Acovenantnottodefendmyselffromforce，byforce，isalwaysvoid。ForasIhaveshownbeforenomancantransferorlaydownhisrighttosavehimselffromdeath，wounds，andimprisonment，theavoidingwhereofistheonlyendoflayingdownanyright；andthereforethepromiseofnotresistingforce，innocovenanttransferrethanyright，norisobliging。Forthoughamanmaycovenantthus，unlessIdoso，orso，killme；hecannotcovenantthus，unlessIdoso，orso，Iwillnotresistyouwhenyoucometokillme。
Formanbynaturechooseththelesserevil，whichisdangerofdeathinresisting，ratherthanthegreater，whichiscertainandpresentdeathinnotresisting。Andthisisgrantedtobetruebyallmen，inthattheyleadcriminalstoexecution，andprison，witharmedmen，notwithstandingthatsuchcriminalshaveconsentedtothelawbywhichtheyarecondemned。
Acovenanttoaccuseoneself，withoutassuranceofpardon，islikewiseinvalid。Forintheconditionofnaturewhereeverymanisjudge，thereisnoplaceforaccusation：andinthecivilstatetheaccusationisfollowedwithpunishment，which，beingforce，amanisnotobligednottoresist。Thesameisalsotrueoftheaccusationofthosebywhosecondemnationamanfallsintomisery；asofafather，wife，orbenefactor。Forthetestimonyofsuchanaccuser，ifitbenotwillinglygiven，ispresumedtobecorruptedbynature，andthereforenottobereceived：andwhereaman’stestimonyisnottobecredited，heisnotboundtogiveit。Alsoaccusationsupontorturearenottobereputedastestimonies。Fortortureistobeusedbutasmeansofconjecture，andlight，inthefurtherexaminationandsearchoftruth：andwhatisinthatcaseconfessedtendethtotheeaseofhimthatistortured，nottotheinformingofthetorturers，andthereforeoughtnottohavethecreditofasufficienttestimony：forwhetherhedeliverhimselfbytrueorfalseaccusation，hedoesitbytherightofpreservinghisownlife。
TheforceofwordsbeingasIhaveformerlynotedtooweaktoholdmentotheperformanceoftheircovenants，thereareinman’snaturebuttwoimaginablehelpstostrengthenit。Andthoseareeitherafearoftheconsequenceofbreakingtheirword，oragloryorprideinappearingnottoneedtobreakit。Thislatterisagenerositytoorarelyfoundtobepresumedon，especiallyinthepursuersofwealth，command，orsensualpleasure，whicharethegreatestpartofmankind。Thepassiontobereckoneduponisfear；whereoftherebetwoverygeneralobjects：one，thepowerofspiritsinvisible；theother，thepowerofthosementheyshallthereinoffend。Ofthesetwo，thoughtheformerbethegreaterpower，yetthefearofthelatteriscommonlythegreaterfear。Thefearoftheformerisineverymanhisownreligion，whichhathplaceinthenatureofmanbeforecivilsociety。Thelatterhathnotso；atleastnotplaceenoughtokeepmentotheirpromises，becauseintheconditionofmerenature，theinequalityofpowerisnotdiscerned，butbytheeventofbattle。Sothatbeforethetimeofcivilsociety，orintheinterruptionthereofbywar，thereisnothingcanstrengthenacovenantofpeaceagreedonagainstthetemptationsofavarice，ambition，lust，orotherstrongdesire，butthefearofthatinvisiblepowerwhichtheyeveryoneworshipasGod，andfearasarevengeroftheirperfidy。AllthereforethatcanbedonebetweentwomennotsubjecttocivilpoweristoputoneanothertoswearbytheGodhefeareth：whichswearing，oroath，isaformofspeech，addedtoapromise，bywhichhethatpromisethsignifieththatunlessheperformherenounceththemercyofhisGod，orcallethtohimforvengeanceonhimself。Suchwastheheathenform，LetJupiterkillmeelse，asIkillthisbeast。Soisourform，Ishalldothus，andthus，sohelpmeGod。
Andthis，withtheritesandceremonieswhicheveryoneusethinhisownreligion，thatthefearofbreakingfaithmightbethegreater。