N20568:9868
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.
WELL, beloved brother, I grant such were great wonderful works of God, and we have not seen many such miracles in our time, either for that our sight is not clear, or else because we have not the like faith of them for whose cause God wrought such things, or because, after he had set forth the truth of his doctrine by such miracles then sufficiently, the time of so many miracles to be done was expired. Which of these is the most special cause of all other, or whether there be any other, God knoweth; I leave that to God. But know thou this, my well beloved in God, that God's hand is as strong as ever it was, he may do what his gracious pleasure is, and he is as good and gracious as ever he was. Man changeth as the garment doth; but God our heavenly Father is even the same now that he was, and shall be for evermore.
THE world without doubt (this I believe, and therefore I say) draweth towards an end, and in all ages God hath had his own manner, after his secret and unsearchable wisdom, to use his elect, sometimes to suffer them to drink of Christ's cup, that is, to feel the smart, and to feel of the whip. And though the flesh smarteth at the one, and feeleth ease in the other, is glad of the one, and sore vexed in the other; yet the Lord is all one towards them in both, and loveth them no less when he suffereth them to be beaten, yea, and to be put to bodily death, than when he worketh wonders for their marvellous delivery. Nay, he doth rather more for them, when in an anguish of the torments he standeth by them, and strengtheneth them in their faith, to suffer in the confession of the truth and his faith, the bitter pangs of death, than when he openeth the prison door and letteth them go loose: for here he doth but respite them to another time, and leaveth them in danger to fall in like peril again; and there he maketh them perfect, to be without danger, pain or peril, after that for evermore. But this his love towards them, howsoever the world doth judge of it, i• all one, both when he delivereth, and when he suffereth them to be put to death. He loved as well Peter and Paul, when (after they had, according to his blessed will, pleasure and providence, finished their courses, and done their services appointed them by him here in preaching of his gospel) the one was beheaded, and the other was hanged and crucified by the cruel tyrant Nero, as the ecclesiastical history saith, as when he sent the angel to bring Peter out of prison, and for Paul's delivery he made all the doors of the prison to f•y wide open, and the foundation of the same, like an earthquake, to tremble and shake.
THE world without doubt (this I believe, and therefore I say) draweth towards an end, and in all ages God hath had his own manner, after his secret and unsearchable wisdom, to use his elect, sometimes to suffer them to drink of Christ's cup, that is, to feel the smart, and to feel of the whip. And though the flesh smarteth at the one, and feeleth ease in the other, is glad of the one, and sore vexed in the other; yet the Lord is all one towards them in both, and loveth them no less when he suffereth them to be beaten, yea, and to be put to bodily death, than when he worketh wonders for their marvellous delivery. Nay, he doth rather more for them, when in an anguish of the torments he standeth by them, and strengtheneth them in their faith, to suffer in the confession of the truth and his faith, the bitter pangs of death, than when he openeth the prison door and letteth them go loose: for here he doth but respite them to another time, and leaveth them in danger to fall in like peril again; and there he maketh them perfect, to be without danger, pain or peril, after that for evermore. But this his love towards them, howsoever the world doth judge of it, i• all one, both when he delivereth, and when he suffereth them to be put to death. He loved as well Peter and Paul, when (after they had, according to his blessed will, pleasure and providence, finished their courses, and done their services appointed them by him here in preaching of his gospel) the one was beheaded, and the other was hanged and crucified by the cruel tyrant Nero, as the ecclesiastical history saith, as when he sent the angel to bring Pet•r out of prison, and for Paul's delivery he made all the doors of the prison to f•y wide open, and the found•tion of the same, like an earthquake, to tremble and shake.
