A67922:1445
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.
To the provinces likewise of Palestine & those parts about,1 he directeth his Edict in the behalf of the Christians: for the releasing of such as were in captivity: and for the restoring again of them, which had sustained any loss in the former persecution before, & for the refreshing of such as heretofore had been oppressed with any ignominy, or molestation, for their confession sake: declaring in the said Edict, how that his whole body, life and soul, and what soever is in him, he oweth to God, and to the service of him, &c.
To the prouinces likewise of Palestina & those partes about,1 hee directeth his Edict in the behalfe of the Christians: for the releasing of such as were in captiuitie: and for the restoring againe of them, which had sustained any losse in the former persecution before, & for the refreshing of such as heeretofore had bene oppressed with any ignominie, or molestation, for their confession sake: declaring in the sayd Edict, howe that his whole body, life and soule, and what soeuer is in hym, hee oweth to God, and to the seruice of him, &c.
- 1The edict of Constantinus to the rulers of the province of Palestine.The edicte of Constantinus to the rulers of the prouince of Palestina.
Moreover an other letter he writeth to Eusebius, 1for the edifying of new Christian Churches, & restoring of them which had been wasted before by foreign enemies. And after he had collected the Synod of Nice, for the study of peace and unity of the Church,2 he writeth upon the same to Alexander and Arrius. In which his letters he most lamentably uttered the great grief of his hear, to see and hear of their contention and division: whereby the peace and common harmony of the Church was broken, the Synod provoked & resisted, the holy people of the Lord divided into parts and tumults, contrary to the office of good and circumspect men, whose duty were rather to nourish concord and to seek tranquillity. And though in some small points and light trifles they did disagree from other: yet as the example of Philosophers might teach them, who although in some part of a sentence or piece of a question, some might dissent from other: yet in the unity of their profession, they did all join as fellows together. In like case were it their duty in such fruitless questions (or rather pieces of questions) to keep them in the conceptions of their minds, in silence unto themselves, and not to bring them forth into public Synods, to break therefore from the communion of the reverent Council. Declaring moreover in the said Epistle, the first origin and occasion of this their contentious dissension to rise upon vain & trifling terms, vile causes, and light questions, and pieces rather of questions: about such matters as neither are to be moved, nor to be answered unto, being moved, more curious to be searched, and perilous to be expressed, then necessary to be inquired, magisque puerilibus ineptijs, quam sacerdotum ac cordatorum virorum prudentiae conuenientia, as he there doth term them. Wherefore by all manner means he doth labour them, doth entreat them, and persuade them, not only with reasons, but also with tears and sighing sobs, that they would restore again peace unto the Church, and quietness to the rest of his life (which otherwise would not be sweet unto him) and that they would return again to the communion of the reverent Council.