An invective against the most wicked [and] detestable vice of swearing, newly co[m]piledAn inuectyue agenst the moost wicked [and] detestable vyce of swearing, newly co[m]piled

Some man peradventure will here demand & say, are all oaths taken away from Christen men?¹ Yea forsooth all oaths y• are vain and trifling, false & unrighteous. Is it not lawful than for a Christen man to swear in no condition? Eyes verily. God forbid that all kind of swearing should be taken from Christen men,² as the ungodly Anabaptists hold, which affirm that it is not lawful for a Christen man to swear by no means. This will not the scripture. Against this fighteth the word of God. We are not forbidden to swear, but vainly, idly, falsely & unrighteously to swear. Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vain. saith ⟨p. lxvii⟩the scripture. Mark that it is said •n •ayn• A Christen man may lawfully swear for the glory of God & for the health both of himself³ and of other, so oft as it shall make unto the honour and glory of God also. For the glory of God in all our oaths is most of all to be looked upon & considered. We ought not to desire any thing, except it maketh unto the glory of God, much less ought we to swear for it. I will make this matter more evident and plain by familiar examples.

Some man paraduenture wyll here demaund & saye, are all oothes taken awaye from Christen menne?¹ Yea forsothe all oothes y• are vayne and triflynge, false & vnrygh•eous. Is it not lawfull than for a Christē man to sweare in no condiciō? Yies verely. God forbyd that all kynde of swearyng shulde be takē from Christen men,² as the vngodly Anabaptistes holde, whyche affyrme that it is not lawful for a Christen manne to sweare by no meanes. This wyl not the scripture. Agenst this fyghteth the word of God. We are not forbydden to sweare, but vaynely, idlely, falsely & vnryghteously to sweare. Thou shalte not take the name of thy Lord God in vayn. saythe