Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] 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.

An exhortation to pacience, sent to his godly wife Anne Hooper: whereby all the true members of Christ may take comfort and courage, to suffer trouble & affliction for the profession of his holy Gospel.

OUr sauiour Iesus Christ (dearely beloued & my godly wife) in s. Mathewes Gospell said to his disciples,* 1.1 that it was necessary sclaunders shoulde come: and that they coulde not be auoided,* 1.2 he perceiued as wel by the cōdition of those that should pearish & be lost for euer in the world to come, as also by their affliction that should be saued. For he sawe the greatest part of the people would contemne & neglecte, whatsoeuer true doctrine or godly wayes should be shew∣ed vnto them, or els receiue it & vse it as they thought good to serue their pleasures without any profite to their soules at all, not caring whether they liued as they were cōman∣ded by Gods word or not: but would thinke it sufficient to be counted to haue the name of a Christian man, wyth such workes and frutes of his profession and Christianitie, as his fathers and elders after their custome & maner, esteeme and take to be good fruites and faithful works, and wil not try them by the worde of God at all. These men by the iust iudgement of God, be deliuered vnto the crafte and subtil∣tie of the deuill,* 1.3 that they may be kept by one sclaunderous stūbling blocke or other, that they neuer come vnto Christ, who came to saue those that were lost: as yee may see howe God deliuereth wicked menne vp vnto their owne lustes, to do one mischiefe after an other carelesse,* 1.4 vntil they come into a reprobate minde, that forgetteth it selfe and can not knowe what is expedient to be done, or to be least vndone, because they close their eyes, and will not see the lyghte of Gods woorde offered vnto them, and being thus blinded, they preferre their owne vanities before the truth of Gods woorde. Whereas such corrupt mindes be,* 1.5 there is also cor∣rupt election and choyse of Gods honor: so that the minde of man taketh falsehoode for truthe, superstition for true re∣ligion, death for life, damnation for saluation, hell for hea∣uen, and persecution of Christes members, for Gods ser∣uice and honour. And as these men wilfully and volunta∣rily reiect the woorde of God: euen so God most iustly deli∣uereth them into the blindnes of mind & hardnes of heart, that they can not vnderstand,* 1.6 nor yet consent to any thyng that God would haue preached and set foorth to his glory, after his owne will and worde: wherefore they hate it mor∣tally, & of all things most detest Gods holy worde. And as y^e deuill hath entred into their hearts, that they them selues can not, nor will not come to Christ to be instructed by hys holy woord: euen so can they not abide any other man to be a Christian man, and to lead his life after the word of God, but hate him, persecute him, robbe him, imprisone hym, yea and kil him, whether he be man or womā, if God suffer it.

And so much are those wicked men blinded, that they passe of no law, whether it be Gods or mans, but persecute such as neuer offended, yea, do euil to those that daily haue prai∣ed for them, and wish them Gods grace.

In their Pharaonical and blind furie they haue no res∣pect to nature.* 1.7 For the brother persecuteth the brother, the father the sonne: and most deare frends, in diuelish sclaun∣der and offence are become most mortal ennemies. And no marueile, for when they haue chosen sundrye maisters, the one the deuill, the other God, the one shall agree with the other, as God and the deuell agree betweene them selues. For this cause, that the more parte of the worlde doth chuse to serue the deuill vnder cloaked hypocrisie of Gods title, Christ sayd:* 1.8 It is expedient and necessary that sclanders should come, and many meanes be deuised to keepe the litle babes of Christ from the heauenly father. But Christ sayth: Wo be vnto him by whome the offence commeth: Yet is there no re∣medy, man being of such corruption and hatred towardes God, but that the euil shalbe deceiued, & persecute the good: and the good shall vnderstand the truth, and suffer persecu∣tion for it vntill the worlds ende. For as he that was borne af∣ter the flesh, persecuted in times past, him that was born after the spirite:* 1.9 euen so is it now. Therefore, for so much as we liue in this life amongst so many great pearils and daungers, we must be wel assured by gods word how to beare them, and how paciently to take them, as they be sent to vs frō God. We must also assure our selues that there is no other reme∣dy for Christians in the time of trouble, then Christ himself hath appoynted vs.* 1.10 In S. Luke he geueth vs thys com∣mandement: Ye shall possesse your liues in pacience, sayeth he. In the which words, he geueth vs both commaundement what to doe, and also great comfort and consolation in all troubles. Hee sheweth also what is to be done, and what is to be hoped for in troubles:* 1.11 and when troubles happen, he biddeth vs be pacient, and in no case violently nor sedi∣tiously to resist our persecuters, because God hath such care and charge of vs, that he wil keepe in the mids of all trou∣bles the very heares of our heade, so that one of them shall not fall away without the wil and pleasure of our heauen∣ly father. Whether the haire therfore tarie in the head, or fal from the head, it is the wil of the father. And seeing he hath such care for the haires of our head, howe much more doeth he care for our life it selfe? Wherefore let Gods aduersaries do what they lust, whether they take life or take it not, they can do vs no hurt: for their crueltye hath no further power then God permitteth them: and that which commeth vnto vs by the will of our heauenly father, can be no harme, no losse, neither destruction vnto vs, but rather gain, wealth, and felicitie. For all troubles and aduersitie that chaunce to such as be of God, by the wil of the heauenly father, can be none other but gaine and aduantage.

