full make and free from the impotencye of other broode as Epiphanius writeth And thus martirdome doth with our soule bringing it forth with such perfection that it is strayght enhabled to haue the perfect syght and loue of God wherin consisteth our blisse and happynesse without any delaye of further grouth or sufficiency In the baptisme of water saith S. Thomas the Passion of Christe worketh by a certayne figuratiue representation in the baptisme of spirite by a desyre and affection in the baptisme of bloode by perfecte imitation Lykewyse the power of the holy ghost worketh in the first by secret vertue in the seconde by commotion of the mynde in the thirde by feruour of perfect loue So muche therefore as immitation in deede is better then representation in the figure and desyre in the thoughte So muche doth the baptisme of blood surpasse those of water and spirite Baptisme is the cloude by which Moyses guided Gods people and shrouded them in the deserte but martirdome is the ryuer Iordan thorough which Iosue leadeth them into the lande of promise Baptisme appareleth Mordocheus in Kinges attyre yet leaueth him a subiecte But martyrdome with the robes inuesteth him also with royall dignytye No Naaman is so foule a leaper that this water of Iordan cannot cure No man so blynde but that the washing in this poole of Siloe can restore to sight No disease so vncurable but this ponde vppon Probatica can perfectlye heale It accomplysheth the laboures of the vertuous godlye satisfieth for the sinnes of the sinfull and wicked is to those a rewarde and to these a remedy Vidimus sayth S. Cyprian ad hunc nominis tituluÌ„ fide nobiles venisse plerosque vt deuotio nis obsequiuÌ„ mors honestaret Sed alios frequentur aspeximus interritos stetisse vt admissa peccata redimentes cruore suo loti haberentur in sanguine reuiuiscerent interempti qui viuentes putabaÌ„tur occisi Mors quippe integriorem facit vitam mors amissam inuenit gloriam We haue seene manye of noble faythe to haue aspired to this title of Martirdome that their deathe might honoure their seruiceable deuotion We haue seene others to haue stoode without feare that redeeminge their offences with their bloode they might be knowen to haue bene washed in the same and might be reuiued by killing that alyue were accouÌ„ted dead For this deathe maketh lyfe more perfect and recouereth the grace that was loste And if S. Chrisostome extollinge baptisme sayeth that it not onlye maketh vs free but also holye not onlye holye but iuste not onlye iuste but children nor only children but heyres not onlye heyres but heyres of the same inherytaunce with Christe Not onlye heyres with Christe but members of Christe Not only members but temples not onlye temples but also instrumentes of the holye Ghost Then may I farther enlarge my selfe in the prayse of Martirdome and saye that martirdome geueth a freedome voyde of all seruitude a holines and iustice without any faulte or feare of losse It so maketh vs children that we cannot become enemyes It makeâ—h vs heyres not only in right but in full possession It maketh vs heyres with Christ not onlye of hys grace but also of his glorye It maketh vs meÌ„bers that can not be cut of temples that cannot be defyled suche instrumentes of the holy Ghost as cannot be abused Finally it geueth vs the crowne wherof baptisme is the pledge In all which poyntes it is superior vnto it To praye for the baptised is a benefitt Quia nescit homo finem suum no man knoweth what his ende shall be but to praye for a martyr S. Augustine termeth it an iniurye seeing we ought rather to commende vs to his prayers Iniuria est orare pro martyre cuius debemus orationibus commendari It is an iniurye to praye for a martyr to whose prayers we must be commended For these causes dothe the Churche call the dyinge dayes of martyrs their byrth dayes For though we be borne agayne by baptisme yet are we not come to a ful birth and perfecte healing For as S. Augustine sayeth Filij dei quamdin mortaliter viuunt cum morte confligunt quamuis veraciter de illis dictum sit quotquot spiritu dei aguntur hi sunt filij dei The children of God so longe as they lyue a mortall lyfe they struggle with death and though of theÌ„ it be truelye sayde that so manye as are ledd by the spiryte of God they are Gods children Yet so longe as the bodye opresseth the soule Often times tan quam filij hominuÌ„ quibusdam motibus humanis deficiunt ad se ipsos et ideo pereunt Lyke children of men with carnall motions they fall into their oune fraylty so perishe Likewyse vpon these wordes of S. Ihon in iudiciuÌ„ non venit sed transit a morte ad vitaÌ„ Ecce inquit in hac vita non duÌ„ est vita transitur a morte ad vitam