Abridgment of the Book of Acts and Monuments by Timothy Bright, Title page – To the reader
AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE BOOKE OF ACTS AND MONVMENTES OF THE CHVRCH: Written by that Reuerend Father, Maiſter Iohn Fox: and now abridged by Timothe Bright, Doctour of Phiſicke, for ſuch as either through want of leyſure, or abilitie hauehave not the vſe of ſo neceſſary an hiſtory.
All day long are we counted as Sheepe for the ſlaughter. Pſal. 44.
How long Lord, holy and true? Apocal. Cap. 6. verſe 10.
Imprinted at London by I. Windet, at the aſſignment of Maſter Tim Bright, and are to be ſold at Pauls wharf, at the ſigne of the Croſſe-keyes. 1589.
Cum gratia, & Privilegio Regia Maieſtatis.
To the Chriſtian Reader.
COnſidering the great vſe and profite of that worthie worke of Actes and Monumentes, written by Maſter Iohn Fox, of bleſſed memorie: and by reaſon of the largenes of the volume, and great price, how the most were bereaued of the benefite of ſo neceſſarie an Hiſtorie: J often wiſhed, ſome man would take the paines to draw the ſame into an Abridgement: that, both thoſe that are buſied in affaires, or not able to reach to the price of ſo great a booke, might alſo hauehave vſe of the hiſtorie with them that neither want leiſure, nor hability ſufficient. But, ſeeing hetherto nothing done that way, nor hearing of any that had it in purpoſe, J vētured vponupon the labor my ſelf, & thus hauehave performed it for thy vſe: wherein, J hauehave omitted nothing to my remembrance, and as my iudgement ſerued me, that is materiall to the hiſtorie, ſo farre as the nature of an Abridgement would permitte. As for Treatiſes, Diſputations, Epiſtles, and ſuch like, J leaue them to be read all together in the large Booke: which I doe exhort thee (gentle Reader) the rather for my Abridgements ſake, to buy, and vſe. For, as the copiouſnes of that notable worke, hath hid the riche treaſures of the ſame, through charge of price, and mens affaires: So this my labour may geue thee an aſſay, and appetite, to know further, whereof thou maiſt here take (as it were) the taſte. J aſſure thee, in mine opinion, there is not a booke, vnderunder the Scriptures, more neceſſarie for a Chriſtian to be conuerſant in. There is no Burgeſſe of a Citie, that hath care of his corporation, but would be glad to know, how in times paſt, the world went with his Corporatiō, that therby he may vnderſtād the better how to be hauehave himſelfe therein, as occaſion ſhall ſerue: and, not onelyonly woulde deſire to knowe the lawes of the ſame, but alſo, what examples hauehave any way beene geuen, touching the ſame. Euen ſo, it becommeth much more Christians, that are Citizens of the church of Christ, and hauehave a communitie in that bodie, to know, not onelyonly the lawes of this Citie, (which is the word of God) but alſo, what hath befallen, either good, or bad, and euerye accident: whereupon, experience may ariſe by example, and wiſdome thereof, to be put in vſe accordingly. We may read what hath befallen the worthiest Commonwealths in this world, and what ſtormes they hauehave endured, and all ſunke, vnderunder them. This Common-wealth of the Church ſtandeth for euer, though the ſtormes that hauehave blowen vponupon it, hauehave beene more boysterous than any other ſtate hath endured. And by reaſon of cōtinuāce, geueth great varietie of examples: of Gods prouidence, of his merciemercy, of his fatherly chaſtizements, and correction, and of that holy faith, which hath miniſtred inuincible ſtrength of conſtancie, & patience to this heauenly ſtate of Chriſtes Church, in the middest of all ſtormes of tryall. And here mayſt thou reade, not onelyonly what hath beene ſuffered of the olde Fathers of the church, who hauehave with their bloud purchaſed vntounto vsus this freedome of the Goſpell: but of late times, what thy father, thy mother, thy broher, and thy friēd hauehave ſuffered for like teſtimonie, wherby the ſincerity of the Goſpel ſtandeth at this day. When (I ſay) in this Abridgement, thou maiſt reade theſe things, J mean much more in the large volume, where all ſuch matters lie open at the full: and whereto (I pray thee) let this my labour be (as it were) an introduction. And if thy hability ſerue thee, or any other diſpoſition thereto, J pray thee let not this booke withdraw thee. For, Abridgements, in all kinde of learning, hauehave byn vſed, for ſuch reſpects as J hauehave before mentioned: beſides, the memorie embraceth them more readily: and not to hinder great volumes. Neither doo they of their own nature, work ſuch effect. If ſlouth of ſome perſons neglect them, ſo are they puniſhed therfore in wanting that belongeth vntounto them to know: & yet through Abridgementes, hauehave ſome furniture of that profitable inſtruction, whereof otherwiſe they would be vtterly ignorant. It is ſaid, Iuſtines Abridgement loſt Trogus Pompeius: Trogus peraduenture is loſt, but whether through Iuſtines Abridgement, that hardly can be proued: and had it not beene for Iuſtine, we had lost with Trogus, the hiſtory too. The caſe is far otherwiſe ſince printing was knowen: for, who would loſe a leafe of Liuie, for any Abridgement. Before, it may be, charge of written Copies might be ſome cauſe, why the large volumes were not ſo vniuerſall. And I pray thee, if the Author him ſelf (the fitteſt of all men, being an Hiſtory ſo meet, euen for the meanest Chriſtian, eſpecially in theſe times, and conteyning recordes of ſuch things, as are els no where to be had) had takē it in hand: had it not byn thanks-woorthy? Yet ſo had beene greater danger in decaying the booke at large in regard of the more ſufficient performance of the worke, than by this of mine. I truſt the matter needeth no
An Abridgement of the firſt volume of the Eccleſiaſticall history of Acts, and Monuments of Martyrs.
The Hiſtory is deuided into fiue partes.
1 The firſt is of the ſuffering time of the Church 300. yeere after Chriſt.
2 The growyng and floriſhing time of the ſame, other 300. yeeres.
3 The declining time, other 300. vntill the loſing of Sathan: about the thouſand yeere after Chriſt.
4 The time of Antichriſt: which cōtinued in full ſwinge 400. yeeres.
5 The time of reformation theſe later 288. yeeres.