A67922:860
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.
And because it is in the Acts of the Apostles sufficiently comprehended, concerning the admirable conversion, & conversation of this most worthy Apostle, that which remaineth of the rest of his history, I will here add, how the said Apostle Paul, the 25. year after the passion of the lord, in the second year of Nero, what time Festus ruled in Jewry, was sent up in bonds to Rome,1 where he remaining in his free hosterie two years together, disputed daily against the Jews, proving Christ to be come. And here is to be noted, that after his first answer or purgation there made at Rome, the Emperor Nero, not yet fully confirmed in his Empire, & yet not bursting out into those mischiefs, which histories report of him, he was at that time by Nero discharged, and dismissed to preach the Gospel in the West parts and about the coasts of Italy, as he himself writing unto Timothy, afterward in his second apprehension, in his second Epistle witnesseth,2 saying: In my first purgation, no man stood with me, but did all forsake me, the Lord lay it not to their charge. But the Lord stood with me, & did comfort me, that the preaching of his word might proceed by me, & that all the Gentiles might hear and be taught, and I was delivered out of the Lions mouth, &c. In which place by the Lion he plainly meaneth Nero. And afterward likewise saith: I was delivered from the mouth of the Lion, &c. And again, the Lord hath delivered me out from all evil works, and hath saved me unto his heavenly kingdom, &c. speaking this, because he perceived then the time of his Martyrdom to be near at hand. For in the same Epistle before. he saith: I am now offered up, and the time of my dissolution draweth on.
And because it is in the Actes of the Apostles sufficiently comprehended, concerning the admirable conuersion, & conuersation of this most worthy Apostle, that which remaineth of the rest of his history, I will here adde, how the sayd Apostle Paule, the 25. yere after the passion of the lord, in the second yeare of Nero, what tyme Festus ruled in Iewrie, was sent vp in bondes to Rome,1 where he remaining in his free hosterie two yeares together, disputed daily against the Iewes, proouing Christ to be come. And here is to be noted, that after his first answer or purgation there made at Rome, the Emperor Nero, not yet fully confirmed in his Empire, & yet not bursting out into those mischiefs, which histories report of him, he was at that tyme by Nero discharged, and dismissed to preach the Gospell in the West partes and about the coastes of Italy, as he himselfe writing vnto Timothie, afterward in his second apprehension, in his second Epistle witnesseth,