Epiphanius, Panarion, 1.19.6:1-4, On the Oaths of the
Ossaeans
Source: Williams, Frank, ed. The
Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis: Book 1, Sects 1-46, 2nd Ed. p. 52.
Brill, 2009.
Written c. 375 CE
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6,1 Any sensible person has only to prepare his own remedy,
from their lunacy itself and the words of the proclamation of the deadly
poison, despising their vulgar teaching and chatter. (2) Especially as the Lord
says at once, in the Law and in the Gospel, "Thou shalt have none other
gods," and, "Thou shalt not swear by the name of any other god.” And
again he says in the Gospel, "Swear not, neither by heaven, nor by earth,
neither any other oath. But let your Yea be Yea, and your Nay, Nay; whatsoever
is more that these cometh of the evil one." (3) It is my opinion that the
Lord was making a prediction about this because certain persons would command
us to swear by other names—in the first place, because it is wrong to swear, by
the Lord himself or anything else; swearing is <of > the evil one. (4)
Hence it was the evil one who spoke in Elxai—the one who compelled him not only
to swear by God, but also by salt, water, <bread >, aether, wind, earth,
and heaven. Anyone willing to be cured need only take an antidote, in passing
as it were, through the two arguments in opposition to Elxai's imposture.
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