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Exhortation to Martyrdom

Cyprian of Carthage

Part 13 · Introduction

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

The Holy Spirit shows and predicts by Solomon, saying: “

‹ Section 11 Section 12 ›

And

although

in

the

sight

of

men

they

suffered

torments

,

yet

their

hope

is

full

of

immortality

.

And

having

been

troubled

in

a

few

things

,

they

shall

be

in

many

happily

ordered

,

because

God

has

tried

them

,

and

has

found

them

worthy

of

Himself

.

As

gold

in

the

furnace

,

He

hath

tried

them

;

and

as

whole

burnt

-

offerings

of

sacrifice

,

He

hath

received

them

,

and

in

its

season

there

will

be

respect

of

them

.

They

will

shine

and

run

about

as

sparks

in

a

place

set

with

reeds

.

They

shall

judge

the

nations

,

and

have

dominion

over

the

peoples

;

and

their

Lord

shall

reign

for

ever

.

”

In

the

same

also

our

vengeance

is

described

,

and

the

repentance

of

those

who

persecute

and

molest

us

is

announced

.

“

Then

,

”

saith

he

,

“

shall

the

righteous

stand

in

great

constancy

before

such

as

have

afflicted

them

,

and

who

have

taken

away

their

labours

;

when

they

see

it

,

they

shall

be

troubled

with

a

horrible

fear

:

and

they

shall

marvel

at

the

suddenness

of

their

unexpected

salvation

,

saying

among

themselves

,

repenting

and

groaning

for

anguish

of

spirit

,

These

are

they

whom

we

had

sometime

in

derision

and

as

a

proverb

of

reproach

.

We

fools

counted

their

life

madness

,

and

their

end

to

be

without

honour

.

How

are

they

numbered

among

the

children

of

God

,

and

their

lot

is

among

the

saints

!

Therefore

have

we

erred

from

the

way

of

truth

,

and

the

light

of

righteousness

hath

not

shined

unto

us

,

and

the

sun

hath

not

risen

upon

us

.

We

have

been

wearied

in

the

way

of

unrighteousness

and

perdition

,

and

have

walked

through

hard

deserts

,

but

have

not

known

the

way

of

the

Lord

.

What

hath

pride

profited

us

,

or

what

hath

the

boasting

of

riches

brought

to

us

?

All

these

things

have

passed

away

like

a

shadow

.

”

Likewise

in

the

cxvth

Psalm

is

shown

the

price

and

the

reward

of

suffering

:

“

Precious

,

”

it

says

,

“

in

the

sight

of

the

Lord

is

the

death

of

His

saints

.

”

In

the

cxxvth

Psalm

also

is

expressed

the

sadness

of

the

struggle

,

and

the

joy

of

the

retribution

:

“

They

who

sow

,

”

it

says

,

“

in

tears

,

shall

reap

in

joy

.

As

they

walked

,

they

walked

and

wept

,

casting

their

seeds

;

but

as

they

come

again

,

they

shall

come

in

exultation

,

bearing

their

sheaves

.

”

And

again

,

in

the

cxviiith

Psalm

:

“

Blessed

are

those

that

are

undefiled

in

the

way

,

who

walk

in

the

law

of

the

Lord

.

Blessed

are

they

who

search

His

testimonies

,

and

seek

Him

out

with

their

whole

heart

.

”

Moreover

,

the

Lord

in

the

Gospel

,

Himself

the

avenger

of

our

persecution

and

the

rewarder

of

our

suffering

,

says

:

“

Blessed

are

they

who

suffer

persecution

for

righteousness

’

sake

,

for

theirs

is

the

kingdom

of

heaven

.

”

And

again

:

“

Blessed

shall

ye

be

when

men

shall

hate

you

,

and

shall

separate

you

,

and

shall

expel

you

,

and

shall

revile

your

name

as

evil

,

for

the

Son

of

man’s

sake

.

Rejoice

ye

in

that

day

,

and

leap

for

joy

;

for

,

behold

,

your

reward

is

great

in

heaven

.

”

And

once

more

:

“

Whosoever

shall

lose

his

life

for

my

sake

,

the

same

shall

save

it

.

”

Nor

do

the

rewards

of

the

divine

promise

attend

those

alone

who

are

reproached

and

slain

;

but

if

the

passion

itself

be

wanting

to

the

faithful

,

while

their

faith

has

remained

sound

and

unconquered

,

and

having

forsaken

and

contemned

all

his

possessions

,

the

Christian

has

shown

that

he

is

following

Christ

,

even

he

also

is

honoured

by

Christ

among

the

martyrs

,

as

He

Himself

promises

and

says

:

“

There

is

no

man

that

leaveth

house

,

or

land

,

or

parents

,

or

brethren

,

or

wife

,

or

children

,

for

the

kingdom

of

God’s

sake

,

but

shall

receive

seven

times

as

much

in

this

present

time

,

and

in

the

world

to

come

eternal

life

.

”

In

the

Apocalypse

also

He

says

the

same

thing

:

“

And

I

saw

,

”

saith

he

,

“

the

souls

of

them

that

were

slain

for

the

name

of

Jesus

and

the

word

of

God

.

”

And

when

he

had

placed

those

who

were

slain

in

the

first

place

,

he

added

,

saying

:

“

And

whosoever

had

not

worshipped

the

image

of

the

beast

,

neither

had

received

his

mark

upon

their

forehead

or

in

their

hand

;

”

all

these

he

joins

together

,

as

seen

by

him

at

one

time

in

the

same

place

,

and

says

,

“

And

they

lived

and

reigned

with

Christ

.

”

He

says

that

all

live

and

reign

with

Christ

,

not

only

who

have

been

slain

;

but

even

whosoever

,

standing

in

firmness

of

the

faith

and

in

the

fear

of

God

,

have

not

worshipped

the

image

of

the

beast

,

and

have

not

consented

to

his

deadly

and

sacrilegious

edicts

.

Notes

1
In many editions this clause is wanting.
2
Wisd. iii. 4–8.
3
Ps. cxvi. 15.
4
Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6.
5
Ps. cxix. 1, 2.
6
Matt. v. 10.
7
Luke vi. 22, 23.
8
Luke ix. 24.
9
Luke xviii. 29, 30.
10
Rev. xx. 4, 5.