A67926:5517
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.
To say that penance standeth of three parts, to wit, contrition, confession, and satisfaction, is not founded in holy Scripture nor in ancient, holy and Christian Doctors. Contrition, which a man stirreth up in himself, by discussing, remembering, and detesting his sins, in revolving his former years in bitterness of soul, and in pondering the weight, number and filthiness of his sins, the losing of eternal bliss, and getting of eternal damnation: this contrition maketh a man an hypocrite and a great sinner. It is an old proverb, & to be preferred before the doctrine of all that have written hitherto of contrition: from henceforth to transgress no more. The chiefest and the best penance is a new life. Neither presume to confess the venial sins, nor yet all thy mortal sins, 1for it is impossible to remember all the mortal sins that thou hast committed, and therefore in the primitive Church they confessed the mortal sins, which only were manifest. While we seek to number up all our sins sincerely unto the priest, we mean nothing else herein, but that we will leave nothing to the mercy of God, to be forgiven. In confession no man hath his sins forgiven, except he believe, when the priest forgiveth, the same to be remitted: yea otherwise his sin remaineth unforgiven, unless he believe the same to be forgiven. For else remission of the priest, and giving of grace doth not suffice, except belief come on his part that is remitted. Think not thy sin to be assoiled, for the worthiness of thy contrition, but for the word of Christ: Whatsoever thou losest. &c. When thou art absolved of the priest, 2trust confidently upon these words, and believe firmly thy self to be absolved, & then art thou truly remitted. Admit the party that is confessed were not contrite (which is *impossible, or that the priest pronounced the words of losing, not in earnest, but in jest: yet if the party believe that he is absolved, he is truly absolved in deed. In the sacrament of penance and absolution, the Pope or bishop do no more, then any inferior priest can do. Yea and where a priest is not to be had, there every Christian man, yea or Christian woman standeth in as good stead. *None ought to say to the priest, that he is contrite, neither ought the priest to ask any such matter.