66

tianity; be it that you resemble St. Paul in all, degree of piety, is an error, it is a heresy, his excellencies after conversion, and in none which deserves as many anathemas, and eccleof the crimes which he committed before that siastical thunders, as all the others which have happy period; the only conclusion which you been unanimously denounced by all Christians. have a right to draw is, that you have perform- My brethren, let us rectify our ideas, in ored a part of your task, but not that there re- der to rectify our conduct. “Let us run with mains nothing more for you to do. You are patience the race set before us,” let us go on nearer the end than they who have not run so till we can say with St. Paul, “I have finished fast in the race as you have, but you have not my course. Be not terrified at this idea of yet obtained the prize. You have discharged progressive religion. Some great efforts must the duties of youth, and the duties of manhood, have been made by all holy men in this place now the duties of old age remain to be dis- to arrive at that degree of virtue which they charged. You have discharged all the duties have obtained; but the hardest part of the of health, now the duties of sickness and dying work is done; hencoforward what remains is remain to be discharged. This world is a easy. The way to heaven is narrow at the place of exercise; while you are in it your ex- entrance, but it widens as we go on. The ercise is not finished; life is a time of trial; as yoke of Christ is heavy at first, but it weighs long as you live your trial remains.

little when it has been long worn. Let us conclude. Were we to act rational- After all there is a way of softening all the ly, we should always fix our minds on these pains to which we are exposed, by continuing truths; we should never end a day without our efforts. St. Paul practised this art with putting this question to ourselves. What pro- great success; it consists in fixing the eye on gress have I made in virtue? Have I this day the end of the race. At the end of the race, approached the end of my creation? And as he saw two objects:—The first the prize. How the time of my abode here diminishes, do I easy to brave the enemies of salvation, when advance in proportion to the time that remains the eye is full of the prospect of it! How We should require of ourselves an exact ac- tolerable appear the pains of the present state, count of every day, every hour, every instant when the sufferings of the present time are of our duration; but this is not the gospel of compared with, and weighed against, the glory most Christians. What we have been propos- that follows.” Next, St. Paul saw Jesus Christ ing, seem to most hearers mere maxims of the at the end of the race, another object which preacher, more proper to adorn a public dis- animated him. He was animated by the excourse, than to compose a system of religion. ample of Christ, to finish his course with joy;

Why are not ecclesiastical bodies as rigid he was animated by the assistances which supand severe against heresies of practice, as they ported him; he was animated by the promiso are against heresies of speculation? Certainly of Christ telling him, “ He that overcometh there are heresies in morality, as well as in shall sit down in my throne;" he was animated theology. Councils and synods reduce the doc- by the mercy, which he knew, how weak sotrines of faith to certain propositional points, ever his efforts might be, would be approved and thunder anathemas against all who refuse at the tribunal of Jesus Christ, provided they to subscribe them. They say, Cursed be he were sincere; for Jesus himself conquered for who does not believe the divinity of Christ: him, and himself acquired that prize for the cursed be he who does not belieye hypostatical | apostle at which he aspired; in a word, he was union, and the mystery of the cross; cursed be animated by his love; Jesus Christ is at the he who denies the inward operations of grace, end of the race, and Paul loved Jesus Christ, and the irresistible efficacy of the Holy Spirit. and longed to be with him. I said, he saw I wish they would make a few canons against two objects, the prize of victory, and Jesus moral heresies! How many are there of this Christ; but these make only one object. St. kind among our people? Among our people Paul's prize is Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is we may put many who are in another class. Paul's paradise. According to him, Christ is Let me make canons. In the first I would put the most desirable part of celestial felicity: a heresy too common, that is, that the calling "Whilst we are at home in the body, we are of a Christian consists less in the practice of absent from the Lord; we are willing rather to virtue, than in abstaining from gross vices; be absent from the body, and to be present and I would say, if any man think that he suf with the Lord,” 2 Cor. v. 6. 8. "I desire to ficiently answers the obligations of Christianity, depart, and to be with Christ,” Phil. i. 23,"I by not being avaricious, oppressive, and intem- press toward the prize of the high calling of perate, if he do not allow that he ought to be God in Christ Jesus," chap. iii. 14. This zealous, fervent, and detached from the world, thought, that every step he took brought him let him be accursed. In a second canon, I nearer to Jesus Christ, this thought rendered would put another heresy, equally general, and him insensible to all the fatigue of the race, equally dangerous, and which regards the delay and enabled him to redouble bis efforts to of conversion; and I would say, If any one arrive at the end. imagine that, after a life spent in sin, a few re- O flames of divine love! Shall we never grets, proceeding more from a fear of death and know you except by the examples of the Hell, than from a principle of love to God, are primitive Christians! O flames of divine love, sufficient to open the gates of heaven, let him which we have so often described, shall we be accursed. 'In a third canon I would put never feel you in our own souls? Fire us, in...: fill up the list yourselves, my brethren, Aame us with your ardour, and make us unand let us return to our subject. To confine derstand that all things are easy to the man who one's self to a certain circle of virtues, to stop sincerely loves God! God grant us this grace! at a fixed point, to be satisfied with a given To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Vol. II.-3

a

66

by them; and it would have been difficult to SERMON LIV.

profess to fear him and avoid contempt.

It is not easy to determine the persons in

tended by the psalmist, nor is it necessary to THE MORAL MARTYR.

confine the words to either of the senses given; they may be taken in a more extensive sense.

The word king in the eastern languages, as Psalm cxix. 46.

well as in those of the western world, is not I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, confined to kings properly so called; it is

sometimes given to superiors of any rank. and will not be ashamed.

Ask not the reason of this, every language has My BRETHREN,

its own genius, and custom is a tyrant who It is not only under the reign of a tyrant, seldom consults reason before he issues orders; that religion involves its disciples in persecu- and who generally knows no law but self-will tion, it is in times of the greatest tranquillity, and caprice. If you insist on a direct answer and even when virtue seems to sit on a throne. to your inquiry concerning the reason of the A Christian is often subject to punishments dif- general use of the term, I reply, the same pasferent from wheels, and racks. People united sion for despotism which animates kings on to him by the same profession of religion, hav- the throne, usually inspire such individuals as ing received the same baptism, and called with are a little elevated above people around them; him to aspire at the same glory, not unfre- they consider themselves as sovereigns, and quently press him to deny Jesus Christ, and pretend to regal homage. Authority over inprepare punishments for him, if he have cour-feriors begins this imaginary royalty, and vanity age to confess him. Religion is proposed to finishes it. Moreover, such as are called peliy us in two different points of view, a point of gentry, in the world, are generally more proud speculation, and a point of practice. Accord- and absolute than real kings; the last frequently ingly, there are two sorts of martyrdom; a propose nothing but to exercise dominion, but martyrdoin for doctrine, and a martyrdom for the first aim both to exercise dominion and to morality. It is for the last that the prophet make a parade of the exercise, lest their imprepares us in the words of the text, and to aginary grandeur should pass unnoticed. the same end I dedicate the sermon which I I understand, then, by the vague term kings, am going to address to you to-day. I come all who have any pre-eminence over the lowinto the place that affords a happy asylum for est orders of men; and these are they who exconfessors and martyrs, to utter in your hear- ercise tyranny, and inflict the martyrdom for ing these words of Jesus Christ, Whosoever which the prophet in the text prepares us. In shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in order to comprehend this more fully, contrast this adulterous and sinful generation, of him two conditions in the life of David. Remark also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when first the state of mediocrity, or rather happy he cometh in the glory of his Father with the obscurity, in which this holy man was born. holy angels,” Mark viii. 38.

Educated by a father, not rich, but pious, he In order to animate you with a proper zeal was religious from his childhood. As he led a for morality, and to engage you, if necessary, country life, he met with none of those snares to become martyrs for it, we will treat of the among his cattle which the great world sets subject in five different views.

for our innocence. He gave full scope without I. We will show you the authors, or, constraint to his love for God, and could affirm, they may be justly denominated, the execu- without hazarding any thing, that God was tioners, who punish men with martyrdom for supremely lovely. What a contrast! This shepmorality.

herd was suddenly called to quit his sheep and II. The magnaninity of such as expose them- his fields, and to live with courtiers in the palace selves to it.

of a prince. What a society for a man accustomJII. The horrors that accompany it. ed to regulate his conversation by the laws of

