A67922:1827
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.
Gregory) who afterward well revoked the same, with condign fruit of repentance. For upon a certain day as he sent unto his fishpond to have fish,1 and did see more then six thousand infants heads brought unto him, which were taken out of the same pond or mote: did greatly repent in himself the decree made before, touching the single life of Priests, which he confessed to be the cause of that so lamentable a murder. And so purging the same with condigne fruit of repentance, altered again the things which he had decreed before, commending that counsel of the Apostle, which saith: It is better to marry then to •urne. Adding moreover of himself thereunto, and saying: It is better to marry, then to give occasion of death. Peradventure if these men had read with me this, which so happened: I think they would not be so rash in their doing and judging, fearing at least the Lords commandment: Do not judge, that ye be not judged. And S Paul saith: Who art thou that judgest an other mans servant? Either he standeth or falleth to his own master, but he shall stand, for the Lord is mighty and able to make him stand. Therefore let your holiness cease to compel and enforce those, whom only ye ought to admonish: least through your own private commandment (which God forbid) you be found contrary, as well to the old Testament, as to the new. For as S. Augustine saith to Donatus: this is only that we do fear in your justice, lest (not for the consideration of christian lenity,2 but for the grievousness and greatness of transgressions committed) you be thought to use violence in executing punishment of that which only we do desire you (by Christ) not to do. For transgressions are so to be punished, that the life of the transgressors may repent. Also an other saying of Augustine we would you to remember,3 which is this: Nil nocends fiat cupiditate, omnia consulendi charitate, & nihil fiat imman•ter, nihil inhumaniter. That is: Let nothing be done through the greediness of hurting, but all things through the charity of profiting: Neither let any thing be done cruelly, nothing ungently. Item of the same Augustine it is written. In the fear and name of Christ I exhort you, which of you soever have not the goods of this world be not greedy to have them.