He
was afraid enough, no doubt. He disliked being burnt as much as
other men. But he felt he must speak God's truth then or never. He
must bear witness for Christ's free gospel, against Pope, Emperor,
all the devils in hell, if need be, or else hereafter for ever hold
his peace. He must play the honest man that day, or be a hypocrite
and a rogue for ever. His friends said to him, 'If you go to the
Council, Duke George will have you burnt.' He answered, 'If it
snowed Duke Georges nine days together, I must go.' They said, 'If
you go into that town, you will never leave it alive.' He said, 'If
there were as many devils in the town as there are tiles on the
houses, I must go.' And he went, Bible in hand, and said, 'Here I
stand; I can do no otherwise. God help me!' He went, and he
conquered.
And so it will be with you, my friends, if you will believe in the
living God, and in the living Christ; then, when temptation comes,
you will be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand. And you will feel yourselves better men from that day
forward. You will feel that you have made one great step upward;
you will look back upon that time of temptation and perplexity as
the beginning of a new life; as a sign to you that Christ is with
you, and in you, training you and shaping your character, till he
makes you, at last, somewhat like himself; somewhat of the stature
of a true man; somewhat like what he has bidden you to be, 'perfect
as your Father in heaven is perfect.
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