Verily, we for our parts, as we have said, have done nothing in altering Religion, upon either Rashness, or Arrogance: nor nothing, but with good leisure, and great consideration. Neither had we ever intended to do it, except both the manifest, & most assured ⟨p. 699⟩VVil of God, opened to us in his Holy Scriptures, and the regard of our own Salvation had even constrained us thereunto. For though we have departed from that Church, which these men call Catholic, and by that means get us envy amongest them, that want skill to judge, yet is this enough for us, & it ought to be enough for every wise, and good man, and one that maketh account of Everlasting Life, that we have gone from that church which had power to err: which christ, who can not err, told so long before, it should err: and which we our selves did evidently see with our eyes, to have gone from the Old Holy Fathers, and from the Apostles, and from Christ him self, and from the Primitive and catholic church of God: & we are come, as near, as we possibly could, to the Church of the Apostles, and of the Old catholic Bishops & Fathers: which Church, we know, hath hitherto been sound, and perfect, and, as Tertullian termeth it, a Pure Virgin, spotted as then with no Idolatry, nor with any foul, or shameful fault: and have directed, according to their Customs, and Ordinances, not only our Doctrine, but also the Sacraments, and the Form of common Prayer.
Verely, we for our partes, as we haue saide, haue donne nothinge in alteringe Religion, vpon either Rashnesse, or Arrogancie: nor nothinge, but with good leasure, and greate consideration. Neither had we euer entended to doo it, excepte bothe the manifest, & most assured ⟨p. 699⟩VVil of God, opened to vs in his Holy Scriptures, and the regarde of our owne Saluation had euen constreined vs thereunto. For though wee haue departed from that Churche, whiche these menne cal Catholike, and by that meanes geate vs enuie amongest them, that wante skil to iudge, yet is this yenough for vs, & it ought to be yenough for euery wise, and good man, and one that maketh accompte of Euerlastinge Life, that we haue gonne from that churche whiche had power to erre: whiche christe, who can not erre, tolde so longe before, it shoulde erre: and whiche we our selues did euidently see with our eies, to haue gonne from the Olde Holy Fathers, and from the Apostles, and from Christe him selfe, and from the Primitiue and catholique churche of God: & wee are comme, as neare, as we possibly coulde, to the Churche of the Apostles, and of the Olde catholike Bishoppes & Fathers: whiche Churche, we know, hathe hitherto benne sounde, and perfite, and, as Tertullian termeth it, a Pure Virgine, spotted as then with no Idolatrie, nor with any foule, or shameful faulte: and haue directed, accordinge to theire Customes, and Ordinaunces, not onely our Doctrine, but also the Sacramentes, and the Fourme of common Praier.
