N20568:9818
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.
ALAS, what misery is thy church brought unto, O Lord, at this day! Where of late the word of the Lord was truly preached, was read and heard in every town, in every village, yea, and almost in every honest man's house, alas, now it is exiled and banished out of the whole realm. Of late who was not taken for a lover of God's word, for a reader, for a really hearer, and for a learner of the same! And now, alas, who ⟨p. 924⟩dare bare any open countenance towards it, but such as are content in Christ's cause, and for his word's sake to stand to the danger and loss of all they have!
OF late there were to be found, of every age, of every degree and kind of people, some that gave their diligence to learn (as they could) out of God's word, the articles of the christian faith, the commandments of God, and the Lord's prayer. The babes and young children were taught these things by their parents, their masters, and weekly by their curates in every church; and the aged folk, which had been brought up in blindness, and in ignorance of those things which every christian is bound to know, when otherwise they could not, yet they learned the same by often hearing their children and servants repeat the same: but now (alas, and alas again) the false prophets of Antichrist, which are past all shame, do openly preach in pulpits unto the people of God, that the catechism is to be accounted heresy: whereby their old blindness is brought home again: for the aged are afraid of the higher powers, and the youth are abashed and ashamed, even of that which they have learned, even though it be God's word, and dare no more meddle.
OF late in every congregation throughout all England, prayer and petition was made unto God to be delivered from the tyranny of the bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities, from all false doctrine and heresy; and now, alas, Satan hath persuaded England by his falsehood and craft, to revoke her old godly prayer, to recant the same, and draw down the fearful wrath and indignation of God upon her own pate.
OF late in every congregation throughout all England, prayer and petition was made unto God to be delivered from the tyranny of the bishop of Rome, and all his detestable enormities, from all false doctrine and heresy; and now, alas, Satan hath persuaded England by his falshood and craft, to revoke her old godly prayer, to recant the same, and draw down the fearful wrath and indignation of God upon her own pate.
OF late by strict laws and ordinances, with the consent of the nobles and commonalty, and full agreement and counsel of the prelates and clergy, the beast of Babylon was banished hence, with laws, I say, and with oaths, and all means that then could be devised for so godly a purpose: but now, (alas) all these laws are trodden under foot: the nobles, the commonalty, the prelates and clergy are quite changed, and all those oaths, though they were made in judgment, justice, and truth, and the […] than a bond of rushes, or a barley straw, and public perjury no more terrifieth them, than a shadow upon • wall.
OF late by strict laws and ordinances, with the consent of the nobles and commonalty, and full agreement and counsel of the prelates and clergy, the beast of Babylon was banished hence, with laws, I say, and with oaths, and all means that then could be devised for so godly a purpose: but now, (alas) all these laws are trodden under foot: the nobles, the commonalty, the prelates and clergy are quite changed, and all those oaths, though they were made in judgment, justice, and truth, and the 〈…〉 than a bond of rushes, or a barley straw, and public perjury no more terrifieth them, than a shadow upon • wall.
OF late it was agreed in England of all hands, according to St. Paul's doctrine, and Christ's commandment, that nothing ought to be done in the church, in the public congregation, but in that tongue which the congregation could understand, that all might be edified thereby, whether it were common prayer, administration of the sacraments, or any other thing belonging to […] public ministry of God's holy and wholesome […] but, alas, all is turned upside down, Paul's doctrine is put apart, Christ's commandment is not regarded. For nothing is heard commonly in the church but a strange tongue, that the people do not understand.
OF late it was agreed in England of all hands, according to St. Paul's doctrine, and Christ's commandment, that nothing ought to be done in the church, in the public congregation, but in that tongue which the congregation could understand, that all might be edified thereby, whether it were common prayer, administration of the sacraments, or any other thing belonging to 〈…〉 public ministry of God's holy and wholesome 〈…〉 but, alas, all is turned upside down, Paul's doctrine is put apart, Christ's commandment is not regarded. For nothing is heard commonly in the church but a strange tongue, that the people do not understand.
OF late all men and women were taught after Christ's doctrine, to pray in that tongue which they could understand, that they might pray with heart that which they should speak with their tongue: now, alas, the unlearned people are brought into that blindness again, to think that they pray, when they speak with their tongue they cannot tell what, nor whereof their hearts are nothing mindful at all, for that it cannot understand a whit thereof.
OF late the Lord's supper was duly administered, and taught to be common to all that are true christians, with thanksgiving, and setting forth of the Lord's death and passion until his returning again, to judge both quick and dead: but now, alas, the Lord's table is quite overthrown, and that which ought to be common to all the godly, is made private to a few ungodly, without any kind of thanksgiving, or any setting forth of the Lord's death at all, that the people are able to understand.
OF late all that were endued with the light and grace of understanding God's holy mysteries, did bless God, who had brought them out of that horrible blindness and ignorance▪ whereby in times past being seduced by Satan's subtleties, they believed that the sacrament was not the sacrament, but the thing itself whereof it is a sacrament▪ that the creature was the creator, and that the thing which had neither life nor sense, […] was the horrible blindness▪ was the Lord himself, which made the […] to see, and hath given all senses and […] ⟨p. 925⟩unto man: but now, alas, England is returned again like a dog to her own vomit and spewing, and is in worse case than ever she was: for it had been better never to have known the truth, than to forsake the truth once received and known: and now not only that light is turned into darkness, and God's grace is received in vain, but also laws of death are made by the high court of parliament, masterfully to maintain by sword, fire, and all kind of violence, that heinous idolatry, wherein that adoration is given unto the lifeless and dumb creature, which is only due unto the everliving God: yea, they say they can, and do make of bread both man and God, by their transubstantiation. O wicked men, and Satan's own brood!
OF late all that were endued with the light and grace of understanding God's holy mysteries, did bless God, who had brought them out of that horrible blindness and ignorance▪ whereby in times past being seduced by Satan's subtleties, they believed that the sacrament was not the sacrament, but the thing itself whereof it is a sacrament▪ that the creature was the creator, and that the thing which had neither life nor sense, 〈…〉 was the ho•r•ble blindness▪ was the Lord himself, which made the 〈…〉 to see, and hath given all senses and 〈…〉 ⟨p. 925⟩
OF late was the Lord's cup at his table distributed according to his own commandment, by his express words in the gospel, as well to the laity as to the clergy, which order Christ's church observed so many hundred years after, as all the ancient ecclesiastical writers do testify, without contradiction of any one of them, that can be showed unto this day: but now, alas, not only the Lord's commandment is broken, his cup denied to his servants, to whom he commandeth it should be distributed, but also with the same is set up a new blasphemous kind of sacrifice to satisfy and pay the price of sins both of the quick and the dead, to the great and intolerable reproach of Christ our Saviour's death and passion, which was and is the one only sufficient and everlasting available sacrifice, satisfactory for all the elect of God, from Adam the first, to the last that shall be born in the world.
OF late was the Lord's cup at his table distributed according to his own commandment, by his express words in the gospel, as well to the laity as to the clergy, which order Christ's church observed so many hundred years after, as all the ancient ecclesiastical writers do testify, without contradiction of any one of them, that can be shewed unto this day: but now, alas, not only the Lord's commandment is broken, his cup denied to his servants, to whom he commandeth it should be distributed, but also with the same is set up a new blasphemous kind of sacrifice to satisfy and pay the price of sins both of the quick and the dead, to the great and intolerable reproach of Christ our Saviour's death and passion, which was and is the one only sufficient and everlasting available sacrifice, satisfactory for all the elect of God, from Adam the first, to the last that shall be born in the world.
OF late the commandment of God, "Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor any similitude nor likeness of any thing in heaven above, or in earth beneath, or in the water under the earth, thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them:" this commandment of God, I say, was graven almost every where in churches, was learned by every body both old and young; whereupon images that provoked the simple and ignorant unto idolatry, as the wise man saith, were taken out of the churches, and strictly forbidden that none should any where bow down to them, or worship them: but now, alas, God's holy word is blotted and razed out of churches, and stocks and stones are set up in the place thereof. God commanded his word so to be ordered, that it might be had in continual remembrance at all times, and in every place: and on the other side, he forbid images and idols so to be either made or set in any place, where any should bow or worship them: but now, alas, that which God commanded is not minded, and that which he forbiddeth, is powerfully maintained by falsehood and craft, and wickedly upheld.
OF late the commandment of God, "Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor any similitude nor likeness of any thing in heaven above, or in earth beneath, or in the water under the earth, thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them:" this commandment of God, I say, was graven almost every where in churches, was learned by every body both old and young; whereupon images that provoked the simple and ignorant unto idolatry, as the wise man saith, were taken out of the churches, and strictly forbidden that none should any where bow down to them, or worship them: but now, alas, God's holy word is blotted and razed out of churches, and stocks and stones are set up in the place thereof. God commanded his word so to be ordered, that it might be had in continual remembrance at all times, and in every place: and on the other side, he forbid images and idols so to be either made or set in any place, where any should bow or worship them: but now, alas, that which God commanded is not minded, and that which he forbiddeth, is powerfully maintained by falshood and craft, and wickedly upheld.
