A67922:507
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.
And where the said our adversaries do moreover charge us with the faith of our fathers and Godfathers, wherein we were baptised, accusing and condemning us, for that we are now revolted from them & their faith,1 wherein we were first Christened: To this we answer, that we being first baptised by our fathers & Godfathers, in water, in the name of the Father, of the Son, & of the holy Ghost, the same faith wherein we were Christened then, we do retain, & because our Godfathers were them selves also in the same faith,2 therefore they can not say that we have forsaken the faith of our Godfathers. &c. As for other points of Ecclesiastical uses & circumstances considered, besides the principal substance of faith and baptism, if they held any thing which receded from the doctrine and rule of Christ, therein we now remove our selves not because we would differ from them, but because we would not with them remove from the rule of Christs doctrine. Neither doth the Sacrament of our baptism bind us in all points to the opinions of them that baptised us, but to the faith of him, in whose name we were Baptised. For as if a man were Christened of an heretic, the Baptism of him notwithstanding were good, although the Baptizer were nought: so if our Godfathers or fathers, which Christened us, were taught any thing, not consonant to Christian doctrine in all points, neither is our Baptism worse for that, nor yet we bound to follow them in all things, wherein they them selves did not follow the true church of Christ.
And where the sayd our aduersaries doe moreouer charge vs with the fayth of our fathers and Godfathers, wherein we were baptised, accusing and cōdemnyng vs, for that we are now reuolted frō them & their fayth,1 wherin we were first Christened: To this we aūswere, that we beyng first baptised by our fathers & Godfathers, in water, in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, & of the holy Ghost, the same fayth wherin we were Christened thē, we do retaine, & because our Godfathers were thē selues also in the same fayth,2 therfore they cā not say that we haue forsaken the fayth of our Godfathers. &c. As for other points of Ecclesiasticall vses & circumstaunces cōsidered, besides the principall substaunce of fayth and baptisme, if they held any thyng whiche receaded from the doctrine and rule of Christ, therein we now remoue our selues not because we would differ from them, but because we would not with them remoue from the rule of Christes doctrine. Neither doth the Sacramēt of our baptisme binde vs in all points to the opiniōs of them that baptised vs, but to the fayth of him, in whose name we were Baptised. For as if a man were Christined of an heretique, the Baptisme of him notwithstandyng were good, although the Baptiser were nought: so if our Godfathers or fathers, which Christened vs, were taught any thyng, not consonant to Christiā doctrine in all pointes, neither is our Baptisme worsse for that, nor yet we boūd to folow thē in all thynges, wherein they them selues did not folow the true church of Christ.