An wholesome antidotus or counter-poison, against the pestilent heresy and sect of the Anabaptists…An holsome antidotus or counter-poysen, agaynst the pestylent heresye and secte of the Anabaptistes…

Joiada. AS for that, that thou gatherest, by this conclusion, y• so, it should not, be jaufull for every man, to speak and talk of god, thou goest far out of the way, and doest not un derstond my sayings. I speak of common preaching, and not of private communication or talk. For he that taketh upon him to be a common preacher, not being called, doeth raven as he, that maketh him self, by his own authority, a king or governor, making & calling together a particular Senate or ⟨image 47⟩counsel, & beginneth thus, of his own head, to rule and administrate the common wealth, commanding, and forbidding what so ever pleaseth him. Truly, no man, can do this, but that he shall be accused, not only of foolishness & disobedience, but also of tumultee, and high treason. Else, we do not deny, but that every man may talk of god, yea & may sing of him, according to the doctrine of Paul .iiii. Ephesy. And the more, that it is done, the better we allow it. But to separate him self from y• church to seek woods & corners, & there to assemble a company, to institute & ordain sects and to take upon them selves, being uncalled, & unsent, the office of preachers: not only, it hath no example, in y• holy scriptures, but ⟨image 48⟩hath ben judged and condemned always as heretical. But we will now, corroborate and strength these sayings, with holy scripture. In the epist. to the Rom. x. chap. Paul teacheth after this manner: who so ever calleth upon the name of the lord, shall be saved. But how can they call upon him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not hard? And how can they hear without a preacher? And again how shall they prea: the, except they be sent? By these words of Paul, we may perceive, that sending is very necessary, which doeth not equally pertain unto all men. For Paul .i. Corin. xii sayeth, that there be many gifts. And even as the body is one thing, ⟨image 48⟩and hath many limbs, which limbs, though they belong all to one body, yet nevertheless, have not all own office, in the body, so it is in the church, and mystical body of Christ.