A04458:136
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…
An apology, or answer in defence of the Church of England concerning the state of religion used in the same. Newly set forth in Latin, and now translated into English.An apologie, or aunswer in defence of the Church of England concerninge the state of religion vsed in the same. Newly set forth in Latin, and nowe translated into Englishe.
Londini: printed by Reginald Wolf, 1562
The Apology of the Church of England.The Apologie of the Churche of Englande.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
These men both do take upon them and will take upon them both the regiments whosoever say nay: or rather the one, which they ought most chiefly to execute, that they do ⟨image 44⟩not once touch: yet is there no man that commandeth them out of office. The old Council called Gangrense, commandeth, that no man shall make any such difference between a married and an unmarried priest, as for his wifeless estate he should think the one holier than the other. These men do make such difference between them, that they imagine, all their holy mysteries, if they come in the hands of any godly honest man that hath married a wife, to be by & by unhallowed & polluted. That ancient Emperor Justinian commanded that all things in the holy administration of the Church should be pronounced with a clear,1 a loud, and an open voice, that some fruit might come thereof to the people. These men, least the people should understand somewhat, do whisper all their holy mysteries, not only with an uncertain & a low voice, but also in a strange and a barbarous tong. The old Council of Carthage forbiddeth that any thing should be read in the holy congregation other then the Canonical Scriptures.2 These men read those things in their Churches, which they themselves doubt not but they be manifest lies and vain fables. But if there be any man that doth think these things to be weak & of small authority, because they were decreed by Emperors and certain mean Bishops & Councils assembled in no great number: and that doth better allow the authority & name of the Pope:3 Pope Julius doth expressly forbid the priest, in the administration of the holy mysteries, to dip the bread in the cup: these men contrary to the decree of Pope Julius, break the bread and dip it into the wine. Pope Clement denieth it to be lawful for a Bishop to exercise both the Swords, saying. If thou wilt have both, thou shalt ⟨p. 44⟩both deceive thy self and them that hearken unto thee. Now the Pope challengeth both the swords and exerciseth them both: wherefore it ought to seem less marvel, if that hath followed sithens, which Clement spake of: that he hath both deceived himself, and them that have given ear unto him. Leo the Pope saith, that in one Church and upon one day it is lawful to say but one Mass: