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On Jealousy and Envy

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 16

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

16. The mind must be strengthened, beloved brethren, by

‹ Section 15 Section 17 ›

these

meditations

.

By

exercises

of

this

kind

it

must

be

confirmed

against

all

the

darts

of

the

devil

.

Let

there

be

the

divine

reading

in

the

hands

,

the

Lord’s

thoughts

in

the

mind

;

let

constant

prayer

never

cease

at

all

;

let

saving

labour

persevere

.

Let

us

be

always

busied

in

spiritual

actions

,

that

so

often

as

the

enemy

approaches

,

however

often

he

may

try

to

come

near

,

he

may

find

the

breast

closed

and

armed

against

him

.

For

a

Christian

man’s

crown

is

not

only

that

which

is

received

in

the

time

of

persecution

:

peace

also

has

its

crowns

,

wherewith

the

victors

,

from

a

varied

and

manifold

engagement

,

are

crowned

,

when

their

adversary

is

prostrated

and

subdued

.

To

have

overcome

lust

is

the

palm

of

continency

.

To

have

resisted

against

anger

,

against

injury

,

is

the

crown

of

patience

.

It

is

a

triumph

over

avarice

to

despise

money

.

It

is

the

praise

of

faith

,

by

trust

in

the

future

,

to

suffer

the

adversity

of

the

world

.

And

he

who

is

not

haughty

in

prosperity

,

obtains

glory

for

his

humility

;

and

he

who

is

disposed

to

the

mercifulness

of

cherishing

the

poor

,

obtains

the

retribution

of

a

heavenly

treasure

;

and

he

who

knows

not

to

be

jealous

,

and

who

with

one

heart

and

in

meekness

loves

his

brethren

,

is

honoured

with

the

recompense

of

love

and

peace

.

In

this

course

of

virtues

we

daily

run

;

to

these

palms

and

crowns

of

justice

we

attain

without

intermission

of

time

.

Notes

44
Pamelius, from four codices, reads, “Let there be the divine reading before the eyes, good works in the hands.”
45
[“Habet et pax coronas suas.” Comp. Milton, Sonnet xi.]