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…

Now if we ought to be condemned for heretics, because we do not all things which these men do command us: who I pray you, or what manner of men shall we account them to be, which do despise the commandments of Christ and of the Apostles? If we be Schismatics that have dissevered our selves from these fellows, by what name I pray you, shall we call them, that have departed from the Greeks, at whose ⟨image 50⟩hands they received the faith, from the primitive church, from Christ him self, from the Apostles, even as it were from their own parents? For as for the Greeks, such as at this day do profess the religion and name of Christ, although they have many things that are corrupted, yet they retain to this hour a great part of those things which they received of the Apostles. Therefore neither have they private Masses, nor their sacraments mangled, nor purgatory, nor pardons: As for the Popes titles and proud names, so much they do regard them, that whosoever doth take them upon him, and will needs be called either the universal Bishop or head of the whole Church: of him they will not stick to say, that he is both an intolerable arrogant man, and a person that injuriously defaceth all other Bishops his brethren, and also an heretic.

Nowe if we ought to be condemned for heretikes, bycause we doe not al thinges whiche these menne doe commaunde vs: whoe I praye you, or what maner of men shall we account them to be, which doe despise the commaundementes of Christe and of the Apostles? If we be Schismatikes that haue disseuered our selfs frō these fellowes, by what name I pray you, shal we call them, that haue departed from the Grekes, at whose ⟨image 50⟩hādes they receyued the faith, frō the primitiue church, from Christ him self, from the Apostels, euē as it were from their owne parentes? For as for the Grekes, such as at this daye doe professe the religion and name of Christ, althoe they haue many thinges that ar corrupted, yet they retaine to this howre a great part of those thinges which they receyued of the Apostles. Therfore nother haue they priuate Masses, nor their sacramētes mangeled, nor purgatory, nor pardonnes: As for the Popes titles and proude names, so muche they doe regard them, that whosoeuer doth take them vpon him, and wil needes be called either the vniuersal Byshop or heade of the whole Church: of him they will not sticke to saye, that he is bothe an intolerable arrogant man, and a personne that iniuriously defaceth all other Byshoppes his bretherne, and also an heretike.