A67922:681
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.
Thus in comparing the Popes regiment with civil governance as they do little or nothing disagree asunder:1 So in comparing again the same with the order of scriptures, or with the regiment that was in the old ancient Church of Rome, we shall see no resemblance between them. As we read in the Apostles time, all the armour of Christs ministers was spiritual and full of godly power against the spiritual enemies of our salvation,2 governing the Church then with peace, patience, humility, true kn• ledge of God, the sword of the spirit, the shield of faith, the breastplate of righteousness, hearty charity, sincere faith, and good conscience: so after the Apostles in the time of Ambrose, 3by his own testimony is to be understand, that the armour of Churchmen was then, preces & lachrymae, prayers and tears: where now the armour of the popes Priesthood is nothing else but ignis & ferrum, i. fire and sword, wherewith they keep all things under their subjection.4 And here cometh the enorm and horrible abuse of excommunication, suspension, and interdiction in cases frivolous, or worldly, and for such, as for which the civil magistrate will not commit any Citizens to the stocks, the Popes censure will not stick to commit a Christian to the devil:5 not to speak of their other usurped dealings and doings in matters, that belong to the civil sword, & be to them impertinent. As in punishing whoredom and adultery, in administration and probates of testaments, in bearing civil office, as popes to be Senators of Rome and Emperor also seed vacant. Cardinals to be Captains in war, and rulers of regions: Bishops to be Presidents or Chancellors, Priests to be stewards in great mens houses, or masters of minutes, or Clerks of the market, or gardeners to Gentlemen. &c. All which here I overpass referring them to the deeper consideration of such as have more leisure to mark the order of their doings, & so to judge of the same with indifferency, according to the rule of truth, touched with Gods word, and public examples of the ancient Church of Christ in the primitive time.