一、合乎律法的起誓是虔诚敬拜的一部分（申10:20；赛45:23；罗14:11；腓2:10-11），即在正当的场合，起誓者严肃地呼吁神见证他的断言或承诺，并根据他誓言的真伪审判他（出20:7；利19:12；罗1:9；林后1:23；11:31；加1:20；代下6:22-23）。（译注：religion源于拉丁语religionis，在十六、十七世纪的拉丁语境下，既可以理解为「宗教」，也可以理解为「敬虔生活」。）

A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, 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.

二、惟有神的名才是人应当指着起誓的，使用它时应当存完全圣洁的敬畏和崇敬之心（申6:13；书23:7）；因此，虚妄或轻率地指着那荣耀和可畏的名起誓，或指着任何别的事物起誓，都是有罪的、可憎的（出20:7；耶5:7；太5:33-37；雅5:12）。然而，正如在重大和关键的事情上，起誓无论在新约还是旧约中都被神的圣言所认可（来6:16；林后1:23；赛65:16），因此，在这类事情上，如果合法的权柄强制要求合乎律法的起誓，就应当遵行（王上8:31；尼13:25；拉10:5）。

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; 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. 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, so a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful authority, in such matters ought to be taken.

三、凡起誓者，都应当适当地考虑如此严肃的行为的重要性，并且在其中只宣誓他完全相信的事实（出20:7；利19:12；耶4:2；何10:4）。任何人都不得通过起誓把自己约束于任何事上，除非那是善良和正义的、他所相信的、以及他能够且决心去做的（创24:2-9；尼5:12-13；传5:2,5）。（译注：OPC版对本节有修订。）

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. Neither may any man bind himself by oath to any thing but what is good and just, and what he believeth so to be, and what he is able and resolved to perform.

四、起誓应当用浅显易懂和常识性的话语，不可模棱两可或内心保留（耶4:2；诗24:4）。它不能强迫人犯罪；但在任何并非犯罪的事情上，一旦起誓，就必须履行，即使有损于自己（撒上25:22,32-34；诗15:4）：也不可背弃，即使是向异教徒或不信者所起的誓（结17:16-19；书9:18-19；撒下21:1）。

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

五、许愿与带承诺的起誓本质相似，应当以同样的虔诚态度作出，并以同样的信实履行（民30:2；赛19:21；传5:4-6；诗61:8；66:13-14）。

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.

六、人不可向任何受造物许愿，只可向神许愿（诗50:14；76:11；116:14）。许愿若要被接受，必须是甘心乐意，出于信心和责任感，因所蒙的怜悯表示感谢，或为得到我们所想要的；借着许愿，我们更严格地约束自己履行必要的责任，或其他恰当地有助于这一目的的事情（申23:21-23；创28:20-22；撒上1:11；诗66:13-14；132:2-5）。

It is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone: 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 thereunto.

七、任何人都不得许愿去做任何神的圣言中禁止的事情，或会妨碍圣言所命令任何责任的事情，或不在他自己能力范围内的事情，以及他并没有得到神的承诺或能力去履行的事情（徒23:12-14；可6:26；民30:5,8,12-13）。从这几点来看，终生独身、自愿贫穷、服从戒律的修道院誓愿，远非更高程度的完全，而是迷信和罪恶的网罗，任何基督徒都不能让自己陷入其中（太19:11-12；林前7:2,9；来13:4；弗4:28；帖前4:11-12；林前7:23）。

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. In which respects, 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.