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translation of Right; nor can translate any Right to another;
and without mutuall acceptation, there is no Covenant.

Nor With God Without Speciall Revelation
To make Covenant with God, is impossible, but by Mediation of such as
God speaketh to, either by Revelation supernaturall, or by his
Lieutenants that govern under him, and in his Name; For otherwise
we know not whether our Covenants be accepted, or not. And therefore
they that Vow any thing contrary to any law of Nature, Vow in vain;
as being a thing unjust to pay such Vow. And if it be a thing
commanded by the Law of Nature, it is not the Vow, but the Law
that binds them.

No Covenant, But Of Possible And Future
The matter, or subject of a Covenant, is alwayes something that
falleth under deliberation; (For to Covenant, is an act of the Will;
that is to say an act, and the last act, of deliberation;) and is
therefore alwayes understood to be something to come; and which is
judged Possible for him that Covenanteth, to performe.

And therefore, to promise that which is known to be Impossible,
is no Covenant. But if that prove impossible afterwards,
which before was thought possible, the Covenant is valid, and bindeth,
(though not to the thing it selfe,) yet to the value; or, if that also
be impossible, to the unfeigned endeavour of performing as much
as is possible; for to more no man can be obliged.

Covenants How Made Voyd
Men are freed of their Covenants two wayes; by Performing;
or by being Forgiven. For Performance, is the naturall end of
obligation; and Forgivenesse, the restitution of liberty; as being
a retransferring of that Right, in which the obligation consisted.

Covenants Extorted By Feare Are Valide
Covenants entred into by fear, in the condition of meer Nature,
are obligatory. For example, if I Covenant to pay a ransome,
or service for my life, to an enemy; I am bound by it. For it is
a Contract, wherein one receiveth the benefit of life; the other is to
receive mony, or service for it; and consequently, where no other Law
(as in the condition, of meer Nature) forbiddeth the performance,
the Covenant is valid. Therefore Prisoners of warre, if trusted
with the payment of their Ransome, are obliged to pay it;
And if a weaker Prince, make a disadvantageous peace with a stronger,
for feare; he is bound to keep it; unlesse (as hath been sayd before)
there ariseth some new, and just cause of feare, to renew the war.
And even in Common-wealths, if I be forced to redeem my selfe from
a Theefe by promising him mony, I am bound to pay it, till the Civill
Law discharge me. For whatsoever I may lawfully do without Obligation,
the same I may lawfully Covenant to do through feare: and what I
lawfully Covenant, I cannot lawfully break.

The Former Covenant To One, Makes Voyd The Later To Another
A former Covenant, makes voyd a later. For a man that hath
passed away his Right to one man to day, hath it not to passe
to morrow to another: and therefore the later promise passeth no Right,

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