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

P. 242. Concl. 4. It is a grievous sin to impose an Oath unduly, on another. As 1. An Oath not stablished by Law or Custom, &c. 2. An Oath that is repugnant, or in the sense that the words hold forth in the common use of speaking, seemeth repugnant to any Oath by him formerly lawfully taken. 3. They that constrain men to swear to a thing unlawful, as against our duty to God, or our Superiors, or the Laws of the Kingdom, or against good manners, or that which is otherwise dishonest, and may not be kept. 4. He who imposeth an Oath of ambiguous sense, or any way captious; to ensnare the conscience, life, liberty or fortune of his neighbour. 5. He that without necessity, by fear compelleth, or by Authority impelleth, or by counsel, example, fraud, or other artifice or reason induceth another to swear, who he knoweth will swear against the judgment of his conscience. I would all men in great power would remember how filthy a character Jeroboam branded his own conscience, fame and name with, that made Israel to sin: and how greatly they provoke God's great wrath against themselves, that abuse their power to other mens ruin, which ⟨p. 335⟩God gave them for edification, and not for destruction.

P. 242. Concl. 4. It is a grievous sin to impose an Oath unduly, on another. As 1. An Oath not stablished by Law or Custom, &c. 2. An Oath that is repugnant, or in the sense that the words hold forth in the common use of speaking, seemeth repugnant to any Oath by him formerly lawfully taken. 3. They that constrain men to swear to a thing unlawful, as against our duty to God, or our Superiours, or the Laws of the Kingdom, or against good manners, or that which is otherwise dishonest, and may not be kept. 4. He who imposeth an Oath of ambiguous sense, or any way captious; to ensnare the conscience, life, liberty or fortune of his neighbour. 5. He that without necessity, by fear compelleth, or by Authority impelleth, or by counsel, example, fraud, or other artifice or reason induceth another to swear, who he knoweth will swear against the judgment of his conscience. I would all men in great power would remember how filthy a character Jeroboam branded his own conscience, fame and name with, that made Israel to sin: and how greatly they provoke God's great wrath against themselves, that abuse their power to other mens ruine, which ⟨p. 335⟩God gave them for edification, and not for destruction.