A46876:179
The apology of the Church of England, and an epistle to one Seignior Scipio…
The apology of the Church of England, and an epistle to one Seignior Scipio a Venetian gentleman, concerning the Council of Trent written both in Latin / by ... John Jewel ... ; made English by a person of quality ; to which is added, The life of the said bishop ; collected and written by the same hand.
London: printed by T. H. for Richard Chiswell, 1685
THE APOLOGY OF THE Church of ENGLAND. Written by the very Learned a… › Chapter 1
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.
But we bless the great and Holy God, our Cause is such, that though they never so much desire to defame it, yet they can fix no Reproach upon it, which they may not with as much Reason and Justice employ against the Holy Fathers, the Prophets, the Apostles, against St. Peter, St. Paul, and even against Christ himself.
But we bless the great and Holy God, our Cause is such, that though they never so much desire to defame it, yet they can fix no Reproach upon it, which they may not with as much Reason and Justice imploy against the Holy Fathers, the Prophets, the Apostles, against St. Peter, St. Paul, and even against Christ himself.
7. BUT now if they are so ambitious of the Honour of being thought polite and eloquent Slanderers, it does so much the less befit us to be mute and careless in the Defence of our most excellent Cause; for it is certainly the part only of dissolute Men, who can securely and wickedly shut their Eyes when the Divine Majesty is injured, to be wholly unconcerned; what is (tho' ⟨p. 9⟩falsely and unjustly) said of them and their Cause, especially when it is of that Nature, that the Glory of God, and the Affairs of Religion are at the same time violated; for although other, and those often very great Injuries, may be born and dissembled by a modest Christian, yet He (saith Ruffinus) who shall patiently put up the Name of an Heretic, does not deserve to be called a Christian. Permit us then to do that which all Laws, and the very Voice of Nature commands us, that which Christ himself did, when he was in a like Case assaulted with Reproaches; that is, suffer us to repel their Defamations, and with Modesty and Truth, to defend our Cause and Innocence: for Christ himself, when the Pharisees charged him with Conjuration, as if he had entered a Combination with impure Spirits, and by their Assistance wrought many Wonders,1 replied, I have not a Devil, but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me; and St. Paul, when he was undervalued by Festus the Proconsul, as a Mad-man,