68 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN.
phets,and shallshow greatsignsand wonders,tocauseerror,
ifitbe possible,even to theelect.But takeye heed :behold,
I have foretoldyou allthings. If,therefore,they shallsay
to you, Lo, he is in the desert; go not forth: lo,he is in
the sleepingchambers ; believeitnot. For as the flashing
of lightninggoeth forth from the east,and appearetheven
to the west,so alsoshallthe coming of the Son of man be.
Wheresoever the carcaseshallbe,there shallthe eaglesbe
gathered together. But immediately afterthe afflictionof
thosedays the sun shallbe darkened,and the moon shallnot
giveher light,and the starsshallfallfrom heaven,and the
powers of heaven shallbe moved : and then shallappearthe
signof the Son of man in heaven : and allthe tribesof the
earthshalllament,and shallsee the Son of man coming in
the cloudsof heaven with greatpower and glory. And He
shallsend His angels with a great trumpet,and they shall
gather togetherHis electfrom the four winds, from the
heightsof heaven,even into the farthestbounds thereof."1
And theseare not new or sudden thingswhich are now hap
pening to Christians; sincethe good and righteous,and those
who are devoted to God in the law of innocenceand the
fearof truereligion,advance always through afflictions,and
wrongs, and the severe and manifold penaltiesof troubles,
in the hardshipof a narrow path. Thus, at the very begin
ning of the world, the righteousAbel was the firstto be
slainby hisbrother; and Jacob was driven into exile,and
Joseph was sold,and king Saul persecutedthe merciful
David ; and king Ahab endeavoured to oppressElias,who
firmlyand bravelyassertedthe majestyof God. Zacharias
the priestwas slainbetween the temple and the altar,that
himself might therebecome a sacrificewhere he was accus
tomed to offersacrificesto God. So many martyrdoms of
the righteoushave, in fact,often been celebrated; so many
examplesof faithand virtuehave been set forthto future
generations. The three youths, Ananias, Azarias, and
Misael,equal in age,agreeingin love,stedfastin faith,con
stantin virtue,strongerthan the flamesand penaltiesthat
1Matt,xxiv.4-31.