ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM. 235 well as carriedaway, so that in theircase theirown deeds would he sufficientfor theirpunishment, theirguiltwould burden the very penaltyof the persecutioninflicted. 6. The whole of thistendsto the praiseof martyrdom, the whole illuminatesthe gloryof sufferingwherein the hope of time futureisbeheld,wherein ChristHimself isengaged,of whom are given the examples that we seek,and whose is the strengthby which we resist.And that in thisbehalf something is suppliedto us to present,is surelya loftyand marvellouscondescension,and such as we are able neither mentally to conceive nor fullyto express in words. For what could He with His liberalaffectionbestow upon us more, than that He should be the firstto show forth in Himself what He would reward with a crown in others? He became mortal that we might be immortal, and He underwent the issueof human destiny,by whom things human are governed; and that He might appear to have given to us the benefitof His having suffered,He gave us confession.He suggestedmartyrdoms ; finally,He, by the meritsof His nativity,imputed allthosethingswhereby the light[of life]may be quenched,to a savingremedy, by His excellenthumility,by His divinestrength. Whoever have deservedto be worthy of thishave been withoutdeath,have overcome allthe fouleststainsof the world,having subdued the conditionof death. 7. For thereisno doubt how much they obtainfrom the Lord, who have preferredGod's name to theirown safety,so that in that judgment-day theirblood-sheddingwould make them better,and the blood spiltwould show them to be spot less. Because deathmakes lifemore complete,deathrather leadsto glory. Thus, whenever on therejoicingwheat-stalks the ears of corn distendedby rainsgrow full,the abundant harvestsareforced1by thesummer; thus,asoftenas thevine is pruned by the knife from the tendrilsthat break forth upon it,the bunch of grapesismore liberallyclothed. For whatever isof advantageby itsinjuryturns out forthe in creaseof the time to come ; justas ithas oftenbeen of avail 1 " Coguntur,"or" coquuntur,"— " arematured."