A67926:3204
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.
¶To the 15. Article, where you do demand whether the Saints in heaven, as Mediators, pray for us? I say,1 that I believe Saints in heaven do pray for us, for I suppose they know that all men generally living upon earth, be wrapped in manifold miseries, like as they also were, their souls being imprisoned within their bodies being mortal. Albeit I think they know not what particular miseries men upon earth be entangled and clogged with,2 as showeth Augustine, or else some other (as I think rather) under his name in a certain work, saying in this wise: Ibi sunt spiritus defunctorum, ubi non vident quaecunque aguntur aut eveniunt in ista vita hominum. Quomodo ergo vident tumulos suos aut corpora sua, utrū abiecta jaceant, an sepulta? Quomodo intersunt miseriae vivorum, 3cum vel sua ipsi mala patiantur si talia merita contraxerunt, vel in pace requiescant, ubi mala nulla nec patiendo nec compatiendo sustineant, liberati ab omnibus malis quae patiendo & compatiendo cum hic viverent, sustinebant. The sum hereof is, that souls departed, feel nor know of no particular miseries sustained of men living in this world, whereby they should need to take either patience, or else compassion after their decease. Yet forsomuch as they know in general, that all men living are clad with frailty, & their charity is not minished after they be hence departed, but increased, therefore I believe verily that they do pray for us as petitioners, but not as mediators, so far forth as I can see.4 For scripture useth to speak but of one Mediator, which I think, signifieth a maker of peace or atonement betwixt God the father and man. Record I take of Paul, which. 1. Tim. 2. sayth: Unus est deus, unus est & mediator dei & hominum, homo Christus Jesus, qui dedit semetipsū redemptionem pro omnibus. Erasmus translateth it, conciliator dei hominum. That is to say. There is one God and Mediator or peace maker betwixt God and man, 5the man called Christ Jesus, which gave himself for the redemption of all.