A67926:1043
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. 2, part 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. 2, part 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
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
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.
1What was the true order and manner that the Apostles did institute the church of Christ, I would gladly hear, and also would desire you to consider the same, and when you have well considered it, yet shall you find the institution and regiment of the Church of Geneva not to be without the public counsel and advisement of the magistrates, elders & ministers of that church, with such care and diligence as Paul, and Silas took, in ordering the church of Thessalonica, Birrhea. &c. wherein nothing was don without the authority of Gods word, as appeareth Act. 17. As likewise also in stablishing the Church of Antioch, when the Apostles were together in council for the same, there was no other law nor doctrine followed, but only the word of God, as may appear by the words of the Councell: Quid tentatis Deum, jugum imponere, &c. And albeit the ministers of the church of Rome, and the pope were not called to the institution of the foresaid church of Geneva: yet it followeth not therefore, that there was no lawful order observed, either in stablishing that Church, or any other. The Fryer. 2You were first baptised in the Church of the Pope were ye not? The Martyr. I grant I was, but yet that nothing hindereth the grace of God, but he may renovate and call to further knowledge whom he pleaseth. A Counsellor. I would wish you not to stick to your own wisdom and opinion. Ye see the Churches in Germany, how they dissent one from an other. So that if you should not submit your judgement to the authority of the General Councils,3 every day you should have a new Christianity. The Martyr. To mine own wisdom I do not stick, nor ever will, but only to that wisdom which is in Christ Jesus, although the world doth account it foolishness. And where ye say, that the churches of Germany dissent among themselves one from an other that is not so, for they accord in one agreement, altogether, touching the foundation and principal grounds of Christian faith. Neither is there any such fear, that every day should rise up a new christianity, unless the church be balanced with authority of the councils, as you pretend. For so we read in the profit David psal. 33. and in other places of scripture moe:4