what terrors you shall have to endure, when we reflect that you are not armed with insensibility, but feeling on the contrary much repugnance and many conflicts in your flesh. But notwithstanding all that, assuredly God must prevail. It was well said of the death of Peter, that he should be led by a way which he did not choose. So he subdued the natural man, so as to be conducted at God’s good pleasure, that is, with a hearty good will.
Therefore, following his example, wage a valiant warfare against your infirmities in order to remain victorious over Satan and all your enemies.
Great are their rage and cruelty against the poor church, their threats terrible, and the preparations are such that we might well deem that all must be ruined. So far, however, is that from being the case, that our persecutions are by no means so intense as those which our fathers endured. Not that the devil and his children are less hardened and bent upon doing evil than ever, but because God bearing with our weakness keeps them enchained like so many wild beasts. For it is certain that if hitherto he had not interposed his hand, we should have been destroyed a thousand times, and if he did not still continue secretly to watch .over us, we should be speedily swallowed up. Knowing then by experience the pity and compassion that God feels for us, so much the more should we, with a feeling of security, repose on his protection, trusting that he will prove how dear our lives are to him. Meanwhile we must despise and count them as nothing when we are called to employ them in his service, and among other things maintain his holy word, in which he desires his glory to shine forth. It is thus, according to the saying of our divine Master, that we shall possess our souls in patience, because he will be the faithful guardian of them. And, moreover, if with our free-will we lose this frail and perishable condition, we shall recover it far better in the heavenly glory. And this is the principal lesson which the holy Scripture requires you now to meditate upon when it calls us pilgrims in this world; namely, that nothing should turn us aside from that enduring inheritance to which we cannot aspire with well-grounded confidence, as we are bound to do, unless we are prepared to quit this earthly habitation whensoever it shall please God to summon us away.
We shall not accumulate here all the testimonies that might contribute to fortify your patience, for we should never have done, since the whole
Scripture is filled with them. We shall not deduce either how we must be partakers of the death of the son of God our chief, if we are to rise up again with him; that we must be conformed to his image, and supply what is wanting in his sufferings, in order to share in the repose which he has promised to us. This should be a doctrine common to all of us, that as he entered into his glory by many afflictions, so we are bound to follow the same course. For the present, it is sufficient to fix in our memories that all the oppressions which fall out against the church are for the trial of the faith of the elect according as God shall be pleased to ordain in the fitting time. Now since Jesus Christ did not spare his own blood in order to confirm the truth of the gospel wherein lies our salvation, it is but just that we should not refuse to make him our example, especially as we are
assured that whatever our enemies devise against us shall all be converted to our salvation. And that you may take more heart, doubt not, when the evil ones shall have exhausted all their cruelty, that there will be one drop of blood that will not fructify so as to increase the number of the
believers., If it does not seem to you at first sight that the constancy of those who have endured trials brings forth fruit, do not for all that cease to acquit yourselves of your duty, and leave to God the advantages that will accrue from your life or death for the edification of his church; for from them he knows well holy to bring forth fruits in his own time and way.
And the more the wicked strive to exterminate the memory of his name from the earth, the more efficacy will be bestow on our blood to cause that memory to flourish more and more. And in very deed we cannot fail to see that God intends to exalt his name at the present moment and advance the reign of Jesus Christ. 0nly let us suffer the darkness of the present eclipse to pass over, waiting until God produce his light to rejoice us, though indeed we axe never deprived of it in the midst of our afflictions, it; we seek for it in his word in which it is offered to us and where it never ceases to shine.
There, then, it behooves you to turn your eyes during these great troubles, and to rejoice that he has esteemed you worthy of suffering affliction for his word rather than of chastisement for your sins, which we should all deserve did he not support us by his grace. And if he promises to console poor sinners who received patiently correction from his hand, be confident that the aid and comfort of his Holy Spirit will not fail you, when reposing
ibis children. And wait not till the great ones of this world point out to you the way, who most frequently corrupt their brethren and cause them to backslide rather than further their progress. What is more, let not each man look on his fellow to say like Peter: And this man, what of him? but let each man follow as he shall be called, seeing that each must give an account for himself. Look rather at the invincible courage of so many martyrs who have been set before us as an example, and take heart to join yourselves to so goodly a company; which for this reason the Apostle compares to an immense and thick cloud, as if he said their numbers are so vast as in a manner to blind our eyes. What is more, without going further, the examples which God every day offers us being duly considered, as they deserve, should be sufficient to fortify us against the stumbling blocks thrown in our way by the baseness of many.
Moreover, according as each is placed in a higher station, let him reflect that he is so much the more bound to take the lead, and on no occasion to yield to dissimulation. Let not the noble and rich and people of rank think that they are privileged, but on the contrary let them acknowledge that God has chosen them, to be more highly glorified in them. When you shall march with such simplicity, invoking God to look upon you with
compassion, it is certain that you will thus feel more relief than if each thought of escaping by subterfuges. We do not mean to say that you should with your eyes open, or without discretion, expose yourselves to the jaws of the wolf; only beware of withdrawing from the flock of our Lord Jesus Christ in order to avoid the cross, and fear more than all the deaths in the world the dispersion of the church. Otherwise what excuse will you be able to plead when our Lord Jesus Christ, his Father, and all the angels of paradise shall bring against you this reproach, that having made a profession of confessing God in life and in death, you have
betrayed the faith which you had pledged? What a shame it will be, if after having separated yourselves from the defilement and pollution’s of Papal idolatry, we should return to wallow a second time therein, and become doubly abominable in the sight of God]’ In one word, if all our felicity consists in being a disciple of our Lord Jesus, knowing that he will disavow and denounce all those who do not confess him before the ungodly, steel your hearts to endure reproaches as well as persecutions,
and if you desire to have God for your stronghold, sanctify him, in despising the fears of the unbelieving, as we are exhorted to do by St.
Peter.
Be persuaded also that the pride of these lions and dragons, and the rage with which they foam, will inflame so much the more the wrath of God, and hasten the execution of his vengeance. Finally, do not take it to heart to be despitefully treated by such mad men, since your names are written in the Book of Life, and God approves of you, not only as his servants, but also as his children and heirs of his glory, members of his only Son Jesus Christ, and companions of angels. Nevertheless let it suffice you to oppose to their fury, prayers and tears, which God will not permit to fall to the ground, but which he will preserve in his phials, as is said in the Psalm.
We have here briefly touched on what should be your conduct during this fiery trial. The main point is that each of you should diligently exercise himself in the reading of the word, and that you mark and retain the exhortations that are addressed to you by the mouth of God, to serve him with all perseverance, never wearying, whatever befall you.
If we could make manifest to you the care and compassion which actuate us for you, the desire and the good-will are not wanting to us for that purpose, just as we are convinced that the dangers which are impending over ourselves affect and stir you up to recommend us to the keeping of God, whom we entreat that of his infinite goodness he would make you feel that he is a protector both of the body and the soul; that he would govern you by his Holy Spirit, that he would support you by his power, that he would triumph in your persons, by scattering all the counsels, enterprises, and strength of his enemies, and your own.
[Fr. Histoire des Martyrs, Lib. 7, page 462.]