A67927:869
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.
Conscience therefore moveth me, considering you were one of my family and one of my household, of whom then I think I had a special cure, and of all them which were within my house, which in deed ought to have been an example of godliness to all the rest of my cure, not only of good life, but also in promoting of Gods word to the uttermost of their power, (but, alas,1 now when the trial doth separate the chaff from the corn, how small a deal it is, God knoweth, which the wind doth not blow away) this conscience, I say, doth move me to fear, lest the lightness of my family shall be laid to my charge for lack of more earnest and diligent instruction which should have ben done. But blessed be God which hath given me grace to see this my default, and to lament it from the bottom of my hart, before my departing hence. This conscience doth move me also now to require both you and my friend Doctor Harvey, to remember your promises made to me in times past,2 of the pure setting forth and preaching of Gods word and his truth. These promises, although you shall not need to fear to be charged with them of me hereafter before the world,3 yet look for none other (I exhort you as my friends) but to be charged with them at Gods hand. This conscience and the love that I bear unto you, biddeth me now say unto you both in Gods name, fear GOD, and love not the world: for GOD is able to caste both body and soul into hell fire. When his wrath shall suddenly be kindled, blessed are all they that put their trust in him.4 And the saying of saint John is true: All that is in the world, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, 5and the pride of life, is not of the father, but of the world, and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever. If this gift of grace (which undoubtedly is necessarily required unto eternal salvation) were truly and unfeignedly grafted and firmly stablished in mens hearts, they would not be so light, so suddenly to shrink from the maintenance and confession of the truth, as is now (alas) seen so manifestly of so many in these days.