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…

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.

They crye out vpon vs at thys present euery wheare, that we are all heretiques, and haue forsaken the fayth, and haue with newe perswasions and wicked learninge vtterly dyssolued the concorde of the Churche, that we renew, & as it weare, fetche againe from hell, the olde and many a daye condempned heresyes: ⟨image 9⟩that we sow abroade newe sects, and suche broyles as neuer yearst weare hearde of: also that we are already deuided into contrarye partes and opinions, and coulde yet by no meanes agree well amonge oure selues: that wee be cursed creatures, & lyke ye Gyauntes do warre againste God him selfe, and lyue cleane without any regarde or worshippinge of God: that we despise all good deedes: that we vse noe discipline of vertue, no lawes, no customes: that we esteeme neither righte, nor order, nor equitie, nor iustice: that we geue ye brydell to al naugh tines, and prouoke the people to all lycenciousnes and lust: that we labour & seke to ouerthrowe the state of Monarchies and Kyngdomes, and to bringe al thinges vnder the rule of the rashe incō stante people and vnlearned multitude: that wee haue seditiously fallen from ye Catholique Churche, and by a wycked schisme and diuision haue shaken the whole worlde, and trobled the common