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
full make and free from the impotencye of other broode as Epiphanius writeth And thus martirdome doth with our soule bringing it forth with such perfection that it is strayght enhabled to haue the perfect syght and loue of God wherin consisteth our blisse and happynesse without any delaye of further grouth or sufficiency In the baptisme of water saith S. Thomas the Passion of Christe worketh by a certayne figuratiue representation in the baptisme of spirite by a desyre and affection in the baptisme of bloode by perfecte imitation Lykewyse the power of the holy ghost worketh in the first by secret vertue in the seconde by commotion of the mynde in the thirde by feruour of perfect loue So muche therefore as immitation in deede is better then representation in the figure and desyre in the thoughte So muche doth the baptisme of blood surpasse those of water and spirite Baptisme is the cloude by which Moyses guided Gods people and shrouded them in the deserte but martirdome is the ryuer Iordan thorough which Iosue leadeth them into the lande of promise Baptisme appareleth Mordocheus in Kinges attyre yet leaueth him a subiecte But martyrdome with the robes inuesteth him also with royall dignytye No Naaman is so foule a leaper that this water of Iordan cannot cure No man so blynde but that the washing in this poole of Siloe can restore to sight No disease so vncurable but this ponde vppon Probatica can perfectlye heale It accomplysheth the laboures of the vertuous godlye satisfieth for the sinnes of the sinfull and wicked is to those a rewarde and to these a remedy Vidimus sayth S. Cyprian ad hunc nominis tituluÌ„ fide nobiles venisse plerosque vt deuotio nis obsequiuÌ„ mors honestaret Sed alios frequentur aspeximus interritos stetisse vt admissa peccata redimentes cruore suo loti haberentur in sanguine reuiuiscerent interempti qui viuentes putabaÌ„tur occisi Mors quippe integriorem facit vitam mors amissam inuenit gloriam We haue seene manye of noble faythe to haue aspired to this title of Martirdome that their deathe might honoure their seruiceable deuotion We haue seene others to haue stoode without feare that redeeminge their offences with their bloode they might be knowen to haue bene washed in the same and might be reuiued by killing that alyue were accouÌ„ted dead For this deathe maketh lyfe more perfect and recouereth the grace that was loste And if S. Chrisostome extollinge baptisme sayeth that it not onlye maketh vs free but also holye not onlye holye but iuste not onlye iuste but children nor only children but heyres not onlye heyres but heyres of the same inherytaunce with Christe Not onlye heyres with Christe but members of Christe Not only members but temples not onlye temples but also instrumentes of the holye Ghost Then may I farther enlarge my selfe in the prayse of Martirdome and saye that martirdome geueth a freedome voyde of all seruitude a holines and iustice without any faulte or feare of losse It so maketh vs children that we cannot become enemyes It makeâ—h vs heyres not only in right but in full possession It maketh vs heyres with Christ not onlye of hys grace but also of his glorye It maketh vs meÌ„bers that can not be cut of temples that cannot be defyled suche instrumentes of the holy Ghost as cannot be abused Finally it geueth vs the crowne wherof baptisme is the pledge In all which poyntes it is superior vnto it To praye for the baptised is a benefitt Quia nescit homo finem suum no man knoweth what his ende shall be but to praye for a martyr S. Augustine termeth it an iniurye seeing we ought rather to commende vs to his prayers Iniuria est orare pro martyre cuius debemus orationibus commendari It is an iniurye to praye for a martyr to whose prayers we must be commended For these causes dothe the Churche call the dyinge dayes of martyrs their byrth dayes For though we be borne agayne by baptisme yet are we not come to a ful birth and perfecte healing For as S. Augustine sayeth Filij dei quamdin mortaliter viuunt cum morte confligunt quamuis veraciter de illis dictum sit quotquot spiritu dei aguntur hi sunt filij dei The children of God so longe as they lyue a mortall lyfe they struggle with death and though of theÌ„ it be truelye sayde that so manye as are ledd by the spiryte of God they are Gods children Yet so longe as the bodye opresseth the soule Often times tan quam filij hominuÌ„ quibusdam motibus humanis deficiunt ad se ipsos et ideo pereunt Lyke children of men with carnall motions they fall into their oune fraylty so perishe Likewyse vpon these wordes of S. Ihon in iudiciuÌ„ non venit sed transit a morte ad vitaÌ„ Ecce inquit in hac vita non duÌ„ est vita transitur a morte ad vitam vt in indiciuÌ„ non veniatur He came not into iudgmeÌ„t but passed from death to lyfe Lo sayth he in this lyfe there is yet no lyfe we passe from death to lyfe to auoyde the coÌ„minge vnto iudgment We therfore sayth Origen Doe not celebrate the day of the Sayntes natiuitye which is an entrance of all griefes and molestations but the day of their death which is a rid daÌ„ce of their sorowes a farwell to the deuiles assaltes We celebrate the daye of theire death because thoughe they seeme to dye yet in deed they dye not When you here therefore named sayth an other Father the birth daye of the Sainctes vnderstand not that which breedeth them of fleshe into the earth but which bringeth theÌ„ from the earth into heauen from laboure to reste froÌ„ teÌ„tations to quiet from tormentes to delightes from worldlye laughters to a crowne of glorye For as S. Ciprian noteh scimus eos non amitti sed praemitti recedentes praecedere We know they are not loste but sente to leade vs the way and gone from vs to make way before vs. Natales vocamus dies sayeth Eusebius Emissenus quando cos martyrij vita gloriae fides dum ingerit morti genuit eternitati perpetua gaudia breui dolore parturiit We call their natall dayes wheÌ„ the life of martyrdome and the glorye of their Fayth while it putteth theÌ„ to a temporall death begetteth them to eternall lyfe and with a shorte payne bringeth them forth to perpetuall pleasure Worthely are they called birth dayes by the whiche they that were borne into this myserye of mans frayltye sodaynly are borne agayne to glory taking of theire end death a beginning of an endles lyfe For if we call those birth dayes in which in sinn sorow we are borne to sorowe in this worlde more iustly may these be called birth dayes wherin froÌ„ corruptible lyght they come into
reuiueth that sores salue that bloode washeth that sorow solaceth that an Eclipse lighteth that the fast nayled guydeth the thirsty giueth drincke the wearye refresheth the diseased cureth the dead bringeth forth Which albeit they be principally the proper effectes of Christes onlye Passion yet are they through the merites therof now experienced to followe also the martirdomes of Christes seruauntes to whom all crosses are coÌ„fortable and their bodilye death cause of many a soules spirituall lyfe So that now we may trulye interprete Sampsons ridle De comedente exiuit cibus de forti egressa est dulcedo Out of the deuourer there came meate out of the stronge issued sweetnesse For since that our sinnes lyke fierce Sampsons most cruellye murdered that Lion of the tribe of Iuda if our repentant thoughts like bees sucke at the flowers of his Passion they maye worke a delicious combe of honye and not onlye we our selues taste the sweetnesse therof but by our example moue others to feede willingly of the same shewinge them by our experience that the eysell and gall of our tribulations in this Lions mouth hath bene altered from the wonted bitternesse to sweetnesse the lionishe rage of persecutors accustomed to deuour so manye soules doth now rather minister to gods seruauntes a most pleasant viand yea those rigorous iudgmentes of god which haue heretofore bene so terrible vnto vs are now become Desiderabilia super aurum lapidem pretiosum â—ultum dulciora super melet fauum More to be desired then golde pretious stone more sweete then honye and the honicombe Bitter were the waters of tribulatioÌ„ so vntoothsome to mans taste that few could endure the annoyance therof and our queysie stomackes were rather contented to wante health then to procure it by such vnsauery lothsome phisicke And for this did our heauenlye Phisician strayne this bitter medicine through the nectared cloth of his sacrede humanitye and lefte therin such a taste of sweetnesse that it hath bene since egrelye thirsted which was before so warilye eschewed We need not now to crye Mors in olla Death is in the pott because the Prophet hath seasoned it not with a litle flower or meale but with his owne bloode We neede not murmur at the waters of Mara that is of ghostlye discomforte as vnable to be droncke or feare to sincke in the teÌ„pesteous poole of bodilye vexation for our Moyses hath sweetned the one with the sacred woode of his Crosse since our Elizeus cast into the other the wood of lyfe that is his blessed bodye our Iron began to swimme where before it had soncke the desolate that sayd Infixus sum in limo profundi non est substantia I am sett fast in the depth of the mudd and can fynd on stedye footing maye beginne to singe Eduxit me de lacu miseriae de luto faecis et super aquam refectionis educauit me He hath ledd me out of the lake of miserye the myre of filth and hath brought me vppon the waters of refection Let vs not therfore be afrayde to saye now to Christe Domine iube me venire ad te super aguas O Lorde commaunde me to come vnto thee vppon the waters For be the surges neuer so boystrous the waters neuer so deepe the stormye windes neuer so outragious if we runne vpon them towardes Christ they will eyther yelde drye passage by diuidynge them selues as the redd sea did to the Israelites or they will vpholde vs from perishinge as the waues did S. Peter Fidelis enim deus qui non patietur vos tentari supra id quod potestis For faythfull is god who will not suffer you to be tempted more theÌ„ you are able to beare And surelye now is the time that we are called by Christ through fyer and water and now with open voyce doth he renue his olde proclamation Whosoeuer loueth father mother wyfe children house or liuinges more then me is not worthye of me and he that taketh not vpp his crosse and that euery daye can not be my disciple We must not now seeke Christ as our Ladye did inter cognatos notos amongest her kinsefolke and acquaintance nor as the spouse did that sayed In lcctulo meo per noctes quaesiui quem diligit anima mea In my bed haue I in the nights sought whom my hart best loued Nor as the Israelites did of whome O see speaketh In gregibus suis et in armeÌ„tis vadent ad quaerendum dominuÌ„ In their flockes and herdes shall they goe to seeke our Lorde For as S. Anselme well noteth Non cubat in delitijs splendidi cubilis nec inuenitur in terrasuauiter viuentium He lyeth not in the delicacye of a gorgeous bedd neyther is he found in the lande of daynty liuers Moyses did see him in the deserte amid dest the fyer and thornes in the mount amongest lighteninges thunderinges and mistes Daniel sawe him in a fierye throne amongest fierye wheles with a swifte fierye sludd runninge before him And shall we thincke to be more priuileged then our aunciente fathers Thincke we to fynde in doune deyntinesse him that to them appeared so terrible and fearfull Doe we thincke that his rigor and iustice signified by these terrible semblances is so relented that he shoulde shew him selfe vnto vs only in amiable louelye countenances Surelye we are greatlye deceyued if we feede our selues with this vayne persuasion For albeit the new testament be fuller of grace yet is it no lesse full of agonyes Though Christes seruice be sweete and lighte yet is it a yoake and a burden and though our champions be of more courage and our foes more enfeebled since our redemption yet doth the Kingdome of heauen still suffer violence and the violent beare it awaye and none shall be crowned but they that haue lawfullye foughte for it If Christe was seene transfigured in Mounte Thabor in glorious maner he was also at the same time heard talkinge de excessu of his bitter passion And euen he that allured with glorye cryed bonum est nos hic esse It is good for vs to be here affrighted with the voyce Cecidit in faciem suam timuit valde fell vppon his face and was in a greate feare If he were in pompe and triumphe at his entrance into Hierusalem his pompe was of smale pleasure and his triumph not without teares and as fast as the children on the one side did sett forth his prayses so fast did the Pharises on the other side repyne and murmur agaynste him There is no reason that Christe shoulde shew him selfe more fauorable to vs that haue bene his enemyes then to his owne bodye neyther can we iustlye complayne if ere we find him he giue vs a sipp of that bitter chalice of which for our sakes he was contente
onlye sett downe some other extraordinary and notorious declarations of Gods seueritye shewed by fyer in most terrible sort In a place of Italye called Ager Calenus with a sodeyne breach and opening of the earth ther burst out a most horrible flame burning continuallye for three dayes and three nightes turning manye akers of grounde and all that was in them into ashes not sparing so much as the verye rootes of the trees How often hath Mount Aetna in Sicilia not only belched out huge flakes and globes of fyer throwing them on euery syde verye farr to the great ruine and consuption of cattell corne townes villages but also burst out with whole fâ—ddes of fyer which turninge all things where they passed into ashes haue both terrified with their horrible sight and smoake and made a moste lamentable waste and spoyle to the inhabitantes vtter vndoinge besydes the incoÌ„uenience which they bredd farther of by the filthye sauour and inflaming of the ayre This scourge hath the citye Catana and the adioyning places felte so greeuouslye that more then once that all the houses therof being couered and oppressed with heapes of burning ashes the Romans were contented to release them tenne yeares tribute to repaire the vnestimable damages of one such eruption But of all other that was most notorious which Iulius Obsequens and Orosius write of the Iland Lippara where as though hell mouth had ben open not onlye the earth but euen the sea it selfe boyled with such excessiue heate that euen the verye rockes were burnt and dissolued the pitch of the shippes melted and the bordes scorched the fishes turning vpp their bellyes sodden in the same waters seas wherein they were bredd The men also that could not flye verye farr from that place styfled and their bowelles burnt within them so miraculouslye was the ayre inflamed And to passe from heate to colde we read that fower thousand soldiers who at the siege of Asculum fledd from Pompeius were vppon the topp of a mountayne frozen so styffe that standing ther in the snow with theire eyes open and their teeth bare no man could otherwise perceiue they were dead but onlye by want of motion It were to long to reherse the inuasions of wylde beastes though as Diodorus writeth diuers cityes of Libia were dishabited by the continuall incursions of Lyons And Titus Liuius reporteth of a serpent of huge syse that deuoured a great multitude bare downe and crushed a number and with the poysend breath wrought the bane of diuers others howbeit in the end it was by Regulus armie and engynes after losse of manye soldiers ouercome Which prodigious and feafefull examples ought to put vs in minde of Gods singuler mercye towardes vs that neyther he now wantinge the lyke aboundance of fyer colde wylde beastes and horrible monsters nor we the lyke abhomination of sinnes no lesse worthye to be in the same maner chastised he is contented notwithstanding to abate our deserued hyre and with a fatherlye pitye rather to geue vs a warninge not to offend hereafter then a scourge for our former trespasses I wil not enlarge my selfe how the heauens by coÌ„course of planettes and diuers pernicious influences haue caused no small miserye Amongest others lett that onlye accident suffise of the extraordinary broyling parching of the sunne through the whole worlde mentioned by Plato which the vayne Poets not acknowledging as a worke of Gods omnipotent hande framed vppon occasion therof the ridiculous fable of Phaeton I will not also staye to shew how the Angels both good and badd haue ben executioners of Gods indignation Of these lett the scripture suffise of the good it sayeth Exultationes Dei in gutture eoruÌ„ gladij ancipites in manibus eorum ad faciendam vindictaÌ„ in nationibus increpationes in populis The prayses of God in their mouthes two edged swordes in their handes to doe vengeance vppon nations correction emong the peoples Examples of their actions in this behalfe we haue manye For who killed with the plague threescore ten thousand for Dauids numbring of the people who in one night slew a hundred fourscore and fyue thousand Assyrians who whipped Heliodorus for robbinge the temple who strake into Herode that horrible disease wherby he was eaten with vermyne Finallye who powred those scourges on the worlde wherof S. Ihon speaketh in the Apocalips But Angelus Domini the Angell of our Lord. Of the badd Angels besydes the diuers examples in the scriptures of those that tormented Saule afflicted Iob choaked the