vt in indiciuÌ„ non veniatur He came not into iudgmeÌ„t but passed from death to lyfe Lo sayth he in this lyfe there is yet no lyfe we passe from death to lyfe to auoyde the coÌ„minge vnto iudgment We therfore sayth Origen Doe not celebrate the day of the Sayntes natiuitye which is an entrance of all griefes and molestations but the day of their death which is a rid daÌ„ce of their sorowes a farwell to the deuiles assaltes We celebrate the daye of theire death because thoughe they seeme to dye yet in deed they dye not When you here therefore named sayth an other Father the birth daye of the Sainctes vnderstand not that which breedeth them of fleshe into the earth but which bringeth theÌ„ from the earth into heauen from laboure to reste froÌ„ teÌ„tations to quiet from tormentes to delightes from worldlye laughters to a crowne of glorye For as S. Ciprian noteh scimus eos non amitti sed praemitti recedentes praecedere We know they are not loste but sente to leade vs the way and gone from vs to make way before vs. Natales vocamus dies sayeth Eusebius Emissenus quando cos martyrij vita gloriae fides dum ingerit morti genuit eternitati perpetua gaudia breui dolore parturiit We call their natall dayes wheÌ„ the life of martyrdome and the glorye of their Fayth while it putteth theÌ„ to a temporall death begetteth them to eternall lyfe and with a shorte payne bringeth them forth to perpetuall pleasure Worthely are they called birth dayes by the whiche they that were borne into this myserye of mans frayltye sodaynly are borne agayne to glory taking of theire end death a beginning of an endles lyfe For if we call those birth dayes in which in sinn sorow we are borne to sorowe in this worlde more iustly may these be called birth dayes wherin froÌ„ corruptible lyght they come into
admonitus nemo inuenit nisi purgatus God is the true and chiefest lyfe in whom from whom by whom are all good thinges whatsoeuer they be that are happye to enioye From whom the reuolting is fallinge to whom the returning is risinge in whom the stayinge is sure standinge God from whom to depart is to dye to whom to repayre is to reuiue in whom to dwell is to liue God whome none leeseth but deceyued none seeketh but admonished none findeth but the clensed If therfore god be so perfectlye amiable and the chiefest obiect of pleasure why doe we not saye with Dauid Quid mihi est in coelo a te quid volui super terram What haue I in heauen or what desired I in earth besydes thee why doe we not crye out with S. Augustine Quicquid praeter deum est dulce non est Quicquid vult dare dominus meus auferat totuÌ„ et se mihi det Whatsoeuer is not god is not pleasant and whatsoeuer my Lord will vouchsafe vppon me let him take awaye all and geue me him selfe Shall the presence of his picture wherin he is but verye rudelye expressed make vs lauishe of our wealth carelesse of our libertye and prodigall of our lyues And shall not he whom the picture representeth woe vs to as much readinesse in his affayres Can we to please his shadowe delighte in daunger embrace dishonour triumph in our harmes And care so litle for him that casteth it as not to thincke him more worthye of the lyke affection Are we so eagre licorous and plyable to those colours eates and fashions that a base creature of his liketh and shall not the fauours foode and attyre of our creator be as acceptable vnto vs Finallye shall we take no exception agaynste the faults wordes and deeds of a frayle faultye wretch not be as much moued with the vertues sayings and examples of an vnfallible trueth What is the fayrest creature in the worlde but an imperfecte counterfaite and onlye a vayne shadow of gods soueraigne beutye and maiestye If therfore with the naturall peyse of affection we sincke so deepe into the liking therof according to that of S. Augustine Amor meus pondus meum illo feror quocuÌ„que feror My loue is my loade with that am I caried whether soeuer I am caried Much more oughte we to be deepely rauished with the loue of god and so settle our myndes therin that we thincke it our chiefest happynesse in this lyfe to embrace all hazardes disgraces misfortunes in his quarell and then to haue moste cause of comforte when for his glory we are in moste bitter panges For as S. Gregorye noteth Amor dei otiosus non est operatur enim magna si est si operari renuerit amor non est The loue of god is not idle it worketh greate effectes where it is if it refuse to worke loue it is not And so much the more ought we to reioyce in our passions for Christe in that we haue bene so tenderlye beloued of him that whatsoeuer we suffer for him it is lesse then he suffered for vs. And whatsoeuer we spende in his behalfe we