presides vsque ad extre muÌ„ terrae How fayre are the feete of the preachers of peace for these are they that carye my name before Kinges and rulers and to the verye ende of the worlde Thus we see how the wordes of Christ are veryfied Nisi granum frumenti cadens in terram mortuum fuerit ipsum solum manet si autem mortuum fuerit multuÌ„ fructuÌ„ affert vnlesse the cornel of wheat fall into the grounde and dye it selfe remayneth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much fruite Saynt Ambrose noteth that in the vinyardes of Engaddi a citye of Iurye there is a tree that if it be pricked or cutt it distilleth out most precious balme and yeeldeth a moste sweete sauoure neyther of which thinges it dothe being lefte whole Euen so happeneth it in the Martyrs whose blood by their woundes gushing oute is more precious sweete acceptable then the balme And of this maye we vnderstand those wordes of the Spouse Botrus Cypri dilectus mâ—us mihi in vincis Engaddi A cluster of Cyprus is my beloued vnto me in the vyne yardes of Engaddi For as S. Hierome sayeth Ideo odor disseminatur inter gentes subiit tacita cogitatio nisi veruÌ„ euangeliuÌ„ nunquaÌ„ sanguine defendereÌ„t By this meanes is the sauoure of Christianitye spredd emonge the Gentils and this secret thought coÌ„meth to theyr mynde that excepte the Gospell were true men wold neuer defend it with their blood The swetnesse of the rose if it be vntouched soone withereth awaye with the leafe which to day is fayre and to morow fadeth But put it into the still couer it froÌ„ the coÌ„forte of the Sunne yea scorche it with the fyre it vapoureth out most delicate water which maye be longe preserued imparteth sweetnesse to whatsoeuer it toucheth So that whether it be by fyer or by naturall course the rose wythereth but in the firste manner both the leafe keepeth a pleasant sauour distilleth from it a most sweete liquour wheras in the seconde bothe the leafe is lesse lykesome and the water lost So fareth it with Gods Martyres Whyle they lyue they are sweete in their vertuous conuersation If they dye their example for a tyme doth some good but put them in pryson keepe them from worldlye comfortes yea scorche them burne them and vse them in all extremitye then doe theire vertue geue the best sauoure and their bloode whersoeuer it is shedd engendereth a wonderfull alteratioÌ„ in mens maÌ„ners makinge them embrace the trueth and become Christi bonus odor incensuÌ„ dignuÌ„ in odoreÌ„ suauitatis A good sauoure of Christe an incense worthy to be odour of sweetnes wheras in their naturall deathe though theyr example wold haue done good yet neyther theyr leafe had ben so odoriferous nor they re precious lyquoure to such benefitt of the church And therfore maye we say with SalomoÌ„ O quam pulchra est casta generatio cuÌ„ claritate cum presens est imitantur illam desiderant eam cum se eduxerit in perpetuuÌ„ coronata triumphat incoinquiâ—atoruÌ„ câ—rtaminum praemia vincens O how fayre is a chaste generation with bryghtenesse whyle it is present men doe imitate it and longe after it when it is departed and tryumpheth crouned with perpetuall glorye winning the rewardes of they re vndefyled encounters Personable men of comelye feature though they be by sicknesse or dirte disfigured yet keepe they the tokens of seemelynesse yea and then theyr seemlynesse is most seene when it is compared with some contrarye deformitye And so is it in Gods Martyres euen in the depthe of worldlye disgrace doe they shew the glorious grace and beautye of they re mynde and when they re vertue encountereth with the persecutors vyce then doth it shyne brightest and is vnto the behoulders most pleasinge and amyable O vnspeakable force of the bloode of Martyrs then most powrable when it is spilte and then moste victorious when it is troadden vnder foote No Adamant so hard but though it resiste to the strokes of preaching yea and to the mightye force of myracles yet yeeldeth it to the blood of innocent lambes of which Christe speaketh Ego mitto vos sicut agnos inter lupos I sende you lyke lambes amonge wolues No leaprosye so vncurable but the blood of these infantes in innocencye thoughe not in age in malyce though not in discretion cannot cure And albeit Constantine refused a bathe of the bloode of Infantes in age yet doubtlesse had not these Infantes in innocencye I meane the Martyres bathed him in theyres God knoweth whether euer he had ben rid of his spiritual leaprosye Which he himselfe in a manner acknowledging wheÌ„ he came to that famous CouÌ„cell of Nice fynding manye of those Fathers that had some parte of they re bodye maymed or disfigured with the tormeÌ„tes suffered for the Catholike Fayth he embraced theÌ„ in humble sorte most deuoutlye kissing the scarres of they re tormentes as most honourable badges of Christianity Three testimonyes recouÌ„teth S. Ihon in this world tres suÌ„t qui testimoniuÌ„ daÌ„t in terra spiritus aqua et sanguis There are three that geue witnesse in earthe the spirite water and bloode The firste dyd S. Ihon Baptist see in the forme of a doue the second and thirde S. Iohn Euangelist coÌ„minge out of Christes syde In one sense these three thinges haue caused our spirituall lyfe in another they mayntayne our corporall Our inward man is quickned by Gods spiryte clensed by the water of Baptisme redemed with the blood of Christ. But nether wold this spirite haue quickned nor the water washed vnlesse the blood had redemed The Spirit soweth the water rypeneth the blood reapeth The spirite appeared in Christes baptisme though the heaueÌ„ was opened yet nether earth nor hell gaue any signe of his comming The water was shed wheÌ„ Christe weeped at Lazarus raysinge though hell was enforced to render her praye yet neither heauen nor earth were moued at it But when the blood came out of Christes woundes bothe the heauens denyed lyghte the earthe quaked and hell deliuered vppe the deade and then was it fulfilled si â—xaltatus fuâ—ro a terra omnia traham ad mcipsuÌ„ If I be exalted from the earthe I will draw all things vnto me Our corporal lyfe also dependeth partly vppon breathing partlye in watrye humours but chieflye in blood Yet those are by natural course tokens of lyfe while in the bodye they performe theyr seuerall effectes But for our present consideration it importeth more to consider that theyr spirituall value and force is shewed when the bodye is bereaued of them No man was moued by seeinge Christe drawe breath but when with a greate voyce hee gaue vpp his spirite and loste his breath then dyd the Centurion strayte crye vere filius dei erat iste In verye deede this was the sonne of God Whyle the blood and water were in
the Pope fayth of Rome haue bene by the Arrian Emperours banished and put to death Did not S. Alban dye for receiuing a Clergye man and S. Thomas of Canterburye for defendinge the libertye of the Churche agaynst vsurped authoritye Were not diuerse put to death in Coproninus tyme for defendinge Images finallye how manye monckes heremites and religious men whom our aduersaryes disclayme from their religion how many I saye haue ben martired for their faith as Palladius and S. Damascen write Nether doe I recken these in perticuler to exclude all the other Martirs for dout lesse as by their historyes is apparent in all persecutions none died Martirs but of our fayth But I cite these perticulers to shew that those generally in former ages haue ben accoūted as Martirs that haue suffered for these selfe same poyntes for the which we are now chieflye persecuted So that it sufficiently appeareth that both all the generall persecutions haue ben raysed agaynst our churche and that not withstanding all their crueltye it yett endureth and shall to the worldes end But now on the other syde two hundred archheretickes brochers of new sectes that haue ben since Christes tyme though they haue for a season florished and preueyled hauinge Emperours Bishopes and Potentates to defende them infinite bookes and writings to diuulge their doctrine and all temporall aydes to sett them forwarde Yet we see that their memory is quite abolished their names cōmonlye vnknowen theire bookes perished and no more mention of them thē the condemnation and disproofe of their errours recorded by Catholicke writers The same doubtlesse wil be the end of Luthers noueltyes which being but parcels of their corruptions reuiued and raked out of obliuion as heretofore they vanished with their prime deuisers so will they now with their late reuiuers And we see this almost euen alreadye verified seeing that amonge so manye of Luthers progenye ther are founde scarce anye and peraduenture none at all that dare aduouche or take vppon him the patronage of all his articles Yea and his schollers are alredy so straungelye sondred into most contrarious and diuers sectes that it is a most manifest token and proofe that God is not the author of theire opinions seing he is only the God of peace and not of dissentiō For Lindanus long since in his Dialogue named Dubitantius reckeneth vpp threescore eyghtene diuerse sectes sprong all since Luthers first preachinge and with those that are of later grouth they are now well nere a hundred all different from others in essentiall poyntes of faythe as in moste of them Prateolus sheweth Which doubtlesse is the prouidence of almightye God in this as it hath bene in all other heresies of former dayes that the vnconstancye varietye and sodeyne chaunge the dissention of doctrine and diuision of schollers both from theire maisters and among them selues should be a manifest argument that their assertions proceeded of the spirite of error were maynteyned with the spiritt of pryde and obstinacye and should be quicklye ended by the spiritt of discord contradiction This doth Ireneus obserue of Simon Magus and of Valentinus S. Augustine of the Donatistes Maniches Epiphan of the Marcionites Montanistes Ruffinus Hillarius of the Arrians and Euagrius of the Eutichians who were scarce so soone sprong as they were spread into most cōtrarious branches or as S. Austine speaketh in minutissima frusta into very small māmocks For why when they once swarue from the compasse of the Catholicke Churches censure onlye allowing and interpreting the scripture in the sense that their single spiritt susgesteth as they be of diuerse fancyes and humours so fall they into diuerse and sondrye perswasions and then not yeldinge to anye vmpiershipp but their owne they are past all meanes and possibillity of agrement Wherevppon Origines expoundinge the signification of that acte of Sampson when he bound three hundred foxes by the tayles tyed fyer in the middest and sente them to burne his enemies corne so sayeth he must the true Catholike Doctor take the repugnant opinions and contradictons of heretickes and by conferring them together deduce therby a conclusiō against them which maye serue as fyer to burne vpp their owne frutes And in deed there is nothing of more force to shew their madnesse thē this presumptiō vpon their selfe arbitrement which is the cause of all their discord For as S. Chrisostome noteth As we would iudge one madd that seinge the smithe take a red hott iron with his tongues would aduenture to take the same in his bare fingers so maye we deeme both of the Philosophers that went about to compasse our faith in their bare reason of the heretickes of our tyme that aduenture vppon the creditt of their single spirits to decyde all controuersies and interprete Gods worde which the cunningest smithes of all antiquitye durst neuer handle but by the tongues of the Catholike Churches censure And therfore as one takinge the Kinges image sett forth with exquisite conning and with most choyce precious stones by a rare workman should change it from mans shape and the seemelye fashion that it had to the likenesse of a fox or dogge vsing still the same mettall and the same pretious iewels though rudelye and groslye disposed and shoulde then vaunt that this were the Kinges true portrature so artificially wrought by the first worker deluding the ignorant with the beautye and glisteringe of the pretious stones so doe the heretickes sayeth Ireneus that changinge the fayth of Gods Church into the fables of their owne phansie seeke to set forth their follyes with the authorityes and sayinges of Gods worde applyed and wrested by their peruerse spirittes agaynst the true meaning so the easier to blynde the simple And as the Pirates vse in the darcke nighte to sett lightes in the shallow places and hidden rockes that the shippes by that directinge their course and thinckinge to fynde some sure hauen may be thus guilfullye drawne to their owne ruine so the Deuill sayeth Origines setting the light of the scripture and counterfaite pietye vppon the rockes of heresyes allure the simple passengers of this lyfe to their owne perdition vnder colour of truth And therfore are we warned not to beleue euerye spiritt whereuppon Catholickes the better to auoyde this variance presumption and malicious fraud of heretickes alwayes standing to the verdict of the Church and her chiefe Pastour to whom God hath promised the vnfallible assistance of his spirite haue euermore defended with one accorde one onlye fayth agreable to it selfe in all tymes places and persons which is the selfe same which we now suffer persecutiō for Wherof we cal all auncient writers to witnesse who by their bookes many by their bloode haue before vs laboured in the same quarell confirmed the same faith though assaulted by other kynde of enemyes But if comparison with sayntes be not presumption this for our greater comforte
lyfe Non sic vixi vt pudâ—at me inter vos viuere nec mori timeo quia bonum dominum habemus I haue not so lyued that I am ashamed to liue amongst you nether feare I to dye because we haue a good Lord. This made a Bishop S. Augustines familiar friende when his â—locke semed vnwilling with his death to say Si minquam bene Si aliquaÌ„do quare non modo If I shold neuer dye Wel. But if euer why not now They wel knew that death is but Gods officer to summon before him whome he meaneth to call They thought it an vnchristian parte to with-saye in deedes that which they prayed euerye daye in wordes For euery daye the ChristiaÌ„ sayeth thy will be donne And how preposterous a thing is it sayth S. Ciprian when his will is that we departe not willinglye to obeye him If we repyne and grudge against his pleasure doe we not folowe the guise of stubbrone and euill deseruing seruauntes that cannot with out sorowe and greefe be brought before their maister Doe we not rather goe enforced by meere necessitye then with anye remonstrance of goodwill or dutye And can we for shame desire of him to be honoured with eternal rewardes that can so hardlye be intreated to come and receaue them or to enioye for euer the glorye of his presence that shunne the dore wherby we must enter into it Wel might those wordes be repeated to vs which in S. Ciprians tyme were sayde in a vision to one that laye a dyinge Pati timetis exire non vultis quid faciam vobis You are vnwilling to suffer in the worlde lothe to departe out of the worlde what should I doe vnto you A worthye rebuke of the loth to dye For if the chased Harte to auoyde the greedye houndes flyeth often tymes to the hunters protection and though pursued of him yet by nature hath an affiance in his mercye If one enemy sometimes findeth fauoure at an other enemyes hande where he least looked for it why should a dutyfull childe feare to goe to his heauenly Father a penitent soule to his sweete Sauiour an obedient member to be ioyned with his head If he came into this worlde to redeeme vs why should we doubte but at our death he will receyue vs especiallye if we dye for him as he dyed for vs. He that accepteth his enemyes will he reiect his friendes and he that bought vs so deere will he refuse his penyworth If he affecte our companye so muche in earthe that he sayde my delyghte is to be with the children of men hathe he now so forgotten his olde loue as not to admitt vs to his companye in heauen He came hether to buy vs an inheritance and he went from hence to prepare it for vs and when we are to enter into posession wil he exclude vs Who can imagin of him that is contented here to be him selfe our food to abase his maiesty to enter into our soule dwelling in this cottage of clay vnpleasant dungeoÌ„ that he I saye will not be content in our cheefest neede to be our frende to aduaunce our departinge soule to the comforte of his presence Can he that hath bene our guyde and our gardian all the waye forsake and shake vs of in in the ende of our iourney No no the eyes of our Lorde are vppon those that feare him that he maye deliuer they re soules from deathe Lett vs remember his loue in adopting his trueth in promising and his power in performing and our feare of death wil be soone altered into desire of the same He came to open heauen gates and what meaned he but that we sholde enter in He came into earth to inuite vs vnto him and why departed he from earth but to haue vs folowe him Finallye he abandoneth none but abandoned by them he is easily found where he hath bene carefullye sought and is moste readye to crowne the victorious conquerour All whiche considdered we maye well saye with S. Ambrose that death to the good is a quiet hauen and to the bad may be counted a shipwracke Cap. 10. NEyther let the vyolence of death or multitude of torments affrighâ— vs we haue but one lyfe and but one can we leese Golias was as much hurte by Dauids litle stone as Sampsone by the wayght of a whole house And Hely had as much harme by fallinge backewarde in his chayre as Iesabell by beinge throwne downe from a hye windowe And all they that stoned Steeuen to death tooke no more from him then an ordinarye sicknesse did from Lazarus and doth dayelye from vs all One death is no more death then an other and as wel the easyest as the hardest taketh our lyfe from vs. Whiche poynt a gloryous Martyr of our dayes executed for the Catholike Faythe in Wales hauing well vnderstood when the senteÌ„ce of his condeÌ„nation was red that he shold be drawen vpon a hurdle to the place of execution then hanged till he were halfe dead afterwarde vnboweled his head cut of his body quartered his quarters boyled and seâ—t vpp in such and such places he turned vnto the people with a smiling countenaÌ„ce sayd And all this is but one death But yet if the foregoing torments dauÌ„t our constancie Lett vs consider what we are what we auoyde what we looke for and whome we serue We are Christians and ought to be of more valoure then heathens we auoyde by shorte punishmentes eternall and more greeuous afflictioÌ„s with small conflicts we purchase vnspeakable glorye we suffer for a God that hath suffered more for vs. Lett vs but consider what men haue suffered for false gods for the deuyll and for vayne glorye and we shall thincke our tormentes the more tolerable Tertullian writeth of a Curtizan called Leoena that hauing tiered the tormentours in the ende spitt her tongue in the Tirantes face that she might also spitt out her voyce and be vnable to bewraye her complices though violence should chaunce to make her willinge It was the fashion emongst the Lacedemonians for choyse younge gentlemen to offer themselues to be whipped before the aultars of theire false gods their owne parentes exhortinge them to constancye and thinkinge so much honoure gayned to their houses as they shedd blood Yea and accountinge it greater glorye that their lyfe should yelde and departe from theire bodye rather then theire bodye yelde or departe from the lashes The history of Mutius Scaeâ—ola is knowen whose constancye Seneca commending sayth Hostium flammarumque contemptor manuÌ„ suam in hostili foculo distillantem spectauit donec iussum est vt inuito ignis eriperetur Hoc tanto maius puto quanto rarius est hostem amissamanu vicisse quam armata A contemner both of flames and foes behelde his owne hande melting in his enemies fyer vntil commaundement was geuen that agaynst his will the fyre sholde be taken from him Whiche
Ad aciem qua nobis indicitur dei castra procedant Armentur integriâ—ne perdat integer quod nuper stetit Armentur et Lapsi vt et lap sus recipiat quod amisit Integros honor lapsos dolor ad praelium prouocet Let Gods campe marche on to the battayle that is bidden vs. Lett the perseuerant be armed leste they lese the benefitt of their late staÌ„ding let the yeelders be armed that they may recouer the losse of their former falling Lett honoure to the constante and remorse to the lapsed be a spurre to the skirmige It hath bene alwayes sayeth Tertullian accounted a moste worthye experience of combatters studyes to put in tryall the strengthe and agilitye of their bodyes and measure it by the multitude of coÌ„menders hauing theire rewarde for theire goale the assemblye for their iudge the common verdict for their pleasure The naked limmes beare awaye many woundes the buffetes make them stagger the spurninges iustle them the plummet staues rende them the whippes teare them Yet no man condemneth the Captayne of the conflicte for obiecting his champions to suche violence Complayntes of iniuries haue no place in the fielde but euerye one marketh what reward is apoynted for those galles woundes and printes of the strypes as namely the crownes glorye stypende publike priuileges portratures and grauen Images and such like monuments wherwith the worlde dothe as it maye eternize them with a certayne perpetuitye and procure theÌ„ a continual resurrection in their posterityes remembrance Pictes ipse non queritur dolere se non vult corona premit vulnera palma sanguinem obscurat plus victoriatum est quam iniuriatum hunc tu laesum existimabis quem vides laetum The Champion himselfe complayneth not he would not be deemed to feele anye payne the crowne couereth the woundes the wager shrowdeth his bloode greater is his victorye then his iniurye and whome on the one side you thinke sore on the other side you see not sory How muche more ought we to glorye in our martyrdomes and not only not condemne but highlye prayse our heauenly Captayn for exposing vs to these bloodye frayes The husbande-man scattereth in the earthe his corne so carfullye before reaped yea he burieth it and couereth it in the forowes he reioyceth wheÌ„ the showers come to rotte it the froste to nippe it the snow to lye ouer it and yet in that seede hath he all his hope of gayne The rayne moueth him not wheÌ„ he thinketh on the haruest nor the corruptyng of the cornel when he thinketh on the rype eare of corne Lett not vs therfore condeÌ„ne our husband man for delighting in our passions For well knoweth he that nisi granum frumenti cadens in terram mortuuÌ„ fuerit ipsum solum manet Vnlesse the corâ—nell of wheate fall vpon the grounde dye it selfe onlye remayneth And therfore suffereth he these persecutions because therby multiplicabit semen vestrum et augebit incrementa frugum iustitiae vestrae He will multiplye your seede and augmente the increases of the fruites of your iustice Wherfore herein Liberalitas magis quam acerbitas dei praeest EuulsuÌ„ enim hominem de diaboli gula per fidem iam conculcatorem eius voluit efficere per virtutem ne solum modo euasisset sed etiam de â—icisset inimicum Amauit queÌ„ vocauerat ad salutem inuitare ad gloriam vt qui gaudeanus liberati exultemus etiam coronati Gods liberalitye appeareth more then his rigoure For whome he had draune out of the deuils throate by faythe he would haue to trample him doune by vertue Lest he shold onlye haue fledd not foyled his enemye It pleased him whome he called to saluation to inuite vnto glorye that we might not onlye reioyce as deliuered but also tryumph as crowned If therfore as S. Chrisostom sayeth the stormes and rage of the Sea to the maryner the winter and foule weather to the husbandman the murders and woundes to the soldiers the cruel blowes and stripes to the combatter seme tollerable enough in hope of a temporall and transitorye rewarde Muche more all worldlye miseries to vs in hope of heauen Other Kinges and potentats neuer conquere with out killinge neuer tryumphe without crueltye neuer enioye the pleasures of this lyfe without the miseryes of many mens deathes But the souldiers of Christ are most honourable not when they liue in deyntynesse pompe and maiestye not when they murder impiously cruelly and brutishly But when they suffer humblye stoutly and patientlye in his quarell Let our aduersaryes therefore loade vs with the infamous titles of traytours and rebels as the Arians did in the persecution of the Vandals and as the Ethnicks were wonte to call Christians Sarmentitios semiassios because they were tyed to halfpeny stakes and burnte with shrubbes So lett them drawe vs vppon hurdles hange vs vnbowel vs alyue mangle vs boyle vs and sett our quarters vppon their gates to be meate for the byrdes of the ayre as they vse to handle rebels we wil aunswere them as the Christians of former persecutions haue done Hic est habitus victoriae nostrae hec palmata vestis tali curru triuÌ„phamus merito itaque victis non placemus Such is the manner of our victorye such our conquerous garment in such chariotes doe we triuÌ„ph What maruayle therfore if our vanquished enemyes mislyke vs. Consolamini igitur in verbis istis Take comfort therfore in these wordes and with ioyful hartes crye Mihi viuere Christus est et mori lucruÌ„ If you dye you shal be delyuered out of two prisons at once the one so muche worse then the other as is it worse to be with-helde from perfect blisse then from the libertye of a moste paynful tedious pilgrimage You haue heretofore lyued to dye but then shal you dye to lyue for euer Here you so liued that you were continuallie dyeing but then you shall once dye neuer to dye more or rather by abrydging a lingring death pâ—rchase and euerlasting lyfe You shall leaue a ruinous and base cottage and passe to a moste glorious and blessed pallace whose verye pauement set with so manye bryght and glorious starres maye geue you a ghesse what roomes you are lyke to fynde aboue It cannot greeue you to departe with the prodigall Sonne from this dirtye village and the companye of swyne to your fathers house and you must needes willinglye cast of your sacke of dunge to receyue the first stole where you are inuited to the great supper I hope you haue neyther oxen to trye nor farme to see nor newe wife to withholde you from goinge You haue had toyle enoughe in the seruitude of Egipte You haue wandred longe enoughe in the Deserte in continuall battayle with youre and Gods enemyes And nowe if you dye the tyme is come that you take repose and enioye the felicitye of the lande of promise You haue bene in the Mount Sinai with
the brightnesse of the next worlde and the sonnes of men ascende to the adoption of a heauenlye Father Whiche consideratiōs were enough to encorage vs to be rather greedy of martyrdome being so glorious a thing then anye waye slacke in imbracinge it when it is offered But if we consider moreouer how beneficiall the same is to the Churche and how importante a meanes to aduaunce Gods glorye no true member of Christe nor true childe of the Catholicke Churche can be so vnnatural as not to reioyce that he hath so good an occasion to discharge his dutye to them bothe in so acceptable a sorte The martyrs sayeth S. Chrisostom vphold the Church lyke pillers they defende it lyke towers they beare of the rage of waters lyke rockes keeping them selues in great tranquillitye Lyke lyghts they haue dispersed the darkenesse of impyetye and lyke oxen haue drawen the sweete yoake of Christe The corne the more it is watered with showers of rayne the more plentyful haruest doth it yeelde And the Vyne also when it is pruned it spreadeth out the braunches in greater pryde and is the more loaden with fayre clusters and the iniurie it seemeth to suffer returneth to the greater increase It is beneficiall to the fielde to set on fire the stubble that the ground maye be more fertyll and aboundant So sayeth S. Cyprian in martyrdome the fore-goinge fall is a preparation for greater fruite condemneth lyfe to deathe that by deathe lyfe maye the better be preserued And for this Theodoretus compareth the persecutours to men that go about to extinguish the flame with oyle wherby they rather increase it to carpēters that felling trees cause many more to springe thē they cut downe For the more martyrs are slayne the more daylye spring vp in their place This sayeth S. Hilarius is peculier to Gods Church while it is persecuted it florisheth while it is troaden doune it groweth vp while it is despised it profiteth while it is hurt it ouer cometh while it is contraryed it better vnderstandeth and then it is most constant when it seeemeth to be conquered So wonderfull is the force of the death and bloode of martyrs Whose gloryous course is verye fitlye expressed in the silk-worme which first eating it selfe out of a verye lytle seede groweth to be a small worme afterwarde when by feeding a certaine time vppon freshe greene leaues it is waxed of greater syse eateth it selfe agayne out of the other coate and worketh it selfe into a case of silke which when it hath once finyshed in the ende castinge the seede for manye younge to breede of and leauing the silke for mans ornament dyeth all white and winged in shape of a flyeinge thinge Euen so the martyrs of the Catholicke Church first breake out of the dead seede of original sinne by baptisme then when by feedinge on the Sacramentes and leaues of Gods worde they are growne to more rypenesse castinge the coate of worldlye vanityes they cloath them selues with the silke of vertue and perfection of lyfe in whiche worke perseuering to the ende euen when the persecution is greatest they finallye as need requireth shedd their blood as seede for newe ofspring to arise of and leaue moreouer the silke of their vertues as an ornamente to the Church And thus departe white for they re good workes and winged with innocency of handes and cleanes of harte they presentlye flye to they re heauenlye repose agreeablye to Dauides saying Quis ascendet in montem Domini Innocens manibus mundo corde Who shall ascend to the mount of God The innocent of handes and cleane of harte So that thoughe the rype fruite of the Church be gathered yet their blood engendereth new supplye and it increaseth the more when the disincrease therof is vyolentlye procured It is lyke the bush that burned was not cōsumed Of the owne ruines it ryseth and of the owne ashes it reuiueth and by that increaseth by which the worlde decayeth The Phenix as Epiphanius S. Clement and others report when she is come to her full age gathereth in some hye moūt a pyle of mirrhe frankēcense other spices which being kindled by the heat of the Sunn she suffereth her selfe to be burnte vpp and of her ashes there firste breedeth a litle worme which in the ende becommeth a Phaenix agayne So the Martirs when they see it necessarye for Gods glorye hauing gathered a pyle of vertue and good woorkes in the mount of the Catholike Churche and gotten that bundle of which the Spouse speaketh Fasciculus mirrhae dilectus meus mihi My beloued is vnto me by the example of his Passion a bundle of Mirrhe Exposinge them thereuppon to the scorchinge heate of persecution sacrifice them-selues in the flame of patience charytye that by theyr death the posteritye of the Churche may be preserued For as Saint Ambrose noteth the greate goodnes of our God so plentyful of mercye and so cunning an artificer of our saluation by setting before our eyes the hye rewarde of vertue will haue the merytes of martyrs to be our patronage and while in the harde conflicte of martirdome he cōmendeth vnto vs the true Faythe he maketh the affliction of the fore Fathers an instruction of their posterytye O how greate is Gods care ouer vs he examineth them to informe vs he spoylethe them to spare vs and turneth their passions to our profitt For we finde by experience that whosoeuer suffereth though he suffer for his offence is pityed and naturally miserye though deserued cannot but breede remorse tendernesse in the beholders But now when such men as be of innocente behauioure of vertuous conuersation learned and graue persons shall with comforte offer themselues to extremytye reioyce when they are tormented smile when they are dismembred and goe to death as they would to a bancket When such as neyther want dignityes to withdraw them nor frendes and familye to pulle them backe nor powerable enemyes to affrighte them shall be readye to change theire dignitye with disgrace to forsake their friendes and geue thēselues into the handes of their mortall foes only for the defence of theire conscience men must needes saye as they dyd in S. Cyprians time Noscenda res est et virtus penitus scrutāda visceribus Nec enim leuis est ista quaecunque confessio propter quā homo patitur mori posse It is a thing worthye to be knowen and some vertue that deserueth deepe consideration for which a man is content to suffer death They wante no meanes to searche out the trueth hauing both read heard that which can be sayd on eyther syde They wante not witt and iudgemente to discerne the good from the bad being persons knowen to be of deepe insight and discretion They can haue no pleasure in paynes nor anye temporall allurement to moue them to vndertake so greate miserye yea they haue manye delyghtes honours
greate is the force of martyrdome that therby euen he is forced to beleene with thee that was readye to kill thee But to proue this though for the present disgracefull yet in the sequell a more gloryous tryumph euen heare on earth then euer anye the Romans had Lett vs consider the gloryous shewes ther be to sett it forth The martyrs for their tryumphall charyots haue most sūptuous and statlye Churches For the applause of the people the prayers and prayses of al true Christians For their musycke the solemne quires and instrumentes vsuall in the Church For their triumphall arches most riche shrynes and altars For the banners of theyr foyled enemyes the Armes and honours of Prynces conuerted by their meanes For theyr captyues Kinges Emperoures and Monarches For their spoyles and pryses the Empyre Kingdomes common wealthes Finallye for their pompe the reuerend maiestye of the Catholike Churche Loe now whether our tryumphe though base in the eye be not in effecte most gloryous and whether any conqueroures euer wann more by killinge others then the martirs haue done by being killed themselues Quid infirmius Sayth S. Cyprian quā vinciri dam nari caedi cruciari occidi et cum ad arbitriū carnificis collum praebetur Haec species inter dum misericordiam mouet etiam saeuissimis tyrannis verum vbi iam ad monumenta martyrum pelluntur morbi rugiūt Daemones terrentur monarchae coruscant miracula concidunt idola tunc apparet quam sit efficax potens martyrum sanguis What argueth more impotencye then to be bounde cōdemned whipped tormēted killed and to laye the head on the blocke at the hange-mans pleasure This