The Apology of the Church of England | Page 3

upon in times past, which first began to
acknowledge and profess the Name of Christ? how they made private
conspiracies, devised secret counsels against the commonwealth, and
that end made early and privy meetings in the dark, killed young babes,
fed themselves with men's flesh, and, like savage and brute beasts, did
drink their blood? in conclusion, how that, after they had put out the
candles, they committed adultery between themselves, and without
regard wrought incest one with another: that brethren lay with their
sisters, sons with their mothers, without any reverence of nature or kin,
without shame without difference; and that they were wicked men
without all care of religion, and without any opinion of God, being the
very enemies of mankind, unworthy to be suffered in the world, and
unworthy of life?
All these things were spoken in those days against the people of God,
against Christ Jesu, against Paul, against Stephen, and against all them,
whosoever they were, which at the first beginning embraced the truth
of the Gospel, and were contented to be called by the name of
Christians, which was then a hateful name among the common people.
And although the things which they said were not true, yet the devil
thought it should be sufficient for him, if at the least he could bring it
so to pass as they might be believed for true, and that the Christians
might be brought into a common hatred of everybody, and have their
death and destruction sought of all sorts. Hereupon kings and princes,
being led then by such persuasions, killed all the Prophets of God,
letting none escape. Esay with a saw, Jeremy with stones, Daniel with
lions, Amos with an iron bar, Paul with the sword, and Christ upon the
cross; and condemned all Christians to imprisonments, to torments, to
the pikes, to be thrown down headlong from rocks and steep places, to
be cast to wild beasts, and to be burnt: and made great fires of their
quick bodies, for the only purpose to give light by night, and for a very
scorn and mocking stock; and did count them no better than the vilest
filth, the offscourings and laughing games of the whole world. Thus, as
ye see, have the authors and professors of the truth ever been intreated.

Wherefore, we ought to bear it the more quietly, which have taken
upon us to profess the Gospel of Christ, if we for the same cause be
handled after the same sort; and if we, as our forefathers were long ago,
be likewise at this day tormented, and baited with railings, with spiteful
dealings, and with lies; and that for no desert of our own, but only
because we teach and acknowledge the truth.
They cry out upon us at this present everywhere, that we are all heretics,
and have forsaken the faith, and have with new persuasions and wicked
learning utterly dissolved the concord of the Church; that we renew,
and, as it were, fetch again from hell the old and many a day
condemned heresies; that we sow abroad new sects, and such broils as
never yearst were heard of: also that we are already divided into
contrary parts and opinions, and could yet by no means agree well
among ourselves; that we be cursed creatures, and, like the giants, do
war against God Himself, and live clean without any regard or
worshipping of God; that we despise all good deeds; that we use no
discipline of virtue, no laws, no customs; that we esteem neither right,
nor order, nor equity, nor justice; that we give the bridle to all
naughtiness, and provoke the people to all licentiousness and lust; that
we labour and seek to overthrow the state of monarchies and kingdoms,
and to bring all things under the rule of the rash inconstant people and
unlearned multitude; that we have seditiously fallen from the Catholic
Church, and by a wicked schism and division have shaken the whole
world, and troubled the common peace and universal quiet of the
Church; and that, as Dathan and Abiram conspired in times past against
Moses and Aaron, even so we at this day have renounced the Bishop of
Rome without any cause reasonable; that we set nought by the
authority of the ancient fathers and councils of old time; that we have
rashly and presumptuously disannulled the old ceremonies, which have
been well allowed by our fathers and forefathers many hundred years
past, both by good customs, and also in ages of more purity; and that
we have by our own private head, without the authority of any sacred
and general council, brought new traditions into the Church: and have
done all these things not for religion's sake, but only upon a desire of