A67926:3206
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.
¶In the xvj. Article where you demand whether I believe that oblations and pilgrimages may be devoutly & meritoriously done to the Sepulchres and Relics of Saints? I say, that what they may be,1 I can not perfectly tell: For God can so work, that unto those, whom he hath chosen to be inheritors with him,2 all things shall turn to a good conclusion, as saith Saint Paul to the Romans in this wise: Unto those that love God, all things shall well succeed and work together for their furtherance in goodness. Of whom it is written in the Psalm: Blessed is that nation that hath the Lord for their god, 3the people whom he hath chosen to be his inheritors: Yea their evil deeds shall not hurt them, but come well to pass for the increase of virtue. ⟨p. 1110⟩For as it is said in the Gospel:4 Cui minus remittitur minus diligit. To whom less is forgiven, he loveth less. And again, it hurted not Onesimus,5 that he ran away from his master Philemon, but God wrought, that by occasion thereof, he me•te with Paul, which converted him to the faith of the Gospel, who before was without belief. Therefore, whether they may be done meritoriously or no, I will not define: God wotteth. But this I say, that God did never institute any such thing in the new testament, which is the verity and rule of all Christen people to follow and believe. Yea that only is of perfect surety, and none other, but as it is agreeable and hath ground of the same. And like as we have no certain doctrine institute of Christ, nor his disciples,6 teaching us thus for to do: no more is there any merit appointed of him therefore, as I showed afore where I told my mind of our merits.
¶In the xvj. Article where you demaund whether I beleue that oblations and pilgrimages may be deuoutly & meritoriously done to the Sepulchres and Reliques of Sayntes? I say, that what they may be,