A HISTORY OF THE LIVES, SUFFERINGS, AND TRIUMPHANT DEATHS, OF THE PRIMITIVE AS WELL AS THE PROTESTANT MARTYRS, FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF CHRISTIANITY TO THE LATEST PERIODS OF PAGAN AND POPISH PERSECUTION. TO WHICH IS ADDED AN ACCOUNT OF THE INQUISITION: THE BARTHOLOMEW MAS A IRISH REBELLION IN THE YEAR 1641; AND THE RECENT PERSECUTIONS OF PROTEST- ANTS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE. ORIGINALLY COMPOSED BY THE REV. JOHN FOX, A. M. ILLUSTRATED EDITION DETROIT: KERR, DOUGHTY & LAPHAM. 1853. HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN MARTYRDOM. PART L CHAPTER I. First Persecution of the Christians and Martyrdom of the Apostles. No prediction of our Saviour has been more strikingly fulfilled, than that which related to the persecution and sufferings of his people, by reason of their faithfulness and love to him. These things he bequeathed to them, as a portion of their inheritance in this world; and, lest they should become disheartened at the complicated scenes of human misery that awaited them, he not only apprised them, that they should be hated of all men for his name sake, but pronounced a glorious benediction upon all such as should be found worthy to suffer on his account. These gracious promises he often repeated to them, during the days of his public ministry, and renewed them again after his glorious resurrection from the dead, accompanied with assurance of the aid and support of his Holy Spirit, which should dwell with them as a comforter until the end of the world: nor was it long after his ignominious death and glorious ascension to heaven, that they were brought to feel the truth of what he had so often told them. For, notwithstanding the purity of that religion that they professed, which taught them to live peaceably with all men, and to do unto others, as they would that others should do unto them; still, inasmuch as its sublime doctrines and precepts were directly at war with the natural propensities of the human heart, and set forth the one Living and True God as the only object of adoration, through Jesus |