A67926:2036
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.
which thing all such shall do as seek nothing else but the glory of God, and salvation of souls. Of all such it may be truly said, that whom the Lord sendeth, he speaketh the word of God. And why so? Because he representeth the Angel of the church of Philadelphia, unto whom Saint John writeth, saying: This saith he, 1which is holy and true, which hath the keys of David, which openeth and no man shutteth, shutteth and no man openeth behold, saith he speaking in the name of Christ (which is the door and doorkeeper) I have set before thee an open door, that is to say, of the Scriptures opening thy senses, that thou shouldest understand the Scriptures, and that, because thou hast entered in by me which am the door:2 For whosoever, entereth in by me which am the door shall be saved, he shall go in and come out and find pasture, for the doorkeeper openeth the door unto him, and the sheep hear his voice. But contrariwise, they which have not entered in by the door,3 but have climbed in some other way, by ambition, avarice or desire of rule, they shall, even in a moment go down into hell, except they repent. And of them is the saying of Jeremiah verified: All beauty is gone away from the daughter of Zion, because her princes are become like rams, 4not finding pasture. And why so? Because like thieves & robbers they have climbed an other way, not being called nor sent. And what marvel is it, if they do not preach, when as they are not sent, but run for lucre, seeking their own glory, and not the glory of God and salvation of souls?5 And this is the root of all mischief in the Church, that they are not sent inwardly of God. For without this inward calling, it helpeth nothing before God to be a hundred times elect and consecrate, by a thousand Bulls, either by Pope, King, or Emperor. God beholdeth the heart, whose judgements are according to truth, howsoever we deceive the judgement of men for a time: which also at the last, shall see their abomination. This (I say) is the original of all mischief in the Church, that we thrust in our selves into the charge of souls, whose salvation and the glory of God (which is to enter in by the door) we do not thirst nor seek for, but altogether our own lucre & profit. Hereupon it cometh, that we know not how to preach Christ purely: