N20568:8987
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.
Dr. RIDLEY to Mr. LATIMER.
IN writing again you have done me an unspeakable pleasure, and I pray that the Lord may requite it you in that day. For I have received great comfort at your words: but yet I am not so ••lled withal, but that I thirst much more now than before, to drink more of the cup of your's wherein you mingle unto me profitable with pleasant. I pray you, good father, let me have one draught more to comfort my stomach. For surely, except the Lord assist me with his gracious aid, in the time of his service, I know I shall play but the part of a white-livered knight. But truly my trust is in him, that in mine infirmity he should try himself strong, and that he can make the coward in his cause to fight like a man.
SIR, now I daily look when Diotrephes with his warriors shall assault me: wherefore I pray you, good father, for that you are an old soldier, and an expert warrior, and God knoweth I am but a young soldier, and as yet of small experience in these seats, help me, I pray you, to buckle my harness. And now I would have you to think, that these darts are cast at my head by some of Diotrephes, or Antonius's soldiers.
Latimer. Except the Lord help me, you say. Truth it is. For without me, saith he, you can do nothing, much less suffer death by our adversaries, through the bloody law now prepared against us. But it followeth, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask what you will, and it shall be done for you. What can be more comfortable? Sir, you make answer yourself so well, that I cannot better it. Sir, I begin to smell what you mean by travelling thus with me; you use me as Bilney once did, when he converted me, pretending as though he would be taught by me, he sought ways and means to teach me, and so do you. I thank you therefore most heartily. For indeed you minister armour unto me, whereas I was unarmed before and unprovided, saving that I give myself to prayer for my refuge.
Objection 1. All men marvel greatly, why you, after the liberty you have granted unto you, more than the rest, do not go to mass, which is a thing much esteemed of all men, yea, of the queen herself.
Rid. Because no man that layeth hand on the plough and looketh back is fit for the kingdom of God, and also for the self-same cause why St. Paul would not suffer Titus to be circumcised, which is, that the truth of the gospel might remain with us uncorrupt, Gal. ii. And also, If I build again the things which I have destroyed, I make myself a trespasser. This is likewise another cause: lest I should seem by outward fact to allow the thing, which I am persuaded is contrary to sound doctrine, and so should be a stumbling-block unto the weak. But woe be unto him by whom offence cometh: it were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the midst of the sea.
Object. 2. What is it then that offendeth you so greatly in the mass, that you will not vouchsafe once either to hear or see it? And from whence cometh this new religion upon you? Have you not used in times past to say mass yourself?
Rid. I confess unto you my fault and ignorance; but know you that for these matters I have done penance long ago, both at St. Paul's Cross, and also openly in the pulpit at Cambridge, and I trust God hath forgiven me this mine offence: for I did it ignorantly. But if you be desirous to know, and will vouchsafe to hear what things do offend me in the mass, I will rehearse those things which be most clear, and seem most manifestly to repugn against God's word, and they be these: The strange tongue, the want of showing of the Lord's death, the breaking of the Lord's commandment of having a communion; the sacrament is not communicated to all under both kinds, according to the word of the Lord; the sign is servilely worshipped for the thing signified; Christ's passion is injured, forasmuch as this mass-sacrifice is affirmed ⟨p. 790⟩to remain for the purging of sins; to be short, the manifold superstitions, and trifling fooleries which are in the mass, and about the same.
Rid. I confess unto you my fault and ignorance; but know you that for these matters I have done penance long ago, both at St. Paul's Cross, and also openly in the pulpit at Cambridge, and I trust God hath forgiven me this mine offence: for I did it ignorantly. But if you be desirous to know, and will vouchsafe to hear what things do offend me in the mass, I will rehearse those things which be most clear, and seem most manifestly to repugn against God's word, and they be these: The strange tongue, the want of shewing of the Lord's death, the breaking of the Lord's commandment of having a communion; the sacrament is not communicated to all under both kinds, according to the word of the Lord; the sign is se•vilely worshipped for the thing signified; Christ's passion is injured, forasmuch as this mass-sacrifice is affirmed ⟨p. 790⟩to remain for the purging of sins; to be short, the manifold superstitions, and trifling fooleries which are in the mass, and about the same.
Lat. Better a few things well pondered, than to trouble the memory with too much; you shall prevail more with praying, than with studying, though mixture be best, for so one shall alleviate the tediousness of the other. I intend not to contend much with them in words, after a reasonable account of my faith given: for it will be but in vain. They will say as their fathers said, when they have no more to say: We have a law, and by our law he ought to die. Be you steadfast and immovable, saith St. Paul: and again, Stand fast: and how oft is this repeated, If you abide, &c. But we shall be called obstinate, sturdy, ignorant, heady, and what not; so that a man hath need of much patience, having to do with such men.
