AN EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM. 55 6. After thiswe must subjoin,that being redeemed and quickened by the blood of Christ,we ought to prefernothing to Christ,because He preferrednothing to us, and on our account preferredevilthingsto good,povertyto riches,ser vitudetorule,death toimmortality;thatwe, on the contrary, in our sufferingsare preferringthe richesand delightsof paradiseto the povertyof the world, eternaldominion and kingdom to the slaveryof time,immortalityto death,God and Christto the deviland antichrist. 7. We must urge also,thatwhen snatchedfrom the jaws of the devil,and freedfrom the snaresof thisworld,ifthey begin to be in difficultyand trouble,they must not desireto return againtothe world,and so losethe advantageof their withdrawal therefrom. 8. That we must ratherurge on and persevereinfaithand virtue,and in completionof heavenly and spiritualgrace, thatwe may attainto the palm and to the crown. 9. For that afflictionsand persecutionsare brought about for thispurpose,thatwe may be proved. 10. Neither must we fear the injuriesand penaltiesof persecutions,becausegreateristhe Lord to protectthan the devilto assault. 11. And lestany one shouldbe frightenedand troubledat the afflictionsand persecutionswhich we sufferin thisworld, we must prove that it was before foretoldthat the world would holdus in hatred,and that itwould arouse persecu tionsagainstus ; thatfrom thisvery thing,thatthesethings come to pass,ismanifestthe truthof the divinepromise,in recompenses and rewards which shall afterwardsfollow; that itis no new thingwhich happens to Christians,since from the beginningof the world the good have suffered,and have been oppressedand slainby the unrighteous. 12. In the lastplace,itmust be laiddown what hope and what reward await the righteousand martyrs after the strugglesand the sufferingsof thistime,and thatwe shall receivemore in the reward of our sufferingthan what we sufferhere in the passionitself.