A67927:1395
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.
I warn you all my well beloved kinsfolk & countrymen, that ye be not amazed or astonied at the kind of my departure, or dissolution: for I ensure you, I think it the most honour that ever I was called unto in all my life, and therefore I thank my Lord God heartily for it,1 that it hath pleased him to call me of his great mercy unto this high honour, to suffer death willingly for his sake, and in his cause: unto the which honour he hath called the holy Prophets and dearly beloved Apostles, and his blessed chosen Martyrs. For know ye that I doubt no more but that the causes wherefore I am put to death, are Gods causes, and the causes of the truth, then I doubt that the Gospel which John wrote, is the Gospel of Christ, or that Pauls Epistles are the very word of God. And to have a hart willing to abide, and stand in Gods cause and in Christs quarrel even unto death, I ensure thee (O man) it is an inestimable and an honourable gift of God, given only to the true elects and dearly beloved children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. For the holy Apostle and also Martyr in Christs cause S. Peter, saith: If ye suffer rebuke in the name of Christ,2 that is, in Christs cause, and for his truths sake, then are ye happy and blessed, for the glory of the spirit of God resteth upon you. If for rebukes sake suffered in Christs name, a man is pronounced by the mouth of that holy Apostle, blessed & happy: How much more happy & blessed is he that hath the grace to suffer death also? Wherefore, all ye that be my true lovers and friends, rejoice, and rejoice with me again, & render with me hearty thanks to God our heavenly father, that for his sons sake my saviour & redeemer Christ,3 he hath vouchsafed to call me, being else without his gracious goodness, in my self but a sinful & a vile wretch, to call me (I say) unto this high dignity of his true Prophets, of his faithful Apostles, & of his holy elect & chosen Martyrs, that is, to dye and to spend this temporal life in the defence & maintenance of his eternal and everlasting truth.
I warne you all my welbeloued kinsfolke & countrymen, that ye be not amased or astonied at the kynde of my departure, or dissolution: for I ensure you, I thinke it the most honour that euer I was called vnto in all my lyfe, and therefore I thanke my Lord God hartily for it,