His  ora-  '  These  lords  and  bishops  do  exhort  and  counsel  me,  that  I  should  here  con-
th"  ""*°  ^^^^  before  you  all  that  I  have  erred ;  which  thing  to  do,  if  it  were  such  as
people,  might  be  done  with  the  infamy  and  reproach  of  man  only,  they  might  perad-
venture  easily  persuade  me  thereunto ;  but  now  truly  I  am  in  the  sight  of  the
Lord  my  God,  without  whose  great  ignominy  and  grudge  of  mine  own  con-
science, 1  can  by  no  means  do  that  which  they  require  of  me.  For  I  do  well
know,  that  I  never  taught  any  of  those  things  which  they  have  falsely  alleged
against  me ;  but  I  have  always  preached,  taught,  written,  and  thought  contrary
thereunto.  With  what  countenance  then  should  I  behold  the  heavens  ?  With
what  face  should  I  look  upon  them  whom  I  have  taught,  whereof  there  is  a  great
number,  if,  through  me,  it  should  come  to  pass  that  those  things,  which  they  have
hitherto  known  to  be  most  certain  and  sure,  should  now  be  made  uncertain?
Should  I,  by  this  my  example,  astonish  or  trouble  so  many  souls,  so  many  con-
sciences, indued  with  the  most  firm  and  certain  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  and
gospel  ef  our  Lord  Jesu  Christ  and  his  most  pure  doctrine,  armed  against  all
the  assaults  of  Satan  ?  I  will  never  do  it,  neither  commit  any  such  kind  of
offence,  that  I  should  seem  more  to  esteem  this  vile  carcase  appointed  unto
death,  than  their  health  and  salvation.'

At  this  most  godly  word  he  was  forced  again  to  hear,  by  the  consent
of  the  bishops,  that  he  did  obstinately  and  maliciously  persevere  in  his
pernicious  and  wicked  errors.
