A67926:615
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.
Further this you shall say unto them, that we confess our selves, & deny not, but that God suffereth this persecution to be inflicted upon his church,1 for the sins of men, especially of priests and prelates of the clergy. For certain it is, that the hand of the Lord is not shortened, that he cannot save: but our sins have divided between God and us: and therefore he hideth his face from us, that he will not hear us. The scripture testifieth, that the sins of the people do issue out from the sins of the priests. And therefore saith Chrysostom,) Christ going about to cure the sick city of Jerusalem, first entered into the temple, to correct the sins of the priests, like a good physician, which first beginneth to cure the disease from the very rote. We know that in this *holy see there have been many abominable things of long time wrought & practised: as abuses in matters spiritual, and also excesses in life and manners, and all things turned clean contrary. And no marvel if the *sickness first beginning at the head, that is, at the high Bishops, have descended afterward to inferior prelates. Al we (that is, prelates of the church) have declined every one after his own way. Neither hath there ben one that hath don good, no not one. Wherefore need it is that all we give glory to God, and that we humble our souls to him, considering every one of us, from whence he hath fallen,4 and that every one do judge himself, before he be judged of God in the rod of his fury. For the redress whereof you shall insinuate unto them, and promise in our behalf, that in us shall be lacking no diligence of a better reformation, first beginning with our own court, that like as this contagion first from thence descended into all the inferior parts:5 so reformation & amendment of all that is amiss from the same place again, shall take his beginning. Whereunto they shall find us so much the more ready, for that we see the whole world so desirous of the same. We our selves (as you know) never sought this dignity, but rather coveted, if we otherwise might, to lead a private life, and in a quiet state to serve God. And also would utterly have refused the same, had not the fear of God, and the manner of our election, and misdoubting of some schism to follow after, have urged us to take it.