A67922:2658
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.
without which liberty, she hath no power against them that seek to encroach to their inheritance, the possession of Gods sanctuary. If ye will hear and follow me, know ye that the Lord will be with you, and with us all in the defence of the liberty of his church. Otherwise if ye will not, the Lord judge betwixt me and you, and require the confusion of his Church at your hands. Which church (whether the world will or no) standeth firmly in the word of the Lord, whereupon she is builded, and ever shall till the hour come that she shall pass from this world to the Father. For the Lord ever doth support her with his hand. Wherefore, to return to the matter: brethren remember well with your selves (which thing ye ought not to forget) what danger I was brought unto,1 and the Church of God also while I was in England: at my departing out of England, and after my departure from thence: also in what danger it standeth at this present day: But especially at that time, when as at Northampton Christ was judged again in my person, before the judgement seat of the high president.2 Who ever heard the Archb. of Canterbury (being troubled for injuries done to him and to his church, and appealing to the Pope of Rome to be judged, condemned appealed and put to his sureties, and that of his own suffragans? Where is this law seen or the authority (nay rather perversity) of this Canon heard of? And why yet shame ye not at this your enormity? Why are ye not confounded? Or why doth not this confusion work in you repentance, and repentance drive you to due satisfaction before God and men? For these and such other injuries done to God and to his church, and to me for gods cause (which with a good conscience I ought to suffer,3 because that without danger of soul I ought not to dissemble them) I choose rather to absent my self for a season, and to dwell quietly in the house of my Lord, then in the tabernacle of sinners: until the time that (their iniquity be complete) the hearts of the wicked and the cogitations of the same shall be opened. And these injuries were the cause both of my appeal from the king, and of my departure from thence, which ye term to be sudden. But if ye will speak the truth which ye know, it ought no less then to be sudden: least (being foreknown) it might have been prevented and stopped.