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…

And yet whatsoever it be, these men cry still that nothing ought to be changed, that mens minds are well satisfied here withal, that the Church of Rome the church which cannot err, hath decreed these things. For Sylvester Prierias saith that the Romish church is the squire & rule of truth, and that the holy scripture hath received from thence both authority and credit. The doctrine saith he, of the Romish church, is the rule of most infallible faith, from the which the holy scripture taketh his force. And Indulgences and pardons (saith he) are not made known to us by the authority of the scriptures, but they are known to us by the authority of the Romish Church, ⟨image 89⟩and of the Bishops of Rome, which is greater. Pighius also letteth not to say, that without the licence or the Romish Church, we ought not to believe the very plain scriptures: much like as if any of those that cannot speak pure & clean Latin, and yet can babble out quickly & readily a little some such law Latin as serveth the Court, would needs hold that all others ought also to speak after the same way which Mametrectus & Catholicō spake many year ago, & which them selves do yet use in pleading in Court, for so may it be understand sufficiently what is said, and mens desires be satisfied, and that it is a fondness now in the later end to trouble the world with a new kind of speaking, and to call again the old finesse and eloquence that Cicero and Cesar used in their days in the Latin tongue. So much are these men beholden to the folly and darkness of the former times. Many things as one writeth, are had in estimation often times, ⟨image 90⟩because they have ben once dedicate to the temples of the Heathen gods: even so see we at this day many things allowed and highly set by of these men, not because they judge them so much worth, but only because they have ben received into a custom, and after a sort dedicate to the Temple of God.

And yet whatsoeuer it be, these menne crye stil that nothing ought to be changed, that mens mindes are well satisfied here withal, that the Churche of Rome ye church which cannot erre, hath decreed these thinges. For Siluester Prierias saith yt the Romish churche is the squyer & rule of truth, and that ye holy scripture hath receiued from thence bothe authoritie and credite. The doctrine saith he, of the Romish church, is the rule of moste infallible faith, from the whiche the holy scripture taketh his force. And Indulgences and pardons (saith he) are not made knowē to vs by ye authoritie of the scriptures, but they are knowē to vs by the authoritie of the Romyshe Church,