The apology of the Church of England, and an epistle to one Seignior Scipio…

3. WE do not despise Councils, nor the Meetings and Consultations of Bishops and learned Men; nor have we done what we have done without Bishops and a Council; the thing was debated along time in a full Assembly of the States.¹ But what we may expect from that Council which is now pretended to be held by Pope Pius the IV. in which men are with such facility condemned, uncalled, unheard, and unseen, is not mighty difficult to conjecture. When Nazianzen in his times,² saw men in these Meetings so blind and obstinate, that they were wholly lead by their Affections, and that they sought Victory more than Truth, he confidently said, that he never saw a good end put to any of the Councils. What would he now say if he were living and understood their Transactions? for then, although there was some Faction and Partiality, yet Causes were heard and considered, and manifest apparent Errors were taken away by their united Suffrages. But our Adversaries will not so much as suffer the Cause to be freely debated, nor will they suffer any ⟨p. 107⟩one of the many Errors that are crept into the Church to be changed; for they are wont frequently and impudently to boast that their Church cannot Err, that there is not the least fault in it, that nothing was to be yielded to us, or that if any thing were granted, it was to be at the Discretion of the Bishops and Abbots; that they were the sole Moderators of Affairs, and that they were the Church of God. Aristotle saith, that Bastards cannot make a Civil Society or State, and they may consider whether they be any better qualified for the making of a Church of God; for certainly they are neither lawful Abbots, nor genuine Bishops. But suppose they are the Church, suppose they are to be heard in Councils, and that they have the sole Right of Voting, yet in ancient time, when the Church of God was well governed, especially if it be compared with their Church; as St. Cyprian acquaints us, the Presbyters and Deacons, and some part also of the Laity, were then called to assist at the hearing of Ecclesiastical Causes.

3. WE do not despise Councils, nor the Meetings and Consultations of Bishops and learned Men; nor have we done what we have done without Bishops and a Council; the thing was debated along time in a full Assembly of the States.