1. Give God what's right -- not what's left.
2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end -- God's way leads to an endless hope.
3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.
5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma--but never let him be the period.
6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.
7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.
8. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.
9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.
10. We don't change God's message -- His message changes us.
11. The church is prayer-conditioned.
12. When God ordains, He sustains.
13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.
14. Plan ahead -- It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.
16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.
17. Exercise daily -- walk with the Lord.
18. Never give the devil a ride -- he will always want to drive.
19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.
20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
21. He who angers you controls you.
22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.
23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.
24. Be ye fishers of men -- you catch them & He'll clean them.
25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
26. Read the Bible -- It will scare the hell out of you.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
HUGH LATIMER: BISHOP AND MARTYR
THE name of Bishop Latimer is well known to all readers of English Church history. There are, probably, few who have not read that more than three hundred years ago there was such a Queen of England as "Bloody Mary,"---and that men were burnt alive in her reign because they would not give up Protestantism,---and that one of these men was Bishop Latimer.
But English Churchmen ought to know these things better in the present day. They ought to become thoroughly familiar with the lives, the acts, and the opinions of the leading English Reformers. Their names ought to be something better than hackneyed ornaments to point a platform speech. Their principles ought no longer to be vague, hazy shadows "looming in the distance," but something clear, distinct, and well-defined before our mind's eyes. My desire is, that men may understand that the best interests of this country are bound up with Protestantism. My wish is, that men may write on their hearts that the well-being of England depends not on commerce, or clever politicians, or steam, or armies, or navies, or gold, or iron, or coal, or corn, but on the maintenance of the principles of the English Reformation.
The times we live in call loudly for the diffusion of knowledge about English Church history. Opinions are boldly broached now-a-days of so startling a nature, that they make a man rub his eyes, and say, "Where am I?" A state of feeling is growing up among us about Romanism and Protestantism, which, to say the least, is most unhealthy. It has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished. Nothing is so likely to check this state of feeling as the production of a few plain facts. If you want to convince a Scotchman, they say you must give him a long argument. If you want to convince an Englishman, you must give him plain facts. Facts are the principal commodity I have brought together in this biographical paper. If any one expects to find in these pages private speculation, or oratorical display, I am afraid he will be disappointed; but if any one likes plain facts, I think I shall be able to supply him with a few.
Does any reader doubt who is a true member of the Church of England? Are you perplexed by the rise and progress of what are foolishly called "Church views "? Come with me to-day, and pay a visit to one of the Fathers of the English Church. Let us put into the witness box one of the most honest and out-spoken bishops of the days of the English Reformation. Let us examine the life and opinions of good old Latimer.
Does any reader doubt what is the true character of the Church of Rome? Are you bewildered by some of those plausible gentlemen who tell you there is no fundamental difference between the Anglican and Romish Churches? Are you puzzled by that intense yearning after so-called "Catholic" principles, which distinguishes some misguided Churchmen, and which exhibits itself in "Catholic" teaching, "Catholic" ceremonies, "Catholic" books of devotion, and "Catholic" architecture? Come with me to-day, and turn over a few old pages in English history. Let us see what England actually was when Romish teachers instructed the English people, and had things all their own way. Let us see what the Church of Rome does when she has complete power. Let us see how she treats the friends of an open Bible, of private judgment, and of justification by faith. Let us see how the Church of Rome dealt with Bishop Latimer.
But English Churchmen ought to know these things better in the present day. They ought to become thoroughly familiar with the lives, the acts, and the opinions of the leading English Reformers. Their names ought to be something better than hackneyed ornaments to point a platform speech. Their principles ought no longer to be vague, hazy shadows "looming in the distance," but something clear, distinct, and well-defined before our mind's eyes. My desire is, that men may understand that the best interests of this country are bound up with Protestantism. My wish is, that men may write on their hearts that the well-being of England depends not on commerce, or clever politicians, or steam, or armies, or navies, or gold, or iron, or coal, or corn, but on the maintenance of the principles of the English Reformation.
The times we live in call loudly for the diffusion of knowledge about English Church history. Opinions are boldly broached now-a-days of so startling a nature, that they make a man rub his eyes, and say, "Where am I?" A state of feeling is growing up among us about Romanism and Protestantism, which, to say the least, is most unhealthy. It has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished. Nothing is so likely to check this state of feeling as the production of a few plain facts. If you want to convince a Scotchman, they say you must give him a long argument. If you want to convince an Englishman, you must give him plain facts. Facts are the principal commodity I have brought together in this biographical paper. If any one expects to find in these pages private speculation, or oratorical display, I am afraid he will be disappointed; but if any one likes plain facts, I think I shall be able to supply him with a few.
Does any reader doubt who is a true member of the Church of England? Are you perplexed by the rise and progress of what are foolishly called "Church views "? Come with me to-day, and pay a visit to one of the Fathers of the English Church. Let us put into the witness box one of the most honest and out-spoken bishops of the days of the English Reformation. Let us examine the life and opinions of good old Latimer.
Does any reader doubt what is the true character of the Church of Rome? Are you bewildered by some of those plausible gentlemen who tell you there is no fundamental difference between the Anglican and Romish Churches? Are you puzzled by that intense yearning after so-called "Catholic" principles, which distinguishes some misguided Churchmen, and which exhibits itself in "Catholic" teaching, "Catholic" ceremonies, "Catholic" books of devotion, and "Catholic" architecture? Come with me to-day, and turn over a few old pages in English history. Let us see what England actually was when Romish teachers instructed the English people, and had things all their own way. Let us see what the Church of Rome does when she has complete power. Let us see how she treats the friends of an open Bible, of private judgment, and of justification by faith. Let us see how the Church of Rome dealt with Bishop Latimer.
ROWLAND TAYLOR: MARTYR
ROWLAND TAYLOR, Rector of Hadleigh, in Suffolk, one of the famous Protestant martyrs in Queen Mary's days, is a man about whom the Church possesses singularly little information. Excepting the facts related by John Fox in the "Book of Martyrs," we know scarcely anything about him. Enough, however, is on record to show that among the noble champions of Christ's truth, who sealed their faith with their blood at the time of the English Reformation, Rowland Taylor was second to none.
The causes of this absence of information are easily explained. For one thing, the good man lived, and laboured, and died, in a small country town, fifty miles from London. Such a position is fatal to a world-wide celebrity. It is the dwellers in large cities, and the occupiers of metropolitan pulpits, whose doings are chronicled by admirers, and whose lives are carefully handed down to posterity. For another thing, he wrote no books, either expository, or controversial, or practical. Not even a single sermon of the martyred Rector of Hadleigh exists in print, and enables him though dead, to speak. When he died, he left nothing behind him to keep his memory alive in libraries. These two facts must not be forgotten.
The account of Taylor, which Fox has supplied, is so peculiarly graphic and vivid, that one might almost suppose that the Martyrologist was a personal friend of the martyr, or an eye-witness of his sufferings. Of this, however, I can find no evidence. Yet it is worthy of notice, that Fox, after Queen Elizabeth came to the throne, resided for a considerable time with Parkhurst, Bishop of Norwich, in whose diocese Hadleigh was then situated. He also seems to have had friends and acquaintances at Ipswich, which is only ten miles from Hadleigh. It is therefore highly probable that he had frequent opportunities of visiting Taylor's parish, and very likely received much information from people who were actually present when the noble martyr was burned, and could supply full and accurate accounts both of his ministry and his sufferings. To condense and modernize Fox's narrative, and to present it to my readers in a convenient form, is the simple object of these pages.
Rowland Taylor, according to Strype, was born at Rothbury, in Northumberland; the same county, it may be remembered, from which Bishop Ridley came. The date of his birth, the rank or position of his family, his early history, and the place of his education, are all things about which nothing whatever is known. We only gather from various sources, that in due time he became a student at Cambridge, and there imbibed the principles of the Protestant Reformation. Among other means by which he was influenced at this important crisis of his life, the sermons of Bishop Latimer are especially named. The first distinct fact in his life that we know is his intimacy with Archbishop Cranmer. In that great man's household he seems to have occupied some orifice, and to have worked with him in carrying forward the mighty building of the English Reformation. How long he lived with Cranmer, we have, unfortunately, no means of finding out. But there is strong internal evidence that he was so long and so intimately connected with him, that he became a marked man among the English Reformers. Upon no other supposition can we explain the peculiar enmity with which he was sought out and persecuted to death in Queen Mary's reign. The old parson of Hadleigh must surely have obtained an honourable reputation in London, in the days of Edward VI.
Hadleigh, in Suffolk, was the first and only piece of preferment which we know of Rowland Taylor holding. To this he was appointed by his friend Archbishop Cranmer, but at what date we have no means of ascertaining. One thing only is quite certain: as soon as he was appointed to Hadleigh, he resigned all his offices in London, and devoted himself entirely to the work of his parish.
Hadleigh is a small town on the south-west border of Suffolk, containing, at this time (1550?) about 4,000 people. The character of the place in the days of Edward VI., and the nature of Rowland Taylor's ministry, are so well and graphically described by Fox in "Acts and Monuments," that I cannot do better than quote his words:--
"The town of Hadleigh was one of the first that received the Word of God in all England, at the preaching of Master Thomas Bilney, by whose industry the Gospel of Christ had such gracious success, and took such root there, that a great number in that parish became exceeding well learned in the Holy Scripture, as well women as men; so that a man might have found among them many that had often read the whole Bible through, and that could have said a great part of St. Paul's Epistles by heart, and very well and readily have given a godly learned sentence in any matter of controversy.
"Their children and servants were also brought up and trained diligently in the right knowledge of God's Word, so that the whole town seemed rather an university of the learned, than a town of cloth-making or labouring people; and what most is to be commended, they were for the most part followers of God's Word in their living.
"In this town of Hadleigh, Dr. Taylor was a good shepherd, abiding and dwelling among his sheep. He gave himself wholly to the study of Holy Scripture, most faithfully endeavouring himself to fulfil that charge which the Lord gave unto Peter, saying, 'Peter, lovest thou Me? Feed my lambs;' 'Feed my sheep;' ' Feed my sheep.' This love of Christ so wrought in him, that no Sunday nor holy day passed, nor other time, when he might get the people together, but he preached to them the Word of God, the doctrine of their salvation.
"Not only was his word a preaching unto them, but all his life and conversation was an example of unfeigned Christian life and true holiness. He was void of all pride, humble and meek as any child; so that none were so poor but they might boldly, as unto their father, resort unto him. Neither was his lowliness childish or fearful; but as occasion, time, and place required, he would be stout in rebuking the sinful and evil doers: so that none was so rich but he would tell him plainly his fault, with such earnest and grave rebukes as became a good curate and pastor. He was a man very mild, void of all rancour, grudge, or evil will, ready to do good to all men, readily forgiving his enemies, and never sought to do evil to any.
"To the poor that were blind, sick, lame, bedridden, or that had many children, he was a very father, a careful patron, a diligent provider, insomuch that he caused the parishioners to make a general provision for them; and he himself (beside the continual relief that they always found at his house) gave an honest portion yearly to the common alms box.
"His wife, also, was an honest, discreet, and sober matron; and his children well nurtured, brought up in the fear of God and good learning.
"To conclude, he was a right and lively image or pattern of all those virtuous qualities described by St. Paul in a true bishop,--a good salt of the earth, savourly, biting the corrupt manners of evil men; a light in God's house set upon a candlestick, for all good men to imitate and follow."
How long Taylor's ministry lasted at Hadleigh we do not exactly know. Fox only says that he continued there "all the days of the most innocent and holy King of blessed memory, King Edward VI." We may, however, safely conclude that he was there more than ten years. When he was put in prison in Queen Mary's days, he was the father of nine children; and as it is not probable that he would marry until he left Cranmer's household and had a home of his own, it seems likely that his children were all born at Hadleigh. All this, however, is only matter of conjecture. Enough for us to know that he was evidently Rector of Hadleigh long enough to be loved and honoured by the mass of his parishioners.
