A67926:5547
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 yet notwithstanding contemning this foolish and fond condemnation aforesaid, do hold this article probably to be true. For seeing this original root which I speak of, is truly sin, as I have proved. Rom. 7. & Gal. 5. and seeing that sin letteth a man from entering into heaven, as it is written: No polluted thing shall enter: I suppose therefore that original sin withholdeth a man from entering into heaven. Nether do I any thing at all esteem the fantastical dreams of them, whereby they extenuating original sin, do call it only the pain of sin, and imperfections, plainly against the manifest scriptures, which call it sin and teach the same to be cured by grace, which is the medicine of true, and not of feigned sin. The 4. Article.1 The imperfect charity of a man departing, necessarily carieth with it great fear, which of it self is enough to make the pain of Purgatory, and letteth the entrance into the kingdom of heaven. The Answer. This followeth of the other going before, which in like manner I did not determinately affirm, although very probably I do yet hold the same, asking before a dispensation after mine own arbitrement, even in defiance of the Bull, which is not able to bring forth any other probation but this: We are the hiest powers in the Church, yea we are the church it self. Ergo, we are the best learned, most holiest, full of the holy Ghost which cannot err, although we stink like a filthy puddle to the whole world, polluted with all kind of sins, and drowned in ignorance. But all these reasons prevail nothing with me: peradventure they may with them, which fear least if my sentence should prevail, then purgatory should be taken out of the Popes hands, & then priests and religious men having lost their gainful offices of vexing (of releasing I would have said) of the dead,2 should be pinched by the bellies and brought to penury. It was time therefore for their greedy avarice here to wake & look about, and not to suffer these their frivolous opinions, but yet very gainful, to be overcome with truth, and so to be overthrown. The 5. article.3 Where they say penance standeth of three parts, to wit, contrition, confession, and satisfaction it is not founded in holy scripture, nor in ancient, holy, and christian Doctors. The answer. This article, in what respect it is condemned, I do right well perceive: