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…

We truly for our parts, as we have said, have don nothing in altering Religion, either upon rashness or arrogancy, nor nothing but with good leisure and great consideration. Neither had we ever intended to do it, except both the manifest and most assured will of God opened to us in his holy scriptures, and the regard of our own salvation had even constrained us there unto. For though we have departed from that Church which these men call catholic, and by that means get us envy amongest them that want skill to judge, yet is this enough for us, and it ought to be enough for every wise and good man, and one that maketh account of everlasting life, that we have gone from that Church which had power to err, which Christ, who cannot err, told so long before it should err, and which we our selves did evidently see with our eyes to have gone both from the holy Fathers and from the Apostles, and from Christ ⟨image 114⟩his own self & from the primitive & catholic church: and we are come as near as we possibly could to the Church of the Apostles and of the old catholic Bishops and Fathers, which Church we know hath hetherunto ben sound and perfect, and as Tertullian termeth it, a pure virgin spotted as yet with no Idolatry, nor with any foul or shameful fault: and have directed according to their customs and ordinances not only our doctrine, but also the Sacraments & the form of common prayer.

We truely for our parts, as we haue sayd, haue don nothing in altering Religion, either vpon rashenes or arrogantie, nor nothing but with good leasure and great consideration. Neyther had we euer intended to do it, except both the manifeste and most assured will of God opened to vs in his holy scriptures, and the regarde of our owne saluation had euen constreyned vs there vnto. For though wee haue departed from that Churche which these menne call catholique, and by that meanes gett vs enuy amongest them that want skill to iudge, yet is this ynough for vs, and it ought to be ynough for euery wise and good man, and one that maketh accoumpte of euerlasting lyfe, that we haue gon from that Church whiche had power to erre, whiche Christ, who cannot erre, tolde so long before it should erre, and which we our selues did euidently see with our eyes to haue gon both from ye holy Fathers and from the Apostles, and from Christ ⟨image 114⟩his own selfe & from the primatiue & catholique churche: and wee are come as nere as we possibly could to the Church of the Apostles and of the old catholique Byshops and Fathers, whiche Churche we knowe hath hetherunto ben sounde and perfite, and as Tertullian termeth it, a pure virgine spotted as yet with no Idolatrie, nor with any foule or shamefull faulte: and haue directed according to their customes and ordinaunces not onely our doctrine, but also the Sacraments & the fourme of common prayer.