our suretie for the performance of that, which is wicked and odious in his sight. Secondly, because these oathes made vnto men, infringe and disanull our oath which wee haue formerly made vnto God in baptisme, whereby we haue bound our selues to yeeld absolute obedience vnto Gods reuealed will. Now this ought not to be, both because our first oath must stand, as hauing already bound our conscience to performance, and therefore may not be frustrated and made void with a latter; and also because an oath made vnto God, must bee preferred before an oath made vnto men; in that hee is our supreme Iudge, and soueraigne Lord, vnto whom we owe our selues, our obedience and fealtie, and all that belongeth vnto vs. Euen as an after oath made to a rebell, enemie, or stranger, cannot disanull our former oath, whereby we haue obliged our selues to yeeld obedience to our lawfull Prince.