seauen husbandes of Sara Of these that are called spiritus procellarum and Principes Potestates tenebrarum harum that lyke roaring Lions goe about seeking whome they may deuoure and for theire diuers mischiefes that they worke vs are called sometymes Dragons sometyme Lyons otherwhiles Serpentes Adders Basiliskes besydes these I saye the daylye experience of possessed persons of sorceries witchcraftes and enchauntemeÌ„ts wrought by their meanes giue vs sufficient intelligence of their manifold scourges which had God permitted them agréably to our desertes and their malice to haue practised vpon vs we would haue thought our present distresses fauourable and gentle corrections in respecte of their vnmercifull hellishe vsage But thus we see howe trulye it is sayed in the booke of wisdome His anger shall take harnesse arme all creatures to the reuenge of his enemyes he shall put on iustice for his breastplate and shall take for his helmett certayne iudgemente He shall take equitye as an vnpregnable buckler He shall sharpen his dreadfull wrath into a speare and the worlde shall fight with him agaynst the senselesse persons His throwes of thunderboltes shall goe directlye and shal be driuen as it were from a well bâ—nded bowe and shall hitt at a certaine place From his stouye anger shal fall hayle shoures the waters of the sea shal be inraged agaynst them and the fluddes shall roughlye concurr Agaynste them shall the spirite of myghte stande and lyke a whirlewynde shall diuide them and shall bringe all the land of their iniquitye to a deserte and shall ouerthrow the seates of the mightye Now therfore considering the rehearsed penaltyes heauy scourges and remeÌ„bring that they were not meere casualtyes but permitted and procured by the omnipotent hand of God soueraigne Moderatour of all creatures and vmpyer of mans transgressions Consideringe on the other syde that doubtlesse the lest mortall sinne that we haue coÌ„mitted deserueth not one but all the sayd punishmentes yea a thousand times more Lett vs not thinke it much that of so huge a heape of miseryes a least parte therof is happened to our lott but rather lett vs rest astonished and merueyle at the secrete iudgments and mercyes of God that he being still of lyke iustice habilitye and power the creatures as much at his commaundement rule and obedience our sinnes as manye as horrible and as worthye of reuenge Neuertheles
from tymorous subiectes to mightye soueraignes from oppressed captyues to glorious Saints They thinke by killâ—â—g Abell that Caynes sacryfice wil be accepted not remembringe that Abels bloode cryeth out agaynst them By pursuinge Elyas with manye soldyers they thinke to haue the vpper hande not remembring that the fyre wil fall from heauen in his defence They thinke by stoning SteeueÌ„ to haue ended their chiefe enemye not considering that his principall persecutour will succeede in his roome and be vnto them a more victorious aduersary Lett them still contynewe their rage let them thinke themselues wise in this ignorante follye But Lett vs though we lamente at theyr offence yet reioyce in oure felicitye Cap. 11. WHat greater preeminence is there in Gods Churche then to be a Martyr what more renoumed dignity then to dye in this cause of the Catholike faythe And this crowne doe our greatest enemyes sett vppon oure heades The glorye wherof thoughe none can sufficyentlye vtter but suche as by experieÌ„ce haue proued the same yet maye we gather by coniectures no small parte of the greatnesse â—fit For yf we consider it in it selfe it is the noblest acte of Fortitude death beinge the hardest thinge for nature to ouercome It is also the greatest poynte of Charytye by Gods owne testimonye who sayde Maiorem charitatem nemo habet quam vt animam suam ponat quis pro amicis suis. It is the principallest acte of obedience commended so highlye in Christ. Factus obediens vsque ad mortem Become obedient euen vnto death It is by S. Augustins verdict more honourable then virginitye It is finallye the verye chiefest acte or effect of all vertues If therfore as the Diuines saye that worke or action is more perfit or meritorious which proceedeth of the greatest number of good causes concurring to the same Then must Martirdome be a most glorious thing which requireth the coÌ„course of all vertues and that in thâ—â—â—â—hest degree to the accomplishement therof Martirdome hath the priuiledge of the sacrameÌ„t of baptisme by S. Augustine is compared therwith In Martyrdome sayeth he all the misteryes of baptisme are fulfilled He that must be baptised confesseth his faythe before the Prieste and aunswereth wheÌ„ he is demaunded This doeth also the Martyr before the persecutoure he acknowledgeth his fayth and aunswereth the demaunde The baptised is eyther sprinkled or dipped in water but the Martyr is eyther sprinkeled with hys blood or not dipped but burned in fyre The baptized by imposition of the Bishoppes handes receyueth the holye ghost The Martyre is made a habitacle of the same spirite while it is not he that speaketh but the spirite of his heauenly Father that speaketh within him The baptized receyueth the blessed Sacramente in remembraunce of the death of oure Lorde the Martyr suffereth death it selfe for our Lorde The baptised protesteth to renounce the vanityes of the worlde the Martyr besyde this renounceh his owne lyfe To the baptised all his sinns are forgeuen In the Martyr all his sinnes are quite extinguished Sainte Cipryan also aleadging a reason why no cryme nor forepassed offence coulde preiudice a Martyre sayeth Ideo martirium aâ—pellatur tam corona quam baptisma quia baptiz at pariter coronat Therfore is Martirdome called as well a crowne as a baptisme for that it baptizeth crowneth together So that as no offence committed before baptisme can doe the baptised