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Cyprian - Against the Jews - Book III
6. That all good and righteous men suffer more, but ought to endure because they are proved.
In Solomon: "The furnace proveth the vessels of the potter, and the trial of tribulation righteous men." [4214] Also in the fiftieth Psalm: "The sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and humbled heart God will not despise." [4215] Also in the thirty-third Psalm: "God is nearest to them that are contrite in heart, and He will save the lowly in spirit." [4216] Also in the same place: "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but out of them all the Lord will deliver them." [4217] Of this same matter in Job: "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, naked also shall I go under the earth: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: as it hath pleased the Lord, so it is done; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all these things which happened to him Job sinned in nothing with his lips in the sight of the Lord." [4218] Concerning this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew: "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." [4219] Also according to John: "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. But in the world ye shall have affliction; but have confidence, for I have overcome the world." [4220] Concerning this same thing in the second Epistle to the Corinthians: "There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted. For which thing I thrice besought the Lord, that it should depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for strength is perfected in weakness." [4221] Concerning this same thing to the Romans: "We glory in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we also glory in afflictions: knowing that affliction worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope does not confound; because the love of God is infused in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given unto us." [4222] On this same subject, according to Matthew: "How broad and spacious is the way which leadeth unto death, and many there are who go in thereby: how straight and narrow is the way that leadeth to life, and few there are that find it!" [4223] Of this same thing in Tobias: "Where are thy righteousnesses? behold what thou sufferest." [4224] Also in the Wisdom of Solomon: "In the places of the wicked the righteous groan; but at their ruin the righteous will abound." [4225]