Epistle LV.484    Oxford ed.: Ep. lviii.

To the People of Thibaris, Exhorting to Martyrdom.

Argument.—Cyprian First of All Excuses Himself to the Thibaritans that He Had Not Been to Visit Them, and Gives Them Warning of the Persecution at Hand; He Then Furnishes Inducements Readily to Undergo Martyrdom.485    Hence are suggested illustrations of good men from the beginning of the world who have suffered martyrdom, especially that which surpasses all examples, the passion of our Lord. What excitement is afforded to the endurance of martyrdom by the brave and ready enduring of the contests of the stadium and the theatre. Finally, let the reward be considered, which now, moreover, animates and influences us to sustain everything.

1. Cyprian to the people abiding at Thibaris, greeting. I had indeed thought, beloved brethren, and prayerfully desired—if the state of things and the condition of the times permitted, in conformity with what you frequently desired—myself to come to you; and being present with you, then to strengthen the brotherhood with such moderate powers of exhortation as I possess. But since I am detained by such urgent affairs, that I have not the power to travel far from this place, and to be long absent from the people over whom by divine mercy I am placed, I have written in the meantime this letter, to be to you in my stead.  For as, by the condescension of the Lord instructing me, I am very often instigated and warned, I ought to bring unto your conscience also the anxiety of my warning. For you ought to know and to believe, and hold it for certain, that the day of affliction has begun to hang over our heads, and the end486    Occasum. of the world and the time of Antichrist to draw near, so that we must all stand prepared for the battle; nor consider anything but the glory of life eternal, and the crown of the confession of the Lord; and not regard those things which are coming as being such as were those which have passed away. A severer and a fiercer fight is now threatening, for which the soldiers of Christ ought to prepare themselves with uncorrupted faith and robust courage, considering that they drink the cup of Christ’s blood daily,487    [It has been a question whether this daily reception of the communion was confined to times of persecution, or was more generally the custom. It seems to me exceptional. Freeman, vol. i. p. 383.] for the reason that they themselves also may be able to shed their blood for Christ. For this is to wish to be found with Christ, to imitate that which Christ both taught and did, according to the Apostle John, who said, “He that saith he abideth in Christ, ought himself also so to walk even as He walked.”488    1 John ii. 6.  Moreover, the blessed Apostle Paul exhorts and teaches, saying, “We are God’s children; but if children, then heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”489    Rom. viii. 16, 17.

2. Which things must all now be considered by us, that no one may desire anything from the world that is now dying, but may follow Christ, who both lives for ever, and quickens His servants, who are established in the faith of His name. For there comes the time, beloved brethren, which our Lord long ago foretold and taught us was approaching, saying, “The time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things they will do unto you, because they have not known the Father nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them.”490    John xvi. 2–4. Nor let any one wonder that we are harassed with constant persecutions, and continually tried with increasing afflictions, when the Lord before predicted that these things would happen in the last times, and has instructed us for the warfare by the teaching and exhortation of His words. Peter also, His apostle, has taught that persecutions occur for the sake of our being proved, and that we also should, by the example of righteous men who have gone before us, be joined to the love of God by death and sufferings. For he wrote in his epistle, and said, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, nor do ye fall away, as if some new thing happened unto you; but as often as ye partake in Christ’s sufferings, rejoice in all things, that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached in the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the name of the majesty and power of the Lord resteth on you, which indeed on their part is blasphemed, but on our part is glorified.”491    1 Pet. iv. 12–14. Now the apostles taught us those things which they themselves also learnt from the Lord’s precepts and the heavenly commands, the Lord Himself thus strengthening us, and saying, “There is no man that hath left house, or land, or parents, or brethren, or sisters, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive sevenfold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.”492    Luke xviii. 29, 30. And again He says, “Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and shall separate you from their company, and shall cast you out, and shall reproach your name as evil for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold your reward is great in heaven.”493    Luke vi. 22, 23.

