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On the Glory of Martyrdom

Pseudo-Cyprian

Section 19

About this work

Author: Pseudo-Cyprian

19. It now remains, beloved brethren, that we

‹ Section 18 Section 20 ›

are

bound

to

show

what

is

the

advantage

of

martyrdom

,

and

that

we

should

teach

that

especially

,

so

that

the

fear

of

the

future

may

stimulate

us

to

this

glorious

title

.

Because

those

to

whom

great

things

are

promised

,

seem

to

have

greater

things

which

they

are

bound

to

fear

.

For

the

soldier

does

not

arouse

himself

to

arms

before

the

enemy

have

brandished

their

hostile

weapons

;

nor

does

a

man

withdraw

his

ship

in

an

anchorage

,

unless

the

fear

of

the

deep

have

checked

his

courage

.

Moreover

also

,

while

eager

for

his

wealth

,

the

considerate

husbandman

does

not

stir

up

the

earth

with

a

fortunate

ploughshare

,

before

the

crumbling

glebe

is

loosened

into

dust

by

the

rain

that

it

has

received

.

Thus

this

is

the

natural

practice

of

every

man

,

to

be

ignorant

of

what

is

of

advantage

,

unless

you

recognise

what

has

been

mischievous

.

Whence

also

a

reward

is

given

to

all

the

saints

,

in

that

the

punishment

of

their

deeds

is

inflicted

on

the

unrighteous

.

Therefore

what

the

Lord

has

promised

to

His

people

is

doubtful

to

none

,

however

ignorant

he

is

;

but

neither

is

there

any

doubt

what

punitive

fires

He

threatens

.

And

since

my

discourse

has

led

me

thus

to

argue

about

both

these

classes

of

things

in

a

few

words

,

as

I

have

already

spoken

of

both

,

I

will

briefly

explain

them

.