THINKEST thou, O thou man of God, that Christ our Saviour had less affection to the first martyr St. Stephen, because he suffered his enemies even at the first conflict to stone him to death? No surely; nor James, John's brother, who was one of the three that Paul called primates or principals amongst the apostles of Christ. He loved him never a whit the worse than he did the other, although he suffered Herod the tyrant's sword to cut off his head. Nay, doth not Daniel say, speaking of the cruelty of Antichrist's time, And the learned (he meaneth truly learned in God's law) shall teach many, and shall fall upon the sword, and in the flame, (that is, shall be burned in the flaming fire) and in captivity (that is, shall be in prison, and be spoiled and robbed of their goods for a long season). And afterwards in the same place of Daniel it followeth, And of the learned there be, which shall fall or be overthrown, that they may be known, tried choser, and made fresh and lusty. If that then was foreseen to be done to the godly learned, and for such gracious causes, let every one to whom any such thing by the will of God doth chance, be merry in God and rejoice, for it is to God's glory, and to his own everlasting wealth. Wherefore will is he that ever he was born, for whom thus graciously God hath provided, having grace of God, and strength of the Holy Ghost to stand steadfast in the height of the storm. Happy is he that ever he was born, whom God his heavenly Father hath vouchsafed to appoint to glorify him, and to edify his church by the effusion of his blood.
THINKEST thou, O thou man of God, that Christ our Saviour had less affection to the first martyr St. Stephen, because he suffered his enemies even at the first conflict to stone him to death? No surely; nor James, John's brother, who was one of the three that Paul called primates or principals amongst the apostles of Christ. He loved him never a whit the worse than he did the other, although he suffered Herod the tyrant's sword to cut off his head. Nay, doth not Daniel say, speaking of the cruelty of Antichrist's time, And the learned (he meaneth truly learned in God's law) shall teach many, and shall fall upon the sword, and in the flame, (that is, shall be burned in the flaming fire) and in captivity (that is, shall be in prison, and be spoiled and robbed of their goods for a long season). And afterwards in the same place of Daniel it followeth, And of the learned there be, which shall fall or be overthrown, that they may be known, tried choser, and made fresh and lusty. If that then was foreseen to be done to the godly learned, and for such gracious causes, let every one to whom any such thing by the will of God doth chance, be merry in God and rejoice, for it is to God's glory, and to his own everlasting wealth. Wherefore will is he that ever he was born, for whom thus graciously God hath provided, having grace of God, and strength of the Holy Ghost to stand stedfast in the height of the storm. Happy is he that ever he was born, whom God his heavenly Father hath vouchsafed to appoint to glorify him, and to edify his church by the effusion of his blood.
TO die in Christ's cause is an high honour, to ⟨p. 937⟩which no man certainly shall or can aspire, but to whom God vouchsafeth that dignity: for no man is allowed to presume to take upon himself any office of honour, but he who i• thereunto called of God. Therefore▪ John saith well, speaking of them who have obtained the victory by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of his testimony that they loved not their lives, even unto death.
AND our Saviour Christ saith, "He that shall lose his life for my cause shall find it." And this manner of speech pertaineth not to one kind of christians (as the world doth wickedly dream), but to all that do truly pertain unto Christ. For when Christ had called unto him the multitude together with his disciples, he said unto them (mark that he said not this to the disciples and apostles only, but he said it to all), Whosoever will follow me, let him forsake and deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me: for whosoever will save his life shall lose it (he meaneth, whosoever will, to save his life, forsake or leave him and his truth), and whosoever shall lose his life for my cause and the gospel's sake, shall save it. For what shall it profit a man if he shall win the whole world, and lose his own soul, his own life? or what shall a man give to recompense that los• of his own life, and of his own soul? Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words (that is, to confess me and my gospel) before this sinful and adulterous generation, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels. Know thou, O man of God, that all things are ordained for thy behoof, and to the furtherance of thee, towards thy salvation. All things, saith Paul, worketh with the good to goodness, even the enemies of God, and such kind of punishments whereby they go about to destroy them, shall be forced by God's power, might, and fatherly providence, to do them service.
IT is not as the wicked thinketh, that poverty, adversity, sickness, tribulation, yea painful death of the godly, be tokens that God doth not love them; but even clean the contrary, as all the whole course of scripture doth evidently declare: for then he would never would have suffered his most dearly beloved, the patriarchs, to have had such troubles, his prophets, his apostles, his martyrs, and chief champions and maintainers of his truth and gospel, so cruelly by the wicked to have been murdered and slain. Of whom some were racked, as the apostle faith, and would not be delivered, that they might receive• a better resurrection. Some were tried by mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover by bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword, they wandered up and down in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being forsaken, afflicted, and tormented, such men as the world was not worthy to have, wandering in wildernesses, in mountains, in dens and •aves of the earth. All these were approved by the testimony of faith, and received the promise, because God provided better for us, that without us they should not be consummated. They tarry for us now undoubtedly, longing for the day: but they are commanded to have patience yet (saith the Lord) a little while, until the number of their fellow-servants be fulfilled, and of their brethren which are not yet slain, as they were.