restore him but his owne are neuer able to come out of debte though we had as many liues to spend as droppes of bloode to shedd For as S. Bernard sayeth Si totum me debeo pro me facto quid addam iam pro me refecto Nec enim tam facile refectus quam factus In primo opere me mihi dedit in sccundo se vbi se dedit me mihi reddidit Datus ergo redditus me pro me debeo bis debâ—o Sed quid domino pro se retribuam Nam etsi me millies rependere posseÌ„ quid sum ad dominuÌ„ meum If I owe my selfe wholye for my firste makinge what can I add more for my redeeminge espeaciallye seinge I was not so easely redeemed as I was made In the first worke he gaue me my selfe in the second him selfe and when he gaue me him selfe he restored vnto me my selfe Therfore thus geuen restored I owe my selfe for my selfe and I owe my selfe twise But now what am I able to repaye my Lorde sor him selfe For though I coulde repaye my selfe a thousande tymes what am I in comparison of my Lorde O harde and stonye harte that is not incensed at the consideration of so inflamed loue and beinge woed of so louinge a spouse can reiecte this offer or be slacke in recognisinge so vnspeakable charitye For as S. Augustine sayeth Nulla maior est ad amorem inuitatio quam praeuenire amantem nimis durus est animus qui si dilectionem nolebat impendere nolit rependere There is no greater entisement vnto loue then to preuente the louer and to harde is that harte that if it woulde not request loue is not contente at the least to requite it And where was euer any that eyther sought so much or bought so deare the loue of anye creature as Christ did ours What hath a man more then riches honor lyfe and all this did Christ spend in woinge our soules As for his riches he was borne and dyed naked concerninge his honor he was sorted and executed with theeues touchinge his life he was bereued therof by a most vylde dispytefull death Let vs but consider the last tragicall pageant of his Passion wherein he woÌ„ne vs and lost him selfe And marke the excessiue loue shewed therin which if anye other then god had vttered it would haue been at the least deemed a senselesse dotage waying by whome and to whome it was intended Let vs view him with the eyes of our harte and we shall sayeth S. Bernard discouer a most lamentable sight we shall see his heade full of thornes his eares full of blasphemyes his eyes full of teares his mouth full of gall his bodye full of woundes his harte full of sorowe and yet in all these tormentes doth he crye to man sayeth the same Sainte Magis aggrauant me vulnera peccati tui quam vulnera corporis mei More am I payned with the wounds of thy sinne then with the woundes of my owne bodye more sorowinge at mans vngratitude then at his owne affliction Where the Prince sayeth Cassiodorus in so greate agonye morneth who would not weepe when he weepeth and sighe when he lamenteth WheÌ„ in steed of his royall crowne he is couered with dust and his head is hoarye with ashes not with age O worke without example grace without merite charitye with-out measure What woulde he haue done if we had been his friendes that was contented to doe so much for vs beinge his enemyes what will he doe when he knoweth we loue him that did al this wheÌ„ he knewe we did hate him O Christian sayeth S. Augustine Ama amoreÌ„ illius qui amore tui amoris descendit in vteruÌ„ Virginis vt ibi amorem
are sure to be crowned Death of it selfe to the good is not so odious but that for infinite motiues we haue rather cause to wishe it then to eschewe it and rather to desire it then to feare it Sweete sayeth S. Chrisostome is the ende to the laborers willinglye doth the trauayler question about his Inne often casteth the hirelinge when his yeare will come out the husbandman alwayes looketh for the tyme of his haruest the marchant is stil busie about his billes to know the daye of payment and the woman great with childe is euer musing vppon the tyme of her deliuerye No lesse comfort it is to Gods seruauntes to thinke of theire decease seing that there is theire hart where they haue horded their treasure For as S. Bernard noteth where the coÌ„science is cleere absque formidine mors expectatur imo et exoptatur cum dulcedine et excipitur cum deuotione Death is looked for without feare yea desired with delight accepted with deuotion To vs it killeth our most daungerous and domestical enemy it breaketh the lockes vnloseth cheynes and openeth the dore to lett vs out of a lothsome prison It vnloadeth vs of a combersome burden which oppresseth our soule Who would not willingly be out of the sway of Fortune ridd of the infinite hazards and periles of daylye casualtyes Who would not be gladd to settle his soule