N20568:7471
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.
IF I thought that daily, yea almost hourly you did not cry upon God the Father through Jesus Christ, that he would give me his blessing, even the blessing of his children, then would I write more about it. But forasmuch as I am certain you are diligent herein, so I beseech you, good mother, to continue; I think it good to write something, whereby this your crying might be furthered. Furthered it will be, if those things which hinder it be taken away. Among which, in that I think my imprisonment is the greatest and chiefest, I will spend this letter about it, and that briefly, l•st it might increase the hindrance, as my good brother, this messenger, can tell you. You shall know therefore, good mother, that for my body, though it be in an house, out of which I cannot come when I will, yet in that I have conformed my will to God's, I find herein liberty enough I thank God. And for my lodging, bedding, meat, drink, pious and learned company, books, and all other necessaries for mine ease, comfort, and convenience, I am in much better case than I could wish, and God's merciful providence here is far above my worthiness. Worthiness, said I? Alas, I am worthy of nothing but damnation.
BUT besides all this, for my soul I find much more advantage. For God is my Father, I now perceive, thro' Christ; therefore in imprisoning me for his gospel, he maketh me like to the image of his Son Jesus Christ here, that when he cometh to judgment, I might then be like unto him, as my trust and hope is I shall be. Now he maketh me like to his friends the prophets, apostles, the holy martyrs, and confessors. Which of them did not suffer at the least imprisonment or banishment for his gospel and word?
NOW, mother, how far am I unworthy to be compared to them? I (I say) which always have been, and am so vile an hypocrite and grievous sinner. God might have caused me long before this time to have been cast into prison as a thief, a blasphemer, an unclean liver, and an heinous offender of the laws of the realm; but dear mother, his mercy is so great upon you and all that love me, that I should be cast into prison for none of these or for any such vices, but only for Christ's sake, for his gospel's sake, for his church's sake, that thereby as I might learn to lament and bewail my ingratitude and sins, so I might rejoice in his mercy, be thankful, look for eternal joy with Christ, for whole sake, praised be his name for it, I now suffer, and therefore should be merry and glad. And indeed, good mother, so I am, as ever I was, yea never so merry and glad was I, as now I should be, if I could get you to be merry with me, to thank God for me, and to pray on this sort: "Ah good Father, who dost vouchsafe that my son, being a grievous sinner in thy sight, should find that favour with thee, to be one of thy Son's captain's and men of war to fight and suffer for his gospel's sake, I thank thee, and pray