A67922:527
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 if the Gospel send us to the fruits to know the tree, I pray you what is to be thought of the Church of Rome, with these fruits of life? Or if we will seek the Church in length and number of years, where was this Church of Rome with these qualities then, at what time the Church of Rome was a persecuted Church, not a persecuting Church? And when the Bishops thereof did not make Martyrs, as these do now, but were made Martyrs them selves, to the number of xxv. in order one after an other? Or when the Bishops thereof were elected & exalted, not by factions conspiring, not by power or parts taking, not by money or friends making, as they be now, but by the free voices of the people & of the Clergy, with the consent of the Emperor joined with all, and not by a few conspired Cardinals, closed up in a corner, as they be now &c.
Wherfore if the Gospell send vs to the fruites to know the tree, I pray you what is to be thought of the Churche of Rome, with these fruites of lyfe? Or if we will seeke the Church in length and number of yeares, where was this Church of Rome with these qualities then, at what tyme the Church of Rome was a persecuted Church, not a persecutyng Church? And when the Byshops therof did not make Martyrs, as these do now, but were made Martyrs them selues, to the number of xxv. in order one after an other? Or when the Byshops therof were elected & exalted, not by factiōs conspiring, not by power or partes taking, not by money or frendes makyng, as they be now, but by the free voyces of the people & of the Clergy, with the consent of the Emperour ioyned with all, and not by a few cō spired Cardinals, closed vp in a corner, as they be now &c.
1And yet if there were no other difference in the matter, but only corruption of life, all that we would tolerate, or else impute to the common fragility of man, and charge them no further therein, then we might charge our selves. Now over and beside this deformity of life, wherein they are clean gone from the former steppes of the true Church of Rome, we have moreover to charge them in greater points, more nearly touching the substantial ground of the Church,2