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That Shall Be Known...
- 11/15/08
- 10
Yesterday, while reading a book about the history of the English Bible, I came across the story of John Rogers, a Bible translator who worked first with Tyndale and then independently after Tyndale's death. It's a story I've read before and one that is so powerful. Rogers was eventually arrested, tried, and found guilty of heresies against the Roman Church and against the sacrament. Such heresy carried with it the penalty of death and Rogers was to become the first of many martyrs under the reign of Mary I (Bloody Mary). Here is how Foxe described his last moments.
When the time came that he should be brought out of Newgate to Smithfield, the place of his execution, Mr. Woodroofe, one of the sheriffs, first came to Mr. Rogers, and asked him if he would revoke his abominable doctrine, and the evil opinion of the Sacrament of the altar. Mr. Rogers answered, "That which I have preached I will seal with my blood." Then Mr. Woodroofe said, "Thou art an heretic." "That shall be known," quoth Mr. Rogers, "at the Day of Judgment." "Well," said Mr. Woodroofe, "I will never pray for thee." "But I will pray for you," said Mr. Rogers; and so was brought the same day, the fourth of February, by the sheriffs, towards Smithfield, saying the Psalm Miserere by the way, all the people wonderfully rejoicing at his constancy; with great praises and thanks to God for the same. And there in the presence of Mr. Rochester, comptroller of the queen's household, Sir Richard Southwell, both the sheriffs, and a great number of people, he was burnt to ashes, washing his hands in the flame as he was burning. A little before his burning, his pardon was brought, if he would have recanted; but he utterly refused it. He was the first martyr of all the blessed company that suffered in Queen Mary's time that gave the first adventure upon the fire. His wife and children, being eleven in number, ten able to go, and one sucking at her breast, met him by the way, as he went towards Smithfield. This sorrowful sight of his own flesh and blood could nothing move him, but that he constantly and cheerfully took his death with wonderful patience, in the defence and quarrel of the Gospel of Christ."
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I write books and blogs for fun while doing web design and consulting for a living. I worship and serve at 
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Comments (10)
As sad as it is to read of the horrible persecution, it is wonderful to know that Christ loves His church enough to cleanse her every so often. Praise God for His faithfullness.May He do what ever is needed to cleanse her again.
Thank you for sharing this, brother. What an inspiration! It reminds me of Matthew 10:37-39.
May the LORD grant us the same courage when we find ourselves in that same place that John Rogers was at.
A few years ago some siblings of my father-in-law traced their lineage and dicovered that John Rogers was among those in their ancestry. I have searched for more information on Rogers that goes beyond Foxe's Book of Martyr's or standard works on Tyndale/ the English Bible, but have yet to find anything more substantial on his life. Nonetheless, I am honored that our family has this connection to the great Reformer.
An excelllent reminder, as if we needed another, of why it's so important to keep religions out of our government.
Except that, Kathleen, he was also the man appointed by Henry VIII to edit and produce the first English Bible to be read in every English church: no doubt a good thing: and it was only government's intervention that got it done. Life is always more complex than religion in or out of government, I fear.
There were many terrible things done to Reformers in England in the early 16th Century by the authorities, whether Roman Catholic, or less reformed protestants. There were also many terrible things done to Roman Catholics by Protestant authorities of various shades from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
The Psalm Miserere is, of course, Psalm 51. I could think of nothing better to recite if I was heading to the fire.
And what a god reminder for those Christians who think that doctrinal technicalities don't really matter. Godly men have died for those technicalities!
What a difference in Culture and Family Values.
James Dobson "Turned Our Hearts Toward Home" and in the process we have reasoned away our loyalty to Christ and replaced it with loyalty to family and home first.
I fear that most of us would reason, with ourselves, that God would excuse our denial of the Truth and of Christ if we did so for the sake of our wife and children. After all, God would know what was really in our heart.
I believe the day of such testing might come upon us again before long.
This wretched country has once again become a papal stronghold. The Archbishop calls for the institution of martial law [which would have permitted Joseph to beat Mary. It seems that all the personal freedoms engendered since the signing of the Magna Carta are now being withdrawn and repudiated. How tragic. The blood of these noble martyrs will testify against the nation as it continues to apostasize.John
Matthew 10:37-39, cited by Isaiah on 11/15, is good. Luke 14:25-27 is even more poignant, espec. v. 26:
If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
These words have to mean something to serious-minded believers here in America today (i.e., true, genuine believers, as opposed to false professors, hypocrites, modern-day Pharisees, nominal "believers" from various denominations, "goats," "tares," "foolish virgins," etc.). I appreciate James Dobson in many ways, but what does he do with a verse like this? Yes, John Rogers' experience may one day be our own, and such ponderings should NOW call for deep, serious, personal contemplation. Our persecuted brethren in countries like India, China, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia (and many others, no doubt)--where false religion or irreligion holds sway--know this to be true.