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vain in respect of me, and in vain have suffered so many torments, yea, and even most bitter death, of thine own accord for my sake. Amen.

My mind beholdeth thy body crucified for my soul. O that thou wouldst also crucify me with thee, so that I might live, or rather, not I, but thou, my Lord Christ, in me.

Who will give me to die with thee, that I might rise again with thee to life everlasting? Thou diedst for me, that I might live through thee. Thy flesh is crucified, O Christ; crucify thou the power of sin that reigneth in me; that, being stripped out of the old Adam, I may be transformed into the second Adam, to lead a new life, by shaking down and despatching away of all wickedness, unbelief, and tyranny of Satan.

Let thy yoke become sweet, and thy burden lightsome to me through thy cross; that I, following thee willingly and cheerfully, may come to the same place where thou art; that is, to thy most blessed and immortal Father, from whom nothing may ever separate us hereafter. Amen.

OH most high and singular obedience, wherethrough thou didst submit thyself to innumerable torments, yea, and even to most bitter and reproachful death, because it liked thy Father to have it so!

Oh noontide of fervent love and sunshine never drawing towards eventide! show us where thou feedest in the midst of the day, and where thou shroudest thy sheep from cold? O would to God we might be transformed into that cross of thine, that thou mightest dwell in our hearts by faith, rooted and grounded in charity, so as we might, with all thy holy ones, comprehend the length, breadth, height, and depth of thy cross, which exceed all the strength and wisdom of the world. Amen.

A godly and zealous Prayer, to be said by all poor and distressed Prisoners for all their good Benefactors.

O MOST gracious God, and our loving Father, look down, for Jesus Christ's sake, upon us thy poor children, with thine eyes of mercy, and let thine ears be opened unto our prayers. We confess, holy Father, that we are not worthy to open our sinful mouths to speak unto thy heavenly

Majesty, nor to receive any good thing from thee, because we have, like prodigal children, mispent thy blessings, and in the whole course of our lives, have erred and strayed from thee and thy holy ways, and thereby have dishonoured thee and given evil example unto others. We confess also, that thou hast justly shut us up in prison, as men unworthy of the liberty and communion of saints, so as we cannot visit thy holy temple, to see the beauty of thy face by hearing thy word, and praise thee in the congregation as they do. O that we had eyes to see, and hearts to lament our sins, that have brought this upon us! Satan hath blinded us so that we cannot see, and hardened our hearts so that we cannot lament. O thou most gracious God and loving Father, take pity on us thy poor children, for Christ's sake, and show thy mercy in sending thy Holy Spirit into us, to destroy this power of Satan within us, and to sanctify us throughout, in bodies and in souls, that from henceforth we may glorify thee with our bodies and souls.

And whereas now, by reason of our imprisonment, we cannot go abroad to labour for our living, we might starve and perish, were it not but that thou, of thy mercy and goodness, hast stirred up many of thy children to relieve us, we do most humbly thank thee for them, and do heartily beseech thee, even for Jesus Christ's sake, to reward them seven fold, and to let thy blessing ever remain upon them and theirs. We beseech thee also for our enemies, that it would please thee to forgive them, and to grant us also grace to forgive them. And whereinsoever we have given just cause of offence unto them, we beseech thee to forgive us, and to grant them grace also to forgive us. And in the good time give deliverance unto us from our imprisonment; in the mean while continue thy goodness towards us, and, above all, grant us patience, and the inward strength and comfort of thy Holy Spirit, and grace to profit daily more and more to amendment of life by thy correction, to thy glory and our everlasting comfort, through Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour, thanks, praise, and glory, both now and for evermore. Amen.

Extract from the epistle dedicatory to William Lord Howard, of Effingham.

THE author of this treatise did write the same in Latin, myself maketh it speak English unto you: a most excellent man he was, called Mr. John Fox: a man always devoted and obliged to your honourable name and family; exceeding laborious in his pen; for his learning inferior to none of his age and time; for his integrity of life a bright light to as many as knew him, beheld him, and lived with him; of whose most worthy praise this shall be the brief sum-Few like hath he left behind him.

