A67926:3323
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.
The Pope may succeed in S. Peters stead or office, and do the same duly & diligently feeding Christs flock, and showing virtuous ensample of living to the same, & so doing, he may and ought to be thought and named a true successor of S. Peter.1 And thus is your Lordship, S. Peters successor, performing the conditions aforesaid, with otherlike properties requisite to your order and duty: yea and as many other as do truly their duty and duly the office of a Bishop. And otherwise may not the Pope be called the successor of Peter, for because he is entered into S. Peters office, not regarding to do that is requisite for the same, not following the trace of virtue, but the contrary. And then is he wrongfully named, if at any time such be, which is not unpossible. For what should men call those Peters successors, that play the pageants and follow with the conditions of Caiaphas, Simon Magus, or Judas? Such verily if any be, cannot rightwilly claim to be Peters successors,2 no more then the night may claim to be successor of the day▪ for Peter was never so minded, nor taught them so. Yea, they ought rather to be called Peters adversaries, for so much as they do not his will, that is showed by his own acts and writing, but work against the same. Of such may be saide: Non Sanctorum filij sunt, qurtenent loca Sanctorum, sed qui exercent opera eorum. That is to say,3 they are not all Saints children, that occupy the rooms of Saints, but they are their children, that exercise their works. Yea, of such may be said, that is written of S. Hierome. Al Bishops (quoth he) are not Bishops, mark you well Peter, but mark also Judas. Behold Stephen, but behold Nicholas. Ecclesiastical dignity maketh not a Christen man. Cornelius the Centurion being yet a pagan, was made clean through the benefit of the holy ghost. Contrariwise, Daniel being a child, condemneth Priests, or ancient men. It is no easy thing (saith he) to stand in the room of Peter and Paul, & to keep the seat of them now reigning with Christ: For unsavoury salt is nought else worth, but to be thrown out of the doors,4 and trodden down of hogs. This saith S. Hierome.