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…

For they say, that this is as much, as if he had said, that our purposes should be, yea and nay, & that it is evil done to admore them that Now the Lord Jesus putteth each of these words twice, to signify that we ought to be firm and constant in our purposes.

For they say, yt this is as much, as if he had sayed, that our purposes shoulde be, yea and naye, & that it is euil done to admore thē that Nowe the Lord Iesus putteth eche of these wordes twyse, to signifie that we oughte to be fyrme and constaunte in oure purposes.

As though he would say, do not change, to retract every time your words: and that there be no leasing or hypocrisy in your purposes. But let your yea be yea, and your nay nay. And in deed I James, being in will to give the same doctrine, speaketh even so, word for word. Let your yea (sayeth he) be yea, and your nay, nay, by which he signifieth, that all faithful men ought to have a certain truth in their words. Which loyalty and trueth, if it were among us, all oaths should be superfluous. For this simplicity of words, should suffice to affirm and deny without swearing. It must needs be therefore that the trueth reigneth not, where oaths be frequented. Therefore it is not without a cause, that our saviour saith that this thing doeth proceed of evil. And to say troth, the cause which induceth us to swear, is for that the whole world is so full of lying, cautels, feignings, and falsehoods, that scant is there any that dare trust his own brother.

As thoughe he woulde saie, do not chaunge, to retracte euery tyme your wordes: and that there be no leasynge or hypocrisye in youre purposes. But let your yea be yea, and youre nay nay. And in dede I Iames, beyng in wil to geue the same doctrine, speaketh euen so, worde for worde. Let your yea (sayeth he) be yea, and your naye, naye, by whiche he signifieth, that all fayethfull men ought to haue a certen truth in their wordes. Which loyalty and trueth, if it were amonge vs, all othes shold be superfluous. For this simplicitie of wordes, shoulde suffice to affirme and denye wtout swearyng. It must nedes be therefore that the trueth raigneth not, where othes be frequented. Therefore it is not wythout a cause, that our sauiour sayth that this thing doeth procede of euyl. And to saye troth, the cause whiche induceth vs to sweare, is for yt the whole worlde is so full of lying, cantels, fayninges, and falsheades, that scant is ther any that dare truste his owne brother.