536 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. Mr. Fox was a man of great humanity and uncommon liberality. Hewas a most laborious student, and remark- ably abstemious; and a most learned, pious, and judicious divine, and ever opposed to all methods of severity in matters ofreligion. But as he was a nonconformist, he was shamefully neglected. " Although the richest mitre in England," says Fuller, " would have counted itself pre- ferred by being placed upon his head, he contented himself with a prebend of Salisbury. And while proud persons stretched out their plumes in ostentation, he used their vanity for his shelter ; and was more pleased to have worth, than to have others take notice of it. And how learnedly he wrote, how constantly he preached, how piously he lived, and how cheerfully he died, may be seen at large in his life prefixed to his book.". And even Wood denomi- nates him a person of goodnatural endowments, a sagacious searcher into antiquity, incomparably charitable, and of an exemplary life and conversation, but a severe Calvinist, and a bitter enemy topopery.t This celebrated man, having spent his life in the most laborious study, and in promoting the cause of Christ and the interests of true religion, resigned his spirit to God, April 18, 1587, in the seventieth year of his age. His death was greatly lamented ; and his mortal part was interred in the chancel of St. Giles's church, Cripplegate, London; where, against the south wall, was a monumental inscription erected by his son,t of which the following is a translation : Inmemory of JOHN Fox, the most faithful Martyrologist of our English Church, a most diligent searcher into historical antiquities, a most strong bulwark and fighter for Evangelical Truth ; who hath revived the Marian Martyrs as so many Phcenixes, from the dust ofoblivion, is this monument erected, in grief and affection, by his eldest son SAMUEL Fox. He died April 18, An. Dom. 1587, in his seventieth year. men must perfume Smithfield with their ashes. it is, however, extremely surprising that Fuller attempts to palliate, and even to justify, the cruel barbarity exercised upon these unhappy men.-Strype's Annals, vol.ii. p. 380.-Brandes Hist. of Refor. vol. i. p. 315. Edit. 1720.-Fuller's Church Hist. b. ix. p. 105. Fuller's Abel Redivius, p. 381. Athena Oxon. vol. p. 186. Stow's Survey of London, h. iii. p. 83.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=