The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…

Page 32, 33, 34. Contrary to this simplicity of an Oath, are two sorts of simulation; one as to the foregoing part, which is either antecedent or concomitant with the act of swearing: of which, though the former be the worser, yet neither of them is free from perjury. David seemeth to comprehend both in Psal. 15. and 24. [He that sweareth not deceitfully, that is, with a mind to deceive—And He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not] that is, who when he hath bound himself by an Oath, will rather, even to his own great loss, perform that which he incommodiously swore, than for any temporal commodity violate his faith.—These things the greater part of men now in being, seem to me not to think of, or not seriously; who fear not to swear without any ambage prolixly, and in the very words, whatsoever is proposed to them, by such as have power to do them hurt: Yea and think themselves the only wise men, and disdainfully deride their simplicity and vain fear, who, lest they hurt their consciences, forsooth, do seek a knot in a rush, and vex (or solicit) the forms prescribed by such as can proscribe them: And they securely free themselves from all crime and fear of Perjury, and think they have well cared for themselves and their consciences, if when they swear, like the Jesuits, they can but any how defend themselves, by tacit equivocations, or mental reservations, or subtle forced interpretations, and quite alien from the words: Or else after they have sworn, can find out some artificial evasion, as a hole to get out by, as the [Greek or Hebrew], by which so to defraud the Oath, ⟨p. 326⟩that taking the words, yet the sense may be eluded by some Sophism, and all the force of it wholly be enervated. The old Christians received not this Theology: The sounder Heathens received not this Moral Philosophy: Much otherwise out of them, saith Augustine [They are perjured who keeping the words; deceive the expectation of them that they swear to] And otherwise, saith Cicero, [That is to be kept which is so sworn as the mind of the Imposer conceived it should be done.] Read the proofs, p. 34, &c. 1. From many Texts of Scripture: 2. From God's own example: 3. From the nature of Truth: 4. From the end of an Oath, p. 38. which is the confirmation of a doubtful matter;

Page 32, 33, 34. Contrary to this simplicity of an Oath, are two sorts of simulation; one as to the foregoing part, which is either antecedent or concomitant with the act of swearing: of which, though the former be the worser, yet neither of them is free from perjury. David seemeth to comprehend both in