The Llfe of Mafter John Fox, In the Univerfities and SChools there was yet no open change, or innovation : I know not whc· tber through fe:w, or that they would not be Followers. This was the cftate of the Church-affain:, when Mafi:er Fox began attentively to feek into the fubfbncc of the Comrovcrfic, then in ngitation., • He found the Contention to have been ofgreat Antiquity, and no Age to have been free from fame debate in the Church. But thofe firfi: quarrels were r:tther for Dominion, and incre2fe of Territory. The Romam cndeavo~ring by fubtil Practifes, and pretext of Religion to retain under the JurifdiClion of a High Pndt, the ancient honour of their City, which by open force they could not defend. Then no fooner could any !hew himfelf to differ from them in point of Faith, but the hafiening of his puni£hment prevented :my infect ion that might fpread it ftlf ~mong others. Thus by their Cruelty, and the patience of Princes, whofuffered ir, thegreateO: part ofthefe DiCfenfiom were appeafcd: neither hitherto were all traCts of the old Roman vertue quite worn our, at leafi:wife fame refemblances of vertue rem:tincd among many thing$ that were perverted, andbylongtimeutterlydefaced. Afterward the Pope grown bolder by good fucccfs, begag to draw to himfelf all Power and Authority, nor contented to have weakned the cftate of the Rom11n Empire alooe, now, looged to be fingring the Sccpters ofother Pri~ces) and to compafs hisddign, fpared not to violate any Humane, or Divine Right: Mean wh1le the Clergy liule weighed with how great damage to Rel igion, men of fpotted life and com•crfation were fometimes chofen to the Papacy, by whofe example the O:riCtnefs of life, ufed by their Forefathers, was drawn into !corn, and their poverty into cxprobration 1 The indufiry of the Priefi:hood Jangui!hed, and on the contrary fide Ambition, Riot, and Av:arice began to reign among them. Then at length were the PractiCes of the Churchmen brought to li~ht, and their Delufions laid open. It was then koown why the Gerc.. monies and R.ltes in the Church, had been brought w that exceffive multitude, to wit, that the number of the Clergy might be increafed to perform them: Thefe of nccefiity were to be maintained; and to that end were fuch Opinions broached, as feemed mort likely to draw money from all places: Of the di~nityofWorks; Of Pur~atory j Of the power of Abfolution, and the Popes Indulgences: All which being in themfclvcs f.tl~e, and foon fubjetl to decay, were thought fit to be cemented together with that new and fubnl invention of the Popes iofallibility in matters of faith. By this handfome connexure . a~d linking one Opinion to another, the credulity of the Chriftiam was ca fily infnared 1 all th1s while the new forg'd Opinions yielding plentiful increafe, and great furns of money, by a hundred devifes fcrewed out oft be Clergy, and common people, ca~~~!~Y0}~e~h~e~~fMafi 0e~ ~~~r:ffi~:.o~ebat> the firPc matter which occafioncd his fearch \nto the Popifh DoCtrine, w::~s, that he faw divers thing<> in their own natures, mofi repugnant to one another, thrufi upon men at one time to be both believed: as that the fame man might io ma.tters ofFaith be Superior, and yet in his life and manners inferior to all the World befides. Upon this beginning, his refolution and ime~ded obedience to that Church, werefomewhat {baken, and by little and liule followed fame d1nike to the refi:. His 6rfi care was to look into both the ancient and modern Hift:ory of the Church: to learn wbat beginning it had;. what growth and increaf.i: ; by what Arts it fiouri!bed, and by what Errors it began to declme; to confider the caufes of all thofeControvcrfies which in the mean fpace had fprung up,and _to weigh diligently ofwhat moment they Were, and what on either fide was produced found or mfirm. Thia he performed with fuch heat of O:udy, and in fo lbort a time; that before the thirtieth year of his age, he had read over all that either the Grre~ or Latine Fathers had left in their writings 1 the Schoolmen in their Difputations; the Counc1ls in their Acts; or the Coofifiory ig their Decrees; nod acquired no mean skill in the Hebrew Language. By report of fame who were Fellow-Students with him, he ufed over and above his days ex· ercife, to beftow whole nights at hisSrudy,or not till it were "cry late to betake himfelfto reft. Near to the Colledge was a Grove, wherein for the pleafamnefs of the place, the Students took delight to walk, :md fpend fame idle hours for their recreation. This place, and the dead time of the-night, had Mafter Fox chofen, with the horror of folitude and darkne6, to confirm his mind; which as a frefh-water-Souldier trembled at the guilt ofa new imagination. •ed ~~t~i~h~~~:~~th~~v~~~~e~::v~h~~h~~~~~;{f~~~lk:;d :~~: ~~~:edn~o~h~:;~~~~~~~~=~; to Almighty God; I h::~d rather might be fpared fro~ this Difcourfe, than touched with opinion of OO:entation: But therefore of neceffity , w:ts lt to be remembred, hecaufe from hence ~~~~f~t~=t~:e~~~Fsi:i~~~~h~~ ~~~:~:~ ~~d~!~~~di~0f~~ r~~~e~r"~hc~~~:~~fld:~ ~;h~~ :~ ccordmg :u they ftood inclined towards him, were apt to interpret all to the worfi fcnfe. At length thofe)Nith whom he was intimate, being drawn into fufpition of him; there were fome imployed, who under pretence to admonilh him, mi~bt obferve his walks, and pry with more curiofity inro his words and actions; and there wanted not others, who compariog his cufioms formerly ufed, with the prcfem courfe he now took, did with more bitternefs aggravate the fad. Why fhould he not come to Church, fo often :~s in former times he had accufiomed? Why fuould he !bun the company of his Equals, and refule to recreate himfelfafter his wonted manner, unlefs he had felt in his mind Come fuddain alteration? nor if that" alteration were for the better, would he conceal it, Being
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