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…

Let him hear therefore how devoutly & how godly one Hosius writeth of this matter, a Polonian, & as he him self saith, a Bishop, doubtless an eloquent man & not unlearned, and a very earnest and stout defender of his cause. He will marvel, I suppose, that any man fearing God, could other think so wickedly of those words, which he knoweth to have proceeded from the ⟨p. 38⟩mouth of God, or write so slanderously: and that specially in such sort, as that he would not have it to be taken for his own judgement alone, but as the common judgement of them all. In deed I do not deny but he doth dissemble his own person, & doth so propound the matter, as though not he nor men of his sort, but the heretics called Zuenkfeldians did speak after that manner.

Let him heare therefore how deuoutly & how godly one Hosius writeth of this matter, a Poloniane, & as he him self sayth, a Byshop, doutles an eloquent man & not vnlearned, and a very earnest and stoute defender of his cause. He wil maruel, I suppose, that any man fearyng God, coulde other thynke so wickedly of those wordes, whiche he knoweth to haue proceded from the ⟨p. 38⟩mouthe of God, or write so slaunderously: and that specially in suche sorte, as that he would not haue it to be taken for his own iudgement alone, but as the cōmon iudgement of them all. In deede I doe not denie but he dothe dissemble his owne personne, & doth so propoūde the matter, as thoe not he nor mē of his sorte, but ye heretikes called Zuenkfeldians did speake after yt māner.

We, saith he, as touching the very scriptures, whereof we see brought in now a days so many interpretations, not only diverse amongst them self, but also contrary one to an other, will bid, Away with them. And will rather hear God speak, then turn our selves towards these beggarly elements, & in them repose the hope of our salvation. It is not requisite to be cunning in the law & in the scriptures, but to be taught of God. It is but vain labour, that which is bestowed upon the scripture: for the scripture is a creature and a certain beggarly element. These be the words of Nosius, written no doubt with the same spirit & mind, wherewith Montanus in time paste, & Marcion did speak: of whom it is said, that they were wont to say, at what time they would contemptuously reject the holy scriptures, that they knew many, both moe & better things, then ever other Christ or his Apostles did know. What shall I say therefore in this point? O ye pillars of Religion: o ye prelates of the Church of Christ: is this the reverence that you give unto Gods word? Dare you so deal with the holy Scriptures, the which S. Paul saith, are delivered unto us by inspiration from God, the which God hath adorned and set forth with so many miracles, in the which the most evident footsteps of Christs passage are certainly imprinted, which all the holy fathers, which the