N20568:2579
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.
MR. GEORGE WISHART was born in Scotland, and after receiving a grammatical education at a private school, he left that place, and finished his studies at the university of Cambridge.
IN order to improve himself as much as possible in the knowledge of literature, he travelled into various parts abroad, where he distinguished himself for his great learning and abilities, both in philosophy and divinity.
AFTER being some time abroad he returned to England, and took up his residence at Cambridge, where he was admitted a member of Bennet allege. Having taken up his degrees, he entered into holy orders, and expounded the gospel in […] clear and intelligible a manner, as highly to delight his numerous auditors.
AFTER being some time abroad he returned to England, and took up his residence at Cambridge, where he was admitted a member of Bennet •llege. Having taken up his degrees, he entered into holy orders, and expounded the gospel in 〈…〉 clear and intelligible a manner, as highly to delight his numerous auditors.
BEING desirous of propagating the true gospel in his own country, he left Cambridge in 1544, and […] his arrival in Scotland he first preached at Mon••se, and afterwards at Dundee. In this last place […] made a public exposition of the epistle to the Romans, which he went through with such grace and freedom, as greatly alarmed the papists.
BEING desirous of propagating the true gospel in his own country, he left Cambridge in 1544, and 〈…〉 his arrival in Scotland he first preached at Mon••se, and afterwards at Dundee. In this last place 〈…〉 made a public exposition of the epistle to the Romans, which he went through with such grace and freedom, as greatly alarmed the papists.
IN consequence of this, (at the instigation of […] Beaton, the archbishop of St. Andrew's) one ••bert Miln, a principal man at Dundee, went to […] church where Wishart preached, and in the […] of his discourse publicly told him not to […] the town any more, for he was determined […] to suffer it.
IN consequence of this, (at the instigation of 〈…〉 Beaton, the archbishop of St. Andrew's) one ••bert Miln, a principal man at Dundee, went to 〈…〉 church where Wishart preached, and in the 〈…〉 of his discourse publicly told him not to 〈…〉 the town any more, for he was determined 〈…〉 to suffer it.
THIS sudden rebuff greatly surprised Wishart, […], after a short pause, looking sorrowfully on the […] and the audience, said, "God is my […], that I never minded your trouble but your […]; yea, your trouble is more grievous to me […] it is to yourselves: but I am assured, to refuse God's word, and to chase from you his messenger, […] not preserve you from trouble, but shall bring […] into it: for God shall send you ministers that […] neither fear burning nor banishment. I have […] you the word of salvation. With the […] of my life I have remained among you: now […] yourselves refuse me; and I must leave my […] to be declared by my God. If it be long prosperous with you, I am not led by the spirit of […]: but if unlooked-for trouble come upon you, ••••owledge the cause, and turn to God, who is […] and merciful. But if you turn not at the […] warning, he will visit you with fire and sword." At the close of this speech he left the pulpit, and […].
THIS sudden rebuff greatly surprized Wishart, 〈…〉, after a short pause, looking sorrowfully on the 〈…〉 and the audience, said, "God is my 〈…〉, that I never minded your trouble but your 〈…〉; yea, your trouble is more grievous to me 〈…〉 it is to yourselves: but I am assured, to refuse God's word, and to chase from you his messenger, 〈…〉 not preserve you from trouble, but shall bring 〈…〉 into it: for God shall send you ministers that 〈…〉 neither fear burning nor banishment. I have 〈…〉 you the word of salvation. With the 〈…〉 of my life I have remained among you: now 〈…〉 yourselves refuse me; and I must leave my 〈…〉 to be declared by my God. If it be long prosperous with you, I am not led by the spirit of 〈…〉: but if unlooked-for trouble come upon you, ••••owledge the cause, and turn to God, who is 〈…〉 and merciful. But if you turn not at the warning, he will visit you with fire and sword." At the close of this speech he left the pulpit, and .
AFTER this he went into the west of Scotland, •here he preached God's word, which was gladly […] by many.
AFTER this he went into the west of Scotland, •here he preached God's word, which was gladly 〈…〉 by many.
A short time after this Mr. Wishart received […], that the plague was broke out in Dun•d••. It began four days after he was prohibited […] preaching there, and raged so extremely▪ that it was almost beyond credit how many died in the space of 24 hours. This being related to him, he, notwithstanding the importunity of his friends to detain him, determined to go there, saying, "They are now in troubles, and need comfort. Perhaps this hand of God will make them now to magnify and reverence the word of God, which before they lightly esteemed."
A short time after this Mr. Wishart received 〈…〉, that the plague was broke out in Dun•d••. It began four days after he was prohibited 〈…〉 preaching there, and raged so extremely▪ that it was almost beyond credit how many died in the space of 24 hours. This being related to him, he, notwithstanding the importunity of his friends to detain him, determined to go there, saying, "They are now in troubles, and need comfort. Perhaps this hand of God will make them now to magnify and reverence the word of God, which before they lightly esteemed."
HERE he was with joy received by the godly. He chose the east-gate for the place of his preaching; so that the healthy were within, and the sick without the gate. He took his text from these words, "He sent his word and healed them," &c. In this sermon he chiefly dwelt upon the advantage and comfort of God's word, the judgments that ensue upon the contempt or rejection of it, the freedom of God's grace to all his people, and the happiness of those of his elect, whom he takes to himself out of this miserable world. The hearts of his hearers were so raised by the divine force of this discourse, as not to regard death, but to judge them the more happy who should then be called, not knowing whether they might have such a comforter again with them.
AFTER this the plague abated; though, in the midst of it, Wishart constantly visited those that lay in the greatest extremity, and comforted them by his exhortations.
WHEN he took his leave of the people of Dundee, he said, "That God had almost put an end to that plague, and that he was now called to another place."
HE went from thence to Montrose, where he sometimes preached, but spent most of his time in private meditation and prayer.
IT is said, that before he left Dundee, and while he was engaged in the labours of love to the bodies, as well as to the soul•, of those poor afflicted people, cardinal Beaton engaged a desperate popish priest, called John Weighton, to kill him; the attempt to execute which was as follows: one day, after Wishart had finished his sermon, and the people departed, the priest stood waiting at the bottom of the stairs, with a naked dagger in his hand under his gown. But Mr. Wishart having a sharp, piercing eye, and seeing the priest as he came from the pulpit, said to him, "My friend, what ⟨p. 246⟩would you have?" and immediately clapping his hand upon the dagger, took it from him. The priest being terrified, fell on his knees, confessed his intention, and craved pardon. A noise being hereupon raised, and it coming to the ears of those who were sick, they cried, "Deliver the traitor to us, we will take him by force; and they burst in at the gate. But Wishart, taking the priest in his arms, said, Whatsoever hurts him shall hurt me; for he hath done me no mischief, but much good, by teaching more heedfulness for the time to come." By this conduct he appeased the people, and saved the life of the wicked priest.
SOON after his return to Montrose, the cardinal again conspired his death, causing a letter to be sent to him as if it had been from his familiar friend, the laird of Kinni•r, in which he was desired with all possible speed to come to him, because he was taken with a sudden sickness. In the mean time the cardinal had provided sixty men armed, to lie in wait within a mile and a half of Montrose, in order to murder him as he passed that way.