in securitie out of this daungerous sea wherin as S. Bernard sayeth periculum probat transentium raritas pereuntiuÌ„ multitudo The rarenesse of those that passe ouer safe and the multitude of others that perishe in their passage sufficiently proueth the perill In the Ocean sea of fower shippes not one doth miscarrye and in the Sea of this worlde of manye fowers not one is saued This world is the kingdome of Sathan what seruaunt of God can loue to liue in it It is a place of banishment and who is so vnnaturall as not willinglye to forsake it Can any choose rather alwayes to hang in hazard then once to fall for his felicitye Can anye rather desire to liue in the Gunshott of the deuils assaultes then to enioye the porte of assured securitye We are promised that here we shal-be persecuted and hated of the worlde that we shall weâ—pe and liue in sorowe that we shal be despised and put to shame and haue no reste of bodye nor perfecte contentmente of mynde We are assured on the other syde that in the nexte lyfe our rewarde is greate our repose without trouble and our comforte without crosse Our teares shal be turned into triumphe our disgrace into glorye all our miseryes into perfect felicitye Who therfore would not reioyce quickly to dye seing that death is the passage from this worlde to the nexte from all the presente agreeuances to all possible happynesse Well maye the brute beastes feare death whose ende of lyfe is the conclusion of their being Well maye the Epicure tremble who with his lyfe looketh to lose his felicitye Well may the Infidels heretickes or vnrepentant sinners quake whose death is the beginning of their damnation Such as here haue their heauen and haue made their prison their praradise those whose bellye was their god and their appetites theire guides maye with reasone rue theire death seing they haue no portion in the lande of the liuinge They haue sowne in sinne and what can they looke to reape but miserye vanityes were their traficke and griefe wil- be their gayne detestable was their life damnable wil be their decease Of suche it is verified O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substaÌ„tijs suis vere mors peccatorum pessima Sed pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors sanctoruÌ„ eius O death how bitter is thy remeÌ„brance to a man that hath planted his peace and contentment in his worldlye substaÌ„ce for in deede most miserable is the sinners decease But pretious is the death of saintes in the sight of our Lorde Here they haue their payne and in heauen they looke for their payment Here they haue sowne in teares and there they shall reape in ioye Their Iudge is he for whome they haue suffered and therefore doubtlesse wil be mercifull Their accusers are made duÌ„me by their former repentance and therfore cannot be preiudiciall Their conscience is cleered by humble confession and therfore cannot be fearfull Hope is theire staffe to keepe them from sliding rightuousnesse their safe conduite to warrant them from arrestyng grace is their guide to keepe them from erring Their woundes and sufferings in Gods cause are rewardes to assure them of comfortable intertaynment Their frayes and wrastlinges against their owne passions are badges of perfection and will finde free accesse Finallye the hell that here they haue passed will acertayne them of obtayning a crowne in heauen They are goodlye fruite more fitt for the golden plate and Kinges table then to hange longer on a rotten bough They are pleasant and sweete roses more worthye to be honoured in the Princes hande then lefte vpon a thorny stalke Yea they are glorious rubies rather to be sett in the crowne of glorye then here to be trodden vnder foote by dirtye swyne What can they see in this world to with holde them They runne sayeth Saint Chrisostome for a greate wager and not quasi in certu They regarde not whether the way be greene and pleasant or rough mierye they waye not whoe seeth them nor what they saye of them Though they be reuiled they stay not to answere Though they be stroken they stande not to reueng Though their house burne their wife coÌ„playne their children crye they turne not backe to mâ—ane them their minde is onlye on their wager if they runne not they winne not and therefore their onlye ioy is to come soonest to their goale If they looke vppon the worlde they see it lyke a Sea where manye trusting to the waues are drowned others are beaten with the billowes against the stonye rockes dyuerse laboring to attayne dyuerse shores some by healpe of a selye plancke some by some fragment of the broaken shippe They see manye forced to healpe them selues with their onlye handes and manye other ouercome with