A67922:604
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.
It were too long here to infer all such letters and Epistles of his, concerning this matter, written to the Emperor Mauritius, and Constantina the Empress, but that shall more largely appear hereafter (Christ willing) in the body of the history, when we come to the year and time of Gregory, which was well nigh about vj. hundred year after Christ. In the mean season this is sufficient to declare how the church of Rome with the form and manner of their title of universal supremacy now used & maintained, hath utterly swerved from the ancient steps of the primitive church of Rome.
It were too long here to inferre all such letters and Epistles of his, concerning this matter, written to the Emperour Mauritius, and Constantina the Empresse, but that shal more largely appeare hereafter (Christ willing) in the body of the history, when we come to the yeare and time of Gregory, which was well nie about vj. hundred yere after Christ. In the meane season this is sufficiēt to declare how the church of Rome with the fourme and maner of their title of vniuersall supremacie now vsed & maintained, hath vtterly swerued from the auncient steps of the primitiue church of Rome.
Now let us see what the adversary side hath to object again for the title of their universality, or rather singularity. And first here cometh in a blind cavillation of a certain Sophister,1 who glossing upon the words of Pelagius above recited, laboureth to colour the plain text with a subtle meaning, as though the sense of the Canon were this, not to deny there the state of supremacie: Sed negari ibi aliquem posse esse universalem Episcopum, sub eo sensu duntaxat, quòd esset cuiusque Ecclesiae proprius rector, ita quòd nullus alius esset Episcopus, &c. That is, but to deny there, that any may be universal bishop after this sense and meaning only, so that he should be the proper Pastor of every Church alone, and that there should be no other bishop beside him self, &c. Thus goeth this Sophister about to dash out this text, but he cannot so discharge the matter. For neither did John the Patriarch then seek any such thing, to be bishop and proper Pastor of every church alone, nor if he had the Council of Chalcedon, and the Emperor Justinian, would never have agreed thereunto. Neither is it true, that this Glosser denieth Pelagius, here to forbid the primacy or supremacy of that Patriarch, which in deed is the only intent of Pelagius in that Canon, witnessing as well other Historiographers, as namely, Anton. tit. 12. cap. 3. par. 13. & also the gloss ordinary upon the same Canon, &c.