3. The Lord desired that we should rejoice and leap for joy in persecutions, because, when persecutions occur, then are given the crowns of faith, then the soldiers of God are proved, then the heavens are opened to martyrs. For we have not in such a way given our name to warfare that we ought only to think about peace and draw back from and refuse war, when in this very warfare the Lord walked first—the Teacher of humility, and endurance, and suffering—so that what He taught to be done, He first of all did, and what He exhorts to suffer, He Himself first suffered for us.  Let it be before your eyes beloved brethren, that He who alone received all judgment from the Father, and who will come to judge, has already declared the decree of His judgment and of His future recognition, foretelling and testifying that He will confess those before His Father who confess Him, and will deny those who deny Him. If we could escape death, we might reasonably fear to die. But since, on the other hand, it is necessary that a mortal man should die, we should embrace the occasion that comes by the divine promise and condescension, and accomplish the ending provided by death with the reward of immortality; nor fear to be slain, since we are sure when we are slain to be crowned.

4. Nor let any one, beloved brethren, when he beholds our people driven away and scattered by the fear of persecution, be disturbed at seeing the brotherhood gathered together, nor the bishops discoursing.494    [Preaching the eminent duty of true bishops. See letter li. p. 330, note 4, supra.] All are not able to be there together, who may not kill, but who must be killed. Wherever, in those days, each one of the brethren shall be separated from the flock for a time, by the necessity of the season, in body, not in spirit, let him not be moved at the terror of that flight; nor, if he withdraw and be concealed, let him be alarmed at the solitude of the desert place. He is not alone, whose companion in flight Christ is; he is not alone who, keeping God’s temple wheresoever he is, is not without God. And if a robber should fall upon you, a fugitive in the solitude or in the mountains; if a wild beast should attack you; if hunger, or thirst, or cold should distress you, or the tempest and the storm should overwhelm you hastening in a rapid voyage over the seas, Christ everywhere looks upon His soldier fighting; and for the sake of persecution, for the honour of His name, gives a reward to him when he dies, as He has promised that He will give in the resurrection.  Nor is the glory of martyrdom less that he has not perished publicly and before many, since the cause of perishing is to perish for Christ. That Witness who proves martyrs, and crowns them, suffices for a testimony of his martyrdom.

5. Let us, beloved brethren, imitate righteous Abel, who initiated martyrdoms, he first being slain for righteousness’ sake. Let us imitate Abraham, the friend of God, who did not delay to offer his son as a victim with his own hands, obeying God with a faith of devotion. Let us imitate the three children Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, who, neither frightened by their youthful age nor broken down by captivity, Judea, being conquered and Jerusalem taken, overcame the king by the power of faith in his own kingdom; who, when bidden to worship the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had made, stood forth stronger both than the king’s threats and the flames, calling out and attesting their faith by these words: “O king Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. For the God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and He will deliver us out of thine hands, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, that we do not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”495    Dan. iii. 16–18. They believed that they might escape according to their faith, but they added, “and if not,” that the king might know that they could also die for the God they worshipped. For this is the strength of courage and of faith, to believe and to know that God can deliver from present death, and yet not to fear death nor to give way, that faith may be the more mightily proved. The uncorrupted and unconquered might of the Holy Spirit broke forth by their mouth, so that the words which the Lord in His Gospel spoke are seen to be true: “But when they shall seize you, take no thought what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”496    Matt. x. 19, 20. He said that what we are able to speak and to answer is given to us in that hour from heaven, and supplied; and that it is not then we who speak, but the Spirit of God our Father, who, as He does not depart nor is separated from those who confess Him, Himself both speaks and is crowned in us. So Daniel, too, when he was required to worship the idol Bel, which the people and the king then worshipped, in asserting the honour of his God, broke forth with full faith and freedom, saying, “I worship nothing but the Lord my God, who created the heaven and the earth.”497    Bel and the Dragon 5.

