A67926:3157
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.
But here may be objected against me, that the reward is promised in many places to them that do observe the precepts of God. That I affirm to be very sooth. Notwithstanding such reward shall never be attained of us, except by the grace and benefit of him, which worketh all things in all creatures. And this affirmeth well S. Augustine, S. Ambrose, Fulgentius, with other, as you may see every where in their works,1 and specially in the treatise called Unio dissidentium, wherein he entreateth de gratia & meritis And of S. Augustine I remember ij. or iij. right notable sentences concerning the same.2 One is in the 9. book of his Confessions, in this fourme: Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum, si remota misericordia discutias eam. Quia verè non exquiris delicta vehementer fiducialiter speramus aliquem locum apud te inuenire indulgentiae. Quisquis autem tibi enumerat vera merita sua, quid tibi enumerat nisi munera tua? O si cognoscerent se omnes, & qui gloriatur in Domino gloriaretur: Woe be to the life of men, be they never so holy, it thou shalt examine them, setting thy mercy aside. Because thou doest not exactly examine the faults of men, therefore we have a vehement hope and trust to find some place of mercy with thee. And whosoever recounteth unto thee his merits, what other thing doth he recount, but thy benefits? O would God all men would see and know themselves and that he which glorieth, would glory in the Lord. Again, in the first book he saith thus unto God: Nunquid inops es & gauds lucris? Nunquid avarus & usuras exigis? Superogatur tibi ut debeas? & quis habet quicquam non tuū? 3Reddis debita nulli debens, donas debita nihil perdens. Doth any man give that he oweth not unto thee, that thou shouldest be in his debt? and hath any man ought that is not thine? Thou renderest debt, and yet owest to no man. Thou forgivest debt, and yet losest nothing. And therefore his usual prayer was this: Domine da quod jubes, & jube quod vis. Lord give that thou commandest, and command what thou wilt.
But here may be obiected against me, that the rewarde is promised in many places to them that do obserue ye preceptes of God. That I affirm to be very sooth. Notwithstanding such reward shall neuer be atteyned of vs, except by the grace and benefite of him, which worketh all things in all creatures. And this affirmeth well S. Augustine, S. Ambrose, Fulgentius, with other, as you may see euery where in their workes,