A67927:503
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.
We might now worthily (dear Christians) lament & bewail our heavy state, miserable condition, and sorrowful chance: yea, I say, we might well accuse our selves, and with Job curse these our troublous,1 wicked, and bloody last days of this world, were it not that we both see and believe, and find in Gods sacred book, that a remnant God hath in all ages reserved, I mean the faithful, as many as have been from the beginning of the world, exercised, whetted, and polished with divers afflictions, troubles and tossings, cast and dashed against all perils and dangers, as the very dross and outcasts of the earth, and yet will in no wise halt between God and Baal: for God verily abhorreth two men in one: he can not away with them that are between both, but casteth them away as a filthy vomit. Christ will not part spoil with his mortal enemy the devil: he will have all or lose all: he will not permit the devil to have the service of the body, and he to stand contented with the heart and mind: but he will be glorified both in your bodies and in your spirits, 2which are his, as S. Paul saith. 1. Cor. 6. For he hath made all, bought all, and dearly paid for all, as S. Peter sayeth: With his own immaculate body hath he clean discharged your bodies from sin, 3death and hell, and with his most precious blood paid your ransom and full price once for all and for ever.
We might nowe woorthily (deare Christians) lament & bewaile our heauie state, miserable cōdition, and sorowfull chaunce: yea, I say, we might well accuse our selues, and wt Iob cursse these oure troublous,1 wicked, and bloudy last dayes of thys worlde, were it not that wee both see and beleeue, and finde in Gods sacred booke, that a remnaunt God hath in all ages reserued, I meane the faithful, as many as haue bene from the beginning of the worlde, exercised, whetted, and pullished with diuers afflictions, troubles and tossings, cast and dashed againste all pearils and dangers, as the very drosse and outcastes of the earth, and yet wil in no wise halte betweene God and Baall: for God verily abhorreth two men in one: he can not awaye with them that are betweene both, but casteth them away as a filthy vomite. Christe will not parte spoyle wyth his mortall enemie the deuil: he wil haue all or lose all: he will not permit the deuill to haue the seruice of the body, and he to stand contented with the heart and minde: but he will be glorified both in your bodies and in your spirites,