6. What shall we say of the cruel tortures of the blessed martyrs in the Maccabees,498    [Referred to by St. Paul, Heb. xi. 35. I say St. Paul advisedly. See, to the contrary, Farrar, St. Paul, p. 6.] and the multiform sufferings of the seven brethren, and the mother comforting her children in their agonies, and herself dying also with her children? Do not they witness the proofs of great courage and faith, and exhort us by their sufferings to the triumphs of martyrdom? What of the prophets whom the Holy Spirit quickened to the foreknowledge of future events? What of the apostles whom the Lord chose? Since these righteous men were slain for righteousness’ sake, have they not taught us also to die? The nativity of Christ witnessed at once the martyrdom of infants, so that they who were two years old and under were slain for His name’s sake. An age not yet fitted for the battle appeared fit for the crown. That it might be manifest that they who are slain for Christ’s sake are innocent, innocent infancy was put to death for His name’s sake. It is shown that none is free from the peril of persecution, when even these accomplished martyrdoms. But how grave is the case of a Christian man, if he, a servant, is unwilling to suffer, when his Master first suffered; and that we should be unwilling to suffer for our own sins, when He who had no sin of His own suffered for us!  The Son of God suffered that He might make us sons of God, and the son of man will not suffer that he may continue to be a son of God!  If we suffer from the world’s hatred, Christ first endured the world’s hatred. If we suffer reproaches in this world, if exile, if tortures, the Maker and Lord of the world experienced harder things than these, and He also warns us, saying, “If the world hate you, remember that it hated me before you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”499    John xv. 18–20. Whatever our Lord and God taught, He also did, that the disciple might not be excused if he learns and does not.

7. Nor let any one of you, beloved brethren, be so terrified by the fear of future persecution, or the coming of the threatening Antichrist, as not to be found armed for all things by the evangelical exhortations and precepts, and by the heavenly warnings. Antichrist is coming, but above him comes Christ also.500    [Valuable note, Oxford trans., Ep. lviii. p. 142, note k.] The enemy goeth about and rageth, but immediately the Lord follows to avenge our sufferings and our wounds. The adversary is enraged and threatens, but there is One who can deliver us from his hands. He is to be feared whose anger no one can escape, as He Himself forewarns, and says: “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.”501    Matt. x. 28. And again: “He that loveth his life, shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal.”502    John xii. 25. And in the Apocalypse He instructs and forewarns, saying, “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, mixed in the cup of His indignation, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torments shall ascend up for ever and ever; and they shall have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image.”503    Apoc. xiv. 9–11.

8. For the secular contest men are trained and prepared, and reckon it a great glory of their honour if it should happen to them to be crowned in the sight of the people, and in the presence of the emperor. Behold a lofty and great contest, glorious also with the reward of a heavenly crown, inasmuch as God looks upon us as we struggle, and, extending His view over those whom He has condescended to make His sons, He enjoys the spectacle of our contest. God looks upon us in the warfare, and fighting in the encounter of faith; His angels look on us, and Christ looks on us. How great is the dignity, and how great the happiness of the glory, to engage in the presence of God, and to be crowned, with Christ for a judge! Let us be armed, beloved brethren, with our whole strength, and let us be prepared for the struggle with an uncorrupted mind, with a sound faith, with a devoted courage. Let the camp of God go forth to the battle-field which is appointed to us. Let the sound ones be armed, lest he that is sound should lose the advantage of having lately stood; let the lapsed also be armed, that even the lapsed may regain what he has lost: let honour provoke the whole; let sorrow provoke the lapsed to the battle. The Apostle Paul teaches us to be armed and prepared, saying, “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers, and the princes of this world and of this darkness, against spirits of wickedness in high places. Wherefore put on the whole armour, that ye may be able to withstand in the most evil day, that when ye have done all ye may stand; having your loins girt about with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one; and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”504    Eph. vi. 12–17.

