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…

Jo. Not y• less jot, of all y• above rehearsed things, ergo they are not sent by god, but sensuality ⟨image 56⟩and impudent boldness, did impel & move them. For, what miracles do they? except, these are, to be called miracles, that they, with their pernicious doctrine, do bring men, out of their right, and godly mind, in to stark madness, or, that they, make the gammons, and legs of bacon, hanging in the larders, of the simple and poor people, invisible? What learning, should we look for, where rudeness, and (as they do speak themselves) simplicity, is taken for high rudicion? I do pass over here, many of them, which can scarcely read, yea and what will ye say of them, y• can read no manner of thing Are not these, y• neophytes (by y• neophytes, I mean not only them, that are newly converted, ⟨image 56⟩but such as do lack learning) that Paul do reject? But they promote them, that by all their lives time, did never read the Bibles, having only in readiness, certain sentences, not understood, which being, either plucked out, of all parts of scripture, or stolen, or else borrowed, of their guides & leaders, they do writhe, wrest & turn to contention, with all maledicence, & reviling. And so, standing among the simple people, have always in their tongues ends, y• father of heaven and the spirit. What name, my Simon, may conveniently, be given unto them? I may not call them apostles, for they are not sent, by god. Again, they do not preach where nothing hath ben yet preached of god but where y• people, hath ben a long ⟨image 57⟩[…] ⟨image 57⟩[…] ⟨image 58⟩season, & with the great labour of the true and faithful ministers, taught the way of truth there do they break in, destroying, perverting, &, as a storm or tempest, stirring up, all things, making the commons so perplexed, and doubtful, that they know neither end nor beginning. If any man, should call them prophets and expositors of the scriptures, it were none other thing, but to call a filthy swine, an excellent & cunning Musician. For they are ignorant in all manner of tongues, in so much, that they do contemn them, being content with y vulgar tongue only, If thou callest them doctors, they know nothing less, than the right way and trade of teaching, Besides, that they want the truth,