Question III: On martyrdom

CHIEF among the acts of Fortitude is to undergo death for God, which is to endure Martyrdom. Moreover, a Martyr is so called, as it were a confessor.

BASILIDES the heretic, cited by Tertullian in de praescript. toward the end, said that it is not licit to undergo Martyrdom. Gyraldus, however, counseled flight from Martyrdom, as though it were the work only of outstanding saints. St. Bonavent. refutes him in the Apologia pauperum.

I ASSERT that Martyrdom is in every case an act of virtue.

IT IS PROVED by the Holy Doctor from the epist. ad Heb. where, after narrating the deeds of the Martyrs, who for faith and religion experienced mockeries and scourges, chains and prisons, etc., he straightway exhorts in cap. 12. Let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us, looking on the Author of faith, and the finisher JESUS, who, having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame. Where the Gloss: Girded and equipped, let us run without hesitation to the combat of Martyrdom.

NEXT he brings forward 2. Corinth. 12. Most gladly will I spend, and be spent myself, for your souls. Where the Gloss: Perfect Charity is that one be ready even to die for his brethren, and straightway Philippines 1. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ: where the Gloss has: Certain imperfect men, who die with patience.

He also urges that passage 2. Timoth. 4. where Paul, exulting, is near Martyrdom: For I am even now ready to be sacrificed, and the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought the good fight, etc. and he cites the Gloss confirming the same.

He urges the same also from Act. 5. where the disciples went rejoicing from the sight of the Council, because they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus, as I also related above.

He ADDS that of 1 Peter, cap. 2. Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps.

That it is a HEROIC act to lay down one's life for Christ, is had in Ioan. 5. But to decline death for a time, either to reserve oneself for a more glorious triumph, or for the solace and help of the flock, is not less praiseworthy; for thus the holy Pontiffs often hid themselves. Thus Christ also fled at one time.

He PROVES next by the examples of the Saints, Peter and Paul, Andrew, Laurence, Sebastian, Tiburtius, Vincentius, and the like, who offered themselves spontaneously to Martyrdom; for if that were not licit, they would already have gravely sinned and been damned, dying in a forbidden act, which is an insane thing to say; surely Christ exhorted, Matth. 10. Fear not them who kill the body, and cannot kill the soul.

THE REASONING of St. Bonaventure from the said Scriptures appears firm, for Martyrdom is a firm standing in faith and justice against the persecutors of the Church, and the offering of one's life to God, which is the greatest sign of Charity, as is said Ioan. 15.

I ASSERT secondly, that Martyrdom is an act of Fortitude. So St. Thom. art. 2. and in common with St. Bonavent. de septem donis, de Dono fortitudinis.

IT IS PROVED by the Holy Doctor first from that passage Heb. 11. The Saints by faith conquered kingdoms, were made strong in battle, turned armies to flight, etc. which the Church reads of the holy Martyrs, and St. Gregory homil. 27. in Evang. He expounds it thus: The saints were made strong, they tame the tormentors, they strengthen the spirit, they shine with virtues, they despise earthly things, they desire heavenly things, they can be killed, they cannot be bent, and homil. 30. in Evang. The Apostles would not have presumed to withstand the powers of this world, unless the fortitude of the Holy Spirit had made them firm. Thus Peter answered the Princes threatening him: We ought to obey God rather than men.

IT IS PROVED secondly by St. Bonaventure, by the reasoning drawn thence: The work of fortitude is to make firm in rectitude against perils, especially of death. But in such a way the Martyrs are made firm, as St. Cyprian has it lib. 2. epist. 6. ad Martyres.

I ASSERT thirdly, that Martyrdom is commanded also by Charity.

IT IS PROVED by the Holy Doctor, from the Scriptures cited.

I ADD therefore, that it is an act of the highest perfection, insofar as it is commanded by Charity. It is proved by the Holy Doctor from that passage Ioan. 15. Greater Charity than this no one hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends: but Charity is the greatest virtue, and hence its acts are most perfect, as is said 1 Corinth. 13. Coloss. 3.

