Rawlins White, a Welshman, a Fisherman of Cardiff, was very superstitious in time of Popery, till afterwards through God's Grace, he, upon the Reformation, began to give ear to good Men, and searched out the Truth; but being a very poor ignorant Person, he knew not how to be informed; and so resolved to ⟨p. 202⟩put his Child to learn to read, whom he caused, when he could read, to read every night Summer and Winter after Supper, a piece of Scripture or some good Book, which profited him so much through God's grace, and the blessing of a good memory, that he soon became very perfect in Scriptures, did see his former errors, and was enabled to admonish others; by which means he was instrumental for the conversion of many others, whom he instructed; for which he expected to be apprehended; and his Friends desired him to fly, but he said, No: He had learned, That if he should presume to deny his Master Christ, Christ in the last day would deny and condemn him. I will therefore by his favourable Grace bear witness of him before Men, that I may find him in Everlasting Life. And at last was taken and imprisoned for a year; where as oft as his Friends visited him, he would spend the time in prayer and Exhortation: And after many means of threats and flatteries used by Bishop of Landaffe to bring him to a conformity, ⟨p. 203⟩but in vain: he resolved to condemn him, yet exhorted he his Fellow-Assistants to pray to God for Grace for Rawlins to convert him: Whereat Rawlins rejoiced, and commending them, said, Go and pray, and I also will pray. After prayer, the Bishop asked him, If he would recant, and he said, No. Rawlins ye left me, and Rawlins ye find me, and by God's Grace Rawlins I will continue. Certainly if your petitions were just and lawful, God would have heard you; but ye honour a false God, and pray not as ye ought to pray, and therefore hath not God granted your desire; but God hath heard my complaint, and I trust will strengthen me in his own cause. Then the Bishop would have a Mass, at which Rawlins went, and begged the Brethren or but one Brother to bear witness that he did not worship that Idol the Host over the Priest's head: and so, soon after he was condemned: who then sent to his Wife for a Shirt to be burnt in, which he called a Wedding-garment.
Rawlins White, a Welchman, a Fisherman of Cardiff, was very superstitious in time of Popery, till afterwards through God's Grace, he, upon the Reformation, began to give ear to good Men, and searched out the Truth; but being a very poor ignorant Person, he knew not how to be informed; and so resolved to ⟨p. 202⟩put his Child to learn to read, whom he caused, when he could read, to read every night Summer and Winter after Supper, a piece of Scripture or some good Book, which profited him so much through God's grace, and the blessing of a good memory, that he soon became very perfect in Scriptures, did see his former errours, and was enabled to admonish others; by which means he was instrumental for the conversion of many others, whom he instructed; for which he expected to be apprehended; and his Friends desired him to fly, but he said, No: He had learned, That if he should presume to deny his Master Christ, Christ in the last day would deny and condemn him. I will therefore by his favourable Grace bear witness of him before Men, that I may find him in Everlasting Life. And at last was taken and imprisoned for a year; where as oft as his Friends visited him, he would spend the time in prayer and Exhortation: And after many means of threats and flatteries used by Bishop of Landaffe to bring him to a conformity, ⟨p. 203⟩but in vain: he resolved to condemn him, yet exhorted he his Fellow-Assistants to pray to God for Grace for Rawlins to convert him: Whereat Rawlins rejoyced, and commending them, said, Go and pray, and I also will pray. After prayer, the Bishop asked him, If he would recant, and he said, No. Rawlins ye left me, and Rawlins ye find me, and by God's Grace Rawlins I will continue. Certainly if your petitions were just and lawful, God would have heard you; but ye honour a false God, and pray not as ye ought to pray, and therefore hath not God granted your desire; but God hath heard my complaint, and I trust will strengthen me in his own cause. Then the Bishop would have a Mass, at which Rawlins went, and begg'd the Brethren or but one Brother to bear witness that he did not worship that Idol the Host over the Priest's head: and so, soon after he was condemned: who then sent to his Wife for a Shirt to be burnt in, which he called a Wedding-garment.
