d in their fancy, not only assuaged their pain but also,
they thought, outweighed it all. Of these affections, with the
wonderful dolorous effects following upon them, not only old
written stories, but beside that experience, I think, in every
country, Christian and heathen both, giveth us proof enough. And is
it not then a wonderful shame for us, for the dread of temporal
death, to forsake our Saviour who willingly suffered so painful
death rather than forsake us? Considering that, beside that, he
shall for our suffering so highly reward us with everlasting
wealth. Oh, if he who is content to die for his love, of whom he
looketh afterward for no reward, and yet by his death goeth from
her, might by his death be sure to come to her and ever after in
delight and pleasure to dwell with her--such a love would not stint
here to die for her twice! And what cold lovers are we then unto
God, if, rather than die for him once, we will refuse him and
forsake him forever--him who both died for us before, and hath also
provided that, if we die here for him, we shall in heaven
everlastingly both live and also reign with him! For as St. Paul
saith, "If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him."

How many Romans, how many noble hearts of other sundry countries,
have willingly given their own lives and suffered great deadly
pains and very painful deaths for their countries, to win by their
death only the reward of worldly renown and fame! And should we,
then, shrink to suffer as much for eternal honour in heaven and
everlasting glory? The devil hath also some heretics so obstinate
that they wittingly endure painful death for vain glory. And is it
not then more than shame that Christ shall see his Catholics
forsake his faith rather than suffer the same for heaven and true
glory?

Would God, as I many times have said, that the remembrance
of Christ's kindness in suffering his passion for us, the
consideration of hell that we shall fall in by forsaking him, and
the joyful meditation of eternal life in heaven that we shall win
with this short temporal death patiently taken for him, had so deep
a place in our breast as reason would that they should--and as, if
we would strive toward it and labour for it and pray for it, I
verily think they would. For then should they so take up our mind
and ravish it all another way, that, as a man hurt in a fray
feeleth not sometimes his wound nor yet is aware of it, until his
mind fall more thereon