A67922:568
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 first to begin with the names and titles,1 now claimed and attributed to the sea and Bishop of Rome: and what they be, is sufficiently declared above, that is, the chief Priest of the world, the Prince of the Church, Bishop Apostolical, the universal head of the Church, the head and Bishop of the universal Church, the successor of Peter, most holy Pope, the vicar of God on earth, neither God nor man, but a mixed thing between both: the Patriarch or Metropolitan of the Church of Rome, the Bishop of the first sea. etc. Unto the which titles or stile is annexed a triple crown, a triple cross, two crossed keys, a naked sword, sevenfold seals, in token of the sevenfold gifts of the holy Ghost, he being carried pickback upon mens shoulders, after the manner of heathen kings, having all the Empire, and the Emperor under his dominion: & that it is not convenient for any terrene Prince to reign there, where he sitteth, having the plenary fullness of power, as well of temporal things as spiritual things in his hands, that all things are his, and that all such Princes as have given him any thing, have given him but his own, having at his will and pleasure to preach indulgences, and the cross against Christen Princes whatsoever:2 And that the Emperor, & certain other Princes, ought to make to him confession of subjection at their coronation: having authority to depose, and that he de facto, hath deposed Emperors and the king of France: Also to absolve the subjects from their allegiance to their Princes, whom kings have served for footmen to lead his horse, and the Emperor to hold his stirrup, that he may and doth give power to Bishops upon the bodies of men, and hath granted them to have prisons,3 without whose authority no general Council hath any force. And to whom appellations in all manner ⟨p. 10⟩of causes may and ought to be made. That his decrees be equal with the decrees of Nicene Council, and are to be observed and taken in no less force, then if they had been confirmed with the heavenly voice of Saint Peter himselfe ex fra. Barth. & alijs. Item that the said Bishop of Rome hath the heavenly disposition of things and therefore may alter and change the nature of things, by applying the substance of one thing to an other.