A67922:826
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.
The time shall come saith Christ, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth God hie good service. Whether any thing since that time hath so chanced this Realm worthy the name of a plague, let the godly wise judge. If God hath deferred his punishment, or forgiven us these our wicked deeds, as I trust he hath, let us not therefore be proud and hie minded, but most humbly thank him for his tender mercies, and beware of the like ungodly enterprises hereafter. Neither is it here any need to speak of these our lower and latter times,1 which have ben in king Henry and king Edwards days, seeing the memory thereof is yet fresh, and cannot be forgotten. But let this pass, of this I am sure, that God yet once again is come on visitation to this church of England, yea and that more lovingly & beneficially then ever he did afore. For in this his visitation he hath redressed many abuses, and cleansed his church of much ungodliness and superstition, and made it a glorious Church, if it be compared to the old form and state. And now how grateful receivers we be, with what hart, study and reverence we embrace that which he hath given,2 that I refer either to them that see our fruits, or to the sequel, which peradventure will declare. But this by the way of digression. Now to regress again to the state of the first former times. It remaineth, that as I have set forth the justice of God upon these Roman persecutors: so now we declare their persecutions raised up against the people and servants of Christ, within the space of 300. years after Christ. Which persecutions in number commonly are counted to be ten, besides the persecutions first moved by the Jews in Jerusalem and other places against the Apostles. In the which,3 first S. Steven the Deacon was put to death, with divers other moe, in the same rage of time either slain, or cast into prison. At the doing whereof, Saul the same time plaid the doughty Pharisee, being not yet converted to the faith of Christ, whereof the history is plain in the Acts of the Apostles set forth at large by S. Luke.
The time shall come saith Christ, that whosoeuer killeth you, will thinke that he doth God hie good seruice. Whether any thing since that tyme hath so chaunced this Realme worthy the name of a plague, let the godly wise iudge. If God hath deferred his punishment, or forgeuē vs these our wicked deedes, as I trust he hath, let vs not therfore be proud and hie minded, but most humbly thanke him for his tender mercies, and beware of the like vngodly enterprises hereafter. Neither is it here any neede to speake of these our lower and latter tymes,