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On the Glory of Martyrdom

Pseudo-Cyprian

Section 26

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Cyprian

26. Consider what it is, beloved brethren: set

‹ Section 25 Section 27 ›

before

your

perceptions

and

your

minds

all

the

endurance

of

martyrdom

.

Behold

,

indeed

,

in

the

passion

of

any

one

you

will

,

they

who

are

called

martyrs

rejoice

as

being

already

summoned

out

of

the

world

;

they

rejoice

as

being

messengers

of

all

good

men

;

they

rejoice

in

like

manner

as

elected

.

Thus

the

Lord

rejoices

in

His

soldier

,

Christ

rejoices

in

the

witness

to

His

name

.

It

is

a

small

matter

that

I

am

speaking

of

,

beloved

brethren

;

it

is

a

small

matter

,

so

great

a

subject

in

this

kind

of

address

,

and

so

marvellous

a

difficulty

has

been

undertaken

by

me

;

but

let

the

gravity

of

the

issue

,

I

beseech

you

,

not

be

wanting

for

my

own

purpose

,

knowing

that

as

much

can

be

said

of

martyrdom

as

could

be

appreciated

.

Whence

also

this

alone

has

been

the

reason

of

my

describing

its

glory

,

not

that

I

judged

myself

equal

and

fitted

for

its

praise

,

but

that

I

saw

that

there

was

such

a

virtue

in

it

,

that

however

little

I

might

say

about

it

,

I

should

profess

that

I

had

said

as

much

as

possible

.

For

although

the

custody

of

faith

may

be

preferred

to

the

benefit

of

righteousness

,

and

an

immaculate

virginity

may

recognise

itself

as

better

than

the

praises

of

all

;

yet

it

is

necessary

that

even

it

should

give

place

to

the

claim

of

blood

,

and

be

made

second

to

a

gory

death

.

The

former

have

chosen

what

is

good

,

the

latter

have

imitated

Christ

.

Notes

23
[The adoption of “the sign of the cross,” after the immersion of baptism, is referable to this martyr-age. It was meant to impress the idea of soldiership.]