244 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN.
of]allthesetrials? If you are assailedwith injuries,He was
firstso assailed.If you areoppressedwith reproaches,you
areimitatingthe experienceof God. Whence alsoitisbut
a littlematterwhatever you undergo for Him, seeingthat
you can do nothingmore,unlessthatin thisconsiststhewhole
of salvation,that He has promised the whole to martyrdom.
Finally,the apostle,to whom allthingswere alwaysdear,
while he deeplymarvelledat the greatnessof the promised
henefits,said," I reckon that the sufferingsof thispresent
time are not worthy to be compared to the glorythatisto
follow,which shallbe revealedin us."1 Because he was
musing in hisown mind how greatwould be the reward,that
to him to whom itwould be enough to be freefrom death,
should be given not only the prerogativeof salvation,hut
alsoto ascendto heaven— to heaven which isnot constrained
into darkness,even when lightis expelledfrom it,and the
day doesnot unfoldintolightby alternatechanges; butthe
serenetemperatureof theliquidairunfoldsa pure brightness
through a clearnessthatreddenswith a fieryglow.
19. It now remains,belovedbrethren,thatwe areboundto
show what istheadvantageof martyrdom, and thatwe should
teach that especially,so that the fear of the futuremay
stimulateus to thisglorioustitle.Because those towhom
greatthingsare promised,seem to have greaterthingswhich
theyare bound to fear. For the soldierdoesnot arousehim
selfto arms beforethe enemy have brandishedtheirhostile
weapons; nor doesa man withdraw hisshipin an anchorage,
unlessthe fearof the deep have checked hiscourage. More
overalso,whileeagerforhiswealth,theconsideratehusband
man doesnot stirup the earthwith a fortunateploughshare,
beforethe crumbling glebeisloosenedintodust by therain
that it has received. Thus thisis the naturalpracticeof
everyman, to be ignorantof what isof advantage,unlessyou
recognisewhat has been mischievous. Whence alsoa reward
isgivento allthesaints,inthatthe punishment of theirdeeds
isinflictedon theunrighteous. Thereforewhat theLordhas
promisedto His peopleisdoubtfulto none,however ignorant
1Rom.viii.18.