Rowland Taylor's quiet days at Hadleigh were soon brought to an end when Queen Mary came to the throne. A man of his eminence and high reputation as a Protestant was sure to be marked for destruction by the Popish party, and an excuse was soon found for putting him in prison.
In the best worked parishes, and under the most faithful preaching of the Gospel, there will always be found many who hate vital religion, and remain hardened, impenitent, and unbelieving. It was so in the days of the Apostles. It is so at the present time, in our own parishes. It was so at Hadleigh, when Rowland Taylor was Rector. There were men who hated him, because his doctrine condemned their own lives and opinions; and as soon as they had an opportunity of doing him an injury, they eagerly seized it. Two of these men, named Foster and Clerke, conspired to bring the worthy Rector into collision with the higher powers, by hiring one John Avreth, Rector of Aldham, to come to Hadleigh church and celebrate the Popish Mass. The result answered their expectations. Rowland Taylor, with righteous indignation, rushed into the church as the Mass was about to begin, and protested warmly against the whole proceeding, as illegal and idolatrous. Then followed an unseemly altercation,--the forcible expulsion of the Rector of Hadleigh from his own church,--great excitement among the faithful parishioners,--throwing of stones into the church, and a general ferment among the people. All this was duly reported to Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor of England; and the upshot of the affair, as the malignants had foreseen, was a summons from Gardiner to Dr. Taylor, to appear before him in London without delay. This summons the gallant Reformer promptly obeyed, and left Hadleigh, never to return till the day of his death. When the summons arrived, Rowland Taylor's many friends tried in vain to persuade him to fly to the Continent to save his life, as many other faithful Protestants had done. But they had no more effect on the good old man than Paul's friends had on the Apostle, when they entreated him not to go up to Jerusalem. This was his reply: "What will ye have me to do? I am now old, and have already lived too long to see these terrible and most wicked days. Fly you, and do as your conscience leadeth you. I am fully determined, with God's grace, to go to this Bishop, and to tell him to his beard that he cloth naught. God shall well hereafter raise up teachers of His people, which shall with much more diligence and fruit teach them than I have done. For God will not forsake His Church, though now for a time He trieth and correcteth us, and not without just cause. "As for me, I believe before God I shall never be able to do God so good a service as I may do now, nor shall I ever have so glorious a calling as I have now, nor so great mercy of God proffered me, as is now at this present. For what Christian man would not gladly die against the Pope and his adherents? I know that the Papacy is the kingdom of Antichrist, altogether full of falsehoods; so that all their doctrine is nothing but idolatry, superstition, error, hypocrisy, and lies.
"Wherefore I beseech you and all my other friends to pray for me, and to doubt not but God will give me strength and His Holy Spirit, that all mine adversaries shall have shame of their doings."
Armed with this frame of mind, Rowland Taylor went voluntarily to London, and most manfully kept his word. The opening of his first interview with Gardiner is thus described by Fox:
"Now when Gardiner saw Dr. Taylor, according to his common custom, he reviled him, calling him knave, traitor, heretic, with many other villainous reproaches. All this Dr. Taylor heard patiently, and at last said, 'My lord, I am neither traitor nor heretic, but a true subject, and a faithful Christian man; and I am come according to your commandment, to know what is the cause why your lordship hath sent for me.'
"Then said the Bishop, 'Art thou come thus, villain? How darest thou look at me in the face for shame? Knowest thou not who I am?'
"' Yes!' said Dr. Taylor, ' I know who you are: you are Dr. Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor, and yet but a mortal man. If I should be afraid of your lordly looks, why fear you not God, the Lord of us all? How dare you for shame look any Christian man in the face, seeing you have forsaken the truth, denied our Saviour Christ and His Word, and done contrary to your oath-taking? With what countenance will you appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, and answer to your oath made first to King Henry viii., and afterward unto King Edward VI., his son?'"
The interview, which began in this extraordinary manner, terminated as might have been expected. After several sharp arguments and wrangles, in which the Suffolk Rector showed himself more than a match for the Bishop of Winchester, Taylor was committed to the King's Bench prison. On hearing his committal, he kneeled down, and holding up both his hands, said "Good Lord, I thank Thee. From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable errors, idolatries, and abominations, good Lord, deliver us. And God be praised for good King Edward."
Rowland Taylor lay in prison two years, and spent most of his time in prayer, reading the Scriptures, and writing. He had also opportunities of exhorting and addressing the prisoners. How much he saw of the other Reformers who were in prison at the same time, is not quite clear. It is certain, however, that he was very often in company of the famous John Bradford, and told his friends that God had sent him to a prison, where he "found an angel of God to comfort him." It is also highly probable that he had occasional interviews with the illustrious Reformers, Hooper, Rogers, Ferrar, and Saunders, who all, like himself, were finally burned at the stake.
The end of Rowland Taylor's weary imprisonment came at last. On the 22nd of January, 1555, he was brought before the Lord Chancellor, Bishop Gardiner, and other Commissioners, and subjected to a lengthy examination. To go into the details of all that was said on this occasion would be wearisome and unprofitable. The whole affair was conducted with the same gross unfairness and partiality which characterized all the proceedings against the English Reformers, and the result, as a matter of course, was the good man's condemnation. To use his own words, in a letter to a friend, he was pronounced a heretic because he defended the marriage of priests, and denied the doctrine of transubstantiation, Never let it be forgotten in these days, that the denial of any corporal presence of Christ's Body and Blood in the elements of bread and wine at the Lord's Supper, was the turning-point which decided the fate of our martyred Reformers. If they gave way on that point they might have lived. Because they would not admit any corporal presence they died. These things are recorded for our learning.
On the last day of January, 1555, Taylor, together with Brad, ford, and Saunders, was called to appear before the Bishops o| Winchester, Norwich, London, Salisbury, and Durham. They were all three charged with heresy, and schism, and required to answer determinately whether they would submit themselves to the Bishop of Rome, and abjure their errors. On their refusal they were condemned to death. " For this," says Fox, "they gave God thanks, and stoutly said unto the Bishops, '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 ye now show against the flock of Christ.'" On the evening of this day, Taylor was sent to the Compter prison, and parted from his brethren.
On the 4th of February, Bonner, Bishop of London, came to the Compter prison, and formally degraded Taylor from the office of priest, with many absurd ceremonies, of which Fox supplies a ludicrous description. The night after his degradation, his wife and his son Thomas were permitted to visit and sup with him, and after supper they parted, with much affection and many team. The next day, the fifth of February, he set out on his journey to Hadleigh, in order that he might be burned in the presence of his parishioners. The circumstances of his departure from London are so touchingly described by Fox, that I think it best to let the old historian speak for himself.
"On the next morrow after that Dr. Taylor had supped with his wife in the Compter prison, which was the 5th day of February, the Sheriff of London, with his officers came to the Compter by two o'clock in the morning, and so brought forth Dr. Taylor; and without any light led him to the Woolsack, an inn without Aldgate. Dr. Taylor's wife, suspecting that her husband should that night be carried away, watched all night in St. Botolph's Church porch, beside Aldgate, having with her two children, the one named Elizabeth, of thirteen years of age, whom, being left without father or mother, Dr. Taylor had brought up of alms from three years old; the other named Mary, Dr. Taylor's own daughter.
"Now when the Sheriff and his company came against St. Botolph's Church, Elizabeth cried, saying, 'O my dear father! Mother, mother: here is my father led away!' Then cried his wife, 'Rowland, Rowland: where art thou?' for it was a very dark morning, that the one could not see the other. Dr. Taylor answered, ' Dear wife, I am here,' and stayed. The Sheriff's men would have led him forth, but the Sheriff said, 'Stay a little, masters, I pray you, and let him speak to his wife;' and so they stayed.
"Then came she to him, and he took his daughter Mary in his arms, and he, his wife, and Elizabeth kneeled down and said the Lord's prayer. At which sight the Sheriff wept apace, and so did divers others of the company. After they had prayed, he rose up and kissed his wife, and shook her by the hand, and said, ' Farewell, my dear wife: be of good comfort, for I am quiet in my conscience. God shall raise up a father for my children.' And then he kissed his daughter Mary, and said, ' God bless thee, and make thee His servant;' and, kissing Elizabeth, he said, 'God bless thee. I pray you all stand strong and steadfast to Christ and His Word, and keep you from idolatry.' Then said his wife, ' God be with thee, dear Rowland: I will, with God's grace, meet thee at Hadleigh.
"And so was he led forth to the Woolsack, and his wife followed him. As soon as they came to the Woolsack, he was put into a chamber, wherein he was kept, with four yeomen of the guard and the Sheriff's men. Dr. Taylor, as soon as he was come into the chamber, fell down on his knees, and gave himself wholly to prayer. The Sheriff then, seeing Dr. Taylor's wife there, would in no case grant her to speak any more with her husband; but gently desired her to go to his house, and take it as her own, and promised her she should lack nothing, and sent two officers to conduct her thither. Notwithstanding, she desired to go to her mother's, whither the officers led her, and charged her mother to keep her there till they came again."
Rowland Taylor's journey from London to Hadleigh is minutely described by Fox. He travelled on horseback, according to the custom of those days, and stopped at Brentwood, Chelmsford, and Lavenham. "All the way he was joyful and merry, as one that accounted himself going to a most pleasant banquet or bridal." But we must content ourselves with the account of the closing scene in the worthy martyr's history, which shall he given in Fox's own words:--
"On the 9th February, 1555 (the same day that Bishop Hooper was burnt at Gloucester), the Sheriff and his company led Dr. Taylor towards Hadleigh; and coming within two miles of Hadleigh, he desired for somewhat to light off his horse; which done, he leaped, and set a frisk, or twain, as men commonly do in dancing. ' Why, master Doctor,' quoth the Sheriff, "how do you now?' He answered, 'Well, God be praised, good master Sheriff, never better; for now I know I am almost at home. I lack not past two stiles to go over, and I am at even at my Father's house. But, master Sheriff,' said he, 'shall we not go through Hadleigh?' 'Yes,' said the Sheriff, 'you shall go through Hadleigh.' Then said he, ' O good Lord, I thank Thee! I shall yet once ere I die, see my flock whom Thou, Lord, knowest I have most heartily loved and most truly taught. Good Lord, bless them, and keep them steadfast in Thy Word and truth.'
"When they were now come to Hadleigh, and came riding over the bridge, at the bridge foot waited a poor man with five small children, who, when he saw Dr. Taylor, he and his children fell down upon their knees and held up their hands, and cried with a loud voice, and said, '0 dear father and good shepherd, Dr. Taylor, God help and succour thee, as thou hast many a time succoured me and my poor children.' Such witness had this servant of God of his virtuous and charitable alms-giving in his lifetime; for God would now the poor should testify of his good deeds to his singular comfort, to the example of others, and confusion of his persecutors and tyrannous adversaries. For the Sheriff and others that led him to death were wonderfully astonished at this, and the Sheriff sore rebuked the poor man for so crying, The streets of Hadleigh were beset on both sides the way with men and women of the town and country who waited to see him, whom, when they beheld so led to death, with weeping eyes and lamentable voices they cried, saying one to another, 'All, good Lord, there goeth our good shepherd from us, that so faithfully hath taught us, so fatherly hath cared for us, and so godly hath governed us. O merciful God! What shall we poor scattered lambs do? What shall come of this most wicked world? Good Lord, strengthen him and comfort him,' with such other most lamentable and piteous voices. Wherefore the people were sore rebuked by the Sheriff and the catchpoles, his men, that led him. And Dr. Taylor evermore said to the people, I have preached to you God's Word and truth, and am come this day to seal it with my blood.'
