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…

Now the Lord Jesus showeth that it is a foolish cavillation and sophistry, to think so to purge them selves before God: seeing that under heaven and earth his name is indirectly comprised. So when he forbiddeth to swear at all, this word, at all, is referred unto the manner of speech, or to the words which men use, which may be proved by that he addeth consequently, neither by heaven: for it is the throne of God: nor by the earth: for it is his foot stole. Now the Anabaptists do perversely apply this to the motif, or to the cause: as though it were forbidden ⟨image 43⟩to swear for any cause that might be, which is contrary to the mind of the Lord and contrary to the sense which him self doeth give, in the process and deduction of his words.

Nowe the Lorde Iesus sheweth that it is a folyshe cauillation and sophistry, to thinke so to purge them selues before God: seynge that vnder heauen and earth his name is indirectly comprysed. So when he forbyddeth to swere at all, thys worde, at all, is referred vnto the maner of speache, or to the wordes whyche men vse, whyche maye be proued by that he addeth cōsequently, nother by heauē: for it is the throne of God: nor by the earth: for it is hys fote stole. Nowe the Anabaptistes do peruerslye applye thys to the motif, or to the cause: as thoughe it were forbydden ⟨image 43⟩to swere for anye cause that myghte be, whyche is contrary to the minde of the Lord and contrarye to the sence whyche hym selfe doeth gyue, in the processe and deduction of hys wordes.

In the mean while they would make us believe that we do gloss this place, as though we should have said, that it is evil done to swear, or by the earth: but to swear by God it is permitted. Or at least wise, they do lay this unto our charges before the simple Idiots, which have nothing heard or seen of us to Judge by. And then having caste out this false report of us, they cry out saying. Oh blind fools which do not perceive that God is greater than his throne. To whom do they speak this, but to them selves? seeing that they & no body else, have forged this in their fantastical brains, because it followeth in the words of our Saviour Jesus Christ, that no man shall swear by his head: because no man can make one here white or black. Behold say they, the cause why all oaths be forbidden: is for that we can not perform that which we promise. But I say contrary, that if Beasts could speak, they would speak more wisely. First, there is a manifest contradiction in that which they babble.