I am reading Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Marie Gentert King, Editor. It is an out of print paperback edition. What I have found, with this book, is that it has different accounts than other books that have been published. The quote I make today is from this edition.
As I write this entry, I am about halfway through this edition of the book. I am struck by the following words spoken by Dr. Robert Barnes before being burned as an heretic, along with two others, for his faith.
“I believe in the blessed Trinity, three Persons and one God, that created the world, and that this blessed Trinity sent down the second person, Jesus Christ, into the womb of the Virgin Mary. I believe that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and took flesh of her, and that he suffered hunger, thirst, cold, and other passions of our body, sin excepted, according to the saying of St. Peter, ‘He was made in all things like to his bretheren, yet without sin.’ And I believe that this his death and passion was the sufficient ransom for sin. And I believe that through his death he overcame sin, death, and hell, and that there is none other satisfaction unto the Father, but this his death and passion only; and that no work of man did deserve anything of God, but his passion only as touching our justification, for I know the best work that ever I performed is impure and imperfect.” And with this he cast abroad his hands, and desired God to forgive him his trespasses: — “Wherefore I beseech thee, O Lord, not to enter into judgment with me, according to the saying of the prophet David. Wherefore, I trust in no good work that ever I did, but only in the death of Christ. I do not doubt but through him to inherit the kingdom of heaven. But imagine not that I speak against good works, for they are to be done, and verily they that do them not shall never come into the kingdom of God. We must do them, because they are commanded us of God, to show and set forth our profession, not to deserve or merit, for that is only by the death of Christ.”
Another edition, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, William Byron Forbush, Editor, is currently in print.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. — Hebrews 4:15 (KJV)