"We have had constant questions regarding the number of people who suffered under the Inquisition, so we give here some historical sources. Firstly, from John Dowling's The History of Romanism, Book 8, Ch. 1, pp. 542, 543, "From the birth of Popery in 600, to the present time, it is estimated by careful and credible historians, that more than FIFTY MILLION of the human family have been slaughtered for the crime of heresy by popish persecutors, an average of more than forty thousand religious murders for every year of the existence of Popery." The main credible historians on the Inquisition, besides Dowling himself are Lea, Vancandard, Maycock, Coulton, and Turberville. Secondly, Scott's Church History gives a few sets of numbers, with the qualification, "No computation can reach the numbers who have been put to death, in different ways, on account of their maintaining the profession of the Gospel, and opposing the corruption of the Church of Rome. A MILLION of poor Waldenses perished in France; NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND orthodox Christians were slain in less than thirty years after the institution of the order of the Jesuits. The Duke of Alva boasted of having put to death in the Netherlands, THIRTY-SIX THOUSAND by the hand of the common executioner during the space of a few years. The Inquisition destroyed, by various tortures, ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND within thirty years. These are a few specimens, and but a few, of those which history has recorded; but the total amount will never be known till the earth shall disclose her blood, and no more cover her slain." The torture chambers of the Inquisition lasted 605 years and were found throughout the nations controlled by Rome. They had their beginning under Pope Innocent III in 1203 until the Inquisition's final dissolution in Spain and Portugal in 1808."
"The Puritan Hard Dive has been such a superb blessing to me personally and for my ministry, that I lack words to adequately praise the Lord!" - Richard Bennett (former Roman Catholic priest who is now preaching Reformation truth), Berean Beacon
+ LEA, CHARLES HENRY A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages (1887, 4 volumes)
One of the perennial (and insurmountable) challenges for men like Scott Hahn, Gerry Matatics, and Karl Keating -- men who have devoted their lives and labors to the defense and promulgation of the Roman Catholic apostasy -- is dealing with their Church's history. The grim irony is that while these modern champions of Antichrist demand submission to the Holy Roman Church, contending that she alone has the witness of history and truth on her side, it is her very history indeed which removes forever any crumb of credibility to her claims of faithfulness and infallibility. Thus, it has always been one of the most powerful weapons in the arsenal of Christ's faithful witnesses simply to recount the true and undeniable history of the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth (Rev. 17:5). This tactic was used with devastating success by Luther, Calvin, and others, and is of equal necessity and efficacy in our day -- especially in light of the detestable neutrality and even outright returning to the ways of Rome on the part of so many "Protestant" and even "Reformed" and "Presbyterian" churches. Through this means it is hoped that God will wake up His people to the true nature of the ever-raging battle with the Dragon and his minions, and drive us to our knees to seek His face, His forgiveness, and His grace to stand against the darkness in our respective places and callings -- particularly teaching our children the mighty acts of God in delivering His people in times past from so great an evil, that they might be thankful and put their trust in Him (Ps. 78:1-8).
In his atrocious chronicle, Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism, Scott Hahn conveniently omits any mention of the volumes of embarrassing and self-refuting details of the Roman Church's true history, choosing instead to caricature the Reformers, pretend to scholarly acumen, and do the very thing he hypocritically accuses Lorraine Boettner of doing: presenting a lying portraiture of Rome. (See also the reference to Hahn in the book summary for William Whitaker's Disputation on Holy Scripture, another irrefutable resource for squelching his siren song of spiritual seduction: http://www.swrb.com/catalog/W.htm.) Therefore, we invite all seekers of truth to examine for themselves one ugly chapter in the annals of Rome's abominations: the inquisition of the Middle Ages. It is with gratitude to our merciful God and the earnest desire for His powerful blessing that we once again present to the public what was once a standard treatment on the subject, Henry Charles Lea's History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages.
Also hear "The Modern History and Tyranny of Roman Catholicism and the Vatican Vision Related To Past and Coming Inquisitions" by former Roman Catholic priest Richard Bennett, free in MP3 format at http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=71805213049
+ FOXE, JOHN Foxe's Book of Martyrs or Acts & Monuments (c. 1554, 8 volumes, 1843-49 edition)
This the only complete eight volume edition of Foxe's classic work in print, of which we are aware!A very rare set, now back in print after more than 150 years!
"No book ever inflicted a wound so deep and incurable on the Romish system of superstition and bloody persecution... (it) was placed in... all churches and chapels throughout the kingdom, by order of Queen Elizabeth." (Smith, Select Memoirs [$US19.99 P; $US29.00 HP], p. 245). The complete eight volume edition contains much information not found in any of the liberally edited and severely shortened versions of this classic work which are in print today -- in fact, most of the modern editions have left out over 6000 pages. Covering martyrs from the early church through to Foxe's day, it was one of the most influential books of the sixteenth century!
The testimony of the martyrs was extraordinary. Their impact was greatly increased through the industrious writing of John Foxe... Never before had such a work on such a scale appeared in English, certainly never at such a moment... Along with the Bible, Foxe's Book of Martyrs became a family book in many homes. Foxe's Acts and Monuments (the formal title of his extensive chronicle on the martyrs) was the principal practical means of turning England to Protestantism (Who are the Puritans?, pp. 35-36).
Broadening the scope of this testimony, the British Academy also notes,
The Acts and Monuments of the English Martyrswas second only to the English Bible as a formative influence on the language and culture of this country.
Most importantly, though, this book overflows with faith building testimony of the power of God to overcome the most cruel and barbarous acts of human depravity and demonic cruelty. 6890 pages.
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