OF late all ministers that were admitted to the public office and ministry of God's holy word, in their admission made a solemn profession before the congregation, that they should teach the people nothing as doctrine necessary to eternal salvation, but that which is God's own holy word, or may be thereon grounded without any doubt; whereby vanished and melted away of themselves many vain, yea, wicked traditions of man, as wax before the fire: but now at one brunt they are revived, and are in full hope also to return again in as great strength as ever they have been. And how can any man look for any other thing, but when you have received the head, you must also receive the whole body, or else how can the head abide? The head, under Satan, of all mischief, is Antichrist and his brood, the same is he which is the Babylonical beast. The beast is he, whereupon the whore •itteth. The whore is that city, saith John in plain words, which hath empire over the kings of the earth. This whore hath a golden cup of abominations in her hand, whereof she maketh to drink the kings of the earth, and of the wine of this harlot have all nations drank, yea and kings of the earth have lain by this whore, and merchants of the earth, by virtue of her pleasant merchandise, have been made rich.
OF late all ministers that were admitted to the public office and ministry of God's holy word, in their admission made a solemn profession before the congregation, that they should teach the people nothing as doctrine necessary to eternal salvation, but that which is God's own holy word, or may be thereon grounded without any doubt; whereby vanished and melted away of themselves many vain, yea, wicked traditions of man, as wax before the fire: but now at one brunt they are revived, and are in full hope also to return again in as great strength as ever they have been. And how can any man look for any other thing, but when you have received the head, you must also receive the whole body, or else how can the head abide? The head, under Satan, of all mischief, is Antichrist and his brood, the same is he which is the Babylonical beast. The beast is he, whereupon the whore •itteth. The whore is that city, saith John in plain words, which hath empire over the kings of the earth. This whore hath a golden cup of abominations in her hand, whereof she maketh to drink the kings of the earth, and of the wine of this harlot have all nations drank, yea and kings of the earth have lain by this whore, and merchants of the earth, by virtue of her pleasant merchandize, have been made rich.
NOW what city is there in all the whole world, that when John wrote, ruled over the kings of the earth; or what city can be read of in any time, that of the city itself challenged the empire over the kings of the earth, but only the city of Rome, and that since the usurpation of that see hath grown to her full strength? And is it not read that the old and ancient writers understand Peter's former epistle to be written at Rome, and it to be called of him in the same epistle in plain terms, Babylon? By the abominations thereof I understand all the whole ⟨p. 926⟩trade of the Romish religion, under the name and title of Christ, which is contrary to the only rule of true religion, that is, God's word. What word of God hath that devilish drab for the maintenance of her manifold abominations, and to set to sale such merchandise, wherewith (alas! the madness of man) the wicked harlot hath almost bewitched the whole world? Did not Peter, the very true apostle of Christ (of whom this stinking strumpet beareth herself so high, but falsely and without all just cause) did not he, I say, give all the world warning of her pelf and trash, of her false doctors and apostles (for this whore will be called the Lord's apostle, whosoever say nay) after this manner in his latter epistle? "There were among the people in times past false prophets, as there shall be among you in time to come false preachers, which shall privily bring in pestilent sects, even denying the Lord which hath bought them and redeemed them, procuring to themselves swift damnation, and many shall follow their damnable ways, by whom the way of truth shall be railed upon, and through covetousness by counterfeit tales or sermons, they shall make merchandise upon you," &c. And doth not John likewise in his Revelation, after he hath reckoned up a great rabblement of this whore's mystical merchandise, at the last (as though he would knit up all in plain words, without any mist at all, setting out the whore's merchandise) reckon up amongst the rest, and concludeth, saying, And the souls of men too? Whereupon, I pray you, else rose this true proverb in Latin, Omnia Romae venalia, that is, All things for money are set to sale at Rome?
