A short instruction for to arm all good Christian people against the pestiferous errors…A short instruction for to arme all good Christian people agaynst the pestiferous errours…

But the Anabaptists like mad bedlams, do condemn all oaths without exception: without discerning whether there be good or evil in it. And by this it appeareth, that their saying is nothing grounded on reason. Let us now come unto authority, to see whether they have any testimony of the word of God. They do make a great buckler of these words of our Saviour Jesus Christ, where he forbiddeth utterly to swear for out of that they do conclude, that neither for right nor wrong it is lawful to swear. For answer, I do first ask them, whether they think that Jesus Christ would ad any thing unto the law of God his father, or whether he would simply interpret the law? If they do say as touching that, that he hath declared the perfection of the law: Then ask I further, whether this perfection was never known by fore? If they say no: I say that it is an evident lye. Moses after he had published the law, doth protest unto the people, that he hath showed the way of life, and the way of death.

But the Anabaptistes lyke mad bedlems, do condemne all othes wythoute exception: wythoute decernynge whether there be good or euyll in it. And by thys it appeareth, that theyr sayinge is nothynge grounded on reason. Let vs nowe come vnto authoritie, to se whether they haue anye testimonie of the worde of God. They do make a great buckler of these wordes of oure Sauioure Iesus Christe, where he forbiddeth vtterly to swere for out of that they do conclude, that neither for ryght nor wronge it is lawfull to swere. For answere, I do fyrst aske them, whether thei thinke that Iesus Christ would ad any thynge vnto the lawe of God hys father, or whether he woulde simplye interprete the lawe? If they do saye as touchyng that, that he hathe declared the perfection of the lawe: Then aske I further, whether this perfection was neuer knowen by fore? If they saye no: I saye that it is an euident lye. Moyses after he hadde published the lawe, doth protest vnto the people, that he hathe shewed the waye of lyfe, and the waye of death.

☞ Moreover reducing altogether into a short summary, he sayeth that his doctrine doeth tend unto this end, that a ⟨image 42⟩