IV. The obligation which engages men to truth, and his conduct by those of virtue! What submit to it.

a place was this for him to propose those just V. The glory that crowns it.

and beautiful principles which the Holy Spirit We will explain these five ideas contained teaches in the Scriptures, and which are many in the words of the psalmist, “I will speak of of them to be found in the writings of the thy testimonies before kings, and will not be psalmist! "I have seen the wicked in power, ashamed;" and we will proportion these arti- and spreading himself like a green bay-tree; cles, not to that extent to which they naturally yet he has passed away, and lo, he was not; I go, but to the bounds prescribed to these ex- sought him, and he could not be found. Surely ercises.

men of high degree are a lie, to be laid in a 1. The authors, or as we just now called balance they are altogether lighter than vanity. them, the executioners, who inilict this punish- I said, ye are gods, and all of you are the ment, are to be considered. The text calls children of the Most High; but ye shall die them kings; "I will speak of thy testimonies like men. Put not your trust in a prince, in before kings.” What king does the psalmist whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, mean? Saul to whom piety was become odi- he returneth to his earth, in that very day ous or any particular heathen prince, to whom his thoughts perish. He that ruleth his spirit, the persecution of Saul sometimes drove our is better than he that taketh a city. My son, prophet for refuge? The name of the God of the son of my womb, the son of my vows, give the Hebrews was blasphemed among these not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to barbarians; his worship was called superstition that which destroyeth kinys. It is not for

as

kings, O Lemuel, to drink wine, nor for princes | a dagger into their bosoms; that to be so abstrong drink, lest they drink, and forget the sorbed in forming public treatises, and in the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the prosperity of the states, as to lose sight of the afflicted." How would these maxims be re- interests of religion, is equal to placing hope ceived at some of your courts? They were not in the present life, and renouncing all expectavery pleasing at that of Saul; David was, there- tion of a life to come; that to render one's fore, censured by him and his courtiers for pro- self inaccessible to the solicitations of widows posing them. Hear how he expressed him- and orphans, while we fill offices created for self in this psalm. “O Lord! remove from their service, is to usurp honours for the sake me reproach and contempt. Princes did sit of emoluments; that to suffer the publication and speak against me, because thy servant did of scandalous books, and the practice of public meditate in thy statutes. The proud have had debauchery, under pretence of toleration and me greatly in derision; yet have I not declined liberty, is to arm God against a state, though from thy law," Psa. cxix. 22, 23. 51.

states subsist only by his protection. Let us II. Let us pass to the second article, and not repeat forgotten grievances, let us not, by consider the magnanimity of such as expose multiplying these objects, run the hazard of inthemselves to this martyrdom. This is natu- creasing the number of arguments which justify rally included in the former remark, concern- our proposition. “To speak of the testimoing the executioners who inflict the punish- nies of God before kings,” is to expose one's ment. My brethren it is impossible to speak self to a charge of rebellion, and to such punof the testimonies of God before the tyrants in ishments as ought to be reserved for real inquestion, without being accused either of a cendiaries and rebels. spirit of rebellion, aversion to social pleasures, 2. As the great men of the world would or rusticity and pedantry; three dispositions have us respect their rank, so they are equally which the great seldom forgive.

jealous of their pleasures; and most men formThe martyr for morality is sometimes taxed | ing maxims of pleasure more or less lax, acwith a spirit of rebellion. Perhaps you might cording as their rank is more or less eminent, have thought I spoke extravagantly, when I licentiousness grows along with credit and foraffirmed, that most men consider themselves tune. A man who made a scruple of being as kings in regard to their inferiors. I venture, absent from an exercise of religion, when he however, to affirm a greater paradox still; that could hardly provide bread for the day, has is, they consider theinselves as gods, and de- not even attended the Lord's supper since he mand such homage to be paid to their fancied became master of a thousand a year.

A man divinity as is due to none but to the true God. whose conscience would not suffer him to freIgrant great men do not all assume the place of quent some companies, when he walked afoot, God with equal arrogance. There are not many is become a subscriber to public gaming houses Pharaohs who adopt this brutal language, now he keeps a carriage. A man who would “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his have blushed at immodest language in private voice?” Exod. v. 2. There are but few Sen-life, keeps, without scruple, a prostitute, now nacheribs, who are so extravagant as to say to he is become a public man.

