A67922:2666
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.
¶ A brief Censure upon the former rescript of Becket to his Suffragans, in the page before with a general resolution of the reasons therein contained.
¶ A briefe Censure vpon the former rescript of Becket to his Suffraganes, in the page before with a generall resolution of the reasons therein contained.
If the king of England had been an idolater, covetous, an adulterer, an incest, a murderer, with such like: than the zeal of this Archbishop (threatening the king and such as took his part) had deserved praise in this Epistle, & the scripture would have borne him out therein. For these and such causes, should bishops prosecute the authority of the Gospel against all persons. But the matter standing only upon Church goods, liberty (or rather licentiousness of Priests) making of Deans, titles of Churches, superiority, of crowning the king, with such other: to stand so stiff in these, is not to defend the church: but to rebel against the king. Again, if the principles which he here groundeth upon, were true: to wit that the Pope were to be obeyed before Princes: that the liberty of Church standeth upon the immunity of priests exempted from princes laws: or upon ample possessions of the Church: or that the Popes law ought to prevail in all foreign countries: and to bind all princes in their own dominions: or that the sentence of the Pope & his Popelings, (how, or by what affection so ever it is pronounced) may stand by the undoubted sentence of God: Then all the arguments of this Epistle do proceed and conclude well. But if they stand not ratified upon gods word: but tottering upon mans traditions: Then whatsoever he inferreth or concludeth thereupon (his assumpt being false) can not be true, according to the school saying: One inconvenience being granted in the beginning, innumerable follow thereupon. So in this Epistle it happeneth as is above noted, that the Major of this man is true, but the Minor is clean false, and to be denied.
If the king of England had bene an idolater, couetous, an adulterer, an incest, a murderer, with such like: than the zeale of this Archbishop (threatning the king and such as tooke his part) had deserued praise in this Epistle, & the scripture would haue borne him out therein. For these and suche causes, should byshops prosecute the authoritie of the Gospell against all persones. But the matter standing onely vpon Church goods, libertie (or rather licentiousnes of Priests) making of Deanes, titles of Churches, superioritie, of crowning the king, with such other: to stand so stiffe in these, is not to defend the church: but to rebel against the king. Againe, if the principles which hee heere groundeth vpon, were true: to witte that the Pope were to be obeied before Princes: that the liberty of Church standeth vpon the immunitie of priests exempted from princes lawes: or vpon ample possessions of the Churche: or that the Popes lawe ought to preuaile in all forreine countreis: and to binde all princes in their owne dominions: or that the sentence of the Pope & his Popelings, (how, or by what affection so euer it is pronounced) may stande by the vndoubted sentence of God: Then all the arguments of this Epistle doe proceede and conclude wel. But if they stand not ratified vpon gods worde: but tottering vpon mans traditions: Then whatsoeuer he inferreth or concludeth thereupon (his assumpt being false) can not be true, according to the schoole saying: One inconuenience being graunted in the beginning, innumerable follow thereupon. So in this Epistle it happeneth as is aboue noted, that the Maior of this man is true, but the Minor is cleane false, and to be denied.