A67922:657
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.
Besides these objections heretofore recited out of Irenaeus, Ambrose, Augustine, and Theodoritus, our adversaries yet object and heap up against us: moreover, examples of the primitive time of the church, testimonies of general Councils, and opinions of ancient writers, taken out of the book of Councils, & Epistles decretal, whereby their intent is to prove, the foresaid terms (of the head of the church, ruler of the church, chief of all other Priests) to be applied not only to Peter, but also to the Bishop of Rome within the compass of the primitive time. And here cometh in the testimony cited of Vincentius Lirinensis. 1Of the Epistle of Paschasius and his fellows, writing to Leo from the Council of Chalcedon. The testimony also of Justinian the Emperor in his Codex: where Joannes then Pope was called caput omnium Ecclesiarum Epist. inter claras cap. De summa Trinit & fide Cath. The testimony also of Athanasius, with his fellow bishops of Egypt, of Thebaida, and Libya, in their Epistles to Pope Marcius, Liberius & Felix. Likewise the testimony of Hierome, In praef. in 4. Evang. Item Epist. 42. Tom. 1. Item Epist. 41. Tom. 2. Of S. Ambrose, 1. Tim 3. Of S. Augustina to Boniface. Ad Bonifac. contra duas Epist. Pelagian. Lib. 1. cap. 1. Item, Lib. 2. De Baptism. cap. 1. Of Theodoritus in his Epistle to Pope Leo. Epist Commentar. in Pauli Epist. praefixa. Of Chrysostome, Epist ad Innocentium, Tom. 5. &c. By which testimonies our adversaries would prove S. Peter, and after him the Bishop of Rome to be called and taken for head of the church, chief bishop, prince and ruler of the whole Clergy. To all which objections fully and exactly to answer in order, would require a whole volume by it self. In the mean time, leaving the rest unto them unto whom it doth more properly appertain, briefly with this one short distinction.2 I answer these & all such other like places, where S. Peter with his successors are called: head of the church, chief of Bishops, Prince of the Apostles, &c. In which places, this word head, chief, and Prince of the Apostles, may be taken two manner of ways: to note, either dominion, or else commendation. For so we read sometime Caput, 3and princeps, to be words not of authority, but of excellency, whereby is declared the chiefest and worthiest part among many parts, and not possessor and governor of the whole.