A67922:624
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.
As for Obadiah, Ado, Optatus, and such other, although we should have much wrong offered, and never should make an end, if we should be pressed with the authority of every one that could or did move pen, in all the whole first age of the church, to be our judges in every ecclesiastical matter: and much more wrong should have, if the authors either corrupted, or counterfeited, should be laid unto us, speaking not in the same sense, or in the same tongue, or in the same time wherein they wrote: yet to help and to feign the authorities of these authors so much as we may, I answer to their allegations, with this distinction of a bishop, which is to be taken either generally or specially. After the first,1 a bishop is he to whom so ever the public cure and charge of souls is committed, without any limitation of place. And so the name of Bishop is coincident with the office of Apostle, or any public Pastor, Doctor, or Curator of the universal flock of Christ. And thus may Paul, Peter, or any other of the Apostles be called Bishops. So also is Christ himself by express word called [Greek or Hebrew] and [Greek or Hebrew],2 that is, Bishop and Pastor, 1. Peter. 2. And thus may Peter well be named a bishop of these foresaid authors after this manner of taking. But this public and general charge universally over the whole, without limitation, ceased after Christ and the Apostles. For then were bishops by places and provinces appointed, to have special oversight of some particular flock or province, and so to be resident and attendant only upon the same.
As for Abdias, Ado, Optatus, and such other, although we should haue much wrong offered, and neuer should make an ende, if we should be prest with the authoritie of euery one that could or did mooue pen, in all the whole first age of the church, to be our iudges in euery ecclesiasticall matter: and much more wrong should haue, if the authors either corrupted, or countersaited, should be layd vnto vs, speaking not in the same sense, or in the same tongue, or in the same time wherin they wrote: yet to helpe and to faine the authorities of these authors so much as we may, I answer to their allegations, with this distinction of a bishop, which is to be taken either generally or specially. After the first,