EPISTOLA AD FORTUNATUM DE EXHORTATIONE MARTYRII .

 CAPITULA LIBRI SEQUENTIS.

 DE EXHORTATIONE MARTYRII.

 CAP. II.---QUOD DEUS SOLUS COLENDUS SIT.

 CAP. III.---QUAE COMMINATIO DEI SIT ADVERSUS EOS QUI IDOLIS SACRIFICANT.

 CAP. IV.---NON FACILE IGNOSCERE DEUM IDOLOLATRIS.

 CAP. V.--- QUOD SIC IDOLOLATRIAE INDIGNETUR DEUS, UT PRAECEPERIT ETIAM EOS INTERFICI QUI SACRIFICARE ET SERVIRE IDOLIS SUASERINT.

 CAP. VI.---QUOD, REDEMPTI ET VIVIFICATI CHRISTI SANGUINE, NIHIL CHRISTO PRAEPONERE DEBEAMUS.

 CAPUT VII.---EREPTOS DE FAUCIBUS DIABOLI, ET DE LAQUEIS SAECULI LIBERATOS, NON DEBERE DENUO AD SAECULUM REVERTI, NE PERDANT QUOD EVASERINT.

 CAPUT VIII.---INSISTENDUM ESSE ET PERSEVERANDUM IN FIDE ET VIRTUTE, ET COELESTIS AC SPIRITALIS GRATIAE CONSUMMATIONE, UT AD PALMAM ET CORONAM POSSIT P

 CAPUT IX.---AD HOC PRESSURAS ET PERSECUTIONES FIERI, UT PROBEMUR.

 CAPUT X.---TIMENDAS NON ESSE INJURIAS ET POENAS PERSECUTIONUM, QUIA MAJOR EST DOMINUS AD PROTEGENDUM, QUAM DIABOLUS AD IMPUGNANDUM.

 CAPUT XI.---ANTE PRAEDICTUM ESSE QUOD NOS MUNDUS ODIO HABITURUS ESSET, ET QUOD PERSECUTIONES ADVERSUM NOS EXCITARET, ET QUOD NIHIL NOVUM CHRISTIANIS A

 CAPUT XII.---QUAE SPES ET MERCES MANEAT JUSTOS ET MARTYRES POST CONFLICTATIONES HUJUS TEMPORIS ET PASSIONES.

 CAPUT XIII.---PLUS NOS ACCIPERE IN PASSIONIS MERCEDE, QUAM QUOD HIC SUSTINEMUS IN IPSA PASSIONE.

9. That afflictions and persecutions arise for the sake of our being proved.

In Deuteronomy, “The Lord your God proveth you, that He may know if ye love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.”65    Deut. xiii. 3. And again, Solomon: “The furnace proveth the potter’s vessel, and righteous men the trial of tribulation.”66    Ecclus. xxvii. 5. Paul also testifies similar things, and speaks, saying: “We glory in the hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope; and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given unto us.”67    Rom. v. 2–5. And Peter, in his epistle, lays it down, and says: “Beloved, be not surprised at the fiery heat which falleth upon you, which happens for your trial; and fail not, as if some new thing were happening unto you. But as often as ye communicate with the sufferings of Christ, rejoice in all things, that also in the revelation made of His glory you may rejoice with gladness. If ye be reproached in the name of Christ, happy are ye; because the name of the majesty and power of the Lord resteth upon you; which indeed according to them is blasphemed, but according to us is honoured.”68    1 Pet. iv. 12–14.

CAPUT IX.---AD HOC PRESSURAS ET PERSECUTIONES FIERI, UT PROBEMUR.

0663A

In Deuteronomio: Tentat vos Dominus Deus vester, ut sciat si diligitis Dominum Deum vestrum ex toto corde vestro, et ex tota anima vestra, et ex tota virtute vestra (Deut. XIII, 3). Et iterum apud Salomonem: Vasa figuli probat fornax, et homines justos tentatio tribulationis (Eccli. II, 5). Paulus quoque paria testatur ac loquitur dicens: Gloriamur in spe claritatis Dei; non solum autem, sed et gloriamur in pressuris, scientes quoniam pressura tolerantiam operatur, tolerantia autem probationem, probatio autem spem: spes autem non confundit, quia dilectio Dei infusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis (Rom. V, 3). Et Petrus in Epistola 0663B sua ponit et dicit: Charissimi, nolite mirari ardorem accidentem vobis, qui ad tentationem vestram fit; nec excidatis, tamquam novum aliquid vobis contingat. Sed quotiescumque communicatis Christi passionibus, per omnia gaudete; ut et in revelatione facta claritatis ejus gaudentes exultetis . Si improperatur vobis in nomine Christi , beati estis, quia majestatis et virtutis Domini nomen in vobis requiescit: quod quidem secundum illos blasphematur, secundum nos autem honoratur (I Petr. IV, 12).