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. | Early English Books Online | University of Michigan Library Digital Collections

Iohn Hullyer being of long time prisonner, and nowe openly iudged to die for the testimony of the Lord Iesus, wisheth hartely to the whole cōgre∣gation of God, the strength of his holy spi∣rit, to their euerlasting health both of body and soule.

I Nowe (most deare Christians) hauing the sweete com∣fort of Gods sauing health,* 1.1 and being confirmed w^t hys free spirit (be he only praised therefore) am constrayned in my conscience, thinkyng it my verye duetie to admonishe you, as ye tender the saluation of your soules, by al maner of meanes to separate youre selues from the companie of the Popes hirelings, considering what is sayd in the Re∣uelation of S. Iohn, by the Aungell of God, touching all men. The woordes be these: If any man worship the Beast and his Image, and receiue his marke in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drinke the wine of the wrathe of God, whiche is powred into the cuppe of his wrathe, and hee shall be punished with fire and brimstone before the holye Angels and before the Lambe,* 1.2 and the smoke of their torment ascendeth vp euermore. Marke well heere good Christians, who is this beast, and worshippers, that shalbe partakers of that vnspeakeable torment. This beast is none other but the carnal & fleshly kingdome of Antichrist, the Pope with his rabble of false Prophets and Ministers, as it is most manifest: which to maintaine theyr high titles, worldly promotions and dig∣nities, do with much cruelty daily more and more setforth and establish theyr owne traditions, decrees, decretalles, contrary to Gods holy ordinaunces, statutes, lawes, and commaundements, and wholy repugnante to his sincere and pure religion and true woorshipping.

Nowe what doe they els but worshyp this Beast and his Image, who after they had once already escaped from the filthinesse of the world, through the knowledge of the Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ,* 1.3 are yet agayne tangled therin and ouercome, vsing dissimulation vnfaithfully, for feare of theyr displeasure, doing one thing outwardly, and thinking inwardly an other: so hauing them in reuerence vnder a cloke and colour,* 1.4 to whō they ought not so much as to say God speede: and adioyning themselues to y^e ma∣lignant congregation,* 1.5 whych they oughte to abhorre as a den of theeues and murtherers, and as the Brothel house of moste blasphemous fornicators: whose voyces beynge contrary to Christes voyce, if they were of his flocke, they would not knowe, but would flee from them: as he hym∣selfe being the good shepeheard of our soules doth full wel in his holy gospel testify.* 1.6 Againe, what do they els I pray you, but receiue the Beastes marke in theyr forheads and in theyr handes, whych doe beare a faire face and counte∣naunce outwardly in supporting them as other do, being ashamed onely to confesse Christe and hys holy Gospell? But thys fainednesse and dissimulation, Christe and hys Gospel will in no wise allowe.* 1.7 Of whome it is sayd: Who soeuer shall be ashamed of mee and of my woordes in thys adul∣terous and sinfull generation, of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed, when he shal come in the glory of his father with his holy Angels. Therefore sayeth almighty God by hys Pro∣phet Malachie:* 1.8 Curssed be the dissemblers. Yee were once lyghtened, and tasted of the heauenlye gifte, and were be∣come partakers of the holy Ghost, and tasted of the word of God, and of the power of the worlde to come. And oure Sauiour Christ sayth: No man that putteth hys hande to the ploughe,* 1.9 and looketh backe, is apte for the kingdome of GOD. Therefor S. Iohn the Apostle vseth this for a manyfest token, that the backsliding from y^e true preachers of Gods woord declareth euidently, that they be not of the number of them. For, sayeth he: They went out from vs, but they were not of vs:* 1.10 for if they had bene of vs, no doubt, they woulde haue continued wyth vs. Surely, so long as we vse dissimulati∣on, and to play on both hādes, we are not in the light. For what soeuer is manifest, the same is light, as the elect ves∣sell of God S. Paule witnesseth.

