AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 65 sistsratherin thatwar itself; and that by that conflictthe righteousattainto the reward of thedivineabode and eternal salvation,— lays down in the twenty-sixthPsalm, and says: " Though an host should be arrayed againstme, my heart shallnot fear; though war shouldriseup againstme, in that willI put my hope. One hope have I soughtof the Lord, thiswillI require; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord allthe days of my life."1 Also in Exodus, the holy Scripturedeclaresthatwe are rathermultipliedand increased by afflictions,saying: "And the more they afflictedthem, so much themore theybecame greater,and waxed stronger."2 And in the Apocalypse,divineprotectionispromisedto our sufferings." Fear nothingof thesethings,"itsays," which thou shaltsuffer."*Nor does any one elsepromise to us securityand protection,than He who alsospeaks by Isaiah the prophet,saying: " Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, and calledthee by thy name : thou artmine. And if thou passestthrough thewater,I am with thee,and theriversshall not overflowthee. And if thou passestthrough the fire, thou shaltnothe burned,and * the flameshallnotburn thee; for I,the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel,am He who maketh thee safe."5 Who alsopromisesin the Gospel that divinehelp shallnot be wanting to God's servantsin persecutions,saying: " But when they shalldeliveryou up, take no thought how or what ye shallspeak. For it shall be givenyou in thathour what ye shallspeak. For itisnot ye who speak,hut the Spiritof your Father who speakethin you."• And again: " Settleitin your heartsnot to medi tatebeforehow to answer. For I willgiveyou a mouth and wisdom, which your adversariesshallnot be ableto resist."7 As in Exodus God speaks to Moses when he delayed and trembled to go to the people,saying: " Who hath given a mouth to man? and who hath made the stammerer? and who the deafman ? and who the seeing,and the blindman ? Have not I,the Lord God ? And now go,and I willopen 1 Ps.xxvii.3,4. • Ex.i.12. 3Rev.ii.10. 4 The common readingis," throughthefire,theflame,"etc.■ Iaa.xliii.1-3. • Matt.x.19,20. 'Lukexxi.14,15. CTP.— vol. n. E