IN reading of philosophy and mans learning al sentences are pondered by reason, and lightly the readers wit doth run with the authors meaning, eyther to agree or disagree from those things which be vttered. But in matters wherein naturall deuises are not set out, but Gods power and wisedome, we must bring more minde to credite, thē wil to examine, especially where the iudgement of the author is not to be suspected. The chiefest fayth is geuen to the scripture, the next to them whom God hath lightened with his grace, by bestowing of greater knowledge or deeper vnderstanding then other can attaine vnto by naturall abilitie, as Iesus Syraches sonne, and Esdras & other, who are ioyned to Gods owne word, and read as especiall writers. The third place of credite is geuen to the whole Church, which though it should be nature & right course come next vnto the hed, & be prefered before any one member, yet it may not be beleued eyther for vniuersalitie, or for auncientnes, but for the euidence of Gods spirite, which cannot nor will appeare in the whole, but in such seuerally, as are chosen by God to be instructours of men, and reuealers of diuine misteries. Neyther can the whole Churche wright or leaue any thing to the posteritie for iudgement, except perhaps it were some dead monument which is not to be estemed as a thyng to breed credit. Therfore those do speake as the whole Church, whiche do make true report of the churches doings eyther in shewing the practises of Church men, or in declaryng the decrees and ordinaunces from time to time wisely planted by holy fathers which met together by the spirite of God, and folowed consent not onely by reason, but also by true expounding of scripture. In all ages many chaunges, and sundry turmoyles haue ben according to the state of common wealthes, in which it pleased God to place his members and holy seruauntes to liue, either obscurely or famously. When ignoraunce and darcknes of worldly hartes did kepe the church low, & couered like a sparckle of fire in ashes, no man could looke for any generall tokens or report of matters worth the hearing. As in the time of nature, when after one or two generations the posteritie of Noah forgat their maker, and worshipped the monuments and memorye of those men which were famous not onely for vertues, but also for vices, and sundry detestable abuses. After nature gaue place to Gods law, imperfections among the faithfull, wilfulnes in the reprobate, ignoraunce in such as neuer heard, incredulity in those that would not beleue, preuayled so much, that the law being a most seuere scholemaster, could not greatly enlarge the Church.

Also when our mighty and noble head Christ Iesu repayred nature, & performed the law, in leauing so cleere a light that sense it selfe comming with simplicitie might easely perceaue and comprehend it, howe great resistaunce was made by learned men, how cruell suppressing by gouernours, howe bitter vndermyneing by enemies, how shamfull corrupting by heretiques? so that the greatest increase of the church, was by the bloud of martirs, and the worthyest maintenaunce came by the seede of persecution (if I may so call it) whiche was cast abroad in the death of holy men. Other haue taken in hand to wright of the churches state in their time, as Eusebius and Socrates. And Platina hath opened so much, as pertained to knowe the succession of the Roman sea, In whose discourses mean personages are for the most part ouerpassed, though the potentates of the world, & vnlawfull powers, were neuer to be accompted builders of Gods house, but rather base, and lowe harted men, placed in inferiour roomes, that paynfullnes shoulde be no staine to their vocation, no more then to a shepeherd, who must not feare the height of hilles nor auoyd the depth of ditches, so that his sheepe may be saued. The centuryes written by Illyricus and other do more largely set out the troubles wherby godly men haue ben tryed and exercised for the defence of true fayth: But for playne vnderstandyng, mainfest proofe, and sufficient discourses, this worke of maister Iohn Foxe is to be preferred before other that haue bene written in time past. He thought hereby to benefite the Christian reader, that he might haue a patern of diligent preaching and constant suffering, both for inward comfort and for outward cōfirmation, that the mouth may be as ready to confesse Christ, as the hart to beleue. For the examples of such torments, so cruelly deuised, & so manfully sustained, must needes make all Christian hartes to wonder at the power of that word which remaineth safe in broken vessels and will not be consumed with fire, nor fade away with death nor lye hid vnder grauestones, nor perish in the sea, nor be dissolued by putrefaction, though the bodies of preachers be subiect to these alterations and many a thousand mo. Moreouer it shal appeare in this story that they haue ben most enemies to gods Church, which haue receaued most honor in the common wealth and most nobility in kinred: which thinges while men thinke to be their own, & not the benefites of him which might haue geuē thē to others, they seeke a tyrannous rule, and a wilfull power ouer such as by nature and religion ought to be by them most maintained and fostered. So that the vnthankefulnes toward God, and the abusing of their state shall be in the great day of iudgement, open causes of condemnation. Necessary therfore it is for mightly men to shoon the vices of other and to thinke the greatest renowne of their life standeth in iustice, Iustice in pleasing God, pleasing God in faith, faith in knowledge, and maintenance of religion. And of truth the minister hath no greater accompt for his inward talent of preachyng then the gouernor hath for his outward state of honor, which is his talent deliuered for the gaine of his spirituall king, which will admit no concealing without profit, nor abuse for injury. As for the common people they shall here finde howe variable their mindes haue bene in old time, how in one yeare they preferred the Gospell, in another oppressed it, how they haue gladly seen the bodies of their pastors violently wronged, and consented to all the trouble of Gods people, much like those Iewes vnder the Romā Empire, that in one day would haue made Christ a king and almost in the next would haue hym crucified. To be short, it will be found that the better the church is maintained, the better doth the common wealth stand in all florishing state of wisedome in counsel, of honor for vertue, of wealth to al ciuil affaires, of renowne both against the enemies grudge, and also for the posterities imitation.

Therefore gentle reader with a louing estimation of the author read this booke paynfully gathered, faythfully written, and truely deliuered vnto thee for thy Christian comfort. A long worke it is but very excellent, so that the learned shall finde reasons deepe inough for a discoursing wit how passing soeuer it be, and the vnlearned shall see plainnes inough without any disceat, or cauilling, wherby his simplicity might be beguiled. The cōmon welth man, and the church man, high and low shal vnderstand a merueilous compasse of matter, to rule and to be ruled, whē they perceaue Gods wisedome & mans pollicy as it were in a theater building vp and pulling down: in such sort that the affaires of al mankind shal seme gouerned be an inward prouidence excelling nature: much agaynst those men that counte religion and scripture, but deuises to keepe the people in obedience. Therfore good reader, make of this worthy and Christian labour as is meete for Gods childe to do, gatheryng so much profite in knowledge as shal be aunswerable to thy trauaile in reading, which I trust god wil giue the with his grace, to whom I commend thy soule to be blessed in holines. Farewell. from Camb. Kinges Coll.