A67927:1111
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.
for I have done nothing else in my preaching, but with all diligence moved my auditors to faith and charity to do their duty, and that that is necessary to be done. As for things of private devotion, mean things, and voluntary things, I have reproved the abuse, the superstition of them, without condemnation of the things themselves, as it becometh Preachers to do, which thing if my Lord of London will do himself (as I would to God he would do) he should be reported (no doubt) to condemn the use of such things, of covetous men which chave damage, and find less in their boxes by condemnation of the abuse, which ⟨p. 1748⟩abuse they said rather should continue still, then your profit should not continue, (so thorny be their hearts:) if my Lord will needs cost and invade my inward man, will I nill I, an• break violently into my hart, I fear me I shall either displease my Lord of London, which I would be very loth, or else my Lord GOD, which I will be more loth: not for any infidelity, but for ignorance, for I believe as a christen man ought to believe: but peradventure my Lord knoweth and will know many things certainly, which (perchance) I am ignorant in, with the which ignorance though my Lord of London may if he will, […] discontent, yet I trust my Lord God will pardon it as long as I hurt no man withal, and say to him with diligent study, and daily prayer paratum cor meum Deus, paratum cor meum, so studying, preaching, and tarrying the pleasure and leisure of God. And in the mean season. Acts. viij. as Apollo did, when he knew nothing of Christ, but Baptismum Johannis, teach and preach mine even christen that, and no farther then I know to be true. There be three Creeds, one in my mass, an other in my matins, the third common to them that neither sayeth mass nor matins, nor yet knoweth what they say when they say the Creed: and I believe all three with all that God hath left in holy writ, for me and all other to believe: yet I am ignorant in things which I trust hereafter to know, […] I do now know things, in which I have been ignorant at heretofore: ever learn and ever to be learned, to profit• with learning, with ignorance not to noy.
for I haue done nothing els in my preaching, but with all diligence moued my auditours to fayth and charitie to do theyr duety, and that that is necessary to be done. As for thinges of priuate deuotion, meane thynges, and voluntary thinges, I haue reproued the abuse, the superstition of them, without condemnation of the thinges themselues, as it becommeth Preachers to do, which thyng if my Lord of London will do himselfe (as I would to God he would doe) he shoulde be reported (no doubt) to condempne the vse of such thynges, of couetous men which chaue dammage, and finde lesse in theyr boxes by condemnation of the abuse, whiche