A67926:4119
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.
Think ye not (said he) that we can by any Sophistical subtleties steal out of the world again, 1the light which every man doth see. Christ hath so lightened the world at this time, that the light of the Gospel hath put to flight all misty darkness, and it will shortly have the higher hand of all clouds, though we resist in vain never so much. The lay people do now know the holy scripture better then many of us. 2And the Germans have made the text of the Bible so plain and easy by the Hebrew and Greek tongue that now many things may be better understand without any glosses at all, then by all the commentaries of the Doctors. 3And moreover they have so opened these controversies by their writings, that women and children may wonder at the blindness and falsehood that hath been hitherto. Wherefore ye must consider earnestly, what ye will determine of these controversies, that ye make not your selves to be mocked and laughed to scorn of all the world, and that ye bring them not to have this opinion of you, 4to think ever more hereafter, that ye have neither one spark of learning, nor yet of godliness in you. And thus shall ye loose all your estimation and authority with them, which before took you for learned men, and profitable members unto the common wealth of Christendom. For that which you do hope upon, that there was never heresy in the Church so great, but that process of time with the power and authority of the Pope hath quenched it, 5it is nothing to the purpose. But ye must turn your opinion, and think this surely, that there is nothing so feeble and weak, so that it be true, but it shall find place, and be able to stand against all falsehood.
Thinke ye not (sayd he) that we can by any Sophisticall subtilties steale out of the world agayne, 1the light which euery man doth see. Christ hath so lightned the worlde at this time, that the light of the Gospell hath put to flight all misty darckenesse, and it wil shortly haue the higher hand of all clouds, though we resist in vayn neuer so much. The lay people do now know the holy scripture better then many of vs.