A67922:757
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.
AS there is nothing more necessary and comfortable for troubled consciences,1 then to be well instructed in the ⟨p. 27⟩difference between the law and the Gospel: so is the Church of Rome much to blame in this behalf, because it confoundeth together those two, being in nature so divers & contrary one from another: as threatenings and promises, things temporal with things eternal, sorrowful things with glad tidings, death with life, bondage with freedom, &c. Teaching the people, that whatsoever the law saith the Gospel confirmeth, and whatsoever the Gospel saith the same is agreeable to the law, and so make they no difference between Moses and Christ, save only that Moses (they say) was the giver of the old law, Christ is the giver of the new and a more perfect law. And thus imagine they the gospel to be nothing else but a new law given by Christ, binding to the promises thereof, the condition of our doings and deservings, no otherwise then to the old law. And so denyde they the whole law after this distinction, into three parts, to wit, the law of Nature, the law of Moses, and the law of Christ. And as for the Gospel (they say) it is revealed for no other cause, but to show to the world more perfect precepts and counsels, then were in the old law: to the fulfilling whereof they attribute justification, and so leave the poor consciences of men in perpetual doubt, and induce other many fold errors: bringing the people into a false opinion of Christ, as though he were not a remedy against the law, but came as an other Moses, to give a new law to the world.
AS there is nothing more necessary and cōfortable for troubled consciences,1 then to be well instructed in the ⟨p. 27⟩difference betweene the lawe and the Gospell: so is the Churche of Rome much to blame in thys behalfe, because it confoundeth togyther those two, beyng in nature so dyuers & contrary one from another: as threatninges and promises, thynges temporall wyth thinges eternall, sorrowfull thinges wyth glad tydinges, death wyth lyfe, bondage with freedome, &c. Teachyng the people, that whatsoeuer the lawe sayth the Gospell confirmeth, and whatsoeuer the Gospell sayth the same is agreeable to the lawe, and so make they no difference betweene Moses and Christ, saue onely that Moses (they saye) was the gyuer of the olde lawe, Christ is the gyuer of the newe and a more perfect lawe. And thus imagine they the gospell to be nothyng els but a newe lawe gyuen by Christ, bynding to the promises thereof, the condition of our dooynges and deseruinges, no otherwise then to the olde lawe. And so denyde they the whole lawe after this destinction, into three partes, to wytte, the law of Nature, the lawe of Moses, and the lawe of Christ. And as for the Gospell (they saye) it is reueled for no other cause, but to shew to the world more perfect preceptes and counsayles, then were in the olde lawe: to the fulfylling whereof they attribute iustification, and so leaue the poore consciences of men in perpetuall doubt, and induce other many folde errours: bryngyng the people into a false opinion of Christ, as though he were not a remedy against the law, but came as an other Moses, to gyue a newe lawe to the worlde.