A04458:161
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.
But what if these Abbots and Bishops have no knowledge? What if they understand not what religion is, and what opinion they ought to have of God? What if law be lost of the priest, & counsel of the Elders? What if the night, as Micah saith, be unto them in stead of a vision, and darkness in stead of foreseeing things to come? What if all the watchmen of the City, as Isaiah saith, are become blind? What if the salt hath lost his strength and his taste? and as Christ saith, is good for nothing, not so much as to be caste out upon the dung hill?
But what if these Abbotes and Bysshoppes haue no knowledge? What yf they vnderstande not what religion is, and what opinion they oughte to haue of God? What if law be loste of the preeste, & coūsel of the Elders? What if the night, as Micheas saythe, be vnto them in stede of a vision, and darkenes in stede of forseyng thynges to come? What if all the watchemen of the Citie, as Esaye sayth, ar become blinde? What if the salte hath loste his strēgth and his taste? and as Christ sayth, is good for nothyng, not so muche as to be caste out vpon the dunge hill?
Forsooth they will commit all things to the Pope,1 who can not err. But that, to begin withal, is a foolish devise: that the holy ghost should fly away in haste from the holy Council to Rome, to the intent that if he doubt or stick in any thing, and not be able to wind him self out, he might take counsel of some other spirit I wot not who, better learned than him self: For if the case stand so, what needed it that so many Bishops should in this time at so great charges and through so long journeys be summoned to come to Trent? It were yet a much more wiser & better way, sure I am it were both shorter and more commodious for them, rather to put of all things to the Pope: and to repair at the first dash, to the heavenly determination of his sacred breast. Moreover it is against equity, to put over our cause from so many Bishops and Abbots to the judgement of one man, specially of him, who standeth accused by us of most weighty and grievous offences: and as yet hath not brought in his answer: who also hath condemned us