Foxs Book of Martyrs

Fox's Book of Martyrs, by John
Foxe

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Title: Fox's Book of Martyrs Or A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and
Triumphant Deaths of the Primitive Protestant Martyrs
Author: John Foxe
Release Date: August 25, 2007 [EBook #22400]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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BOOK OF MARTYRS ***

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FOX'S BOOK OF MARTYRS
OR

A HISTORY OF THE
LIVES, SUFFERINGS, AND TRIUMPHANT DEATHS
OF THE
PRIMITIVE PROTESTANT MARTYRS
FROM THE
INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY
TO THE
LATEST PERIODS OF PAGAN, POPISH, AND INFIDEL
PERSECUTIONS
EMBRACING, TOGETHER WITH THE USUAL SUBJECTS
CONTAINED IN SIMILAR WORKS
The recent persecutions in the cantons of Switzerland; and the
persecutions of the Methodist and Baptist Missionaries in the West
India Islands; and the narrative of the conversion, capture, long
imprisonment, and cruel sufferings of Asaad Shidiak, a native of
Palestine.
LIKEWISE
A SKETCH OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
AS CONNECTED WITH PERSECUTION
COMPILED FROM FOX'S BOOK OF MARTYRS, AND OTHER
AUTHENTIC SOURCES
THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.
CHICAGO PHILADELPHIA TORONTO

PREFACE.
This work is strictly what its title page imports, a COMPILATION.
Fox's "Book of Martyrs" has been made the basis of this volume.
Liberty, however, has been taken to abridge wherever it was thought
necessary;--to alter the antiquated form of the phraseology; to introduce
additional information; and to correct any inaccuracy respecting
matters of fact, which had escaped the author of the original work, or
which has been found erroneous by the investigation of modern
research.
The object of this work, is to give a brief history of persecution since
the first introduction of christianity, till the present time. In doing this,
we have commenced with the martyrdom of Stephen, and following the
course of events, have brought the History of persecution down to the
year 1830. In all ages, we find that a disposition to persecute for
opinion's sake, has been manifested by wicked men, whatever may
have been their opinions or sentiments on religious subjects. The
intolerant jew, and the bigoted pagan, have exhibited no more of a
persecuting spirit, than the nominal professor of christianity, and the
infidel and the avowed atheist. Indeed, it seems to be an "inherent
vice," in unsanctified nature to endeavour by the pressure of physical
force, to restrain obnoxious sentiments, and to propagate favourite
opinions. It is only when the heart has been renewed and sanctified by
divine grace, that men have rightly understood and practised the true
principles of toleration. We do not say that none but real christians
have adopted correct views respecting civil and religious liberty;--but
we affirm that these views owe their origin entirely to christianity and
its genuine disciples.
Though nearly all sects have persecuted their opponents, during a brief
season, when men's passions were highly excited, and true religion had
mournfully declined, yet no denomination except the papal hierarchy,
has adopted as an article of religious belief, and a principle of practical
observance, the right to destroy heretics for opinion's sake. The decrees
of councils, and the bulls of popes, issued in conformity with those

decrees, place this matter beyond a doubt. Persecution, therefore, and
popery, are inseparably connected; because claiming infallibility, what
she has once done is right for her to do again; yea, must be done under
similar circumstances, or the claims of infallibility given up. There is
no escaping this conclusion. It is right, therefore, to charge upon popery,
all the persecutions and horrid cruelties which have stained the annals
of the papal church during her long and bloody career of darkness and
crime. Every sigh which has been heaved in the dungeons of the
Inquisition--every groan which has been extorted by the racks and
instruments of torture, which the malice of her bigoted votaries,
stimulated by infernal wisdom, ever invented, has witnessed in the ear
of God, against the "Mother of Harlots;" and those kings of the earth,
who giving their power to the "Beast" have aided her in the cruel work
of desolation and death. The valleys of Piedmont, the mountains of
Switzerland, the vine crowned hills of Italy and France--and all parts of
Germany and the low countries, have by turns, been lighted by the fires
of burning victims, or crimsoned with the blood of those who have
suffered death at the hands of the cruel emissaries of popery. England
too, has drunken deep of the "wine of the fierceness of her wrath," as
the