A67922:1389
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.
In his second Epistle moreover, the said Marcellus, writing to Maxentius, the bloody tyrant, first reprehendeth him for his cruelty, sharply admonishing him how & what to do: to learn and seek the true religion of God, to maintain his Church, to honour and reverence the Priests of God, and specially exhorteth him to charity, and that he would cease from persecution. &c. All this is possible,1 and like to be true: but now mark (good reader) what blanched stuff here followed withal: as where he alleging the statutes and sanctions of his predecessors, declareth and discusseth that no bishop nor minister ought to be persecuted, or deprived of his goods. And if they be, then ought the to have their possessions and places again restored (by the law) before they were bound (by the law) to answer to their accusations laid in against them. And so after that, in convenient time, to be called to a council. The which council notwithstanding, without the authority of the holy sea, cannot proceed regularly (albeit it remain in his power to assemble certain Bishops together.) Neither can he regularly condemn any Bishop, appealing to this his Apostolical sea, before the sentence definite do proceed from the foresaid sea. &c. And it followeth after: and therefore (saith he) let no Bishop of what crime soever he be attached, come to his accusation or be heard, but in his own ordinary Synod at his convenient time: the regular and Apostolical authority being joined withal. Moreover in the said Epistle writing to Maxentius, he decreeth that no lay men, or any suspected Bishop, ought to accuse Prelates of the Church: so that if ⟨p. 97⟩they be either lay men, or men of evil conversation, or proved manifest enemies, or incensed with any hatred, their accusations against any Bishops ought not to stand. With other such matters moe, concerning the disposition of judicial court. Which matter, if Pope Gregory the seventh, had written to Henry the third Emperor, or if Pope Alexander the third, had written to the Emperor Predericus the first: it might have stand with some reason and opportunity of time. But now for Marcellus to write these decrees in such persecution of the Church, to Maxentius the Heathen and most cruel Emperor: how unlike it is to be true, and how it served then to purpose, the Reader may soon discern.
In hys second Epistle moreouer, the sayd Marcellus, writing to Maxentius, the bloudy tyraunt, first reprehendeth him for his crueltie, sharpely admonishing him howe & what to do: to learne and seeke the true religion of God, to mayntayne hys Churche, to honor and reuerence the Priestes of God, and specially exhorteth him to charitie, and that he would cease from persecution. &c. All this is possible,