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…

Joia. This is that I have said, and yet do I repeat it, that nothing boldeth them so much in their error as doth ignorance. If they had read, and tasted the old histories, they would be more modest and sober, and not so presumptuous. Is not this a miserable and perilous thing, that men being so rude and ignorant in ⟨image 81⟩all things, do take upon them, to be teachers? Whereby, it cometh to pass, that they corrupt, confound & subvert all things, not having the right understanding of scriptures. For that which Paul in the▪ vi. chap. to the Hebrews, and Peter in the ii. chap. of his second Epist. do write, doth not strength nor prove the opinion of the Anabaptists, but that there is no remission for them, which do swerve from the faith, and through misbelieve or infidelity do despair of the mercy of god. For they do sin against the holy ghost, which sin is not forgiven here, nor in the world to come, as Christ teacheth. Mat. xii. & .i. John .v. But, my Simon, discuss thou and weigh, the words, of both the Apostles, ⟨image 81⟩and consider to what purpose they were spoken. Truly for this purpose, to prove, that it is impossible for him, that hath believed ones perfectly, to fall away from his faith. Peter, with the other disciples, being asked of christ, whether they would, forsake him also, did answer. Lord, to whom should we go? thou hast the words of everlasting life. And we do know and believe, that thou art the Son of the living God. If so be, that any man doth fall clean from faith, he doth show manifestly, that he had never a true faith. They went from us (saith John) but they were not of us: for if they had ben of us, truly they should had remained with us. He therefore, that swerveth from the known faith ⟨image 82⟩hath no salvation. But why? For Christ is the only salvation from whom he doth falsely swerve, and therefore can find no other salvation. Thou doest understand, I think, that the fall, whereof Paul speaketh, is not the fall, that doth chance daily, by the infirmity & weakness of the flesh in them, that are godly, but extreme desperation thorough misbelieve & infidelity, whereby a man swerveth from God. Read the .vii. &. viii to the Heb. and thou shalt see, that daily remission of since, is not denied unto them that are fallen again. For he sayeth also, in the .v. cha.