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…

Where they say that we have fallen into sundry sects, and would be called some of us Lutherians, some of us Zwinglians, and cannot yet well agree among our selves touching the whole substance of doctrine, what would these men have said, if they had been in the first times of the Apostles and holy Fathers, when one said: I hold of Paul, an other I hold of Cephas, an other I hold of Apollo: when Paul did so sharply rebuke Peter: when upon a falling out Barnabas departed from Paul: when as Origene mentioneth, the Christians were divided into so many […], as that they kept no more but ⟨image 41⟩the name of Christians in common among them, being in no manner of thing else like to Christians, when as Socrates saith, for their dissensions and sun dry sects they were laughed and jested at openly of the people in the common gameplayes, when as Constantine the Emperor affirmeth, there were such a nun ber of variances and brawlings in the church, that it might justly seem a misery far passing all the former miseries? when also Theophilus, Epiphanius, Chrysostom, Augustine, Rufine, Hierome, being all Christians, being all Fathers, being all catholics, did strive one against an other, with most bitter and remediless contentions without end? When as saith Nazianzene, the parts of one body were consumed and wasted one of an other? when the East part was divided from the West, only for leavened bread, and only for keeping of Easter day, which were in did no great matters to be strived for? And when in all Councils ⟨image 41⟩[…] Creeds and new decrees continually were devised? what would these men (from the) have said in those days? which side would they specially them have taken, and which would they then have forsaken? which Gospel would they have believed? whom would they have accounted for heretics, and whom for Catholics? And yet what a stir and revel keep they at this time upon two poor names only Luther and Zwinglius, because these two men do not yet fully agree upon some one point, therefore would they needs have us think, that both of them were deceived, that neither of them had the Gospel, & that neither of them taught the trueth aright. But good God, what manner of fellows be these, which blame us for disagreeing, and do all they themselves, ween you, agree well together? Is every one of them fully resolved what to follow?

Where they say that we haue fallen into sundrie sectes, and woulde be called some of vs Lutherians, some of vs Zuingliās, and cannot yet well agre among our selfes touching ye whole substaunce of doctrine, what woulde these menne haue said, yf they had bene in the first times of the Apostles and holy Fathers, when one said: I holde of Paul, an other I holde of Cephas, an other I holde of Apollo: when Paule dyd so sharpelye rebucke Peter: when vppon a falling out Barnabas departed from Paul: when as Origene mentioneth, the Christians were deuided into so many , as that they kept nomore but