144 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. White. We ought to do what God comnaandefh. Dean. Then you must not use the Lord's prayer, because the papists used it; and many other prayers, because the papists used them. You would have nothing but the word of God. Are all the psalms which you sing the word of God ? White. Is every word delivered in a good sermon the word of God ? Dean. No. White. But every word and thing agreeing with the word of God, is as the word of God. Bishop. There bath been no heretic, but he hath chal- lenged the word of God to defend himself. White. What is that to us ? If you know any heresy that we hold, charge us with it. Bishop. Holy-days may be well used. Hawkins. Bishop Hooper, in his Commentary upon the Commandments, saith, 4, that holy-days are the leaven of antichrist.n. In the conclusion, the prisoners not yielding to the con- formity required, were sent to Bridewell, where they, with their brethren, and several women, were kept in confine- ment two years. During this period, the famous Mr. Thomas Lever had a conference with them, and, by their desire, wrote them a letter to comfort and encourage them under their present trials, giving his opinion of those things for which they suffered. In this letter, dated December 5, 1568, he declares, that by the grace of God, he was deter- mined never to wear the square cap and surplice, nor kneel at the communion,because it wasa symbolizing with popery. Yet he would not condemn those who should observe these things.t The celebrated Mr. JohnKnox wrote, also, a most affectionate and faithful letter to certain prisoners confined for nonconformity ; urging them to hear the ministerswho preached sound doctrine, though they conformed to the habits and ceremonies of the church. This letter, written about the same time, was most probably addressed to the same persons # The patience and constancy of Mr. Hawkins and the rest of the prisoners, being at length sufficiently tried, an order at the motion of Bishop Grindal, was sent from the lords of the council to release them. Therefore, in the month of April, 1569, after admonition to behave themselVes better Parte of a Register, p. 24-27. MS. Register, p. 18, 19. t Ibid. p. 20, 21. AIN
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