I ASSERT fourthly, that a Christian is not bound to go to Tyrants for Martyrdom in every event, nor indeed ought he to offer an occasion for killing without cause; nevertheless in certain causes he not only can but even ought, as if the ignominy of the faith of Christ is at stake, if any are wavering in the faith. Thus the bravest Captain of the Church, St. Sebastian, protested this of himself. So St. Thom. art. 1. ad .¹ and St. Bonaventure pursues this more fully in the place cited, Apolog. Christ counsels, Matth. 10. When they shall persecute you in this city, flee into another, yet this is not to be done absolutely, but the Gloss, with Rabanus, warns it is to be done in some case: indeed even perfect men fled at times on account of causes, either to provide for the flock; or to reserve themselves for a greater occasion, as Athanasius; but other perfect men ran to Martyrdom, whom I recalled above. ¹ N. Editor's note: the 1655 print itself reads 'art. 1. ad .' with the numeral after 'ad' missing; rendered as printed (likely 'ad 1.').

WHENCE the Holy Doctor infers that the adversary argues badly. Perfect men sometimes fled Martyrdom: Therefore it is not a work of perfection. For it is answered by denying the consequence. First, because not all perfect men fled, as I said: Next, because not everything perfect men do is of greater perfection; Jacob, David, Urias, Mathathias fled, yet they were not perfect in all things, for they cultivated neither virginity nor the Evangelical poverty; Athanasius also fled, who nevertheless encountered perils when there was need, but he fled at times from licit causes, not always.

NOR is it an objection, that passage Ioan. 21. Another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldst not; for this signifies only that death is not to be inflicted on himself by the Martyr, as St. Bonaventure notes with St. Augustine; but by another, when it is shunned by the senses, although the will commands, for the honor of God, not to shun it, because the perfection of Charity commands also to overcome the fear of death, as the Holy Doctor notes from St. Augustine tract. 123. in Ioan. See the Holy Doctor distinguishing most splendidly.

I ASSERT fifthly, that for the perfect notion of Martyrdom it is required that one endure death for Christ, that is, for God. So St. Thom. quaest. 124. art. 4. St. Bonav. in the places cited, and in 4. dist. 4 part. 2. q. 2. et 3.

IT IS PROVED, because a Martyr is called, as it were, a witness of the Christian faith, by which the visible things are proposed to us as to be despised for the invisible, according to the Apostle Heb. 11. Therefore it belongs to Martyrdom that a man bear witness to the faith, professing that he despises all present things so as to attain the future, which does not happen except by the outpouring of his very life for God. Hence St. Augustine Serm. 4. de Innoc. and Serm. 1. de Sanctis, cited by St. Bonavent. Serm. 2. de B. Bartholomaeo and in 4. d. 4. part. 2. dubio 1. It is not the punishment that makes the Martyr, but the cause. The same he has in the Pharetra, lib. 4. cap. 49. citing St. Gregory in registr. lib. 2. ind. 11. cap. 36. with St. Cyprian.

YET it is not necessary that a Martyr die for the confession of the faith, but it suffices if he suffer for the defense of some virtue, and endure persecutions for justice, as St. Thom. says art. 5. we have an example in John the Baptist, who was killed not for the confession of the faith, but for preaching continence against the adulteress, as Valentia notes quaest. 2. puncto 1. Tanner. d. 4. quaest. 2. dub. 2. num. 34.

The Holy Doctor OBSERVES, however, in 4. d. 4. part. 2. dub. 1. that since for Martyrdom there is required a just will and a just cause, and the first failed in the Innocents, the second in the Thief, neither was a Martyrdom; nevertheless they obtained the laurel of Martyrdom by privilege from the grace of God, so that the effusion of blood for Christ was for them as though voluntarily endured, as Tanner. also warns num. 22. with St. Augustine Serm. 66. inter additos a Lovaniensibus, and others.

IN WHAT WAY Martyrdom is the Baptism of blood, we shall see in 3. part. Tract. de Baptismo, disp. 2. quaest. 1. with St. Bonavent. in 4. d. 4. part. 2. But whether a Martyr with a defect, as Blessed Martin, receives the laurel, I said elsewhere prima 2.

