A67922:17
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.
Ad Dominum Jesum Christum Seruatorem clementissimum, Eucharisticon. Joan. Foxi.
Ad Dominum Iesum Christum Seruatorem clementissimum, Eucharisticon. Ioan. Foxi.
CONFECTO NVNC OPERE, QVOD TVIS PRIMVM AVSPIcijs ac voluntate aggressus (sum & adorande Jesus, idemque Seruator clementissime) inchoavi, quodque tuo demum beneficio ao favore exegi atque absolui, praeter omnem certam opinionem & vires meas: superest itaque pro officio meo, ut animula haec, ceu pro votiva tabula, gratias, si non quantas debeat (utinam enim id posset) at quantas queat maximè, munificentissimae tuae persoluat maiestati: quae tam miserum homuncionem, vel syphar potius hominis, in laboribus tot tantísque istis, qui vel asellum quemuis [Greek or Hebrew] possent conficere, tumultuantem, benigno successu ac solatio tam clementer suffulcerit. Quanquam autem de operis difficultate nihil hic causari attinet, quae vix aestimari à multis poterit: tua tamen non ignorat omnipotens maiestas, huius, qualecunque sit, negoti• confectio quibus quanque non ferendis curis, vigili•s, molestijs constitit: Quibus nullo modo pares futuri essemus, nisi faventis gratiae tuae numen affulsisset, ac sese quodam modo admiscuisset operi.1 Quid ni enim fatear ac tester ingenuè, quod re ipsa experti sumus. Persensimus enim, penéque oculis ipsis conspeximus, singularem excelsae dexterae tuae [Greek or Hebrew], non modo in successu negotij provehendo, sed in vita etiam spiritúque inter labores, conseruando. Tui igitur muneris est (clementissime Jesu) quod opus tuis susceptum auspicijs huc usque provectum sit. Nos vicissim quod nostri sit officij, gratias clementiae tuae, cum nostro privatim, tum publico quodammodo ecclesiae tuae nomine, agimus. Vel hinc enim cernimus quanti causam Martyrum tuorum aestimes, quando eorum illustrando nomini tanta faveas propensione. Quanquam verò si nulla hic extaret eorum recordatio, non possent non omnibus modis esse illustrissimi, quorum sint nomina vitae tuae libro inscripta. Et tamen voluit hoc modo tua declarare maiestas, nobisque innotescere hominibus, quàm honorificum sit pro tui nominis gloria fortiter dimicantes occumbere, quorum tu vitam à cinere ac rogo sic vindicas, sic causam tueris, sic dignitatem illustras, ut eandem multo cum gloriae foenore abs te recipiat clariorē, quam si ipsi nunquam alioqui perdidissent.