A04458:15
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.
11. Now a days they cry every where, that all we are Heretics, that we are departed from the faith, & that we with our new persuasions and wicked doctrine, ⟨image 4⟩have broken the consent of the Church: That we do raise,§2 as it were out of Hell, and restore to life again old Heresies, & such as long ago were condemned. We sow §3abroad new sects and furious fancies, that never before were heard of: Also that we now are divided into §4contrary factions & opinions, & could never agree by any means among our selves: That we are wicked men,§5 & make war after the manner of the Giants (as the fable is) against God himself, & do live altogether without care or reverence of God: That we do despise all good deeds,§6 and use no discipline of virtue, maintain no laws, no customs, no equity, no justice, no right. That we loose the bridle to all mischief, & allure the people to all kind of licence and lust: That we go about and seek how all the §7states of Monarchies & kingdoms might be overthrown, and that all things might be brought unto the rash government of the people, & to the rule of the unskilful multitude: That we have rebelliously withdrawn §8our selves from the catholic Church, and shaken the whole world with a cursed schism, & have troubled the common peace & the general quietness of the Church: and that like as in times paste Dathan and Abiron severed themselves from Moses and Aaron, so we at this day depart from the Pope of Rome without any sufficient & just cause: As for the authority of the ancient §9fathers and old Councils, we do set at naught. All ancient ceremonies, such as of our grandfathers §10and great grandfathers now many ages paste, when better manners and better days did flourish, were approved,§11