Lift your eyes & the people of God, “Beware lest Hezekiah little higher, lift them above metaphorical persuade you, saying, The Lord will deliver us. kizigs, and look at kings properly so called. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered Adultery, incest, and other abominations, more his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? fit for beasts than men? what am I saying? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad?! abominations to which beasts never abandon Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?" Isa. themselves, and of which men only are capable, xxxvi. 18, 19.

are not these abominations considered as sports But, though the great men of the world do in the palaces of some princes? This is what not always assume the place of God with so I said, licentiousness increases with credit and much brutal insolence, yet they do assume it. fortune. The maxims which men form conThough they do not say to their inferiors in so cerning pleasures, are more or less loose acmany words, Obey us rather than God, yet do cording as their rank is more or less eminent. they not say it in effect? Is it possible to op- In general, that detachment from the world pose their fancy with impunity? Is it safe to wbich religion proposes to produce in our establish the rights of God in their presence? hearts, that spirit of repentance with which it What success had Elijah at the court of Ahab? aims to inspire us, those images of death which Micaiah at that of Jehosaphat John the Bap- it perpetually sets before us, those plans of fetist at that of Herod?

licity disengaged from matter, to which it inWe need not go back to remote times. vites us; all these ideas are tasteless to the What success have we had among you, when great; we annot propose them amidst their we have undertaken to allege the rights of intoxicating pleasures without being considered God in some circumstances? For example, as enemies of pleasure, as scourges to society. when we have endeavoured to convince you, 3. When we speak of the testimonies of God that to aspire at the office of a judge, without before the great, we are taxed with rusticity talents essential to the discharge of it, is to in- and pedantry. There is, among men, a miscur the guilt of all the unjust sentences that named science, without which we cannot apmay be pronounced; that to stupify the under- pear great in the world; it is called politeness, standing by debauchery, to drown reason in or good-breeding. This science consists in intemperance, to dissipate the spirits by sensual adopting, at least in feigning to adopt, all the pleasures, when going to determine questions passions and prejudices of the great, in taking which regard the lives and fortunes of mankind, such forms as they like, in regulating ideas of is to rob men of their property, and to plunge right and wrong by their caprice, in condemning what they condemn, and in approving what this duty. You have heard, that it consists in they approve. In one word, politeness, in the urging the rights of God before great men; style of the great, is that suppleness which and, though it be at the hazard of all the comkeeps a man always prepared to change his forts and pleasures of life, in professing to resystem of morality and religion according to spect the moral part of religion. We do not their fancies. Not to have this disposition, to mean an unseasonable and indiscreet manner have invariable ideas, and invariable objects of doing so. The duty of confessing Jesus of pursuit, to be inconvertible in religion, to Christ before tyrants, in regard to his doctrines, have the laws of God always before our eyes, has its bounds; and so has that of confessing or, as the Scripture speaks, to "walk before his morality. There was more enthusiasm him," is in the style of people of the world, to than true zeal in such ancient confessors as have no breeding, to be a bad courtier, to be voluntarily presented themselves before persepossessed with that kind of folly which renders cutors, and intrigued for the glory of martyrit proper for us, though not to be confined with dom. So, in regard to the present subject, in lunatics, yet to be banished from the company our opinion, it is not requisite we should inof people of birth and quality, as they call trude into the company of the great to reprove theniselves, and to be stationed in closets and them, when we have reason to believe our recells.

