74 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN. when the abundance of virtueand faithwas in excess,the Christianmartyrs cannot he numbered, as the Apocalypse testifiesand says: " After thesethingsI behelda greatmulti tude,which no man could number, of every nation,and of every tribe,and people,and language,standingin the sight of the throne and of the Lamb ; and they were clothedin white robes,and palms were in theirhands ; and they said with a loud voice,Salvationto our God, who sittethupon the throne,and unto the Lamb ! And one of the eldersan swered and saidunto me, Who are thosewhich are arrayed in white robes,and whence come they? And I said unto him, My lord,thou knowest. And he saidunto me, These are they who have come out of great tribulation,and have washed theirrobes,and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serveHim day and night in His temple."1 But if the assembly of the Christianmartyrs is shown and proved to be so great,letno one think ita hard or a difficultthingto become a martyr,when he seesthat the crowd of martyrs cannot be numbered. 12. What hope and reward remains forthe righteousand formartyrs afterthe conflictsand sufferingsof this presenttime, The Holy Spiritshows and predictsby Solomon, saying: "And althoughinthesightofmen theysufferedtorments,yet theirhope isfullof immortality. And having been troubled in a few things,they shallbe in many happilyordered,be- because God has triedthem, and has found them worthy of Himself. As gold in the furnace,He hath triedthem ; and as whole burnt-offeringsof sacrifice,He hath receivedthem, and in itsseason therewillbe respectof them. They will shine and run about as sparks in a place set with reeds.1 They shalljudge the nations,and have dominion over the peoples; and theirLord shallreignforever."* In the same alsoour vengeance isdescribed,and the repentanceof those 1 Rev.vii.9-15. *Inmany editionsthisclauseiswanting. 3 Wiad.iii.4-8.