fixed in the truth, they read the sentence of death upon them, which, when they heard, they joyfully gave thanks to God, and said: "We doubt not but God, the righteous Judge, will require our blood at your hands; and the proudest of you all shall repent this receiving again of Antichrist, and your tyranny that you now shew against the flock of Christ."

The doctor being condemned, was committed to the Clink, and the keepers were charged to keep him straitly; "for you have now another manner of charge," said the lord chancellor "than you have had before; therefore look you, take heed to it."

When the keeper brought him toward the prison, the people flocked about to gaze upon him; unto whom he said, "God be praised, good people, I am come away from them undefiled, and will confirm the truth with my blood."

He was confined in the Clink, till toward night, and then removed to the Compter, where he remained about a week, during which, he was repeatedly solicited to renounce the christian faith, but threats and menaces availed not; he was true and firm.

Here his family visited him, and received from him kind and christian counsel, and an earnest exhortation to remain steadfast unto Christ and his word.

Finding there was no hope of his recantation, he was ordered to repair to the place appointed for his death, which he did joyfully, as one going to a pleasant banquet.

He moved those about him to tears, in his earnest calling upon them to repent and turn to Christ; and excited their wonder by his constancy and steadfastness, and his readiness. to die.

Multitudes gathered about him, grieved to part with so good a man, but he neared the stake with holy triumph and saw the faggots kindled about him;-welcoming them as the instruments that should release his spirit from its mortal tenement, and transport it to those regions where nothing could harm him.

Thus rendered this man of God his soul into the hands of

his merciful Father and Saviour, whom he most intensely loved, faithfully and earnestly preached, obediently followed in life, and glorified in death.

CHAPTER XXXV.

Rawlins White.

PIETY IN HUMBLE LIFE; EFFORTS TO BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH SCRIPTURAL TRUTH; FIRMNESS UNTO DEATH IN THE GOOD CAUSE.

T WAS not those alone of eminent attainments in learning, and high position in the church of Christ, that had the fortitude to seal the truth with their blood. Many of humble abilities, in the lowly walks of life, exhibited quite as much firmness and constancy in the good cause as they.

Rawlins White was a poor fisherman, and for a long time. a partaker of the superstition and idolatry prevalent in the reign of Henry Eighth. But after God, in his mercy, had raised up the light of the gospel under the milder government of Edward Sixth, he began to dislike his former ways, and strongly desire a better and more enduring way.

He was altogether unlearned, and withal very simple, and he knew no way whereby he might satisfy his desires.

At length it came into his mind, to employ a special remedy to supply his necessity, which was this: He had a little boy, whom he resolved to send to school to learn to read English. He did so, and when he could read indifferently well, his father, every night, summer and winter, would seat him by his side and listen, while he read the Bible, or now and then some good book.

In this exercise the old man had such pleasure, and laid up such portions in his memory, that within a few years he was able to admonish and instruct others; and therefore when occasion served, he would go from one place to another, visiting those he had the most hope of profiting.

In this way he became a notable and open professor of the truth, and showed such correctness in rehearsing texts of Scripture, that it is said, men of riper and more profound knowledge, by their notes and other helps of memory, could scarcely compare with him.

After the death of Edward, he was obliged to be more quiet in his exhortations, and in some private place he would call his trusty friends together, and pass away the time in earnest prayer, and contemplation of heavenly truth, and thus was instrumental in the conversion of many, and doubtless would have been of many more, had not the cruel storm of persecution begun. He was at last so pursued by the enemies of christianity, that he was in hourly expectation of being forced to prison; whereupon, many, who had received comfort from his instructions, resorted unto him, earnestly persuading him to dispose of his goods for the use of his wife and children, and flee from the imminent danger which threatened him personally.

He thanked them heartily for their kind intentions, but stood unmoved by their persuasions, telling them plainly, that he had learned one good lesson touching the confession and denial of Christ;-that if he, upon their solicitation, should presume to deny Christ, Christ in the last day would deny and utterly condemn him; "and therefore, by His grace," said he, "I will confess and bear witness of Him before men, that I may find in Him everlasting life."

