238 TREATISES ATTRIBUTED TO CYPRIAN. Christwas slain. Let the examples of the Lord'spassion,I beseechyou, passbeforeyour eyes; letthe offerings,andthe rewards,and the distinctionspreparedcome togetherbefore you, and lookcarefullyat botb events,how greata difficulty they have between them. For you will not be ableto confessunlessyou know what a greatmischiefyou do ifyou deny. Martyrs rejoicein heaven;the firewillconsume those who are enemies of the truth. The paradiseof God blooms for the witnesses;Gehenna will enfold the deniers,and eternalfirewillburn them up. And, to saynothingofother matters,thisassuredlyought ratherto urge us,thatthecon fessionofone word ismaintainedby theeverlastingconfession of Christ; as itiswritten," Whosoever shallconfessme on earthbeforemen, him alsowillI confessbeforemy Father, and before His angels."1 To thisare added,by way of an enhancement of glory,the adornments of virtue; forHe says," The righteousshallshine as sparks that run toand froamong the stubble;theyshalljudge the nations,and shall have dominion overthe peoples."1 12. For itisa greatglory,belovedbrethren,to adornthe lifeof eternalsalvationwith the dignityof suffering: itisa greatsublimitybefore the faceof the Lord, and under the gaze of Christ,to contemn without a shudder the torments inflictedby human power. Thus Daniel,by the constancy of hisfaith,overcame the threatsof the king and thefury of raging lions,in thathe believedthatnone elsethanGod was to be adored. Thus, when the young men were thrown intothe furnace,the fireraged againstitself,because,being righteous,they endured the flames,and guarded against those of Gehenna, by believingin God, whence alsothey receivedthingsworthy of them : they were not delayedtoa futuretime : they were not reservedforthe reward of eter nal salvation. God saw theirfaith; that what they had promisedto themselvesto seeaftertheirdeath,they merited to see in theirbody. For how great a reward was given them in the presenttribulationcould not be estimated.If therewas cruelty,it gave way ; if therewas flame,itstood 1Lukexxii.8. s Wisd.iii.7.