ON THE GLORY OF MARTYRDOM. 249 had saidas much as possible.For althoughthe custodyof faithmay be preferredto the benefitof righteousness,and an immaculate virginitymay recogniseitselfas betterthan the praisesof all;yet it is necessarythat even it should give place to the claimof blood,and be made second to a gory death. The former have chosenwhat isgood,the latter have imitatedChrist. 27. But now, beloved brethren,lestany one shouldthink thatI have placedallsalvationin no otherconditionthan in martyrdom, lethim firstof alllookespeciallyat this,thatit isnot I who seem to speak,that am of so greatimportance, nor is the order of things so arranged that the promised hope of immortalityshould depend on the strengthof a partialadvocacy. But sincethe Lord has testifiedwith His own mouth, thatin the Father'spossessionare many dwell ings,I have believedthat there is nothing greaterthan that glorywhereby thosemen are proved who are unworthy of thisworldly life. Therefore,beloved brethren,striving with a religiousrivalry,as ifstirredup with some incentiveof reward,letus submit to allthe abundance and the endurance of strength. For thingspassingaway ought not to move us, seeing that they are always being pressedforward to their own overthrow,not only by the law proposed to them, but even by the veryend of time. J ohn exclaims,and says," Now isthe axe laidto the rootof the tree;" 1 showing,to wit,and pointingout thatitisthe lastold age of allthings. More over,also,the Lord Himself says," Walk while ye have the light,lestthedarknesslayhold upon you."* But if He has foretoldthatwe must walk in thattime,certainlyHe shows that we must at any ratewalk. 28. And to returnto the praiseof martyrdom, thereisa word of the blessedPaul, who says: " Know ye not that they who run in a race strivemany, but one receiveththe prize? But do ye so run, that all of you may obtain."3 Moreover alsoelsewhere,that he may exhort us to martyr dom, he has calledus fellow-heirswith Christ; nay, thathe might omit nothing,he says," If ye are dead with Christ, 1 Matt.iu.10. 2Johnxii.35. s 1 Cor.ix.21.