A67927:654
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.
Chan. He asked me how I knew the word of God, but by the Church?
Chaun. He asked me how I knew the worde of God, but by the Church?
Glover. *The church showeth which is the word of God, therefore the Church is above the word of God. This is no good reason in learning, said I to M. Chancellor. For it is like unto this: John showed the people who was Christ: Ergo, John was above Christ. Or else, I have a man that knoweth not the king, and I tell him who is the king: am I therefore above the king? M. Chancellor said, he came not to reason with me and so departed. So remained I without any further conference of any man by the space of viij. days, and till the Bishops coming: In the which time I gave my self continually to prayer, and meditation of the merciful promises of God, made unto all without exception of person, that call upon the name of his dear son Jesus Christ. I found in my self daily amendment of health of body, increase of peace in conscience,2 and many consolations from God by the help of his holy spirit, and sometimes, as it were a taste and glimmering of the life to come: all for his only son Jesus Christs sake: to him be all praise for ever and ever. The enemy ceased not many times, sundry ways to assault me, oftentimes objecting to my conscience mine own unworthiness, through the greatness of the benefit to be counted among the number of them that should suffer ⟨p. 1713⟩for Christ, for his Gospels sake. Against him I replied with the word of God in this sort. What were all those whom GOD had chosen from the beginning, to be his witnesses, and carry his name before the world? were they not men as Paul and Barnabas said,3 Similiter obnoxij peccato, as well subject to wickedness, sin, imperfections, as other men be? Even such were Noah, Abraham, David and all the rest. Quis prior dedit illi, as Paul saith, Who gave first unto him? And also speaking to every man: What hast thou that thou receivedst not? Likewise John: All have received of his fullness: they were no bringers of any goodness to God, but altogether receivers. They choose not GOD first, but he choose them. They loved not God first, but he loved them first. Yea, he both loved and chose them when they were his enemies, full of sin and corruption, and void of all goodnes. Est Dominus omnium, dives in omnes & super omnes inuocantes eum.