A67926:4298
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.
I believe in the holy and blessed Trinity, three persons and one God,1 that created and made all the world, and that this blessed Trinity sent down the second person Jesus Christ into the womb of the most blessed & purest virgin Mary. And here bear me record, that I do utterly condemn that abominable and detestable opinion of the Anabaptists, which say that Christ took no flesh of the virgin. For I believe that without mans will or power, he was conceived by the holy Ghost, and took flesh of her, & that he suffered hunger, thirst, cold, & other passions of our body (sin except) according to the saying of S. Peter: He was made in all things like to his brethren, except sin. And I believe that this his death and passion was the sufficient ransom for the sin of all the world. And I believe that through his death, he overcame sin, death, and hell, and that there is none other satisfaction unto the Father, but this his death and passion only: and that no work of man did deserve any thing of God, but only his passion, as touching our justification. For I know the best work that ever I did, is unpure and unperfect. And with this he cast abroad his hands, and desired God to forgive him his trespasses.2 For although perchance (said he) you know nothing by me, yet do I confess that my thoughts and cogitations be innumerable: Wherefore I beseech thee, O Lord, not to enter into judgement with me, according to the saying of the Prophete David: Non intres in judicium cum seruo tuo domine .i. Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord. 3And in an other place: Si iniquitates obseruaveris domine quis sustinebit? Lorde, if thou straitly mark our iniquities, 4who is able to abide thy judgement? Wherefore I trust in no good work that ever I did, but only in the death of Christ. I do not doubt, but through him to inherit the kingdom of heaven. Take me not here that I speak against good works,5 for they are to be done, and verily they that do them not, shall never come in the kingdom of God. We must do them, because they are commanded us of God to show and set forth our profession, not to deserve or merit, for that is only the death of Christ.