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Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

The mystery of history is not completely dark, since it is a veil which only partially conceals the creative activity and spiritual forces and the operation of spiritual laws. It is commonplace to say that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church yet what we are asserting is simply that individual acts of spiritual decision bear social fruit …For the great cultural changes and historic revolutions that decide the fate of nations or the character of an age is the cumulative result of a number of spiritual decisions … the faith and insight, or the refusal and blindness, of individuals. No one can put his finger on the ultimate spiritual act that tilts the balance, and makes the external order of society assume a new form… Persecution, powerless to destroy or even to shake this new community, made it only the more sensible of its own strength, and pressed it into a more compact body.

The mystery of history is not completely dark, since it is a veil which only partially conceals the creative activity and spiritual forces and the operation of spiritual laws. It is commonplace to say that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church yet what we are asserting is simply that individual acts of spiritual decision bear social fruit …For the great cultural changes and historic revolutions that decide the fate of nations or the character of an age is the cumulative result of a number of spiritual decisions … the faith and insight, or the refusal and blindness, of individuals. No one can put his finger on the ultimate spiritual act that tilts the balance, and makes the external order of society assume a new form… Persecution, powerless to destroy or even to shake this new community, made it only the more sensible of its own strength, and pressed it into a more compact body.

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<strong>Foxe</strong>’s <strong>Book</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Martyrs</strong><br />

"O dear Brethren and Sisters,<br />

"How much reason have you to rejoice in God, that He hath given you such faith to<br />

overcome this bloodthirsty tyrant thus far! And no doubt He that hath begun that good work<br />

in you, will fulfill it unto the end. O dear hearts in Christ, what a crown <strong>of</strong> glory shall ye<br />

receive with Christ in the kingdom <strong>of</strong> God! O that it had been the good will <strong>of</strong> God that I had<br />

been ready to have gone with you; for I lie in my lord's Little- ease by day, and in the night I<br />

lie in the Coalhouse, apart from Ralph Allerton, or any other; and we look every day when<br />

we shall be condemned; for he said that I should be burned within ten days before Easter; but<br />

I lie still at the pool's brink, and every man goeth in before me; but we abide patiently the<br />

Lord's leisure, with many bonds, in fetters and stocks, by which we have received great joy <strong>of</strong><br />

God. And now fare you well, dear brethren and sisters, in this world, but I trust to see you in<br />

the heavens face to face.<br />

"O brother Munt, with your wife and my sister Rose, how blessed are you in the Lord,<br />

that God hath found you worthy to suffer for His sake! with all the rest <strong>of</strong> my dear brethren<br />

and sisters known and unknown. O be joyful even unto death. Fear it not, saith Christ, for I<br />

have overcome death. O dear heart, seeing that Jesus Christ will be our help, O tarry you the<br />

Lord's leisure. Be strong, let your hearts be <strong>of</strong> good comfort, and wait you still for the Lord.<br />

He is at hand. Yea, the angel <strong>of</strong> the Lord pitcheth his tent round about them that fear him, and<br />

delivereth them which way he seeth best. For our lives are in the Lord's hands; and they can<br />

do nothing unto us before God suffer them. <strong>The</strong>refore give all thanks to God.<br />

"O dear hearts, you shall be clothed in long white garments upon the mount <strong>of</strong> Sion, with<br />

the multitude <strong>of</strong> saints, and with Jesus Christ our Savior, who will never forsake us. O blessed<br />

virgins, ye have played the wise virgins' part, in that ye have taken oil in your lamps that ye<br />

may go in with the Bridegroom, when he cometh, into the everlasting joy with Him. But as for<br />

the foolish, they shall be shut out, because they made not themselves ready to suffer with<br />

Christ, neither go about to take up His cross. O dear hearts, how precious shall your death<br />

be in the sight <strong>of</strong> the Lord! for dear is the death <strong>of</strong> His saints. O fare you well, and pray. <strong>The</strong><br />

grace <strong>of</strong> our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen, Amen. Pray, pray, pray!<br />

"Written by me, with my own blood,<br />

"RICHARD ROTH”<br />

This letter, so justly denominating Bonner the "bloodthirsty tyrant," was not likely to<br />

excite his compassion. Roth accused him <strong>of</strong> bringing them to secret examination by night,<br />

because he was afraid <strong>of</strong> the people by day. Resisting every temptation to recant, he was<br />

condemned, and on September 17, 1557, these four martyrs perished at Islington, for the<br />

testimony <strong>of</strong> the Lamb, who was slain that they might be <strong>of</strong> the redeemed <strong>of</strong> God.<br />

John Noyes, a shoemaker, <strong>of</strong> Laxfield, Suffolk, was taken to Eye, and at midnight,<br />

September 21, 1557, he was brought from Eye to Laxfield to be burned. On the following<br />

morning he was led to the stake, prepared for the horrid sacrifice. Mr. Noyes, on coming to<br />

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