"Coming against the almshouses, which he well knew, he cast to the good people money which remained of that which good people had given him in time of his imprisonment. As for his living, they took it from him at his first going to prison, so that he was sustained all the time of his imprisonment by the charitable alms of good people that visited him. Therefore the money that now remained he put in a glove ready for the same purpose, and, as is said, gave it to the poor almsmen standing at their door to see him. And coming to the last of the almshouses, and not seeing the poor that there dwelt ready at their doors as the others were, the asked, ' Is the blind man and blind woman that dwelt here alive?' It was answered, 'Yea, they are within.' Then threw he glove and all in at the window, and so rode forth.
"At the last, coming to Aldham Common, the place assigned where he should suffer, and seeing a great multitude of people gathered thither, he asked, ' What place is this, and what meaneth it that so much people are gathered hither?' It was answered, ' It is Aldham Common, the place where you must suffer, and the people are come to look upon you.' Then he said, 'Thanked be God, I am even at home;' and so alighted from his horse, and rent the hood from his head.
"Now was his head knotted ill-favouredly, and clipped much as a man would clip a fool's head; which cost the good Bishop Bonner had bestowed upon him when he degraded him. But when the people saw his reverend and ancient face, with a long white beard, they burst out with weeping tears, and cried, saying, ' God save thee, good Dr. Taylor! Jesus Christ strengthen thee; the Holy Ghost comfort thee,' with such other like godly wishes. Then would he have spoken to the people, but the yeomen of the guard were so busy about him, that as soon as he opened his mouth, one or other thrust a tipstaff into his mouth, and would in no wise permit him to speak.
"Dr. Taylor, perceiving that he could not be permitted to speak, sat down, and seeing one named Soyce, he called him, and said, ' Soyce, I pray thee come and pull off my boots, and take them for thy labour. Thou hast long looked for them, now take them.' Then rose he up, and put off his clothes unto his shirt, and gave them away; which done, he said with a loud voice, ' Good people, I have taught you nothing but God's Holy Word, and those lessons that I have taken out of God's blessed Book,--the Holy Bible; and I am come hither this day to seal it with my blood.' With that Word, a certain yeoman of the guard, who had used Dr. Taylor very cruelly all the way, gave him a great stroke upon the head with a waster, and said, 'Is that the keeping of thy promise, thou heretic? Then he, seeing they would not permit him to speak, kneeled down and prayed, and a poor woman that was among the people stepped in and prayed with him, but they thrust her away, and threatened to tread her down with horses; notwithstanding, she would not remove, but abode and prayed with him. When he had prayed, he went to the stake and kissed it, and set himself into a pitch-barrel, which they had set for him to stand in, and so stood with his back upright against the stake, with his hands folded together, and his eyes toward heaven, and so he continually prayed.'"
After some painful delay, and some miserable insults from the Popish helpers, who were assisting, the fire was lighted. Then says Fox, "Dr. Taylor, holding up both his hands, called upon God, and said, 'Merciful Father of heaven, for Jesus Christ my Saviour's sake, receive my soul into Thy hands.' So stood he still, without either crying or moving, until one struck him on the head with a halbert, so that his brains fell out, and the dead corpse fell down in the fire.
Thus died one of the best and bravest of the English martyrs. An old rude stone still marks the spot where he was burned, in the midst of an enclosed field, which once formed part of Aldham Common. It bears the following quaint but pithy inscription:--
1555.
"Dr. Taylor, in defending that
which was good,
at this place left his blood."
In the year 1819 another and more pretentious monument was erected on the same spot, with a long poetical inscription written by the Rector of Hadleigh. But the martyr's history is still remembered in the parish, without the aid of stones and monuments. " Being dead, he yet speaketh."
Taylor's last parting wishes to his wife and family and parishioners were written in a book which he gave his son as a parting legacy, only five days before his martyrdom. They can hardly fail to interest the reader.
"I say to my wife and to my children, The Lord gave you unto me, and the Lord hath taken me from you and you from me: blessed be the name of the Lord! I believe that they are blessed which die in the Lord. God careth for sparrows, and for the hairs of our heads. I have ever found Him more faithful and favourable than is any father or husband. Trust ye, therefore, in Him by the means of our dear Saviour Christ's merits. Believe, love, fear, and obey Him: pray to Him, for He hath promised to help. Count me not dead, for I shall certainly live and never die. I go before, and you shall follow after, to our long home. I go to the rest of my children,---Susan, George, Ellen, Robert, and Zachary. I have bequeathed you to the only Omnipotent.
"I say to my dear friends of Hadleigh, and to all others which have heard me preach, that I depart hence with a quiet conscience as touching my doctrine, for the which I pray you thank God with me. For I have, after my little talent, declared to others those lessons that I gathered out of God's Book, the blessed Bible. 'Therefore, if I, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any other Gospel than that ye have received,' God's great curse be upon that preacher!
"Beware, for God's sake, that ye deny not God, neither decline from the word of faith, lest God decline from you, and so do ye everlastingly perish. For God's sake beware of Popery, for though it appear to have in it unity, yet the same is vanity and anti-Christianity, and not in Christ's faith and verity.
"Beware of the sin against the Holy Ghost, now after such a light opened so plainly and simply, truly, thoroughly and generally to all England.
"The Lord grant all men His good and Holy Spirit, increase of His wisdom, contemning the wicked world, hearty desire to be with God, and the heavenly company; through Jesus Christ, our only Mediator, Advocate, Righteousness, Life, Sanctification, and Hope. Amen. Amen. Pray. Pray.
"Rowland Taylor, departing hence in sure hope, without all doubting of eternal salvation. I thank God, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, my certain Saviour. Amen. 5th of February, anno 1555.
"The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom then shall I fear? God is He that justifieth: who is he that can condemn?' In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted: let me never be confounded."
Does any one wish to know whether the Church of Rome is infallible? Let him carefully study the history of such martyrdoms as that of Rowland Taylor. Of all the stupid and suicidal mistakes that the Romish Church ever made, none was greater than the mistake of burning the Reformers. It cemented the work of the Reformation, and made Englishmen Protestants by thousands. When plain Englishmen saw the Church of Rome so cruelly wicked and Protestants so brave, they ceased to doubt on which side was the truth. May the memory of our martyred Reformers never be forgotten in England until the Lord comes!
The causes of this absence of information are easily explained. For one thing, the good man lived, and laboured, and died, in a small country town, fifty miles from London. Such a position is fatal to a world-wide celebrity. It is the dwellers in large cities, and the occupiers of metropolitan pulpits, whose doings are chronicled by admirers, and whose lives are carefully handed down to posterity. For another thing, he wrote no books, either expository, or controversial, or practical. Not even a single sermon of the martyred Rector of Hadleigh exists in print, and enables him though dead, to speak. When he died, he left nothing behind him to keep his memory alive in libraries. These two facts must not be forgotten.
The account of Taylor, which Fox has supplied, is so peculiarly graphic and vivid, that one might almost suppose that the Martyrologist was a personal friend of the martyr, or an eye-witness of his sufferings. Of this, however, I can find no evidence. Yet it is worthy of notice, that Fox, after Queen Elizabeth came to the throne, resided for a considerable time with Parkhurst, Bishop of Norwich, in whose diocese Hadleigh was then situated. He also seems to have had friends and acquaintances at Ipswich, which is only ten miles from Hadleigh. It is therefore highly probable that he had frequent opportunities of visiting Taylor's parish, and very likely received much information from people who were actually present when the noble martyr was burned, and could supply full and accurate accounts both of his ministry and his sufferings. To condense and modernize Fox's narrative, and to present it to my readers in a convenient form, is the simple object of these pages.
Rowland Taylor, according to Strype, was born at Rothbury, in Northumberland; the same county, it may be remembered, from which Bishop Ridley came. The date of his birth, the rank or position of his family, his early history, and the place of his education, are all things about which nothing whatever is known. We only gather from various sources, that in due time he became a student at Cambridge, and there imbibed the principles of the Protestant Reformation. Among other means by which he was influenced at this important crisis of his life, the sermons of Bishop Latimer are especially named. The first distinct fact in his life that we know is his intimacy with Archbishop Cranmer. In that great man's household he seems to have occupied some orifice, and to have worked with him in carrying forward the mighty building of the English Reformation. How long he lived with Cranmer, we have, unfortunately, no means of finding out. But there is strong internal evidence that he was so long and so intimately connected with him, that he became a marked man among the English Reformers. Upon no other supposition can we explain the peculiar enmity with which he was sought out and persecuted to death in Queen Mary's reign. The old parson of Hadleigh must surely have obtained an honourable reputation in London, in the days of Edward VI.
Hadleigh, in Suffolk, was the first and only piece of preferment which we know of Rowland Taylor holding. To this he was appointed by his friend Archbishop Cranmer, but at what date we have no means of ascertaining. One thing only is quite certain: as soon as he was appointed to Hadleigh, he resigned all his offices in London, and devoted himself entirely to the work of his parish.
Hadleigh is a small town on the south-west border of Suffolk, containing, at this time (1550?) about 4,000 people. The character of the place in the days of Edward VI., and the nature of Rowland Taylor's ministry, are so well and graphically described by Fox in "Acts and Monuments," that I cannot do better than quote his words:--
"The town of Hadleigh was one of the first that received the Word of God in all England, at the preaching of Master Thomas Bilney, by whose industry the Gospel of Christ had such gracious success, and took such root there, that a great number in that parish became exceeding well learned in the Holy Scripture, as well women as men; so that a man might have found among them many that had often read the whole Bible through, and that could have said a great part of St. Paul's Epistles by heart, and very well and readily have given a godly learned sentence in any matter of controversy.
"Their children and servants were also brought up and trained diligently in the right knowledge of God's Word, so that the whole town seemed rather an university of the learned, than a town of cloth-making or labouring people; and what most is to be commended, they were for the most part followers of God's Word in their living.
"In this town of Hadleigh, Dr. Taylor was a good shepherd, abiding and dwelling among his sheep. He gave himself wholly to the study of Holy Scripture, most faithfully endeavouring himself to fulfil that charge which the Lord gave unto Peter, saying, 'Peter, lovest thou Me? Feed my lambs;' 'Feed my sheep;' ' Feed my sheep.' This love of Christ so wrought in him, that no Sunday nor holy day passed, nor other time, when he might get the people together, but he preached to them the Word of God, the doctrine of their salvation.
"Not only was his word a preaching unto them, but all his life and conversation was an example of unfeigned Christian life and true holiness. He was void of all pride, humble and meek as any child; so that none were so poor but they might boldly, as unto their father, resort unto him. Neither was his lowliness childish or fearful; but as occasion, time, and place required, he would be stout in rebuking the sinful and evil doers: so that none was so rich but he would tell him plainly his fault, with such earnest and grave rebukes as became a good curate and pastor. He was a man very mild, void of all rancour, grudge, or evil will, ready to do good to all men, readily forgiving his enemies, and never sought to do evil to any.
"To the poor that were blind, sick, lame, bedridden, or that had many children, he was a very father, a careful patron, a diligent provider, insomuch that he caused the parishioners to make a general provision for them; and he himself (beside the continual relief that they always found at his house) gave an honest portion yearly to the common alms box.
"His wife, also, was an honest, discreet, and sober matron; and his children well nurtured, brought up in the fear of God and good learning.
"To conclude, he was a right and lively image or pattern of all those virtuous qualities described by St. Paul in a true bishop,--a good salt of the earth, savourly, biting the corrupt manners of evil men; a light in God's house set upon a candlestick, for all good men to imitate and follow."
How long Taylor's ministry lasted at Hadleigh we do not exactly know. Fox only says that he continued there "all the days of the most innocent and holy King of blessed memory, King Edward VI." We may, however, safely conclude that he was there more than ten years. When he was put in prison in Queen Mary's days, he was the father of nine children; and as it is not probable that he would marry until he left Cranmer's household and had a home of his own, it seems likely that his children were all born at Hadleigh. All this, however, is only matter of conjecture. Enough for us to know that he was evidently Rector of Hadleigh long enough to be loved and honoured by the mass of his parishioners.
Rowland Taylor's quiet days at Hadleigh were soon brought to an end when Queen Mary came to the throne. A man of his eminence and high reputation as a Protestant was sure to be marked for destruction by the Popish party, and an excuse was soon found for putting him in prison.
In the best worked parishes, and under the most faithful preaching of the Gospel, there will always be found many who hate vital religion, and remain hardened, impenitent, and unbelieving. It was so in the days of the Apostles. It is so at the present time, in our own parishes. It was so at Hadleigh, when Rowland Taylor was Rector. There were men who hated him, because his doctrine condemned their own lives and opinions; and as soon as they had an opportunity of doing him an injury, they eagerly seized it. Two of these men, named Foster and Clerke, conspired to bring the worthy Rector into collision with the higher powers, by hiring one John Avreth, Rector of Aldham, to come to Hadleigh church and celebrate the Popish Mass. The result answered their expectations. Rowland Taylor, with righteous indignation, rushed into the church as the Mass was about to begin, and protested warmly against the whole proceeding, as illegal and idolatrous. Then followed an unseemly altercation,--the forcible expulsion of the Rector of Hadleigh from his own church,--great excitement among the faithful parishioners,--throwing of stones into the church, and a general ferment among the people. All this was duly reported to Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor of England; and the upshot of the affair, as the malignants had foreseen, was a summons from Gardiner to Dr. Taylor, to appear before him in London without delay. This summons the gallant Reformer promptly obeyed, and left Hadleigh, never to return till the day of his death. When the summons arrived, Rowland Taylor's many friends tried in vain to persuade him to fly to the Continent to save his life, as many other faithful Protestants had done. But they had no more effect on the good old man than Paul's friends had on the Apostle, when they entreated him not to go up to Jerusalem. This was his reply: "What will ye have me to do? I am now old, and have already lived too long to see these terrible and most wicked days. Fly you, and do as your conscience leadeth you. I am fully determined, with God's grace, to go to this Bishop, and to tell him to his beard that he cloth naught. God shall well hereafter raise up teachers of His people, which shall with much more diligence and fruit teach them than I have done. For God will not forsake His Church, though now for a time He trieth and correcteth us, and not without just cause. "As for me, I believe before God I shall never be able to do God so good a service as I may do now, nor shall I ever have so glorious a calling as I have now, nor so great mercy of God proffered me, as is now at this present. For what Christian man would not gladly die against the Pope and his adherents? I know that the Papacy is the kingdom of Antichrist, altogether full of falsehoods; so that all their doctrine is nothing but idolatry, superstition, error, hypocrisy, and lies.
"Wherefore I beseech you and all my other friends to pray for me, and to doubt not but God will give me strength and His Holy Spirit, that all mine adversaries shall have shame of their doings."
Armed with this frame of mind, Rowland Taylor went voluntarily to London, and most manfully kept his word. The opening of his first interview with Gardiner is thus described by Fox:
"Now when Gardiner saw Dr. Taylor, according to his common custom, he reviled him, calling him knave, traitor, heretic, with many other villainous reproaches. All this Dr. Taylor heard patiently, and at last said, 'My lord, I am neither traitor nor heretic, but a true subject, and a faithful Christian man; and I am come according to your commandment, to know what is the cause why your lordship hath sent for me.'
"Then said the Bishop, 'Art thou come thus, villain? How darest thou look at me in the face for shame? Knowest thou not who I am?'
"' Yes!' said Dr. Taylor, ' I know who you are: you are Dr. Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor, and yet but a mortal man. If I should be afraid of your lordly looks, why fear you not God, the Lord of us all? How dare you for shame look any Christian man in the face, seeing you have forsaken the truth, denied our Saviour Christ and His Word, and done contrary to your oath-taking? With what countenance will you appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, and answer to your oath made first to King Henry viii., and afterward unto King Edward VI., his son?'"
The interview, which began in this extraordinary manner, terminated as might have been expected. After several sharp arguments and wrangles, in which the Suffolk Rector showed himself more than a match for the Bishop of Winchester, Taylor was committed to the King's Bench prison. On hearing his committal, he kneeled down, and holding up both his hands, said "Good Lord, I thank Thee. From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome, and all his detestable errors, idolatries, and abominations, good Lord, deliver us. And God be praised for good King Edward."
Rowland Taylor lay in prison two years, and spent most of his time in prayer, reading the Scriptures, and writing. He had also opportunities of exhorting and addressing the prisoners. How much he saw of the other Reformers who were in prison at the same time, is not quite clear. It is certain, however, that he was very often in company of the famous John Bradford, and told his friends that God had sent him to a prison, where he "found an angel of God to comfort him." It is also highly probable that he had occasional interviews with the illustrious Reformers, Hooper, Rogers, Ferrar, and Saunders, who all, like himself, were finally burned at the stake.
The end of Rowland Taylor's weary imprisonment came at last. On the 22nd of January, 1555, he was brought before the Lord Chancellor, Bishop Gardiner, and other Commissioners, and subjected to a lengthy examination. To go into the details of all that was said on this occasion would be wearisome and unprofitable. The whole affair was conducted with the same gross unfairness and partiality which characterized all the proceedings against the English Reformers, and the result, as a matter of course, was the good man's condemnation. To use his own words, in a letter to a friend, he was pronounced a heretic because he defended the marriage of priests, and denied the doctrine of transubstantiation, Never let it be forgotten in these days, that the denial of any corporal presence of Christ's Body and Blood in the elements of bread and wine at the Lord's Supper, was the turning-point which decided the fate of our martyred Reformers. If they gave way on that point they might have lived. Because they would not admit any corporal presence they died. These things are recorded for our learning.
On the last day of January, 1555, Taylor, together with Brad, ford, and Saunders, was called to appear before the Bishops o| Winchester, Norwich, London, Salisbury, and Durham. They were all three charged with heresy, and schism, and required to answer determinately whether they would submit themselves to the Bishop of Rome, and abjure their errors. On their refusal they were condemned to death. " For this," says Fox, "they gave God thanks, and stoutly said unto the Bishops, '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 ye now show against the flock of Christ.'" On the evening of this day, Taylor was sent to the Compter prison, and parted from his brethren.
On the 4th of February, Bonner, Bishop of London, came to the Compter prison, and formally degraded Taylor from the office of priest, with many absurd ceremonies, of which Fox supplies a ludicrous description. The night after his degradation, his wife and his son Thomas were permitted to visit and sup with him, and after supper they parted, with much affection and many team. The next day, the fifth of February, he set out on his journey to Hadleigh, in order that he might be burned in the presence of his parishioners. The circumstances of his departure from London are so touchingly described by Fox, that I think it best to let the old historian speak for himself.
"On the next morrow after that Dr. Taylor had supped with his wife in the Compter prison, which was the 5th day of February, the Sheriff of London, with his officers came to the Compter by two o'clock in the morning, and so brought forth Dr. Taylor; and without any light led him to the Woolsack, an inn without Aldgate. Dr. Taylor's wife, suspecting that her husband should that night be carried away, watched all night in St. Botolph's Church porch, beside Aldgate, having with her two children, the one named Elizabeth, of thirteen years of age, whom, being left without father or mother, Dr. Taylor had brought up of alms from three years old; the other named Mary, Dr. Taylor's own daughter.
"Now when the Sheriff and his company came against St. Botolph's Church, Elizabeth cried, saying, 'O my dear father! Mother, mother: here is my father led away!' Then cried his wife, 'Rowland, Rowland: where art thou?' for it was a very dark morning, that the one could not see the other. Dr. Taylor answered, ' Dear wife, I am here,' and stayed. The Sheriff's men would have led him forth, but the Sheriff said, 'Stay a little, masters, I pray you, and let him speak to his wife;' and so they stayed.
"Then came she to him, and he took his daughter Mary in his arms, and he, his wife, and Elizabeth kneeled down and said the Lord's prayer. At which sight the Sheriff wept apace, and so did divers others of the company. After they had prayed, he rose up and kissed his wife, and shook her by the hand, and said, ' Farewell, my dear wife: be of good comfort, for I am quiet in my conscience. God shall raise up a father for my children.' And then he kissed his daughter Mary, and said, ' God bless thee, and make thee His servant;' and, kissing Elizabeth, he said, 'God bless thee. I pray you all stand strong and steadfast to Christ and His Word, and keep you from idolatry.' Then said his wife, ' God be with thee, dear Rowland: I will, with God's grace, meet thee at Hadleigh.
"And so was he led forth to the Woolsack, and his wife followed him. As soon as they came to the Woolsack, he was put into a chamber, wherein he was kept, with four yeomen of the guard and the Sheriff's men. Dr. Taylor, as soon as he was come into the chamber, fell down on his knees, and gave himself wholly to prayer. The Sheriff then, seeing Dr. Taylor's wife there, would in no case grant her to speak any more with her husband; but gently desired her to go to his house, and take it as her own, and promised her she should lack nothing, and sent two officers to conduct her thither. Notwithstanding, she desired to go to her mother's, whither the officers led her, and charged her mother to keep her there till they came again."
Rowland Taylor's journey from London to Hadleigh is minutely described by Fox. He travelled on horseback, according to the custom of those days, and stopped at Brentwood, Chelmsford, and Lavenham. "All the way he was joyful and merry, as one that accounted himself going to a most pleasant banquet or bridal." But we must content ourselves with the account of the closing scene in the worthy martyr's history, which shall he given in Fox's own words:--
"On the 9th February, 1555 (the same day that Bishop Hooper was burnt at Gloucester), the Sheriff and his company led Dr. Taylor towards Hadleigh; and coming within two miles of Hadleigh, he desired for somewhat to light off his horse; which done, he leaped, and set a frisk, or twain, as men commonly do in dancing. ' Why, master Doctor,' quoth the Sheriff, "how do you now?' He answered, 'Well, God be praised, good master Sheriff, never better; for now I know I am almost at home. I lack not past two stiles to go over, and I am at even at my Father's house. But, master Sheriff,' said he, 'shall we not go through Hadleigh?' 'Yes,' said the Sheriff, 'you shall go through Hadleigh.' Then said he, ' O good Lord, I thank Thee! I shall yet once ere I die, see my flock whom Thou, Lord, knowest I have most heartily loved and most truly taught. Good Lord, bless them, and keep them steadfast in Thy Word and truth.'
"When they were now come to Hadleigh, and came riding over the bridge, at the bridge foot waited a poor man with five small children, who, when he saw Dr. Taylor, he and his children fell down upon their knees and held up their hands, and cried with a loud voice, and said, '0 dear father and good shepherd, Dr. Taylor, God help and succour thee, as thou hast many a time succoured me and my poor children.' Such witness had this servant of God of his virtuous and charitable alms-giving in his lifetime; for God would now the poor should testify of his good deeds to his singular comfort, to the example of others, and confusion of his persecutors and tyrannous adversaries. For the Sheriff and others that led him to death were wonderfully astonished at this, and the Sheriff sore rebuked the poor man for so crying, The streets of Hadleigh were beset on both sides the way with men and women of the town and country who waited to see him, whom, when they beheld so led to death, with weeping eyes and lamentable voices they cried, saying one to another, 'All, good Lord, there goeth our good shepherd from us, that so faithfully hath taught us, so fatherly hath cared for us, and so godly hath governed us. O merciful God! What shall we poor scattered lambs do? What shall come of this most wicked world? Good Lord, strengthen him and comfort him,' with such other most lamentable and piteous voices. Wherefore the people were sore rebuked by the Sheriff and the catchpoles, his men, that led him. And Dr. Taylor evermore said to the people, I have preached to you God's Word and truth, and am come this day to seal it with my blood.'
