A67926:3748
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.
Qui etiam juxta praedictum Domini, non omnes hoc consilium capere posse considerans, sed multos eiusdem consilij assentatores, hominibus, non Deo, pro falsa specie continentiae placer volentes, graviora vides committere, patrum scilicet uxores subagitare, masculorum ac pecudum amplexus non abhorrere:1 ne morbi huius aspersione ad usque pestilentiam convalescent, nimium status labefactetur Ecclesiae totius: Propter fornicationem, dixit, unusquisque suam uxorem habeat. Quod specialiter ad laicos pertinere, ijdem mentiuntur hypocritae: qui licet in quovis sanctissimo ordine constituti, alienis tamen uxoribus non dubitant abuti. Et quod flendo cernimus, omnes in supradictis saeviunt sceleribus. Hi nimirum non rectè Scripturam intellexerunt,2 cuius mamillam quia durius pressêre, sanguinem pro lacte biberunt. Nam illud Apostolicum: Unusquisque suam habeat uxorem, nullum excipit verè, nisi professorem continentiae, vel eum qui de continuanda in Domino virginitate prefixit. Quod nihilominus tuam, Pater venerande, condecet strenuitatem, ut omnem qui tibi manu vel ore votum faciens continentiae, postea voluerit apotatare, aut ad votum exequendum ex debito constringas, aut ab omni ordine, canonica autoritate deponas: & hoc ut viriliter implere sufficias,3 me omnesque mei ordinis viros adiutores habebis non pigros. Verùm ut huius voti nescios omninò scias non esse cogendos, audi Apostolum dicentem ⟨p. 1155⟩ad Timoth: Oportet (inquit) Episcopum irreprehensibilem esse, unius uxoris virum. Quam sententiam ne quis ad solam Ecclesiam verteret, subiunxit: Qui autem domui suae praeesse nescit, quomodo Ecclesiae Dei diligentiam habebit? Similiter inquit: Diaconi sint unius uxoris viri, qui filijs suis been praesint, & suis domibus. Hanc autem uxorem à sacerdote benedicendam esse, sancti Syluestri Papae decretis scio te sufficienter docuisse. His & huiusmodi sanctae Scripturae sententijs, Regulae clericorum scriptor non immeritò concordans, ait: Clericus sit pudicus, aut certè unius matrimonij vinculo foederatus. Ex quibus omnibus veraciter colligit, quòd Episcopus & Diaconus reprehensibiles notantur, si in mulieribus multis dividuntur. Si verò unam sub obtentu religionis abijciunt, utrunque, scilicet Episcopum & Diaconum, sine graduum differentia, hic Canonica damnat sententia: