A67922:1437
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.
Yea truly, thy name do I sincerely love,1 and thy power do I reverence, which by many tokens and wonders hast showed and confirmed thereby my belief & faith. Therefore will I do my endeavour, and bend my self thereunto, that I may redifie thy most holy house, which those wicked & ungodly Emperors have with so great ruin laid wast, thy people do I desire to bring & stablish, in firm peace & tranquility, & that for the public utility of all the inhabitants of the earth. Those which yet err & are out of the way, enjoy the benefit of peace and quietness, with, and amongst the number of the faithful sort: for I trust the restitution of the like society, and participation may be a means to bring them also that err into the perfect way of verity. Let no man therefore be grievous one unto another but what every man thinketh best that let him do.2 For such as are wi•e ought throughly to be persuaded, that the only mean to live holily and as they should do, whom the spirit of God moveth,3 to take their delight and recreation in reading his holy will. And if others wilfully will go out of the way, cleaving to the Synagogues of false doctrine, they may at their own peril: as for us we have the most worthy house or congregation of Gods verity, which he according to his own goodness & nature hath given us. And this also we wish unto thee, that with like participation & common consent,4 they may feel with us the same delectation of mind. For this our religion is neither new nor newly invented, but is as old as we believe the creation of the world to be: and which God hath commanded to be celebrated with such worship as both seemed and pleased him. But all living men are lye•s,5 and are deceived with divers and sundry illusions. Thou O God for Christ thy sons sake, suffer not this wickedness again to take root: thou hast set up a clear burning light, that thereby as many as thou hast chosen may come unto thee. These thy miracles approve the same. It is thy power that keepeth us in innocency and fidelity. The Sun and the Moon run their appointed course: neither yet in ranging wie, wander the stars to what place of the world they list themselves.