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On the Mortality

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 17

About this work

Written during epidemic, this pastoral work urges Christians not to fear death, interprets suffering through faith and hope, and calls the community to courage, charity, and readiness for God.

Author: Cyprian of Carthage
Date: c. AD 252
Origin: Carthage, North Africa
Genre: Theological Treatise

17. But perchance some one may object, and say

‹ Section 16 Section 18 ›

,

“

It

is

this

,

then

,

that

saddens

me

in

the

present

mortality

,

that

I

,

who

had

been

prepared

for

confession

,

and

had

devoted

myself

to

the

endurance

of

suffering

with

my

whole

heart

and

with

abundant

courage

,

am

deprived

of

martyrdom

,

in

that

I

am

anticipated

by

death

.

”

In

the

first

place

,

martyrdom

is

not

in

your

power

,

but

in

the

condescension

of

God

;

neither

can

you

say

that

you

have

lost

what

you

do

not

know

whether

you

would

deserve

to

receive

.

Then

,

besides

,

God

the

searcher

of

the

reins

and

heart

,

and

the

investigator

and

knower

of

secret

things

,

sees

you

,

and

praises

and

approves

you

;

and

He

who

sees

that

your

virtue

was

ready

in

you

,

will

give

you

a

reward

for

your

virtue

.

Had

Cain

,

when

he

offered

his

gift

to

God

,

already

slain

his

brother

?

And

yet

God

,

foreseeing

the

fratricide

conceived

in

his

mind

,

anticipated

its

condemnation

.

As

in

that

case

the

evil

thought

and

mischievous

intention

were

foreseen

by

a

foreseeing

God

,

so

also

in

God’s

servants

,

among

whom

confession

is

purposed

and

martyrdom

conceived

in

the

mind

,

the

intention

dedicated

to

good

is

crowned

by

God

the

judge

.

It

is

one

thing

for

the

spirit

to

be

wanting

for

martyrdom

,

and

another

for

martyrdom

to

have

been

wanting

for

the

spirit

.

Such

as

the

Lord

finds

you

when

He

calls

you

,

such

also

He

judges

you

;

since

He

Himself

bears

witness

,

and

says

,

“

And

all

the

churches

shall

know

that

I

am

the

searcher

of

the

reins

and

heart

.

”

For

God

does

not

ask

for

our

blood

,

but

for

our

faith

.

For

neither

Abraham

,

nor

Isaac

,

nor

Jacob

were

slain

;

and

yet

,

being

honoured

by

the

deserts

of

faith

and

righteousness

,

they

deserved

to

be

first

among

the

patriarchs

,

to

whose

feast

is

collected

every

one

that

is

found

faithful

,

and

righteous

,

and

praiseworthy

.

Notes

36
Or, “perceived.”
37
Apoc. ii. 23.
38
Some originals read, “does not desire our blood, but asks for our faith.”