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…

It should be a painful and a troublesome thing for you to undertake so long a Journey, and every year to go to Jerusalem, to the intent to honour and to worship God. After the same manner in all points, these men, when that for their own traditions sake, they had ones made void the law of God, least that the people should afterwards open their eyes, and slip an other way, and find at others hands a more certain course for their salvation, O how often have they cried, This is that kind of worshipping that pleaseth God: and which he doth strictly require at our hands: and wherewith he will be appeased in his anger: By these things the agreement in the Church is conserved: with these things all sin is cleansed, and consciences are made quiet: who that shall forsake these things, he leaveth himself no hope of eternal salvation? It is a painful and a troublesome thing for the people to look back upon Christ, upon the Apostles, upon the old fathers: & ever more to be attentive what their will and commandment is. This I warrant you, is the very way to bring the people of God from the weak elements of the world, from the leaven of scribes & Pharisees, and from mans traditions. It behoved that ⟨p. 47⟩the ordinances of Christ and of his Apostles should be thrust out of place, that these might be accepted in their stead. O this was a sufficient cause, why that good old doctrine which many ages had been approved, should be abjected, and a new form of Religion should be brought into the Church of God. Nevertheless what so ever it is, these men cry still: Nothing must be changed: with these things mens minds are satisfied: these things are decreed by the church of Rome: that church can not err: for Sylvester Prierias saith, that the Church of Rome is the squire & rule of truth: from the which the holy scriptures receive their authority. The doctrine, saith he, of the Church of Rome, is the unfallible rule of faith, from the which the holy Scriptures fetcheth her strength. And pardons sayeth he, are not come to our knowledge by the authority of the scriptures, but they are known unto us by the authority of the Church of Rome, and of the Roman Popes, the which is a greater authority.

It should be a paynefull and a troublesome thing for you to vndertake so long a Iorney, and euery yeare to goe to Hierusalem, to the intent to honor and to worshippe God. After the same māner in all pointes, these men, when that for theyr owne traditiōs sake, they had ones made voyde the law of God, least that the people should afterwardes opē their eies, and slippe an other waye, and finde at others handes a more certayne course for their saluation, O how often haue they cried, This is yt kynde of worshippyng that pleaseth God: and whiche he doth streightly require at our handes: and wherewith he will be appeased in his anger: By these thinges the agrement in the Church is conserued: with these thinges all sinne is cleansid, and consciences ar made quiet: whoe that shal forsake these thinges, he leaueth himself no hope of eternall saluatiō? It is a paynefull and a troublesome thyng for the people to looke backe vpon Christ, vpon the Apostles, vpō the olde fathers: & euer more to be attentife what their will and commaundement is. This I warrant you, is the very way to bring the people of God frō the weake elementes of the world, from the leauenne of scribes & Pharises, and from mans traditions. It behoved that