From Oxford he was sent for to Reigate in Surrey, in that troublesome and dangerous time of Six Articles, to be tutor and teacher of that high and mighty prince, Thomas duke of Norfolk your right honourable father, likewise, was committed to his instructions.

When Satan's red horse and bloody sword marched forth against the gospel of Christ's kingdom, newly planted in England, wily Winchester (bishop Gardiner) fastened his fiery eyes upon this good man. First, gladly would he have brought him to the field for the bloody and fiery battle; but the speedier favour of that most princely duke sent him away safely into Germany, where in the city of Basil he became a most painful travailer at his pen in the house of Oporinus, that learned and famous printer. Among many other works, this little treatise was there penned in Latin; likewise, there he compiled in Latin his first Martyrology, which he exhibited to the same his princely lord and duke.

When the great nurse of the gospel, the most virtuous queen Elizabeth, had stalled up and chained that Romish bloody Spanish proud genet, then liberty was given again to Christ's white horse, mentioned in the 6th of the Revelation, to conquer and overcome. His bow and

arrows that sat thereon, are, and were, preaching and printing: when the preacher cannot be heard and dare not speak, the printer's shafts fly at length and amain. To this service of God and his country Fox returned, and found succour from his most bounteous, most charitable, and most princely lord, who gave him free and present entertainment, and dwelling for him and his, at his manor-place of Christ's church by Aldgate. From that his house, he travelled weekly, every Monday, to the most worthy printing-house of John Day. In that my father's house, many days and years, and infinite sums of money, were spent to accomplish and consummate his English monuments, and other many most excellent works in English and Latin: among the Latin this was one, which I have Englished, and now present to your honourable lordship.

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Let it vouchsafe your honour to accept the same from us both: he was always obliged to your name, and so am I he was sometime a Reigate-man, as chosen into your honourable house, and so likewise I. He the first English preacher that ever came there, but not incumbent; myself the very next English preacher that ever came there, their unworthy incumbent. Howsoever, in this treatise both of us offer divine service unto you, for your spiritual comfort in Jesus Christ. That supreme Lord of all wisdom and power, of all felicity and nobility, bless and enrich you and yours, all your progeny and allies, with his principal Spirit, to your and their great honour's increase in this life, and after this life with the endless triumph of his eternal kingdom!

Your honour's most obliged servant, RICHARD Daye.

OF FREE

JUSTIFICATION BY CHRIST,

WRITTEN AGAINST THE OSORIAN RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND OTHER PATRONS OF THE SAME DOCTRINE OF

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Translated into English, for the benefit of those who love their own smils, and would not be mistaken in so great a point.

ABRIDGED.

JOHN FOX.

To all afflicted and troubled consciences of believers in Christ.

BEING to write this apology concerning Free Justification by Christ, the more I consider the cause that I have undertaken, the more I am inclined to proceed. And again, when I call to mind these times, and how the manners of men are corrupted, there arises in my mind a doubtful wavering, which distracts me several ways, not without some fear joined therewith. That which causes me to waver, is this-lest the greatest part of our people, as the minds of men are apt to catch at the smallest occasions, should contract some licentiousness from this mild and peaceable doctrine of evangelical Justification, to grow the more bold in sinning. From whence I therefore partly apprehend, what the silent thoughts of some men may object against me; who, though they will not deny the things which we say of Christ to be true, yet they will judge them unseasonable for the times and manners of men now-a-days, being so corrupted and infected. Nay, that they are rather hurtful, and open a door to greater boldness and security in sinning. Therefore, that I may answer those men, and give some account of my undertaking, I have thought fit to speak a few things by way of preface.

First; That I am not at all ignorant what monsters of prodigious uncleanness do abound every where at this day; and also I do no less lament the things that I see. And I wish it were as much in my power to procure the healing of these evils, as I am seriously grieved at so great a torrent of all wickedness prevailing daily more and more.

But some will say, Then draw forth and thunder out something from the severe law of God, which may terrify the minds of the people with the healthful fear of God, and the dreadfulness of divine vengeance-which may take away the raging lusts of life, and restrain unbridled boldness, and reduce men into a course of more severe discipline, and reclaim them from wickedness to serious repentance, and drive all men forward, by all means, to endeavour

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