A67922:1423
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.
As I was in hand with these histories, and therein considered the exceeding rage of these persecutions, the intolerable torments of the blessed Saints, so cruelly racked, rent, torn, and plucked in pieces, with all kind of tortures pains and punishments that could be devised, more bitter then any death it self, I could not without great sorrow & passion of mind, behold their sorrowful afflictions, or write of their bloody passions. Wherein much like it happened to me, as did to T. Livius, who writing of the wars of Carthage, was so moved in the writing thereof: Ac si in part aliqua laboris ac periculi ipse pariter fuisset. Further I proceeded in the story, & the hotter the persecutions grew, the more my grief with them, & for them increased, not only pitying their woeful case, but also almost reasoning with God, thus thinking like a fool with my self, why God of his goodness would suffer his children and servants, so vehemently to be cruciated and afflicted. If mortal things were governed by heavenly providence (as must needs be granted) why did the wicked so rage & flourish, & the godly so to go to wrack? If sins deserved punishment, yet neither were they sinners alone, & why was their death above all other so sharp and bitter? At least why would the Lord suffer the vehemency of these so horrible persecutions to endure so long time against his poor Church, showing to them no certain determined end of their tribulations, whereby they knowing the appointed determination of almighty God, with more consolation might endure out the same. As the Israelites in the captivity of Babylon had 70. years limited unto them. And under Pharaoh they were promised a deliverance out. Also under the Syrian tyrants. 62. Weeks were abridged unto them. Only in these persecutions, I could find no end determined, nor limitation set for their deliverance. Whereupon much marvelling with my self, I searched the book of Revelation, to see whether any thing there might be found. Where although I well perceived, the beast there described to signify the Empire of Rome, which had power to overcome the Saints: yet concerning the time & continuance of these persecutions under the beast, I found nothing to satisfy my doubt. For albeit I read there of. 42. months, of a time, times and half a time, of 1260.
As I was in hand with these histories, and therin cō sidered the exceeding rage of these persecutions, the intolerable tormentes of the blessed Sainctes, so cruelly rackt, rent, torne, and pluckt in peeces, with all kinde of tortures paynes and punishmentes that could be deuised, more bitter then any death it selfe, I coulde not without great sorrow & passiō of minde, behold their sorrowfull afflictions, or write of their bloudy passiōs. Wherin much like it happened to me, as did to T. Liuius, who writing of the warres of Carthage, was so moued in the writing thereof: Ac si in parte aliqua laboris ac periculi ipse pariter fuisset. Further I proceeded in the story, & the hoater the persecutions grew, the more my griefe with them, & for thē encreased, not onely pitiyng their wofull case, but also almost reasoning with God, thus thinking like a foole with my selfe, why God of hys goodnesse would suffer hys children and seruaunts, so vehemently to be cruciated and afflicted. If mortal things were gouerned by heauenly prouidence (as must needs be graūted) why did ye wicked so rage & florish, & the godly so to go to wrack? If sinnes deserued punishmēt, yet neyther were they sinners alone, & why was their death aboue all other so sharpe and bitter? At least why woulde the Lord suffer the vehemency of these so horrible persecutiōs to endure so long tyme agaynst hys poore Church, shewing to thē no certayne determined end of their tribulatiōs, wherby they knowing the appoynted determinatiō of almighty God, with more consolatiō might endure out the same. As the Israelites in the captiuitie of Babilon had 70. yeares limitted vnto them. And vnder Pharao they were promised a deliueraunce out. Also vnder the Syrian tyrauntes. 62. Weekes were abriged vnto them. Onely in these persecutions, I could finde no end determined, nor limitation set for their deliuerance. Wherevpō much marueiling wt my selfe, I searched the booke of Reuelatiō, to see whether any thing there might be found. Where although I well perceaued, the beast there described to signifie the Empire of Rome, which had power to ouercome the Saintes: yet cō cerning the tyme & continuance of these persecutions vnder the beast, I found nothing to satisfie my doubt. For albeit I read there of. 42. monethes, of a tyme, tymes and halfe a tyme, of 1260.