"Coming against the almshouses, which he well knew, he cast to the good people money which remained of that which good people had given him in time of his imprisonment. As for his living, they took it from him at his first going to prison, so that he was sustained all the time of his imprisonment by the charitable alms of good people that visited him. Therefore the money that now remained he put in a glove ready for the same purpose, and, as is said, gave it to the poor almsmen standing at their door to see him. And coming to the last of the almshouses, and not seeing the poor that there dwelt ready at their doors as the others were, the asked, ' Is the blind man and blind woman that dwelt here alive?' It was answered, 'Yea, they are within.' Then threw he glove and all in at the window, and so rode forth.
"At the last, coming to Aldham Common, the place assigned where he should suffer, and seeing a great multitude of people gathered thither, he asked, ' What place is this, and what meaneth it that so much people are gathered hither?' It was answered, ' It is Aldham Common, the place where you must suffer, and the people are come to look upon you.' Then he said, 'Thanked be God, I am even at home;' and so alighted from his horse, and rent the hood from his head.
"Now was his head knotted ill-favouredly, and clipped much as a man would clip a fool's head; which cost the good Bishop Bonner had bestowed upon him when he degraded him. But when the people saw his reverend and ancient face, with a long white beard, they burst out with weeping tears, and cried, saying, ' God save thee, good Dr. Taylor! Jesus Christ strengthen thee; the Holy Ghost comfort thee,' with such other like godly wishes. Then would he have spoken to the people, but the yeomen of the guard were so busy about him, that as soon as he opened his mouth, one or other thrust a tipstaff into his mouth, and would in no wise permit him to speak.
"Dr. Taylor, perceiving that he could not be permitted to speak, sat down, and seeing one named Soyce, he called him, and said, ' Soyce, I pray thee come and pull off my boots, and take them for thy labour. Thou hast long looked for them, now take them.' Then rose he up, and put off his clothes unto his shirt, and gave them away; which done, he said with a loud voice, ' Good people, I have taught you nothing but God's Holy Word, and those lessons that I have taken out of God's blessed Book,--the Holy Bible; and I am come hither this day to seal it with my blood.' With that Word, a certain yeoman of the guard, who had used Dr. Taylor very cruelly all the way, gave him a great stroke upon the head with a waster, and said, 'Is that the keeping of thy promise, thou heretic? Then he, seeing they would not permit him to speak, kneeled down and prayed, and a poor woman that was among the people stepped in and prayed with him, but they thrust her away, and threatened to tread her down with horses; notwithstanding, she would not remove, but abode and prayed with him. When he had prayed, he went to the stake and kissed it, and set himself into a pitch-barrel, which they had set for him to stand in, and so stood with his back upright against the stake, with his hands folded together, and his eyes toward heaven, and so he continually prayed.'"
After some painful delay, and some miserable insults from the Popish helpers, who were assisting, the fire was lighted. Then says Fox, "Dr. Taylor, holding up both his hands, called upon God, and said, 'Merciful Father of heaven, for Jesus Christ my Saviour's sake, receive my soul into Thy hands.' So stood he still, without either crying or moving, until one struck him on the head with a halbert, so that his brains fell out, and the dead corpse fell down in the fire.
Thus died one of the best and bravest of the English martyrs. An old rude stone still marks the spot where he was burned, in the midst of an enclosed field, which once formed part of Aldham Common. It bears the following quaint but pithy inscription:--
1555.
"Dr. Taylor, in defending that
which was good,
at this place left his blood."
In the year 1819 another and more pretentious monument was erected on the same spot, with a long poetical inscription written by the Rector of Hadleigh. But the martyr's history is still remembered in the parish, without the aid of stones and monuments. " Being dead, he yet speaketh."
Taylor's last parting wishes to his wife and family and parishioners were written in a book which he gave his son as a parting legacy, only five days before his martyrdom. They can hardly fail to interest the reader.
"I say to my wife and to my children, The Lord gave you unto me, and the Lord hath taken me from you and you from me: blessed be the name of the Lord! I believe that they are blessed which die in the Lord. God careth for sparrows, and for the hairs of our heads. I have ever found Him more faithful and favourable than is any father or husband. Trust ye, therefore, in Him by the means of our dear Saviour Christ's merits. Believe, love, fear, and obey Him: pray to Him, for He hath promised to help. Count me not dead, for I shall certainly live and never die. I go before, and you shall follow after, to our long home. I go to the rest of my children,---Susan, George, Ellen, Robert, and Zachary. I have bequeathed you to the only Omnipotent.
"I say to my dear friends of Hadleigh, and to all others which have heard me preach, that I depart hence with a quiet conscience as touching my doctrine, for the which I pray you thank God with me. For I have, after my little talent, declared to others those lessons that I gathered out of God's Book, the blessed Bible. 'Therefore, if I, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any other Gospel than that ye have received,' God's great curse be upon that preacher!
"Beware, for God's sake, that ye deny not God, neither decline from the word of faith, lest God decline from you, and so do ye everlastingly perish. For God's sake beware of Popery, for though it appear to have in it unity, yet the same is vanity and anti-Christianity, and not in Christ's faith and verity.
"Beware of the sin against the Holy Ghost, now after such a light opened so plainly and simply, truly, thoroughly and generally to all England.
"The Lord grant all men His good and Holy Spirit, increase of His wisdom, contemning the wicked world, hearty desire to be with God, and the heavenly company; through Jesus Christ, our only Mediator, Advocate, Righteousness, Life, Sanctification, and Hope. Amen. Amen. Pray. Pray.
"Rowland Taylor, departing hence in sure hope, without all doubting of eternal salvation. I thank God, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, my certain Saviour. Amen. 5th of February, anno 1555.
"The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom then shall I fear? God is He that justifieth: who is he that can condemn?' In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted: let me never be confounded."
Does any one wish to know whether the Church of Rome is infallible? Let him carefully study the history of such martyrdoms as that of Rowland Taylor. Of all the stupid and suicidal mistakes that the Romish Church ever made, none was greater than the mistake of burning the Reformers. It cemented the work of the Reformation, and made Englishmen Protestants by thousands. When plain Englishmen saw the Church of Rome so cruelly wicked and Protestants so brave, they ceased to doubt on which side was the truth. May the memory of our martyred Reformers never be forgotten in England until the Lord comes!
Early Days Martyres-JOHN HOOPER: BISHOP AND MARTYR
IN a day of religious controversy, no one is so useful to his generation as the man who contributes a little "light." Amidst the din and strife of ecclesiastical warfare, amidst the fog and dust stirred up by excited disputants, amidst assertions and counter-assertions, a thinking man will often cry with the dying philosopher,--" I want more light: give me more light." He that can make two ears of corn grow where only one grew before, has been rightly called a benefactor to mankind. He that can throw a few rays of flesh light on the theological questions of the day, is surely doing a service to the Church and the world.
Thoughts such as these came across my mind when I chose the subject of this biographical paper: "John Hooper, the martyred Bishop of Gloucester: his times, life, death, and opinions." I chose it with a meaning. I have long felt that the lives and opinions of the English Reformers deserve attentive study in the present day. I think that a picture of John Hooper will throw useful light on points of deep interest in our times.
We live in days when the Romish Church is making gigantic efforts to regain her lost power in England, and thousands of English people are helping her. None are doing the work of Rome so thoroughly as that singular body of English Churchmen, the extreme Ritualists. Consciously or unconsciously, they are paving the way for her advance, and laying down the rails for her trains. They are familiarizing the minds of thousands with Romish ceremonial,--its millinery, its processions, its gestures, its postures, its theatrical, sensuous style of worship. They are boldly preaching and publishing downright Romish doctrine,--the real presence, the priestly character of the ministry, the necessity of auricular confession and sacerdotal absolution. They are loudly proclaiming their desire for re-union with the Church of Rome. In short, it seems as if the battle of the Reformation must be fought over again. Now before we go back to Rome, let us thoroughly understand what English Romanism was. Let us bring in the light. Let us not take a "leap in the dark."
We live in times when many Churchmen openly sneer at our Reformation, and scoff at our Reformers. The martyrs, whose blood was the seed of our Church, are abused and vilified, and declared to be no martyrs at all. Cranmer is called "a cowardly traitor," and Latimer, "a coarse, illiterate bully!" The Reformation is said to have been "an unmitigated disaster," and a "change taken in hand by a conspiracy of adulterers, murderers, and thieves!" (See Church Times, of March 14, 1867.) Let us study one of our leading Reformers to-day, and see what the man was like. Let us pass under review one who was a friend and contemporary of Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, and a leading fellow-labourer in the work of the Reformation. Let us find out how he lived, and how he preached, and what he thought, and how he died. Once more I say, let us bring in the light.
We live in times when the strangest misrepresentations prevail about the true character of the Church of England. Scores of people all over the country are not ashamed to denounce the very name of Protestantism, and to tell people that "Evangelical" Churchmen are not Churchmen at all I Forsooth, they are Calvinists, Puritans, Dissenters, Methodists, Fanatics, and the like, and ought to leave the Church of England and go to their own place! Let us bring these assertions to the test of a few plain facts.
Let us examine the recorded sentiments, the written opinions, of one of the very divines to whom we owe our Articles and Prayer-book, with very few alterations. Let us hear what Bishop Hooper wrote, and thought, and taught. Let us not hastily concede that Ritualists and High Churchmen are the true representatives o! the Church of England. "He that is first in his own cause seemeth just, but his neighbour that cometh after searcheth him." (Pro_18:17.) Once more, I say, let us turn on the light.
Thoughts such as these came across my mind when I chose the subject of this biographical paper: "John Hooper, the martyred Bishop of Gloucester: his times, life, death, and opinions." I chose it with a meaning. I have long felt that the lives and opinions of the English Reformers deserve attentive study in the present day. I think that a picture of John Hooper will throw useful light on points of deep interest in our times.
We live in days when the Romish Church is making gigantic efforts to regain her lost power in England, and thousands of English people are helping her. None are doing the work of Rome so thoroughly as that singular body of English Churchmen, the extreme Ritualists. Consciously or unconsciously, they are paving the way for her advance, and laying down the rails for her trains. They are familiarizing the minds of thousands with Romish ceremonial,--its millinery, its processions, its gestures, its postures, its theatrical, sensuous style of worship. They are boldly preaching and publishing downright Romish doctrine,--the real presence, the priestly character of the ministry, the necessity of auricular confession and sacerdotal absolution. They are loudly proclaiming their desire for re-union with the Church of Rome. In short, it seems as if the battle of the Reformation must be fought over again. Now before we go back to Rome, let us thoroughly understand what English Romanism was. Let us bring in the light. Let us not take a "leap in the dark."
We live in times when many Churchmen openly sneer at our Reformation, and scoff at our Reformers. The martyrs, whose blood was the seed of our Church, are abused and vilified, and declared to be no martyrs at all. Cranmer is called "a cowardly traitor," and Latimer, "a coarse, illiterate bully!" The Reformation is said to have been "an unmitigated disaster," and a "change taken in hand by a conspiracy of adulterers, murderers, and thieves!" (See Church Times, of March 14, 1867.) Let us study one of our leading Reformers to-day, and see what the man was like. Let us pass under review one who was a friend and contemporary of Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, and a leading fellow-labourer in the work of the Reformation. Let us find out how he lived, and how he preached, and what he thought, and how he died. Once more I say, let us bring in the light.
