A67926:642
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.
Amongest other burdens & grievances, this is not least to be regarded: that many things are prohibited by mens constitutions, & many things exacted, which are not prohibited or commanded by any precept of God: as the innumerable obstacles of matrimony invented and brought in,1 whereby men were forbid to marry in cases of kindred, which stand upon divers degrees: as upon affinity, public honesty, spiritual kindred, kindred by law, & kindred in blood. &c. and likewise in forbidding the use of meats, which God hath created for mans necessity, and taught by the Apostle indifferently to be received with thanks giving.2 By these and many other such humane constitutions, men are yoked in bondage, until by money they obtained some dispensation of those laws, at their hands which made them: so that money shall make that lawful for rich men, which is clearly prohibited unto the poor. By these snares of mens laws & constitutions, not only great sums of money are gathered out of Germany, & carried over the Alps, but also great iniquity is sprung up amongst christians: many offences and privy hatreds do rise, by reason that poor men do see themselves entangled with these snares, for no other cause, but for that they do not possess the thorns of the Gospel, for so Christ doth often call riches.
AMongest other burthens & greuances, this is not least to be regarded: yt many things are prohibited by mens constitutions, & many things exacted, whiche are not prohibited or commāded by any precept of God: as the innumerable obstacles of matrimonie inuēted and brought in,1 wherby mē were forbid to mary in cases of kindred, which stande vpon diuers degrees: as vpon affinitie, publike honesty, spiritual kindred, kindred by law, & kindred in blud. &c. and likewise in forbidding ye vse of meates, which God hath created for mans necessitye, and taught by the Apostle indifferently to be receiued with thanks geuing.