N20568:7382
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 XI. From Mr. BRADFORD to the Rev. Fathers, Dr. CRANMER, Dr. RIDLEY, and Dr. LATIMER.
JESUS Immanuel. My dear fathers in the Lord, I beseech God our sweet Father through Christ, to make perfect the good he hath begun in us all. Amen.
I had thought that every one of your staves had stood next the door, but now it is otherwise perceived. Our ⟨p. 676⟩dear brother Rogers hath broken the ice valiantly, as this day, I think, or to-morrow at the uttermost, hearty Hooper, sincere Saunders, and trusty Taylor, end their course, and receive their crown. The next am I, which hourly look for the porter to open me the gates after them, to enter into the desired rest. God forgive me mine unthankfulness for this exceeding great mercy, that amongst so many thousands it pleaseth his mercy to choose me to be one▪ in whom he will suffer, (for I have been a great hypocrite and a grievous sinner, the Lord pardon me, yea, he hath done it, he hath done it indeed) ye what evil hath he done? Christ whom the prelates persecute, his verity which they hate in me, hath done no evil, nor deserved death. Therefore ought I most he••••ly to rejoice of this tender kindness of the Lord toward me, which useth a remedy for my sin as a testimonial of his testament, to his glory, to my everlasting comfort, to the edifying of his church, and to the overthrowing of Antichrist, and his kingdom. Oh what am I, Lord, that thou shouldst thus magnify me so vile a man and miser, as always I have been? Is this thy custom, to send for such a wretch and hypocrite as I have been, in a fiery chariot as thou didst for Elijah? O dear fathers be thankful for me, that I still might be found worthy in whom the Lord would sanctify his holy name. And for your part, make you ready; for we are but your gentlemen ushers. The marriage of the Lamb is prepared, come unto the marriage. I now go to leave my flesh there where I received it. I shall be conveyed thither, as Ignatius was o Rome, to be devoured by leopards; by whose evil I hope to be made better. God grant, if it be his will, they may be made better by me. Amen.