bukes would be injurious to ourselves, and conIII. Thus we have seen both the execution- tribute nothing to the glory of religion. All ers who punish morality with martyrdom, and the actions of a Christian should be directed by the magnanimity which exposes a man to the prudence. We only expect you should never punishment: and these are sufficient to expose blush for the precepts of your great Lawgiver, our third article, the horrors, that accompany never contribute, by mean adulation, or proit. I have no ideas sufficiently great of the found silence, to the violation of them; in short, bulk of my auditors, to engage me to be very that you would openly profess to fear God alexact in expounding this third article. I fear, ways when your profession is likely to conwere I to enlarge on this part of my subject, vince a sinner, or to convert a saint. I should raise insurinountable obstacles to the This duty carries its own evidence along end which I should propose in opening the with it. Let us here compare the doctrines subject. Forgive an opinion so inglorious to of religion with the precepts of it. The preyour piety, but too well adjusted to the imper- cepts of religion are as essential as the docfections of it. We dare not form such a plan trines; and religion will as certainly sink if for you as Jesus Christ formed for St. Paul, the morality be subverted, as if the theology when speaking of this new proselyte to Anani- be undermined. Moreover, doctrines are abas, he told him, “I will show him how great solutely useless without morality, and the docthings he must suffer for my name's sake,” trines of religion are only proposed to us as Acts ix. 16. Martyrdom for doctrines, I grant, grounds of the duties of it. The first doctrine seems at first more shocking than martyrdom of religion, the foundation of all the rest, is, for morality; but, taken altogether, it is per- that there is only one God; but why does haps less insupportable. To die for religion is God require us to admit the doctrine of his not always the worst thing in the calling of a unity? It is that we may not divide supreme Christian. Virtue wakes up into vigour in love, the character of supreme adoration, bethese circumstances, and renders itself invinci-tween the Supreme Being and creatures; for ble by its efforts. Even worldly honours some on this subject it is said, " thou shalt love the times come to embolden. That kind of he Lord thy God with all thine heart.” Now, roism which is attributed to a man making were I to deny this second proposition, we such a splendid sacrifice, supports under ex- ought not to divide between God and any quisite torments.

creatore that love which is the essence of suThere is another kind of suffering, longer preme adoration, should I be a less odious and more fatiguing, and therefore more ditti- apostate than if I'denied the first? One of the cult. It is a profession, a detail, a trade of suf- most essential points of our divinity is, that fering, if I may express myself so. To see one's there is a future state. But why does God reself called to live among men whom we are al- quire us to believe a future state? It is that ways obliged to contradict upon subjects for we should regard the present life as the least which they discover the greatest sensibility; to considerable period of our duration. If then I be excluded from all thoir pleasures; never to deny this practical proposition, the present life be admitted into their company, except when is the least considerable part of our duration, they are under afflictions and restraints; to am I an apostate less odious than if I deny this hear one's looks and habits turned into ridi- proposition of speculation, there is a future cule, as they said of the prophet Elisha, “ He state? We say the same of all other doctrines. is a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather If it be the duty of a Christian to confess the about his loins,” ? Kings i. 8: What a punish- doctrines of religion, and if a simple genuflexment! Men who have withstood all the terrors ion, and the offering of one grain of incense, of racks and dungeons, have yielded to the vio- be acts of denial of these truths of speculation, lence of this kind of persecution and martyr. I ask, are not one act of adulation, one smile dom. We will not be insensible of the frailty of approbation, one gesture of acquiescence, of our auditors, and therefore, we will omit a also acts of denial in regard to practical truths! discussion of the acute and horrid pains of this Most certainly. In times of persecution it was kind of martyrdom.

necessary to lift up the standard of Jesus Christ, Iy. We are to treat, fourthly, of the obliga- to confess him before Herod and Pilate, and tion of speaking of the testimonies of God be- before all who took these persecutors of the fore kings. We ground this on the nature of I church for their examples. In like manner,

while the church enjoys the most profound speak of thy testimonies before kings, and will peace, if innocence be oppressed, if we see not be ashamed,” finds a rich reward, first in modesty attacked, if we hear the sophisms of the ideas which a sound reason gives him of sin, we must learn to say, each in his pro- shame and glory; secondly, in the testimony of per sphere, I am a Christian, I hate calumny, his own conscience; thirdly, in the approbaI abhor oppression, I detest profaneness and tion of good people; and lastly, in the prerolicentiousness, and so on.

