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

But be these things as they will, the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ doth not depend upon General Councils,¹ or as St. Paul saith, upon Mans Judgment. But if they who ought to take care of the Church will not understand, and will be wanting to their duty, and will harden their hearts against God and against his Christ, and still go on to pervert the direct and straight ways of the Lord, God will make the stones to cry out, and endow Infants with an Oratorical Eloquence, that there may ever be some to confute their Shams; for God can protect and enlarge his Church, not only without the help, but against the opposition of Councils:² There be many Devices in Mans heart (saith Solomon) but the Counsel of the Lord, that shall stand; for there is neither Wisdom, nor Prudence, nor Counsel against the Lord;³ for saith Hilary, Those things the• are set up by Humane Industry, do not continue long: the Church was otherwise built, and must be preserved by other means; for she was built upon the Foundations of the Apostle• and Prophets, and is fixed, and cemented together by one corner stone Jesus Christ.

But be these things as they will, the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ doth not depend upon General Councils,¹ or as St. Paul saith, upon Mans Iudgment. But if they who ought to take care of the Church will not understand, and will be wanting to their duty, and will harden their hearts against God and against his Christ, and still go on to pervert the direct and streight ways of the Lord, God will make the stones to cry out, and endow Infants with an Oratorical Eloquence, that there may ever be some to confute their Shams; for God can protect and enlarge his Church, not only without the help, but against the opposition of Councils:² There be many Devices in Mans heart (saith Solomon) but the Counsel of the Lord, that shall stand; for there is neither Wisdom, nor Prudence, nor Counsel against the Lord;