A04458:69
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 the weightiest matter of all is,1 that they do call us wicked men, and such as have caste away all care of religion: although in deed it ought not to trouble us very much, when they themselves by whom it is objected, know that it is slanderous and false. For Justine the martyr writeth, that what time the Gospel began first to be published, and the name of Christ to spread abroad, that all Christians were called Godless.2 And what time Polycarp was arraigned in judgement, the people stirred up the Lieutenant to slay and to destroy all them that professed the Gospel,3 with those words, [Greek or Hebrew], that is to say, Away with the wicked men that have no God. ⟨image 23⟩Not because the Christians had no God in very deed, but because they would not worship stones and stocks, which at that time were honoured as gods. But the whole world seeth now well enough, what we and our brethren have suffered at these mens hands for religion only, and for our Gods sake. They have thrown us into prisons, into waters, into liars, and have wallowed in our blood: not because we were other adulterers, or thieves, or mankillers: but only because we did profess the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and did trust in the living God: and because we did complain upon to just occasion, thou knowest O Lord, and to truly, that for most vain and trifling traditions, the law of God was by our adversaries broken and trodden under foot, and because we said that in as much as with knowledge and advisement they did so obstinately contemn the commandments of God, they were rebels to the gospel, and enemies of the Cross of Christ.
But the waightyest matter of all is,1 that they do call vs wicked men, and such as haue caste away all care of religion: although in deede it ought not to trouble vs very much, when thei themselues by whom it is obiected, knowe that it is slaunderouse and false. For Iustine the martyr wryteth, that what tyme the Gospell beganne firste to bee publyshed, and the name of Christe to spread abrode, that all Christians were called Godlesse.