That the spirite of manne may feele these consolations, the geuer of them the heauenly father must be prayed vnto for the merites of Christes passion: for it is not the nature of man that can be contented,* 1.12 vntill it be regenerated and possessed with Gods spirit, to beare paciently the troubles of the minde or of the body. When the minde and heart of a man seeth of euery side sorow and heauines, & the worldly eye beholdeth nothing but suche things as be troublous & wholely bent to robbe the poore of that hee hath, and also to take from him hys life: except the man weighe these brittle and vncertaine treasures that be taken from him, with the riches of the life to come, and this life of the body with the life in Christes precious bloud, and so for the loue and cer∣taintie of the heauenly ioyes contemne all thyngs present, doubtles he shall neuer be able to beare the losse of goodes, life, or any other things of this world.

Therefore S. Paule geueth a very godly and necessary lesson to all men in this short and transitorie life, and ther∣in sheweth howe a man may best beare the iniquitie and troubles of this world: If ye be risen againe with Christ (sayth he) seeke the things which are aboue,* 1.13 where Christ sitteth at the right hande of God the father. Wherefore the Christian mans faith must be alwayes vppon the resurrection of Christe, when he is in trouble, and in that glorious resurrection he shall not onely see continuall and perpetuall ioy and con∣solation: but also the victorie and triumph of all persecuti∣on, trouble, sinne, death, hell, the deuil, and al other tyrants and persecuters of Christ and of Christes people, the teares and weepings of the faithfull dryed vppe, theyr woundes healed, their bodies made immortall in ioy, their soules for euer praising the Lord, and coniunction and societie euer∣lasting, wyth the blessed company of Gods electes in per∣petuall ioy. But the woordes of S. Paule in that place, if they be not marked, shall doe little profite to the reader or hearer, and geue him no pacience at all in this impacient and cruell world.

In this first part S. Paule commaundeth vs, to thinke or set our affections on things that are aboue.* 1.14 When he biddeth vs seeke the thyngs that are aboue, hee requireth that oure mindes neuer cease from prayer and studie in Gods word, vntill we see, knowe, and vnderstande the vanities of thys worlde, the shortnesse and miserie of thys life, and the trea∣sures of the worlde to come, the immortalitie thereof, and the ioyes of that life, and so neuer cease seeking, vntill suche time as we know certainly, and be perswaded what a bles∣sed man hee is, that seeketh the one and finedeth it, and ca∣reth not for the other though hee loose it: and in seekynge to haue ryght iudgement betwene the life present and the life to come, wee shall finde howe little the paines, impryson∣ment, sclaunders, lies, and death it selfe is in thys worlde, in respect of the paines euerlasting, the prisonne infernall, and dungeon of hell, the sentence of Gods iust iudgement, and euerlasting death.

