A67922:1828
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.
For I say, to have them is no damnation, but if ye presume upon them, that is damnation, if for the having of them ye shall seem great in your own fight, or if ye do forget the common condition of man through the excellency of any thing you have. Use therefore therein due discretion, tempered with moderation, the which cup of discretion is drawn out of that fountain of the Apostolic preaching which saith: Art thou loose from thy wife? Do not seek for thy wife. Art thou bound to thy wife? Seek not to be loosed from her? Where also it followeth, Such as have wives, let them be as though they had them not, and they that use the world,1 let them be as not using it. Item concerning the widow he saith: Let her marry to whom she will, only in the Lord. To marry in the Lord, is nothing else but to attempt nothing in contracting of matrimony, which the Lord doth forbid, Jeremiah also saith: Trust not in the words of lies, saying, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. The which saying of Jeremiah, Hierome expounding, saith thus: this may agree also, & be applied unto such virgins, which brag & vaunt their virginity with an impudent face, pretending chastity, when they have an other thing in their conscience, and know not how the Apostle defineth the virgin,2 that she should be holy in body, and also in spirit. For what availeth the chastity of the body, if the mind inwardly be deflowered? Or if it have not the other virtues, which the prophetical Sermon doth describe? The which virtues, for as much as we see partly to be in you, and because we are not ignorant, that this discretion (although neglected in this part, yet in the other actions of your life to be kept honestly of you) do not despair, but you despair, but you will also soon amend the little lack which is behind. And therefore with as much gravity as we can, we cease not to call upon you, to correct and amend this your negligence. For although according to our common calling, a bishop is greater then a Priest, yet Austen being less then Hierome (notwithstanding the good correction proceeding from the lesser to the greater) was not to be refused or disdained, especially when he which is corrected, is found to strive against the truth to please men.3 For as S. Austen faith, writing to Boniface: the disputations of all men, be they never so Catholic or approved persons: