[346] Valentinianus jussus ab Imperatore Juliano immolare idolis, aut militia excedere, sponte discessit. nec mora qui pro nomine Christi amiserat tribunatum, in locum persecutoris sui accepit imperium. Paul. Diaconus, l. 1. p. 1.
[347] When Socrates' wife, lamenting him, said, Injustè morieris: he answered, An tu juste malles? Laert. in Socrat.
[348] The seven brethren that suffered in Africa under Hunnericus, Incedebant cum fiducia ad supplicium quasi ad epulas, decantantes, Gloria Deo in excelsis, &c. Votiva nobis hæc est dies, et omni solennitate festivior. Ecce nunc tempus acceptabile, ecce nunc dies est salutis, quando pro fide nunc domini dei nostri perferimus præparatum supplicium, ne amittamus acquisitæ fidei intumentum. Sed et populi publica voce clamabant: Ne timeatis populi Dei, neque formidetis minas atque terrores præsentium tribulationum, sed moriamur pro Christo, ut ipse mortuus est, redimens nos pretioso sanguine salutari. Victor. Uticens. p. 368. In Paulo quinque gloriationes observavi. Gloriatur in imbecillitate, in cruce Christi, in bona conscientia; in afflictionibus, in spe vitæ æternæ. Bucholtzer.
[349] Idololatria tam altas in mundo egit radices, ut non possit extirpari: ideo optimum est confiteri et pati. Bucholtzer. Victor. Uticensis saith, that Gensericus commanded that when Masculinus came to die, if he were fearful, they should execute him, that he might die with shame, but if he were constant, they should forbear, lest he should have the honour of a glorious martyrdom. And so his boldness saved his life. Et si martyrem invidus hostis noluit facere confessorem, tamen non potuit violare.
[350] Anacharsis (in Laertio) percontanti quædam esset securissima navis: ea inquit, quæ in portum venerit: in heaven we shall be quiet from all these tumults.
[351] Ingenii philosophici est ex inimicorum odio decerpere aliquid quod vertat in suum bonum. Paul. Scalig. p. 728.
[352] Extinctus amabiter idem.
[353] Heb. x. 31, 26, 27, 29; xii. 29.
[354] Qui propter timorem reticet veritatem, veritatis proditor est. Hincmar. Rhemens. Dialog. de Statu. Eccl.
[355] See Isa. vii. 4; xxxv. 4; xli. 10, 13; xlii. 2, 8; liv. 4; Jer. v. 22.