When a man hath by seeking the woorde of God, found out what the things aboue be: then must hee (as S. Paule saith) set his affections vpon them. And this commaunde∣ment is more harde then the other. For mans knowledge many times seeth the best, and knoweth that there is a life to come, better then thys life present, as you maye see howe daily men and women can praise and commende, yea, and wishe for heauen, and to be at rest there? yet they sette not their affection vpon it, they do more affect and loue in dede a trifle of nothing in this worlde that pleaseth their affecti∣on, then the treasure of all treasures in heauen, which their owne iudgement sayth is better then all worldly thinges. Wherefore we must set our affections vpon the things that be a∣boue: that is to say, when any thing worse then heauen vp∣pon the earth, offereth it selfe to be ours, if we wil geue our good willes to it, and loue it in our heartes, then ought we to see by the iudgement of Gods woorde, whether we may haue the worlde without offence of God, and suche thyngs as be for this worldly life, wythout his displeasure. If wee can not, S. Paules commaundement must take place: Set your affections on things that are aboue. If the riches of thys world may not be gotten nor kept by Gods lawe, neyther our liues be continued without the deniall of hys honour, we must set our affection vpon the richesse and lyfe that is aboue, and not vpon things that be on the earth. Therfore this second commaundement of S. Paul requireth,* 1.15 that as our minds iudge heauenly things to be better then thyngs vpon the earth, and the life to come better then the life pre∣sent: so we should chuse them before other, & preferre them, and haue such affection to the best, that in no case we set the worst before it, as the most part of the world doth and hath done, for they choose the best and approoue it, and yet follow the worste.

But these thyngs (my godly wife) require rather cogi∣tation, meditation, and praier, then wordes or talke. They be easie to be spoken of, but not so easie to be vsed and prac∣tised. Wherefore, seeing they be Gods gyftes,* 1.16 and none of ours, to haue as our owne when we would, we must seke them at our heauenly fathers hand, who seeth and is priuy how poore and wretched we be, and how naked, how spoi∣led, and destitute of all his blessed giftes we be by reason of sinne. He did commaund therefore his Disciples, when he shewed them that they shoulde take paciently the state of thys present life full of troubles and persecution,* 1.17 to praye that they myghte well escape those troubles that were to come, and be able to stande before the sonne of man. When ye finde your selfe too much oppressed (as euery man shalbe sometime wyth the feare of Gods iudgement) vse the 77. Psalme, that beginneth: I will crie vnto God with my voyce,* 1.18 and he shall hearken vnto me. In which Psalme is both god∣ly doctrine and great consolation vnto the man or woman that is in anguish of minde.

Use also in suche trouble the 88. Psalme, wherein is conteined the praier of a man, that was brought into ex∣treme anguish & misery, and being vexed with aduersaries & persecutions, saw nothing but death & hel. And although hee fealt in hym selfe, that hee had not onely man, but also God angry towards him: yet he by praier humbly resorted vnto God, as the only port of consolation, and in the midst of his desperate state of trouble, put the hope of his saluati∣on in him, whome he fealt his enemie. Howbeit no man of him selfe can doe this,* 1.19 but the spirite of God that stryketh the mans heart with feare, prayeth for the man striken and feared with vnspeakeable gronings. And when you feele your selfe, or know any other oppressed after suche sorte, be glad: for after that God hath made you to know what you be of your selfe, he wil doubtles shew you comfort, and de∣clare vnto you what you be in Christ his onely sonne:* 1.20 and vse praier often, for that is the meanes whereby God will be soughte vnto for hys giftes. These Psalmes be for the purpose, when the minde can take no vnderstandinge, nor the hart any ioy of gods promises: and therfore were these