We live in times when the strangest misrepresentations prevail about the true character of the Church of England. Scores of people all over the country are not ashamed to denounce the very name of Protestantism, and to tell people that "Evangelical" Churchmen are not Churchmen at all I Forsooth, they are Calvinists, Puritans, Dissenters, Methodists, Fanatics, and the like, and ought to leave the Church of England and go to their own place! Let us bring these assertions to the test of a few plain facts.
Let us examine the recorded sentiments, the written opinions, of one of the very divines to whom we owe our Articles and Prayer-book, with very few alterations. Let us hear what Bishop Hooper wrote, and thought, and taught. Let us not hastily concede that Ritualists and High Churchmen are the true representatives o! the Church of England. "He that is first in his own cause seemeth just, but his neighbour that cometh after searcheth him." (Pro_18:17.) Once more, I say, let us turn on the light.
Blessing of Meditating God's word in Psalm 1
Psa 1:1-2
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
“Blessed” - see how this Book of Psalms opens with a benediction, even as did the famous Sermon of our Lord upon the Mount! The word translated “blessed” is a very expressive one. The original word is plural, and it is a controverted matter whether it is an adjective or a substantive. Hence we may learn the multiplicity of the blessings which shall rest upon the man whom God hath justified, and the perfection and greatness of the blessedness he shall enjoy. We might read it, “Oh, the blessedness!” and we may well regard it (as Ainsworth does)as a joyful acclamation of the gracious man's felicity. May the like benediction rest on us!
He walketh not -- in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor standeth--- in the way of sinners.
Nor sitteth --- in the seat of scornful.
When men are living in sin they go from bad to worse. At first they merely walk in the counsel of the careless and ungodly, who forget God - the evil is rather practical than habitual - but after that, they become habituated to evil, and they stand in the way of open sinners who wilfully violate God's commandments; and if let alone, they go one step further, and become themselves pestilent teachers and tempters of others, and thus they sit in the seat of the scornful. They have taken their degree in vice, and as true Doctors of Damnation they are installed, and are looked up to by others as Masters in Belial. But the blessed man, the man to whom all the blessings of God belong, can hold no communion with such characters as these. He keeps himself pure from these lepers; he puts away evil things from him as garments spotted by the flesh; he comes out from among the wicked, and goes without the camp, bearing the reproach of Christ. O for grace to be thus separate from sinners.
And now mark his positive character. “His delight is in the law of the Lord.” He is not under the law as a curse and condemnation, but he is in it, and he delights to be in it as his rule of life; he delights, moreover, to meditate in it, to read it by day, and think upon it by night. He takes a text and carries it with him all day long; and in the night-watches, when sleep forsakes his eyelids, he museth upon the Word of God. In the day of his prosperity he sings psalms out of the Word of God, and in the night of his affliction he comforts himself with promises out of the same book. “The law of the Lord” is the daily bread of the true believer. And yet, in David's day, how small was the volume of inspiration, for they had scarcely anything save the first five books of Moses! How much more, then, should we prize the whole written Word which it is our privilege to have in all our houses! But, alas, what ill-treatment is given to this angel from heaven! We are not all Berean searchers of the Scriptures. How few among us can lay claim to the benediction of the text! Perhaps some of you can claim a sort of negative purity, because you do not walk in the way of the ungodly; but let me ask you - Is your delight in the law of God? Do you study God's Word? Do you make it the man of your right hand - your best companion and hourly guide? If not, this blessing belongeth not to you
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
“Blessed” - see how this Book of Psalms opens with a benediction, even as did the famous Sermon of our Lord upon the Mount! The word translated “blessed” is a very expressive one. The original word is plural, and it is a controverted matter whether it is an adjective or a substantive. Hence we may learn the multiplicity of the blessings which shall rest upon the man whom God hath justified, and the perfection and greatness of the blessedness he shall enjoy. We might read it, “Oh, the blessedness!” and we may well regard it (as Ainsworth does)as a joyful acclamation of the gracious man's felicity. May the like benediction rest on us!
Here the gracious man is described both negatively (Psa_1:1) and positively (Psa_1:2); He is a man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. He takes wiser counsel, and walks in the commandments of the Lord his God. To him the ways of piety are paths of peace and pleasantness. His footsteps are ordered by the Word of God, and not by the cunning and wicked devices of carnal men. It is a rich sign of inward grace when the outward walk is changed, and when ungodliness is put far from our actions. Note next, he standeth not in the way of sinners. His company is of a choicer sort than it was. Although a sinner himself, he is now a blood-washed sinner, quickened by the Holy Spirit, and renewed in heart. Standing by the rich grace of God in the congregation of the righteous, he dares not herd with the multitude that do evil. Again it is said, “nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” He finds no rest in the atheist's scoffings. Let others make a mock of sin, of eternity, of hell and heaven, and of the Eternal God; this man has learned better philosophy than that of the infidel, and has too much sense of God's presence to endure to hear his name blasphemed, The seat of the scorner may be very lofty, but it is very near to the gate of hell; let us flee from it, for it shall soon be empty, and destruction shall swallow up the man who sits therein.
Mark the gradation in the first verse:
He walketh not -- in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor standeth--- in the way of sinners.
Nor sitteth --- in the seat of scornful.
When men are living in sin they go from bad to worse. At first they merely walk in the counsel of the careless and ungodly, who forget God - the evil is rather practical than habitual - but after that, they become habituated to evil, and they stand in the way of open sinners who wilfully violate God's commandments; and if let alone, they go one step further, and become themselves pestilent teachers and tempters of others, and thus they sit in the seat of the scornful. They have taken their degree in vice, and as true Doctors of Damnation they are installed, and are looked up to by others as Masters in Belial. But the blessed man, the man to whom all the blessings of God belong, can hold no communion with such characters as these. He keeps himself pure from these lepers; he puts away evil things from him as garments spotted by the flesh; he comes out from among the wicked, and goes without the camp, bearing the reproach of Christ. O for grace to be thus separate from sinners.
And now mark his positive character. “His delight is in the law of the Lord.” He is not under the law as a curse and condemnation, but he is in it, and he delights to be in it as his rule of life; he delights, moreover, to meditate in it, to read it by day, and think upon it by night. He takes a text and carries it with him all day long; and in the night-watches, when sleep forsakes his eyelids, he museth upon the Word of God. In the day of his prosperity he sings psalms out of the Word of God, and in the night of his affliction he comforts himself with promises out of the same book. “The law of the Lord” is the daily bread of the true believer. And yet, in David's day, how small was the volume of inspiration, for they had scarcely anything save the first five books of Moses! How much more, then, should we prize the whole written Word which it is our privilege to have in all our houses! But, alas, what ill-treatment is given to this angel from heaven! We are not all Berean searchers of the Scriptures. How few among us can lay claim to the benediction of the text! Perhaps some of you can claim a sort of negative purity, because you do not walk in the way of the ungodly; but let me ask you - Is your delight in the law of God? Do you study God's Word? Do you make it the man of your right hand - your best companion and hourly guide? If not, this blessing belongeth not to you
Monday, January 5, 2009
My Beloved be in Good Health Continues
Be Sexually Clean
God tells us what to eat and what not to eat, and this bothers some people. Even more, He gets into our bedroom and tells us what sexual practices are healthful and right, and which are wrong. He has the right to do this because He created our bodies and wrote the instruction book, the Bible.
Incest, homosexuality, and bestiality are abominations to the Eternal, Leviticus 18. But sexual health laws do not end there. Another prohibition is having sexual relations with a woman during her menstrual period, Leviticus 18:19, 20:18, 15:24.
Today, there is a war going on against the Biblical health practice of circumcision, Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3. The Jerusalem council of Acts 15 did not do away with circumcising male babies eight days old. The decision was that circumcision was not a requirement for baptism and entering the Church. See our free article, The War Against Circumcision, Study No. 176. Circumcision is an important law of health, both for the man, and for his wife. Any person with the Holy Spirit of God will naturally want to conform to His laws of health, including circumcision. A loving relationship in the marriage of one man and one woman for life, is the best recipe for sexual, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. God made it that way!
Cleanliness IS Next to Godliness!
Water is Gods tool for cleansing and giving life. The carnal washings involved in the sacrifices and ceremonies of the Levitical priesthood should teach us the value of water to cleanse and purify. The famous American Civil War General, Stonewall Jackson, knew the value of hydrotherapy. He traveled far and wide to obtain good quality water. A bath can be a relaxing and refreshing way to cleanse your body.
Dont forget the value of fasting occasionally to rid the body of toxins, as well as to get closer to God. Afflict your soul [body] and clean up your body.
Today, we have become lax on basic health habits, and if we continue on our wayward ways, such habits will lead to disease and an early death. Many men do not wash their hands after going to the toilet. Forgetting basic health laws puts us at risk.
Avoiding polluted chemical foods is probably the number one thing we can do to keep us clean. To do this requires research and diligence. The Nutrition Action Health Letter is an excellent source to help you do this. In everything we do, let us glorify our bodies, the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
Divine Healing
In spite of our best efforts, we occasionally get sick. We are all going to die sometime, but our actions will usually have a major role in determining the manner and timing of our death. We have a wonderful Savior, who shed His blood that we might have forgiveness of sins. He also was beaten so that with His stripes we are healed, I Peter 2:24. Do we avail ourselves of healing from the Divine Healer?
Herbert W. Armstrongs excellent booklet, Does God Heal Today? contained in our book, Early Writings of Herbert W. Armstrong ($9 suggested donation), is a classic on the subject of divine healing. The 241-page book, Christ the Healer, by F. F. Bosworth covers many aspects of healing from the Bible. It is available free, as funds are available, from Giving & Sharing, Box 100, Neck City, MO 64849.
The day of miracles is not past. Hebrews 13:8 and John 14:12 show that Christ will continue to perform miraculous healings, in our day. It is not true that God has changed, and works through medical science today.
Diving healing began with Gods Old Testament Church. Divine healing is a miracle from Almighty God, as a result of believing prayer. The same conditions of obedience and faith for divine healing existed during the Exodus, and still do today, Exodus 15:23-26; I John 3:22. God is our healer, the doctors are not. Any honest doctor will admit that drugs, medicines, or knives cannot heal. Only God can heal!
Scripture labels other modes of healing IDOLATRY. For centuries, Israels only means of healing was faith in God. Later, they departed from God, and turned to heathen medicine. King Asa of Judah forsook God, and sought the physicians instead. He died, II Chronicles 16:12-13. Herbert Armstrongs son, Garner Ted Armstrong, wrote in a Good News magazine article (June, 1964, pages 4, 22), To rely on any foods, supplements, medicines, drugs, knives, or even on fasting, for healing (and none of these can, ever have, or ever will heal!) is to break the commandment against idolatry!
Modern medicine originated in paganism. Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, was a pagan deity of medicine. King Ahaziah of Israel fell through a lattice, was injured, and sought Baal-zebub whether he would recover. Elijah rebuked him for not seeking the God of Israel, and told him he would die. So, he died, II Kings 1:1-17. God did not raise up medical science today, and bless it and work through it. The example of Hezekiah in II Kings 20:1-7 again shows that faith and obedience are required for healing from God. It also shows that upon seeking God, one should also perform whatever physical therapy is required to assist the healing process. Isaiah told Hezekiahs servants to make a fig poultice to lay on Hezekiahs boil.
It IS Gods will to heal; healing is forgiveness of physical sin. Just as God forgives all our iniquities, so will He also heal all our diseases, Psalm 103:2-3. It is Gods will to heal, Ephesians 5:17; Luke 5:12-13. Sickness is generally the penalty of violating physical laws of health. Healing is the forgiveness of this kind of sin, removing the penalty for the sin. None but God can forgive sin, so none but God can heal. When Jesus healed, He showed that He was forgiving sin, Luke 5:18-26; Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:3-12. Jesus heals because He paid the penalty for our sin, in our stead, John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Matthew 8:16-17; I Peter 2:24. Jesus suffered scourging to pay the price for our physical transgressions, John 19:1.
