COMMON

COMMON APOLOGY

OF THE

CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

AGAINST

THE UNJUST CHALLENGES OF THE OVER-JUST SECT,

COMMONLY CALLED

BROWNISTS.

WHEREIN THE

GROUNDS AND DEFENCES OF THE SEPARATION

ARE LARGELY DISCUSSED.

OCCASIONED BY A LATE PAMPHLET, PUblished unDER THE NAME OF

"AN ANSWER TO A CENSORIOUS EPISTLE:"

WHICH THE READER SHALL FIND PREFIXED TO THE SEVERAL SECTIONS⚫.

BY JOSEPH HALL.

"Which the reader shall find in the margin," is the expression of the original edition, 4to, 1610; as the different parts of the "Answer,” were, in that edition, dispersed through the margin of the "Apology." The above expression is that of the folio; wherein the passages are collected together before each section. I have, however, placed them in the text, immediately before their respective answers. EDITOR.

ΤΟ

OUR GRACIOUS AND BLESSED MOTHER,

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND;

THE MEANEST OF HER CHILDREN DEDICATES THIS HER APOLOGY,

AND WISHETH ALL PEACE AND HAPPINESS.

No less than a year and a half is past, Reverend, Dear, and Holy Mother, since I wrote a loving monitory Letter to two of thine unworthy Sonst; which, I heard, were fled from thee in person, in affection, and somewhat in opinion: supposing them yet thine, in the main substance; though, in some circumstances, their own.

Since which, one of them hath washed off thy font-water, as unclean; and hath written desperately, both against thee and his own fellows.

From the other, I received, not two months since, a stomachful Pamphlet; besides the private injuries to the monitor, casting upon thine honourable name blasphemous imputations of Apostacy, Antichristianism, Whoredom, Rebellion.

Mine own wrongs I could have contemned in silence; but, For Sion's sake, I cannot hold my peace: If I remember not thee, O Jerusalem, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth ‡. It were a shame and sin for me, that my zeal should be less hot for thine innocency, than theirs to thy false disgrace.

How have I hastened therefore, to let the world see thy sincere truth, and their perverse slanders!

Unto thy Sacred Name then, whereto I have in all piety devoted myself, I humbly present this my speedy and dutiful labour: whereby, I hope, thy weak Sons may be confirmed, the strong encouraged, the rebellious shamed. And, if any shall still obstinately accurse

*See Epistles: Decade iii. Epistle 1. at vol. vii. pp. 171-173 of this Edition. EDITOR.

† Smith and Robinson.

Meam injuriam patienter tuli: impietatem contra Sponsam Christi ferre non potui. Hieron. ad Vigilant.