Lat. Better a few things well pondered, than to trouble the memory with too much; you shall prevail more with praying, than with studying, though mixture be best, for so one shall alleviate the tediousness of the other. I intend not to contend much with them in words, after a reasonable account of my faith given: for it will be but in vain. They will say as their fathers said, when they have no more to say: We have a law, and by our law he ought to die. Be you stedfast and immoveable, saith St. Paul: and again, Stand fast: and how oft is this repeated, If you abide, &c. But we shall be called obstinate, sturdy, ignorant, heady, and what not; so that a man hath need of much patience, having to do with such men.
Object. 3. But you know how great a crime it is to separate yourself from the communion or fellowship of the church, and to make a schism, or division. You have been reported to have hated the sect of the Anabaptists, and always to have impugned the same. Moreover, this was the pernicious error of Novatus, and of the heretics called [Cathari], that they would not communicate with the church.
Object. 3. But you know how great a crime it is to separate yourself from the communion or fellowship of the church, and to make a schism, or division. You have been reported to have hated the sect of the Anabaptists, and always to have impunged the same. Moreover, this was the pernicious error of Novatus, and of the heretics called [Cathari], that they would not communicate with the church.
Rid. I know that the unity of the church is to be retained by all means, and the same is necessary to salvation. But I do not take the mass, as it is at this day, for the communion of the church, but a popish device, whereby both the commandment and the institution of our Saviour Christ, for the oft frequenting of the remembrance of his death, is eluded, and the people of God are miserably deluded. The sect of the Anabaptists, and the heresy of the Novitians, ought of right to be condemned, forasmuch as without any just or necessary cause, they wickedly separated themselves from the communion of the congregation, for they did not allege that the sacraments were unduly administered, but turning their eyes from themselves, wherewith according to St. Paul's rule, they ought to examine themselves, and casting their eyes ever upon others, either ministers, or communicants with them, they always reproved something for which they abstained from the communion, as from an unholy thing.
Rid. I know that the unity of the church is to be retained by all means, and the same is necessary to salvation. But I do not take the mass, as it is at this day, for the communion of the church, but a popish device, whereby both the commandment and the institution of our Saviour Christ, for the oft frequenting of the remembrance of his death, is eluded, and the people of God are miserably deluded. The sect of the Anabaptists, and the heresy of the Novitians, ought of right to be condemned, forasmuch as without any just or necessary cause, they wickedly separated themselves from the communion of the congregation, for they did not alledge that the sacraments were unduly administered, but turning their eyes from themselves, wherewith according to St. Paul's rule, they ought to examine themselves, and casting their eyes ever upon others, either ministers, or communicants with them, they always reproved something for which they abstained from the communion, as from an unholy thing.
Lat. I remember that Calvin beginneth to confute the Interim after this sort, with this saying of Hilary, The name of peace is beautiful, and the opinion of unity is fair: but who doubteth that to be the true and only peace of the church, which i• Christ? I would you had that little book, ther• would you see how much is to be given to unity▪ St. Paul, when he requireth unity, joineth with it, according to Jesus Christ, no further. Diotreph•• now of late, did always harp upon unity, unity. Yea, sir, said I, but in verity, not popery. I ha• nothing again but scornful taunts, with commandment to the Tower.
Object. 4. But admit there be in the mass, that peradventure might be amended, or at least mad• better; yea, seeing you will have it so, admit ther• be a fault; if you do not consent thereto, why do you trouble yourself in vain? Do you not know both by Cyprian and Augustine, that communion of sacraments doth not defile a man, but consent of deeds.
Rid. If it were any one trifling ceremony, or if it were some one thing of itself indifferent, (although I would wish nothing should be done in the church which doth not edify the same) yet for the continuance of the common quietness I could be content to bear it. But forasmuch as things done in the mass tend openly to the overthrow of Christ's institution, I judge that by no means either in word or deed I ought to consent unto it. As for that which is objected out of the fathers, I acknowledge it to be well spoken, if it be well understood. But it is meant of them which suppose they are defiled, if any secret vice be either in the ministers, or in them that communicate with them; and is not meant of them which do abhor superstition, and wicked traditions of men, and will not suffer the same to trust upon themselves, or upon the church, instead of God's word and the truth of the gospel.
Lat. The very marrow-bones of the mass are altogether detestable, and therefore by no means to be borne withal; so that of necessity the mending ⟨p. 791⟩of it is to abolish it for ever. For if you take away •bl•tion and adoration, which do hang upon consecration and transubstantiation, most of the papists will not set a button by the mass, as a thing which they esteem not, but for the gain that followeth thereon. For if the English communion, which of lat• was used, were as gainful to them as the mass hath been heretofore, they would strive no more for their mass: from thence groweth the grief.
Lat. The very marrow-bones of the mass are altogether detestable, and therefore by no means to be borne withal; so that of necessity the mending ⟨p. 791⟩of it is to abolish it for ever. For if you take away •bl•tion and adoration, which do hang upon consecration and transubstantiation, most of the papists will not set a button by the mass, as a thing which they esteem not, but for the gain that followeth thereon. For if the English communion, which of lat• was used, were as gainful to them as the mass hath been heretofore, they would strive no more for th•ir mass: from thence groweth the grief.
