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On the Glory of Martyrdom

Pseudo-Cyprian

Section 12

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Cyprian

12. For it is a great glory, beloved brethren

‹ Section 11 Section 13 ›

,

to

adorn

the

life

of

eternal

salvation

with

the

dignity

of

suffering

:

it

is

a

great

sublimity

before

the

face

of

the

Lord

,

and

under

the

gaze

of

Christ

,

to

contemn

without

a

shudder

the

torments

inflicted

by

human

power

.

Thus

Daniel

,

by

the

constancy

of

his

faith

,

overcame

the

threats

of

the

king

and

the

fury

of

raging

lions

,

in

that

he

believed

that

none

else

than

God

was

to

be

adored

.

Thus

,

when

the

young

men

were

thrown

into

the

furnace

,

the

fire

raged

against

itself

,

because

,

being

righteous

,

they

endured

the

flames

,

and

guarded

against

those

of

Gehenna

,

by

believing

in

God

,

whence

also

they

received

things

worthy

of

them

:

they

were

not

delayed

to

a

future

time

:

they

were

not

reserved

for

the

reward

of

eternal

salvation

.

God

saw

their

faith

;

that

what

they

had

promised

to

themselves

to

see

after

their

death

,

they

merited

to

see

in

their

body

.

For

how

great

a

reward

was

given

them

in

the

present

tribulation

could

not

be

estimated

.

If

there

was

cruelty

,

it

gave

way

;

if

there

was

flame

,

it

stood

still

.

For

there

was

one

mind

to

all

of

them

,

which

neither

violence

could

break

down

nor

wrath

could

subvert

;

nor

could

the

fear

of

death

restrain

them

from

the

obedience

of

devotion

.

Whence

by

the

Lord’s

grace

it

happened

,

that

in

this

manner

the

king

himself

appeared

rather

to

be

punished

in

those

men

(

who

were

slain

)

,

whilst

they

escape

whom

he

had

thought

to

slay

.