A04459:38
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…
An apology or answer in defence of the Church of England with a brief and plain declaration of the true religion professed and used in the same.An apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande with a briefe and plaine declaration of the true religion professed and vsed in the same.
Londini: printed by Reginald Wolfe, 1564
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
We believe that there is one Church of God, and that the same is not shut up (as in times past among the Jews) into some one corner or kingdom, but ⟨image 22⟩that it is catholic and universal, and dispersed throughout the whole world. So that there is now no nation which can truly complain that they be shut forth. & may not be one of the Church & people of God: And that this Church is the Kingdom, the body and the spouse of Christ: and that Christ alone is the Prince of this Kingdom, that Christ alone is the head of this body, and that Christ alone is the bridegroom of this spouse.
Wee beleeue that there is one Church of God, and that the same is not shutte vp (as in times past amonge the Iewes) into some one corner or kyngdome, but ⟨image 22⟩that it is catholique and vniuersall, and dispersed throughout the whole worlde. So that there is now no nation which can truly complaine that they bee shutt furth. & maye not be one of ye Church & people of God: And that this Churche is the Kingedome, the bodye and the spouse of Christe: and that Christ alone is the Prince of thys Kyngedome, that Christ alone is the heade of this bodye, and that Christ alone is the brydgrome of this spouse.
Furthermore that there be diverse degrees of ministers in the church, where of some be deacons, some priests, some Bishops, to whom is committed the office to instruct the people, and the whole charge and setting forth of Religion: yet not withstanding we say that there neither is nor can be any one man, which may have the whole superiority in this universal state, for that Christ is ever present to assist his Church, and needeth not any man to supply his room, as his ⟨image 22⟩only heir to all his substance: and y• there can be no one mortal creature, which is able to comprehend or conceive in his mind the universal Church, y is to wit, all the parts of the world, much less able to put them in order and to govern them rightly and duly. For all the Apostles, as Cyprian sayeth,