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…

It is doubtless an odious thing for any man to forsake yt fellowship whereunto he hath accustomed himself, but specially of those men which although they be not yet, at the least seem to be & are called Christians. And to say truth concerning their Church even for the names sake, & because that in time paste, of what sort so ever it be now, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was truly & purely set forth in it, we do not so greatly contemn it: nor would not have forsaken it, but only of very necessity, and that very much against our wills. But what if an Idol be raised up in the Church of God, & that same desolation whereof Christ did prophecy, should stand openly in the holy place? What if a strong thief or a pirate get the possession of the Ark of Noah? Doubtless these men as often as they preach unto us the Church, they make themselves only to be the Church, and all those titles they challenge to themselves, and so they triumph even as they did in times paste that cried, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord: or as the Pharisees and Scribes did, when they boasted themselves to be the sons of Abraham.¹

It is doutles an odyous thing for any man to forsake yt felowship whereunto he hath accustomed himselfe, but specially of those men which although they be not yet, at the least seeme to be & are called Christiās. And to say truth concerning their Church euen for the names sake, & bicause yt in time paste, of what sorte so euer it be now, the Gospell of Iesus Christ was truly & purely set forth in it, we doe not so greatly contemne it: nor would not haue forsaken it, but only of very necessitie, and yt very much against our willes. But what if an Idole be raised vp in the Church of God, & that same desolation whereof Christ did prophecy, shoulde stande openly in the holy place? What if a strong theefe or a pyrate get the possessiō of ye Arke of Noe? Doubtles these mē as often as they preach vnto vs ye Church, they make themselfes onely to be the Church, and all those tytles they chalenge to themselfes, and so they triumphe euen as they did in tymes paste that cryed, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord: or as the Pharasies and Scribes did, when they boasted themselfes to be the sonnes of Abraham.¹

1. 1Joan. 8.