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…

Wherefore this they ought first evidently and truly to have proved:¹ that the Church of Rome is the true and the right believing Church of God, and that the same, according as it is governed by them at this day, doth agree with the primitive Church of Christ, of the Apostles, and of the holy fathers, which no man doubted to be the Catholic Church. True it is in deed, in case we could have believed that ignorance, error, superstition, worshipping of Idols, mans inventions, such as many times are contrary to the holy Scriptures, either pleased God, or were sufficient to the obtaining of everlasting salvation: or if we could have persuaded our selves, that the word of God was written only for a few years, and then to be put out of all authority: or that at any time the sayings and ordinances of God should stand at the discretion of the will of man, that whatsoever God said or commanded, onlesse the Bishop of Rome admitted and commanded the same, it ought to be taken as a thing vain, and as unsaid at all: if we could have found in our hearts to believe these things, we confess there had been no cause, why we should have forsaken their fellowship. But as touching that that we have now done, in going from that Church, whose errors are openly testified & ⟨image 34⟩manifest, and which hath it self most evidently gone back from the word of God, in as much I say, as we have departed rather from the errors thereof, then from it self, and that nether disorderly, nor stubbornly, but quietly and soberly, we have done nothing that disagreed other from Christ or from the Apostles. For the Church of God is not in that state, as that it may not be blemished with some spot, or that it shall not have need sometimes of reformation: for else what needed there so many assemblies and Councils,² without which as Egidius saith, Christian faith can not stand? For as oft, saith he, as Councils are neglected, so oft is the Church forsaken of Christ. Or if there be no danger of any damage that may come unto the Church, what needeth, as the case standeth now amongest these men, the counterfeit names of Bishops? For why be they called Shepherds, if there be no sheep that may go astray? Why are they called Watchmen, if there be no City that may be betrayed? Why are they called Pillars, if there be nothing that can fall?