N20568:7473
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.
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 ⟨p. 692⟩thee, in Christ's name, that thou wouldst forgive him his sins and unthankfulness, and make perfect in him that good which thou hast begun; yea, Lord, I pray thee make him worthy to suffer not only imprisonment, but even death itself, for thy truth, religion, and gospel's sake. As Anna did apply and give her first child Samuel unto thee, so I, dear Father, beseech thee, for Christ's sake, to accept this my gift, and give my son John Bradford, grace always truly to serve thee and thy people, as Samuel did, Amen, Amen."
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 churche'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