“First, and before all other things, I commit myself to God and His mercy; believing, without any doubt or mistrust, that by His grace, and the merits of Jesus Christ, and by the virtue of His passion and His resurrection, I have, and shall have, remission of all my sins, and also resurrection of body and soul, according as it is written: ‘I believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that in the last day I shall rise out of the earth, and in my flesh shall see my Saviour;’ this my hope is laid up in my bosom. And, touching my soul, this faith is sufficient, as I suppose, without any other man’s works or merits. My confidence and belief is, that there is but one God, and one Mediator between God and man, which is Jesus Christ; so that I take none in heaven nor in earth to be mediator between me and God, but only Jesus Christ. All others be but petitioners for receiving of grace, but none are able to give influence of grace, and, therefore, I will not bestow any part of my goods with an intent that any man should say or do anything to help my soul, for therein I trust only in the promises of Christ. And touching the distribution of my temporal goods, my purpose is, by the grace of God, to bestow them to be accepted as the fruits of faith, so that I do not suppose that my merit shall be by the good bestowing of them, but my merit is the faith of Jesus Christ only, by whom such works are good. And we should ever consider that true saying, that a good work maketh not a good man, but a good man maketh a good work; for faith maketh a man both good and righteous; ‘for a righteous man liveth by faith, and whatsoever springeth not of faith is sin’” (Rom. xiv.). This will was condemned by Convocation as “proud, scandalous, contradictory, impious, and heretical,” and it was decreed that Tracy’s body should be exhumed and cast out of consecrated ground as a heretic. This dishonour to the dead was not the only proof of active hostility that the clergy and King manifested, for even the living were compelled to feel their vengeance. No wonder is it, when he heard of such things as the martyrdom of Bilney and of others, that Tyndale feared to return to England, even if he had the guarantee of the King’s word. And yet he declared that he was ready to do so if only the King would permit a translation of the Scriptures to be circulated in England; to secure this boon for his fellow-countrymen Tyndale was quite content to die. Alas! the Bible was not to be as yet circulated in England. CHAPTER IX. _A FRIEND UNTO DEATH; OR, COMFORTING A SUFFERER._ “A friend is worth all hazards we can run, Poor is the friendless master of a world. A world in purchase for a friend were gain.” --YOUNG. “Be still, fond heart, nor ask thy fate to know; Face bravely what each God-sent moment brings; Above thee rules in love, through weal and woe, Guiding thy king and thee, the King of kings.”