N20568:127
The new and complete book of martyrs; or, An universal history of martyrdom: being…
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.
An Account of the Third Primitive Persecution under the Roman Emperors.
NERVA succeeding Domitian, gave a respite to the christians; but reigning only thirteen months, his successor, Trajan, in the 10th year of his reign, and in A. D. 108, began the third persecution against the christians. While the persecution raged, Plinius Secundus, a heathen Philosopher, wrote to the emperor in favour of the christians; to whose epistle Trajan returned this indecisive answer, "The christians ought not to be sought after, but when brought before the magistracy, they should be punished."
THIS absurd reply made Tertullian exclaim in the following words: "O confused sentence! he would not have them sought for as innocent, and yet would have them punished as guilty." The emperor's incoherent answer, however, occasioned the persecution in some measure to abate, as his officers were uncertain if they carried it on with severity, how he might choose to wrest his own meaning. Trajan, however, soon after wrote to Jerusalem, and gave orders to his officers to exterminate the stock of David; in consequence of which, ail that could be found of that race were put to death.
THIS absurd reply made Tertullian exclaim in the following words: "O confused sentence! he would not have them sought for as innocent, and yet would have them punished as guilty." The emperor's incoherent answer, however, occasioned the persecution in some measure to abate, as his officers were uncertain if they carried it on with severity, how he might chuse to wrest his own meaning. Trajan, however, soon after wrote to Jerusalem, and gave orders to his officers to exterminate the stock of David; in consequence of which, ail that could be found of that race were put to death.