The Holy Scripture - english version B.indd - Sabbat

Interpretation of the Reformers.379my conscience more than anything I ever did or said in my whole life, andthat is the setting abroad of a writing contrary to the truth, which now hereI renounce and refuse, as things written with my hand contrary to the truthwhich I thought in my heart, and which was written for fear of death, andto save my life if it might be; and that is all such bills and papers which Ihave written or signed with my hand since my degradation, wherein I havewritten many things untrue. And forasmuch as my hand offended, writingcontrary to my heart, my hand shall first be punished therefore; for, may Icome to the fire, it shall first be burned; and as for the pope, I refusehim as Christ‘s enemy, and antichrist, with all his falsedoctrines.“On uttering this, Cranmer was pulled down from the stage and led to the fire.Having put off his outer garments, he stood there in a shirt which hung down tohis feet. His beard was long and thick, and covered his bosom. Then was an ironchain tied about him, and the fire set to the faggots. When these were kindled, andthe fire began to burn near him, stretching out his arm he put his right hand intothe flame, holding it there immovable. Thus did he stand, moving no more thanthe stake to which he was bound. His eyes were lifted to heaven, and often herepeated, „This hand has offended; oh, this unworthy right hand!“ At last, inthe greatness of the flame, he cried, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!“ and gaveup the ghost.„Antichrist, which now by the will of God does rage for the trial of our faith,does nothing else but procure us a ready horse to bring us to heaven.“ So saidthat holy man John Bradford; „brother Bradford,“ as Ridley called him. And hetoo was burned. When led to the stake, he took a faggot in his hand and kissed it,rejoicing to suffer death in the cause of Christ. Standing then by the stake, withboth hands uplifted, he cried, „O England, England! repent you of your sins;repent you of your sins; beware of idolatry; beware of the false antichrists,take heed they do not deceive you.“Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, and Bradford were burned for their testimonyagainst the Papal antichrist, just as Huss and Jerome and Cobham had been before.Thousands of martyrdoms have sealed this testimony, and on this testimony reststhe Reformation. To reject this testimony is to reject the foundation of thatwork; it is to reject the foundation of the noblest and divinest work which hasbeen wrought in this world since the day of Pentecost.Do not misunderstand me. I do not say that the teachings of Scripture prophecyform the sole foundation of the Reformation. The doctrinal and practical truthsof Scripture guided the action of the reformers as well as the prophetic. Theyopposed the Church of Rome, as condemned alike by the doctrines, the precepts,and the prophecies of the word of God. It might be difficult to say which of thethree weighed with them most. On each they were clear and emphatic. Thesethree elements cannot be separated in estimating the springs of the Reformation.From the first, and throughout, that movement was energised and guided bythe prophetic word. Luther never felt strong and free to war against the Papalapostasy till he recognised the pope as antichrist. It was then he burned the Papalbull. Knox‘s first sermon, the sermon which launched him on his mission as a