A67927:1409
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 thus much dear lovers & friends in God, my countryman & kinsfolk. I have spoken for your comfort, lest of my death (of whose life you looked peradventure sometimes to have had honesty, pleasures & commodities) ye might be abashed or think any evil: whereas ye have rather cause to rejoice (if ye love me in deed) for that it hath pleased God to call me to a greater honour and dignity, than ever I did enjoy before, either in Rochester, or in the sea of London,1 or ever should have had in the Sea of Durham, whereunto I was last of all elected & named: yea I count it greater honour before God in deed to dye in his cause (whereof I nothing doubt) then is any earthly or temporal promotion or honour that can be given to a man in this world. And who is he that knoweth the cause to be Gods to be Christs quarrel, & of his Gospel, to be the common weal of all the elect and chosen children of God, of all the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, who is he (I say) that knoweth this assuredly by Gods word, and the testimony of his own conscience (as I thorough the infinite goodness of GOD, not of my self, but by his grace acknowledge my self to do) who is he (I say) that knoweth this and both loveth and feareth GOD in deed and in truth,2 loveth and believeth his master Christ and his blessed Gospel, loveth his brotherhood the chosen children of God, and also lusteth and longeth for everlasting life, who is he (I say again) that would not or can not find in his hart in this cause to be content to die? The Lord forbid that any such should be that should forsake this grace of God.3 I trust in my Lord God, the GOD of mercies & the Father of all comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord, that he which hath put this mind, will, & affection by his holy spirit in my hart to stand against the face of the enemy in his cause, and to choose rather the loss of all my worldly substance, yea, and of my life too, then to deny his known truth, that he will comfort me, aid me, and strengthen me evermore even unto the end, and to the yielding up of my spirit & soul into his holy hands, whereof I most heartily beseech his most holy sacred Majesty of his infinite goodness and mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
And thus much dere louers & friends in God, my coū treyman & kinsfolke. I haue spoken for your comfort, lest of my death (of whose life you looked peraduenture sometymes to haue had honestie, pleasures & commodities) ye might be abashed or thinke any euill: wheras ye haue rather cause to reioyce (if ye loue me in deed) for that it hath pleased God to cal me to a greater honor and dignitie, thē euer I did enioy before, eyther in Rochester, or in the sea of London,