9. Let us take these arms, let us fortify ourselves with these spiritual and heavenly safeguards, that in the most evil day we may be able to withstand, and to resist the threats of the devil: let us put on the breastplate of righteousness, that our breast may be fortified and safe against the darts of the enemy: let our feet be shod with evangelical teaching, and armed, so that when the serpent shall begin to be trodden and crushed by us, he may not be able to bite and trip us up: let us bravely bear the shield of faith, by the protection of which, whatever the enemy darts at us may be extinguished: let us take also for protection of our head the helmet of salvation, that our ears may be guarded from hearing the deadly edicts; that our eyes may be fortified, that they may not see the odious images; that our brow may be fortified, so as to keep safe the sign of God;505    Scil.: the sign of the cross in baptism. that our mouth may be fortified, that the conquering tongue may confess Christ its Lord: let us also arm the right hand with the sword of the Spirit, that it may bravely reject the deadly sacrifices; that, mindful of the Eucharist, the hand which has received the Lord’s body506    It is observed here that the Eucharist was at this time received by the hand of the communicant, and not placed in his mouth by the minister, as some have pretended was the original mode of administration. [See Cyril of Jerusalem, Mystagog., v. p. 1126, Migne.] may embrace the Lord Himself, hereafter to receive from the Lord the reward of heavenly crowns.

10. Oh, what and how great will that day be at its coming, beloved brethren, when the Lord shall begin to count up His people, and to recognise the deservings of each one by the inspection of His divine knowledge, to send the guilty to Gehenna, and to set on fire our persecutors with the perpetual burning of a penal fire, but to pay to us the reward of our faith and devotion! What will be the glory and how great the joy to be admitted to see God, to be honoured to receive with Christ, thy Lord God, the joy of eternal salvation and light—to greet Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the patriarchs, and prophets, and apostles, and martyrs—to rejoice with the righteous and the friends of God in the kingdom of heaven, with the pleasure of immortality given to us—to receive there what neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man! For the apostle announces that we shall receive greater things than anything that we here either do or suffer, saying, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come hereafter which shall be revealed in us.”507    Rom. viii. 18. When that revelation shall come, when that glory of God shall shine upon us, we shall be as happy and joyful, honoured with the condescension of God, as they will remain guilty and wretched, who, either as deserters from God or rebels against Him, have done the will of the devil, so that it is necessary for them to be tormented with the devil himself in unquenchable fire.

11. Let these things, beloved brethren, take hold of our hearts; let this be the preparation of our arms, this our daily and nightly meditation, to have before our eyes and ever to revolve in our thoughts and feelings the punishments of the wicked and the rewards and the deservings of the righteous: what the Lord threatens by way of punishment against those that deny Him; what, on the other hand, He promises by way of glory to those that confess Him. If, while we think and meditate on these things, there should come to us a day of persecution, the soldier of Christ instructed in His precepts and warnings is not fearful for the battle, but is prepared for the crown. I bid you, dearest brethren, ever heartily farewell.

EPISTOLA LVI. (Erasm., IV, 6. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., LVI. Paris., LV. Oxon., Lips., LVIII.)AD THIBARITANOS, DE EXHORTATIONE MARTYRII.

ARGUMENTUM.---Excusat primum se Cyprianus Thibaritanis quod illos non visisset, et de persecutione imminente admonet; tum stimulos subdit ad martyrium alacriter subeundum.---Hinc proponuntur exempla piorum a mundi initio qui martyrium passi. In primis quae omnia exempla superat Domini nostri passio.---Quid, quod stadii et theatri agones fortiter 0349Bet alacriter tolerati incitamento sint ad martyrii passiones?---Demum consideretur futura merces, quae jam superque ad omnia sustinenda animat et accendit.