anye harme so also dothe Martirdome so clense the soule from all spot of former corruption that it geueth ther-vnto a most vndefiled beautye Yea and in this Martirdome seemeth to haue a prerogatyue aboue baptisme For though baptisme perfectlye clense the soule and release not onlye the offence but also the temporal punishment due vnto the same Yet sticketh the roote of sinn in the flesh the partye baptysed retayneth in him the badge and cognizance yea the scarres and tokens of a sinner But Martirdomes vertue is such that it not onlye worketh the same effecte of baptisme but purchaseth also to the soule forth with a perfect riddance of all concupiscence and inclynation to sinne and maketh it not only without offeÌ„ce but vnable to offende anye more It dothe not onlye gather the fruites or lop the braunches or fell the tree but plucketh it vpp by the verye rootes and dishableth it from springing vp agayn With the broode it killeth the dame it consumeth both the weede and the seede together clenseth vs both from the myre and from the stayne and spot that remayneth after it And therfore of Martirs doth the Scripture say Isti sunt qui venerunt de tribulatione magna et lauerunt stolas suas et dealbaucruÌ„t eas in sanguine agni These are they that came out of a great tribulation and haue washed theire stoles and whited them in the bloode of the Lambe Vppon whiche place Tertullian sayeth Sordes quidem baptismate abluuntur maculae vero marâ—irio candidantur quia Isaias ex rufo coccino niucum lancum repromittit The filth is washed away by baptisme but the staynes are cleered by Martirdome for Esay promiseth that redd and scarlet should become as white as snowe or woll As who sholde saye so much more forcible is martirdome then baptisme as the water that taketh out dirte and stayne together then that which washing the dirte awaye leaueth the stayne behinde it Not that this stayne importeth any sinne but the infirmity which originall sinne hath caused and of which actuall sinne proceedeth So that baptisme taketh away our falte martirdome our frayltye baptisme geueth vs the keye but martirdome letteth vs in That maketh vs members of the millitant this of the tryumphante Churche that geueth vs force to walke to our iourneis end and to fight for the victorye but this setleth vs in repose and crowneth our conquest Baptisme bringeth vs forthe as the mother dothe the childe to which though she geue most of those partes which are in men yet some she geueth not and those that she geueth are so impotent weake that though they may be vsed in childishe actions yet not to the principall thinges that man needeth till by processe of tyme they be farther enhabled For so baptisme geueth vs grace wherby we maye weakely turne the powers of our mind to God and haue an obscure and in a manner a childish kinde of knowledge loue of him But the chiefe actions wherin our felicitye consisteth ensewe not strayghte vppon our baptisme but with longe toyle we must laboure for them before we can attayne to so great habilytye But martirdome bringeth vs forthe as the Lyonesse dothe her whelpe Which breeding but one in all her lyfe beareth it six and twentye monethes in her bellye till it grow perfect in proportion hable and stronge of all the lymmes armed with all the clawes and not so muche but with all euen the cheeke teeth full growen So that it commeth forth with
his bodye vnseene and vntouched the effecte of them was neuer perceyued But so soone as by the wound in his syde they founde passage to come out there issued also with them a fountayne of grace where of all the Sacramentes take theire effecte Euen so is it in the blood of Martyrs They whom they re holye lyfe nothing moued they that by they re myracles could not be conuerted by theyr blood were mollyfied wrought to goodnes S. Paulâ— was obstinate for all S. Steuens preaching he was stubborne in his opynion for all his myraculous workes He could neuer be wonne tyll he felte the effecte of his innocent blood For as S. Augustin saieth Nisi Stephanus sic orasset ecclesia Paulum non habuisset Vnlesse Steeuen had thus prayed that is in his bloodye agonye the Churche had neuer had S. Paule Of S. Iames also it is written that in Spayne he could in his lyfe conuerte but eyght persons But when his blood began to worke the whole contrye yelded to his dead bones and reliques that regarded so lytle the force of his lyuinge speeches So lyke-wise the Citie of Rome though by S. Peter S. Paules owne voyces Epistles and conuersation they had bene laboured vnto the trueth yet it neuer could be throughly conuerted vntil it was longe soaked in Martyrs bloode Tenebrosa aqua in nubibus aeris Darcke sayth Dauid is the water in the cloudes of the ayre and yet that verye same it is that bringeth to light the sweete rose fayre liâ—lye that loadeth the trees with goodlye fruites and geueth all the pryde to the stateliest plants That is it as black as in the cloudes it seemeth that watereth the earthe and fallyng vppon the flowers setteth them forthe as it were with perles and diamantes and filleth the riuers with moste cleere streames What are these cloudes but Martyres of whome it is sayde whoe are these that flye lyke cloudes and lyke doues vnto they re windowes What is the water so darke in the clowdes but the blood of Martyrs in theire bodyes where the force therof is not yet vttered But when it is once shedd it sheweth it selfe to be the fludd of lyuing water that Christ promysed should flowe out of his beleeuers and that voluntarye rayne which God hath sett aparte for his inheritance that falleth lyke a shower vpon the herbes lyke dropps vpon the grasse in whose droppinges the younge springe reioyseth Of this maye we vnderstande Dauides prophesye Thou haste visited the earth doubtlesse of thy Church by persecution thou haste