A67926:3772
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.
Thou shalt eat of every tree of Paradise, but only of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat. 1Which commandment wrought not to his salvation but to his condemnation. And why? because grace that saveth and helpeth,2 was wanting, which he presuming unjustly upon his own strength despised. Or what did the commandment of the law given by Moses, profit the people of Israel in the wilderness, which law they refused to obey? Or what profit wrought it to him which presumed to follow the Lord of his own free will and not of the Lords calling, saying unto him: Lord I will follow thee whether soever thou goest. By these and many other places of holy Scripture both of the old and new Testament,3 it may be proved that neither the commandment nor free will have power to work of themselves, unless they be holpen by Gods grace preventing and following them. 4Seeing therefore the gift of continency, as all other gifts be, is the gift only of Gods grace, and cometh not by the commandment nor by free will: they err therefore & strive in vain which labour to obtain it by their own power. And much more they also do err, which by force constrain men against their will thereunto, moving them to offer gifts into the sanctuary of God, not of their own accord but by coaction, either not knowing or else not remē bring the saying of the Lord to Moses: Separate amongest you the first fruits unto the Lord, and let every man of his own voluntary and willing mind,5 come and offer the same unto the Lord. What is this, to separate with you the first fruits to the Lord, but only to weigh and consider diligently in your hearts, and with discretion to lay down and separate unto the Lord, what we ought to present unto him out of the treasure of our hart? For if thou offer rightly & doest not rightly divide, thou sinnest. And what is to offer with a willing and ready mind,6 but as the psalmist, saith: I will offer sacrifice unto thee willingly and cheerfully: And the Apostle sayeth: Not grudgingly or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And Solomon saith: Give the Lord his glory with a good and free hart, and in every gift thou givest,