A67922:675
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 thus much concerning the life,1 jurisdiction, & title of the Roman bishops: In all which (as is declared) they and not we, have fallen from the church of Rome. To these I might also join the manner of government, wherein the said Romish Bishops have no less altered both from the rule of Scripture, and from the steps of the true church of Rome, which government as it hath been, and ought to be only spiritual: so hath the bishop of Rome used it of late years no otherwise, than hath an earthly king or prince governed his realm & dominions, with riches, glory, power, terror, outward strength, force, prison, death, execution, laws policies, promoting his friends to dignities, revenging his affections, punishing and correcting faults against his person more then other offences against God committed, using and abusing in all these things the word of God for his pretext & cloak to work his worldly purpose withal: ⟨p. 19⟩whereas indeed the word of God ministereth no such power to spiritual persons, but such as is spiritual: according to the saying of the Apostle. Arma militiae nostrae non sunt carnalia, sed spiritualia. &c. The armour and artillery, saith S. Paul, of our warfare is not carnal, but spiritual: such as serve not against flesh and blood, nor against the weak person of man: but against Satan, against the gates of hell, and the profundities of the wicked power. &c.
And thus much concerning the life,1 iurisdiction, & title of the Romain bishops: In all which (as is declared) they and not we, haue fallen from the church of Rome. To these I might also ioyne the maner of gouernment, wherin the said Romish Bishops haue no lesse altered both from the rule of Scripture, and from the steps of the true church of Rome, which gouernment as it hath bene, and ought to be only spirituall: so hath the bishop of Rome vsed it of late yeres no otherwise, thē hath an earthly king or prince gouerned his realme & dominiōs, with riches, glory, power, terror, outward strēgth, force, prisō, death, executiō, lawes policies, promooting his friends to dignities, reuenging his affections, punishing and correcting faults against his person more then other offences against God committed, vsing and abusing in all these things the word of God for his pretext & cloke to worke his worldly purpose withall: