A04458:81
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.
Wherefore if truth now also at this time be evil spoken of, and as it is the same thing, so it be entertained with the same reproaches, wherewith it was wont to be: although it be grievous and unpleasant, yet it can not seem to be new, or a thing that hath not ben before accustomed.
Wherfore if truth now also at this time be euil spoken of, and as it is the same thyng, so it be intertayned with the same reproches, wherewith it was wonte to be: althoughe it be greuous and vnpleasant, yet it can not seeme to be newe, or a thing that hath not ben before accustomed.
It was an easy matter for these men, forty years paste, to devise these slanders and other more grievous matters against us, what time as in the middest of that darkness, some little lightsome beam of the truth as yet in those days unknown and not heard of, began first to rise and to shine: what time as Martin Luther, and Huldericus Zuinglius two most excellent personages sent of God to give light unto the world, came first unto the Gospel: what time as the matter was yet but new, and the success uncertain, and mens minds were wavering and astonied, and their ears open unto slanders, and no mischief so heinous could be devised against us, which for the novelty and strangeness of the doctrine it self, should not of the people ⟨p. 27⟩easily be believed. For after this manner the old enemies of the Gospel, Simmachus, Celsus, Julian, Porphyry in times paste toke in hand to accuse all Christians of sedition and of treason, before that other the Prince or the people could know what manner of men those Christians were, or what they did profess, or what they believed, or what they would have. Now after that our very enemies do see, & can not deny, but that always in all our words and writings, we have diligently admonished the people of their duty: how that they ought to obey their Princes and Magistrates, although they were wicked: and that use and experience doth declare the same, and the eyes of all men whatsoever and wheresoever they be, do see it and bear witness thereof: It was but an unsavoury devise to object such things against us, and for want of new and fresh matter, to go about to bring us into hatred, only with old forworn lies.