NOW (thou, O man of God) for our Lord's sake, let us not for the love of this life, tarry then too long, and be occasion of delay of that glorious consummation, in hope of expectation whereof they departed in the Lord, and which also the living endued with God's Spirit, ought so earnestly to desire and to groan for with all the creatures of God. Let us all, with John the servant of God, cry in our hearts unto our Saviour Christ, Come, Lord Jesus, come. For then when Christ, who is our life, shall be made manifest, and appear in glory, then shall the children of God appear what they be, even like unto Christ: for this our weak body shall be transfigured, and made like unto Christ's glorious body, and that by the power whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Then that which is now corruptible, shall be made incorruptible: that which now is vile, shall be made glorious: that which is now weak, shall rise then mighty and strong: that which is gross and carnal, shall be made fine and spiritual: for then we shall see and have the unspeakable joy and fruition of the glorious Majesty of our Lord, even as he is.
NOW (thou, O man of God) for our Lord's sake, let us not for the love of this life, tarry then too long, and be occasion of delay of that glorious consummation, in hope of expectation whereof they departed in the Lord, and which also the living indued with God's Spirit, ought so earnestly to desire and to groan for with all the creatures of God. Let us all, with John the servant of God, cry in our hearts unto our Saviour Christ, Come, Lord Jesus, come. For then when Christ, who is our life, shall be made manifest, and appear in glory, then shall the children of God appear what they be, even like unto Christ: for this our weak body shall be transfigured, and made like unto Christ's glorious body, and that by the power whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Then that which is now corrupible, shall be made incorruptible: that which now is vile, shall be made glorious: that which is now weak, shall rise then mighty and strong: that which is gross and carnal, shall be made fine and spiritual: for then we shall see and have the unspeakable joy and fruition of the glorious Majesty of our Lord, even as he is.
WHO, or what then shall hinder us to jeopard, yea, to spend this life which we have here in Christ's cause? O therefore, thou man of God, thou that art loaden, and so hindered like unto a pregnant woman, that thou canst not fly the plague, yet if thou lust after such things as I have spoken of, stand fast whatsoever shall befall, in thy master's cause; and take this thy hindrance to fly, for a calling of God to fight in thy master Christ's cause. Of this be thou certain, they can do nothing unto thee, which thy Father is not aware of, or hath not foreseen before: they can do no more than it shall please him to suffer them to do for the furtherance of his glory, edifying of his church, and thine own salvation. Let them then do what they shall, seeing to thee, O man of God, all things shall be forced to serve, and to work with thee unto the best before God. O be not afraid, and remember the end.
WHO, or what then shall hinder us to jeopard, yea, to spend this life which we have here in Christ's cause? O therefore, thou man of God, thou that art loaden, and so hindered like unto a pregnant woman, that thou canst not fly the plague, yet if thou lust after such things as I have spoken of, stand fast whatsoever shall befal, in thy master's cause; and take this thy hindrance to fly, for a calling of God to fight in thy master Christ's cause. Of this be thou certain, they can do nothing unto thee, which thy Father is not aware of, or hath not foreseen before: they can do no more than it shall please him to suffer them to do for the furtherance of his glory, edifying of his church, and thine own salvation. Let them then do what they shall, seeing to thee, O man of God, all things shall be forced to serve, and to work with thee unto the best before God. O be not afraid, and remember the end.
ALL this which I have spoken for the comfort of the lamentable case of the man whom Christ called great bellied woman, I mean to be spoke likewise to the captive and prisoner in God's cause▪ for such I count to be as it were already summoned and pressed to fight under the banner of the cross of Christ, and as it were soldiers allowed and taken up for the Lord's wars, to do their Lord and master good and honourable service, and •o stick to him, as men of trusty service in his cause, even unto death, and to think their life lost in his cause, is to win it in eternal glory for evermore.
