A67922:1663
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.
Did then Anatholius a godly man and on much con mended in the foresaid Ecclesiastical history, against the law & the Gospel? who writeth that the Easter was to be kept from the xiiij. day unto the xx: or shall we think that Columba our reverend father, and his successors being men of God, who observed the Easter, after this manner, did against the holy Scripture? where as some of them were men of such godliness and virtue as was declared by their wonderful miracles. And I hereby (nothing doubting of their holiness) do endeavour to fallow their life,1 order, & discipline. Then said Wilfride, it is certain that Anatholius was both a godly and a learned man, and worthy of great commendation, but what have you to do with him, seeing you observe not his order? For he following the true rule in keeping his Easter, observeth the circle of xix. years. The which either you know not, or if you do, you contemn the ⟨p. 124⟩common order observed in the universal church of Christ. And moreover the said Anatholius doth so count the xiiij. day in the observation of Easter, as he confesseth the same to •e the xv day at night, a•ter the manner of the Egyptians. and likewise noteth the xx. day to be in the feast of Easter, the xxi. in the evening: the which distinction that you know not, by this may appear, for that you keep the Easter on the xiij. day before the full Moon. Or otherwise I can answer you touching your father Columba, and his successors, whose order you say you follow, moved thereto by their miracles on this wise: that the Lord will answer to many that shall say in the day of judgement,2 that in his name they have prophesied & cast out devils, & have done many miracles. &c. that he never knew them. But God forbid that I should say so of your fathers, because it is much better to believe well of those we know not, then ill. Whereupon I deny not, but they were the servants of God and holy men,3 the which loved the Lord of a good intent, though of a rude simplicity. And I think that the order which they used in the Easter, did not much hurt them, so long as they had none amongst them that could show them the right observation of the same, for them to follow. For I think if the truth had been declared unto them, they would as well have received it in this matter as they did in others.