A67922:2660
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.
Do not brethren, so confound altogether the right of the Church and of the temporal regiment: For these two are much different, one borrowing his authority of the other. Read the scriptures, and ye shall find what and how many kings have perished for taking upon them the priestly office. Therefore, let your discretion provide: least for this your doing, Gods punishment light upon you: which if it come, it will be hard for you very easily to escape. Provide also and see to your king, whose favour ye prefer before the wealth & profit of the Church: least if it happen (which God forbid) that he doth perish with all his house, after the example of them, which for the like crime were plagued. And if ye cease not off from that ye begin: with what conscience can I dissemble or forbear, but must needs punish you? let him dissemble with you who list (having authority so to do, truly I will not) there shall be no dissimulation found in me. And where you write in your letters, concerning my promotion, that it was against the voice of the whole realm, & that the church did reclaim against it: What should I say to you, but that ye know right well: the lie which the mouth doeth willingly speak, killeth the soul: but especially the words of a Priests mouth ought ever to go with verity. As touching this matter, I appeal to your own conscience, whether the form of my election stood not fully with the consent of them all to whom the election belonged: having also the assent of the prince by his son, & of them which were sent thereto. And if there were some that repugned the same, he that was troubled and is guilty, let him speak. Ye say moreover, that I was exalted and promoted from a base and low degree, to this dignity by him. I grant that I came of no royal or kingly blood: yet notwithstanding, I had rather be in the number of them whom the virtue of the mind, then of birth maketh noble. Peradventure I was borne in a pore cottage: of poor parentage, and yet through Gods clemency, which knoweth how to work mercy with his servants, and which cherisheth the humble and low things, to confound the hie and mighty: in this my poor and low estate, before I came to the Kings service, I had abundantly and wealthily to live withal (as ye know) amongst my neighbours and friends. And David even from the sheepfold,1 was taken up and made a king.
Doe not brethren, so confounde altogether the right of the Church and of the temporall regiment: For these two are muche differēt, one borowing his authority of the other. Read the scriptures, and ye shall finde what and how many kings haue perished for taking vpon them the priestly office. Therefore, let your discretion prouide: least for this your doing, Gods punishmēt light vpon you: which if it come, it will be hard for you very easely to escape. Prouide also and see to your king, whose fauour ye prefer before the wealth & profit of the Church: least if it happen (which God forbid) that he doth perish with all his house, after the example of them, which for the like crime were plagued. And if yee cease not off from that ye begin: with what conscience can I dissemble or forbeare, but must nedes punish you? let him dissemble with you who list (hauing authoritie so to doe, truely I will not) there shalbe no dissimulation found in me. And where you write in your letters, cōcerning my promotion, that it was against the voice of the whole realme, & that the church did reclaime against it: What should I say to you, but that ye knowe right well: the lie which the mouth doeth willingly speake, killeth the soule: but especially the wordes of a Priestes mouth ought euer to goe with verity. As touching this matter, I appeale to your own cōsciēce, whether the forme of my election stoode not fully with the consent of them all to whome the election belonged: hauing also the assent of the prince by his sonne, & of them which were sent therto. And if there were some that repugned the same, hee that was troubled and is giltie, let him speake. Ye say moreouer, that I was exalted and promoted from a base and lowe degree, to this dignity by him. I graunt that I came of no royall or kingly bloud: yet notwithstanding, I had rather be in the number of them whome the vertue of the minde, then of birth maketh noble. Peraduenture I was borne in a pore cotage: of poore parentage, and yet through Gods clemencie, which knoweth howe to worke mercie with his seruants, and which cherisheth the humble and low things, to confound the hie and mightie: in this my poore and lowe estate, before I came to the Kings seruice, I had aboundantly and wealthely to liue withall (as yee know) amongst my neighbours and frends. And Dauid euen from the shepefold,