thoroughlye watered it doubtlesse with the bloode of Martyres and thou haste multiplyed to enriche it with younge springe of newe beleeuers In this are the words of Esay verifyed Since that thou art made honorable in my eyes and glorious by martyrdome I loued thee and will geue to my Churche men for thee many for one yea whole peoples for thy only lyfe that of thee it may be sayde as of Sampson that thou hast had a victory ouer more by thy death then by thy lyfe thou hadest obteyned To this effect may we referre these wordes of the Prophet They shal turne theire swordes into culters of ploughes and theyr speares into suhes because since Christs tyme all the persecutors by vsinge their swordes against the Church haue but plowed and tilled it to prepare it for newe corne and their speares haue bene but sithes to reape the rype croppe that more seede myghte shoote vpp in the place therof to the greater increase of Godds people And hetherto we haue experyenced the performance of that promyse made to Christes Church that the younge grouthe of Gods planting sholde to his glory shewe it selfe to be a worke of his handes for that the least shal become a thousand and a litle one become a moste stronge nation as by the vertue of the same hands fiue loues were multiplyed to be sufficiente foode for fyue thousand persons So hath it bene in euery place for the most parte and alwayes is proued true that Quo plus sanguinis effusum est hoc magis ac magis â—fâ—â—oâ—nit multundo fidelium As S. Câ—prian noteth The more bloode hathe bene shedd the more hath the multitude of the faythfull sloryshed Well may the Church saye vnto Christ these wordes of Sephora sponsus sanguinum tumihies Thou arte vnto me a Spouse of blood seinge that he neyther planted nor increased nor fostered her but in bloode With blood sprouted out her firste buddes as a presage and paterne of the future fruites and she was no soner maryed vnto Christ but strayt the Innocentes gaue her notise in what greefe â—he was to bring forthe her children Of these S. Augustine speakinge sayeth Iure dicuntur martyrum flores quos in medio frigore infidelitatis exortos velut primas cruÌ„pentes ecclesiae gemmas quaedam persecutionis pruina decoxit Non habebatis aetatem qua in passuruÌ„ ChristuÌ„ crederetis habebatis carnem qua pro Christo passuro passionem sustiâ—eretis They are worthely called the flowers of Martyres whiche springing in the harte of the colde of infidelitye as the firste buddes of the Church that shot out a certayne frost of persecution parched Your yeares serued you not to beleue in Christe but youre fleshe serued you to suffer for Christe that was afterwarde to suffer for you With theire blood did the Apostles Disciples and other Martyres vntill our dayes establish the Churches doctrine With bloode must we confirme it and in the ende of the worlde Enoch and Elias and other Martyrs of Antichristes time with their blood must seale vp the same for as S. Cyprian well noteth nullum instrumentum indubitabilius quam quod tot martyrum sanguine obsignatuÌ„ est No obligatioÌ„ more infallible then that which is sealed vp with the blood of so manye Martyres And therefore Christ taketh this course for the confirmation of his doctrine If in the olde Testament when Moyses redd the lawe vnto the people he sprinkeled them with blood of calues sayinge Hic est sanguis faederis quod pepigit Dominus vobiscum super cunctis sermonibus his This is the blood of the league which our Lorde hath made with you concerning all these speeches How much more effectuallye is the Churche sprinckled wyth the bloode of Martyrs as a meane to binde our hartes with vnfoluble league of beleefe to Christes sayinges The efficacie of this coÌ„firmation of our saith doth S. Ambrose acknowledge as verye important Nouerimus itaque sayth he quia non sine magno discrimine de religionis veritate disputamus quam tantorum martyrum sanguine confirmatam videmus Magni periculi res est si post tot ProphetaruÌ„ oracula post Apostolorum testimonia post martyrum vulnera veteruÌ„ fidem quasi nouellam discutere presumas et post tam manifestos duces in errore permaneas post morieÌ„tium sudores otiosa
are sure to be crowned Death of it selfe to the good is not so odious but that for infinite motiues we haue rather cause to wishe it then to eschewe it and rather to desire it then to feare it Sweete sayeth S. Chrisostome is the ende to the laborers willinglye doth the trauayler question about his Inne often casteth the hirelinge when his yeare will come out the husbandman alwayes looketh for the tyme of his haruest the marchant is stil busie about his billes to know the daye of payment and the woman great with childe is euer musing vppon the tyme of her deliuerye No lesse comfort it is to Gods seruauntes to thinke of theire decease seing that there is theire hart where they haue horded their treasure For as S. Bernard noteth where the coÌ„science is cleere absque formidine mors expectatur imo et exoptatur cum dulcedine et excipitur cum deuotione Death is looked for without feare yea desired with delight accepted with deuotion To vs it killeth our most daungerous and domestical enemy it breaketh the lockes vnloseth cheynes and openeth the dore to lett vs out of a lothsome prison It vnloadeth vs of a combersome burden which oppresseth our soule Who would not willingly be out of the sway of Fortune ridd of the infinite hazards and periles of daylye casualtyes Who would not be gladd to settle his soule in securitie out of this daungerous sea wherin as S. Bernard sayeth periculum probat transentium raritas pereuntiuÌ„ multitudo The rarenesse of those that passe ouer safe and the multitude of others that perishe in their passage sufficiently proueth the perill In the Ocean sea of fower shippes not one doth miscarrye and in the Sea of