Bishops Latimer and Ridley were burnt together.  When they came to the stake, Dr. Ridley embraced Latimer fervently, and bade him be of good heart; he then knelt by the stake, and after earnestly praying together, they had a short private conversation.  A lighted fagot was laid at Dr. Ridley’s feet, which caused the other to say, “Be of good cheer, Ridley, and play the man.  We shall this day, by God’s grace, light up such a candle in England, as I trust will never be put out.”  When Dr. Ridley saw the flame approaching him, he exclaimed, “Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.”  Latimer ceased not to say, “O Father of heaven, receive my soul.”

Sanders, another martyr, was offered a pardon; but he rejected it, and embraced the stake, saying, “Welcome the cross of Christ! welcome, everlasting life!” Fox’s Book of Martyrs and Hume’s Hist.  Eng] days here at home, there were such sweet songs sung in the fire, such sweet notes answering them from prison, and such providences, like coals of burning fire, still dropping here and there upon the heads of those that hated God, that it might, and douhtless did, make those that did wisely consider of God’s doings, think God was yet near in behalf of his despised and afflicted people.

Deep things are seen by them that are upon the waters.  “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep.”  Indeed it oft falls out that the church sees more of God in affliction, than when she is at rest and ease; when she is tumbled to and fro with waters, then she sees the works of God and his wonders in the deep.  And this makes persecution so pleasant a thing; this makes “the ark go upon the face of the waters.”  She sees more in this her state, than in all the treasures of Egypt.

Nothing is more natural to the church, while in a wilderness condition, than such cups and draughts as the cup of the Lord’s fury, the cup of trembling, the cup of astonishment.

Hence she is said to be clothed in sackcloth, to mourn, to weep, to cry out, and to be in pain as a woman in travail.  Since the church in the wilderness has been so persecuted, so distressed, so oppressed, and made the seat of so much war, so much blood, and so many murders of her children within her, can it be imagined that she drank of more of these cups?  Yes, yes, she has drunk the red wine at the Lord’s hand, even the cup of blood, of fury, of trembling, and of astonishment; witness her own cries, sighs, tears, and tremblings, with the cries of the widows, children, and orphans within her.

But all these cups are of pure gold.  They are of God’s ordaining, appointing, filling; and also sanctified by him for good to those of his that drink them.  Hence Moses chose rather to drink a brimmer of these, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

The sourness, bitterness, and wormwood of them, therefore, is only to the flesh, that loveth neither God, nor Christ, nor grace.  The afflictions, therefore, that the church in the wilderness hath met with, these cups of gold, are of more worth than are all the treasures of Egypt; they are needful and profitable, and praiseworthy also, and tend to the augmenting of our glory when the next world shall come.