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…

But where they say, we have gone away from the unity of the catholic Church, this is not only a matter of malice, but besides, though it be most untrue, yet hath it some show and appearance of truth. For the common people and ignorant multitude give not credit alone to things true and of certainty, butte even to such things also, if any chance, which may seem to have but a resemblance of truth. Therefore we see that subtle and crafty persons, when they had no truth on their side, have ever contended and horely argued with things likely to be true, to the intent they which were not able to espy the very ground of the matter, might be carried a way at least with some pretence and probability thereof. In times past where the first Christians, our forefathers, in making ⟨image 59⟩their prayers to God, didd turn themselves towards the East, there were […] said, they worshipped the sun, […] it as God.¹ Again, where our forefathers said, that as touching […] fall and everlasting life, they lived by no other means but by the flesh and blood of that lamb who was without s•o•t, that is to say, of our saviour Jesus Christ, ye envious creatures and •oes of Christs Cross, whose only care was to bring Christian religion into slander by all manner of ways, made people believe, that they were wicked persons, that they sacrificed mens flesh,² and dr•nke mens blood. Also where our forefathers said, that before God there •• neither man nor woman, nor for attaining to the true righteousness there is no distinction at all of persons, and that they did call one an other indifferently by the name of Sisters and Brothers, there wanted not men which forged false tales upon the same, ⟨image 60⟩saying that the Christians made no difference among them selves,³ either of age or of kind, but like brute beasts without regard had to do one with an other. And where for to pray & hear the Gospel, they met often together in secret and byplaces, because Rebels sometime were wont to do the like. Rumours were every where spread abroad how they made privy confederacies, and counselled together either to kill the magistrates, or to subvert the common wealth.