A20760:140
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…
Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common sins; namely, the abuses of swearing, drunkenness, whoredom, and bribery. Wherein the greatness and odiousness of these vices is discovered; and the means and remedies, which may either preserve, or wean men from them, are propounded. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of anger. By John Downame Bachelor in Divinity, and preacher of Gods word.Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common sinnes; namely, the abuses of swearing, drunkennesse, whoredome, and briberie. Wherein the greatnes and odiousnesse of these vices is discouered; and the meanes and remedies, which may either preserue, or weane men from them, are propounded. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of anger. By Iohn Dovvname Batcheler in Diuinitie, and preacher of Gods word.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for William Welby, 1609
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Fourthly,1 it is demanded whether oaths extorted from us by force and violence do bind the conscience. As for example, if falling into the hands of thieves, we be compelled upon the peril of our lives to swear unto them, that we will bring them such a sum of money, and use secrecy, not discovering them unto any, by any means. I answer, that such an oath containing nothing in it which is absolutely evil doth bind the conscience; and therefore is to be performed. Yea but this oath may seem to be unlawful, first, because we do not take it willingly, but compelled. Secondly, because ⟨p. 60⟩the giving of money unto a thief, and keeping secrecy, doth make us accessories to his theft, in that we help to maintain him in his ill courses, and thereby hurt the Common wealth by not discovering such a pernicious member, that he may be cut off; and also hazard other of our neighbours to fall into the like danger; and therefore the peril of our lives should not make us take such an unlawful oath; or if through infirmity we have taken it, we are not to perform it, because it doth not bind the conscience. To the former I answer, that howsoever we do not with absolute consent of will, take such an oath, yet we cannot be said to have sworn unwillingly, or against our wills; seeing we will it though not absolutely and simply, yet accidentally, and conditionally, for the safeguard of our lives, and for the avoiding of a greater evil. Even as the Merchant doth willingly cast his goods into the sea in the stormy tempest, not simply, but conditionally, to preserve the ship from a wrack, and himself from drowning. To the other I answer, that by giving his goods to a thief he doth not maintain him in his theft, nay rather being now furnished with some money to relieve his present necessity, he may the better leave his stealing, and betake himself to live by his honest labour. Or if the thief be hereby encouraged to continue in his theft, yet he that giveth him the money is not accessory to his fault, because he doth not join consent of will nor approve his thievish courses, neither yet doth intend any such thing in his gift, but only the safeguard of his life.
Fourthly,1 it is demanded whether oathes extorted from vs by force and violence doe binde the conscience. As for example, if falling into the hands of theeues, wee be compelled vpon the perill of our liues to sweare vnto them, that we will bring them such a summe of money, and vse secrecie, not discouering them vnto any, by any meanes. I answere, that such an oath containing nothing in it which is absolutely euill doth binde the conscience; and therfore is to be performed. Yea but this oath may seeme to be vnlawfull, first, because we doe not take it willingly, but compelled. Secondly, because