A67927:1405
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.
Although the cause of the true man slain of the thief, helping his neighbour to recover his goods again, and the cause wherefore I am to be put to death, in a generality is both one (as I said before) yet know ye that there is no small difference. These thieves against whom I do stand,1 are much worse then the robbers and thieves of the borders. The goods which they steal are much more precious, and their kinds of fight are far divers. These thieves are worse (I say) for they are more cruel, more wicked, more false, more deceitful and crafty: for those will but kill the body, but these will not stick to kill both body and soul. Those for the general theft and robbery, be called & are in deed thieves and robbers: but these for their spiritual kind of robbery, are called Sacrilegi, as ye would say Church robbers. They are more wicked: for those go about to spoil men of worldly things, worldly riches, gold and silver, & worldly substance: these go about in the ways of the devil their ghostly father, to steal from the universal Church, and particularly from every man, all heavenly treasure, true faith, true charity, & hope of salvation in the blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, yea to spoil us of our saviour Jesus Christ, of his gospel, of his heavenly spirit, & of the heavenly heritage of the kingdom of heaven, so dearly purchased unto us, with the death of our master and Saviour Christ. These be the goods and godly substance whereupon the christian before God must live, and without the which he cannot live: These goods (I say) these thieves, these Church robbers, go about to spoil us of. The which goods, as to the man of God they excel and far pass all worldly treasure: so to withstand even unto the death, such thieves as go about to spoil both us & the whole Church of such goods, is most high and honourable service done unto God.
Although the cause of the true man slayne of the thiefe, helpyng hys neighbour to recouer hys goods agayne, and the cause wherfore I am to be put to death, in a generality is both one (as I sayd before) yet know ye that there is no small difference. These thieues agaynst whom I do stand,1 are much worse then the robbers and thieues of the borders. The goodes which they steale are much more precious, and their kynds of fight are far diuers. These thieues are worse (I say) for they are more cruell, more wycked, more false, more deceitfull and crafty: for those wyll but kill the body, but these will not sticke to kill both body and soule. Those for the generall theft and robbery, be called & are in deed theeues and robbers: but these for their spirituall kynd of robbery, are called Sacrilegi, as ye would say Church robbers. They are more wicked: for those goe about to spoyle men of worldly thynges, worldly riches, gold and siluer, & worldly substance: these go about in the wayes of the deuill their ghostly father, to steale from the vniuersall Church, and perticularly from euery man, all heauenly treasure, true faith, true charity, & hope of saluation in the bloud of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, yea to spoil vs of our sauior Iesus Christ, of his gospel, of his heauēly spirit, & of the heauenly heritage of the kingdom of heauē, so derely purchased vnto vs, with the death of our maister and Sauiour Christ. These be the goodes and godly substance whereupon the christian before God must liue, and without the which he cannot lyue: These goods (I saye) these theeues, these Church robbers, go about to spoile vs of. The which goods, as to the man of God they excell and farre passe all worldly treasure: so to withstand euen vnto the death, such theeues as go about to spoyle both vs & the whole Church of such goods, is most high and honourable seruice done vnto God.