The same most learned Maurists, in their preface to this sermon, no. 60 in the edition of the works of St. Ambrose, are my authorities for not agreeing either with the writers of the codices or with the Roman Breviary in attributing it to St. Ambrose. In the codices of St. Gall and of Holy Cross in Jerusalem, 90 and 99, we read it ascribed to St. Maximus. One Orvieto codex displays the name of St. Gregory the Great. 'If the infirmity of my body could carry out as much as it is necessary for me to say and fitting for you to hear, assuredly we should all be excused — I, that is, by imparting the precept, you by carrying out the command. But since we are struck down by weakness so that we cannot say as much as we ought, the devotion of the mind excuses us whom the discourse of preaching does not excuse:
that is, if we cease from the praises of the Lord with our tongue, let us nevertheless approve His marvels by our works. If we do not speak His glory with words, let us carry out His grace by deeds, since deeds come before words. For the Lord in the Gospel says thus: 'He who shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven' (Matt. 5). You see, then, that the deed goes first, the teaching follows; since to do good is the first teaching. For when words cease, this very thing — the best work — teaches a man, while it is seen. Which, even if it does not rouse the ears by the voice, yet pierces the hearts by its virtue. For who, seeing a good deed, does not rejoicing imitate it, and, as if using a silent master, be taught by his example? Deeds, therefore, precede words;
nay, without deeds words profit nothing. For this reason too the Lord willed to do first, and so to teach, lest the profession of words, without a good work, be useless and superstitious boasting. Better, therefore, are we taught by deed than by voice. In short, the holy martyrs, though they are silent in voice, thoroughly teach us by the virtue of their deeds; though they are silent with the tongue, they persuade by the passion of martyrdom. Whence, although an eloquent orator may teach me by his fluency, yet that which is useful to me I learn better by the example of the saints than by the assertion of words. Sooner do my eyes persuade me of what they behold than the ear can insinuate what passes by; for oblivion quickly steals upon the hearing, but the record of the eyes is ever looked upon.
For who does not at all hours and moments behold how the blessed martyrs then, for the name of Christ, underwent various punishments, and in a certain way triumphed over the very punishments? For the more they suffered, the more they believed themselves to be most virtuous. For the victory of the martyr is the condemnation of his persecutor, as it is written: 'that you may conquer when you are judged' (Ps. 50). For when the martyr is judged and condemned, then he conquers and lays low. For by such a judgment he is not condemned to death, but absolved to rest. And by this, by a most manifest reasoning, it is to conquer, not to perish. It is established, therefore, that the holy martyrs teach more by their passion than by their voice, although the passion itself is not without a voice.
For we read that their souls cry out from beneath the altar of God, or rather say: 'How long, holy and true One, do You not avenge our blood?' (Rev. 6). For the Lord also says of the blood of Abel to Cain: 'The voice of your brother's blood cries out to me' (Gen. 4). Blood, therefore, that is shed innocent, is said to cry out, not so much by voice as by its cause. So too the souls of the holy martyrs cry out, while by the very passion they commend their faith and their innocence to our senses. The end.