this worlde of manye fowers not one is saued This world is the kingdome of Sathan what seruaunt of God can loue to liue in it It is a place of banishment and who is so vnnaturall as not willinglye to forsake it Can any choose rather alwayes to hang in hazard then once to fall for his felicitye Can anye rather desire to liue in the Gunshott of the deuils assaultes then to enioye the porte of assured securitye We are promised that here we shal-be persecuted and hated of the worlde that we shall weâ—pe and liue in sorowe that we shal be despised and put to shame and haue no reste of bodye nor perfecte contentmente of mynde We are assured on the other syde that in the nexte lyfe our rewarde is greate our repose without trouble and our comforte without crosse Our teares shal be turned into triumphe our disgrace into glorye all our miseryes into perfect felicitye Who therfore would not reioyce quickly to dye seing that death is the passage from this worlde to the nexte from all the presente agreeuances to all possible happynesse Well maye the brute beastes feare death whose ende of lyfe is the conclusion of their being Well maye the Epicure tremble who with his lyfe looketh to lose his felicitye Well may the Infidels heretickes or vnrepentant sinners quake whose death is the beginning of their damnation Such as here haue their heauen and haue made their prison their praradise those whose bellye was their god and their appetites theire guides maye with reasone rue theire death seing they haue no portion in the lande of the liuinge They haue sowne in sinne and what can they looke to reape but miserye vanityes were their traficke and griefe wil- be their gayne detestable was their life damnable wil be their decease Of suche it is verified O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substaÌ„tijs suis vere mors peccatorum pessima Sed pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors sanctoruÌ„ eius O death how bitter is thy remeÌ„brance to a man that hath planted his peace and contentment in his worldlye substaÌ„ce for in deede most miserable is the sinners decease But pretious is the death of saintes in the sight of our Lorde Here they haue their payne and in heauen they looke for their payment Here they haue sowne in teares and there they shall reape in ioye Their Iudge is he for whome they haue suffered and therefore doubtlesse wil be mercifull Their accusers are made duÌ„me by their former repentance and therfore cannot be preiudiciall Their conscience is cleered by humble confession and therfore cannot be fearfull Hope is theire staffe to keepe them from sliding rightuousnesse their safe conduite to warrant them from arrestyng grace is their guide to keepe them from erring Their woundes and sufferings in Gods cause are rewardes to assure them of comfortable intertaynment Their frayes and wrastlinges against their owne passions are badges of perfection and will finde free accesse Finallye the hell that here they haue passed will acertayne them of obtayning a crowne in heauen They are goodlye fruite more fitt for the golden plate and Kinges table then to hange longer on a rotten bough They are pleasant and sweete roses more worthye to be honoured in the Princes hande then lefte vpon a thorny stalke Yea they are glorious rubies rather to be sett in the crowne of glorye then here to be trodden vnder foote by dirtye swyne What can they see in this world to with holde them They runne sayeth Saint Chrisostome for a greate wager and not quasi in certu They regarde not whether the way be greene and pleasant or rough mierye they waye not whoe seeth them nor what they saye of them Though they be reuiled they stay not to answere Though they be stroken they stande not to reueng Though their house burne their wife coÌ„playne their children crye they turne not backe to mâ—ane them their minde is onlye on their wager if they runne not they winne not and therefore their onlye ioy is to come soonest to their goale If they looke vppon the worlde they see it lyke a Sea where manye trusting to the waues are drowned others are beaten with the billowes against the stonye rockes dyuerse laboring to attayne dyuerse shores some by healpe of a selye plancke some by some fragment of the broaken shippe They see manye forced to healpe them selues with their onlye handes and manye other ouercome with the surges to haue yelded vp the ghost and lefte a multitude of dead carcases to the waters rage Amongest others they see themselues also tyred not with the smalest stormes and their holde to be verye fickle and therfore what greater comforte can ther befall them then to be quicklye landed in a safe porte where behoulding vnder them the perilles esscaped they maye the more reioyce at theire attayned securitye Dauid describing this tedious voyage or nauigation of Gods seruauntes thorough this stormye sea sheweth howe eagre they were and desirous to be deliuered out of the same They sayethe he which descende into the sea of this lyfe in the shippes of their mortal bodyes doing their worke in manye waters of worldlye
