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An Address to Demetrianus

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 18

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

18. Nor let anybody think that Christians are not avenged by

‹ Section 17 Section 19 ›

those

things

that

are

happening

,

for

the

reason

that

they

also

themselves

seem

to

be

affected

by

their

visitation

.

A

man

feels

the

punishment

of

worldly

adversity

,

when

all

his

joy

and

glory

are

in

the

world

.

He

grieves

and

groans

if

it

is

ill

with

him

in

this

life

,

with

whom

it

cannot

be

well

after

this

life

,

all

the

fruit

of

whose

life

is

received

here

,

all

whose

consolation

is

ended

here

,

whose

fading

and

brief

life

here

reckons

some

sweetness

and

pleasure

,

but

when

it

has

departed

hence

,

there

remains

for

him

only

punishment

added

to

sorrow

.

But

they

have

no

suffering

from

the

assault

of

present

evils

who

have

confidence

in

future

good

things

.

In

fact

,

we

are

never

prostrated

by

adversity

,

nor

are

we

broken

down

,

nor

do

we

grieve

or

murmur

in

any

external

misfortune

or

weakness

of

body

:

living

by

the

Spirit

rather

than

by

the

flesh

,

we

overcome

bodily

weakness

by

mental

strength

.

By

those

very

things

which

torment

and

weary

us

,

we

know

and

trust

that

we

are

proved

and

strengthened

.

Notes

31
[Beautiful triumph of faith, “peace in believing!”]