A67922:2624
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.
Concerning the which points, these Bishops should (not for me only, but for themselves) have resisted the king. For if the extreme judgement be reserved to him which is able to judge both body and soul: is it not then extreme pride for men there to judge, which judge but by themselves? If the cause of the bishops and of the clergy, (which I maintain) be right: why be they set against me? Why do they reprehend me? For if that I appealed to him, before whom either it was not lawful, or else not expedient for me to do: what seem they by this, but either to blame me causeless, or else to distrust your equity? For me to be convicted before your holiness: it had been a double confusion. Or wherein have I deserved to be persecuted of them, for whose cause I have set my self to stand in their behalf? And if they had willed, I had prevailed: but it is ill with the head, when he is left of his members and forsaken: as if the eyes should take the tongue to speak against the head. If they had had eyes to have foreseen the matter, they might understand themselves to speak their own destruction: and that the Princes did use their help, but to their own servitude. And what so great cause of hatred had they against me, to procure their own undoing, in undoing of me? So, while they neglected spiritual things in stead of temporal, they have lost them both. What should I speak more of this, that I repugning them and appealing to your audience (yet notwithstanding) they durst presume to stand in judgement and condemnation against me, as children against their father? Yea, and not against me only, but against the universal Church of God (conspiring together with the Prince) being with me offended. And this suspection might also as well pertain to you holy father. But to this they will say: that they owe their duty and service unto the king,1 as their Lord: to whom they are bound, upon their allegiance. To whom I answer, that to him they stand bound bodily, to me spiritually. But to whom ought they rather to stand bound, then to themselves? And were it not better to sustain the loss of corporal, then of spiritual things? But here they will say again: at this time the Prince was not to be provoked. Howe subtly do these men dispute for their own bondage?
Concerning the which points, these Bishops should (not for me onely, but for themselues) haue resisted the king. For if the extreme iudgemēt be reserued to him which is able to iudge both body and soul: is it not then extreme pride for men there to iudge, which iudge but by themselues? If the cause of the bishops and of the clergie, (which I maintaine) be right: why be they set against me? Why do they reprehēd me? For if that I appealed to him, before whome either it was not lawfull, or els not expedient for me to do: what seeme they by this, but either to blame me causelesse, or els to distrust your equity? For me to be conuicted before your holinesse: it had bene a double confusion. Or wherein haue I deserued to be persecuted of them, for whose cause I haue set my selfe to stande in their behalfe? And if they had willed, I had preuailed: but it is ill with the head, when he is left of his members and forsaken: as if the eyes shoulde take the toung to speake against the head. If they had had eyes to haue foresene the matter, they might vnderstand themselues to speake their owne destruction: and that the Princes did vse their helpe, but to their owne seruitude. And what so great cause of hatred had they against me, to procure their owne vndoing, in vndoing of me? So, while they neglected spirituall things in steade of temporall, they haue lost them both. What shoulde I speake more of this, that I repugning them and appealing to your audience (yet notwithstanding) they durst presume to stand in iudgement and condemnation against me, as children against their father? Yea, and not against me onely, but against the vniuersall Church of God (conspiring together with the Prince) being with me offended. And this suspection might also as well pertaine to you holy father. But to this they will say: that they owe their duety and seruice vnto the king,