N20568:11539
The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of martyrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being Fox's Book of marytrs, revised and corrected, with additions and great improvements. : Containing an authentic account of the lives, persecutions and sufferings of the holy martyrs; and the many dreadful persecutions against the Church of Christ in all parts of the world, by pagans, Jews, Turks, papists, and others, from earliest ages of the church to the present period. ... The whole forming at once a general Christian martyrology, and a complete history of persecutions. / By the Rev. Mr. John Fox, M.A. late of Magdalen College, Oxford. ; Now revised, corrected and improved, with many additional articles, relating to the acts and monuments of the church. By Paul Wright, D.D. ; Embellished with forty elegant copper plate engravings. ; In two volumes. Vol. I[-II].
New-York: printed by William Durell, 1794
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
THE same faith for which Abraham was accounted just, and Mary blessed, whereby also just men live, the Lord God our loving Father increase and establish in you and me, to the obtaining of eternal life in our alone and sweet Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen.
I cannot worthily and sufficiently praise God (my heartily beloved brother) for the consolation and joy that I have received by reason of your loving letters, repenting me much that I being so long so near you, did not endeavour to stir up familiarity and communication between us by writing, to mutual consolation in Christ. For what is there upon earth wherein to rejoice (where all things are transitory and vain, yea man himself respecting this life) but as David saith, Psal. xvi. The saints that dwell upon the earth, and such as excel in virtue? But here now I consider, that if the fellowship, love, and joy of faithful men and children of God being as we now be, in double bondage, the body within clay walls, and the soul within these frail earthly bodies, be so great and comfortable; how unspeakable will these joys be, when we shall be delivered from all corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God? where we shall be present together continually in our glorified bodies, beholding the face of our heavenly Father (whom now we see but in the glass of faith) with his dear Son Christ our Redeemer and brother, and the blessed company of angels, and all the faithful saved souls.
ON the incomparable good things, and heavenly treasures laid up for us in heaven by Jesus Christ; for the obtaining whereof, we ought to set light by all temporal grief and transitory afflictions, so much the more, in that our God is faithful, and will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength, and that namely in the end of our life, when the tree where it falleth lieth still, as the preacher saith, Eccles. xi. for else before the end he suffereth his sometimes to fall, but not finally to perish: as Peter sinked upon the sea, but yet was not drowned▪ and sinned grievously upon the land through infirmity denying his master, but yet found mercy: for the righteous ⟨p. 141⟩falleth often times. And Christ's holy apostles are taught to say, Forgive us our trespasses. Yea though the righteous fall, saith David, he shall not be cast away, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. On the bottomless mercy of God towards us miserable sinners! May he vouchsafe to plant in my heart true repentance and faith, to the obtaining of the remission of all my sins in the mercies of God, and merits of Christ his Son, and thereto I pray you say, Amen.
O my dearly beloved, it grieveth me to see the spoil and havoc that Saul maketh with the congregation of Christ: but what remedy? This is God's will and ordinance, that his people shall here both be punished in the flesh, and tried in their faith: as it is written, "Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of all;" for by a strait path and narrow door must we enter. Whither? Into the joyful kingdom of heaven: therefore blessed are you and others that suffer persecution for Christ's sake, for the profession of the same. Pray for me and my fellows, good brother, that we may fight a good fight, that we may keep the faith, and end our course with joyful gladness, for now the time of our deliverance is at hand. The Lord guide, defend, and keep us and you, and all his people in our journey, that we may safely through' a short death pass to that long lasting life.
O my dearly beloved, it grieveth me to see the spoil and havock that Saul maketh with the congregation of Christ: but what remedy? This is God's will and ordinance, that his people shall here both be punished in the flesh, and tried in their faith: as it is written, "Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of all;" for by a strait path and narrow door must we enter. Whither? Into the joyfu• kingdom of heaven: therefore blessed are you and others that suffer persecution for Christ's sake, for the profession of the same. Pray for me and my fellows, good brother, that we may fight a good fight, that we may keep the faith, and end our course with joyful gladness, for now the time of our deliverance is at hand. The Lord guide, defend, and keep us and you, and all his people in our journey, that we may safely thro' a short death pass to that long lasting life.
FAREWELL, my de•r and loving brother and fellow-soldier in Christ; farewell, I say, in him: who receive our souls in peace when they shall depart from these tabernacles, and may he grant us a joyful resurrection, and a merry meeting at the last day, and continual dwelling together in his eternal heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
FAREWEL, my de•r and loving brother and fellow-soldier in Christ; farewel, I say, in him: who receive our souls in peace when they shall depart from these tabernacles, and may he grant us a joyful resurrection, and a merry meeting at the last day, and continual dwelling together in his eternal heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Your's with my poor prayer; other pleasure can I do you none, THOMAS WHITTLE, Minister.
