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may bo able to fhed their blood for Christ. For this is tomish to bo found with Christ, to imitate that whicli Christboth tauot and did, according to the Apostlo John, Who said, - Ηo that salth ho abidoth in Christ, ought himself also so
that me aro harassed With constant persecutions, and continu-
atly trita mith increasing amictions, when the Lord besore prodicted that theso things would happen in tho last times, and has instructed us for the M arsare by the teaching and Oxhortation os His motas. Peter also, His apostle, has taughtthat persecutions occur for the salis of our being proved, and that we also fhould, by the examplo of righteous menWho have gone besors us, bo joined to the love of God bydeath and sufferings. For he wrote in his epistie, and said, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial
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V in persecutions, because, When persecutions oecur, thenam oven the crowns of saith, then the soldiers of God ars
escape death, wo might reasonubly sear to die. But since, onthe ollior hand, it is necessary that a morial man Should die,
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THE EPISTLES OF CYPRIAM183mo fhould embraco the occasion that comes by divine promissand condescension, and accomptish the ending provided bydoath with the reward os immortali ty; nor fear to bo flain,
tem that ho has not perished publicly and before many, sin the cause os perishing is to perish for Christ. That Witnem
Who proves martyrs, and croWns them, sussices for a testimonyos his martyrdom.
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heaven and the earth. y6. What shail We say of the cruei tortures of tho Messed martyrs in the Maccabees, and the multiform sufferings of the seven brethren, and the mollier comtarting her children in their agonies, and herseti hing also with her childroni Donot they Witness the proois of great courage and salth, and
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TNE EPISTLES OF CYPRIAM185 exhori us by their sufferings to the triumplis of martyrdom ' What of the propheta Rhom the Holy Spirit quichened to
not be excused ii he learns and does not.
7. Nor let any one of you, beloved brethren, be soterrified by the sear of future persecution, or the coming of the threateuing Antichrist, as not to be found armed sor allthings by the evangelicat exhortations and precepta, and by the heavenly Warnings. Antichrist is coming, but a ve him comes Christ also. The enemy goeth about and rageth, but
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8. For the secular contest men are trained and prepared,
and rechon it a great glory of their honour is it should happen to them to be cro ned in the sight of the people, and in the presence of tho emperor. Behold a tosty and great
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may embrace the Lord Himself, hereaster to receive homilio Lord the re ard of heavenly croWnS.
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188THE EPISTLES OF CYPRIAM10. Oh, What and hoW great Will that day be at iis coming,
Gehenna, and is set on fim our persecutors With the pe
patriarchs, and propheta, and apostles, and martyrs-to rejoicis With the righinous and tho friends of God in the hingdom of
tion ahali come, When that glory os God shali shine u nus, We inali bo as happy and joysul, honoured With tho condescension os God, as they mill remain guilty and wretched, who, either as desertere from God or rebeis against Him, havo dono tho Mil of tho devit, so that it is necessary for them tota tormented Qth tho devii himself in unquenchable fire. 11. Let these things, beloved brethren, inhe hold of ouehearis; let this bo the preparation of our ams, this ourdatly and nightly meditation, to have betam our ves and ever in revolve in Our thoughis and seelings the punishments of the wiched and tho rowatas and the deservings of the ri Neous: What the Lord threatens by way os punishment againstitiose that deny Him; What, on the other hand, Ηe promises by Way oi glory to those that confess Him. Is, whilo mo thinhand meditate on these things, there should come in us a day of persecution, the soldier of Christ instructed in His precepis and warnings is not fearsul for the batile, but is prepared for thecro n. I bid you, dearest brethren, ever heartily fare ell.
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TO CORNELIUS IN EXILE, CONCERNINO HIS CONFESSION. GUΜENT.- Cyprian prasees in Comelius and his peopletheir eonfession of the name of Christ even to banishment; and Ghorta them to constan. and to mutuat Wayer forme anothem, as weli in respeet of the appro hing My Ust Dis in this life, as afer death. More er, Dama8ugmentions this epistie in the life of Cornelius, as beluthat on aecount of which a calumny aro3e, whenes thetyrant took an eoecuse for his death. 1. Cyprian to Cornelius his brother, meeting. have been made aequainted, dearest brother, With the glorious testimontes of your faith and courage, and havo received with
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190 THE EPISTLES OF CYPRIAM 2. The salth, dearest brethron, whicli tho blessed apostis
had come, he was beaten bach and conquered; and as much fear and terror as ho had brought, so much bravery and strength he also found. Ηe had thought that ho could again Overthro the servants of God, and agitato them in his accustomed manner, as is they wero novices and inexperienced s it litile propared and litile cautious. Ho attached onasret, as a Wolf had tried to separato the sheep hom tho floch, as a hawh to separato the dovo from tho flying troop; sorhe who has not sussicient strengili against all, seeks to gainaduantage froin the solitudo os individuals. But when beaten