afflictions true it is that thâ—y see the mercyful workes of our Lorde in cherishing theÌ„ and his maruayles in coÌ„firming theÌ„ But all this they see in the depth of theire distresses He sayd and the spirite of tempest stoode vpp in their persecutours and the waues of aduersitye were raysed hye agaynst them They mounte as hye as heauen and fall as lowe as hell and for the tyme so amaze them that their life pined away in miseries For they are tossed and made to stagger lyke a drouncken man with continual varietye of newe surges and grieues and all their wisdome in patiently suffering firmely hopinge of Gods helpe is deuoured and to the eye vnprofitable against their enemyes rage And therfore they cryed vnto our Lord when they were distressed in this dauÌ„gerous manner and desired to haue a shorte cut to theire voyage end and esteemed it a singuler benefitt that he led them by death out of their necessities and so altered their storme into a calme wind and guided them in the hauen of theire owne willes that is the hauen of securitye in which they most desired to be If they consider the poore their lyfe is lead in such agonye payne needynesse that it maketh euery one to loath it If they beholde the rich and mightye their felicitye is follye and their ioye is vanity If they looke on Potentates that seeme the very flower of mankinde they finde oftentimes that they are poore in their riches abiect in their honours discontented in their delightes Their bodye a sacke of dunge their soule a sincke of sinne miserable their birthe wicked their lyfe and damnable their ende Looke sayeth S. Augustine into the graues sur-vew all the Emperours Dukes States and Worthyes of former ages see who was maister who man who riche or who poore Discerne if thou canst the Captyue from the King the strong from the weake the fayre from the deformed Which wordes import that if after lyfe there is no more difference of persons then there is in the ashes of veluet and course canuase or of diuerse woddes burnte vp in one fyer then surelye it is follye to care for these bodyes or to desyre theire long continuance whiche in the end must be resolued into earth and dust and can not here liue without a multitude of combers The lyke we fynd almost in euery other thinge and therfore surely all miseryes of our lyfe well perused we maye thinke it a great benefitt of God that whereas there is but one waye to come into this worlde yett are there verye manye to goe out of the same What can there be in lyfe eyther durable or verye delightsome when lyfe it selfe is so frayle and tickle a thinge Our lyfe sayeth the scripture is like the printe of a cloude in the ayre lyke a mist dissolued by the sunne lyke the passing of a shadowe lyke a flower that soone fadeth lyke a drye leafe caried with euerye Wynde lyke a vapoure that soone vanisheth out of sighte S. Chrisostome calleth it one whyle a heauye sleepe fedd with false and imaginarye dreames an other while he cal leth it a comedye or rather in our dayes a tragedye of transitorye shewes disguised persons Somtimes he likeneth it to a birdes nest made of strawe and dung that the winter soone dissolueth S. Gregorye Nazianzen calleth it a childes game that buildeth houses of sande in the shore where euerye waue washeth them away yea and as Pindarus sayeth it is no more but the dreame of a shadow It passeth awaye like one that rideth in post like a shipp in the Sea that leaueth no printe of the passage like a bird in the ayre of whose way there remaineth no remembrance like an arrowe that flyeth to the marke whose tracte the ayre sodaynlye closeth vp Whatsoeuer we doe sitt we stande we sleepe we wake we our shipp saith S. Basill alwayes sayleth towardes our last home and the streame of our life kepeth on an vnflexible course Euery daye we dye and howrely loose some parte of our life and euen then when we grow we decrease We haue lost our Infancye our childhood our youth and all til this present daye what tyme soeuer passethe perisheth and this very daye death secretly by minutes pourloyneth from vs. This S. Gregorye well expresseth saying Nostrum viuere a vita transire est vita nostra ipsis suis augmeÌ„tis ad detrimenta impellitur et inde semper deficit vnde proficere se credit Our liuing is a passing from lyfe For our lyfe with her increase diminisheth by that alwayes impayreth wherby it seemeth to profit Future things sayth Innocentius are alwayes beginning present thinges alwayes endynge and thinges paste are quite dead and donne For while we liue we dye and then we leaue dyeinge when we leaue liuinge Better therfore it is to dye to lyfe then to liue to death because our mortal lyfe is nothing but a liuing death And lyfe continually flyeth from vs and cannot be with-helde and death howrely commeth vppon vs and cannot be withstood No armoure resisteth no threatning preuayleth no intreaty profiteth against deaths assalte If all other perilles chauÌ„ces spare our lyfe yet tyme and age in the ende will consume it We see the fludd that riseth in the top of a Mountayne to fall roule downe with a continuall noyse It gusheth out with a holowe and horse sound then it runneth roaring down ouer craggye and rough clyffes and is continuallye crushed and broaken with diuers encounters til at the foote of the hill it entereth into the Sea And so fareth it with mans lyfe he commeth into the worlde with payne and beginneth his course with pitifull cryes and continually molested with diuers vexations he neuer ceaseth running doune til in the ende he fall into the Sea of death Neyther is our last houre the beginning of our death but the conclusion and then it is come that hath bene longe in the comming and fullye finished that was still in the ending Why therfore shold we be vnwlling to lese that which cannot be kept Better it is since death is debte and natures necessarye wracke to folowe S. Chrisostomes counsell Fiat voluntariuÌ„ quod futuruÌ„ est necessarium offeramus deo pro munere quod pro debito tene mur reddere Lett vs make it voluntarye which must needes be necessarye and lett vs offer to God for a present which of due and debte we are bound to render What maruayle if when the winde bloweth the leafe fall if when the day appereth the night ende Our life sayeth the same saynct was a shadowe and it passed it was a smoake and it vanished It was a buble and it was dissolued It was a spinners webb and it was shaken a sunder No wise-man lamenteth that he liued not a yeare sooner then he was borne and whye shoulde he lament that within a yeare or lesse he shall