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…

Thus thou seest, good Christian Reader, It is no new thing, though at this day the Religion of Christ be entertained with despites, and checks, being but lately restored, and, as it were, coming up again anew: for so much as the like hath chanced both to Christ him self, and to his Apostles: yet nevertheless, for fear thou mayest suffer thee self to be lead amiss, and to be seduced with those exclamations of our Adversaries, we have declared at large unto thee the very whole manner of our Religion, what our Faith is of God the Father, of his only Son Jesus Christ, of the Holy Ghost, of the Church, of the Sacraments, of the Ministry, of the Scriptures, of Ceremonies, and of every part of Christian Belief. We have said, that we abandon, and detest, as plagues, and poisons, all those old Heresies, which either the sacred Scriptures, or the Ancient Councils have utterly condemned: that we call home again, as much as in us lieth, the right Discipline of the Church, which our Adversaries have quite brought into a poor and weak case: That we punish all licentiousness of life, and unruliness of manners, by the old, and long continued Laws, and with as much sharpness as is convenient, and lieth in our power: That we maintain still the state of Kingdoms, in the same condition, and state of honour wherein we found them, without any diminishing, or alteration, reserving unto our Princes their Majesty, and worldly preeminence safe, and without impairing, to our possible power: That we have so gotten our selves away from that Church, which they had made a den of Thieves, and wherein nothing was in good frame, or once like to the Church of God, and which by their own confessions had erred many ways, even as Lot in times past gate him out of Sodom, or Abraham out of Chaldea, not upon a desire of contention, but by the warning of God him self: And that we have searched out of the Holy Bible, which we are sure, cannot deceive, one sure form of Religion, & have returned again unto the Primitive Church of the Ancient Fathers, and Apostles, that is to say, to the ground, and beginning of things, unto the very foundations, and headsprings of Christs Church.

THus thou seest, good Christian Reader, It is no newe thinge, though at this daie the Religion of Christe be enterteined with despites, and checkes, being but lately restoared, and, as it were, comminge vp againe anewe: for so mutche as the like hath chaunced bothe to Christe him selfe, and to his Apostles: yet neuerthelesse, for feare thou maiste suffer thee self to be leadde amisse, and to be seduced with those exclamations of our Aduersaries, wee haue declared at large vnto thee the very whole manner of our Religion, what our Faith is of God the Father, of his onely Sonne Iesus Christe, of the Holy Ghoste, of the Churche, of the Sacramentes, of the Ministerie, of the Scriptures, of Ceremonies, and of euery parte of Christian Beliefe. Wee haue saide, that wee abandon, and deteste, as plagues, and poisons, al those olde Heresies, whiche either the sacred Scriptures, or the Anciente Councelles haue vtterly condemned: that wee cal home againe, asmutche as in vs liethe, the right Discipline of the Churche, whiche our Aduersaries haue quite brought into a poore and weake case: That we pounishe al licenceousnesse of life, and vnrulinesse of manners, by the olde, and longe continued Lawes, and with as mutche sharpenesse as is conueniente, and liethe in our power: That we mainteine stil the state of Kingedomes, in the same condition, and state of honoure wherein we found them, without any diminishinge, or alteration, reseruinge vnto our Princes their Maiestie, and worldly preeminence safe, and without empairinge, to our possible power: That we haue so gotten our selues awaie from that Churche, whiche they had made a denne of Theeues, and wherein nothinge was in good frame, or once like to the Churche of God, and which by their owne confessions had erred many waies, euen as Lot in times past gate him out of Sodome, or Abraham out of Chaidee, not vpon a desire of contention, but by the warninge of God him selfe: And that we haue searched out of the Holy Bible, which we are sure, cannot deceiue, one sure fourme of Religion, & haue returned againe vnto the Primitiue Churche of the Anciente Fathers, and Apostles, that is to saie, to the grounde, and beginninge of thinges, vnto the very undations, and headspringes of Christes Churche.