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…

Either your tongue agreeth not with your heart, or else I will prove the contrary by your own arguments, which in the next Paragraph before this ye have huddled up. For whereas your matters are (as ye ordinarily say) evident by plain scripture, and the Word of God is readen of every man (without distinction and limitation) therefore ye do first of all play as fond a part, as King Agesilaus did, who receiving an answer of mighty Jupiter, would afterward bring the matter before Apollo. Yea furthermore, ye do much more fondly then he, if when ye may hear God him self speak plainly to you in the most holy scriptures, ye would bring the whole cause to be tried by a Council.

Either your tonge agreeth not with your harte, or els I wil proue the contrarie by your owne argumentes, which in the nexte Paragraphe before this ye haue huddeled vp. For whereas your matters are (as ye ordinarily saie) euident by plaine scripture, and the VVoorde of God is readen of euery man (without distinction and limitation) therefore ye do firste of al plaie as fonde a parte, as Kinge Agesilaus did, who receiuinge an answeare of mighty Iupiter, woulde afterwarde bringe the matter before Apollo. Yea furthermore, ye do mutche more fondely then he, if when ye maie heare God him selfe speake plainely to you in the moste holy scriptures, ye woulde bringe the whole cause to be tried by a Councel.

Howe say ye then now, are not these your own proper reasons, &c. your foresaid worshipful reasons, &c? If ye mean (as by reason ye must) the Parliaments of these later days, the first of all did make most for you: and yet how open was it for you? Had ye any place at all in it? Were ye admitted within the doors? Or had ye any thing to do in that assembly? Consider them with what consult atiō your purposes were concluded. Did they tarry many months about it? Had they Bishops?^* Had they Divines and the most learned, to reason to and fro with all liberty? Was the Authority of the Universal Church of Christ, and the Doctrine of the Ancient Fathers considered? Ye say in Latin, plenis Comitijs, that is, in the full and whole assembly, as though none at all had there resisted, but every man had yielded to your matters. What say ye then of the spiritual lords, a great part of the parliament, and without all doubt, the part, which must be chiefly and only regarded, when the question is of religion? How many of them gave you their voice to your Gospel? Yea, which of them all did not resist it? One alone, I must confess, was afterward made to break unity, of whom a right good, and Catholic Bishop said to a noble man, we had but one fool among us, and him ye have gotten unto you. But as of the spiritual Lords ye had none at all (except that one, little worthy of the name of a Bishop and lord, whose learning was small, and honour thereby much stained) so of the temporal ye had not all: and so had ye also in the lower house very many, and well learned, that speak against you.