A67922:737
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.
Of Faith and Justification.
Of Faith and Iustification.
First,1 as touching the only means and instrumental cause of our justification, whereby the merits of Christs ⟨p. 25⟩Passion be applied to us & made ours,2 ye heard before how S. Paul only ascribeth the same to faith: as appeareth by all his letters, especially to the Romans. Where he excluding all kind of works, ascribeth all our salvation, justification, righteousness, reconciliation, and peace with god only to faith in Christ. Contrary to which doctrine the Pope and his church hath set up divers and sundry other means of their own devising,3 whereby the merits of Christs passion (they say) are applied to us and made ours, to the putting away of sins, and for our justification, as hope, charity, sacrifice of the Mass, auricular confession, satisfaction, merits of Saints, and holy orders, the Popes pardons, &c. So that Christs sacrifice, stripes, and suffering, by this teaching doth not heal us, nor is not beneficial to us, though we believe never so well, unless we add also these works and merits above recited. Which if it be true, then is it false that Isaiah the prophet doth promise:4 chap. 53. In his stripes all we are made hole. &c. This error and heresy of the Church of Rome, though it serve at first sight to the natural reason of man to be out of small importance yet if it be earnestly considered, it is in very deed the most pernicious heresy that ever almost crept into the Church, upon the which as the only foundation, all, or the most part of all the errors, absurdities, and inconveniences of the Popes Church are grounded. For this being once admitted, that a man is not justified by his faith in Christ alone, but that other means must be sought by our own working and merits to apply the merits of Christs Passion unto us, then is there neither any certainty left, of our salvation, nor end in setting up new means and merits of our own devising,