I. Cyprianus plebi Thibari consistenti salutem. Cogitaveram quidem, fratres dilectissimi, atque in votis habebam, si rerum ratio ac temporis conditio permitteret, secundum quod frequenter desiderastis, ipse ad vos venire, et quantulacumque mediocritate exhortationis nostrae praesens illic fraternitatem corroborare. Sed, quoniam sic rebus urgentibus detinemur ut longe istinc excurrere et diu a plebe cui de divina indulgentia praesumus abesse non datur facultas, has interim pro me ad vos vicarias litteras misi. Nam, cum Domini instruentis dignatione instigemur saepius 0349C et admoneamur, ad vestram quoque conscientiam admonitionis nostrae sollicitudinem perferre debemus. 0350A Scire enim debetis et pro certo credere ac tenere pressurae diem super caput esse coepisse et occasum saeculi atque antichristi tempus appropinquasse, ut parati omnes ad praelium stemus, nec quicquam nisi gloriam vitae aeternae et coronam confessionis Dominicae cogitemus. Nec putemus talia esse quae veniunt qualia fuerunt illa quae transierunt: gravior nunc et ferocior pugna imminet, ad quam fide incorrupta et virtute robusta parare se debeant milites Christi, considerantes idcirco se quotidie calicem sanguinis Christi bibere, ut possint et ipsi propter Christum sanguinem fundere. Hoc est enim velle cum Christo inveniri, id quod Christus et docuit et fecit imitari , secundum Joannem apostolum dicentem: Qui dicit se in Christo manere, debet quomodo ille ambulavit et 0350Bipse ambulare (I Joa. II, 6). Item beatus Paulus apostolus exhortatur et docet dicens: Sumus filii. Si autem filii Dei, et haeredes Dei, cohoeredes autem Christi, siquidem compatiamur, ut et commagnificemur (Rom. VIII, 16, 17).

II. Quae nunc omnia consideranda sunt nobis, ut nemo quicquam de saeculo jam moriente desideret, sed sequatur Christum, qui et vivit in aeternum, et vivificat servos suos in fide sui nominis constitutos. Venit enim tempus, fratres dilectissimi, quod jampridem Dominus noster praenuntiavit et docuit advenire dicens: Veniet hora ut omnis qui vos occiderit putet se officium Deo facere. Sed haec facient, quoniam non cognoverunt Patrem, neque me. Haec autem locutus sum vobis, ut cum venerit hora eorum, memores sitis quia 0350Cego dixi vobis (Joa. XVI, 2-4). Nec quisquam miretur persecutionibus nos assiduis fatigari et pressuris angentibus 0351A frequenter urgeri, quando haec futura in novissimis temporibus Dominus ante praedixerit, et militiam nostram magisterio et hortamento sui sermonis instruxerit, Petrus quoque apostolus ejus docuerit ideo persecutiones fieri ut probemur, et ut dilectioni Dei, justorum praecedentium exemplo, nos etiam morte et passionibus copulemur. Posuit enim in Epistola sua dicens: Charissimi, nolite mirari ardorem accidentem vobis, qui ad tentationem vestram fit, nec excidatis tamquam novum aliquid vobis contingat; sed quotiescumque communicatis Christi passionibus, per omnia gaudete, ut et in revelatione facta claritatis ejus gaudentes exultetis. Si improperatur vobis in nomine Christi, beati estis, quia majestatis et virtutis Domini nomen in vobis requiescit, quod quidem secundum illos 0351B blasphematur, secundum nos autem honoratur (I Pet. IV, 12 14). Docuerunt autem nos Apostoli ea quae de praeceptis Dominicis et coelestibus mandatis ipsi quoque didicerunt, Domino ipso scilicet corroborante nos et dicente: Nemo est qui relinquat domum, aut agrum, aut parentes, aut fratres, aut sorores, aut uxorem, aut filios propter regnum Dei, et non recipiat septies tantum in isto tempore, in saeculo autem venturo vitam aeternam (Marc. X, 29; Luc. XVIII, 29, 30). Et iterum: Beati, inquit, eritis cum odio vos habuerint homines, et separaverint vos, et expulerint, et maledixerint nomini vestro quasi nequam propter Filium hominis. Gaudete in illa die et exultate: ecce enim merces vestra multa est in coelis (Luc. VI, 22, 23).

