A67926:3781
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.
Paul called the Apostle of Jesus Christ, 1by the will of God & Sosthenes his brother to the church which is at Corinth, such as be sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all that invocate the name of the Lord. &c. [And after a few other words, which here for brevity's sake we omit, as not being greatly to the purpose pertinent: thus he inferreth:] These premisses being then well considered, we beseech you to have regard & compassion of our infirmity, most humbly desiring you, not to oppress us with this violence. For as we have sufficiently before proved, no man ought to be con strained unto continency against his will, neither is this kind• of virtue commanded of God to any man, of necessity,2 but only of voluntary devotion to be offered unto the Lord: as he himself speaketh in the Gospel: All men can not receive this saying, but to whom it is given. Whereunto he gently exhorteth them that can take it, saying: He that is able to receive this, let him receive it. &c. Wherefore for distinctions sake Moses is not himself commanded to cloth Aaron and his sons with breeches as in these words going before:3 Thou shalt cloth with these Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him. &c. But he thus saith: Thou shalt make linen breeches that they themselves may cover the filth of their flesh. That they themselves (saith he) may cover the filth of their flesh. Thou (saith he) shalt make the breeches for the bishop and his sons: thou shalt teach the rule of chastity: thou shalt exhort them to abstain from the company of their wives, which shall do the priests office: Yet laying upon none violently the said yoke of continency, but whosoever shall be priests and shall serve the altar, shall of their own accord surcease from the use of matrimony: which when they shall do, & of their own voluntary consent shall take upon them the purpose of continency to serve the altar, then shall the grace of God be present, which as it did apparel those other priests aforesaid with attire for them convenient: so shall it instruct these abundantly how they ought to live and to teach. And this sense well agreeth with the text that followeth, saying:
Paule called the Apostle of Iesus Christ,