A67926:2039
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.
A letter of M. Bilney fruitful and necessary for all Ministers to read. Most reverent father, salutations in Christ. You have required me to write unto you at large,1 wherein men not preached as they ought, & how they should have preached better. This is a burden too heavy for my strength: under it which if I shall faint, it belongeth to you which have laid this burden upon my shoulders, to ease me thereof. As touching the first part, they have not preached as they ought, which leaving the word of God, have taught their own traditions, of the which sort there are not a few, as it is very evident, in that they do report those which preach the word of God sincerely to teach new doctrine. This is also no small testimony thereof, that in all England you shall scarce find one or two that are mighty in the Scriptures, and what marvel is it if all godly things do seem new unto them unto whom the Gospel is new and strange, being nuzzled in mens traditions now a long time? Would to God these things were not true, which I utter unto you, but alas they are to true. They have also preached evil, which either have wrested the scriptures themselves, or have rashly gathered them out of old rotten papers, being wrested by others. And how should it be but that they should wrest them, or else how should they judge them being falsely interpreted by others, when as they have not once read over the bible orderly? Of this sort there is truly a very great number, from which number many great Rabbins or masters shall hardly excuse themselves, whom the people have hitherto reverenced in stead of Gods. And these are they which now serve their bellies,2 seeking their own glory, and not the true glory of God, which might be set forth even by Balaams Ass: much less then ought we to contemn such abjects which preach the word of God. We have (saith S. Paul) •his treasure in brittle vessels, that the glory of the power might be of God and not of us. God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise: and the weak things God hath chosen to confound the mighty: and vile things of the world and despised, hath he chosen, and things that are not to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh should glory in his sight.
A letter of M. Bilney fruitfull and necessary for all Ministers to read. MOst reuerent father, salutations in Christ. You haue required me to write vnto you at large,