But he has left us on Record another Inftance of Cranmer's Perjury when being under Sentence of Condemnation he was prevail'd upon by the Fear of Death and Hopes of Pardon to abjure Proteftancy twice in a folemn Manner, and then again to retract his double Abjuration; which has left a foul Stain upon his Memory even amongst his best Friends, in Spite of all the fine Gloffes the Doctor his Apologift has endeavour'd to colour it over with. But let us hear him fpeak himself upon the Matter. "In Conclufion, fays he, as Saint Peter himself "had with Curfes denied his Saviour; fo he who "had refifted now almoft three Years was at laft "overcome; and human infirmity, the Fear of "Death and the Hopes that were given him, prevail'd "with him to fet his Hand to a Paper renouncing all "the Errors of Luther and Zuinglius; acknowledging "the Pope's Supremacy, the corporal Prefence in the Eucharift, Purgatory, Prayers for departed Souls, the Invoca"tion of Saints. To which was added his being "forry for his former Errors, and concluded exhor"ting all that had been deceived by his Example or "Doctrine to the Unity of the Church, and protefting that he had fign'd it willingly only for the "Difcharge of his Confcience. 2. Part. L. 2. pag. 333.

When the fecond Order was fent down to ex

ecute the Former, he was dealt with to renew his "Subfcription, and then to write the whole over again. "which he alfo did; all this Time being under "fome fmall Hopes of Life. Ibid. pag. 334.

It seems then that fome very fmall hopes of Life fufficed to make this boly Saint and Martyr perfift in his Perjury and Diffimulation. But (to make Amends for it) when there was not the leaft Glimpfe of Hope left, and diffembling could render him no farther Service, Dr. Burnet affures us he was moft heartily forry for what he had done; in fo much that when he was tied to the Stake, and the Fire kindling, he stretch'd forth his right Hand to the Flame never moving it till it was burnt away; which was confumed before the Fire reach'd bis Body, fometimes faying, THAT UNWORTHY HAND, Ibid. pag, 336.

This

This Story is pretty indeed, but fomewhat Savouring of a Romance; nor have I Faith enough to believe that a Criminal, tied faft to the Stake in Ŏrder to be burnt alive, has fo much the Liberty of his Hands allow'd him as to be able to ftretch them so far forward from his Body, that the Flames fhall confume the one without touching the other.

But let that be as it will, our noble Hiftorian, to fhew the Innocence of this holy Martyr, is likewise pleafed to tell us (but his Word is not Gofpel) that when his Body was quite confumed, his Heart was found entire among the Alhes; whence he concludes, that his Heart had continued true tho' his Hand bad err'd; and that if this had happen'd in our Church, we should have made a Miracle of it. Ibid. Very right, we should fo without all Difpute. Nay the Doctor needs go no further than my ownfelf, for I will maintain it against any Man of common Senfe, that it either was a Miracle, if it truly happen'd, or is a meer Tale of a Tub invented by fome Hiftorian of as mean a Reputation for his Veracity as the Doctor himself, and fince he declares that Proteftants will not own it to be a Miracle, I conclude againft him that it is a most impudent Falfehood, because if it was no Miracle, it had no fupernatural Caufe: And I defire the Doctor to let me know, what natural Caufe can hinder the fame Fire, that has confumed the whole Body to Afhes, from confuming likewife the Heart; or whether an Effect can be produced without any Caufe either natural or fupernatural for it.

For

But the Doctor's concluding from it, that Cranmer's Heart had continued true tho' the Hand had err'd is a Piece of Nonfence unpardonable in a Divine. is it the Heart or Hand that is criminal in the Sight of God? Surely the Heart; and therefore if either of the two were to be fpared by the Fire, the Hand as being the lefs criminal deferved that Favour preferably to the Heart.

I add that unlefs Dr. Burnet himfelf intended to have it regarded as a Miracle or divine Teftimony of Cranmer's Innocence, he is the meerest Trifler, that

ever put Pen to Paper; for if that was not his End, how could he poffibly conclude from it that his Heart was innocent? So that it is a manifest Blunder to draw this Conclufion from it, and yet deny it to be a Miracle, and the plain Truth of the Matter is, that it is a meer old Wife's Story.

I now leave the Reader to judge from the Facts I have clearly proved in this Supplement against Archbishop Cranmer, whether I have any Ways wrong'd him in the Character given of him Art. 3. I think I may fafely fay, no reasonable Man will do me that Injustice.

FINIS:

THE

CONTENTS

ART. I.

No lawful Ministry without a lawful Mision, Page 1.

· ART. II.

The Difagreement amongst Proteftants concerning their Miffion

P. 10.

ART. III.

The first Reformers had no extraordinary Mission, p. 197

Proteftants convicted from their own Writings that they have lawful Miffion from the Church of Rome, p. 28.

The Supplement of Art, III.

P. 56.