III. Gaudere nos et exultare voluit in persecutionibus 0351C Dominus, quia, quando persecutiones fiunt, tunc dantur coronae fidei, tunc probantur milites Dei, 0352A tunc martyribus patent coeli. Neque enim sic nomen militiae dedimus ut pacem tantummodo cogitare, et detrectare et recusare militiam debeamus, quando in ipsa militia primus ambulaverit Dominus humilitatis et tolerantiae et passionis magister, ut quod fieri docuit prior faceret, et quod pati hortatur, prior pro nobis ipse pateretur. Sit ante oculos vestros, fratres dilectissimi, quod qui omne judicium a Patre solus accepit et qui venturus est judicaturus, jam judicii sui et cognitionis futurae sententiam protulerit, praenuntians et contestans confessurum se coram Patre suo confitentes et negaturum negantes. Si mortem possemus evadere, merito mori timeremus: porro autem, cum mortalem mori necesse sit, amplectamur occasionem de divina promissione et dignatione 0352B venientem, et fungamur exitu mortis cum praemio immortalitatis, nec vereamur occidi, quos constat quando occidimur coronari.

IV. Nec quisquam, fratres dilectissimi, cum populum nostrum fugari conspexerit metu persecutionis et spargi, conturbetur quod collectam fraternitatem non videat, nec tractantes episcopos audiat. Simul tunc omnes esse non possunt, quibus occidere non licet, sed occidi necesse est. Ubicumque in illis diebus unusquisque fratrum fuerit a grege interim necessitate temporis corpore non spiritu separatus , non moveatur ad fugae illius horrorem, nec recedens et latens deserti loci solitudine terreatur. Solus non est cui Christus in fuga comes est; solus non est qui, templum Dei servans, ubicumque fuerit 0352C sine Deo non est. Et si fugientem in solitudine ac montibus latro oppresserit, fera invaserit, fames aut 0353A sitis aut frigus afflixerit, vel per maria praecipiti navigatione properantem tempestas ac procella submerserit, spectat militem suum Christus ubicumque pugnantem, et persecutionis causa pro nominis sui honore morienti praemium reddit quod daturum se in resurrectione promisit. Nec minor est martyrii gloria non publice et inter multos perisse, cum pereundi causa sit propter Christum perire. Sufficit ad testimonium martyrii sui testis ille qui probat martyres et coronat.

V. Imitemur, fratres dilectissimi, Abel justum, qui initiavit martyria dum propter justitiam primus occiditur. Imitemur Abraham Dei amicum, qui non est cunctatus ut filium victimam suis manibus offerret, dum Deo fide devotionis obsequitur. Imitemur 0353B tres pueros, Ananiam, Azariam et Misahelem, qui, nec aetate territi, nec captivitate fracti, Judaea devicta et Hierosolymis captis, in ipso regno suo regem fidei virtute vicerunt; qui, adorare statuam quam Nabuchodonosor rex fecerat jussi, et minis regis et flammis fortiores extiterunt, proclamantes et fidem suam per haec verba testantes: Nabuchodonosor rex, non opus est nobis de hoc verbo respondere tibi. Est enim Deus, cui nos servimus, potens eripere nos de camino ignis ardentis, et de manibus tuis, rex, liberabit nos . Et si non, notum sit tibi quia diis tuis non servimus, et imaginem auream quam statuisti non adoramus (Dan. III, 16-18). Credebant se illi secundum fidem posse evadere; sed addiderunt, et si non, ut sciret rex illos propter Deum quem colebant et mori 0353C posse. Hoc est enim robur virtutis et fidei credere et scire quod Deus a morte praesente liberare possit, et tamen mortem non timere nec cedere, ut probari fortius fides possit. Erupit per os eorum Spiritus sancti incorruptus et invictus vigor, ut appareant vera esse quae in Evangelio suo Dominus dixit : Cum autem vos apprehenderint , nolite cogitare quid loquamini; dabitur enim vobis in illa hora quid loquamini: non enim vos estis qui loquimini, sed Spiritus Patris vestri qui loquitur in vobis (Matth. X, 19, 20). 0354A Dixit quid loqui et respondere possimus dari nobis in illa hora divinitus et offerri , nec nos tunc esse qui loquimur, sed Spiritum Dei Patris, qui, cum a confitentibus non discedit neque dividitur, ipse in nobis et loquitur et coronatur. Sic et Daniel cum compelleretur adorare idolum Bel, quem tunc populus et rex colebat, in asserendum Dei sui honorem plena fide et libertate prorupit dicens: Nihil colo ego nisiDominum Deum meum, qui condidit coelum et terram (Dan. XIV, 4).