We break bread at Passover to symbolize our faith in Christs body, beaten for our healing. We take the broken bread unworthyily, if and when we put our trust in doctors and medicines, instead of in Christ, thus putting another god before Him. See I Corinthians 11:23-30.
There is a need for doctors, to help us to prevent sickness and get in harmony with natures laws. Doctors should concentrate on helping us eat right. Naturopaths and chiropractors are more in line with what doctors should be. Medical doctors, all too often, resort first to drugs and surgery. It is wise to use a doctor to assist in childbirth, setting broken bones, and helping to repair damage. Doctors cannot heal, and often take all of their patients money, Luke 8:43-48. Healing is out of their line, and doctors should not be looked to in faith for healing.
Healing is part of the Gospel Commission, Matthew 9:35; Luke 9:1-2, 10:1, 9; Mark 16:15-18.
The New Testament Church believed in, and practiced, faith healing. See Acts 3:1-11, 4:29-31, 5:15-16, 19:11-12; James 5:14-15.
We should leave the way and the time to God. God promises to heal you. Accept His promise, stand on the promises, expecting an answer, knowing you will get it. But, leave the how and when to God in His way and His time. The Scripture cannot be broken! Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth ALL thy diseases!
The Lesson of Naaman
What if there were a few simple things you could do to lengthen your life and/or improve your health and quality of life? Would you do it? I have given you a few simple Biblical guidelines that our Creator instituted to give us a good life. Will you follow these rules?
Many people are like the Syrian, Naaman, II Kings 5:1-19. When Naaman came to be healed of Elisha, he thought Elisha would do some grandiose act. Naaman wanted a big public miracle. He was willing to pay a lot of money for such a miracle to heal him of his leprosy. Instead, Naaman was disappointed when Elisha didnt even meet him, but told Naaman to go dip in the Jordan seven times, and his leprosy would be healed. That was too simple for a great military man like Naaman. At first he balked, but at the urging of his servants, Naaman finally did as he was told, and he was instantly healed. His servants said, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? verse 13.
Gods way to good health is simple. It takes a little work, but there is no great price to pay. Lets learn the lesson of Naaman.
Purpose of Good Health
Why should you be healthy? Only to feel good and have a good time in life? Only to eat, drink, and be merry? Certainly, good health produces these things. But, the real purpose for a long and healthy life is for us to be better servants of the Almighty. Each called and chosen child of God has been given spiritual gifts, which enable them to fulfill their part in Gods Work, and to spread the good news of the Kingdom of God to others. Jesus came that we might have a more abundant life (zoe), John 10:10, here and now, and for all eternity. So no matter what kind of physical body you have to work with, follow Gods principles, live life the fullest, always abounding in the work of the Lord, I Corinthians 15:58.
written by Richard C. Nickels W
God tells us what to eat and what not to eat, and this bothers some people. Even more, He gets into our bedroom and tells us what sexual practices are healthful and right, and which are wrong. He has the right to do this because He created our bodies and wrote the instruction book, the Bible.
Incest, homosexuality, and bestiality are abominations to the Eternal, Leviticus 18. But sexual health laws do not end there. Another prohibition is having sexual relations with a woman during her menstrual period, Leviticus 18:19, 20:18, 15:24.
Today, there is a war going on against the Biblical health practice of circumcision, Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3. The Jerusalem council of Acts 15 did not do away with circumcising male babies eight days old. The decision was that circumcision was not a requirement for baptism and entering the Church. See our free article, The War Against Circumcision, Study No. 176. Circumcision is an important law of health, both for the man, and for his wife. Any person with the Holy Spirit of God will naturally want to conform to His laws of health, including circumcision. A loving relationship in the marriage of one man and one woman for life, is the best recipe for sexual, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. God made it that way!
Cleanliness IS Next to Godliness!
Water is Gods tool for cleansing and giving life. The carnal washings involved in the sacrifices and ceremonies of the Levitical priesthood should teach us the value of water to cleanse and purify. The famous American Civil War General, Stonewall Jackson, knew the value of hydrotherapy. He traveled far and wide to obtain good quality water. A bath can be a relaxing and refreshing way to cleanse your body.
Dont forget the value of fasting occasionally to rid the body of toxins, as well as to get closer to God. Afflict your soul [body] and clean up your body.
Today, we have become lax on basic health habits, and if we continue on our wayward ways, such habits will lead to disease and an early death. Many men do not wash their hands after going to the toilet. Forgetting basic health laws puts us at risk.
Avoiding polluted chemical foods is probably the number one thing we can do to keep us clean. To do this requires research and diligence. The Nutrition Action Health Letter is an excellent source to help you do this. In everything we do, let us glorify our bodies, the Temple of the Holy Spirit.
Divine Healing
In spite of our best efforts, we occasionally get sick. We are all going to die sometime, but our actions will usually have a major role in determining the manner and timing of our death. We have a wonderful Savior, who shed His blood that we might have forgiveness of sins. He also was beaten so that with His stripes we are healed, I Peter 2:24. Do we avail ourselves of healing from the Divine Healer?
Herbert W. Armstrongs excellent booklet, Does God Heal Today? contained in our book, Early Writings of Herbert W. Armstrong ($9 suggested donation), is a classic on the subject of divine healing. The 241-page book, Christ the Healer, by F. F. Bosworth covers many aspects of healing from the Bible. It is available free, as funds are available, from Giving & Sharing, Box 100, Neck City, MO 64849.
The day of miracles is not past. Hebrews 13:8 and John 14:12 show that Christ will continue to perform miraculous healings, in our day. It is not true that God has changed, and works through medical science today.
Diving healing began with Gods Old Testament Church. Divine healing is a miracle from Almighty God, as a result of believing prayer. The same conditions of obedience and faith for divine healing existed during the Exodus, and still do today, Exodus 15:23-26; I John 3:22. God is our healer, the doctors are not. Any honest doctor will admit that drugs, medicines, or knives cannot heal. Only God can heal!
Scripture labels other modes of healing IDOLATRY. For centuries, Israels only means of healing was faith in God. Later, they departed from God, and turned to heathen medicine. King Asa of Judah forsook God, and sought the physicians instead. He died, II Chronicles 16:12-13. Herbert Armstrongs son, Garner Ted Armstrong, wrote in a Good News magazine article (June, 1964, pages 4, 22), To rely on any foods, supplements, medicines, drugs, knives, or even on fasting, for healing (and none of these can, ever have, or ever will heal!) is to break the commandment against idolatry!
Modern medicine originated in paganism. Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, was a pagan deity of medicine. King Ahaziah of Israel fell through a lattice, was injured, and sought Baal-zebub whether he would recover. Elijah rebuked him for not seeking the God of Israel, and told him he would die. So, he died, II Kings 1:1-17. God did not raise up medical science today, and bless it and work through it. The example of Hezekiah in II Kings 20:1-7 again shows that faith and obedience are required for healing from God. It also shows that upon seeking God, one should also perform whatever physical therapy is required to assist the healing process. Isaiah told Hezekiahs servants to make a fig poultice to lay on Hezekiahs boil.
It IS Gods will to heal; healing is forgiveness of physical sin. Just as God forgives all our iniquities, so will He also heal all our diseases, Psalm 103:2-3. It is Gods will to heal, Ephesians 5:17; Luke 5:12-13. Sickness is generally the penalty of violating physical laws of health. Healing is the forgiveness of this kind of sin, removing the penalty for the sin. None but God can forgive sin, so none but God can heal. When Jesus healed, He showed that He was forgiving sin, Luke 5:18-26; Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:3-12. Jesus heals because He paid the penalty for our sin, in our stead, John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Matthew 8:16-17; I Peter 2:24. Jesus suffered scourging to pay the price for our physical transgressions, John 19:1.
We break bread at Passover to symbolize our faith in Christs body, beaten for our healing. We take the broken bread unworthyily, if and when we put our trust in doctors and medicines, instead of in Christ, thus putting another god before Him. See I Corinthians 11:23-30.
There is a need for doctors, to help us to prevent sickness and get in harmony with natures laws. Doctors should concentrate on helping us eat right. Naturopaths and chiropractors are more in line with what doctors should be. Medical doctors, all too often, resort first to drugs and surgery. It is wise to use a doctor to assist in childbirth, setting broken bones, and helping to repair damage. Doctors cannot heal, and often take all of their patients money, Luke 8:43-48. Healing is out of their line, and doctors should not be looked to in faith for healing.
Healing is part of the Gospel Commission, Matthew 9:35; Luke 9:1-2, 10:1, 9; Mark 16:15-18.
The New Testament Church believed in, and practiced, faith healing. See Acts 3:1-11, 4:29-31, 5:15-16, 19:11-12; James 5:14-15.
We should leave the way and the time to God. God promises to heal you. Accept His promise, stand on the promises, expecting an answer, knowing you will get it. But, leave the how and when to God in His way and His time. The Scripture cannot be broken! Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth ALL thy diseases!
The Lesson of Naaman
What if there were a few simple things you could do to lengthen your life and/or improve your health and quality of life? Would you do it? I have given you a few simple Biblical guidelines that our Creator instituted to give us a good life. Will you follow these rules?
Many people are like the Syrian, Naaman, II Kings 5:1-19. When Naaman came to be healed of Elisha, he thought Elisha would do some grandiose act. Naaman wanted a big public miracle. He was willing to pay a lot of money for such a miracle to heal him of his leprosy. Instead, Naaman was disappointed when Elisha didnt even meet him, but told Naaman to go dip in the Jordan seven times, and his leprosy would be healed. That was too simple for a great military man like Naaman. At first he balked, but at the urging of his servants, Naaman finally did as he was told, and he was instantly healed. His servants said, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? verse 13.
Gods way to good health is simple. It takes a little work, but there is no great price to pay. Lets learn the lesson of Naaman.
Purpose of Good Health
Why should you be healthy? Only to feel good and have a good time in life? Only to eat, drink, and be merry? Certainly, good health produces these things. But, the real purpose for a long and healthy life is for us to be better servants of the Almighty. Each called and chosen child of God has been given spiritual gifts, which enable them to fulfill their part in Gods Work, and to spread the good news of the Kingdom of God to others. Jesus came that we might have a more abundant life (zoe), John 10:10, here and now, and for all eternity. So no matter what kind of physical body you have to work with, follow Gods principles, live life the fullest, always abounding in the work of the Lord, I Corinthians 15:58.
written by Richard C. Nickels W
My Beloved Be In Good Health!
III John 2 gives the mind of God relative to our health: Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. From Genesis to Revelation, the Creator gives principles, which, if followed, will result in an abundant life with good health, and eventually, eternal, everlasting, life.
How many of you have known someone in the Church who has suffered and died of a terrible disease, such as cancer, heart trouble, diabetes, etc.? How many of you have personally been miraculously healed by the Almighty? I dare say that there are many more who answer yes to the first question, rather than the second question. I am tired of hearing so much of the sickness and disease among Gods people. I want to hear more about miracles of faith and healing! It is Gods will for us to have good health.
When you look at what the Bible says about health, you may be offended. Today, some folks do not like to be told that they need to change their lives, eat differently, live differently, and work differently. Yet, the Bible is a book that shows us how to live life to the full, here and now, and eternally hereafter. The Greek word for life is zoe, Strongs #2222. Narrow is the way which leads to life, Matthew 7:14, and few find it. If you will enter into life (zoe), Jesus said, keep the commandments, Matthew 19:17. Now, many people today are like the man who asked Jesus how to obtain eternal life. Which commandments? they wonder. Jesus recited a number of the Ten Commandments, verses 18-19 so he would get the point. But, many today dont understand what Jesus said.
