A67922:1348
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.
Not much unlike to the story of Gordius is the story also of Menas an Egyptian, who being likewise a soldier by his profession, in this persecution of Diocletian forsook all, & went into the desert, where a long time he gave him self to abstinence, watching, and meditation of the Scriptures. At length returning again to the City Cotys, there in the open theatre, as the people were occupied upon their spectacles or pastimes, he with a loud voice openly proclaimed himself to be a christian, and upon the same was brought to Pyrrhus the President:1 of whom, he being demanded of his faith, made this answer: Convenient it is that I should (saith he) confess God in whom is light and no darkness, for so much as Paul doth teach that with hart we believe to righteousness, with mouth confession is given to salvation. After this the innocent Martyr was most painfully pinched and cruciate with sundry punishments. In all which, notwithstanding he declared a constant heart, and faith invincible, having these words ⟨p. 91⟩in his mouth being in the middest of his torments.2 There is nothing in my mind that can be compared to the kingdom of heaven. Neither is all the world, if it were weighed in balance able to be conferred with the price of one soul. And said, who is able to separate us from the love of Jesus Christ our Lord: shall affliction or anguish? And moreover (said he) I have thus learned of my Lord & my king, not to fear them which kill the body and have no power to kill the soul, but to fear him rather, who hath power to destroy both body and soul in hell fire. To make the story short, after manifold torments borne of him, and suffered, when the last sentence of death was upon him pronounced which was to be beheaded:3 Menas being then had to the place of execution said: I give thee thanks my Lord god, which hast so excepted me to be found a partaker of thy precious death, & hast not given me to be devoured of my fierce enemies,4 but hast made me to remain constant in thy pure faith unto this my later end: And so this blessed soldier fighting valiantly under the banner of Christ, lost his head,