NOW what city is there in all the whole world, that when John wrote, ruled over the kings of the earth; or what city can be read of in any time, that of the city itself challenged the empire over the kings of the earth, but only the city of Rome, and that since the usurpation of that see hath grown to her full strength? And is it not read that the old and ancient writers understand Peter's former epistle to be written at Rome, and it to be called of him in the same epistle in plain terms, Babylon? By the abominations thereof I understand all the whole
BUT you would know which be these merchandises which I said this whore setteth forth to sell, for which all her false prophets, with all their jugglings and crafty glosses, cannot bring one jot of God's word. Surely, they be not only all these abominations which are come into the church of England already (wherefore I have spoke somewhat before) but also an innumerable rabblement of abominations and wicked abuses, which now must needs follow; as popish pardons, pilgrimages, Romish purgatory, Romish masses, dispensations, and immunities from all godly discipline, laws and good order, pluralities, unions, with a thousand more. Now shall come in the flattering friars and the false pardoners, and play their old pranks and knavery as they were wont to do. Now shall you have (but of the see of Rome only, and that for money) canonizing of such saints as have stood stout in the pope's cause, shrining of relics, and from any kind of wickedness (if you will pay well for it) clear absolution from punishment and crime, for thousands of years; yea, and at every bishop's hand and suffragan, ye shall have hallowing of churches, chapels, altars, super•altars, chalices, and of all the whole household stuff and adornment which shall be used in the church after the Roman guise, for all these things must be esteemed of such high price, that they may not be done but by a consecrated bishop only. O Lord, all •hese things are such as thy apostles never knew. As for conjuring (they call it hallowing, but it is conjuring indeed) of water and salt, of christening of bells, and such like things, what need I speak? For every priest that can but read, hath power (they say) not only to do that, but also hath such power over Christ's body, as to make both God and man once at the least every day of a wafer cake.
BUT you would know which be these merchandizes which I said this whore setteth forth to sell, for which all her false prophets, with all their jugglings and crafty glosses, cannot bring one jot of God's word. Surely, they be not only all these abominations which are come into the church of England already (wherefore I have spoke somewhat before) but also an innumerable rabblement of abominations and wicked abuses, which now must needs follow; as popish pardons, pilgrimages, Romish purgatory, Romish masses, dispensations, and immunities from all godly discipline, laws and good order, pluralities, unions, with a thousand more. Now shall come in the flattering friars and the false pardoners, and play their old pranks and knavery as they were wont to do. Now shall you have (but of the see of Rome only, and that for money) cononizing of such saints as have stood stout in the pope's cause, shrining of relics, and from any kind of wickedness (if you will pay well for it) clear absolution from punishment and crime, for thousands of years; yea, and at every bishop's hand and suffragan, ye shall have hallowing of churches, chapels, altars, superaltars, chalices, and of all the whole houshold stuff and adornment which shall be used in the church after the Roman guise, for all these things must be esteemed of such high price, that they may not be done but by a consecrated bishop only. O Lord, all hese things are such as thy apostles never knew. As for conjuring (they call it hallowing, but it is conjuring indeed) of water and salt, of christening of bells, and such like things, what need I speak? For every priest that can but read, hath power (they say) not only to do that, but also hath such power over Christ's body, as to make both God and man once at the least every day of a wafer cake.
AFTER the rehearsal of the said abominations, and remembrance of a number of many more, which (the Lord knoweth) it grieveth me to think upon, and were too long to describe; when I consider on the other side the eternal word of God that abideth for ever, and the undefiled law of the Lord which turneth the soul from all wickedness, and giveth wisdom unto the innocent babes, I mean that milk that is without all guile, as Peter calleth it, that good word of God, that word of truth that must be engraven within the heart, and then is able to save men's souls; that wholesome seed, not mortal, but immortal, of the eternal and everlasting God, whereby the man is born anew, and made the child of God, that seed of God, whereby the man of God so b•ing born, cannot sin, as John saith, (he meaneth so long as that seed abideth in him) that holy scripture which hath not been devised by the wit of man, but taught from heaven by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, which is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct, and to give order in all righteousness, that the man of God may be whole and sound, ready to perform every good work: when, I say, I consider this holy and wholesome true word that teacheth us truly ⟨p. 927⟩our bounden duty towards our Lord God in every p•int, what his will and pleasure is, what his infinite great goodness and mercy is, what he hath done for us, how he hath given us his own dearly beloved Son to death for our salvation, and by him hath sent us the revelation of his blessed will and pleasure, what his eternal word willeth us both to believe, and also to do;
AFTER the rehearsal of the said abominations, and remembrance of a number of many more, which (the Lord knoweth) it grieveth me to think upon, and were too long to describe; when I consider on the other side the eternal word of God that abideth for ever, and the undefiled law of the Lord which turneth the soul from all wickedness, and giveth wisdom unto the innocent babes, I mean that milk that is without all guile, as Peter calleth it, that good word of God, that word of truth that must be engraven within the heart, and then is able to save men's souls; that wholesome seed, not mortal, but immortal, of the eternal and everlasting God, whereby the man is born anew, and made the child of God, that seed of God, whereby the man of God so b•ing born, cannot sin, as John saih, (he meaneth so long as that seed abideth in him) that holy scripture which hath not been devised by the wit of man, but taught from heaven by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, which is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct, and to give order in all righteousness, that the man of God may be whole and sound, ready to perform every good work: when, I say, I consider this holy and wholesome true word that teacheth us truly
