N20568:3337
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.
THESE things I do rather recite at this present, because it may happen to some of you hereafter, as in times past it hath done to me: I mean, if ye think otherwise of the matters propounded in these propositions than I now do, God may open them unto you in time to come.
BUT howsoever it shall be, I will in a few words do that which I think ye all look I should do; that is, as plainly as I can, I will declare my judgment herein▪ Howbeit, of this I would ye were not ignorant, that I will not indeed wittingly and willingly speak in any point against God's word, or dissent in any one jot from the same, or from the rules of faith, or christian religion: which rules that same most sacred word of God prescribeth to the church of Christ, whereunto I now and for ever submit myself and all my doings. And because the matter I have now taken in hand is weighty, and ye all well know how unready I am to handle it accordingly, as well for lack of time, as also lack of books; therefore here I protest, that I will publicly this day require of you, that it may be lawful for me concerning all mine answers, explications, and confirmations, to add or diminish whatsoever shall ⟨p. 328⟩seem hereafter more convenient and meet for the purpose, through more sound judgment, better deliberation, and more exact trial of every particular thing. Having now, by the way of preface and protestation, spoken these few words, I will come to the answer of the propositions, propounded unto me, and so to the most brief explication and confirmation of my answers.
WEST. Reverend Mr. Doctor, concerning the lack of books, there is no cause why you should complain. What books soever you will name, you shall have them: and as concerning the judgment of your answers to be had of yourself with farther deliberation; it shall (I say) be lawful for you until Sunday next, to add un•o them what you shall think good yourself. My mind is, that we should use short arguments, lest we should make an infinite process.
RID. There is another thing besides, which I would gladly obtain of your hands. I perceive that you have writers and notaries here present. By all likelihood our disputations shall be published; I beseech you for God's sake, let me have liberty to speak my mind freely, and without interruption, not because I have determined to protract the time with a solemn preface, but lest it may appear that some be not satisfied. God knows I am no orator, nor have I learned rhetoric to set colours on the matter.
WEST. Among this whole company, it shall be permitted you to take two notaries for your part.
RID. I will choose two, if there be any here with whom I am acquainted.
RID. I will chuse two, if there be any here with whom I am acquainted.
WEST. Here are two which Mr. Cranmer had yesterday. Take them if you please.
RID. I am content with them; I trust they are honest men.
IN the sacrament of the altar, by the virtue of God's word spoken of the priest, the natural body of Christ born of the virgin Mary, and his natural blood, is really present under the forms of bread and wine.
IN •atters appertaining to God, we may not speak according to the sense of man, nor of the world: therefore this proposition or conclusion is framed after another manner of phrase, or kind of speech, than the scripture useth. Again, it is very obscure and dark, by means of sundry words of doubtful signification. And being taken in the sense which the schoolmen teach, and at this time the church of Rome doth defend, it is false and erroneous, and plainly contrary to the doctrine which is according to godliness.
HOW far the diversity and newness of the phrase in all this first proposition is from the phrase of the holy scripture, and that in every part almost, it is so plain and evident to any one who is but meanly exercised in holy writ, that I need not now (especially in this company of learned men) spend any time therein, except the same shall be required of me hereafter.
FIRST, There is a double sense in these words, "By virtue of God's word," for it is doubtful what word of God this is, whether it be that which is read in the evangelists, or in Paul, or any other. And if it be that which is in the evangelists, or •n St. Paul, what that is. If it be in none of the•, then how it may be known to be God's word, and of such virtue that it should be able to work so gr••t a matter.
AGAIN, there is a doubt of these words▪ "of the priest▪" whether no man may be called a priest, but he which hath authority to make a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead▪ and how it may be proved that this authority was committed of God to any man, but to Christ alone.
