ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM.
Argument. — The writerdescribeswitha loftystyleof expres
sionthegloryof martyrdom, treatingat largethroughout
thework chieflyof threequestions,— namely,what martyr
dom is,how greatitis,and of what advantageitis. In
themeantime,by captivatingsimilitudes,and by argument
deducedfrom the dailydeaths,he exhortstojoyoussub
missiontodeathfor Christ.ssake. Moreover,among the
benefitsof martyrdom he enumeratesthatthepropitia
tionof Christcrowns martyrswithoutexperienceof the
universalsufferingthatprevails,in sucha way iliatagainst
them thatsayingof Christisnotapplicable,thattlieymust
pay tlievery lastfarthing. In placeof reward,he sets
beforethemnotonlysecurityfrom thefearof Gehenna,but
alsotheattainmentof everlastinglife,describingbothalter
nativesbrieflyin a poeticalmanner ; and thenhe points
out,thattosome,martyrdom servesas a crown,whileto
otherswho are baptizedin theirown blood,it servesas
redemption. Finally,when from the Scriptureshe has
stirredup hisreaderstoconfessionof thename of Christ,
he asks them toremember him when the Lord beginsto
honour martyrdom in them,sincetheLord isknown not
to deny suchas theywhen theyask Him for anything.
LTHOUGH, beloved brethren,it isunfitting,
while my speakingto you receivesthisindul
gence, to professany trepidation,and it very
littlebecomes me to diminishthe gloryof so
great a devotionby the confessionof an incipientdoubt; yet
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