A04459:89
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.
wherefore if we would follow the judgements of those men only, who then governed the Church, and would respect nothing else neither God nor his word, it must needs be confessed, that the Apostles were rightly and by just law condemned of them to death, because they fell from the Bishops and priests, that is you must think, from the Catholic Church: and because they made many new alterations in Religion contrary to the Bishops and Priests wills, yea and for all their spurning so earnestly against it: wherefore like as it is written ⟨image 63⟩that Hercules in old time was forced in striving with Antaeus that huge giant, to •y•te him quite up from the earth that was his Mother •re he could conquer him, even so must our Adversaries be heaved from their Mother, that is from this vain colour & shadow of the church, wherewith they so disguise and defend themselves, otherwise they cannot be brought to yield unto the word of God. And therefore saith Jeremy the Prophet, Make not such, •reat boast that the Temple of the Lord is with you, this is but a vain confidence, for these are lies. The Angel also saith in the Apocalypse. They say they be Jews but they be the Synagogue of Satan. And Christ said to the Pharisees when they vaunted them self of the kindred & blood of Abraham: Ye are of your father the Devil,1 for you resemble not your father Abraham▪ as much to say, ye are not the men ye would so fain be called, ye […] the people with vain titles, and ⟨image 64⟩abuse the name of the Church, to the overthrowing of the Church.
wherfore yf we would folow the iudgementes of those men only, who then gouerned the Churche, and would respecte nothing els neyther God nor his word, yt muste nedes bee confessed, that the Apostles were rightlie and by iust lawe condemned of thē to death, bycause they fell from the Byshops and preistes, that is you must thīke, from the Catholique Churche: and bycause they made many new alterations in Religion contrarie to the Byshops and Preistes willes, yea and for all their spurninge so ernestlye against it: wherfore like as it is written