The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

We have an instance of their Courage in Tiburtius, who thus spake to his Judges: Bind me to Racks and Wheels, condemn me, banish me, load me with Chains, burn me, tear me, omit no kind of Torment. If you banish me, the smallest corner of the Earth shall be to me as the whole World, because I shall find my God there: If you kill me, by the same act you will give me the happy Liberty I sigh after, and deliver me from a Prison on Earth to reign in Heaven: If you condemn me to the fire, I have quenched other flames in resisting Concupiscence: Ordain what Torment you please, it shall not trouble me, since my Heart is filled with Love to suffer and desire it. They were thankful to those who condemned them, and regarded their Executioners with the same eye,¹ as St. Peter did the Angel, that brake off his Fetters, to restore him to Freedom. They cheerfully received them, as those who brought the keys of Paradise in the same hands wherewith they brought their Swords. They entered into the Fire with joy, and were not only patient but triumphant in their Sufferings,² as if they had been glorified in their Souls, and impassible to the Sufferings of their Bodies. I have seen, saith Eusebius, the Executioners tired with tormenting them, lie down panting and breathing, and others not less fierce, but more fresh succeed ⟨p. 453⟩in their cruel Service; But I never saw the Martyrs weary of Sufferings, nor heard them desire a Truce, much less Deliverance from them. If the Judges were softened with their Blood, and by the force of Nature were compelled to be compassionate, so as to offer them a release if they would but feign to deny Christ; They were filled with indignation, esteeming it the worst injury, that their Persecutors expected, they would be guilty of but the shadow of Infidelity to their dear Saviour. They were ambitious of the longest and most terrible Sufferings for His sake, to be Martyrs in every member. They sang the Praises of Christ (their Tongues being harmonious with the affections of their Hearts) in the Flames, they preached Him from the Crosses, they rejoiced in him as their only Good, in the midst of devouring Beasts. Briefly, They preserved an inviolable Faith to Him, notwithstanding the most furious Batteries against them:

We have an instance of their Courage in Tiburtius, who thus spake to his Judges: Bind me to Racks and Wheels, condemn me, banish me, load me with Chains, burn me, tear me, omit no kind of Torment. If you banish me, the smallest corner of the Earth shall be to me as the whole World, because I shall find my God there: If you kill me, by the same act you will give me the happy Liberty I sigh after, and deliver me from a Prison on Earth to reign in Heaven: If you condemn me to the fire, I have quencht other flames in resisting Concupiscence: Ordain what Torment you please, it shall not trouble me, since my Heart is fill'd with Love to suffer and desire it. They were thankful to those who condemned them, and regarded their Executioners with the same eye,