Psalmes also made .6.22.30.31.38.69. from the whiche you shall learne buthe pacience and consolation. Remember, that although your life (as all Christian mens be) be hid and appeareth not what it is, yet it is safe (as S. Paule sayth) with God in Christ:* 1.21 and when Christ shall appeare, then shall our liues be made open with him in glorie. But in the meane time wyth seeking and setting our affections vpon the things that be aboue, we must paciently suffer whatsoeuer God shal send vnto vs in this mortal life. Notwithstanding it might for∣tune some woulde say. Who is so perfect, that can lette all things passe as they come, & haue no care of thē: suffer all things, and feele nothing: be attempted of the Deuill, the worlde, and the flesh, and be not troubled? Uerely no man liuing. But this I say, that in the strength of Iesus Christ things that come,* 1.22 maye passe with care, for we be worldly, and yet are we not caried with them from Christ, for we be in him godly. We may suffer things and fele them as mor∣tall men, yet beare them and ouercome them as Christian men. We may be attempted of the deuill, the flesh, and the worlde: but yet although those things pinche, they doe not pierce, and although they worke sinne in vs, yet in Christe no damnation to those that be grafted in him.* 1.23 Hereof may the christian man learne both consolation & patience. Con∣solation, in that he is compelled both in his body & goodes to feele paine and losse, and in the soule heauinesse and an∣guish of minde: howebeit none of them both shall separate him from the loue that God beareth him in Christ.* 1.24 He may learne patience, for as much as his enemies both of the bo∣dy and soule, and the paines also they vexe vs wythall for the time,* 1.25 if they tarie with vs as long as we liue, yet when death commeth, they shall auoide, and geue place to suche ioyes as be prepared for vs in Christ: for no paines of the world be perpetuall, and whether they shall afflicte vs for all the time of our mortal life, we know not, for they be the seruauntes of God to goe and to come, as he commandeth them.* 1.26 But we must take heede we meddle not forceablye nor seditiously, to put away the persecution appoynted vn∣to vs by God, but remember Christes saying: Possesse you your liues by your patience. And in thys commādement God requireth in euery man and woman this pacient obediēce.* 1.27 Hee sayeth not, it is sufficient that other holy Patriarkes, Prophetes, Apostles, Euangelists, and Martyrs continu∣ed their liues in pacience, and pacient suffering the trou∣bles of this world: but Christ saith to euery one of his peo∣ple: By your owne pacience ye shall continue your life: not that man hath pacience of him selfe,* 1.28 but that he must haue it for him selfe of God, the onely geuer of it, if he purpose to be a godly man. Nowe therefore, as our profession and religi∣on requireth pacience outwardly wythout resistaunce and force: so requireth it pacience of the mind, and not to be an∣gry with God, althoughe he vse vs that be as hys owne creatures, as him listeth.

We may not also murmure against God, but say alwaies his iudgements be right & iust, and reioyce that it pleaseth him by troubles to vse vs, as he vsed heeretofore such as he most loued in this worlde, and haue a singular care to this commandemēt: Gaudete, & exultate, Be glad & reioyce, for he sheweth great cause why: Your rewarde (sayth he) is great in heauen.* 1.29 These promises of him that is y^e truth it selfe, shal by Gods grace) worke both cōsolation and pacience in the afflicted christian person. And when our sauior Christ hath willed menne in trouble to be content and pacient, because God in the ende of trouble in Christ hath ordained eternall consolation: he vseth also to take from vs all shame and re∣buke, as though it were not an honor to suffer for christ, be∣cause y^e wicked world doth cursse & abhorre such poore trou∣bled Christians.* 1.30 Wherfore Christe placeth all his honou∣rably, and sayeth: Euen so persecuted they the Prophetes that were before you. Wee may also see with whome the afflicted for Christes sake, be esteemed by S. Paul to the Hebrews, where as the number of the blessed and glorious company of Saintes appeare nowe to our faith in heauen in ioy: yet in the letter, for the time of this life, in such paines and con∣tempt, as was neuer more. Let vs therefore consider both them and all other thinges of the worlde sithens the fall of man, and we shall perceiue nothing to come to perfection, but wyth such confusion and disorder to the eye of y^e world, as though things wer rather lost for euer, then like to come to any perfection at all. For of godly men, who euer came to heauen (no not Christ him selfe) vntill suche time as the world had thought verely y^t both he & al his had ben cleane destroyed and cast away? as the wise man sayth of the wic∣ked people: We thought them to be foles, but they be in peace.

* 1.31Wee may learne by things that nourish and maintaine vs, both meat and drinke, to what lothsomnes and (in ma∣ner) abhorring they come vnto, before they woorke theyr perfection in vs. From life they be brought to the fire, and cleane altered from that they were when they were aliue: from the fire to the trencher and knife, and all to hacked: from the trencher to the mouth, and as small ground as the teethe can grinde them: and from the mouth into the sto∣mack, and there so boyled and digested before they nourish, that who soeuer saw the same, would loth and abhorre hys owne nourishment, before it come to hys perfection.

