A67926:3747
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 epistle in Latin of Volusianus, or as some think of Huldericus Bishop of Augusta, to Pope Nicholas, against the forbidding of Priests Marriage. Epistola Volusiani Carthaginensis Episcopi ad Nicolaum Romanorum Episcopum. ¶Haec est rescriptio Volusiani Carthaginensis Episcopi, in qua Papae Nicolao de continentia clericorum, non justè sed impiè, nec canonicè, sed indiscretè tractanti ita respondit. Nicolao Domino & patri peruigili sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Provisori, Volusianus solo nomine Episcopus, amorem ut filius, timorem ut seruus. CVm tua, ô Pater & Domine,1 decreta super clericorum continentia nuper mihi transmissa, à discretion inuenirem aliena, timor me turbavit cum tristitia. Timor quidem propter hoc, quod dicitur, pastoris sententia, sive justa, sive iniusta timenda est. Timebam enim infirmis Scripturae auditoribus, qui vel justae vix obediunt sententiae, ne iniustam conculcantes liberè, onerosa, imò importabili pastoris prevarication praecepti, see obligarent. Tristitia verò vel compassio, dum considerabam, qua ratione membra cavere possent, capite suo tam gravi morbo laborante. Quid enim gravius quid totius Ecclesiae compassione dignius, quam te summae sedis Pontificem, ad quem totius Ecclesiae spectat examen, à sancta discretione vel minimum exorbitare? Non parum quippe ab hac deviasti, cum clericos, quos ad abstinentiam coniugij monere debebas, ad hanc imperiosa quadam violentia cogi volebas. Nun quid enim meritò communi omnium sapientum judicio haec est violentia, cum contra Evangelicam institutionem, ac sancti Spiritus dictationem, ad privata aliquis decreta cogitur exequenda? Cum ergo plurima veteris ac novi Testamenti suppetant exempla, sanctam (ut nosti) discretionem docentia,2 tuae rogone grave sit paterniati, vel pauca ex pluribus huic paginae interseri. Dominus quidem in veteri lege sacerdoti coniugium constituit, quod illi postmodum interdixisse non legitur. Sed idem in Evangelio loquitur: Sunt eunuchi,3 qui se castraverunt propter regnum caelorum, sed non omnes hoc verbum capiunt: qui potest capere, capiat. Quà propter Apostolus quoque ait: De virginibus praeceptum Domini non habeo, consilium autem do.
¶The epistle in Latin of Volusianus, or as some thinke of Huldericus Byshop of Augusta, to Pope Nicholas, agaynst the forbidding of Priestes Mariage. Epistola Volusiani Carthaginensis Episcopi ad Nicolaum Romanorum Episcopum. ¶Haec est rescriptio Volusiani Carthaginensis Episcopi, in qua Papae Nicolao de continentia clericorum, non iustè sed impiè, nec canonicè, sed indiscretè tractanti ita respondit. Nicolao Domino & patri peruigili sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Prouisori, Volusianus solo nomine Episcopus, amorem vt filius, timorem vt seruus. CVm tua, ô Pater & Domine,