AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 77
powers labour to attainto such a glorythat he may become
the friendof God, that he may at once rejoicewith Christ,
that afterearthlytorturesand punishments he may receive
divine rewards? If to soldiersof thisworld it is glorious
to return in triumph to theircountrywhen the foe isvan
quished,how much more excellentand greateris the glory,
when the devilisovercome,to returnin triumph to paradise,
and to bring back victorioustrophiesto that placewhence
Adam was ejectedas a sinner,aftercastingdown him who
formerly had casthim down ; to offerto God the most ac
ceptablegift— an uncorruptedfaith,and an unyieldingvirtue
of mind, an illustriouspraiseof devotion; to accompany Him
when He shallcome to receivevengeance from His enemies,
to stand at His sidewhen He shallsitto judge,to become
co-heirof Christ,to be made equal to the angels; with the
patriarchs,with the apostles,with the prophets,to rejoicein
the possessionof the heavenly kingdom ! Such thoughtsas
these,what persecutioncan conquer,what torturescan over
come ? The brave and stedfastmind, founded in religious
meditations,endures; and the spiritabides unmoved against
all the terrorsof the deviland the threatsof the world,
when itisstrengthenedby the sureand solidfaithof things
to come. In persecutions,earth is shut up,1but heaven is
opened ; Antichristis threatening,but Christisprotecting;
death is brought in, but immortalityfollows;the world is
taken away from him that is slain,but paradiseissetforth
to him restored; the lifeof time isextinguished,but the life
of eternityis realized. What a dignityit is,and what a
security,to go gladlyfrom hence,to departgloriouslyin the
midst of afflictionsand tribulations; in a moment to close
the eyeswith which men and the world are lookedupon, and
at once to open them to look upon God and Christ! Of
such a blesseddeparturehow great is the swiftness! You
shall be suddenlytaken away from earth,to be placedin the
heavenly kingdoms. It behoves us to embrace thesethings
in our mind and consideration,to meditateon thesethings
day and night. If persecutionshould fallupon such a
1 " The eyesoftheearthareclosed" isthereadingofothereditions.