A04468:2258
A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to…A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to…
A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to a certain book lately set forth by M. Harding, and entitled, A confutation of &c. By John Jewel Bishop of Salisbury.A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.
Imprinted at London : In Fleetestreate, at the sign of the Elephant, by Henry Wykes, Anno 1567. 27. OctobrisImprinted at London : In Fleetestreate, at the signe of the Elephante, by Henry VVykes, Anno 1567. 27. Octobris
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.
Our Wantons, and Fleshworms, for so it liketh you to call them, have been contented to forsake Fathers, Mothers, Wives, Children, goods, and Livings, & meekly to submit them selves to the extreme terror of all your Cruelties, and to yield their bodies unto the Death: to be starved for hunger: and to be burnt in Fire: Only for the name, and Gospel of Jesus Christ. Ye will say, as your wont is, when ye have nothing else to say, They died stubbornly in wilful error. Yet, I reckon, ye will not say, They died in great pleasance, or Carnal Liberty. It is a strange kind of Fleshly Wantonness, for a man to deny him self, and to take up his Cross, and to follow Christ. And yet is this the whole Substance of our Gospel.
Our VVantons, and Fleashevvoormes, for so it liketh you to cal them, haue benne contented to forsake Fathers, Mothers, Wiues, Children, goodes, and Liuinges, & méekely to submit them selues to the extreme terroure of al your Cruelties, and to yelde theire bodies vnto the Deathe: to be sterued for hunger: and to be burnte in Fiere: Onely for the name, and Gospel of Iesus Christe. Ye wil saie, as your woonte is, when ye haue nothinge els to saie, They died stubbernly in wilful erroure. Yet, I recken, yée wil not saie, They died in greate pleasance, or Carnal Libertie. It is a strāge kinde of Fleashely VVantonnesse, for a man to denie him selfe, and to take vp his Crosse, and to folowe Christe. And yet is this the vvhole Substance of our Gospel.
Justinus the Martyr, notwithstanding he was an Heathen, and thought then, even as you do now, that the Professors of the Name of Christ, were nothing else, but a sort of Wanton, and wilful people, yet when he saw, how Constantly they died, and how patiently they suffered, what so ever was laid upon them, he was at length converted him self, and by their example became a Christian:1 Thus Eusebius reporteth his words, Ego ipse Platonis Disciplinis delectatus, &c. • me self taking pleasure in Plato's Doctrine, and hearing the Christians is spoken of, and seeing them to go courageously, and boldly to their Death, and to suffer all such things, as were thought most terrible, I thought it a thing impossible, that such men should live wickedly, or in Wantonness.