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…

But here I look they will say, though they have not the Scriptures, yet may chance they have the Ancient Doctors, and the holy Fathers with them. For this is a high brag they have ever made, how that all antiquity and a continual consent of all ages doth make on their side: and that all our cases be but new & yester days work, & until these few last years never heard of. Questionless there can nothing be more spitefully spoken against the religion of God than to accuse it of novelty, as a new come up matter. For as there can be no change in God him self, no more ought there to be in his religion.

But here I looke thei wil say, though they haue not the Scriptures, yet maye chaunce they haue the Auncient Doctours, and the holy Fathers with them. For this is a high bragge they haue euer made, how that al antiquity and a continuall consent of all ages dothe make on their side: and that all our cases be but new & yester dayes worke, & vntill these fewe laste yeares neuer heard of. Questionlesse there can nothing be more spitfully spoken against the religion of God thē to acuse it of noueltie, as a new comē vp matter. For as ther can be no chaūge in God him selfe, no more ought there to be in his religion.

Yet nevertheless we wot not by what means, but we have ever seen it come so to pass from the first beginning of all, that as often as God did give but some light, and did open his truth unto men, though the truth were not only of greatest antiquity, but also from everlasting, yet ⟨image 78⟩of wicked men & of the adversaries was it called Newfangled and of late devised. That ungracious and blood thrist• Haman, when he sought to procure the king Assueruses displeasure against the Jews, this was his accusation to him: Thou hast here (saith he) a kind of people that useth certain new laws of their own, but stifnecked & rebellious against all thy laws. When Paul also began first to preach & expound the Gospel at Athens, he was called A tidings bringer of new Gods: as much to say, as of new religion. for (said the Athenians) may we not know of thee what new doctrine this is? Celsus likewise when he of set purpose wrote against Christ, to the end he might more scornfully scoff out the Gospel by the name of novelty, What saith he, hath God after so many ages now at last, and so late bethought himself? Eusebius also writeth, that Christian religion from the beginning for very spite was called [Greek or Hebrew], that is to