A67926:4110
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.
These be no light matters, but even the principal points of our Christian religion. Wherefore we contend not about words and titles, but about high and earnest matters. Christ saith. Blessed be the peacemakers,1 for they shall be called the sons of God. And Paul writing unto Timothy, commanded Bishops to avoid brawling and contention about words, which be profitable to nothing but unto the subversion and destruction of the hearers: and monisheth him specially, that he should resist with the scriptures when any man disputeth with him of the faith: and he addeth a cause whereas he saith: Doing this thou shalt preserve both thy self, & also them which hear thee: Now if ye will follow these Counsellors, Christ and Paul, all contention and brawling about words must be set apart, and ye must stablish a godly and a perfect unity and concord out of the Scripture. Wherefore in this disputation, we must first agree of the number of the Sacraments, and what a Sacrament doth signify in the holy scripture, & when we call Baptism & the Supper of the lord, 2Sacraments of the Gospel, what we mean thereby. I know right well, that S. Ambrose and other Authors call the washing of the Disciples feet and other things, Sacraments: which I am sure you your selves would not suffer to be numbered among the other Sacraments.
These be no light matters, but euen the principall poyntes of our Christian religion. Wherfore we contēd not about words and titles, but about high and earnest matters. Christ saith. Blessed be the peacemakers,1 for they shalbe called the sonnes of God. And Paule writing vnto Timothie, commaunded Byshops to auoyde brawling and contention about wordes, whych be profitable to nothing but vnto the subuersion and destructiō of the hearers: and monisheth him specially, that he should resist with the scriptures whē any man disputeth with him of the fayth: and he addeth a cause wheras he sayth: Doing this thou shalt preserue both thy selfe, & also them which heare thee: Now if ye will folow these Counsellers, Christ and Paul, all contentiō and brawling about words must be set apart, and ye must stablish a godly and a perfecte vnity and concorde out of the Scripture. Wherfore in this disputatiō, we must first agree of the number of the Sacramentes, and what a Sacrament doth signify in the holye scripture, & when we call Baptisme & the Supper of the lord,