2.

"And we have seen and are witnesses." ¹ Perhaps some of the brethren who are not acquainted with the Greek do not know what the word "witnesses" is in Greek: and yet it is a term much used by all, and had in religious reverence; for what in our tongue we call "witnesses," in Greek are "martyrs." Now where is the man that has not heard of martyrs, or where the Christian in whose mouth the name of martyrs dwelleth not every day and would that it so dwelt in the heart also, that we should imitate the sufferings of the martyrs, not persecute them with our cups! ² Well then, "We have seen and are witnesses," is as much as to say, We have seen and are martyrs. For it was for bearing witness of that which they had seen, and bearing witness of that which they had heard from them who had seen, that, while their testimony itself displeased the men against whom it was delivered, the martyrs suffered all that they did suffer. The martyrs are God's witnesses. It pleased God to have men for His witnesses, that men also may have God to be their witness. "We have seen," saith he, "and are witnesses." Where have they seen? In the manifestation. What meaneth, in the manifestation? In the sun, that is, in this light of day. And how should He be seen in the sun who made the sun, except as "in the sun He hath set His tabernacle; and Himself as a bridegroom going forth out of his chamber, exulted as a giant to run His course?" ³ He before the sun, ⁴ who made the sun, He before the day-star, before all the stars, before all angels, the true Creator, ("for all things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made,") that He might be seen by eyes of flesh which see the sun, set His very tabernacle in the sun, that is, showed His flesh in manifestation of this light of day: and that Bridegroom's chamber was the Virgin's womb, because in that virginal womb were joined the two, the Bridegroom and the bride, the Bridegroom the Word, and the bride the flesh; because it is written, "And they twain shall be one flesh;" ⁵ and the Lord saith in the Gospel, "Therefore they are no more twain but one flesh. ⁶ And Esaias remembers right well that they are two: for speaking in the person of Christ he saith, "He hath set a mitre upon me as upon a bridegroom, and adorned me with an ornament as a bride." ⁷ One seems to speak, yet makes Himself at once Bridegroom and Bride; because "not two, but one flesh:" because "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us." To that flesh the Church is joined, and so there is made the whole Christ, Head and body.