Wherfore (good Christians) for Gods most dear loue, deceiue not your selues through your own wisedom, and through the wisedome of the worlde, which is foolishnesse before God,* 1.11 but certifye and stay your owne conscience w^t the sure truth and faithfull woord of God, and with the in∣fallible testimonies of holy scripture.* 1.12 For although Gods mercy is ouer all his woorkes, yet it doth not extende but onely to them that holde fast the confidence and reioysing of hope vnto the ende, not being weary in well doing, but rather waxing euery day stronger and stronger in the in∣ward man. Therfore in the Reuelation of S. Iohn,* 1.13 wher it is entreated of the Beast and his image, it is also sayde: Heere is the sufferance of Saintes, and heere are they that keepe the commaundements, and the faith of Iesus Christ. Where by almighty God doth shewe plainely, that he doth vse those wicked men as instruments for a time, to try the pacience and faith of his peculiar people, wythout the performance whereof, we can haue no part among the liuing, but as it is sayd in the same Reuelation: The fearfull shall haue theyr parte in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, whyche is the second death.

But peraduenture ye will obiect & say vnto me:* 1.14 what shall we do? Shal we cast our selues headlong to death? I say not so. But thys I say, that we are all bounde (if euer we looke to receiue saluation at Gods hande) in thys case wholy to be obedient to hys determinate counsell & fore∣knowledge,* 1.15 expressed by the gift of the spirit in holy scrip∣ture: and then to cast all our care vpon him, who worketh all in all for the best, vnto them that loue him: and thus he geueth commaundement, saying:* 1.16 Come awaye from her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sinnes, and that ye receue not of her plagues. Nowe, who hearing this terrible voyce of God, which must needes be fulfilled, will not wyth all speede and diligence applye him selfe to doe thereafter, ex∣cept such as will presumptuously tempt him? And as tou∣ching such, the Wise man sayeth:* 1.17 Hee that loueth pearill and daunger, shall pearish therein. But they that be of the Faith of Abraham, euen as he did, so will they in all assayes and trials be obedient to the heauenly voyce, how soeuer it se∣meth contrary to their owne naturall wil and carnal rea∣son, according to the sure worde of faith, which saith:* 1.18 Hope thou in the Lorde and keepe his way: holde thee stil in the Lord, and abide patiently vpon him. Let not thy ielousie moue thee also to doe euill. Come out from among them,* 1.19 and ioyne not your selues to your vnlawfull assemblies: yea, do not once shew your selues with the least part of your body,* 1.20 to fauour theyr wicked doinges, but glorifye God (as moste right is) so well in your whole bodye outwardlye, as in∣wardly in your spirite, or els you can doe neither of both well: for your body doth belong to God, so well as youre spirite. At the dreadfull day of iudgement, we shall all re∣ceiue the workes of our bodies, according to that we haue done, whether it be good or bad.

Therefore what soeuer we doe, we may not bryng the spirite in bondage to the body, but contrariwise we must subdue the body and the will of the flesh to the spirit, that the spirite maye freely accomplishe the will of God in all things: for otherwise we shall neuer be partakers of hys promise, with the true childrē of Abraham. For as s. Paul sayeth: They which are the children of the flesh, are not the chil∣dren of God. If we shall liue according to the flesh, we shall dye. For to be carnally mineded▪ is death: but to be spiritually mine∣ded, is life and peace, because that the fleshly mineded is enmitie to God: for it is not obedient to the lawe of God, neyther canne be. So then they that are in the flesh, can not please God. Nowe chuse you which way you will take, either the na∣row way that leadeth vnto life, which Christ hymself and hys faithfull followers haue gone throughe before: or else the broad path way that leadeth to destruction, which the wicked worldlinges take theyr pleasure in for a while.* 1.21 I for my part haue now wryttē thys short admonition vn∣to you of good will (as God be my witnesse) to exhort you to that way, which at length you your selues shuld prooue and finde to be best, yea and reioyce thereof. And I do not onely wryte thys, but I will also (wyth the assistaunce of Gods grace) ratifie and confirme, and Seale the same wyth the effusion of my bloude, when the full tyme shall be expired that hee hath appoynted: whych (so farre soorth as I maye iudge) must needes be within these few daies. Therefore I nowe bidde you all moste heartely farewell in the Lorde, whose grace bee wyth youre spirite. Amen. Watch and pray, watch and pray, pray, pray. So be it.

Iohn Hullier.