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

P. 45. When I say that an Oath is of strict right, it is so to be understood, that the meaning of the Oath, which is plain enough in the words, is always to be held. But where the sense is doubtful, every one must take great heed, lest we too much indulge our selves, and our own affections; and lest we grant our selves too liberal and lax a license of interpreting, that we may the easilier get our selves out of the bond of the Oath which we are tied by; and lest we fasten (or feign) any sense on the Oath taken, or on any part of it, for our own commodity or profits sake, which any other pious and prudent man, of a freer judgment as not interested in the cause, would not easily draw from the very words themselves.

P. 45. When I say that an Oath is of strict right, it is so to be understood, that the meaning of the Oath, which is plain enough in the words, is alwaies to be held. But where the sense is doubtful, every one must take great heed, lest we too much indulge our selves, and our own affections; and lest we grant our selves too liberal and lax a license of interpreting, that we may the easilier get our selves out of the bond of the Oath which we are tyed by; and lest we fasten (or seign) any sense on the Oath taken, or on any part of it, for our own commodity or profits sake, which any other pious and prudent man, of a freer judgment as not interessed in the cause, would not easily draw from the very words themselves.

The Reason is twofold; one in respect to others, for fear of scandal, lest any that is weak, drawn by our example, think he may do that which he seeth ⟨p. 329⟩us do, though unacquainted with those subtitues, by which only we use to defend our selves from the crime of Perjury. The other in respect of our selves, for sear of perjury; which most grievous crime undoubtedly we commit, if that more benig• interpretation chance to deceive us, which made us bold to take the Oath. This reason resteth on that general, and most profitable rule, which bids us [in doubtful cases take the safe• side:] But it is the safer not to swear, when the words of the proposed Oath, according to the common and obvious sense of the words, seem to contain somewhat unlawful in them; rather than by a Lax Interpretation so to soften them for our own use that we may the more securely swear them: Seeing we know that such an Oath may be refused without danger of perjury, but we know not that it can be taken without danger or fear of it.