1. Innocents are said to be Gods witnesses, and to haue confessed and shewed his praise not in speaking but in dying.

This sentence here charged for an vntruth the Church of God hath taught heretofore,* as the auncient Fathers witnesse. Bernard who was some 5. hundred years since hath these words. Can any doubt that the infants which were slaine in Christ his stéede, are crowned among the Martyrs? And méeting with an obiection that might be made. If you aske (saith he) what they deserued at Gods hands that they were crowned, aske also what fault they had done that they were murdred, vnlesse perad∣uenture Christ his pietie were lesse then Herods impietie, that the Page  163tyrant coul• put harmelesse infants to death, and Christ could not crowne them, who were killed for his sake. Theophilact who was some 900. yeares after Christ writeth thus. That Herod his malice may be shewen, must iniurie be néeds done the little ones? Heare therefore, they were not iniuried but iustly ob∣tained crownes. Haimo some 800. yeares after Christ writes in his Postilly vpon this feast day of the Innocents. In that the children were slaine for the Lord Christ, it implieth that by the accepted worke of humilitie the way is to the crowne of Martyrdome, &c. Hilarie who was some 400. yéeres and vpward after Christ in his exposition vpon Saint Mathew, speaking of these babes, & their death saith, Iewrie did abound in the blood of Martyrs. And presently after thus. Herod his fury and the death of the infants is a forme or patterne of the people of the Iewes raging against the Christians, and thinking that with the slaughter of blessed Martyrs, they can extinguish the name of Christ. And speaking of those words in the Prophet: Rahel would not be comforted because they were not, &c. They were caried vp into the aduance∣ment of eternitie by the glory of Martyrdome. Saint Austin (who was somewhat before Saint Hilarie) The in∣fants (saith he) could suffer for Christ, though they could not as yet confesse him. Againe in another place, yee were not of age to beleeue in Christ, who was to suffer, but yet ye had flesh of your owne wherein yee could indure the Passion for Christ who was to suffer. And in his third Booke of free will. The Church doth not in vaine commend the infants receiued into the honor of mar∣tyrs, which were slaine by Herod &c. Which very selfe same sen∣tence he remembreth verbatim in his Epistle to Saint Ie∣rom. Copious in this argument are his Homilies of the Saints in foure senerall Sermons, calling the Innocentes Martyrs and their death Martyrdome, and in his second Booke de symbolo ad Catechumenos the fifth Chap. &c. Before him Saint Page  164Origen homil. 3. maketh mention of them after this manner.* The memory of these infants alwaies is celebrated in our Churches as it is meete, according to the intire order of the saints, that Bethlehem it selfe where the Sauiour was borne, may seeme to offer vnto the Lord the first fruits of the Martyrs. Anone after. VVell therefore and according to the will of God, the holy Fathers haue giuen in charge that there be celebrated a perpetuall memorie of them as dying for the Lord. No new deuise in his time but long before as it appeareth by his writing. Saint Cyprian or the Author vnder his name. Behold these little ones, (whom Herode the enemy of nature and and monster of crueltie did kill) are suddainly become Martyrs, and whilest in steede of Christ, and for Christ pulled from their mothers breast and slaine they beare witnesse by suffering, what they could not by their speech. All which testimonies as they are nothing, if Scripture were against them, so the Scripture no where gainsaying, we shall doe ill to gainsay the testimonie of so many ages succéeding one another, and that for many hundred yeares confirming what (but lately) is denied without sufficient proofe to the contrary. And yet though lately denied by some few among vs (not to speake of our own Church here at home) other our brethren in the same faith learned writers of these times ap∣prooue the order we do. Spangenbergius as may be seene in his postill they of Merdenburg in their Centures note that God by this heauie Tragedie hath shaddowed out the bloody image of Christs Church. Which historie of theirs would not fit to such a purpose, if their were no comparison twixt them and the Church of Christ. Master Gualter in his 18. Homily vp∣on Saint Mathew writes thus. As Abel was the first Martyr of the olde Testament, whose blood cried vnto God, so these infants were the first, which were slaine in the newe Testament for Iesus Christ and crowned with a glorious crowne of Martyrdome, haue changed this mortall life for an immortall, and now liue with him in the heauens. Be∣side all these auncient and late authorities this argument may Page  165iustifie what our Church doth. They in whom Christ is perse∣cuted and put to death may be held for Martyrs: But in those in∣nocent children Christ was persecuted and put to death. (For such was the tyrants purpose, and so Christ accounteth what is done to little ones for his sake as done vnto him.) Therefore may they be thought blessed Martyrs not in speaking, for they were in∣fants, but in dying,* not properly Martyrs such as are volunta∣rie professors of the faith, but yet so to be esteemed because for Christ, that is, Christ was among them sought to be slaine. Thirdly, the scripture it selfe thus farre confirmeth the point, in that the Prophet Ieremie is alleadged cap. 31. Rahel weeping for hir children, Shaddowing thereby the Church of God mour∣ning as a desolate widdow for those that she bare vnto God. For so the verse following doth minister comfort. Thus saith the Lord. Refraine thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from teares, for thy worke shall be rewarded saith the Lord. As for that our Church calleth them Martyrs (which seemeth to be some mens grieuance) because Herods sonne was then slaine, is no deniall of the name of Martyrs to the others the children of the faithfull in Bethlehem. For if any were, it was sufficient,* and that some were, the allegations before proue sufficiently So needlesse are some mens peremptories they send foorth to wound this truth like Herod his executioners to kill those little ones, that so he might be sure to put Christ to death. To conclude this point. That difference of Martyrs our Church alloweth of, Some are Martyrs in will and act, that is, both suffer and are willing to it, so Saint Stephen was, some in will ready co dye, though happily they dye not, so Iohn the Euangelist: Some in act, not in will that is, they can but suffer and doe, though they haue no will, nor vnderstanding to know what they doe, so did these infants, in whom what was wanting to their will Christ gratiously supplied.