A67927:1465
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.
Now what City is there in all the whole world, that when John wrote,1 ruled over the kings of the earth: or what City can be read of in any time, that of the City it self, challenged the Empire over the kings of the earth, but only the City of Rome, and that since the usurpation of that Sea hath grown to her full strength? And is it not read, that the old and ancient writers understand, Peters former Epistle to be written at Rome, and it to be called of him in the same Epistle in plain terms, Babylon? by the abominations thereof, I understand all the whole trade of the Romish religion, under the name and title of Christ which is contrary to the only rule of all true religion, that is Gods word. What word of God hath that Devilish drab, for the maintenance of her manifold abominations, and to set to sell such merchandise, where with (alas the madness of man) the wicked Harlot hath bewitched almost the whole would? Did not Peter the very true Apostle of Christ, of whom this stinking Strumpet beareth her self so high, but falsely and without all just cause) did not he, I say, give all the world warning of her pelf and trash, of her false Doctors and Apostles (for this Whore and Beast will be called Dominus Apostolicus, who so ever say nay) after this manner in his latter Epistle? There was among the people in times past false Prophets, 2as shall be there among you in time to come false Teachers, which shall privily bring in pestilent sects, even denying the Lord which hath bought them, and redeemed them, procuring to themselves swift damnation, and many shall follow their damnable ways, by whom the way of truth shall be railed upon, & through covetousness by counterfeit tales or sermons, they shall (saith Peter) make merchandise upon you &c. And doeth not John likewise in his Revelation, after he hath reckoned up a great rabblement of this whores mystical merchandise,3 at the last (as though he would knit up all in plain words, without any mist at all, setting out the whores merchandise) reckon up among the rest, and concludeth saying, Et animas hominū: that is to say, and the souls of men to? Whereupon I pray you else rose this true proverb in Latine: omnia Romae venalia: All things for money are set to sale at Rome?4