An apology, or answer in defence of the Church of England concerning the state…An apologie, or aunswer in defence of the Church of England concerninge the state…

¹Thus the false Prophets of all ages, which did withstand the Prophets of God, as Isaiah, as Jeremiah, as Christ, as the Apostles, had nothing more rife in their mouths then the name of the Church. Nether for any other cause did they so bitterly turmoil them, or call them runaways and forsakers of their profession, than because they had gone from their fellowship, and observed not the ordinances of the elders. And in case we will follow the judgement of those men only, by whom the Church was governed at that time, & have no respect other to God or to his word or to any other thing: doubtless it can not be denied, but that the Apostles, in as much as they declined away from the high Bishops & priests, that is to say from the catholic Church, and contrary to their wills, cried they never so much, brought in an innovation & a change of many things in religion, were rightly condemned and according to law. Wherefore like as they writ of Hercules, that in wrestling with Antaeus the Giant, he was fain to hoist him up from the earth, his mother, before he could overcome him: so our adversaries must be lifted up from this mother of theirs, that is to say, from this counterfeit shape and shadow of the Church, which they mass themselves withal, for otherwise they can not give place to the word of God. Wherefore Jeremy saith, Boast not your selves so much that the temple of God is amongst you: that is but a vain confidence: for these be, saith he, the words of lies. And the Angel in the revelation, They say, saith he, they be Jews, but they be the Synagogue ⟨p. 33⟩of Satan.² And Christ, what time the Pharisees boasted themselves of the stock and kindred of Abraham: You saith he, are of your father the Devil: for you do nothing resemble your father Abraham. As though he should say thus: You are not the men which you desire so much to be taken for: you deceive the people with counterfeit titles: and abuse the name of the Church, to the overthrowing of the Church.

¹Thus the false Prophetes of all ages, which did withstand the Prophets of God, as Esay, as Hieremy, as Christ, as ye Apostles, had nothing more rife in their mouthes then the name of the Church. Nether for any other cause did they so bitterly turmoile them, or call them runnawaies and forsakers of their profession, thē bicause they had gone from their fellowship, and obserued not the ordiānces of the elders. And in case we wil folow the iudgement of those men onely, by whom the Church was gouerned at that time, & haue no respect other to God or to his woorde or to any other thinge: doubtles it cā not be denied, but that the Apostles, in as much as they declined away from the high Byshops & priestes, that is to say from the catholyke Church, and contrary to their willes, cried they neuer so much, brought in an innouation & a change of many thinges in religion, were rightly condemned and according to law. Wherfore like as thei writ of Hercules, yt in wrastling with Anteus the Gyaunt, he was faine to hoist him vp from the earthe, his mother, before he could ouercome him: so our aduersaries must be lifted vp frō this mother of theirs, that is to say, from this counterfait shape and shadow of the Church, which they mass themselues wtall, for otherwise they can not giue place to ye word of God. Wherfore Ieremye saith, Boast not your selues so much that the temple of God is amongst you: that is but a vaine confidence: for these be, saith he, ye words of lies. And ye Angel in the reuelatiō, Thei say, saith he, thei be Iewes, but thei be the Synagoge