Let us now come to the second point which God declares to us in His
promise for our consolation. It is, that He will so sustain us by the
energy of His Spirit that our enemies, do what they may, even with Satan
at their head, will gain no advantage over us. And we see how He
displays His gifts in such an emergency; for the invincible constancy
which appears in the martyrs abundantly and beautifully demonstrates
that God works in them mightily. In persecution there are two things
grievous to the flesh, the vituperation and insult of men, and the
tortures which the body suffers. Now, God promises to hold out His hand
to us so effectually, that we shall overcome both by patience. What He
thus tells us He confirms by fact. Let us take this buckler, then, to
ward off all fears by which we are assailed, and let us not confine the
working of the Holy Spirit within such narrow limits as to suppose that
He will not easily defeat all the cruelties of men.
Of this we have had, among other examples, one which is particularly
memorable. A young man who once lived with us here, having been
apprehended in the town of Tournay, was condemned to have his head cut
off if he recanted, and to be burned alive if he continued steadfast to
his purpose.
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