# The Sequel Compared With The Beginning Of This History.

Date not assigned · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: THE SEQUEL COMPARED WITH THE BEGINNING OF THIS HISTORY.



We have already spoken of the great honor which
custom conferred upon the brave and triumphant
warriors; yet not one of all these, however great,
mighty, valiant and victorious he may have been,
or how great the honor and glory with which he
may have been hailed, could in any wise be compared
with the least martyr who suffered for the testimony
of Jesus Christ.

Even aged and feeble persons, youths and maidens,
and such as were not noticed, yea whom the
world did not esteem at all, did infinitely more
through the power of their faith, their ardent love to
God, and, especially, their steadfastness unto death,
whereby they were enabled to forsake, yea, despise,
all visible things, and to put entirely out of their
thoughts, forget, and bid, as it were, eternal adieu
to, until the consummation of all things, money,
property, houses, farms, brothers, sisters, parents,
children, dear friends and relatives, yea their own
bodies and lives, and everything pleasing and delightful
according to the flesh; whereas others, if possible,
gladly enjoyed and retained all this, and
would fain have retained it always, or still retain it.

The honor, therefore, which is due to the holy
martyrs, is infinitely greater and better than that of
earthly heroes; just as the fight they fought, was infinitely
more profitable, and their victory, as coming
from the hand of God, infinitely more praiseworthy
and glorious.13

Through earthly wars countries and their inhabitants
are destroyed, the innocent killed, the fugitive
robbed of their property, and much weeping and
mourning caused among those who remain. But
through the warfare of the martyrs, at least through
the martyrs themselves, the prosperity of countries
and their inhabitants was promoted because of the
fervent prayers offered up by the martyrs to God
for those who did them harm and for the common
welfare of all the inhabitants.

The life of the innocent, who otherwise would
have had to die, yea, their spiritual and eternal life,
was obtained and preserved through the medicine
of their good teachings, admonitions, examples, and
unwavering continuance to the end of life.

The estates of men generally, both according to
the soul and the body, they improved and multiplied,
causing them to increase thirty, sixty, and
even a hundred fold, by their uprightness, fidelity,
benevolence, compassion, and incomparable mercifulness
toward their fellow men.

They caused no one to lament or weep, by doing
him the least damage or injury, but they greeted
everybody, even their enemies, with kindness, embraced
them with the arms of love, and gave them
cause to rejoice and be glad, outwardly as well as
inwardly, bodily and spiritually, here and (God
granting them mercy) also hereafter.

O most delightful warfare, which did injury to
none, but good to all. O ye blessed heroes, who
14
fought this fight! No princes or kings can be compared
to you; for all the honors won by earthly
heroes on earth shall vanish with the earth; but your
honor is an everlasting honor; your glory shall never
cease, yea, shall endure, as long as God endures,
whom you served.





---

Page: http://history.truechristian.church/stories/mm-the-sequel-compared-with-the-beginning-of-this-history/

[Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+The+Sequel+Compared+With+The+Beginning+Of+This+History.&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AThe+Sequel+Compared+With+The+Beginning+Of+This+History.%0A%0APage%3A+http%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fstories%2Fmm-the-sequel-compared-with-the-beginning-of-this-history%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-the-sequel-compared-with-the-beginning-of-this-history%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)