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.

*To my louing and faythfull brother, Iohn Careles Prisoner in the kinges bench.

* 1.1THe same fayth for the which Abraham was accounted iust & Mary blessed, whereby also all iust men liue the Lord GOD our louing father encrease and stablish in you and me, to the ob∣teining of eternal life in our alone and sweet Sauior Iesus Christ. Amen.

I can not worthely and sufficiently prayse GOD (my har∣tely beloued brother) for the consolation and ioy that I receiued by reason of your louing letters, repenting me much that I being so long so neare you, did not enterprise to styrre vppe familiarity and communication betweene vs by writing, to mutuall conso∣lation in Christe. For what is there vpon earth wherein to re∣ioyce (where all thinges are transitory and vayne, yea manne himselfe, respecting this life) but, as Dauid sayeth, the Saynctes that dwell vpon the earth,* 1.2 and such as excell in vertue? But here now I consider, that if the felowshippe, loue, and ioye of faythfull men and children of God being as wee nowe be in double bon∣dage, the body within clay walles, and the soule within these frail earthly bodies, be so greate and comfortable: how vnspeakea∣ble will these ioyes be, when we shall be deliuered from all cor∣ruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God? Where we shalbe present together continuallye in our glorified bodies,* 1.3 beholding the face of our father presently (whō now we see but in the glasse of fayth) with his deare sonne Christ our redemer & brother, and the blessed company of Aungels and all faithfull sa∣ued soules.

Of the incomparable good thinges and heauenlye treasures layd vp for vs in heauen by Christ Iesu. For the obteining wher∣of, we ought to set light by all temporall griefes and transitorye afflictions so much the more, in that our good God is faythfull & will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength, & that name¦ly in the end of our life, when the tree where it falleth, lieth styll, as the preacher sayth: when euery one, causa sua dormit, & causa sua resurget: for els before the ende he suffereth his sometime to fall,* 1.4 but not finally to peryshe: as Peter sinked vpon the Sea, but yet was not drowned, and sinned grieuouslye vpon the land tho∣row infirmity denying his Mayster, but yet found mercy: for the righteous falleth oftentimes. And Christes holye Apostles are taught to ••ay, remitte nobis debita nostra. Yea though the righ∣teous fall, sayth Dauid, he shall not be cast away, for the Lord vp∣holdeth him with his hand. Oh the bottomlesse mercy of God to¦wardes vs miserable sinners. He vouchsafe to plant in my heart, true repentaunce and fayth, to the obteining of remission of all my sinnes in the mercies of God and merites of Christ his sonne, and therto I pray you say, Amen.

Oh my hartely beloued, it grieueth me to see the spoyle & ha∣uocke that Saule maketh with the congregation of Christe: but what remedy? This is Gods will and ordinaunce, that his people shall here both be punished in the fleshe, and tryed in theyr fayth, as it is written: Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord deliuereth them out of all: for by a strayt path and narrowe doore must we enter. Whether? Into the ioyfull kyngdome of heauen: therefore blessed are you, and other that suffer persecuti∣on for Christes sake, for the professing of the same. Pray for me & my felowes (good brother) that we may fight a good fight, that we may keepe the fayth, and ende our course with ioyfull glad∣nesse, for now the time of our deliueraunce is at hand. The Lord guide, defend and keep vs and you, and al his people in our iour∣ney, that we may safely through a shorte death passe, to that long lasting life.

Farewell my deare and louing brother and felowe souldiour in Christ: farewell (I say) in him: who receiue our soules in peace when they shall depart from these tabernacles, and he graunte vs a ioyfull resurrection, and a mery meeting at the last day, & con∣tinuall dwelling together in his eternall heauenlye kingdome, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Yours with my poore prayer, other plea∣sure can I do you none, Thomas Whit∣tell, Minister.

Notes

• * 1.1

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• * 1.2

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• * 1.3

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.4

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