A67922:1829
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.
ought not to be had in stead of the Canonical Scriptures. So that we may disprove or refuse (saving the honour & reverence which is due unto them) any thing that is in their writings: if any thing there be found, contrary to trueth: and what can be found more contrary to the trueth then this? When as the trueth him self speaking of continency, not of one only, but of all men together, (the number only excepted of them which have professed continence) saith: He that can take, let him take: the which saying, these men (moved, I cannot tell by what occasion) do turn and say: he that cannot take, let him be accursed. And what can be more foolish amongest men, then when any Bishop or Archdeacon, run themselves headlong into all kind of lust, to adultery ⟨p. 139⟩and incest, and also Sodomitry: yet shame not to say, that the chaste marriage of Priests do stink before them. And as void of all compassion of true righteousness, do not desire or admonish their Clerks, as their fellow servants to abstain, but command them and enforce them as servants, violently to abstain:1 Unto the which imperious commandment of theirs or counsel (whether you will call it) they add also this foolish and filthy suggestion, saying: that it is more honest, privily to have to do with many women, then apertly in the sight and consciences of many men, to be bound to one wife. The which truly they would not say, if they were either of him, or in him, which saith, woe to you Pharisees which do all things before men. And by the Psalmist: because they please men, they are confounded: for the Lord hath despised them. These be the men, who rather ought to persuade us, that we should shame to sin privily in the sight of him, to when all things be open, than to seem in the sight of men for to be clean. These men therefore, although through their sinful wickedness, deserve no counsel of godliness to be given them: yet we not forgetting our humanity, cease not to give them counsel by the authority of Gods word, which seeketh all mens salvation, desiring them by the bowels of charity, & saying with the words of Scripture: Cast out thou hypocrite first the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see to cast out the mote of the eye of thy brother. Moreover, this also we desire them to attend, what the Lord saith of the adulterous woman:
ought not to bee had in stead of the Canonicall Scriptures. So that we may disprooue or refuse (sauing the honor & reuerence which is due vnto thē) any thing that is in their writings: if any thing there be found, contrary to trueth: and what can be found more contrary to the trueth then this? When as the trueth him selfe speaking of continency, not of one onely, but of all men together, (the number onely excepted of them which haue professed continencye) sayth: He that can take, let him take: the which saying, these men (mooued, I cannot tell by what occasion) doe turne and say: he that cannot take, let him be accursed. And what can bee more foolishe amongest men, then when anye Byshoppe or Archdeacon, runne themselues headlong into all kinde of lust, to adultery