A20760:63
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.
The second property required to a lawful oath,1 is that we swear in justice, which property hath his special place in a promissory oath; which when we make we are carefully to take heed, that that which by oath we promise be just and lawful; otherwise we are not to swear it, or having sworn, not to perform it: for an oath ought not to be the bond of iniquity; and, as one saith, those oaths are laudably broken, which are unlawfully made.
The second propertie required to a lawfull oath,1 is that we sweare in iustice, which propertie hath his speciall place in a promissorie oath; which when we make wee are carefully to take heede, that that which by oath wee promise be iust and lawfull; otherwise we are not to sweare it, or hauing sworne, not to performe it: for an oath ought not to be the bond of iniquitie; and, as one saith, those oathes are laudably broken, which are vnlawfully made.
- 1§. Sect. 2. 2. We must swear in justice.§. Sect. 2. 2. VVe must sweare in iustice.
In this respect therefore our oath is unlawful, when as thereby we promise any thing which is unjust and unhonest, whether it appear unto us presently when we make the oath, or afterwards. For this is a horrible wickedness, when as we make God not only a witness, but also our surety, that we will perform an unjust or unhonest action. And such was the oath of David, 1. Sam. 25.21. of Gehezie, 12. King. 5.20. of Ahab, 2. King. 6.31