A67926:1123
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. 2, part 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. 2, part 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
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
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.
If Christ be the way, verity and life, how can there be any life then, without Christ? The solely heat of the prison, to me is coldness: the cold winter to me is a fresh spring time in the Lord. He that feareth not to be burned in the fire, how will he fear the heat of weather? or what careth he for the pinching frost, which burneth with the love of the Lord? the place is sharp and tedious to them that be guilty, but to the innocent and guiltless, it is mellifluous. Here droppeth the delectable dew, here floweth the pleasant Nectar, here runneth the sweet milk, here is plenty of all good things. And although the place it self be desert and barren, yet to me it seemeth a large walk, and a valley of pleasure: here to me is the better and more noble part of the world. Let the miserable worldling say and confess, if there be any plot pastor, or meadow so delightful to the mind of man, as here? Here I see kings, princes, Cities, and people, here I see wars, where some be overthrown, some be victors some thrust down, some lifted up. Here is the mount Zion: here I am already in heaven it self. Here standeth first Christ Jesus in the front. About him stand the old fathers, Prophets and Evangelists, Apostles, and all the servants of God. Of whom some do embrace & cherish me, some exhort me, some open the Sacraments unto me, some comfort me, other some singing about me And how then shall I be thought to be alone, among so many, & such as these be? The beholding of whom, to me is both solace, and example For here I see some crucified, some slain, some stoned, some cut a sunder and quartered, some roasted, some broiled, some put in hot cauldrons, some having their eyes bored thorough, some their tongues cut out, some their skin plucked over their heads, some their hands and feet chopped off, some put in kilns and furnaces, some cast down headlong, and given to the beasts, and fowls of the air, to feed upon, It would ask a long time if I should recite all. To be short divers I see, with divers and sundry torments excruciate: yet notwithstanding, all living and all safe. One plaster, one salve cureth all their wounds: which also giveth to them strength & life, so that I sustain all these transitory anguishes, & small afflictions, with a quiet mind, having a greater hope laid up in heaven.
If Christ be the way, veritie and lyfe, how can there be any lyfe then, without Christ? The sooly heate of the prison, to me is coldnes: the colde winter to me is a freshe spring time in the Lorde. He that feareth not to be burned in the fire, how will he feare the heate of weather? or what careth hee for the pinching frost, which burneth with the loue of the Lord? the place is sharpe and tedious to them that be giltye, but to the innocent and giltles, it is mellifluous. Here droppeth the delectable dewe, here floweth the pleasaunt Nectar, here runneth the sweete milke, here is plenty of al good thinges. And although the place it selfe be deserte and barren, yet to mee it seemeth a large walke, and a valley of pleasure: here to me is the better and more noble part of the world. Let the miserable worldling say and confesse, if there be anye plot pastor, or medowe so delightfull to the mind of man, as here? Here I see kinges, princes, Citties, and people, here I see warres, where some be ouerthrown, some be victors some thrust downe, some lifted vp. Here is the mount Sion: here I am already in heauen it selfe. Here standeth first Christ Iesus in the fronte. About him stande the olde fathers, Prophetes and Euangelistes, Apostles, and al the seruauntes of God. Of whō some do embrace & cherish me, some exhort me, some open the Sacramentes vnto me, some comfort me, other some singing about me And how then shall I be thought to be alone, among so many, & such as these be? The beholding of whome, to me is both solace, and example For here I see some crucified, some slayne, some stoned, some cut a sonder and quartared, some rosted, some broyled, some put in hoat caulderns, some hauing theyr eyes bored thorough, some their tongues cut out, some their skinne plucked ouer theyr heades, some theyr handes and feete chopt off, some put in kilnes and furnaces, some cast downe headlong, and geuen to the beastes, and foules of the ayre, to feed vpon, It woulde aske a long time if I should recite all. To be short diuers I see, with diuers and sundrye tormentes excruciate: yet notwithstanding, all liuing and all safe. One playster, one salue cureth al their woundes: which also geueth to them strength & life, so that I susteyne all these transitory anguishes, & smal afflictions, with a quiet mind, hauing a greater hope layd vp in heauen.