A67922:1010
Acts and monuments of matters most special and memorable, happening in the Church. [vol.…Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol.…
Acts and monuments of matters most special and memorable, happening in the Church. [vol. 1] with an universal history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitive age to these latter times of ours, with the bloody times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions against the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperors, as now lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realm of England and Scotland. Newly revised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time again published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the help of Christ our Lord) John Fox, which desireth thee good reader to help him with thy prayer.Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.
London: printed by John Daye, 1583London: printed by Iohn Daye, 1583
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
the Romans (saith he) do fast three weeks continually before Easter, beside the Sabaoth and the Sunday. And moreover, speaking of the divers and sundry fastings of Lent in sundry and divers Churches, he addeth these words: And because that no man can bring forth any commandment written of this matter, it is therefore apparent, that the Apostles left this kind of fast free to every mans will and judgement, least any should be constrained by fear and necessity to do that which is good, &c. With this of Socrates, agreeth also the words of Sozomenus, 1living much about y• same time, in his seventh voke, where he thus writeth: The whole fast of Lent (saith he) some comprehend in six weeks, as do the Illyrians, and the west churches, with all Libya, Egypt, & Palestine: some in vij. weeks, as at Constantinople, & the parties bordering to Phoenicia: other some in three weeks, next before the day of Easter, & some again in ij. weeks. &c. By the which it may be collected, that Telesph. never ordained any such fast of vij. weeks: which otherwise neither would have ben neglected in Rome, & in the west churches: neither again would have been unremembered of these ancient Ecclesiastical writers, if any such thing had been. The like is to be thought also of the rest, not only of his constitutions: but also of the other ancient Bishops & Martyrs, which followed after him, as of Higinus. an. 142. who succeeding him & dying also a Martyr, as Volateranus, Lib. 22. declareth, is said or rather feigned to bring in the cream, one Godfather and Godmother in Baptism, to ordain the dedication of Churches: when as in his time so far it was of, that any solemn Churches were standing in Rome, that uneath the Christians could safely convent in their own houses. Likewise they distincting the orders of Metropolitans, Bishops, and other degrees, savour nothing less then of that time.
the Romanes (saith he) doe fast three weekes continually before Easter, beside the Sabbaoth and the Sonday. And moreouer, speaking of the diuers and sundry fastings of Lent in sundry and diuers Churches, he addeth these words: And because that no man can bring forth any commaundement written of this matter, it is therefore apparant, that the Apostles left this kind of fast free to euery mans will and iudgement, least anye should be constrayned by feare and necessitie to doe that which is good, &c. With this of Socrates, agreeth also the wordes of Sozomenus,