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On the Glory of Martyrdom

Pseudo-Cyprian

Section 6

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Cyprian

6. The whole of this tends to the praise of

‹ Section 5 Section 7 ›

martyrdom

,

the

whole

illuminates

the

glory

of

suffering

wherein

the

hope

of

time

future

is

beheld

,

wherein

Christ

Himself

is

engaged

,

of

whom

are

given

the

examples

that

we

seek

,

and

whose

is

the

strength

by

which

we

resist

.

And

that

in

this

behalf

something

is

supplied

to

us

to

present

,

is

surely

a

lofty

and

marvellous

condescension

,

and

such

as

we

are

able

neither

mentally

to

conceive

nor

fully

to

express

in

words

.

For

what

could

He

with

His

liberal

affection

bestow

upon

us

more

,

than

that

He

should

be

the

first

to

show

forth

in

Himself

what

He

would

reward

with

a

crown

in

others

?

He

became

mortal

that

we

might

be

immortal

,

and

He

underwent

the

issue

of

human

destiny

,

by

whom

things

human

are

governed

;

and

that

He

might

appear

to

have

given

to

us

the

benefit

of

His

having

suffered

,

He

gave

us

confession

.

He

suggested

martyrdoms

;

finally

,

He

,

by

the

merits

of

His

nativity

,

imputed

all

those

things

whereby

the

light

(

of

life

)

may

be

quenched

,

to

a

saving

remedy

,

by

His

excellent

humility

,

by

His

divine

strength

.

Whoever

have

deserved

to

be

worthy

of

this

have

been

without

death

,

have

overcome

all

the

foulest

stains

of

the

world

,

having

subdued

the

condition

of

death

.