It is ANSWERED with St. Bonaventure in 2. dist. 40. art. 2. quaest. 1. that he has not the golden crown [Aureola], but only the golden one of charity.

I shall say only this with St. Bonaventure there quaest. 3. ad 4. that Martyrdom is called the Baptism of blood because in Martyrdom life is laid down, which is in the blood, as is said Levit. cit. Or because there, in the effusion of blood, every Martyrdom is ordinarily completed. He there observes that the holy Martyrs rescued by others from torments, except the sword. He assigns the reason, because the other torments act almost as it were, creatures working naturally, and because the creatures obey God, it was fitting that they show reverence even to the holy servants of God. Thus Lions and other beasts licked the feet of the Saints. The fire gave way, etc. But in the punishment of the sword free malice operates more, and it does not befit God to allow his work to act freely, although at times it was impeded in some respects, as the sword became torpid, as in St. Pantaleon.

YET the sword is not necessary for Martyrdom; nor fire, but hardships suffice, as St. Bonaventure notes Serm. 3. de S. Andrea. For thus SS. Sylverius, John, and others died, for whom nevertheless therefore the last responsory is changed in the office, and it says: Corona aurea, etc. But not: Hic est vere Martyr, not because they are not Martyrs, but because they did not shed blood. Truly, those who in prisons were consumed by hunger, and who by wasting disease in caverns for Christ, are Martyrs.

The Holy Doctor also TEACHES in 4. dist. 32. quaest. 1. ad secundum, that a wife cannot deny her husband that he proceed to Martyrdom, if it is necessary.

St. Bonaventure relates from the Fathers MANY analogical Martyrdoms in bearing adversities, in the mortification of the flesh, and in the pursuit of virtues, in Pharetra, lib. 4. cap. 49. for sermons. The same he indicates in Psal. 118. in those words Narraverunt mihi iniqui fabulationes.

The Holy Doctor OBSERVES also ad 15. Ioan. ad those words: Quae ego mando, etc. That Martyrdom cannot be nobly sustained without the supreme help of God; for to pour out life, which we love naturally, is not of nature.

IF you say, that the heretical Donatists underwent death for the faith, by forcing tyrants to arms.

The Holy Doctor ANSWERS, that this is to die from despair, and headlong error; but a Martyr dies for the supreme end.

FINALLY he observes in 4. dist. cit. and in serm. primo de S. Matthia, that a Martyr is so purified by Martyrdom that he straightway flies to heaven, and therefore he does him an injury who prays for him, as St. Augustine teaches de verbis Apostoli, Serm. 17. and it is related extra. de celebr. Missarum, cap. Cum Matthae, §. ultimo.

The HOLY DOCTOR ad cap. 3. sap. in those words: Iustorum animae in manu Dei sunt, which the Church sings of the Martyrs, asks why the Martyrs, among the other Saints, are especially called just.

He ANSWERS, because he is just who disregards loss for the sake of a friend, as is said Prov. 12. But the Martyrs disregard and despise the loss of all things and of life for the love of God, as the Apostle describes, Heb. 11.

IN Psal. 115. he expounds the etymology of the name Martyr in Greek Μάρτυρ TESTIS, and says; that a Martyr bears witness to Christ, while he does not hesitate to undergo death for him, and to pour out his life: Secondly to bear witness to the resurrection of the flesh; for he would not give his flesh to death unless he had hoped to receive it again: Thirdly to bear witness to the truth of eternal beatitude; for he would not so despise worldly things unless he expected eternal things.

IN Psal. 118. in those words: Many, who persecute me, etc. he notes that on the feasts of the most holy Nativity honor is shown to Martyrs of threefold kind. For first there is Stephen, who was a Martyr in will and in deed. Next John, who in will alone; thirdly the Innocents, who had only the deed.

FINALLY on Psal. 33. he concludes that Martyrdom ought to have three things, namely, the Final Cause, that it be suffered for God: The Formal Cause, that it be sustained willingly, nor be as the wheel of a cart, which carries straw, and yet creaks and murmurs: Thirdly perseverance.