A67927:1408
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.
And therefore as s. Paul teacheth us, we fight not against flesh and blood, that is, we fight not with bodily weapon to kill the man,1 but with the weapons of God to put to flight his wicked errors & vice, & to save both body and soul. Our weapons therefore,2 are faith, hope, charity, righteousness, truth, patience, prayer unto God, & our sword wherewith we smite our enemies, we beat and batter, and bear down all falsehood, is the word of God. With these weapons under the banner of the cross of Christ we do fight, ever having our eye upon our grand master, Duke and captain Christ, & then we reckon our selves to triumph & to win the crown of everlasting bliss, when enduring in this battle without any shrinking or yielding to the enemies, after the example of our grand captain Christ our master, after the example of his holy prophets, Apostles & Martyrs, when (I say) we are slain in our mortal bodies of our enemies, & are most cruelly & without all mercy murdered down like a many of sheep. And the more cruel, the more painful, the more vile & spiteful is the kind of the death whereunto we be put: the more glorious in God, the more blessed and happy we reckon, (without all doubts) our martyrdom to be.
And therfore as s. Paul teacheth vs, we fight not against flesh and bloud, that is, we fight not with bodily weapon to kil the man,1 but with the weapons of God to put to flight his wicked errors & vice, & to saue both body and soule. Our weapons therfore,2 are faith, hope, charitie, righteousnes, truth, patience, prayer vnto God, & our sword wherwith we smite our enemies, we beat and batter, and beare downe all falshood, is the worde of God. With these weapons vnder the banner of the crosse of Christ we do fight, euer hauing our eye vpon our graund maister, Duke and captaine Christ, & then we reckon our selues to triumphe & to win the crowne of euerlasting blisse, when enduryng in this battail without any shrinking or yeldyng to the enemies, after the example of our graund capitaine Christ our maister, after the example of his holy prophets, Apostles & Martyrs, when (I say) we are slaine in our mortal bodies of our enemies, & are most cruelly & without all mercy murdered down like a many of sheepe. And ye more cruell, the more painful, the more vile & spiteful is the kind of the death whereunto we bee put: the more glorious in God, the more blessed and happy we reckon, (without all doubts) our martyrdome to be.