MY dear and well beloved brethren in Christ, […] and Cuthbert, I wish you all […] of soul and body. Where to the soul is repentance of sin, faithful assistance in Christ Jesus, and a godly life. Welfare to the body is the health of the same, with all necessary things for this life. The soul of man is immortal, and ther• fore ought to be well kept, lest immortality of joy should turn to immortality of sorrow. As for the body, be it ever so well kept and made much of, yet shortly by nature will it perish and decay: but those that are ingrafted and incorporated into Christ by true faith, feeling the motion of God's holy Spirit as a pledge of their election and inheritance, exciting and stirring them not only to seek heavenly things, but also to hate vice, and embrace virtue, will not only do these things, but also if need require, will gladly take up their cross and follow their captain, their king, and their Saviour Jesus Christ (as his poor afflicted church of England now doth), against that false and antichristian doctrine and religion now used, and especially that blasphemous mass, wherein Christ's supper and holy ordinance is altogether perverted and abused, contrary to his institution, and to Paul's proceedings: so that that which they have in their mass, is neither sacrament of Christ, nor yet sacrifice for sin, as the priests falsely pretend. It is a sacrament, that is, as St. Augustine saith, a visible sign of invisible grace, when it is administered to the communicants according to Christ's example, and as it was of late years in this realm. And as for sacrifice, there is none to be made now for sin: "For Christ with one sacrifice hath perfected for ever those that are sanctified."
MY dear and well beloved brethren in Christ, 〈…〉 and C•t•ert, I wish you all 〈…〉 of soul and body. W•here to the soul is repentance of sin, faithful assistance in Christ Jesus, and a godly life. Welfare to the body is the health of the same, with all necessary things for this life. The soul of man is immortal, and ther• fore ought to be well kept, lest immortality of joy should turn to immortality of sorrow. As for the body, be it ever so well kept and made much of, yet shortly by nature will it perish and decay: but those that are ingrafted and incorporated into Christ by true faith, feeling the motion of God's holy Spirit as a pledge of their election and inheritance, exciting and stirring them not only to seek heavenly things, but also to hate vice, and embrace virtue, will not only do these things, but also if need require, will gladly take up their cross and follow their captain, their king, and their Saviour Jesus Christ (as his poor afflicted church of England now doth), against that false and antichristian doctrine and religion now used, and especially that blasphemous mass, wherein Christ's supper and holy ordinance is altogether perverted and abused, contrary to his institution, and to Paul's proceedings: so that that which they have in their mass, is neither sacrament of Christ, nor yet sacrifice for sin, as the priests falsely pretend. It is a sacrament, that is, as St. Augustine saith, a visible sign of invisible grace, when it is administered to the communicants according to Christ's example, and as it was of late years in this realm. And as for sacrifice, there is none to be made now for sin: "For Christ with one sacrifice hath perfected for ever those that are sanctified."
BEWARE of false religion, and men's vain traditions, and serve God with reverence and godly fear, according to the doctrine of his gospel, whereto cleave ye that ye may be blessed, though of wicked men ye are hated and accursed. Rather drink of the cup of Christ with his church, than of the cup of that rose coloured whore of Babylon, which is fall of abominations. Rather strive ye to go to heaven by the path which is strait to flesh and blood• with the little flock, than to go in the wide way, following the enticements of the world and the flesh, which leadeth to damnation.
LIKE as Christ suffered in the flesh, saith St. Peter, so […] ye yourselves with the same mind: for Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example to ⟨p. 142⟩follow his footsteps. Blessed are they that suffer for his sake, great is their reward in heaven. He that overcometh (saith St. John, Rev. ii.3.) shall eat of the tree of life; he shall have a crown of life, and shall not be hurt of the second death: he shall be clothed with white array, and not be put out of the book of life; yea, I will confess his name, saith Christ, before my Father and before his angels, and he shall be a pillar in the house of God, and sit with me on my seat. And thus I bid you farewell, mine own brethren and dear fellows in Christ, whose grace and peace be always with you, Amen.
LIKE as Christ suffered in the flesh, saith St. Peter, so 〈…〉 ye yourselves with the same mind: for Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example to ⟨p. 142⟩follow his footsteps. Blessed are they that suffer for his sake, great is their reward in heaven. He that overcometh (saith St. John, Rev. ii.3.) shall eat of the tree of life; he shall have a crown of life, and shall not be hurt of the second death: he shall be clothed with white array, and not be put out of the book of life; yea, I will conf•ss his name, saith Christ, before my Father and before his angels, and he shall be a pillar in the house of God, and sit with me on my seat. And thus I bid you farewel, mine own brethren and dear fellows in Christ, whose grace and peace be always with you, Amen.
This world I do forsake,
To Christ I me take,
And for his gospel's sake,
Patiently de•th I take.
My body to the dust,
Now to return it must:
