N20568:9265
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.
WHAT if a man should say these words every day, between the Pater Noster, and the Ave Maria, in the worship of St. Zechariah, who I think is a saint in heaven, and was ere ever our lady came there to be honoured, I think he might please and honour St. Zechariah, as well some other way, and better too, though they were words sent from God, spoken by an angel, and written by St. Luke in holy scripture.
WHAT if a man should say these words every day, between the Pater Noster, and the Ave Maria, in the worship of St. Zachary, who I think is a saint in heaven, and was ere ever our lady came there to be honoured, I think he might please and honour St. Zachary, as well some other way, and better too, though they were words sent from God, spoken by an angel, and written by St. Luke in holy scripture.
AND yet if it were once begun and accustomed, I warrant some men would make it more than sacrilege to leave it off, though the devil should sow ever so much superstition by process of time unto it.
CHRIST made the Pater Noster for a prayer, and bid his people say it to his heavenly Father, One God in Trinity of Persons, one Father and Comforter, one Worker and Doer of all things here in this world, saying unto us, After this manner shall ye pray, Our Father, &c. God sent his Son, amongst other things, to teach his people to pray: God sent his angel to greet our lady, not to teach his people to pray. For neither Christ nor the angel said to the people, This shall you pray, Ave Maria. When the apostles said to Christ, Teach us to pray; Christ said, When you pray, say, Our Father: he said not when you pray, say, Ave Maria. I suppose Christ could teach to pray, as well as Dr. Powell and Mr. Hubberdin. I say that the Ave Maria was before the Pater Noster• D•. Powell saith, it shall endure after the Pater Noer: I can prove my saying by scripture, which he cannot: yet as it is no good argument, The Ave Maria was before the Pater Noster; Ergo, it is properly a prayer: so it is no good argument, The Ave Maria shall last after the Pater Noster; Ergo, it is properly a prayer, without the antecedent be impossible, which is not credible to come out of such a fantastical brain.