the surges to haue yelded vp the ghost and lefte a multitude of dead carcases to the waters rage Amongest others they see themselues also tyred not with the smalest stormes and their holde to be verye fickle and therfore what greater comforte can ther befall them then to be quicklye landed in a safe porte where behoulding vnder them the perilles esscaped they maye the more reioyce at theire attayned securitye Dauid describing this tedious voyage or nauigation of Gods seruauntes thorough this stormye sea sheweth howe eagre they were and desirous to be deliuered out of the same They sayethe he which descende into the sea of this lyfe in the shippes of their mortal bodyes doing their worke in manye waters of worldlye
liue no longer For he leeseth nothing that then he had and he shall be to the world but as thē he was God made Adames garment of dead beasts skinnes to put him in minde that he was condemned to dye and to make the remembrance of death familiar vn to him that the losse of lyfe might not affright him who alwayes caryed the liuerye of deathe vppon him And as Daniell by spreadding ashes in the Temple discouered the treacherye and falshood of the Priestes of Babilonia So by poudering our thoughtes and memorye with the duste of our graue and often repetition of our decease we shall soon discrye the vanitye of this lyfe the traines of the diuell and our secrete temptations to be such as we would rather wishe by losing of lyfe to cutt of then by auoyding death to continue If any thing make death tedious it is the wante of the consideration of it The old men haue it right before them the yonge men hard behinde them all men daylye ouer them and yet we forget it Familiarytye with Lions taketh awaye the feare of them the being vsed to tempestes geueth harte and courage to endure them and in warre the seinge so manye howrely bereaued of lyfe maketh the soldier litle or nothing to sett by it If therfore we wil be out of all feare of death lett vs continuallye remember it If we vse our horse to the race before we runne for the wager If we accquaint our selues with the weapons before we fighte for the victorye Much more sholde we take heede that we come not dispourueyed to this laste combat The good Pylot when he guideth his shipp he sitteth at the sterne in the hinder parte therof and so the prouident Christian to directe his lyfe must alwayes sit at the end of the same that the mindfulnes of death being his sterne he may feare it the lesse and prouide for it the better This is the dore wherby we must go out of bondage therfore as the prisoner that standeth vppon his deliuerye taketh greatest comfort in sitting vpon the threshold that when the dore is opened he maye the sooner gett out So ought we alwayes to haue our minde fixed vppon the laste steppe of our lyfe ouer which we are sure that passe we muste though how or when we know not For this cause that holy man Ioannes Eleemosinarius Patriarke of Allexandrya hauing his Tombe in building commaunded that it shold be lefte imperfect and that his seruauntes euerye daye shoulde putt him in minde to finishe the same that hauinge hys eye alwayes fixed vppon this dore of death he might the better prepare for the passage through it The memorye of death is the ashes wherin the fire of vertue being raked vpp it continueth the better and wil be fitter to enkindle the courage of our mind that when death commeth in deede these ashes shal be vnraked we maye rather reioyce that our flame hath found a vente to mount to hir natural Sphere where it will shine to our glorye then sorowe that it parteth out of the chimnye of our fleshe where it was in daunger to be quenched with our iniquitye It was not without cause that God likened death to a theefe For as the theefe when hee findeth the man of the house watchinge and vppon his garde he saluteh him in curteous sorte and taketh vppon him the person of a friende but yf he finde him a sleepe he cruellye murdereth him and robbeth his treasurye So death to those that are prepared for it is verye cōfortable and to those onlye terrible that sleepe in sinne and are carelesse of their ende And to these belongeth that sayinge The deathe of the sinners is worste Euill because it seuereth from the worlde worse because it seuereth from the bodye and worste of all because it seuereth from God For why they make the worlde their Parradise their bodye their god and God their enemye To suche death is hatefull for that therin they are tormented with the panges of of the dyeing fleshe amazed with the fittes and corrasiues of the mynd frighted with the terrour of that which is to come greeued with remorse of that which is paste They are stunge with the