Notwithstanding this answer, his friends were still very importunate with him, but he adhered firmly to his purpose, till at last, he was taken by the officers of the town, as one suspected of heresy, and brought before the bishop, by whom, after many conflicts, he was committed to prison. He was afterward removed to a castle, where he was confined for the space of twelve months, and then taken out for further trial. While before the bishop, he endeavored by various means to reduce him to some conformity, but finding his threatening words and flattering promises ineffectual, he desired him to advise and determine with himself, either to recant his opinions, or else to suffer the rigor of the law, and

gave him a time to consider and decide. The day being come, the bishop, with his chaplains, went into the chapel, with a great number of the neighbors that had the curiosity to witness the proceedings.

When the bishop and his retinue were placed in order, the prisoner was brought before them, and, after a long discourse, declaring the cause for which he was sent, the bishop said, "If you will shew yourself penitent for that which you have done toward God and the law, we are ready to shew you favor; but, if by no means we can persuade you touching your reformation, we are determined upon administering the law." When he had made an end of speaking, Rawlins boldly replied, "My lord, I thank God, I am a christian man, and I hold no opinions contrary to the word of God; and, if I do, I desire to be reformed out of the word of God, as a christian man ought to be." Seeing that he would in no wise recant, plainly that he must proceed against him by the law, and condemn him as an heretic.

the bishop told him

"Proceed in your law," said Rawlins; "but, for an heretic you shall never condemn me, while the world stands."

"But," said the bishop, turning to his company, "before we proceed any further with him, let us pray to God that he would send some spark of grace upon him, and it may, perhaps, be that God, through our prayers, will here turn his heart."

When Rawlins heard this, he said, "Ah! my lord, now you deal well and like a godly bishop, and I thank you most heartily for your great charity and gentleness. Christ saith, 'where two or three are gathered together in my name, I will be in the midst of them;' and there is more than two or three of you. Now, if it be so that your request be godly and lawful, and that ye pray as ye should pray, without doubt, God will hear you. And, therefore, my lord, do you pray to your God, and I will pray to mine. I know that my God will both hear my prayer and perform my desire.”

The bishop with his company then prayed, during which time the man condemned by mortals found freedom of spirit in his converse with the Eternal.

As they arose, the bishop said, "Now, Rawlins, how is it with thee? Wilt thou revoke thy opinions or no?" "Surely, my lord," was the reply, " Rawlins you left me, Rawlins you find me, and, by the grace of God, Rawlins I will continue. If your petitions had been just and lawful, God would have heard them; but, you honor a false God, and pray not as you should pray, and, therefore, God has not granted your desire. But, I am a poor simple, as you see, and God has heard my complaint, and I trust he will strengthen me in his own cause.'

When the bishop perceived this hypocrisy of theirs took no effect, his indignation moved him to pass immediate sentence of condemnation; but, at the suggestion of his chaplain, it was thought best to say mass, thinking it possible a change might still be wrought in the feelings of the good

man.

But he interrupted them in the midst of it, saying, “Good people, if there be any brethren among you, or, at least, if there be but one brother; the same one bear witness at the day of judgment that I bow not to this idol."

His steadfastness remained such they dismissed all hopes of producing recantation, and committed him to prison, where he remained for some time.

About three weeks before he suffered, the head officers of the town, that had the charge of his execution, were determined to burn him, that they might be the sooner rid of him, although they had no writ to that effect, as the law required. This, however, was speedily obtained, and a guard was sent to conduct him to the stake.

As he beheld them, on their approach, he said, "What meaneth all this? By God's grace, I will not run away; with all my heart and mind, I give God most hearty thanks that he hath made me worthy to abide all this for his name's sake."

On his way he met his wife and children, the sight of whom so affected him the tears coursed down his cheeks; but, immediately striking upon his breast, he exclaimed, “Ah! flesh, hinderest thou me so? Wouldst thou fain prevail?