A04468:2859
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
Part 4 › The Apology, Cap. 9. Division. 3.Part 4 › The Apologie, Cap. 9. Diuision. 3.
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.
The Apology, Cap. 9. Division. 3.
The Apologie, Cap. 9. Diuision. 3.
But I put case, an Idol be set up in the Church of God, and the same Desolation, which Christ prophesied to come, stood openly in the Holy Place? What if some Thief, or Pirate invade, and possess Noes Ark? These folks, as often as they tell us of the Church, mean thereby them selves alone, and attribute all these titles to their own selves, boasting, as they did in times paste, which cried, The Temple of the Lord, The Temple of the Lord: or, as the Pharisees, and Scribes did, which cracked, they were Abraham's Children. Thus with a gay, and jolly show deceive they the simple, and seek to choke us with the bare name of the Church. Much like as if a Thief, when he hath gotten into an other mans house, and by violence either hath thrust out, or slain the owner, should afterward assign the same house to him self, casting forth of possession the right Inheritor: Or, if Antichrist, when he had once entered into the Temple of God, should afterward say, This house is mine own, and Christ hath nothing to do withal. For these men now, after they have left nothing remaining in the Church of God, that hath any likeness of his Church, yet will they seem the Patrons, and the valiant maintainers of the Church: Very like as Gracchus amongest the Romans stood in Defence of the Treasury, notwithstanding with his prodigality, and fond expenses, he had utterly wasted the whole stock of the Treasury. And yet was there never any thing so wicked, or so far out of reason, but lightly it might be covered, and Defended by the name of the Church. For the Wasps also make honeycombs, as well as Bees: and wicked men have companies like to the Church of God. Yet for all that, They be not straight way the people of God, which are called the people of God: neither be they all Israelites, as many as are come of Israel the Father. 1