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…

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 ⟨image 78⟩say New & strange. After like sort, these men condemn all our matters as strange & new, but they will have their own, whatsoever they are to be praised as things of long continuance. Doing much like to ȳe enchanters & sorcerers now a days, which working with devils use, to say, they have their books and all their holy & hid mysteries from Athanasius, Cyprian, Moses, Abel, Adam, & from the Archangel Raphael, because that their cunning coming from such patrons & founders, might be judged the more high and holy. After the same fashion these men, because they would have their own religion which they themselves, and that not long since, have brought forth into the world to be the ea••lier and rather accepted of foolish persons, or of such as caste little whereabouts they or other do go, they are wont to say, they had it from Augustine, Hierome, Chrysostom, from the Apostles, and from Christ himself. Full well know they, that nothing is more ⟨image 79⟩in the peoples favour, or better liketh the common sort then these names.