VI. Quid in Machabaeis, beatorum martyrum gravia tormenta, et multiformes septem fratrum poenae, et confortans liberos suos mater in poenis et moriens ipsa quoque cum liberis, nonne magnae virtutis et fidei documenta testantur, et nos ad martyrii triumphum 0354B suis passionibus adhortantur? Quid prophetae, quos ad praescientiam futurorum Spiritus sanctus animavit? quid Apostoli, quos Dominus elegit? Nonne cum justi occiduntur propter justitiam mori nos quoque docuerunt? Christi nativitas a martyriis infantium statim coepit, ut ob nomen ejus a bimatu et infra qui fuerant necarentur: aetas necdum habilis ad pugnam idonea extitit ad coronam: ut appareret innocentes esse qui propter Christum necantur, infantia innocens ob nomen ejus occisa est. Ostensum est neminem esse a periculo persecutionis immunem, quando et tales martyria fecerunt. Quam vero gravis causa sit hominis christiani servum pati nolle, cum prior passus sit Dominus, et pro peccatis nostris nos pati nolle, cum peccatum suum proprium non 0354C habens passus sit ille pro nobis? Filius Dei passus est ut nos filios Dei faceret, et filius hominis pati non vult ut esse Dei filius perseveret! Si odio saeculi laboramus, odium saeculi sustinuit prior Christus. Si contumelias in hoc mundo, si fugam, si tormenta toleramus, graviora expertus est mundi factor et dominus, qui et admonet dicens: Si saeculum, inquit, vos odit, mementote quia me priorem vobis odiit. Si de saeculo essetis, saeculum quod suum esset amaret: sed, quia de saeculo non estis et ego elegi vos de saeculo, 0355Apropterea odit vos saeculum . Mementote sermonis quem dixi vobis: Non est servus major domino suo; si me persecuti sunt, et vos persequentur (Joan. XV, 18-20). Dominus et Deus noster quicquid docuit, et fecit, ut discipulus excusatus esse non possit qui discit et non facit.

VII. Neque aliquis ex vobis, fratres dilectissimi, futurae persecutionis metu aut antichristi imminentis adventu sic terreatur, ut non evangelicis exhortationibus et praeceptis ac monitis coelestibus ad omnia inveniatur armatus. Venit antichristus, sed et supervenit Christus: grassatur et saevit inimicus, sed et statim sequitur Dominus passiones nostras et vulnera vindicaturus: irascitur adversarius et minatur, sed est qui possit de ejus manibus liberare. Ille metuendus est cujus iram nemo poterit evadere, ipso 0355B praemonente et dicente: Ne timueritis eos qui occidunt corpus, animam autem non possunt occidere. Magis autem metuite eum qui potest et corpus et animam occidere in gehennam (Matth. X, 28). Et iterum: Qui amat animam suam, perdet illam, et qui odit animam suam in isto saeculo, in vitam aeternam conservabit illam (Joan. XII, 25). Et in Apocalypsi instruit et praemonet dicens: Si quis adorat bestiam et imaginem ejus, et accipit notam in fronte sua et in manu, bibet et ipse de vino irae Dei mixto in poculo irae ejus, et punietur igne et sulphure sub oculis sanctorum Angelorum et sub oculis Agni, et fumus de tormentis eorum ascendet in saecula saeculorum, nec habebunt requiem die ac nocte quicumque adorant bestiam et imaginem ejus (Apoc. XIV, 9-11).

