440 A GENERAL EPISTLE
yea, and by others in great place, and by the judge himself, that they would take pity of themselves, their wives, and children ; yet would they not be induced and entreated by so many, and great ones, so to be affected with the love of this life as to forbear the confession of our Saviour, and to set light by the denial of him. Thus you see what little reckoning or account the Christians of old have made of their lives, liberties, and estates, or whatever efcse was near or dear unto them, when these things stood in competition with Christ, his truth, his worship, his ways, his interest, or with their profession of the Christian faith.
Take a few instances of a later date. John Huss being at the stake, a pardon was offered him if he would recant ; to which he answered, I am here ready to suffer death. So Jerome of Prague : If I had feared the fire, said he, I had not come hither. Francis Camba, a martyr, in the diocese of Milan, being much assailed by his friends, and terrified by his foes, by no means could be overcome ; but gave thanks to God that he was accounted worthy to suffer a cruel death for the testimony of his Son ; and such were his expressions of joy in his sufferings, that his persecutors caused his tongue to be bored through, that he might speak no more to the people. Another [Mrs Anne Askew] being offered the king's pardon if she would recant, gave this resolute answer : I came not here to deny my Lord and Master. By that which she with admirable courage and constancy endured, she verified that which of old Julitta spake concerning their sex, viz.. We women ought to be as constant as men in Christ's cause. Another [Walter Mill] who suffered martyrdom in Scotland, being solicited to recant, made this reply : Ye shall know that I will not recant the truth, for I am corn, I am no chaff; I will not be blown away with the wind, nor burst with the flail ; but I will abide both. Another, [Mr John Kogers,] being the first martyr in Queen Mary's days, being solicited to recant, that so he might save his life, boldly replied, That which I have preached I will seal with my blood. Another, [Hooper, bishop of Gloucester,] when a pardon was set before him in a box, cried out. If you love my soul, away with it ; if you love my soul, away with it. Another [Mr Thos. Hawks, a gentleman in Essex] on the like occasion, gave this resolute answer. If I had a hundred bodies I would suffer them all to be torn in pieces, rather than abjure or recant. So another [Bishop Kidley] spake to the like purpose. So long, said he, as the breath is in my body, I will never deny my Lord Christ and his known truth. Another [Father Latimer] used such a speech to one that advised him to spare himself, as Christ did to Peter on the like occasion, ' Get thee behind me, Satan.' There are a world of other instances of the like nature, but enough is as good as a feast. 1 By all these instances, you may see that blessed word verified, ' They loved not their lives unto the death,' Kev. xii. 11. They were willing to lay down their lives for the glory of Christ, and for the truth of Christ ; so that ovk rf^ainidav , ' They loved not,' is put for OL)\i'y6'ir7]aav, ' they neglected or contemned ' their life, as Brightman hath well observed.^ They slighted, yea, despised their lives, and rather exposed them to hazard and loss, than to deny Christ,
' Foxe and Clarke, as before. — G.
' Works, 1014; ' Eevelation of the Apocalypse.' — G.
TO ALL SUFFERING SAINTS. 441
or their holy profession. It is a paraphrase of the constancy of their faith, even unto martyrdom for the name of Christ. But,
10. Tenthly, Consider, That God puts a great deal of honour upon suffering saints. To suffer for Christ is honourable, Phil. i. 29. God will not put this honour upon every one, he puts this honour only upon those that are vessels of honour. By grace God makes men vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and then casts them into the fire to melt and suffer for his name, 2 Tim. ii. 20, 21 ; and a higher glory he cannot put upon them on this side glory. The crown of martyrdom is a crown that the blessed angels, those princes of glory, are not capable of winning or wearing ; and oh, who art thou ? and what art thou, 0 man, that God should set this crown upon thy head ? Mark at what a rate Peter speaks : 1 Pet. iv, 14, ' If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you : on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.' The very suffering condition of the people of God is at the present a glorious condition, ' for the Spirit of glory rests upon them ; ' and therefore they must needs be glorious, yea, very glorious, upon whom the Spirit of glory falls, and in whom the Spirit of glory dwells, Kom. viii. 9, 11. What a glorious mould and metal were the three children made up of, that were cast into the fiery furnace, Dan. iii. ; and what a deal of honour and glory did God put upon them in the eyes of all the world ! The apostles all along accounted their own sufferings, and the sufferings of the saints for Christ, to be the highest honour and glory that God could put upon them in this world, as will be evident by our comparing the scriptures in the margin together.i To suffer for Christ is the greatest honour and promotion that God gives in this world, said old Father Latimer ; and, therefore, when sentence was pronounced against him, he cried out, I thank God most heartily for this great honour. So Saunders, ' I am the unmeetest man for this high office that ever was appointed to it.' So Careless, the martyr, ' This is such an honour,' said he, ' as the greatest angel in heaven is not permitted to have.' God forgive me mine unthankfulness,^ &c. John Noyes took up a fagot at the fire, and kissed it, saying, ' Blessed be the time that ever I was born to come to this preferment.' So when they had fastened Alice Driver with a chain to the stake to be burnt, ' Never,' said she, ' did neckerchief becoiue me so well as this chain.' So Balilus,^ the martyr, when he was to die, requested this favour of his persecutors, viz., that he might have his chains buried with him as the ensigns of his honour. ' What are we, poor worms, full of vanities and lies,' said Calvin, ' that we should be called to be maintainers of the truth ; for sufferings for Christ are the ensigns of heavenly nobility.' To die for Christ is the greatest promotion that God can bring any in this vale of misery unto, said Mr Philpot, the martyr. A French soldier, for his zealous profession of the Eeformed religion, was condemned to the fire with others, only he should have the favour of going to the stake without a wyth ; but he desired that he might wear such a
1 Heb. xi. 36-38 ; 2 Cor. xi. 23-28 ; Heb. x. 23-26.
2 Acts arid Mon., 1361. Ibid., 1744.
^ Query, ' Babilas ' ? Bishop of Antioch : Clarke, 37. — G.
442 A GENERAL EPISTLE