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…

Which thing is the only cause why we at this day are called heretics of the chief prelates (no doubt) of Religion. O immortal God, hath Christ him self then, the Apostles & so many Fathers, all at once gone a stray? were then Origene, Ambrose Augustin, Chrysostom, Gelasius, Theodoret, forsakers of the catholic faith? was so notable a consent of so many ancient Bishops and learned men nothing else, but a conspiracy of heretics? Or is that now condemned in us, which was then commended in them? Or is ⟨image 38⟩the thing now by alteration only of mens affection suddenly become shismatique, which in them was counted catholic? Or shall that which in times past was true, now by and by, because it liketh not these men, be judged false? Let them then bring forth another Gospel, and let them show the causes why these things which so long have openly ben observed, and well allowed in the Church of God, ought now in the end be called in again. We know well enough, that the same word which was opened by Christ, & spread abroad by the Apostles is sufficient, both our salvation and all trueth to up hold & maintain, and also to confound all manner of heresy. By that Wo•d only do we condemn all sorts of the old heretics, whom these men say we have called out of hell again▪ As for the Arians, the Eutychians, the Marcionites, the Ebionites, the Valentinians, the Carpocratians; the Tatians, the Novatians, and ⟨image 39⟩shortly all them which have had a wicked opinion either of God the Father or of Christ, or of the holy Ghost, or of any other point of Christian Religion▪ for so much as they be confuted by the Gospel of Christ, we plainly pronun•• them for detestable and cast away persons, and defy them even unto the devil. Neither do we leave them so, but we also severely and straitly hold them in by lawful and politic punishments, if they fortune to break out any wher• and bewray themselves.

Whiche thinge is the onely cause whye wee at this daye ar called heretikes of the chiefe prelates (no doubt) of Religiō. O immortal God, hath Christ him selfe then, ye Apostles & so many Fathers, al at once gon a stray? were then Origene, Ambrose Augustin, Chrysostome, Gelasius, Theodoret, forsakers of the catholique faith? was so notable a consent of so manye auncient Byshoppes and learned menne nothing els, but a conspiracye of heretiques? Or is that nowe condemned in vs, whiche was then commended in them? Or is