ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM. 211
the priceof the sacrificeof our body ? I indeedhave known
it,and I am not deceivedin the truthof what I say,when
the cruel hands of the persecutorswere wrenching asunder
the martyr'slimbs,and the furioustorturerwas ploughing
op his laceratedmuscles,and stillcould not overcome him.
I have known it by the words of those who stood around.
u This isa greatmatter. AssuredlyI know not what itis—
that he is not subdued by suffering,that he is not broken
down by wearing torments." Moreover, there were other
words of thosewho spoke: " And yet I believehe has chil
dren : for he has a wife associatedwith him in his house;
and yet he does not giveway to the bond of hisoffspring,
nor ishe withdrawn by the claimof hisfamilyaffectionfrom
his stedfastpurpose. This matter must be known, and this
strength must be investigated,even to the very heart; for
that is no triflingconfession,whatever itmay be,forwhich
a man suffers,even so asto be ableto die."
16. Moreover, beloved brethren,so great isthe virtueof
martyrdom, that by itsmeans even he who has wished to
slay you is constrainedto believe. It is written,and we
read : " Endure in suffering,and in thy humiliationhave
patience,because gold and silverare triedby the fire."1
Since, therefore,the Lord provesus by earthlytemptations,
and Christ the Judge weighs us by these worldly ills,we
must congratulateourselves,and rejoicethat He does not
reserveus forthoseeternaldestructions,but rejoicesoverus
as purged from allcontagion. But from those whom He
adopts as partnersof His inheritance,and is willingto
receive intothe kingdom of heaven, what elseindeed does
He ask than a walk in integrity? He Himself has saidthat
all things are His, both those thingswhich are displayed
upon the levelplains,and which liftthemselvesup into
sloping hills; and moreover,whateverthe greatnessof heaven
surrounds, and what the glidingwater embraces in the cir
cumfluent ocean. But if allthingsare withinHis ken, and
He does not requireof us anything but sincereactions,we
ought, as He Himself has said,to be liketo gold. Because,
1Ecclus.ii.4.
CTP.— tOL. II. Q