Is it then any marueile if suche Christians as GOD delighteth in, be so mangled and defaced in thys worlde, whych is the kitchin and mill to boyle and grinde the flesh of Gods people in, till they atchieue their perfection in the worlde to come? And as a man looketh for the nutriment of his meate when it is ful digested, and not before: so must hee looke for hys saluation when hee hath passed thys trou∣blous worlde, and not before.* 1.32 Rawe fleshe is not meate wholesome for man: and vnmortified men and women, be not creatures meete for God. Therefore Christ sayeth, that his people must be broken, and all too torne in the mill of thys worlde, and so shall they be moste fine meale vnto the heauenly father. And it shall be a Christian mannes parte, and the duetie of a mynde repleanished wyth the spirite of God, to marke the order of God in all his things, howe he dealeth wyth them, and howe they suffer and be content to lette God do his will vpon them, as S. Paule sayeth: They waite vntill the number of the electes be fulfilled, and neuer be at rest,* 1.33 but looke for the time when Gods people shall appeare in glorie.

We must therfore paciently suffer, and willingly attend vppon Gods doings, althoughe they seeme cleane contra∣ry after our iudgement, to our wealth and saluation: as A∣braham did, when hee was bid to offer his sonne Isaac,* 1.34 in whom God promised the blessing and multiplying of hys seede. Ioseph at the last came to that which God promised him, although in the meane time, after the iudgemēt of the worlde, he was neuer like to be (as God said he should be) Lorde ouer hys brethren. When Christe woulde make the blinde man to see, he put clay vppon hys eyes, whych after the iudgement of man,* 1.35 was meanes rather to make hym double blind, then to geue him his sight: but he obeied, and knew that God could worke his desire, what meanes soe∣uer he vsed contrary to mans reason: and as touching this world, he vseth all hys after the same sort. If any smart,* 1.36 his people be the first: if any suffer shame, they begin: if any be subiecte to sclaunder, it is those that hee loueth: so that hee sheweth no face or fauour, nor loue almost in thys worlde outwardly to them, but laith clay vpon their sore eyes, that be sorowfull: yet the pacient man seeth (as S. Paul sayeth) life hid vnder these miseries and aduersities, and sight vn∣der soule clay, and in the meane time he hath the testimony of a good conscience, and beleueth Gods promises to be his consolation in the worlde to come, whych is more woorthe vnto him, then all the worlde is woorth besides: and blessed is that man in whom Gods spirite beareth recorde that he is the sonne of God, what soeuer troubles he suffer in thys troublesome worlde.* 1.37

And to iudge things indifferently (my godly wife) the troubles be not yet generally, as they were in our good fa∣thers time, soone after the deathe and resurrection of oure Sauiour Christ Iesu, whereof hee spake in S. Mathewe.* 1.38 Of the whych place you and I haue taken manye tymes greate consolation, and especially of the latter parte of the Chapter, wherein is contained the last daye and ende of all troubles (I doubt not) both for you and me, and for suche as loue the comming of our sauiour Christe to iudgement. Remember therefore that place, and marke it againe, and yee shall in thys time see great consolation, and also learne muche pacience. Was there euer suche troubles, as Christe threatned vppon Ierusalem? was there sithens the begin∣ning of the worlde, suche affliction? who was then best at ease? The Apostles that suffered in body persecution, and gathered of it ease and quietnesse in the promises of God. And no marueile, for Christ sayeth: Lifte vp your heades, for your redemption is at hande, that is to saye, your eternall rest approcheth and draweth neare. The world is starke blind,* 1.39 and more foolish then foolishnesse it selfe, and so be the peo∣ple of the worlde. For when God sayth, trouble shal come, they will haue ease. And when God sayeth, be merrye and reioyce in trouble, we lament and mourne, as thought we were castawayes. But this our flesh (which is neuer mer∣ry with vertue, nor sorrie with vice,* 1.40 neuer laugheth wyth grace, nor euer weepeth wyth sinne (holdeth fast wyth the worlde, and letteth God slippe. But (my dearely beloued wife) you knowe howe to perceiue and to beware of the vanitie and craftes of the deuill wel enough in Christ. And that yee may the better haue pacience in the spirite of God, reade againe the 24. chap. of S. Mathew, and marke what difference is betwene the destruction of Ierusalem,* 1.41 and the destruction of the whole world, and you shall see, that then here were left aliue many offenders to repent: but at the

