A67922:500
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.
Wherefore, whosoever shall have hereafter to do with any adversaries, about the antiquity or authority of the Church of Rome, let him here well consider when, & how the title, jurisdiction, & corruption of doctrine first began in the Popes sea. And so shall he see, that the church of Rome, as it is now governed with this manner of title, jurisdiction, & institution of doctrine, never descended from the primitive age of the Apostles,1 or from their succession, nisi tantum aquinocè, & non univocè: Like as Sancta Maria picta, non est sancta Maria, & homo pictus est non homo, as the schools do say: that is as the picture of the holy virgin, is not the holy virgin, and as a man painted on the wall, is not a man: so it is to be said of the Church of Rome, (the institution and doctrine of the Church of Rome I mean) that although it have the name of the Church Apostolical, & doth bring forth a long Genealogy of outward succession from the Apostles, as the Pharisees did in Christs time bring their descent from Abraham their father: yet all this is (as I said) but only aequivocè, 2that is, in name only, and not in effect or matter, which maketh the Apostolical Church in deed, for as much as the definition of the Apostolical Church, neither agreeth now with this present Church of Rome, nor yet the manner, form, & institution of the said Romish Church, as it now standeth with this title, jurisdiction, and doctrine, had ever any succession or offspring from the primitive Church of the Apostles. But as Christ said by the Pharisees, that they were the children not of Abraham, but of the devil: in semblable wise may be answered, that this Church of Rome now present, with this title, jurisdiction, and doctrine now used, can not be fathered upon the Apostles, neither Petrus, nor Linus, but of an other author, whom here I will not name.3
Wherfore, whosoeuer shall haue hereafter to do with any aduersaries, about the antiquitie or authoritie of the Church of Rome, let him here well consider when, & how the title, iurisdiction, & corruption of doctrine first begā in the Popes sea. And so shal he see, that the church of Rome, as it is now gouerned with this maner of title, iurisdictiō, & institution of doctrine, neuer descended frō the primitiue age of the Apostles,1