A67922:6554
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.
For when as those & such like pestiferous persons did in the beginning of their poisoned doctrine, obstinately sow and spread abroad perverse & false opinions, the prelates who had the regiment & execution of the judicial power, like dumb dogs, not able to bark, neither yet revenging speedily with the Apostle, all such disobedience, nor regarding corporally to cast out of the lords house (as they were enjoined by the canons) those subtle and pestilent Archheretics, and their Wolfish fury and cruelty, with all expedition, but suffering their false and pernicious doctrine negligently, by their overlong delays, to grow and wax strong: a great multitude of people in stead of true doctrine received those things, which they did long falsely, perniciously and damnably sow among them, and giving credit unto them, fell from the right faith, and are entangled (the more pity) in the foul errors of Paganism. In so much, that those Archheretics, and such as spring of them,1 have infected the Catholic flock of Christ in divers climates of the world and parts bordering upon the same, and have caused them to putrefy in the filthy dunghill of their lies. Wherefore the general Synod of Constance, was compelled with Saint Augustine to exclaim against so great and ruinous a plague of faithful men, and of the sound and true faith it self, saying: what shall the Sovereign medicine of the Church do, with motherly love seeking the health of her sheep, chasing as it were, amongst a company of men frantic, and having the disease of the Lethargy? What? shall she desist and leave off her good purpose? No not so. But rather let her, if there be no remedy, be sharp to both these sorts, which are the grievous enemies of her womb. For the Physician is sharp unto the man bestraught and raging in his frenzy,2 and yet is he a father to his own rude and unmannerly son, in binding the one, in beating the other, by showing therein his great love unto them both. But if they be negligent, and suffer them to perish (saith Augustine) this mansuetude is rather to be supposed false cruelty. And therefore the foresaid Synod, to the glory of almighty God, and preservation of his catholic faith, and augmenting of Christian religion, and for the salvation of mens souls: hath corporally rejected and cast forth of the household of God, the foresaid I. Wickliffe, I.
For when as those & such like pestiferous persons did in ye beginning of their poisoned doctrine, obstinately sow and spread abroad peruerse & false opinions, ye prelates who had the regiment & execution of the iudiciall power, like dumme dogs, not able to barke, neither yet reuenging speedely with the Apostle, all such disobediēce, nor regarding corporally to cast out of the lords house (as they were enioined by ye canons) those subtill and pestilēt Archheretickes, and their Woluish fury and cruelty, with all expedition, but suffering their false and pernicious doctrine negligētly, by their ouerlong delaies, to growe and waxe strōg: a great multitude of people in stead of true doctrine receiued those things, which they did lōg falsly, pernitiously and damnably sow among them, and geuing credite vnto them, fell from the right faith, and are intangled (the more pitie) in the foule errors of Paganisme. In so much, that those Archheretickes, and suche as spring of them,