Of Lawful Oaths and Vows

A lawful oath is a part of religious worship,445 wherein upon just occasion, the person swearing solemnly calleth God to witness what he asserteth or promiseth; and to judge him according to the truth or falsehood of what he sweareth.446

The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear, and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence;447 therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred.448 Yet, as, in matters of weight and moment, an oath is warranted by the Word of God, under the New Testament, as well as under the Old,449 so a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful authority, in such matters ought to be taken.450

Whosoever taketh an oath ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he is fully persuaded is the truth.451 Neither may any man bind himself by oath to anything but what is good and just, and what he believeth so to be, and what he is able and resolved to perform.452 Yet it is a sin to refuse an oath touching anything that is good and just, being imposed by lawful authority.453

An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation.454 It cannot oblige to sin; but in anything not sinful, being taken, it binds to performance, although to a man's own hurt:455 nor is it to be violated, although made to heretics or infidels.456

A vow is of the like nature with a promissory oath, and ought to be made with the like religious care, and to be performed with the like faithfulness.457

It is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone:458 and that it may be accepted, it is to be made voluntarily, out of faith and conscience of duty, in way of thankfulness for mercy received, or for obtaining of what we want; whereby we more strictly bind ourselves to necessary duties, or to other things, so far and so long as they may fitly conduce thereto.459

No man may vow to do anything forbidden in the Word of God, or what would hinder any duty therein commanded, or which is not in his own power, and for the performance of which he hath no promise or ability from God.460 In which respects, Popish monastical vows of perpetual single life, professed poverty, and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.461