N20568:5742
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.
CHRIST was no sooner baptized, and declared to the world to be the Son of God, but Satan was by and by ready to tempt him: which thing we must look for also: yea, the more we increase in faith and virtuous living, the more strongly will Satan assault us: whom we must learn, after the example of Christ to fight against, and overcome with the holy and sacred scriptures, the word of God, (which are our heavenly armour) and sword of the Spirit. And let the fasting of Christ, while he was tempted in the wilderness, be unto us an example of sober living, not for the space of forty days (as the papists do fancy of their own brains), but as long as we are in the wilderness of this wretched life, assaulted of Satan, who like a roaring lion walketh about, and ceaseth not seeking our utter destruction.
NEITHER can the servants of God at any time come and stand before God, that is lead a godly life, and walk innocently before God, but Satan cometh also among them; that is, he daily accuseth, findeth fault, vexeth, persecuteth, and troubleth the godly: for it is the nature and property of the devil always to hurt, and do mischief, unless he be forbidden of God: for unless God doth permit him, he can do nothing at all.
LET us therefore, knowing Satan's deceits and rancour, walk the more warily, and take unto us the shield of faith, wherewith we may be able to quench and to overcome all the deadly and fiery darts of the wicked. Let us take to us the helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and learn to use the same according to the example of our great captain Christ. Let us fast and pray continually. For this frantic kind of devils goeth not out otherwise, as Christ doth teach us, but by faithful prayer and fasting, which is true abstinence and soberness of living, if we use the same according to the doctrine of the gospel and word of God. Fasting is acceptable to God, if it be done without hypocrisy, that is to say, if we use it to this intent, that thereby this mortal body may be tamed and brought under the subjection of the spirit: and again, if we fast to this intent, that we may spare wherewith to help and succour our poor needy brethren.