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…

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 ⟨image 39⟩Apostles, which the Angels, which Christ him self the son of God, when need required, did call to witness: Dare you, I say, abide away with them, as though they were unworthy to be heard of you? Is not this to command God him self, who most evidently speaketh unto you in the scriptures to keep silence? or will you call that word, by the which only as S. Paul saith, we are reconciled unto God, and which David saith, is holy and pure and shall endure for ever, by the name only of a beggarly and a dead element: or will you say that to bestow our labour about that thing, which Christ commanded us diligently to search, and always to have before our eyes, is a vain labour and to none effect? And that Christ and the Apostles, what time they did exhort the people to the reading of the holy scriptures, that out of them they might become plentiful in all wisdom and knowledge, did go about to abuse men with lies?

We, sayth he, as touchyng ye very scriptures, wherof we see brought in now a daies so many interpretatiōs, not only diuerse amōgst them self, but also cōtrary one to an other, wil bidde, Away with thē. And wil rather heare God speake, then turne our selfs towardes these beggerly elementes, & in them repose ye hope of our saluatiō. It is not requisit to be cūning in the lawe & in ye scriptures, but to be taught of God. It is but vaine labour, yt which is bestowed vpō ye scripture: for ye scripture is a creature and a certain beggerly elemēt. These be ye wordes of Nosius, writē no doubt wt the same spirite & minde, wherwt Montanus in time paste, & Marcion did speake: of whome it is sayd, yt they were wōte to say, at what time they would contemptuously reiect the holy scriptures, that they knewe many, bothe moe & better thinges, then euer other Christ or his Apostles did knowe. What shall I saye therefore in this pointe? O ye pillers of Religion: o ye prelates of the Church of Christ: is this the reuerence that you giue vnto Gods worde? Dare you so deale with the holy Scriptures, the whiche S. Paule sayth, ar deliuered vnto vs by inspiraciō from God, the whiche God hath adorned and set forth with so many miracles, in the which the most euident footesteppes of Christes passage ar certainely imprynted, whiche all the holy fathers, whiche the