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…

The Church of God began forthwith from the beginning of the world to spread abroad, and was taught with the heavenly word which God himself poured out of his mouth, was taught with holy Ceremonies, taught with the Spirit of God, taught with the Patriarchs and Prophets, and was so continued until those days when Christ showed himself in flesh.

The Church of God beganne forthwith from the beginning of the worlde to spredde abrode, and was taught with the heauenly worde which God himselfe powred out of his mouth, was taught with holy Ceremonies, taught wyth the Spirit of God, taught with the Patriarkes and Prophets, and was so continued vntill those dayes when Christ shewed himselfe in fleshe.

¹But, O merciful God, how often was it in that mean time, and how horribly defaced and impaired? Where was the Church at that time, when all flesh had defiled his way upon earth? Where was it, when as of the whole multitude of mankind, there ⟨p. 34⟩was left but eight persons, and they not all chaste and Godly, which it pleased God to preserve out of the common slaughter and destruction?² Or when Elijah the Prophet complained so lamentably and bitterly, that amongest all them that lived upon earth, there was left none but he alone that truly and rightly worshipped God?³ And when Isaiah said: The Silver of the people of God, that is to say, the Church, is turned into dross: and that City which sometime had been faithful, was become a harlot: and that in hit from the head to the foot throughout the whole body, there was nothing uncorrupted? or what time Christ said,⁴ that the Pharisees and Priests had made the house of God a den of thieves? For the Church, even like unto a corn field, except it be tilled, except it be harrowed, except it be laboured, except it be husbanded, in stead of Wheat it will bring forth Thistles, Darnell and Nettles. Wherefore God sent from time to time Prophets and Apostles, and also at the length his anointed Christ, which should lead the people home again into the right way, and thoroughly repair the Church at such times as it was ready to fall. But least any man should say, that these things happened only under the law and in the shadow & infancy of the Church, what time as the truth was covered with figures and ceremonies: what time nothing as yet was brought into perfection: what time the law was engraven, not into mens hearts, but in tables of stone: (although the same also be but a foolish objection) for even at that time was also the same God, the same spirit, the same Christ, the same Faith, the same doctrine, the same hope, the same inheritance, the same covenant,