The symbol of Paradise
was depicted by Moses
who made the two sanctuaries,

The sanctuary and the Holy of Holies; into the outer one
entrance was permitted,
but into the inner,
only once a year.

So too with Paradise,
God closed of the inner part,
but He opened up the outer,
wherein Adam might graze.

-St Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Paradise 3, 17

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Blessed the sinner who has received mercy there

and is deemed worthy to be given access to the environs of Paradise;

even though he remains outside,
he may pasture there through grace.

As I reflected, I was fearful again
because I had presumed to suppose that there might be between the Garden and the fire

A place where those who have found mercy can receive chastisement and forgiveness.

Praise to the Just One who rules with His grace;

He is the Good One who never draws in the limits of His goodness;

even to the wicked He stretches forth in His compassion.

His divine cloud hovers over all that is His;

it drips dew even on that fire of punishment so that, of His mercy,

It enables even the embittered to taste of the drops of its refreshment.

-St Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns on Paradise 10, 14-15

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We should hold festival for every martyr and readily make a place for them all in our mouths and ears and thoughts; we should be eager to talk about them and to hear about them and to believe that nothing surpasses their heroism.

Truly, there are many things that serve to guide us towards perfection and many things to instruct us in virtue: reason, the Law, the Prophets, the apostles, the very passion of Christ, the first martyr, who gathered me to himself as he mounted the cross that he might crucify my sins and triumph over the serpent and sanctify the tree and vanquish pleasure and redeem Adam and restore our fallen image: such and so great are our models;

but no less edifying for us are the martyrs, spiritual sacrifices, perfect victims, acceptable offerings, proclamations of the truth, denunciations of falsehood, fulfillment of the Law in its spiritual sense, abolition of error, persecution of evil, inundation of sin, purification of the world. - St Gregory Nazianzus, Oration 24

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But their sayings and their ordinances, O king, and the glory of their service, and the expectation of their recompense of reward, according to the doing of each one of them, which they expect in another world, thou art able to know from their writings. It sufficeth for us that we have briefly made known to your majesty concerning the conversation and the truth of the Christians. For truly great and wonderful is their teaching to him that is willing to examine and understand it.

And truly this people is a new people, and there is something divine mingled with it. Take now their writings and read in them, and lo! ye will find that not of myself have I brought these things forward nor as their advocate have I said them, but as I have read in their writings, these things I firmly believe, and those things also that are to come. And therefore I was constrained to set forth the truth to them that take pleasure therein and seek after the world to come. - Apology of Aristides, XVI

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Indeed, Elijah, when interceding for you before God, spoke thus: Lord, they have slain your prophets, and have destroyed your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

And God answered: I still have seven thousand men, whose knees have not been bowed before Baal.

Therefore, just as God did not show his anger on account of those seven thousand men, so now he has not yet exacted judgment of you, because he knows that every day some of you are forsaking your erroneous ways to become disciples in the name of Christ, and this same name of Christ enlightens you to receive all the graces and gifts according to your merits.

One receives the spirit of wisdom, another of counsel, another of fortitude, another of healing, another of foreknowledge, another of teaching, and another of the fear of God. - Justin Martyr Dialogue with Trypho, 39, 1-2

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