THEREFORE, now to conclude and make an end of this treatise, I say unto all that love God our heavenly Father, that love Christ Jesus our Redeemer and Saviour▪ that love to follow the ways of the Holy Ghost, which is comforter and sanctifier; unto all that love Christ's spouse and body, the true catholic church of Christ, yea, that love life and their own souls health; I say unto all these, hearken, my dear brethren and sisters, all you that be of God, of all sorts, ages, dignities, or degrees; hearken to the words of our Saviour Jesus Christ, spoken to his apostles, and meant to all his, in St. Matthew's gospel, Fear not them which kill the body, for they cannot kill the soul; but fear him more which may destroy and east both body and soul into hell fire. Are not two small sparrows sold for a mite, and one of them shall not fall or light upon the ground without your Father? All the hairs of your head are numbered. Fear them not, you are much more worth than are the little sparrows. Every one that confesseth me before men, him shall I likewise confess before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, I shall deny him likewise before my Father which is in heaven.
THEREFORE, now to conclude and make an end of this treatise, I say unto all that love God our heavenly Father, that love Christ Jesus our Redeemer and Saviour▪ that love to follow the ways of the Holy Ghost, which is comforter and sanctifier; unto all that love Christ's spouse and body, the true catholic church of Christ, yea, that love life and their own souls health; I say unto all these, hearken, my dear brethern and sisters, all you that be of God, of all sorts, ages, dignities, or degrees; hearken to the words of our Saviour Jesus Christ, spoken to his apostles, and meant to all his, in St. Matthew's gospel, Fear not them which kill the body, for they cannot kill the soul; but fear him more which may destroy and east both body and soul into hell fire. Are not two small sparrows sold for a mite, and one of them shall not fall or light upon the ground without your Father? All the hairs of your head are numbered. Fear them not, you are much more worth than are the little sparrows. Every one that confesseth me before men, him shall I likewise confess before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, I shall deny him likewise before my Father which is in heaven.
THE Lord grant us therefore of his heavenly grace and strength, that here we may so confess him in this world amongst this adulterous and sinful generation, that he may confess us again at the latter day before his Father which is in heaven, to our glory and everlasting comfort, joy▪ and salvation.
TO our heavenly Father, to our Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ, and to the Holy Ghost, be all honour now and for ever. Amen.
NICHOLAS RIDLEY.
JOHN WEBB was brought before the bishop of Dover, and Nicholas Harpsfield, or some other deputed in their room, on the 16th of September, and there had propounded unto him such articles as were commonly administered by Bonner to those of his jurisdiction: and being willed for that present to depart, and to deliberate with himself upon the matter, against the next time of his appearance; he made answer, that he ••uld no otherwise say (by God's grace) than he ha• already said, which was this: As touching the ••••ament of Christ's body, said he, I do believe it to be left unto his church (with thanksgiving) in co••••emoration of his death and passion, until his ••ming ag••n. So that it is left in remembrance of his ⟨p. 939⟩body, and not by the words of consecration to be made wholly his body, really, substantially, and the same body that was born of the virgin Mary: I utterly deny that.
JOHN WEBB was brought before the bishop of Dover, and Nicholas Harpsfield, or some other deputed in their room, on the 16th of September, and there had propounded unto him such articles as were commonly administered by Bonner to those of his jurisdiction: and being willed for that present to depart, and to deliberate with himself upon the matter, against the next time of his appearance; he made answer, that he ••uld no otherwise say (by God's grace) than he ha• •lready said, which was this: As touching the ••••ament of Christ's body, said he, I do believe it to be left unto his church (with thanksgiving) in co••••emoration of his death and passion, until his ••ming ag••n. So that it is left in remembrance of his ⟨p. 939⟩
AFTER this (besides sundry other times) the third of October, the said John Webb, George Roper, and Gregory Park, were all brought together before the said judges; who there and then agreeing, and steadfastly allowing the former answer made before by Mr. Webb,, were by the bloody prelates adjudged heretics; and therefore about the end of the same month they were brought out of prison together to the place of martyrdom; saying certain psalms mournfully as they were going to the stake.
AFTER this (besides sundry other times) the third of October, the said John Webb, George Roper, and Gregory Parke, were all brought together before the said judges; who there and then agreeing, and stedfastly allowing the former answer made before by Mr. Webb,, were by the bloody prelates adjudged heretics; and therefore about the end of the same month they were brought out of prison together to the place of martyrdom; saying certain psalms mournfully as they were going to the stake.
