A67922:1150
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. 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. 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
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.
And although in the mines where the metals be digged there be no beds for Christian mens bodies to take their rest, yet they have their rest in Christ. And though their weary bones lye upon the cold ground, yet it is no pain to lye with Christ. Their feet have been fettered with bands and chains, but happily he is bound of man, whom the Lord Christ doth loose: 1happily doth he lye tied in the stocks, whose feet thereby are made swifter to run to heaven. Neither can any man tie a Christian so fast, but he runneth so much the faster for his garland of life. They have no garments to save them from cold, but he that putteth on Christ, is sufficiently coated. Doth bread lack to their hungry bodies? But man liveth not only by bread, but by every word proceeding from the mouth of God. Your deformity (saith he) shall be turned to honour, your mourning to joy, your pain to pleasure, and felicity infinite. And if this do grieve you, that ye cannot now employ your sacrifices and oblations after your wonted manner: yet your sacrifice daily ceaseth not, which is a contrite and humble hart, as when you offer up daily your bodies a lively and a glorious sacrifice unto the Lord, which is the sacrifice that pleaseth God. And though your travail be great, 2yet is the reward greater, which is most certain to follow. For God beholding and looking down upon them that confess his name, in their willing mind approveth them, in their striving helpeth them, in their victory crowneth them, rewarding that in us, which he hath performed, and crowning that which he hath in us perfected. With these and such like comfortable words he doth animate his brethren, admonishing them, that they are now in a joyful journey, hasting apace to the mansions of the Martyrs, there to enjoy after this darkness a stable light, and brightness greater then all their passions, according to the Apostles saying: These sufferings of this present time be nothing like comparable to the brightness of the glory that shall be revealed in us, &c.
And although in the mines where the mettals be digged there be no beds for Christian mens bodies to take their rest, yet they haue their rest in Christ. And though their wearie bones lye vpon the cold ground, yet it is no payne to lye with Christ. Their feete haue bene fettered with bandes and chaynes, but happily he is bound of man, whome the Lord Christ doth loose: