An apology or answer in defence of the Church of England with a brief…An apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande with a briefe…

What then shall I say here, O ye principal posts of Religion, O ye Archegovernours of CHRISTS Church, is this that your reverence which ye give to God's word? The holy Scriptures which S. Paul saith came by the inspiration of God, ⟨image 73⟩which God did commend by so many miracles, wherein are the most perfect […] of Christs own steppes, which all the holy Fathers, Apostles, and Aun••les▪ which Christ him self the Son of God, as often as was needful did allege for testimony and proof: will ye, as though they were unworthy for you to hear, had them Avaunt away? that is, will ye enjoin God to keep silence, who speaketh to you most clearly by his own mouth in the Scriptures? Or that word, whereby alone, as Paul saith, we are reconciled to God, and which the Prophet David saith, is holy and pure and shall last forever, will ye call that but a bare and dead letter? Or will ye say that all our labour is lost, which is bestowed in that thing which Christ hath commanded us diligently to search and to have evermore before our eyes? And will ye say that Christ and the Apostl• meant with subtlety to deceive the people, when they exhorted them to read the holy ⟨image 74⟩Scriptures, that thereby they might s•ow in all wisdom and knowledge? No marvel at all, though these men despise us and all our doings, which set so little by God himself & his infallible sayings. Yet was it but want of wit in them to the intent they might hurt us, to do so extreme injury to the word of God.

What thenne shall I saye heere, O ye principall postes of Religion, O ye Archegouernours of CHRISTES Churche, is this that youre reuerence which ye geue to Goddes woorde? The holye Scriptures whiche S. Paule saith came by the inspiration of Godde, ⟨image 73⟩whiche God dyd commende by so many miracles, wherin are the moste perfit 〈…〉 of Christes owne steppes, which all the holy Fathers, Apostles, and Aun••les▪ whiche Christ hym selfe the sonne of God, as often as was nedefull dyd alleadge for testimonie and proufe: will ye, as though they were vnworthie for you to heare, had them Auaūt away? that is, wil ye inioyne God to kepe silence, who speakith to you mostclearely by his own mouth in ye Scriptures? Or that word, wherby alone, as Paul saith, we are reconciled to God, and whiche the Prophet Dauid saith, ys holye and pure and shall last foreuer, will ye call that but a bare and dead lettre? Or wil ye say that all our labour is lost, whiche is bestoued in that thinge which Christ hath commaūded vs diligently to searche and to haue euermore before our eyes? And wil ye faye that Christ and the Apostl ment with subtelty to deceiue the people, when they exhorted them to reade the holie