N20568:14936
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.
LETTER II. From John Rough, written unto the Congregation two Days before he suffered.
THE Spirit of consolation be with you, aid you, and make you strong to run to the fight that is laid before you, wherewithal God in all ages hath tried his elect, and hath found them worthy of himself, by coupling to their head Jesus Christ; in whom, whoso desireth to live godly, the same must needs suffer persecution. For it is given unto them, not only to believe, but also to suffer. And the servant or scholar cannot be greater than his lord and master: but by the same way the head is entered, the members must follow: no life is in the members which are cut from the body: likewise we have no life but in Christ: for by him we live, move, and have our being. My dear sons, now departing this life to my great advantage, I make change of mortality with immortality, of corruption to put on incorruption, to make my body like unto the corn cast into the ground, which except it die first, it can bring forth no good fruit. Wherefore death is to me great advantage: for thereby the body ceaseth from sin, and after turneth into the first original; but after shall be changed, and made brighter than the sun or moon. What shall I write of this corporal death, seeing it is decreed of God, that all men shall once die? Happy are they that die in the Lord, which is to die in the faith of Christ, professing and confessing the same before many witnesses. I praise my God I have passed the same journey by many temptations, the devil is very busy to persuade, the world to entice with promises and fair words: which I omit to write lest some might think I did hunt after vain glory, which is farthest from my heart. Lastly, the danger of some false brethren, who before the bishop of London purposed to confess an untruth to my face: yet the God that ruled Balaam, moved their hearts; where they thought to speak to my accusation, he made them speak to my purgation. What a journey (by God's power) I have made these eight days before this day, it is above flesh and blood to bear: but as St. Paul saith, I may do all things in him which worketh in me, Jesus Christ. My course, brethren, have I run, I have fought a good fight, the crown of righteousness is laid up for me, my day to receive it is at hand. Pray, brethren, for the enemy doth yet assault. Stand constant unto the end, then shall you possess your souls. Walk worthily in that vocation wherein you are called. Comfort the brethren.