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…

And therefore this continuance in thieving cometh to pass, not simply through the gift of the true man, but accidentally by reason of the thieves corruption and maliciousness, who abuseth it unto sin. And whereas it is further objected, that by swearing secrecy we sin, because we hereby endamage the Common wealth, and endanger our neighbours; to this I answer, that this cometh to pass not simply, through our secrecy, for he might surcease his robbing being concealed, and become a profitable member of the Common wealth; but if at all it happen, it is accidentally quite beside our scope and intention, through his own corruption and maliciousness ⟨p. 61⟩who will not give over his robbing. Again, though it be a sin simply to endamage the Common-wealth, and to expose our neighbours unto danger; yet it is no sin, when in a lesser damage is contained a greater benefit. Now by swearing secrecy we preserve our lives, who are profitable members of the Common-wealth; and it is a greater benefit to the body to preserve a sound and good member, then to cut off such a member as is unsound and rotten. If indeed the question were of treason against our Prince and country, then the objection were of force, for as much as the safeguard of the Prince and State is much more highly to be valued then the preserving of our own lives, who are but particular members and private persons; and therefore such an oath being pernicious to our country, is not to be made to escape the danger of death; or if through infirmity we should yield unto it, we ought not to perform it, seeing it being unlawful doth not bind the conscience. But to return to our former question of concealing felons, I add further that by refusing secrecy to save our lives we shall not at all benefit the Common-wealth, seeing their discovery hereby is rather hindered then furthered: for whilst we live it only standeth upon the certainty of our oath and resolution, but being killed by them, it becometh in respect of our revealing plainly impossible. And we after a sort bring upon the malefactor a kind of wilful necessity of running into a more horrible sin then he intendeth: for where as if we swear secrecy, he only falleth into the sin of theft;

And therefore this continuance in theeuing cōmeth to passe, not simply through the gift of the true man, but accidentally by reason of the theeues corruption and maliciousnesse, who abuseth it vnto sinne. And whereas it is further obiected, that by swearing secrecie wee sinne, because wee hereby indamage the Common wealth, and indanger our neighbours; to this I answer, that this commeth to passe not simply, through our secrecie, for he might surcease his robbing being concealed, and become a profitable member of the Common wealth; but if at all it happen, it is accidentally quite beside our scope and intention, through his owne corruption and maliciousnesse