A67922:122
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.
All which things above recited,1 as they contain the whole summary & effect of all the popes catholic religion: so are they all corporal exercises, consisting in the extern operation of man. Which if they can make a perfect right catholic christian, then it may be said, that men may be made perfect christians by flesh and blood, without any inward working of faith, or of the holy ghost. For what is in all these, but the flesh & blood, of his strength is able to accomplish, though no inward strength or motion of the holy Ghost did work.
All which thinges aboue recited,1 as they conteine the whole summary & effect of all the popes catholicke religion: so are they all corporall exercises, consisting in the externe operation of man. Which if they can make a perfect right catholicke christian, then it may be said, that men may be made perfect christians by flesh and bloud, without any inward working of faith, or of the holy ghost. For what is in all these, but the flesh & bloud, of his strength is able to accōplish, though no inward strength or motion of the holy Ghost did worke.
- 1A man may be Catholic by the Popes religion without any working of the holy ghost. The nature of true Christian Religion described. Salvation of man, standeth only in faith of Christ. Faith in Christ, no light matter to flesh and blood. Many things incident to salvation besides faith: but not as causes thereof.A man may be Catholique by the Popes religion without any working of the holy ghost. The nature of t•ue Christian Religion described. Saluation of man, standeth onely in fayth of Christ. Fayth in Christ, no light matter to fleshe and bloud. Many thinges incident to saluation besides fayth: but not as causes thereof.
But now the order of our religion, & way of salvation consisteth not in such corporal or outward things as these, but in other more higher & more spiritual gifts, which far exceed the capacity of flesh & blood: of the which gifts the chiefest & only mean cause that saveth man, & remitteth sins, is his faith in Christ. Which faith I thus define, for a man to believe by the bloudshedding of Jesus the son of god, his sins to be forgiven, Gods wrath to be pacified, & himself to be justified perfectly from all accusations that can be laid unto him. &c. And though the Papists make a light matter of this, to believe in Christ, and when they hear us say, that faith only justifieth, they object to us again and make it a small matter to be saved, if faith only justify us. Yet notwithstanding, this faith, if it be well examined, is such a thing that flesh and blood is not able to attain thereto, unless Gods holy spirit from above do draw him.