A67922:528
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.
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 as in their jurisdiction presumptuously usurped, in their title falsely grounded, and in their doctrine heretically corrupted. In all which three points, this latter pretended Church of Rome, hath utter sequestered it self from the Image and nature of the ancient and true Church of Rome, and have erected to them selves, a new Church of their own making, as first usurping a jurisdiction never known before to their ancient predecessors. For although the Church of Rome in the old primitive time had his due authority and place due unto that sea, among other Patriarchal Churches, over and upon such Churches as were within his precinct, & bordering near unto it,3 as appeareth by the Acts of Nicene Council: yet the universal fullness and plenitude of power in both the regiments, spiritual & temporal, in deposing & dispensing matters of the Church, not to him belonging, in taking Appeals, in giving elections, investing in benefices, in exempting him self from obedience & subjection of his ordinary power & Magistrate, with his coactive power newly erected in the church of Rome, was never received nor used in the old Roman church, from which they disagree in all their doings.4 For although Victor then bishop of Rome. an. 200. went about to excommunicate the East Churches, for the observation of Easter day: yet neither did he proceed therein, neither was permitted by Irenaeus so to do. And although Boniface the first likewise, writing to the Bishops of Carthage, required of them to send up their appellations unto the Church of Rome, alleging moreover the decree of Nicene Council for his authority: The Bishops & Clergy of Carthage assembling together in a general Council (called the vj. Council of Carthage) to the number of .217.