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…

Wherefore we ought to bear it the more quietly, which have taken upon us to profess the Gospel of Christ, if we for the same cause be handled after the same sort: and if we, as our forefathers were long ago, be likewise at this day tormented & baited with railings, with spiteful dealings and with lies, and that for no desert of our own, but only because we teach and acknowledge the truth.

Wherefore wee oughte to beare yt the more quyetlye, which haue taken vppon vs to professe the Gospell of Christ, yf we for the same cause be handled after the same sorte: and yf wee, as our forefathers weare longe ago, bee lykewyse at thys day tormented & bayted with raylings, with spitefull dealinges and with lyes, and that for no desert of our owne, but onely bicause we teach and acknowledge the truthe.

They cry out upon us at this present every where, that we are all heretics, and have forsaken the faith, and have with new persuasions and wicked learning utterly dissolved the concord of the Church, that we renew, & as it were, fetch again from hell, the old and many a day condemned heresies: ⟨image 9⟩that we sow abroad new sects, and such broils as never erst were heard of: also that we are already divided into contrary parts and opinions, and could yet by no means agree well among our selves: that we be cursed creatures, & like the Giants do war against God him self, and live clean without any regard or worshipping of God: that we despise all good deeds: that we use no discipline of virtue, no laws, no customs: that we esteem neither right, nor order, nor equity, nor justice: that we give the bridle to all naugh tines, and provoke the people to all licentiousness and lust: that we labour & seek to overthrow the state of Monarchies and Kingdoms, and to bring all things under the rule of the rash inconstant people and unlearned multitude: that we have seditiously fallen from the Catholic Church, and by a wicked schism and division have shaken the whole world, and troubled the common ⟨image 10⟩peace and universal quiet of the church: and that as Dathan and Abyron conspired in times past against Moses and Aaron, even so we at this day have renounced the Bishop of Rome without any cause reasonable: that we set nought by the authority of the ancient fathers and Councils of old time: that we have rashly and presumptuously disannulled the old ceremonies, which have ben well allowed by our fathers and forefathers many hundred year past, both by good customs and also in ages of more purity: and that we have by our own private head, without the authority of any sacred and general Council brought new traditions into the Church, and have don all these things not for Religions sake, but only upon a desire of contention and strife.