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…

¹Chrysostom surely writeth very well, and against the endeavour of these men exceeding aptly. Heretics, saith he, shut up the gates against the truth: for they know right well, if they be open, the Church shall not be on their side. And Theophylacte, The word of God saith he, is the lantern of light, whereby the thief is espied. And Tertullian saith, The holy scripture doth try out the guiles & thefts of heretics. For why do they hide, why do they keep under covert that gospel, which Christ would have to sound from the tops of houses? Why do they convey yt light under a bushel, which ought to stand upon the candlestick? why do they repose their trust rather in the blindness & ignorance of the unskilful multitude, than in the goodness of their cause? Do they suppose that their sleights be not yet espied? or that they can now, as though they had Gyges ring, walk invisible? Assure your self, now all men seeth well enough what is within that same storeboxe of the Popes bosom: even this thing only may be a good argument, that they deal not uprightly and truly. That cause ought of right to be suspected, that flieth the trial & light. For he that doeth evil, as Christ saith, seeketh after darkness and hateth the light. A clear con science offereth him self willingly to the show, that those works, which do proceed from God, may be seen. They are not so utterly blind, but that they see this well enough, that if the scriptures have the upper hand, their kingdom is by and by overthrown: and that like as ⟨p. 40⟩it is said of the Idols of the Gentiles, from whom in old time they fetched all oracles & answers, that at the presence of Christ, when he came into the world, they suddenly became dumb: even so now also at the sight of the gospel, all their sleights by and by fall headlong to the ground.² For Antichrist is not overthrown, but by the clearness of Christs coming.

¹Chrysostome surely writeth very well, and agaynst the endeuour of these men excedyng aptly. Heretikes, sayth he, shut vp the gates agaynst the truthe: for they know right well, if they be open, the Churche shall not be on theyr side. And Theophylacte, The worde of God saythe he, is the lanterne of light, whereby the thief is espied. And Tertullian sayth, The holy scripture doth trie out the guyles & theftes of heretikes. For why doe thei hyde, why doe they kepe vnder couert that gospel, which Christ would haue to sounde from the toppes of houses? Why doe they conuey yt light vnder a busshel, whiche ought to stande vpon the candelstike? why doe thei repose their trust rather in the blindnes & ignorāce of the vnskilful multitude, than in the goodnes of their cause? Doe they suppose that theyr sleyghts be not yet espied? or that they can nowe, as thoe they had Gyges ring, walke inuisible? Assure your selfe, now all menne seeth well inough what is within that same storeboxe of the Popes bosome: euen this thing onely maye be a good argument, yt they deale not vprightly and truely. That cause ought of right to be suspected, that flyeth the triall & light. For he that doeth euil, as Christ saith, seketh after darkenes and hateth the light. A cleare cō sciēce offereth him self willingly to the shew, that those workes, whiche doe procede from God, maye be seene. They ar not so vtterly blinde, but that they see this wel inough, that if the scriptures haue the vpper hāde, their kingdome is by and by ouerthrowen: and that like as