A67922:1053
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.
By these hitherto premised, it is not hard for a quick Reader to smell out the crafty juggling of that person or persons whosoever they were, ye falsely have ascribed these decretal institutions to those holy fathers. For first, what leisure had the Christians to lay in their accusations against their bishops, when we never read nor find in any story any kind of variance in those days among them, but all love, mutual compassion, and hearty communion among the Saints. And as we read of no variance among the people in those days, nor of any fault or backsliding among the Bishops, who for the most part then died all constant Martyrs: so neither do we read of any tribunal seat or Consistory used or frequented then about any such matters. Again, if a man examine well the dangers of those busy days, he shall see the poor flock of the christians, so occupied and piteously oppressed by the cruel accusations of the Heathen Infidels, that though the cause did, yet the time would not serve them to commence any law against their bishops. Secondly, as touching their conspiracy against bishops, what conspiracy either would they then practise against them, which always gave their lives for their defence? Or how could they then conspire in any companies together, when never a true thristian man durst once put his head out of his doors, neither was there in the church any Christian man in those perilous days, except he were a true man in deed, such as was far from all false conspiracies? And when as all the world almost in all places conspired against them: What time, what cause, or what hart trow ye could they have to conspire against their instructors? Thirdly, concerning the confutation of that heresy, how standeth the confutation with the time of Calistus, when Novatus the author of that heresy was after him in the time of Cornelius?
By these hetherto premised, it is not hard for a quicke Reader to smel out the crafty iugling of that person or persons whosoeuer they were, ye falsly haue ascribed these decretall institutions to those holy fathers. For first, what laysure had the Christians to lay in their accusations against their bishops, when we neuer read nor finde in any story any kynde of variaunce in those dayes among them, but all loue, mutuall compassion, and harty communion among the Saintes. And as we read of no variaunce among the people in those dayes, nor of any fault or backsliding among the Bishops, who for the most part then died all constant Martirs: so neither do we read of any tribunall seat or Consistorie vsed or frequented then about any such matters. Agayne, if a man examine well the dangers of those busie days, he shall see the poore flocke of the christians, so occupied and piteously oppressed by the cruell accusations of the Heathen Infidels, that though the cause did, yet the tyme would not serue them to commense any law against their bishops. Secōdly, as touching their conspiracie against bishops, what conspiracie either would they then practise agaynst them, which always gaue their liues for their defence? Or how could they then conspire in any cōpanies together, when neuer a true thristian man durst once put his head out of his dores, neither was there in the church any Christian man in those perilous dayes, except he were a true man in deed, such as was farre from all false conspiracies? And when as all the world almost in all places conspired agaynst them: What tyme, what cause, or what hart trow ye could they haue to cōspire against their instructors? Thirdly, concerning the confutation of that heresie, how standeth the confutation with the tyme of Calistus, whē Nouatus the author of that heresie was after him in the tyme of Cornelius?