latter day there shall be absolute iudgement and sentence (neuer to be reuoked) of eternall life and eternal death vp∣pon all mē,* 1.42 and yet towards the end of the world, we haue nothing so much extremitie, as they had then, but euen as we be able to beare. So doth the mercifull father lay vpon vs now imprisonment (and I suppose for my part, shortly death,) now spoile of goodes, losse of frends, and the grea∣test losse of all, the knowledge of Gods word.* 1.43 Gods wyll be done. I wish in Christ Iesu our onely mediatour and Sauiour, your constancie and consolation, that you may liue for euer and euer, whereof in Christ I doubt not: to whome for his blessed and most paynefull passion I com∣mit you. Amen. 13. October. 1553.

Notes

• * 1.1

  M. 18.
• * 1.2

  An effectu•••• letter of M Hooper sent to hys wife.
• * 1.3

  Math. 14.
• * 1.4

  Rom. 1.1. 1. Thes. 2.
• * 1.5

  Errour ta∣ken for truth and persecution for Gods seruice.
• * 1.6

  Iohn. 8.9.
• * 1.7

  No respect of nature with the persecuting aduersaries.
• * 1.8

  Math. ••8.
• * 1.9

  Ge••e. 4. G••lat. 4.
• * 1.10

  Luke 2.
• * 1.11

  Patience in troubles, onely the christian mans reme∣dy. Rom. 8.
• * 1.12

  Prayer ne∣cessary. Iames 1. 1. Cor. 1.8.
• * 1.13

  Collos. •••• A lesson how to beare trou∣ble.
• * 1.14

  Two thinges commaunded by S. Paule wri∣ting to the Col∣lossians.

  The first is to see and know what thi••ges are aboue and what thinges are beneath and and to discerne rightly betwene them.

  The second is to set our affection vpon them that are aboue and not vpon the o∣ther And this lesson is harder then the othe••.
• * 1.15

  How thinges of this world may be possessed and how not.
• * 1.16

  Scriptures woulde bee mused vpon ra∣ther then talked vpon.
• * 1.17

  Math. 24. Luke. 2.
• * 1.18

  Psal. 27. Read also M. Hoopers expo∣sition vpon thys Psalme, most comfortable for all broken and afflicted hartes.
• * 1.19

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.20

  What Psalmes are to be vsed in distresse and tri∣bulation.
• * 1.21

  Read also the fourth chapter of Eccle. Coloss. 3.
• * 1.22

  Note this well to thy comfort that art affli∣cted.
• * 1.23

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.24

  Consolation.
• * 1.25

  Patience.
• * 1.26

  Afflictions be the messengers and seruauntes of God.
• * 1.27

  Luke. 2.
• * 1.28

  Pacience the gift onely of God.
• * 1.29

  Math. 3.
• * 1.30

  To suffer for Christ, is hono∣rable. Math. 24. Heb. 11.
• * 1.31

  S••p. 5. Example taken of our meate and drinke how thinges neuer come to their perf••••ction before they be vt∣terly wa∣sted.
• * 1.32

  Vnmorte fi••ed men, be no people to God. Math. 10.
• * 1.33

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.34

  Example of Abraham. Example of Ioseph.
• * 1.35

  Iohn. 9.
• * 1.36

  1. Pet. 4. Iudgement 〈◊〉〈◊〉 begin∣neth with the house of God. Colos. 3.
• * 1.37

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.38

  Math. 24.
• * 1.39

  Luke 1.
• * 1.40

  Flesh neuer mery with vertue, not sory with 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.41

  Math. 24.
• * 1.42

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.43

  Ann. 1555. Februa∣ry.