The whole Bible can be summarized by the Ten Commandments, which in turn are summarized by two great laws, Love God, and Love your fellow man, Matthew 22:36-40. The two summary laws in turn are summarized into one thing: God, who is love, I John 4:8. The Ten Commandments are summaries of the laws, statutes, and judgments, as detailed in the Torah, expounded by the prophets, and magnified by the Messiah.
Now, what does this have to do with health? Everything! The Bible is full of laws, statutes, judgments, and principles on how we may be healthy, how God will heal us when we fall short of the goal of perfect health, and how He will ultimately heal us completely by resurrecting us with a spirit body so we can live forever, eternally joyful and healthy. Every one of these health principles relates to one or more of the Ten Commandments, which reflect the characteristic of love, which is the essence, the character of God.
Now, lets review some Bible principles of good health, and make sure we are diligently putting into practice what the Bible tells us to do. There are several areas I would like to cover: food, sexuality, cleanliness, and healing..
Food for Life
The proper perspective on food and drink is expressly stated in I Corinthians 10:31, Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Do we glorify God by our eating and drinking? Or instead, do we pay little attention to what enters our mouth? Gods people know that their bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are not our own, with the freedom to do as we please with our body. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods I Corinthians 6:19-20.
We are instructed by God which food gives zoe (Greek word for life). Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 define clean and unclean foods. Today, it is getting increasingly difficult to avoid unclean foods. Even clean foods are being polluted by our Satanically-inspired society. Recently, at a Church potluck after Sabbath services, someone brought pink grapefruit juice. They did not read the label, and if they had, probably would not have known, that the coloring which makes the grapefruit juice look red comes from squashed cochineal bugs, the best natural red food coloring that exists! The label calls it cochineal or carmine. Amoral scientists are now putting pig genes into corn to improve yields. We must expand our thinking to consider the possibility that even fruits and vegetables can be unclean! We must not only read the label, but also do research to find out what the listed ingredients are. Fish oil may likely be shark oil, which is unclean. We need to be continually vigilant to insure we do not consume unclean substances.
The best solution to getting good, wholesome, foods is to grow your own food, and/or obtain food from trusted sources. Did you realize that Gods first instruction to Adam was to tend, and care for, the Garden of Eden? Genesis 2:15. Raising a garden is definitely the Bible way. Do you know where your vegetables and meat come from? Put forth effort to locate good sources of food, and your health will benefit.
One of the most polluted substances, even in America, is our water. Many Americans drink chlorinated wastewater. The very idea of urinating and defecating in our water and flushing it down the toilet to go downstream for other people to drink is primitive, revolting, and anti-Biblical. Deuteronomy 23:13 tells us to cover up our excrement, not throw it into the river! We can hardly escape unsanitary sewage systems extant throughout most of the world. Not everybody follows the good example of some Swedes by using dry, self-contained chemical toilets. We should put forth effort to obtain good drinking water. Much disease comes from polluted water. Whether it is your own well, bottled water, distillation, or filtering with reverse osmosis (our preference), be sure that you obtain the best water you can. When Christ returns, one of the first things He will do is to cause living waters to go out from Jerusalem to cleanse the world of pollution, Zechariah 14:8-9.
Bread is the staff of life, Leviticus 26:26. Is your staff of life strong or weak? Do you think that by taking good whole grain, as God created, removing the wholesome outer bran shell and the wheat germ, then adding artificial chemical vitamins, and baking the resulting white bread, that the product would be better than whole grain bread? If so, I have a bridge Id like to sell to you!
Compare the ingredients of your store-bought bread with my wife Shirleys whole grain recipe: 9 Cups of freshly ground whole wheat flour, 5 Cups very warm water, 1/3 Cup vegetable oil, 1 Cup applesauce, or pumpkin, 1/3 Cup blackstrap molasses, 1/3 Cup honey, 3 Tbsp. granulated yeast, 3 Tbsp. Salt. Typical store bought bread has difficult-to-pronounce-chemicals.
You may be able to obtain good quality whole-grain bread from your local grocery store. Otherwise, bake it yourself. Obtain high-protein Montana red wheat (our preference), Deaf Smith County Texas wheat, or another good variety. Use a Bosch Whisper Mill to grind your wheat and other grains. Use a Bosch Universal Kitchen Machine to knead the dough. In a Sunday afternoon, Shirley can make and freeze enough bread and bread products to feed our family for a month or more. The best grain is not wheat. Millet and rice are probably the best all-around grains. White rice is tasteless; whole grain rice is delicious and nutritious.
God gave the herbs (vegetables, plants) for the service of man, along with wine, oil, and bread, Psalm 104:14-15; Genesis 1:29. The basis for health and medicine is found, not in meat (although God does allow us to eat clean meats), but in herbs. The Bible mentions herbs such as garlic, onions, olive oil, aloe vera, mint, etc. Other good herbs are rosemary, golden seal, echinacea, and many more. When used properly, herbs can be invaluable tools to maintain good health and aid the recovering process when we are sick.
Now, God is our healer, not artificial drugs, or even natural herbs. But, He has given us herbs to serve us, and we are foolish not to avail ourselves of herbal service to our health. As the ancient Egyptians engaged in sewer pharmacology, by concocting medicines out of filthy putrid substances, so today does modern medicine derive drugs from questionable unclean substances, and even human fetal tissue. There are certain medical practices that we should avoid on grounds of cleanliness.
----------------Continues
How many of you have known someone in the Church who has suffered and died of a terrible disease, such as cancer, heart trouble, diabetes, etc.? How many of you have personally been miraculously healed by the Almighty? I dare say that there are many more who answer yes to the first question, rather than the second question. I am tired of hearing so much of the sickness and disease among Gods people. I want to hear more about miracles of faith and healing! It is Gods will for us to have good health.
When you look at what the Bible says about health, you may be offended. Today, some folks do not like to be told that they need to change their lives, eat differently, live differently, and work differently. Yet, the Bible is a book that shows us how to live life to the full, here and now, and eternally hereafter. The Greek word for life is zoe, Strongs #2222. Narrow is the way which leads to life, Matthew 7:14, and few find it. If you will enter into life (zoe), Jesus said, keep the commandments, Matthew 19:17. Now, many people today are like the man who asked Jesus how to obtain eternal life. Which commandments? they wonder. Jesus recited a number of the Ten Commandments, verses 18-19 so he would get the point. But, many today dont understand what Jesus said.
The whole Bible can be summarized by the Ten Commandments, which in turn are summarized by two great laws, Love God, and Love your fellow man, Matthew 22:36-40. The two summary laws in turn are summarized into one thing: God, who is love, I John 4:8. The Ten Commandments are summaries of the laws, statutes, and judgments, as detailed in the Torah, expounded by the prophets, and magnified by the Messiah.
Now, what does this have to do with health? Everything! The Bible is full of laws, statutes, judgments, and principles on how we may be healthy, how God will heal us when we fall short of the goal of perfect health, and how He will ultimately heal us completely by resurrecting us with a spirit body so we can live forever, eternally joyful and healthy. Every one of these health principles relates to one or more of the Ten Commandments, which reflect the characteristic of love, which is the essence, the character of God.
Now, lets review some Bible principles of good health, and make sure we are diligently putting into practice what the Bible tells us to do. There are several areas I would like to cover: food, sexuality, cleanliness, and healing..
Food for Life
The proper perspective on food and drink is expressly stated in I Corinthians 10:31, Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Do we glorify God by our eating and drinking? Or instead, do we pay little attention to what enters our mouth? Gods people know that their bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are not our own, with the freedom to do as we please with our body. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods I Corinthians 6:19-20.
We are instructed by God which food gives zoe (Greek word for life). Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 define clean and unclean foods. Today, it is getting increasingly difficult to avoid unclean foods. Even clean foods are being polluted by our Satanically-inspired society. Recently, at a Church potluck after Sabbath services, someone brought pink grapefruit juice. They did not read the label, and if they had, probably would not have known, that the coloring which makes the grapefruit juice look red comes from squashed cochineal bugs, the best natural red food coloring that exists! The label calls it cochineal or carmine. Amoral scientists are now putting pig genes into corn to improve yields. We must expand our thinking to consider the possibility that even fruits and vegetables can be unclean! We must not only read the label, but also do research to find out what the listed ingredients are. Fish oil may likely be shark oil, which is unclean. We need to be continually vigilant to insure we do not consume unclean substances.
The best solution to getting good, wholesome, foods is to grow your own food, and/or obtain food from trusted sources. Did you realize that Gods first instruction to Adam was to tend, and care for, the Garden of Eden? Genesis 2:15. Raising a garden is definitely the Bible way. Do you know where your vegetables and meat come from? Put forth effort to locate good sources of food, and your health will benefit.
One of the most polluted substances, even in America, is our water. Many Americans drink chlorinated wastewater. The very idea of urinating and defecating in our water and flushing it down the toilet to go downstream for other people to drink is primitive, revolting, and anti-Biblical. Deuteronomy 23:13 tells us to cover up our excrement, not throw it into the river! We can hardly escape unsanitary sewage systems extant throughout most of the world. Not everybody follows the good example of some Swedes by using dry, self-contained chemical toilets. We should put forth effort to obtain good drinking water. Much disease comes from polluted water. Whether it is your own well, bottled water, distillation, or filtering with reverse osmosis (our preference), be sure that you obtain the best water you can. When Christ returns, one of the first things He will do is to cause living waters to go out from Jerusalem to cleanse the world of pollution, Zechariah 14:8-9.
Bread is the staff of life, Leviticus 26:26. Is your staff of life strong or weak? Do you think that by taking good whole grain, as God created, removing the wholesome outer bran shell and the wheat germ, then adding artificial chemical vitamins, and baking the resulting white bread, that the product would be better than whole grain bread? If so, I have a bridge Id like to sell to you!
Compare the ingredients of your store-bought bread with my wife Shirleys whole grain recipe: 9 Cups of freshly ground whole wheat flour, 5 Cups very warm water, 1/3 Cup vegetable oil, 1 Cup applesauce, or pumpkin, 1/3 Cup blackstrap molasses, 1/3 Cup honey, 3 Tbsp. granulated yeast, 3 Tbsp. Salt. Typical store bought bread has difficult-to-pronounce-chemicals.
You may be able to obtain good quality whole-grain bread from your local grocery store. Otherwise, bake it yourself. Obtain high-protein Montana red wheat (our preference), Deaf Smith County Texas wheat, or another good variety. Use a Bosch Whisper Mill to grind your wheat and other grains. Use a Bosch Universal Kitchen Machine to knead the dough. In a Sunday afternoon, Shirley can make and freeze enough bread and bread products to feed our family for a month or more. The best grain is not wheat. Millet and rice are probably the best all-around grains. White rice is tasteless; whole grain rice is delicious and nutritious.
God gave the herbs (vegetables, plants) for the service of man, along with wine, oil, and bread, Psalm 104:14-15; Genesis 1:29. The basis for health and medicine is found, not in meat (although God does allow us to eat clean meats), but in herbs. The Bible mentions herbs such as garlic, onions, olive oil, aloe vera, mint, etc. Other good herbs are rosemary, golden seal, echinacea, and many more. When used properly, herbs can be invaluable tools to maintain good health and aid the recovering process when we are sick.
Now, God is our healer, not artificial drugs, or even natural herbs. But, He has given us herbs to serve us, and we are foolish not to avail ourselves of herbal service to our health. As the ancient Egyptians engaged in sewer pharmacology, by concocting medicines out of filthy putrid substances, so today does modern medicine derive drugs from questionable unclean substances, and even human fetal tissue. There are certain medical practices that we should avoid on grounds of cleanliness.
----------------Continues
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