Quoth Ralpho, Since you do enjoin’t,
I shall enlarge upon the point;
And, for my own part, do not doubt
Th’ affirmative may be made out, 70
But first, to state the case aright,
For best advantage of our light,
And thus ’tis:  Whether ’t be a sin
To claw and curry your own skin,
Greater or less, than to forbear, 75
And that you are forsworn, forswear. 
But first, o’ th’ first:  The inward man,
And outward, like a clan and clan,
Have always been at daggers-drawing,
And one another clapper-clawing. 80
Not that they really cuff, or fence,
But in a Spiritual Mystick sense;
Which to mistake, and make ’em squabble
In literal fray’s abominable. 
’Tis heathenish, in frequent use 85
With Pagans and apostate Jews,
To offer sacrifice of bridewells,
Like modern Indians to their idols;
And mongrel Christians of our times,
That expiate less with greater crimes, 90
And call the foul abomination,
Contrition and mortification. 
Is ’t not enough we’re bruis’d and kicked
With sinful members of the wicked,
Our vessels, that are sanctify’d, 95
Prophan’d and curry’d back and side,
But we must claw ourselves with shameful
And heathen stripes, by their example;
Which (were there nothing to forbid it)
Is impious because they did it; 100
This, therefore, may be justly reckon’d
A heinous sin.  Now to the second
That Saints may claim a dispensation
To swear and forswear, on occasion,
I doubt not but it will appear 105
With pregnant light:  the point is clear. 
Oaths are but words, and words but wind;
Too feeble implements to bind;
And hold with deeds proportion so
As shadows to a substance do. 110
Then when they strive for place, ’tis fit
The weaker vessel should submit. 
Although your Church be opposite
To ours as Black Friars are to White,
In rule and order, yet I grant, 115
You are a Reformado Saint;
And what the Saints do claim as due,
You may pretend a title to: 
But Saints whom oaths and vows oblige,
Know little of their privilege; 120
Further (I mean) than carrying on
Some self-advantage of their own: 
For if the Dev’l, to serve his turn,
Can tell troth, why the Saints should scorn,
When it serves theirs, to swear and lye; 125
I think there’s little reason why: 
Else h’ has a greater pow’r than they,
Which ’t were impiety to say. 
W’ are not commanded to forbear
Indefinitely at all to swear; 130
But to swear idly, and in vain,
Without self-interest or gain