A67926:4008
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.
neither doth the work of the priest merit any grace to any person, but every one is justified by his own faith. Neither again would God have any man to trust upon any ceremony, but only to the benefit of Christ. And most certain it is, that the application of these Masses for the dead, is full of great error and impiety. ⟨p. 1175⟩But here come in blind glosses (albeit to no purpose) to excuse this application.1 For universally amongest all the people, who is he that thinketh otherwise, but that this work is available for the whole Church? Yea the Canon of the Mass it self declareth no less. And why then do some of these crafty sophisters dally out the matter with their glossing words, denying that they make any application of their Masses, when they know full well that the error of the people is confirmed by this their doing: although they themselves do think otherwise? Albeit how few be there in very deed which do otherwise think? We ought not to dissemble in Gods matters. Let us use them as the holy Scripture teacheth, and as the ancient custom of the primitive Church doth lead us.2 Why should any man be so presumptuous to swerve from ancient custom? Why now do they defend the errors of other which have perverted the institution of Christ? Now, although some perhaps will pretend and say, that he maketh no application of his Masses, yet notwithstanding he so dealeth in handling the ceremony privately by himself, that he thinketh this his oblation to be high service done to God, and such as God requireth: which is also erroneous and to be reproved. For why, no service nor worship pertaining to God ought to be set up by mans devise, without the commandment of God. Wherefore I beseech you for the glory of Christ, that you will not defend the article of this Act concerning these private Masses, but that you will suffer the matter to be well examined by virtuous and learned men. All things that we here with us do, we do them by evident & substantial testimony of the primitive Church, which testimony I dare be bold to set against the judgements of all that have since followed, such as have corrupted the ancient doctrine and old rites with manifold errors. As touching the other articles, they have no need of any long disputation.3