gatives of martyrdom. These, if I may so exThe further you carry this comparison of press myself, are four jewels of his crown. martyrdom for doctrines with martyrdom for 1. Notions of shame and glory are not arbiduties, the more fully will you perceive, that trary, they are founded on the essence of those the same reasons which establish the necessity things to which they are related; on these reof the first, confirm that of the last, and that lations they depend, and not on the caprice of apostates from morality are no less odious than different understandings. My first relation is those from divinity. Let us for a moment ex- that which I have to God, it is the relation of amine what makes the first martyrdom neces- a creature to his Creator. The duty of this sary, I mean that for doctrines. Some reasons relation is that of the most profound submisregard the believers themselves. Our attach- sion. My glory is to discharge this duty, and ment to the religion of Jesus Christ may be it is my shame to violate it. My second reladoubtful to ourselves, before we suffer for it. tion is that which I have to men, a relation Martyrdom is a trial of this attachment. “Be- between beings formed in the same image, subloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery ject to the same God, and exposed to the same trial which is to try you, as though some strange miseries. The duty of this relation is that of thing happened unto you," 1 Pet. iv. 12. Some treating men as I wish they would treat me; regard the spectators, in whose presence God or, to use the words of Jesus Christ, “ of doing calls his children to suffer for religion. Chris- to them whatsoever I would they should do tians have made more disciples to the true re- to me,” Matt. vii. 12. It is my glory to disligion, by suffering persecution, than tyrants charge this duty, and my shame to violate it; have taken from it by persecuting. This is a and so of the rest. These ideas are not arbisecond view of martyrdom. A martyr may trary, they are founded in the nature of things. say, with his divine Master, “I, if I be listed No mortal, no potentate has a right to change up, will draw all men unto me," John xii. 32. them. If, then, the great regard me with disSome of these reasons regard the honour of dain, when I answer to my relations, and disreligion, for which God calls us to suffer. charge the duties of them, I will not be ashamWhat can be more glorious for it than that ed. The contempt which this conduct brings peace, and joy, and firmness, with which it in- upon me, falls back upon my despiser, because spires its martyrs. How ravishing is this re- shame is a necessary consequence of violating ligion, when it supports its disciples under the these duties, and because glory is a necessary most cruel persecutions! How truly great does consequence of practising them. it appear, when it indemnifies them for the loss 2. The martyrdom of morality is rewarded of fortune, rank, and life; when it makes them by the testimony of conscience, and by the inefsee, through a shower of stones, the object of fable joys with which the heart is overwhelmtheir hope, and impels them to exclaim with ed. While the tribunals of the great condemn St. Stephen, “Behold, I see the heavens open- the Christian, an inward judge absolves him; ed, and the Son of Man standing on the right and the decrees of the former are reversed by hand of God!” Acts vii. 56. This is a third the latter. “Our rejoicing is this, the testimoview of martyrdom, and it would be as easy to ny of our conscience. I suffer; nevertheless I increase the list as it is to make the applica- am not ashamed, for I know on whom I have tion. Let us apply to martyrdom for duties, believed,” 2 Cor. i. 12; 2 Tim. i. 12. what we have said concerning martyrdom for 3. The moral martyr is rewarded by the apdoctrines, and we shall be obliged to conclude, probation of good people. Indeed, suffrages that the same reasons establish the necessity of will never be unanimous. There will always both.

be in the world two opposite systems, one of Let us not pass lightly over this article. If virtue, another of sin. The partisans of a sys there be a martyrdom of morality, how many tem of sin will always condemn the friends of apostles have we among us? How often have virtue as the friends of virtue will always conwe denied our holy religion? How often, when demn the partisans of sin. You cannot be conit has been jeeringly said to us, “Thou also sidered in the same light by two such different wast with Jesus," have we sneakingly replied, classes of judges. What the first account in“I know not what thou sayest.?”.

famous, the last call glory; and the last will V. We come to our last article, the crown cover you with glory for what the first call of moral martyrdom. Here a new order of your shame. If you be obliged to choose one objects present themselves to our meditation of the two parties to judge you, can you possiPardon me, if I cannot help deploring the loss bly hesitate a moment on which to fix your or the suspension of that voice with which for choice? The prophet indemnified himself by three and twenty years I have announced the an intercourse with the people of God, for the testimonies of God, so as to be clearly heard at injury done him by the great. “I am,” said he, the remotest parts of this numerous auditory. “ä сompanion of all them that fear thee, and However, I will try to present to you at least a of them that keep thy precepts,” Ps. cxix. 33. few of the truths which I dare not undertake Suffer me to sanctify here the profane praise to speak of in their utmost extent.

which Lucan gave Pompey;* “The gods are The martyrdom of morality! A man who cau say to God, as our prophet said, “I will * Victrex Causa Deis Placuit; sed Victa Catoni.