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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
Tyndale, his whole stock of Bibles, for the purpose of destroying
them, supposing that this would greatly hinder the work. But, on
the contrary, the money thus furnished, purchased material for a
new and better edition, which, but for this, could not have been
published. When Tyndale was afterward made a prisoner, his liberty
was offered him on condition that he would reveal the names of
those who had helped him meet the expense of printing his Bibles.
He replied that the bishop of Durham had done more than any other
person; for by paying a large price for the books left on hand, he had
enabled him to go on with good courage.
Tyndale was betrayed into the hands of his enemies, and at one
time suffered imprisonment for many months. He finally witnessed
for his faith by a martyr’s death; but the weapons which he prepared
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have enabled other soldiers to do battle through all the centuries
even to our time.
In Scotland the gospel found a champion in the person of John
Knox. This true-hearted reformer feared not the face of man. The
fires of martyrdom, blazing around him, served only to quicken his
zeal to greater intensity. With the tyrant’s ax held menacingly over
his head, he stood his ground, striking sturdy blows on the right hand
and on the left, to demolish idolatry. Thus he kept to his purpose,
praying and fighting the battles of the Lord, until Scotland was free.
In England, Latimer maintained from the pulpit that the Bible
ought to be read in the language of the people. “The Author of Holy
Scripture,” said he, “is God himself, and this Scripture partakes
of the might and eternity of its Author. There is neither king nor
emperor that is not bound to obey it. Let us beware of those by-paths
of human tradition, full of stones, brambles, and uprooted trees. Let
us follow the straight road of the word. It does not concern us what
the Fathers have done, but rather what they ought to have done.”
Barnes and Frith, the faithful friends of Tyndale, arose to defend
the truth. The Ridleys and Cranmer followed. These leaders in the
English Reformation were men of learning, and most of them had
been highly esteemed for zeal or piety in the Romish communion.
Their opposition to the papacy was the result of their knowledge of
the errors of the holy see. Their acquaintance with the mysteries of
Babylon, gave greater power to their testimonies against her.
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