Exhortation to Martyrdom, Addressed to Fortunatus.

 Heads of the Following Book.

 On the Exhortation to Martyrdom.

 2. That God alone must be worshipped.

 3. What is God’s threatening against those who sacrifice to idols?

 4. That God does not easily pardon idolaters.

 5. That God is so angry against idolatry, that He has even enjoined those to be slain who persuade others to sacrifice and serve idols.

 6. That, being redeemed and quickened by the blood of Christ, we ought to prefer nothing to Christ.

 7. That those who are snatched from the jaws of the devil, and delivered from the snares of this world, ought not again to return to the world, lest t

 8. That we must press on and persevere in faith and virtue, and in completion of heavenly and spiritual grace, that we may attain to the palm and the

 9. That afflictions and persecutions arise for the sake of our being proved.

 10. That injuries and penalties of persecutions are not to be feared by us, because greater is the Lord to protect than the devil to assault.

 11. That it was before predicted that the world would hold us in abhorrence, and that it would stir up persecutions against us, and that no new thing

 12. What hope and reward remains for the righteous and for martyrs after the conflicts and sufferings of this present time,

 13. That we receive more as the reward of our suffering than what we endure here in the suffering itself,

2. That God alone must be worshipped.

“As it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.”15    Deut. vi. 13; x. 20. Also in Exodus: “Thou shalt have none other gods beside me.”16    Ex. xx. 3. Also in Deuteronomy:  “See ye, see ye that I am He, and that there is no God beside me. I will kill, and will make alive; I will smite, and I will heal; and there is none who can deliver out of mine hands.”17    Deut. xxxii. 39. In the Apocalypse, moreover: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach over the earth, and over all nations, and tribes, and tongues, and peoples, saying with a loud voice, Fear God rather, and give glory to Him:  for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that therein is.”18    Rev. xiv. 6, 7. So also the Lord, in His Gospel, makes mention of the first and second commandment, saying, “Hear, O Israel, The Lord thy God is one God;”19    Mark xii. 29–31. and, “Thou shalt love thy Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. This is the first; and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”20    Matt. xxii. 37–40. And once more: “And this is life eternal, that they may know Thee, the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.”21    John xvii. 3.

CAP. II.---QUOD DEUS SOLUS COLENDUS SIT.

0657A

Sicut scriptum est : Dominum Deum tuum adorabis, et illi soli servies (Deut. VI, 13). Item in Exodo: Non erunt tibi dii alii absque me (Ex. VI, 13). Item illic : Videte, videte quia ego sum , et non est Deus praeter me. Ego interimamet vivere faciam, percutiam et ego sanabo, et non est qui eripiat de manibus meis (Deut. XXXII, 39). Item in Apocalypsi: Et vidi alium Angelum volantem in medio caelo, habentem Evangelium aeternum, ut annuntiaret super terram et super omnes nationeset tribus et linguas et populos, dicentem voce magna: Metuite potius Deum , et date illi claritatem, quoniam venit hora judicii ejus; et adorate eum qui fecit caelum et terram et mare et omnia quae in eis sunt (Apoc. XIV, 6, 7). Sic et Dominus in Evangelio commemorationem 0657B facit primi et secundi praecepti dicens: Audi Israel. Dominus Deus tuus Deus unus est; et: Diliges Dominum tuum de toto corde tuo et de tota anima tua et de tota virtute tua. Hoc primum, et secundum simile huic: Diliges proximum tuumtamquam te. In his duobus praeceptis tota lex pendet et Prophetae (Matth. XXII, 39, 40). Et iterum: Haec est autem vita aeterna, ut cognoscant te solum et verum Deum et quem misisti Jesum Christum (Joan. XVII, 3).