gnawing of a guiltye conscience discomforted with the rigoure of a seuere Iudge annoyed with the thought of their lothsome sepulchre And thus though death of it selfe be not bitter yet is it bitter to the wicked And yet as S. Ambrose noteth euen to them is lyfe more bitter then death For more greeuous is the liuinge to sinne then the dyinge in sinne For the wicked while he liueth increaseth his offence and when he dyeth offendeth no more and therfore by his lyfe he agumenteth his tormentes and by his death he abridgeth the same It is the feare of death that maketh it terrible is not in deed so greeuous to dye as to liue in perpetuall feare and expectation of death For he that feareth God shall make a good ende and in the daye of his decease he shal be blessed And happye are the dead that dye in our Lord from hence forth sayeth the spirite they shall reste from their laboures for theire woorkes doe followe them The noone daye lighte shall ryse vnto thē at the euening of their life when they thinke themselues quite cōsumed they shal ryse as bright as Lucifer They as S. Augustine sayeth bycause their desire is to be loosed and to be with Christe endure to liue with patience are readye to dye with ioye They feare not death because they feared God in lyfe They feare not death because they rather feared lyfe And an euil deathe is but the effecte of an euil lyfe Their lyfe was a studye how to dye well and they knew that since death passed thorough the veines of lyfe it loste the bitternesse of death and tooke the taste sweetnesse of lyfe Neyther are they amazed with the fore-goinge gripes extremityes because they take them as the throwes of childebirth by whiche our soule is borne out of this lothsome bodye and brought forth to an eternal felicitye They feare not the diuels to whome they haue stoutelye resysted They haue confidence in God whose wrath they haue with repentaunce appeased The horror of the graue dothe nothing moue them because they doe but sowe therein a carnall and corruptible bodye to reape the same in the resurrection incorruptible and spirituall This made Simeon so ioyfullye sing Now thou releasest thy seruant O Lord according to thy worde in peace This made S. Hilarion so confidentlye say vnto his soule Egredere quid times egredere animamea quid dubitas septuaginta prope annos seruisti Christo mortem times Departe why fearest thou departe O my soule why doubtest thou Almost three score and tenne yeares hast thou serued Christe and fearest thou death This made S. Ambrose on hys death bedd geue this aunswere to those that wished his longer
from tymorous subiectes to mightye soueraignes from oppressed captyues to glorious Saints They thinke by killâ—â—g Abell that Caynes sacryfice wil be accepted not remembringe that Abels bloode cryeth out agaynst them By pursuinge Elyas with manye soldyers they thinke to haue the vpper hande not remembring that the fyre wil fall from heauen in his defence They thinke by stoning SteeueÌ„ to haue ended their chiefe enemye not considering that his principall persecutour will succeede in his roome and be vnto them a more victorious aduersary Lett them still contynewe their rage let them thinke themselues wise in this ignorante follye But Lett vs though we lamente at theyr offence yet reioyce in oure felicitye Cap. 11. WHat greater preeminence is there in Gods Churche then to be a Martyr what more renoumed dignity then to dye in this cause of the Catholike faythe And this crowne doe our greatest enemyes sett vppon oure heades The glorye wherof thoughe none can sufficyentlye vtter but suche as by experieÌ„ce haue proued the same yet maye we gather by coniectures no small parte of the greatnesse â—fit For yf we consider it in it selfe it is the noblest acte of Fortitude death beinge the hardest thinge for nature to ouercome It is also the greatest poynte of Charytye by Gods owne testimonye who sayde Maiorem charitatem nemo habet quam vt animam suam ponat quis pro amicis suis. It is the principallest acte of obedience commended so highlye in Christ. Factus obediens vsque ad mortem Become obedient euen vnto death It is by S. Augustins verdict more honourable then virginitye It is finallye the verye chiefest acte or effect of all vertues If therfore as the Diuines saye that worke or action is more perfit or meritorious which proceedeth of the greatest number of good causes concurring to the same Then must Martirdome be a most glorious thing which requireth the coÌ„course of all vertues and that in thâ—â—â—â—hest degree to the accomplishement therof Martirdome hath the priuiledge of the sacrameÌ„t of baptisme by S. Augustine is compared therwith In Martyrdome sayeth he all the