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.

The Answere.

I acknowledge this Article to be mine, and I aske of you good maisters Respectiuistes, which make these Arti∣cles respectiuely,* 1.1 some to be hereticall, some erroneous, some slaunderous, &c. whether respecteth thys article I pray you? To heresie, to error, to slaunder and offence? Or els whether respected you in condemning the same? To the holy scripture? to the holy fathers? to faith? to y^e church? To which of these I beseech you tell me. Neither do I here put you to the labour of proouing, but onely require you to shew your iudgement what you thinke, that I may know wherein I say amisse. Will you that I should tell you (you babish in••antes and noddies) whether this Article respec∣teth? I will. This article hath ij. respects. Whereof the one respecteth the Papists the condemners heereof, amongste whome it respecteth some to be mules, some to be horses, which haue no vnderstanding and be voide of al sence, and yet notwithstanding they will nedes condemne al things. An other respect it hath to the holy Scripture, which saith. Rom. 14. What so euer is not of faith, is sinne. Whereupon consequently it followeth that the Sacraments or the new law can geue no grace to the vnbeleeuers (for so muche as the sinne of infidelitie is the greatest obstacle) but onely to the beleeuers. For onely faith putteth no obstacle: all other things be obstacles, although they put not the same obsta∣cles which the Sophisters vnderstande, meaning onely of the actuall purpose of externall sinne. I confesse therefore this article not only to be mine, but also to be the article of the Catholike and Christian veritie: and the Bull whych confesseth the same, to be twise heretical, impious, and bla∣sphemous, with all them which folow the same. Who litle regarding the sinne of incredulitie, foolishly and madly doe holde that the obstacle is taken away, if a man cease from suming, although the vnbeleuer can thinke no good thyng. But these things I haue discussed more at large in my boo∣kes, and wil more discusse if those prating Romanists dare at any time prooue their opinion and confute mine.

Notes

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