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…

First you Sir defender, that penned this gear, have plaid a false part by dividing the one member of the sentence into two: Or rather by putting in one word, and leaving out an other. For, where S.¹ Hierome hath thus, Et consummationis Ninive speciosissimae quondam Meretricis (whereby he meant the undoing of the Devils power in the world once, that is to say^‡ before the coming of Christ, a most beautiful harlot) that you might give occasion of reproach to the Romaine Church, which falsifying the doctors sense you understand by Nineveh, you have set it forthe thus, Et consummationis Ninive, & speciosissimae meretricis. Then you descant upon it, as though S. Hierome had so written, and say that he setteth before our face the fall of the most gorgeous harlot Babylon, which you interpret to be Rome. And then further corrupting S. Hieromes sense, you make him to speak of the repairing again of God's Church, as though at this day it were by default of the catholic Clergy fallen down, and should be set up again by you and your Ministers: also of the blindness of the Bishops of our time, that they be the masters by whom the people hath been lead into error, and lulled asleep. And hereto ye add, as saith Hierome, where S. Hierome saith not so neither of the masters at Christs first coming, but of the Devil, who brought ⟨p. 718⟩the people asleep, by whom he understandeth^‡ not the people that liveth now, but them that were deceived by the Devil under evil masters, before the coming of Christ.

First you Sir defender, that penned this geare, haue plaide a false parte by diuidinge the one member of the sentence into twoo: Or rather by puttinge in one woorde, and leauing out an other. For, where S.¹ Hierome hath thus, Et consummationis Niniue speciosissimae quondam Meretricis (whereby he meante the vndoinge of the Deuils power in the worlde once, that is to saie^‡ before the comminge of Christe, a most beautiful harlotte) that you might geue occasion of reproch to the Romaine Church, which falsefiynge the doctours sense you vnderstand by Niniue, you haue set it forthe thus, Et consummationis Niniue, & speciosissimae meretricis. Then you descant vpon it, as though S. Hierome had so written, and saie that he setteth before our face the falle of the most gorgeous harlot Babylon, whiche you interpret to be Rome. And then further corrupting S. Hieromes sense, you make him to speake of the repairinge againe of Goddes Churche, as though at this daie it were by defaulte of the catholike Clergie fallen downe, and should be set vp againe by you and your Ministers: also of the blindenesse of the Bishops of our time, that they be the maisters by whome the people hath benne lead into errour, and lulled asleepe. And hereto ye adde, as saithe Hierome, where S. Hierome saithe not so neither of the maisters at Christes first comminge, but of the Deuil, who brought