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…

¹We confess in deed, that certain new sects, and such as before hath not ben heard of, as Anabaptists, Libertines, Mennonions, Zuenkfeldians, by & by at the springing of the Gospel did start up. But we give thanks unto our God, the world seeth now well enough that we neither have bred, nor taught, nor fostered these monsters. Read I pray thee who so ever thou art our books, they be in every place to be sold, what was ever written by any of our men, that might evidently favour the madness of these fellows? No there is no country so free from these pestilent fellows, as these be wherein the Gospel is freely & openly taught. But if men will consider the very matter diligently & rightly: this is a great argument that this doctrine which we teach is the truth of the Gospel: For neither is darnel commonly wont to grow, but with some kind of grain: nor chaff, but with corn. By and by after the time of the Apostles, what time the Gospel was first spread abroad, who knoweth not how many heresies suddenly sprang up together? Who ever heard before of Simon, Menander, Saturnine, Basilides, Carpocrates, Cherinthus, Ebion, Valentine, ⟨p. 20⟩Secundus, Marcosius, Colorbasius, Heracleo, Lucian, Severus? And what should we rehearse these? Epiphanius reckoneth fourscore, Augustine moe, and that distinct heresies, which grew up together with the gospel. Howe then? was the gospel no gospel, because that heresies sprang up together with it? other was Christ therefore no Christ?

¹We cōfesse in deede, that certen newe sectes, and such as before hath not ben hearde of, as Anabaptistes, Libertines, Mennonions, Zuenkfeldians, by & by at the springyng of the Gospell did starte vp. But we giue thākes vnto our God, the world seeth now wel inough that we nother haue bred, nor taught, nor fostered these monsters. Reade I praye thee whoe so euer thou arte our bookes, they be in euery place to be solde, what was euer written by any of oure men, that might euidently fauer the madnes of these fellowes? No there is no countre so free from these pestilent fellowes, as these be wherein the Gospell is freely & openly taught. But yf menne will consider the very matter diligently & rightly: this is a great argumente that this doctrine whiche we teache is the truthe of the Gospell: For nother is darnell commonly wonte to grow, but with some kinde of grayne: nor chaffe, but with corne. By and by after the time of the Apostles, what time the Gospel was first spred abrode, who knoweth not how many heresies sodenly sprang vp together? Whoe euer hearde before of Simon, Menander, Saturnine, Basilides, Carpocrates, Cherinthus, Ebion, Ualentine,