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THE

CHAP. V.

MAINTAINED

OPINIONS

IN THE PRIMITIVE
CHURCH BY THE ANCIENT FATHERS AND GENE-
RAL COUNCILS, AND THE DOCTRINES AND DIS-
CIPLINE OF THE REFORMED DIVINES, COMPARED
WITH SOME OF THE POPISH TENETS

...

CHAP. VI.

THE HIGH ESTIMATION

IN WHICH THE GENERAL
OF THE PRIMITIVE

COUNCILS AND DECREES
CHURCH ARE HELD BY PROTESTANTS, CON-
TRASTED WITH THE TOTAL INDIFFERENCE WHICH
THE PAPISTS SHEW, NOT ONLY TO THEM, BUT
EVEN TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURes.

THE RECAPITULATION OF THE APOLOGY......

141

195

..... 277

An

Apologie,

or

Answeare in Defence of the

Churche of Englande,

With a Briefe and Plaine Declaration

of

The True Religion professed and used in

the same.

(Facsimile Ed. MDLXVII.)

To

Bishop Jewell.

Holy Learning, sacred Arts;
Gifts of Nature, strength of Parts ;
Fluent Grace, an humble minde;
Worth reform'd, and wit refinde;
Sweetnesse both in Tongue and Pen;
En sight both of Bookes and Men:
Hopes in woe, and feares in weale;
Humble knowledge, sprightly zeale;
A liberall heart, and free from Gall;
Close to friends, and true to all.
Weight of courage in Truths duell,

Are the stones that made this JEWELL.
Let him that would be truly blest,
Weare this JEWELL in his breast.

ABEL REDIVIVUS, p. 314. ed. Lond. 1651.

THE

APOLOGY

FOR THE

CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

CHAP. I.

THE OPPOSITION AND ILL-TREATMENT WHICH THE PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY HAVE IN ALL AGES EXPERIENCED.

Truth always IT has been an old complaint, even

subject to per

secution. from the time of the patriarchs and prophets, which is fully confirmed by the writers of all ages, that Truth is considered a mere stranger upon earth, and generally exposed to the enmity and persecution of the ignorant.

Although this may appear incredible to some, who have not given the subject due consideration, more especially since man, uninfluenced by the instruction of a master, is naturally anxious

* Tertull. in Apologetico.

B

to discover truth; and Christ himself, our Saviour, when on earth, was desirous of being distinguished by that appellation as most expressive of his divine attributes: yet we, who are well acquainted with the Scriptures, and have both read and seen what hath happened to men of piety in all ages; to the prophets, apostles, holy martyrs, and to Christ himself: with what insults, revilings, and indignities they have been persecuted for the sake of truth alone:-we (I say) find nothing new or incredible in this, but consider it as a thing well known, and commonly practised in all ages. On the contrary, it would appear much more worthy our admiration if the Devil, who is the father of lies, and the enemy of all truth, should now on a sudden change his nature, and hope to suppress truth by any other means than falsehood; or undertake now to establish his kingdom by any other arts than those which he has practised from the first. For whether we consider Religion in its rise, progress, or reformation, we shall scarcely find a single period on record, wherein virtue and truth were not subjected to every species of reproach and persecu

* St. John viii. 44.

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