A67927:1105
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 2] 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 2] 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.
In very deed I did monish Judges and Ordinaries to use charitable equity in their judgements towards such as been accused, namely of such accusers, which been as like to hear and bewray, as other been to say amiss, and to take mens words in the meaning thereof, and not to wrest them in an other sense, then they were spoken in: for all such accusers and witnesses be false before God, as saint Hierome saith upon the xxvi. chapter of Matthew. Nor yet I do not account those Judges well advised, which wittingly will give sentence after such witnesses, much less those which procure such witnesses against any man: nor I think not judges now a days so deeply confirmed in grace or so impeccable, but that it may behove and become preachers to admonish them to do well as well as other kinds of men, both great and small. And this I did, occasioned of the epistle which I declared. Rom. vi. wherein is this sentence, non istes sub lege, sed sub gratia, ye christen men that believe in Christ, are not under the law. What a saying is this (quod I) if it be not rightly understand, that is as saint Paul did understand it? for the words sound as though he would go about to occasion Christen men to break law, seeing they be not under the law: and what that pseudapostles, adversaries to saint Paul would so have taken them, and accused saint Paul of the same to my Lord of London? if my said Lord would have heard saint Paul declare his own mind, of his own words, then he should have escaped, and the false Apostles put to rebuke: if he would have rigorously followed utennque allegata & probata, and have given shem tense after relation of the accusers, then good S. Paul must have borne a fagot at Pauls cross, my Lord of Lon don being his judge. Oh, it had ben a goodly sight to have seen saint Paul with a fagot on his back, even at pauls cross, my Lord of London Bishop of the same, sitting under the cross. Nay verily I dare say, my Lord should sooner have burned him, for saint Paul did not mean that christen men might break law, and do what soever they would, because they were not under the law:
In very deede I did monish Iudges and Ordynaryes to vse charitable equitie in their iudgementes towardes suche as been accused, namely of suche accusers, which beene as like to heare and bewray, as other bene to say amisse, and to take mens words in the meaning therof, and not to wrast them in an other sense, then they were spoken in: for all suche accusers and witnesses be false before God, as sainct Hierome saith vpon the xxvi. chapiter of Mathew. Nor yet I do not accompt those Iudges wel aduised, which wittingly will geue sentēce after such witnesses, much lesse those whiche procure suche witnesses agaynst any man: nor I thinke not iudges now a dayes so deeply confirmed in grace or so impeccable, but that it may behoue and become preachers to admonish thē to do well as wel as other kindes of men, both great and small. And this I did, occasioned of the epistle whiche I declared.