0355C VIII. Ad agonem saecularem exercentur homines et parantur; et magnam gloriam computant honoris sui si illis, spectante populo et imperatore praesente, contigerit coronari. Ecce agon sublimis et magnus et coronae coelestis praemio gloriosus, ut spectet nos certantes Deus, et super eos quos filios facere dignatus 0356A est oculos suos pandens, certaminis nostri spectaculo perfruatur. Praeliantes nos et fidei congressione pugnantes spectat Deus, spectant Angeli ejus, spectat et Christus . Quanta est gloriae dignitas et quanta felicitas praesente Deo congredi et Christo judice coronari! Armemur, fratres dilectissimi, viribus totis et paremur ad agonem mente incorrupta, fide integra, virtute devota. Ad aciem quae nobis indicitur Dei castra procedant: armentur integri, ne perdat integer quod nuper stetit: armentur et lapsi, ut et lapsus recipiat quod amisit. Integros honor, lapsos dolor ad praelium provocet. Armari et praeparari nos beatus Paulus apostolus docet dicens: Non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem, sed adversus potestates et principes hujus 0356Bmundi et harum tenebrarum, adversus spiritus nequitiaein coelestibus. Propter quod induite tota arma, ut possitis resistere in die nequissimo; ut cum omnia perfeceritis, stetis accincti lumbos vestros in veritate, induti loricam justitiae, et calciati pedes in praeparatione evangelii pacis, assumentes scutum fidei, in quo possitis omnia ignita jacula nequissimi extinguere, et galeam salutis, et gladium spiritus, qui est sermo Dei (Eph. VI, 12-17).

IX. Haec arma sumamus, his nos tutamentis spiritalibus et coelestibus muniamus, ut in die nequissimo, resistere diaboli minis et repugnare possimus. Induamus loricam justitiae, ut contra inimici jacula munitum sit pectus et tutum. Calciati sint evangelico magisterio et armati pedes, ut, cum serpens calcari 0356C a nobis et obteri coeperit, mordere et supplantare non possit. Portemus fortiter scutum fidei, quo protegente quicquid jaculatur inimicus possit extingui. Accipiamus quoque ad tegumentum capitis galeam salutarem, ut muniantur aures, ne audiant edicta feralia; muniantur oculi, ne videant detestanda simulachra; 0357A muniatur frons, ut signum Dei incolume servetur; muniatur os, ut Dominum suum Christum victrix lingua fateatur. Armemus et dexteram gladio spiritali, ut sacrificia funesta fortiter respuat, ut, Eucharistiae memor, quae Domini corpus accepit, ipsum complectatur, postmodum a Domino sumptura praemium coelestium coronarum.

X. O dies ille qualis et quantus adveniet, fratres dilectissimi, cum coeperit populum suum Dominus recensere et divinae cognitionis examine singulorum merita recognoscere, mittere in gehennam nocentes, et persecutores nostros flammae poenalis perpetuo ardore flammare, nobis vero mercedem fidei et devotionis exsolvere! Quae erit gloria et quanta laetitia admitti ut Deum videas, honorari ut cum Christo 0357B Domino Deo tuo salutis ac lucis aeternae gaudium capias; Abraham et Isaac et Jacob et patriarchas omnes et prophetas et apostolos et martyres salutare; cum justis et Dei amicis in regno coelorum datae immortalitatis voluptate gaudere; sumere illic quod nec oculus vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit (I Cor. II, 9)! Majora enim nos accipere quam quod hic aut operamur aut patimur Apostolus praedicat dicens: Non sunt condignae passiones hujus temporis ad superventuram claritatem quae revelabitur in nobis (Rom. VIII, 18). Cum revelatio illa venerit, cum claritas super nos Dei fulserit, tam beati erimus et laeti, dignatione Domini honorati, quam rei remanebunt et miseri qui, Dei desertores aut contra Deum rebelles, voluntatem fecerunt diaboli, ut eos necesse sit cum ipso simul inextinguibili igne torqueri.

0358A XI. Haec, fratres dilectissimi, haereant cordibus nostris . Haec sit armorum nostrorum praeparatio, haec diurna ac nocturna meditatio, ante oculos habere et cogitatione semper ac sensibus volvere iniquorum supplicia et praemia ac merita justorum, quid negantibus Dominus comminetur ad poenam, quid contra confitentibus promittat ad gloriam. Si haec cogitantibus ac meditantibus nobis supervenerit persecutionis dies, miles Christi praeceptis ejus et monitis eruditus non expavescit ad pugnam, sed paratus est ad coronam. Opto vos, fratres charissimi, semper bene valere.