N20568:9418
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.
RIGHT worshipful sir, and my singular good master, &c. Whereas you have communicated my last letters to some of your friends, which rather this or that in me, &c. what I think therein I will not now say, not that there could be my peril or danger in the said letters (well taken) as far as I can judge, but for that they were rashly and unadvisedly scribbled, as you might well know both by my excuse, and by themselves also, though no excuse had been made. And besides that, you know right well, that where the bee gathereth honey, even there the spider gathereth venom, not for any diversity of the flower, but for different natures in them that suck the flower: as in times past, and in the beginning, the very truth, and one thing in itself was to some an offence, to some foolishness, to others otherwise disposed, the wisdom of God. Such difference there was in the hearers thereof.
BUT this notwithstanding, there is no more but either my writing is good or bad. If it be good, the communicating thereof to your friends cannot be hurtful to me; if it be otherwise, why should you not communicate it to them, who both could and would instruct you in the truth, and reform my error? Let this pass, I will not contend: "had I knew," ever cometh out of season. Truly I were not well advised if I would not either be glad of your instruction, or yet refuse mine own reformation; but yet it is good for a man to look before he leap, and God forbid that you should be so addict and sworn to me so wretched a fool, that you should not rather follow the doctrine of your friends in truth, so great learned men as they appear to be, than the opinions of me, having ever so christian a breast.
WHEREFORE do as you will: for as I would not if I could, so I cannot if I would, be noisome unto you; but yet I say I would my letters had been unwritten, if for no other cause, at leastway inasmuch as they cause me more writing, an occupation not fitting my mad head. And as concerning points which in my aforesaid letters your friends mislike, I have little leisure now to make an answer thereto, for the great business that I have in my little cure: I know not what other men have in their great cures, seeing that I am alone without any priest to serve my cure, without any scholar to read unto me, without any book necessary to be looked upon, without learned men to come and counsel withal. All which things others have at hand abundantly, but something must be done, howsoever it be. I pray you take it in good worth as long as I temper my own judgment, affirming nothing with prejudice of better. First, you mislike that I say I am sure I preach the truth, saying in reproof of the same, that God knoweth certain truth. Indeed God alone knoweth all certain truth, and God alone knoweth it as of himself, and none knoweth certain truth but God, and those who are taught of God, as St. Paul saith, for God hath made it plain to them: and Christ himself says, They shall all be taught of God: and your friends deny not but that certain truth is communicated to us, as our capacity may comprehend it by faith, which if it be truth, as it is, then there ought no more to be required of any man, but according to his capacity; now certain it is, that every man hath not like capacity, &c.