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…

So now to write in a sum against the errors of the Anabaptists, the shortest and most expedient way is to keep this division: and to gather a part in one treatise the errors of them which be not altogether so mad and desperate: and in an other treatise to discover the venomous malice of those wicked, which under the colour of spirituality, would make men like unto brute beasts. Now is it very true, that those which be of the first sort, do not so agree together in opinions, that a man can easily gather their errors together for to reprove ⟨image 5⟩them by any certain order, But because the principal doctors, and as it were the Patriarchs of the whole Synagogue, after they had well ranged about, have made a final conclusion, wherein they comprehend the some of all that which they do hold against us, and the Papists in seven Articles: unto which all Anabaptists commonly cleave: in so much that they have found the means to cause this fair resolution to be imprinted, and have together agreed to sow their poison by it all abroad: and so to infect the pore people: I will be contented for this time, and I think also that it shall suffice, to declare the falsehood contained in the most part of these seven Articles: to the intent that they do not complain and say that I lay that to the charge of them all, which is done but of some particulars, & so unjustly defame the whole sect, This once done, if I may have at any time leisure, I will write some other little treatise, against the other second sort, of which I spake before, that is the Libertines, But as I have said, it shall be sufficient for this time, to declare unto all lovers of the trueth, that, that thing which these poor people with one common accord hold for a foundation invincible, of their faith, is a deadly abusion, of the which we must beware, as we would be of the pestilence.

So nowe to wryte in a sūme against the errours of the Anabaptistes, the shorteste and most expediente way is to kepe this diuisiō: and to gather a parte in one treatyse the errours of them whyche be not altogyther so mad and desperate: and in an other treatise to discouer the venemouse malyce of those wycked, whiche vnder the colour of spiritualitie, woulde make menne lyke vnto bruite beastes. Nowe is it verye true, that those whyche be of the fyrste sorte, do not so agre togither in opinions, that a man can easelye gather theyr errours togyther for to reproue ⟨image 5⟩