Words of a martyr

The martyr was Admiral Gaspard de Coligny, who died on the Bartholomew's Day massacre in France, 1572 (Background).

An eyewitness recorded his final words, in which he committed himself into the hands of a good and gracious God:

I see clearly that which they seek, and I am ready steadfastly to suffer that death which I have never feared and which for a long time past I have pictured to myself. I consider myself happy in feeling the approach of death and in being ready to die in God, by whose grace I hope for the life everlasting. I have no further need of human succor. Go then from this place, my friends, as quickly as you may, for fear lest you shall be involved in my misfortune, and that some day your wives shall curse me as the author of your loss. For me it is enough that God is here, to whose goodness I commend my soul, which is so soon to issue from my body.

I pray that when I face death I'll do it with the same trust in God and concern for the good of others.

More thoughts on Lady Jane

The other thought is that for all the tragedy of it, God knew what he was doing when he made Mary Queen of England, resulting in the deaths of many fearless Protestant leaders (nearly 300). Here were otherwise law-abiding citizens and leaders who were prepared to give their lives rather than acknowledge that the priest's work in supposedly bringing about transubstantiation of bread and wine during mass would in any way assist people to heaven. Behind this lay the firm conviction that in the matter of our salvation from God's wrath, all glory and honour should go to Christ alone—and that his death on the cross was completely sufficient to bring about our forgiveness.

The terrible deaths of those martyrs hastened their passage to heaven and convinced many witnesses that what they believed was not some temporary intellectual fad or heresy, but a truth of ultimate importance.

10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

-Hebrews 10:11-14

Cranmer's martyrdom

I've just sent off another op-ed piece to the Daily Tele on how Australian Anglicans are level-pegging with the 'no religion' category, according to the 2006 census.

If it gets in, I will provide a link here. Meanwhile, here's a picture, with thanks to Michael Jensen, of the martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Notice how he sticks his hand into the flame—the hand which signed the recantation of Protestant doctrines, a recantation which he recanted both by word and here, by deed.