misteryes of baptisme are fulfilled He that must be baptised confesseth his faythe before the Prieste and aunswereth wheÌ„ he is demaunded This doeth also the Martyr before the persecutoure he acknowledgeth his fayth and aunswereth the demaunde The baptised is eyther sprinkled or dipped in water but the Martyr is eyther sprinkeled with hys blood or not dipped but burned in fyre The baptized by imposition of the Bishoppes handes receyueth the holye ghost The Martyre is made a habitacle of the same spirite while it is not he that speaketh but the spirite of his heauenly Father that speaketh within him The baptized receyueth the blessed Sacramente in remembraunce of the death of oure Lorde the Martyr suffereth death it selfe for our Lorde The baptised protesteth to renounce the vanityes of the worlde the Martyr besyde this renounceh his owne lyfe To the baptised all his sinns are forgeuen In the Martyr all his sinnes are quite extinguished Sainte Cipryan also aleadging a reason why no cryme nor forepassed offence coulde preiudice a Martyre sayeth Ideo martirium aâ—pellatur tam corona quam baptisma quia baptiz at pariter coronat Therfore is Martirdome called as well a crowne as a baptisme for that it baptizeth crowneth together So that as no offence committed before baptisme can doe the baptised anye harme so also dothe Martirdome so clense the soule from all spot of former corruption that it geueth ther-vnto a most vndefiled beautye Yea and in this Martirdome seemeth to haue a prerogatyue aboue baptisme For though baptisme perfectlye clense the soule and release not onlye the offence but also the temporal punishment due vnto the same Yet sticketh the roote of sinn in the flesh the partye baptysed retayneth in him the badge and cognizance yea the scarres and tokens of a sinner But Martirdomes vertue is such that it not onlye worketh the same effecte of baptisme but purchaseth also to the soule forth with a perfect riddance of all concupiscence and inclynation to sinne and maketh it not only without offeÌ„ce but vnable to offende anye more It dothe not onlye gather the fruites or lop the braunches or fell the tree but plucketh it vpp by the verye rootes and dishableth it from springing vp agayn With the broode it killeth the dame it consumeth both the weede and the seede together clenseth vs both from the myre and from the stayne and spot that remayneth after it And therfore of Martirs doth the Scripture say Isti sunt qui venerunt de tribulatione magna et lauerunt stolas suas et dealbaucruÌ„t eas in sanguine agni These are they that came out of a great tribulation and haue washed theire stoles and whited them in the bloode of the Lambe Vppon whiche place Tertullian sayeth Sordes quidem baptismate abluuntur maculae vero marâ—irio candidantur quia Isaias ex rufo coccino niucum lancum repromittit The filth is washed away by baptisme but the staynes are cleered by Martirdome for Esay promiseth that redd and scarlet should become as white as snowe or woll As who sholde saye so much more forcible is martirdome then baptisme as the water that taketh out dirte and stayne together then that which washing the dirte awaye leaueth the stayne behinde it Not that this stayne importeth any sinne but the infirmity which originall sinne hath caused and of which actuall sinne proceedeth So that baptisme taketh away our falte martirdome our frayltye baptisme geueth vs the keye but martirdome letteth vs in That maketh vs members of the millitant this of the tryumphante Churche that geueth vs force to walke to our iourneis end and to fight for the victorye but this setleth vs in repose and crowneth our conquest Baptisme bringeth vs forthe as the mother dothe the childe to which though she geue most of those partes which are in men yet some she geueth not and those that she geueth are so impotent weake that though they may be vsed in childishe actions yet not to the principall thinges that man needeth till by processe of tyme they be farther enhabled For so baptisme geueth vs grace wherby we maye weakely turne the powers of our mind to God and haue an obscure and in a manner a childish kinde of knowledge loue of him But the chiefe actions wherin our felicitye consisteth ensewe not strayghte vppon our baptisme but with longe toyle we must laboure for them before we can attayne to so great habilytye But martirdome bringeth vs forthe as the Lyonesse dothe her whelpe Which breeding but one in all her lyfe beareth it six and twentye monethes in her bellye till it grow perfect in proportion hable and stronge of all the lymmes armed with all the clawes and not so muche but with all euen the cheeke teeth full growen So that it commeth forth with