A04458:70
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.
1But these men what time they saw that our doctrine could not be justly accused, they thought it better to inveigh against our manners: saying that we destroyed all good deeds, that we opened the gates unto licence and lust, and led the people from all endeavour of virtue. And truly the life of all men, even of the godly and Christian men, hath always been such, that in the most perfect & chaste manners, yet there was somewhat wherein thou mightest find fault. And moreover all men are so inclined to do evil, and all so ready to suspect, that even those things which were never done nor thought, may nevertheless easily be heard of, & soon believed. And like as in a very white garment a little spot is easily perceived, so in a most pure life the least blot of filthy ⟨p. 23⟩doings is soon espied. Nether do we suppose that all they which at this day have embraced the doctrine of the Gospel, are Angels, and live altogether without spot or wrinkle: or that these men be so blind, that if there be any thing that may be reproved in us, they can not espy it at never so little a hole: or that they be so courteous, that they will interpret any thing in the better part: or so honest that they will turn their eyes towards themselves, and esteem our manners by their own. But if we will consider the matter from the beginning: we know that in the very times of the apostles, there was amongest the Christians, thorough whom the name of the Lord was blasphemed,2 & evil spoken of among the Gentiles. Constantius the Emperor complained as Sozomene writeth, that many after they were come unto Christian religion, were become worse. And Cyprian with a sorrowful oration doth complain of the corruption of his time.3 The discipline saith he, which the Apostles left unto us, quietness and long peace hath corrupted. Every man studied to increase his patrimony, and forgetting what the faithful other before in the Apostles time had done, or always ought to do, they gave themselves to multiplying of riches, with an unsatiable rage of covetousness. In Bishops there was no devotion: in ministers no upright dealing, no mercy in their doings, no discipline in their manners. In man the beard was corrupted, in woman beauty counterfeit. And before him Tertullian: O saith he, how miserable are we, that in these days are called Christians: We live like Gentiles under the name of Christ.