sighte somtyme stirreth mercye euen in the moste cruell tyrantes But when at the martyrs tombes disseases are cured the diuels rore the monarches tremble miracles are wrought Idols fall doune then appeereth it howe forcible the blood of martirs is While the golde is yet mingled with earth in the mines men treade it vnder foote as they dyd the earth But when it is tryed with the fyre depured by the artyficers hand Kinges them selues thinke it a greate honour to weare it on theire heades and so the martyres while they were alyue enwrapped in that masse of earth I meane their corruptible bodyes they were contemned and troaden on as the refuse of the world but when their golde was seuered from drosse that is their soule from their body by vyolent death in Gods cause ther is no Catholycke Prynce so hautye but that with bowed knee and stooping head is readye to adore them and accounte their very ashes as cheefe ornamētes of hys crowne and succoures of his realme They are not therfore subdued that ouercome their enemyes yea and theyr victorye is moste gloryous for the vnusuall manner You shall dye lyke men sayeth Dauid and lyke one of the princes shall you fall You shall dye lyke men because your death shall seeme full of humane myserye but in deede lyke one of the Prynces shall you fall that is like one of the Princes of Gods people Or you shall dye not as the sensuall worldlynge who is compared to the foolishe beastes and is become lyke vnto them but lyke mē iudging it in reason good for your fayth to dye in hope of a better lyfe Yea not onlye as men but as Prynces amongest men whose successours neuer faile whose tombes are glorious whose memorye is perpetuall Nolite me considerare quia fusca sum Regard you not how blacke I am for though I be black yet am I the fayre daughter of Hierusalē Of all the partes of a tree the roote is to the sight the foulest and most vglye and therfore semeth nature to haue hyd it from the eye that it might be no disgrace to the beauty of the other partes But yf you consider the fayre flower the sweete fruite the pleasant leaues the goodlye braunches the verye lyfe and sappe of the whole tree you shall fynd that all proceedeth frō that shaplesse vnseemely roote and therfore it ought of all other partes to be cheeflye prysed So is it with the martyres they seeme in theyr torments the most myserable of all other men couered with disgrace infamy and reproch But if we cōsider the beauty of virgins the fruite of the confessors the leaues of temporall commodityes the braunches of all nations yea the verye lyfe grace of the Churche of God we shall fynd that for all these we maye thanke the blood of Martyrs Well may they be called the neat or kine of the church whose teates serue it of necessary milke For as the neate at all seasons euen in the foulest weather ranging in the medowes fieldes pastures and feeding vppon grasse and wilde hearbes vnfitt for mans eatinge by vertue of they re inwarde heate turne them into sweete mylke and suffer the same quietlye to be drawen out of them for the benefitt of mankinde So the Martyrs euen in the most stormye tyme of persecution are contented to feede vppon the sower and bitter paynes of they re enemies rage and disgestinge all they re crueltie with the inwarde heate of charitye and zeale turne they re owne afflyctions to our instruction and spirituall nurture and suffer their bloode to be drawen from them the vertue wherof hath more force to fortifye our soules thē sweetest milke to strengthen oure bodyes This is Vinum germinans virgines wyne that breedeth virgins sanguis vuae mori acuens Elephantos in bellum the bloode of the grape and mulberye sharpeninge the Elephantes that is Christians to spirituall battell This is the pledge that gott the priuyledge Iudicabunt nationes dominabuntur populis they shall iudge nations and rule ouer peoples And as Tertullian sayeth Tota clauis paradisi est sanguis martyrum The blood of Martyres is the very keye of Paradise So that we maye euen of the earthlye crowne vnderstande that sayinge of S. Hierome Persecutionibus creuit ecclesia martyriis coronata est The church encreased by persecutions and was crowned by martirdomes For when was that veryfied Erunt reges nutritii tui et reginae nutrices tuae Kinges shal be thy foster fathers and Queenes thy Nurces but after the death of infinite martyrs whose very ashes afterwardes the Kinges and Monarches haue honored doing as it were due homage and acknowledginge them as captaynes by whome they were conquered Whiche also in the same place Esaye fore shewed in the wordes following Vultu in terra demisso adorabunt te puluerem pedum tuorum lingent With a lowly countenance they shall worship thee and shall lycke the verye duste of thy feete And whoe are the feete of the Churche but onlye the Martyrs Apostles and Pastoures that Vpholde it and carye it still forward through out all nations of whom it is sayde Quam speciosi pedes euangelizan tium pacem uos estis qui portabitis nomen meū antereges